Lonely Rock for the Blind.

Page 95

"It doesn't matter, I'm your guitar teacher..."

"It could be something else."

Kita Ikuyo pulled Nekoyashiki Haru along and headed towards the road outside the temple fair.

From there, one can see fireworks rising into the sky across the river, not far from where the two are now.

Kita Ikuyo, who had done thorough research online on her way to the temple fair, knew perfectly well that it was almost time for the fireworks.

"It's almost time for the fireworks, senior! Hurry up!"

Kita Ikuyo smiled and pulled Nekoyashiki Haru to the riverbank.

"I can't see it."

"It's the same as how I describe it to you."

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru hesitated for a moment before placing her hands on the railing by the river.

Kita Ikuyo stood beside him in the same posture.

"Senior, I thought you were incredibly cool just now."

Before the fireworks went off, Kita Ikuyo suddenly said.

"Thank you for the compliment."

Nekoyashiki Haru nodded.

"...And it's also very cool."

Kita Ikuyo narrowed her eyes.

"Isn't 'cool' and 'handsome' the same?"

Nekoyashiki Haru was confused.

"You could say it's different, but it's also the same... I just can't find any other words to describe how you were just now... How about that, it was captivating?"

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru was slightly taken aback.

"It just gave rise to a thought... [I really want to be like you]."

"Playing guitar? If you continue down the path of bands, Kita will be able to do it sooner or later."

"...Well...but there might be other things I want to do."

"…for example?"

"Senior, you must know many other musical instruments, right? Can you teach me slowly? Ah, of course, it has to be after my guitar skills are up to par."

Why do you suddenly want to learn so many musical instruments?

"Nekoyashiki Haru asked."

"...Just like I said before...I want to be like you."

"... "

Nekoyashiki Haru slightly opened her mouth, but did not speak.

Kita Ikuyo continued to ask.

"Why would you do something like that, senior? I mean, the band hunter thing."

"...for the sake of color."

Nekoyashiki Haru lowered her head slightly, finding it more comfortable that way.

"My senior once said that he could hear the colors in music..."

Kita Ikuyo said, and Nekoyashiki Haru continued to explain.

"When I first went blind in England, I couldn't accept the reality of not being able to see."

Nekoyashiki Haru's cane was flung out.

“I will rebelliously throw away my white cane and try to open my eyes wide, as if I can still see.”

"I took the paint and smeared it on the paper, staining my clothes and the hospital bed. Then I held up the painting and asked the nurse how it was. Usually, the nurse would force a smile and say it was good, but by then I would have a pretty good idea of what my painting looked like."

"…senior…"

"Anyway, it's just so hopeless."

Nekoyashiki Haru took off his mask and felt the breeze from the riverbank, his eyes still closed.

“Some passersby have said that my eyes are scary.”

"... "

"Like shattered glass beads, each fragment exudes a sense of ferocity."

“Back then, I would often sneak out of the ward, but I would usually be knocked down by something I didn’t know before I had taken more than a few steps, and then I would angrily smash the things around me.”

The wind caressed his face.

"Later, I heard music."

Nekoyashiki Haru put the mask back on and said with a smile.

"In short, it feels like when I listen to that music, I can see colors myself."

"I feel like I was willing to do anything for these things back then."

"So I'm willing to get a white cane, just to go see the show."

Nekoyashiki Haru smiled at Kita Ikuyo.

"So, after hearing all this, do you feel that my image has changed at all?"

"...just a little bit..."

Kita Ikuyo looked at Nekoyashiki Haru's hand on the armrest and suddenly had an urge to press her own hand down on top of it.

"So, my core motivation after returning to Japan was for those colors, so at that time I would go and challenge those musicians to one-on-one matches."

Nekoyashiki Haru sighed.

"But now that I think about it, what I did back then was really stupid."

"Not stupid..."

Kita Ikuyo pressed her hand down next to Nekoyashiki Haru, just a light touch with her little finger, as if it were an accident.

Nekoyashiki Haru was stunned for a moment, and the next moment Kita Ikuyo pulled her little finger away.

"I don't think it's stupid. The senior was just trying to pursue what he wanted, wasn't he? And he wasn't forcing anyone."

"... "

"I think such a senior is really cool."

Kita Ikuyo chuckled softly.

"Band hunters, that sounds pretty cool, doesn't it?"

"Is there?"

"That's so cool! It's like having a hermit master."