Lonely Rock for the Blind

"…I'm sorry Kita-chan."

Pressing the photo to her chest, Ijichi Hongxia apologized softly.

"I lied to you. I have the photo, and I've kept it all the time. I haven't let it get dirty or damaged."

Hold the photo in your arms.

"But... this is my stuff... even though you are just curious... but I... I don't want to show it to you, Xiao Xiduo..."

Ijichi Hongxia narrowed her eyes.

"I always feel like... I'm being so selfish. I'm the band leader... But I don't want to give it to you... No, I don't want to give it to anyone else except me..."

"...So...I'm really sorry for lying to you, Kita-chan..."

An inexplicable pressure weighed on her heart, and Yijichi Hongxia suddenly felt a little breathless.

Is this guilt?

Ichichi Hongxia didn't know.

She shook her head, putting aside the suspected guilt, then slowly raised the corners of her mouth, raised the photo, and looked at the two people in the photo.

"I'll always remember you, kitten."

The smile at the corner of her mouth is extremely sweet.

"I remember the time when you accompanied me when I was little, the time when you went to school with me when I was little, and the time when you came to protect me when I was bullied."

"I remember everything..."

Ijichi Hongxia's red eyes trembled with water.

"I've always missed you... I know you didn't go to school when I scolded you back for comforting me after mom passed away."

The photo was hugged tightly.

"You went to find your sister, all by yourself, so your sister came to find me, and that's why I didn't continue to be immersed in sadness."

"But... I have never apologized to you. I was planning to do it at a more appropriate time... but you left first..."

"Thinking carefully, when I was little, you were the one who took care of me, indulged me, helped me, and valued me... So I've always been very grateful to you..."

"I've been looking forward to meeting you again."

“But I never expected this result…”

Ijichi Hongxia turned over on the bed and rested her head on the pillow. The moonlight came in through the window, illuminating the photo in her hand.

"If...if I had apologized to you then, would you have stayed and not gone blind?...No...that's not right. Even if I apologized, you would still leave me."

Ijichi Nikka knew very well that Nekayashiki Haru didn't actually care about his apology, and he might even not remember it himself.

However, the complex emotions are still fermenting in my heart. After years of overlapping emotions, I look forward to meeting him again, but the result is that he has lost his eyesight.

"Next...Qing..."

Ijichi Hongxia looked at the photo and laughed.

"From now on, I will protect you well! I won't let you get hurt again! I will also find time to apologize to you for what happened before!"

"Oh, by the way, I need to fatten you up first! You're too thin now!"

"Then, the band will also find a way to get you to join. This is a rare opportunity in youth, and it's also my dream. If you are in my dream, it must be the best thing!"

"Then...then...maybe we can work together..."

Ijichi Hongka's voice suddenly stopped for a moment, and her cheeks turned red.

"I...we will always be the best of friends..."

Ijichi Hongxia's red eyes narrowed slightly, and she felt a little sleepy.

"... "

In the quiet room, the sound of breathing gradually became clearer.

The girl held the photo and fell into a peaceful sleep.

Chapter 33 Audiotape

"Hongxia... I'm back."

Opening the door, Ichichi Xingge took off her shoes and walked into the living room.

"Not here?"

Raising his eyebrows slightly, Yidizhi Xingge peeked towards the kitchen.

Not here either.

"Ah... fell asleep again?"

Ijichi Xingge sighed, looked towards Ijichi Hongxia's room, and walked over quietly.

Gently push open the door.

No lock.

The room was dark, and light came in through the crack of the door opened by Ichichi Xingge, illuminating the face of the sleeping girl on the bed.

"Hey…"

Ichichi Xingge laughed softly, and suddenly felt that all the fatigue of the day disappeared.

"You slept so soundly, you didn't even cover yourself with the quilt."

Ijichi Xingge scratched his head, then walked into the room and prepared to cover the girl who was sleeping on her side with the thin quilt next to Ijichi Hongxia.

As they got closer, Yidizhi Xingge's foot suddenly touched something.

"?"

Looking down, Yidizhi Xingge could see clearly with the help of the light coming from the living room outside behind him.

That's a suitcase.

"…Hiss? It seems to be the one under Hong Xiasai's bed?"

Ichichi Xingge tilted her head and then squatted down.

The box full of old items instantly caught her attention.

"Hey...are you still nostalgic?"

Ichichi Xingge smiled with relief, then reached into the suitcase.

She wanted to find out if there was anything related to her.

And soon she found a few photos.

"A photo of me, Haru, and Nijiya..."

Looking at the three people in the photo, Ijichi Xingge couldn't help but reveal a nostalgic look.

"And what are these tapes?"

Looking down at the tapes arranged in the box, Ijichi Xingge hesitated for a moment, then picked up one.

There is no logo on it, it looks like it was done by Ichichi Hongxia herself.

"... "

Ijichi Xingge pursed her lips and put one of the tapes into her pocket.

Then he leaned towards Ijichi Hongxia.

"Cover yourself with the quilt..."

She said this softly, but when she was about to cover Ijichi Hongka with the quilt, Ijichi Hongka turned around.

From lying on her side to lying flat, the photo in her arms was also displayed in front of Ijichi Xingge.

The girl twisted the photo tightly with both hands. The photo was a picture of a girl and a boy.

Yidizhi Xingge was slightly stunned. She gently stretched out her hand and wanted to pull the photo out of Yidizhi Hongxia's arms to take a closer look.

But it can't be pulled out without force.

“…What are you doing…sleeping with a photo…”

Ichichi Xingge took two steps back and sighed.

"...If you want to sleep, go find me..."

Ijichi Hoshige did not try to grab Ijichi Hongxia's photo, but quietly left the room.

"Tsk..."

After walking out of the room, Yidizhi Xingge's good mood suddenly disappeared. After clicking his tongue, Yidizhi Xingge walked towards his room.

"Tape player, tape player..."

Searching for the machine in her room, Ichichi Xingge quickly found the player she wanted from the messy boxes.

After locking the door of the room, Ichichi Xingge put the tape into the player.

Click…click…click…

First, there was some noise, and I didn't know if it was due to the content of the tape or the player not being used for too long.

then…

【Hahaha! 】

The sudden sound of a boy's laughter startled Ichichi Xingge.

"What? What are you doing?!"

Ichichi Hoshige couldn't figure out the situation.

【Hongxia! 】

This time the voice was much more cheerful than last time.

"?!"

Ijichi Xingge looked at the player in front of her in horror.

She heard it.

Isn't this the voice of that kid Nekayashiki Haru?

Ichichi Xingge swallowed.

Is it from the past? How did Hongxia record the sound? Did she take a screenshot from a video she had taken before?

Come to think of it, I did ask my dad for some old videos before... I overheard them while we were on the phone.

[Hongxia, please put on your clothes properly...]

It seemed like it was winter back then, Qing was asked by her mother to deliver a coat to Hongxia, while she and her mother stood on the other side recording the video.

【Meow… I learned it, Hongxia.】

I learned to meow reluctantly. I remember that Hongxia asked Qing to do it for a long time before Qing learned it.

【Hongxia's hair is messy.】

Next came the sound of hair being combed.

【Hongxia...】

【Hongxia...】

【Hongxia...】

Ijichi Xingge listened quietly, his whole body stiff and unable to move.

【Hongxia is very cute.】

Click.

After the last sentence was spoken, the player stopped.

"... "