We changed stops about two times on the way, and then the scenery outside the window slowly changed, and the street trees that used to stand neatly on both sides became more and more sparse, and the houses behind us became more and more difficult to find. Finally disappeared completely at the end of this ramp.

However, at this moment, we sitting in the last row have no way to enjoy this close-up view of the movie, "What will happen to Aster?" "It's inconceivable that we, who are constantly occupied by such questions, can sit here calmly now.

"Lola, please give Shion a call—" I poked my head out of my position across Izumi and said to her, and Lola blinked slightly and tilted her head after hearing my words. She didn't seem to understand why I was doing this. "You can just make up any reason. Anyway, it would be nice to be sure she's safe. ”

Izumi explained to her again as if she understood, and then got off here. "There aren't many cars passing by here, and it's still far from the destination. Are you really sure? Although the driver was a little confused, his eyes took turns to look at us for a while, and persuaded.

"It's okay, I've already contacted a friend, she'll pick us up later." Although Izumi was in a hurry, he still smiled and said, "Really? That's okay. The driver nodded as if convinced.

Then we got out of the car in this place where there was no shop in front of the village, and all that was left behind us was a large weedy-covered dirt slope that looked like it had been barren for a long time, except for a useless-looking sign. Even though I had blocked the sun pouring down from the top of my head with my hands, I still felt hot.

At this moment, Lola dialed the phone number of Shion's house, but strangely after waiting for a long time, she didn't answer. "What to do, Chihiro?" Lola was a little overwhelmed and threw me a look of help, "No way, let's go to her house!" Izumi, do you know where it is? ”

I asked with my hand gently on Izumi's shoulder.

"Yes, come with me!" Then, we ran again under the leadership of Izumi! Leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind in an instant. And when we finally came to the vicinity of Shion's house, the sun was about to set.

At this point, we stopped in front of a vending machine on the side of the road and planned to buy a bottle of water to drink. But the moment I stuffed the coin I had managed to find out of my pocket into the slot, I didn't expect it to get stuck there......

I froze in place, my eyes wide! "What to do! ......I turned my head to look at Lola, and found that she was just like me at this moment, with an embarrassed and helpless smile on her face. At this point, Izumi stepped forward and gently pushed us away, and then unceremoniously kicked the vending machine in front of him as if it had stopped working!

Suddenly there was a loud sound! The passers-by around were startled, and curious and can't help but smile their eyes gathered on our side. "Sometimes you have to use this method to solve the problem." Then, ignoring them, she turned around and explained to us casually.

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard the sound of Coke falling out behind him. "Look?"

After saying that, she raised the corners of her mouth triumphantly. After that, after buying Coke, we went around a few more times before we found the apartment where Aster lived in an alley. — However, the high fence in front of us stumped us, "How about just climbing over it?" ”

She thought for a moment and looked up to me. "Wait, even if we can get in this way, what about Lola?" As I spoke, I hurriedly grabbed her hand. "Besides, if you go in this way, isn't it easier to be misunderstood?"

After hearing this, Izumi shook off my hand unconvinced and said, "You still think about this until now?!" She glared at me and asked aloud. Of course, we're not here—" But just as I was about to finish my sentence, I suddenly heard a loud sound of window glass breaking from the courtyard in the distance!

Suddenly, Izumi desperately climbed over the fence that was almost half a person high and entered the courtyard. - Aster was lying in the open space not far away, covered in glass shards! "Aster?!"

"Are you alright?!" Izumi immediately rushed over—and at this time, Lola and I, who heard the movement, came in the same way, "Shion? What's going on! "Izumi and I quickly carried Shion, who couldn't move anymore, on our shoulders and took most of the weight of her body!

Only then did she realize that she was covered with bruises almost all over her body, some of which were new; Some are old, others are scabbed. Each one is as big as a steamed bun! There is still a faint visible blood stain on the forehead near the right eye!

"Is it ......?"

And at the moment when I was shocked by her injuries, a rude and brutal voice sounded in front of me: "Because of you, my life has been messed up!" The man wore a crumpled white shirt, a pair of round-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose, and a shiny face.

Because he was wearing a hat, I couldn't see his expression clearly at this moment. "What are you doing here, how nice it would be to just disappear!!" With that, he lifted the bottle he was holding again, and poured the rest of the wine into his throat as if he were thinking.

"This is not your home, get out of here!"

I couldn't bear it anymore when I heard this, "Uncle, he's your daughter, right?" I approached him as I spoke, "So what?!" He cowered, but still yelled at me through the strength of the wine, "How can you treat your daughter like this?!" ”

Suddenly so angry that I couldn't bear it anymore, I reached out and snatched the wine bottle he held up in front of me, "As a father, don't you feel ashamed?!" "With that, I didn't hesitate to slam the empty bottle on the ground! In an instant, he stepped forward and grabbed him by the collar!

"What do you want to do?!"

It was only then that he panicked, and although he was still questioning as if he was still unforgiving, his eyes kept desperately avoiding me, "An outsider, less meddler and more nosy!" "Seems to be trying to give yourself courage, right? He added.

Or maybe you just want to scare me?

"It's not! It's not nosy! Before I knew it, I clenched my fists, "Because Shion is my friend!" So that's not nosy! In an instant, I couldn't help but widen my eyes and yelled at him in anger.

"Friends?"

"Yes! So, it's not a nosy! I tried my best to restrain the anger in my heart and repeat what I had just said. Unexpectedly, he took advantage of this gap to break free of my hand, and in the blink of an eye, he was punched firmly in the face!

Suddenly, I was staggered and retreated, so I could only quickly reach out and grab the pillar on my right hand to avoid falling! "Chihiro!?" Izumi was taken aback by the sight in front of him! She didn't seem to expect the man to do it all of a sudden.

Perhaps, it was calculated from the beginning, right? At the same time, before I could shake off the dizziness on my feet, I felt a sharp and sharp pain in my flank, and then I completely lost my balance and fell down the edge of the corridor!

It rolled on the ground like a ball several times. It seemed that I couldn't focus my gaze smoothly, and then, after taking some time to get back up, I looked at him again with difficulty, "Huh! Little ghost, do you realize the gap between us? ”

"Indeed, I realized—" At this time, I smiled bitterly in my heart, although I didn't want to admit it, but the gap was in front of me. "But, I haven't lost yet!" As soon as the words fell, I was ready to rush at him again! However, at this time, he was stopped by Izumi......

She grabbed my arm with a lot of force, "Chihiro, that's enough!" Then he persuaded me in a very sad voice. And beside her, Lola also shook her head desperately, blocking in front of me...... "That's enough......"

Eventually, we left the place together, and as soon as we stepped out of the yard, I caught a glimpse of a pair of shoes in the hallway—a pair of high heels. At this time, I seemed to understand everything. At this time, Shion turned her head to look at the bruises on my face and said, "You, are you stupid?" ”

When she said this, I didn't know how to answer, "Maybe, right?" In the end, he had to laugh bitterly at himself. Shion looked away in disgust, as if she was very dissatisfied with such an answer. "Why?"

"Didn't I say that? We're friends. So, I can't just leave it alone! ”

"Can't leave it alone? Really, you can't do it, I didn't ask you to do it. She still avoided my gaze while choking me mercilessly. Truly. "It's quite uncomfortable to be told by her to her face without mercy. But for me now, maybe, maybe I'm a little happy?

I couldn't help but think so, and the corners of my mouth rose slightly. —"It's a shame that you can still laugh, obviously your face is swollen—" At this time, Shion pointed to my face unceremoniously with an expression of disgust.

"Aren't you the same, still talking about me!" I replied unconvinced. In this way, we stopped and stopped, and in front of the third signal light at the second intersection, we were finally taken to the hospital with the help of the people around us.