"I'm here."
Lawrence's voice always seemed to carry a trace of fatigue, along with a gentle warmth hidden beneath it that lacked some of its usual energy.
The lack of energy meant that Lawrence's exhaustion kept him from putting all his strength into being gentle.
Was that part of Harley's personality?
"What is it, Ritsuka?"
Hearing Lawrence's incredibly familiar voice by his ear, Fujimaru Ritsuka could not help feeling reassured.
"Whenever I feel helpless, I always seem to think of you first, Lawrence."
An unconscious smile crept onto his lips.
All the way to this point, Lawrence had always been by his side—like a mother, like an older sister, and sometimes even giving him the feeling of a father?
In short, Lawrence held a strange place in Fujimaru Ritsuka's heart, but whatever image he took, it was always a positive one.
Other than what happened with Mr. Luo Song. Lawrence had seemed terribly self-reproachful over that incident too. Ritsuka remembered that Harley had even hit him at the time.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be by your side this time."
Lawrence's voice still sounded somewhat remorseful.
This Singularity was far from safe. Lawrence found it difficult to accept that he had not been there to protect Fujimaru Ritsuka.
"It's all right, Lawrence. What I wanted to ask about was something else."
Leaning against the wall, Fujimaru Ritsuka gently wrapped his arms around his legs, resting his chin on his knees as he pressed his lips together.
"Lawrence, do you think false happiness must never be allowed to exist?"
After a brief hesitation, Fujimaru Ritsuka asked the question anyway.
"False happiness?"
Lawrence stopped what he was doing, sounding puzzled.
"In this Singularity, I met Mr. Sakamoto Ryoma and Oryou-san."
Fujimaru Ritsuka raised his eyes, gazing out through the open doorway as he