Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Junior High School.

Bombardment Scorch and Kanna Tomosuke both went to Ningshan Junior High School, which wasn't far from Yinghao Primary School.

Although the name didn't sound as domineering as a primary school, it was still a well-known school. Whether it was the quality of teaching or the academic requirements, it was quite high.

Kanna Tomosuke, who spent a lot of effort preparing for the exam, was very lucky. Not only did she successfully enter this key junior high school, but she was also in the same class as Bombardment Scorch.

Blazing Flame Huahuo, who had always disliked her, seemed to have gone to a private aristocratic girls' school. This really made her feel relieved.

A new life was always full of hope.

"Hey hey, Kanai-kanna ~" Tanaka Refreshing Breeze, a girl whose name alone was enough to smell the fragrance of rice, was currently lying in front of Natsuya's desk and calling out to her.

"Don't be so distracted — come and see my new work, thump thump thump thump —"

As she spoke, she took out a handkerchief from her bag. It was embroidered with her and Kanai's names in a rough manner, as well as a few cherry blossoms in the corner.

"Hey, not bad!

Is this the work that you're going to submit to the sewing club? "Kanai touched the protruding stitches on the handkerchief.

Kanna Tomosuke, who was already a junior high school student, still had her hair in a bun, but her dark gray eyes from time to time were a bit more spirited than when she was in elementary school.

The hope and lightness that her new life brought to her was clearly reflected in her increasingly rosy cheeks.

She smiled at her new friend, revealing two cute little canine teeth.

"Yep, yes!

You also think it's pretty good ~ "Kiyokaze Tanaka nodded and smiled brightly. Her golden twin ponytails bounced restlessly with her body, like flowing sunlight.

"Speaking of which, half a semester has already passed.

It's so fast — "Tanaka sighed.

"I still don't know what I should do for this semester's social practice activities … so annoying …" Her fingers unconsciously circled the ends of her hair.

"Nana Kana Kobayashi, do you have any ideas?

Social practice activities … "she asked.

Kanna Tomosuke tilted her head and thought for a while.

She remembered the social welfare institute in the suburbs that she went to almost every weekend.

Although it was small and shabby, it was still a public welfare organization with a license and permit.

— That place should also meet the requirements of social practice.

As she thought this, she nodded dumbly.

"There is," she said.

"Eh — then where does Kana Kobayashi plan to go?" Kiyokaze Tanaka asked in surprise, completely not expecting such an answer.

"Little Shitou's Social Welfare Institute — — I used to go there often, so it should be considered a practical activity, right?" Kanna Tomosuke said thoughtfully.

"Little Stone …"

？

It's a place I've never heard of … "Kiyokaze Tanaka was puzzled.

"Where is it?

If it's not far, I'll go with you. "

"It's in the suburbs." Kanna Tomosuke looked serious.

"Shall we go together?"

"Oh, then forget it." Kiyokaze Tanaka instantly replied.

She frowned and said with disgust, "It's too far.

I don't know how long it'll take by bus — — if that's the case, I feel like it's better to find a nearby welfare institute or hospital to volunteer. "

As she spoke, she leaned closer to Kanai and said excitedly, "Hey Kana Kobayashi, why do you want to go to such a far place?

It's remote and shabby — — why don't we go to the nearby children's hospital to do something to make up the numbers? "

But Kanai shook her head with a serious expression.

"I've been going there since elementary school … The children and elders there all know me — — if I don't go, they'll ask," she explained honestly.

"Eh … I see."

Tanaka put on a disappointed expression. "Okay then — — you have to tell me about your activities later!"

"Okay!" Kanna Tomosuke nodded with a smile.

"I definitely will!"

In the end, Kanna Tomosuke and Bombardment Scorch worked together as partners. After nearly two hours of driving, they went to the welfare institute called "Little Rock."

Just like its ordinary name, this welfare institute was set up in an old area abandoned by the expanding and developing city.

This place was like the shadow of this bright and beautiful city. Here, everything carried a kind of gray aura.

Most of the pedestrians on the street were casually dressed, and they smelled of sweat and dust.

They wandered the street with numb expressions, but their eyes were alert and hidden when they looked at Kanna Tomosuke and Bombardment Scorch, the two "outsiders."

The air was filled with an uneasy atmosphere.

Bombardment Scorch couldn't help but nervously hold Kanai's hand.

But Kanai seemed to be used to it. She didn't notice those gazes and just walked to the street where the welfare institute was located.

The gate of the welfare institute was like this area of the city, covered with a layer of dilapidated gray shadow.

Above the door, the words "Little Stone Welfare Home" were originally painted in red. Now, due to the lack of funds, it had become mottled. Only a few pieces of thin paint that had yet to fall off could be vaguely seen hanging on the original sign.

Most of the children in this welfare institute were abandoned because of disabilities or health problems.

Their parents couldn't bear the heavy burden of raising a disabled or seriously ill child, so they left them in the hospital or even on the street.

Just like the red paint on the sign, the children scattered in the world were sent here by the nurses or the police — — a pair of old hands.

For more than ten years, the trembling arms had borne the weight of countless children.

An old lady with a body that contained energy as firm as a mountain.

— — This was the first impression that Bombardment Scorch had when he saw the director of the welfare institute for the first time.

She was an old lady in her seventies. Although her face was engraved with the marks of time, and her thick reading glasses covered her somewhat cloudy eyes, her short white hair was combed neatly. Her old back had endured countless hardships, but it was still straight.

She smiled kindly and was already waiting for Kanna Tomosuke at the narrow gate of the welfare institute.

"Ah, Kana Kobayashi, did you bring a friend with you today?"

Kanna Tomosuke nodded cheerfully.

"Grandma Suzuki!

This is Xiao Hong, my best friend! "She pulled Bombardment Scorch and introduced him to the kind old lady in front of her.

"We're here to do community practice activities!"

"Oh, oh, okay!

Welcome! "The director's eyes narrowed into slits, and the wrinkles on her face gathered together.

"Come on in, kids. You haven't seen them for a week, and the children here must have missed you."

Following the director, Kanna Tomosuke and Bombardment Scorch entered the room together.

From afar, the noise of the children could be heard from the depths of the corridor.

Although Kanna Tomosuke had mentioned to him before that the children here were all orphans with physical or mental disabilities, Bombardment Scorch was still shocked by the scene in front of him.

The children, who were supposed to be smiling like angels, looked like little monsters that had been maliciously torn apart and randomly assembled. Some of the children only had one deformed arm, and some of the children had strange faces. Although they looked to be eight or nine years old, they still behaved like three-year-old children.

There were also some frail premature babies whose thin arms seemed to be able to break them with a gentle grip.

One of the children had both of his eyes removed, leaving only two black holes.

Like the other children, he happily fumbled around and pounced on the new figure.

He hugged Bombardment Scorch tightly.

He raised his head and tried his best to show a cute smile.

But his face was also deformed. In the end, he only managed to squeeze out an extremely strange expression.

His mouth, which only had sparse teeth, looked like a black hole when opened. Coupled with the black eye sockets, he looked as terrifying as a demon.

Bombardment Scorch was frightened. His stiff body subconsciously wanted to push him away.

"Good child, good child!" Seiji suddenly heard Kanna's voice beside him. He turned around and saw that his childhood sweetheart had actually crouched down and was gently hugging a child who had a severe cleft lip and palate to the point that his entire upper jaw was connected to his nasal cavity.

The child couldn't even close his mouth, but Kanai didn't seem to mind the dripping saliva.

Bombardment Scorch had never seen her face with a gentleness that Bombardment Scorch had never seen before.

He suddenly remembered the scene when he saw Yousuke Fanping in the hospital. At that time, he also hugged him with such an expression.

Bombardment Scorch suddenly recalled the feeling of being touched at that time.

He seemed to understand something. He lowered his head and re-examined the child who began to become anxious because he didn't get a response for a long time.

So he followed Kanai's example. He slowly squatted down and tried to put his eyes at the same height as the child.

Although he knew that the child couldn't see, he still showed a nervous but kind smile.

He touched the child's head.

"Good boy," Bombardment Scorch said.

Feeling the response from the opposite side, the child instantly jumped for joy.

He grabbed the corner of Bombardment Scorch's clothes as if he had caught a life-saving straw. He tried to make some sounds, clumsily trying to please his new friend.

Such a humble and clumsy effort was both funny and sad.

"Alas … the attention and care that these children usually get is too limited." The old dean sighed.

"In our place, the young people are busy struggling to survive. Only us old women with dead husbands are left to take care of these poor children in a place like this. At least we have a place to stay."

"However, us old ladies are getting on in years, and there will always be times when we can't handle everything.

Fortunately, Mr. Yosuke and his daughter can come to help us from time to time and send us some necessities. "

The dean looked at Kanna Tomosuke who was being pulled away by a few children and said to Bombardment Scorch next to him.

"For a small orphanage like ours that doesn't have much money, they are really the saviors who send charcoal in the snow."

"Is that so?" Bombardment Scorch said.

He also looked at Kanna Tomosuke who was playing with these children.

The children surrounded her. Their young and incomplete bodies seemed to be shrouded in light.

Seiji suddenly recalled the heroic theory that Kanna Yousuke had mentioned to him numerous times. She believed in heroes.

At this time, although Kanna Tomosuke had no personality, in this gray corner where heroes couldn't reach, she was the hero of these children who were abandoned by the world, wasn't she?

He couldn't help but think so.

"Brother Scorching And Freezing!

Brother Scorching And Freezing! "A few children laughed and surrounded them.

"Play with us!"

Although they were born to suffer such a huge injustice from fate, and some of them might not even live to adulthood.

But they still actively tried to grasp any trace of warmth and happiness in life.

… Was this what Kanna Tomosuke learned from them?

A day of volunteer activities passed quickly.

"Children, thank you for your help today." The dean stood in the afterglow of the setting sun and sent the two children to the bus station.

"Although our environment here may not be very good, you are still welcome to come again next time." She smiled kindly.

"Okay, I will come again next week." Kanna Tomosuke said with a smile.

"But Xiao Hong might …" She looked at Bombardment Scorch.

"If I have the chance, I will also come," he said firmly.

From then on, Bombardment Scorch had another secret activity.

Together with Kanna, Seiji felt as if he was witnessing a different world — a world that was just like a small blade of grass growing in the shadow of a wall. Nobody cared about it, it was destroyed, yet it was full of vitality.