Chapter 101 Prejudice and Acting
At the side entrance of the Kanagawa Arts Theater, two security guards leisurely stood guard at the backstage entrance. Tonight's performance had just ended, and the front hall was packed with people. They were truly lucky to be assigned backstage. The two security guards exchanged glances, discussing their luck on the job.
"Senior, someone's coming!" The obviously younger member of the security team turned around and noticed a few figures on the previously empty sidewalk of the theater. He suddenly patted the senior beside him nervously and asked, "Should we pull up the isolation rope?"
"Oh, don't make a fuss. The concerts here at the theater are different from those at the stadium. There are always a few loyal fans coming to the backstage entrance and exit, and they are all very nice. They just come to pick up the actors after get off work, and some sing a song or something. It's nothing." The security guard who was called a senior shook his hand and laughed at the junior for making too much fuss.
As he had predicted, the audience gathered in groups of two or three, mostly quiet and polite. They consciously lined up not far from the entrance, quietly waiting.
Nakai Maiko expertly settled into her preferred spot, from which she could gaze through the reflective glass into the long corridor beyond the main entrance. She lowered her head, flipping through the photos she'd taken during the curtain call. Perhaps because her drama-watching buddy, perched on her camera, was so adorable, she'd captured quite a few eye-contact shots. But despite Coppélia's bright smile, she still lacked the lively, adorable demeanor she had in the series.
Coppélia was particularly adorable today. Even veteran ballet fans like Nakai Maiko rarely see such a lovely girl on Japanese stages. Her name on the promotional cast was unfamiliar, perhaps a new talent the company is currently promoting. Her lively acting made it easier to overlook her flawed footwork and the occasional uncontrolled, erratic movements of her upper limbs.
However, at the curtain call, she discovered that the little girl was not as naturally cute as she had thought.
It seems that the director has polished it well this time.
As she thought so, she lowered her head and took another look at the publicity cast and the name listed in the director column: Suginohara Raku.
I've been seeing this name a lot lately, often associated with another famous person. Gossip often outweighs her actual work, which is something Nakai Maiko dislikes the most. Whether it's out of rebelliousness or something else, even if she occasionally comes across Suginohara's videos on YouTube, she quickly scrolls away, not wanting to watch any more.
But today's performance gave her a different feeling. Now her mood is really complicated...
In contrast to the orderly and quiet waiting outside, the backstage dressing room was buzzing with the joy of being off duty. The girls happily removed the hairpins hidden in their hair and placed them on the table, the tinkling sound providing the soundtrack to their conversation.
"I'm going to get an ice cream cone to reward myself later~" Xiaoyou, who was dancing Coppelia today, happily announced her decision, "I fell in love with that ice cream cone yesterday!"
"Hahaha, be careful Director Suginohara will say you're fat next time."
"Senior wouldn't say that!"
"Of course not! Look how strict Suginohara-senpai is with herself! I've noticed the lunches she packs every day lately are incredibly impressive, with meticulously calculated nutritional ratios." Xiao Lingna, who took over, recalled watching her pull delicate little boxes from her lunch bag that day. The bright colors showed the freshness of the ingredients, and there was even fruit. It was completely different from the image she'd seen of Director Suginohara casually nibbling on a sandwich.
"Really..." Xiaoyou scratched her head. She'd been practicing backstage during lunch today because she was nervous about going on stage. And Suginohara-senpai had been right beside her the entire time, not eating. And after she reminded him, he just sighed and left. Perhaps that was when the exquisite bento made its debut.
"Did you say she prepared that lunch box herself?"
"What else? Could it be that Yuzuru Hanyu prepared something for her?"
As soon as this was mentioned, there was another burst of laughter.
Cough cough——
Lixu coughed twice, alerting everyone to her presence, and the laughter died down. Several people exchanged expressions in the mirror, but Lixu ignored them and went about her business. In the quiet dressing room, the sound of a door being pushed open was particularly noticeable.
Suginohara Raku poked his head in, saw Rio, and waved. The lunch bag in his hand was particularly conspicuous, and after the door closed, the dressing room became lively again.
"It's so lively in there..." Le tilted his head curiously.
"It's time to get off work, everyone's so happy. What's up, Le-senpai?" Lio interrupted her curiosity with a question. Then the lunchbox they'd been discussing was shoved into her hands. The weight of it made her frown. "Senior, you haven't eaten yet! Are you going to force it on me again? Hanyu will be upset if she finds out!"
How many times this week has this happened? Every time, she's stuffed with a packet of this kind at night, and told to clean the box and bring it back to her the next day. Didn't Yuzuru Hanyu ask his nutritionist to prepare a nutritious meal for him and also prepare one for Le-senpai? Is it appropriate to give her a little treat every day?
"I just didn't want him to be unhappy," Le frowned helplessly. "I really was so busy that I forgot and didn't have time to eat... But later when I was hungry, I ate the fruit. When I got home that night, he was still waiting for me to have dinner together, so it would be a waste not to eat it. You helped me eat it and gave me the lunch box every day."
"Are you dieting again?"
He Jiu's voice suddenly sounded from behind Le, startling her.
"What are you doing?!" She slapped her chest and glared at him. "I'm not on a diet. I was just busy and forgot. This meal is really well made. Mr. Oguri put a lot of effort into it. Rio also needs some nourishment!"
Although he was refuting He Jiu, he quickly stuffed the lunch bag into Li Xu's arms and pushed her back to the dressing room. He turned around and walked out with He Jiu.
"Is it necessary for you to keep yourself so busy? For a play like Coppelia that has caused a lot of vomiting, there is no problem with the rehearsal, so just don't come." He Jiu frowned and muttered.
"Come on, didn't you tell me to focus more on my career? I think you're right. It just so happens that the ice performance doesn't need me much recently. I should make more contributions to the troupe and rehearse diligently, which will make it easier for me to take leave and go to Hachinohe later." As Le spoke, he couldn't help but feel satisfied with this excellent arrangement and shook his head proudly.
The quiet atmosphere outside the backstage door suddenly became noisy; people must have started to emerge. Nakai Maiko, who had been looking down at her phone, quickly looked up. Through the glass door, in this small corner unaffected by the reflected light, she quickly spotted two people emerging from the hallway side by side.
The taller boy clearly matched the girl's pace, even leaning slightly to the side to listen. The girl said something, earning a frown and a slap on the head. The girl immediately jumped up, defiantly resisting, and slapped him back. The two chatted and laughed as they headed for the door. Just before they came into view, they dropped their playful expressions and watched the glass door open in front of them with a serious expression. This allowed Nakai Maiko to recognize the two men.
Tohara Kazuku and Suginohara Raku.
Tohara Kazuki was the first to emerge, his usual sunny and handsome demeanor as he walked down the stairs in two steps, smiling warmly and powerfully as he waved and greeted the waiting fans. He would even graciously sign autographs when he saw someone pull out an autograph book. Suginohara, however, was a few steps behind him, slowly exiting the door and taking in the excitement.
Lately, there's been almost no one waiting for her on this kind of SD. I don't know if it's because she's not a part of the show, or if it's because there's been so much bizarre news surrounding her lately, making people feel like they shouldn't get involved, lest they get into trouble. This is fine, Le Qingsong thought. She was already tired, and besides, she didn't know who the real fans were right now. So she turned and prepared to leave.
"Ms. Suginohara!"
Nakai Maiko didn't know why she spoke like that. She was holding the camera to shoot a video, watching Tohara and Jiu lowering their heads and carefully signing the autograph book they had prepared. But she caught a glimpse of Suginohara's figure in the corner of the camera and suddenly called out.
Everyone suddenly became quiet and looked at Nakai Maiko with eyes full of surprise and admiration.
The awkward situation made her lower her head, thankful that she was wearing a mask. She was about to take the autograph book from Tohara Kazuki and run away, but what happened next was far beyond her expectations.
"Call me?"
The girl who seemed aloof and unapproachable stopped and turned around, tilting her head and asking her. Seeing that Zhongjing didn't respond, she blinked and looked at Tohara and Jiu beside her, as if seeking confirmation.
"She's calling you, come here." He Jiu smiled and waved to her.
No one present could have anticipated such a development, and numerous phones were raised in a flurry. To everyone's astonishment, they saw Suginohara Raku, known for his "scheming, manipulative nature, and cold and selfish nature," blinking adorably and obediently following the direction Tohara and Jiu were calling. They leaned over to glance at his signature and spoke blankly.
"Hello, did you call me? Yes..." She pointed to the autograph book. Seeing the other party nodded, she took the pen from He Jiu's hand, lowered her head and signed Raku casually, "Here~ Thank you."
She smiled, her smile like the newly opened cherry blossoms in spring. Her cool temperament was still chilly, but one could also smell the fragrance of flowers.
"Ah, thank you. I'm the one thanking you. Today's Coppelia is very different. I think it's because your arrangement is so good."
"Really?!"
Suginohara Raku suddenly asked cheerfully, and Nakai was stunned by her reaction. Her eyes widened with delight, sparkling, and she began to express her delight at being noticed, suggesting the other person was a professional audience member. The compliments and pleasantries were so strangely intermittent that she could only notice Suginohara Raku's lively eyes, visible through the large mask that covered most of his face.
"I'll cheer for your Lady of the Camellias!"
These words came out of his mouth.
"Thank you~" She smiled again.
Maiko: What should I do? I'm kind of obsessed with Waku-kun and Suginohara! What should I do?!
When she got home in the evening, Nakai Maiko looked over the footage she had taken that day and couldn't help but send a message to her good friend. She quickly received a reply.
Yoko: You're just getting into it now! I told you last time, but you were dismissive! I think Haru no Sousa is amazing! Go catch up now!
[yoko: (link)]
The incredibly familiar music allowed Nakai to focus more on the duo's performance. Each lift flowed seamlessly, the performance and technique blending seamlessly, making the stage feel less like a performance and more like the audience intruding into the playful back garden of their flower gods. Even Tohara and Kyu's mistake was perfectly handled by Suginohara.
What on earth did she miss because of prejudice?
Suginohara Raku didn't know that she had gained a new fan today. She sat at the entrance, took off her shoes, and nervously looked for time to show off her acting skills today.
"I'm back~" she greeted in the direction of the kitchen. Inside, Yuzuru Hanyu heard the sound of the door opening and started to heat up tonight's dinner in the microwave. He came out with the dishes and glanced at the bag in her hand and raised an eyebrow.
"Welcome back." He didn't show any abnormality. After the microwave dinged, he went into the kitchen again.
Le breathed a sigh of relief, carried the bag into the house, opened it, and took out the underwear and towels that needed to be washed.
The time is almost right, three, two, one.
"Oh! Today I..."
"I forgot to bring my lunch bag!" Yuzuru Hanyu brought out the dishes, pinching his throat to imitate Le's voice, interrupting her and rolling his eyes in disgust. "That's how many times this week, Director Suginohara."
"I really forgot... I've been too busy lately..."
She came over with an innocent look on her face, dragged out a dining chair, and sat down. However, Yuzuru Hanyu didn't seem to buy it at all, ignoring all her acting. He crossed his fingers, supporting his chin, and looked at her calmly. His sharp eyes looked at Le, making her feel guilty.
"I'm really too busy..." She explained in a low voice, "Xiaojie must have told you."
"Ah..." Yuzuru Hanyu sighed, "You can't forget to eat when you're so busy. It's because you always forget that I asked Mr. Oguri to prepare it for you. He prepared it so carefully."
"I didn't waste it! I was hungry later, so I ate the fruit. Hehe." She smiled in an inexplicably silly way, and was slapped on the head by Yuzuru Hanyu.
"Yes, it's all Xiaojie and Rio's dinner snacks. They really weren't wasted. Also, you're so hungry that you can't eat any fruit. It'll give you a stomachache."
"No, that's not the case..."
Her deliberate coquettishness always seemed a little clumsy, but Yuzuru Hanyu had no choice but to think about how to remind her to eat well next time.
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