This was the first time for Hiroki Sawada to be a guest at someone else's home.
Compared to the splendid platinum-based building in Sindora's house, the place where Haruhiko Oba lives is a typical Gothic castle.
Dark buildings and snow-white roses can be seen everywhere.
Walking slowly along the spiral staircase, there are oil paintings hanging on the walls on both sides.
Huge oil paintings of single or double figures.
Most of the protagonists are Tsushima Shuji and Oba Haruhiko when they were young.
"This is..." Sawada Hiroki stopped in front of a picture.
The boy in the painting sits expressionlessly on a white rocking horse, his lowered eyes silently filled with rejection.
"It's very cute, Shuji was a child." Haruhiko Oba said with a chuckle.
"Yeah." Sawada Hiroki looked at Tsushima Shuji who looked exactly the same as in the childhood painting, and couldn't help but laugh.
"It's the same as when I was a kid," he said.
"...Bang." Tsushima Shuji turned his head.
Hiroki Sawada recalled the scene when he met the other party for the first time.
A boy wearing a holy white robe sat on the edge of the fountain under the statue of God, holding a thick Bible.
There was a long line of believers before him.
Kneel down and pray devoutly before him.
"Your prayers are heard by the Father."
"I feel your despair."
The boy's eyes showed gentle and empty compassion, and he stretched out his hand to lightly tap the believer's forehead.
"Only by keeping your true heart can you listen to the oracle."
"No matter what, heaven will always accommodate the souls of believers." He held the Bible in one hand and said with lowered eyes.
Suddenly he looked towards Hiroki Sawada and Thomas Sindora.
"First time we meet, I'm Noah."
"Is there anything you want to pray to God for?"
Against the background of the church, he looks like an angel standing in the holy light, and the statue behind him looks like the soul hidden in his body.
However, Sawada Hiroki felt unparalleled despair and loneliness in his eyes.
Listening to the pain of believers day after day.
A desperate and compassionate angel.
"Want to play together?" At that time, the other party asked him.
From then on, Sawada Hiroki had someone he could play with, someone he called a friend.
Of course, after getting familiar with it, Hiroki Sawada discovered that Noah did not simply know the Bible and listen to the pain of believers.
He would lead Hiroki Sawada to play pranks on Thomas Syndora, and would secretly escape from singing in the church choir.
Will complain that the food in the church is unpalatable.
Under his leadership, Hiroki Sawada has done many things that have never been done before.
It can be said that the appearance of Noah made up for many of his shortcomings.
For Hiroki Sawada, Noah will always be a reliable friend, or brother.
"In front is the collection room, which is filled with Shuji's childhood toys..." Haruhiko Oba said, motioning to the bodyguard behind him to open the door.
So the toys all over the house finally saw the light of day again.
The rocking horse that appears many times in the paintings hanging on the corridor wall, as well as chessboards, game consoles, robots...
and mini musical instruments hanging on the wall.
"What are these paintings?" Hiroki Sawada looked at the paintings on the wall.
The distorted oil painting makes people feel dizzy when looking at it.
"It was painted by Shuji." Haruhiko Oba looked at it and said.
Tsushima Shuji especially liked to drink secretly and draw pictures while drunk.
He also plays the piano at night which is scary.
"These bows were all used by Shuji when he was a child." Oba Haruhiko pointed to Sawada Hiroki to look at a row of bows of various sizes hanging on a wall.
Shuji Tsushima: ...Actually, I have never touched these bows.
Obviously the thing I touched the most when I was a child was a gun.
"This one should suit you very well, Hiroki." Haruhiko Oba motioned to the bodyguard to take down a small black bow.
Then he handed it to Hiroki Sawada.
Tsushima Shuji turned over in one place minding his own business.
"Found it." He took out two game consoles.
"Let's play games together tonight." He invited Hiroki Sawada.
"Okay." Sawada Hiroki agreed without hesitation.
"By the way, speaking of which, I made an appointment for a painter to come to your home today." Haruhiko Oba said as if he suddenly remembered.
"Painter?" Sawada Hiroki was puzzled.
"Shuji should remember that we draw two new paintings every year." Oba Haruhiko reminded with a smile.
"Ah." Tsushima Shuji nodded.
"In the past, we were two people. This year, Hiroki comes with us." Oba Haruhiko suddenly suggested.
"...Can I?" Hiroki Sawada said with a little anxiety.
"Of course it's no problem, Xiuzhi will also be happy." Haruhiko Oba waved his hand.
Shuji Tsushima: ...You can actually draw it alone.
I don't mind if you don't bring mine.
…
For dinner, the kitchen specially prepared desserts that children love to eat.
Such as pudding and cannoli.
And the crab meat dish that is indispensable as long as Tsushima Shuji is around.
The painter invited by Haruhiko Oba came to their house while they were having dinner.
The man, who looked slovenly and looked like a homeless man, was carrying painting tools on his back and sat down at the dining table without showing any signs of indifference.
"Can I eat with you?" he asked.
"Of course, please feel free." Haruhiko Oba said casually.
"Thank you so much," the painter said.
Started to devour like a whirlwind.
Shuji Tsushima silently protected the crab meat dish in front of him.
Sawada Hiroki:……
He looked at Haruhiko Oba, who had a gentle smile, and then at Shuji Tsushima, who had an expressionless and calm face.
So he lowered his head and looked at the pudding in front of him.
"Hiccup -" the painter stroked his belly after eating and leaned back on the chair to stretch.
"It's been a long time since I've had enough to eat. Thank you." He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and said.
"As long as you are satisfied." Haruhiko Oba looked accustomed to it.
Shuji Tsushima: This painter seemed to have said the same thing a few years ago...
He recalled it carefully.
I found that the other party always came with food.
As soon as I arrived, I started eating like crazy.
After eating, you must say that you have been hungry for a long time.
If I remember correctly, the clothes on the other party...
Shuji Tsushima: It seemed like he was wearing this outfit when he first met me.
I haven't seen each other change clothes since then.
That dress originally seemed to be dark brown, but now...
He looked at the faded and white clothes on the painter's body.
"Obviously the salary given to you every year is enough for you to live on, but you are not even willing to buy clothes..." Haruhiko Oba sighed helplessly.
"The money you gave me will be lost as soon as I get it." The painter shook his head deeply.
"Last time, I met a guy who was said to be from the Baiguo clan. He looked young, but his gambling skills were surprisingly good. I lost all night, and in the end, they only had to take off my clothes..."
"Look at the reward this time..." He rubbed his hands.
"Are you still planning to go back to seek revenge on them?" Haruhiko Oba couldn't help but laugh.
"That's necessary. No matter how much you lose or win, I'm not greedy." The painter said without hesitation.
"You said the same thing last time, but in the end you still lost nothing." Shuji Tsushima spoke calmly.
"This... young master is really... haha..." The painter smiled awkwardly.
"Let's paint, let's paint." The painter quickly changed the subject.
"Is there one more character to be painted this year?" the painter looked at Sawada Hiroki and asked.
"That requires extra money." He made it clear with a wink.
"Of course, it's impossible to miss your reward," Oba Haruhiko said.
"You are my only order this year..." The painter laid out his painting tools one by one.
"I don't care about painting other people." He said with contempt.