Chapter 106 Are you nervous?
At ten o'clock in the morning, the entrance to the Kanagawa Theater was empty and quiet. The air was filled with the chill of winter, and the morning light shone with the unique scent of sunshine. The theater door was slightly open, and the wide steps were silent, as if guarding some solemn ceremony. Le stepped up the familiar steps, a few steps away from the theater. She had walked back and forth many times before, but today, something seemed different.
After passing through the door, she did not go straight to the backstage. The scattered and crisp piano notes floating out from the heavy theater door that was not closed attracted her over.
The theater hadn't yet murmured, nor was there a throng of people. The occasional sound of footsteps echoed through the empty hall, echoing beneath the high ceilings. Only the lighting technicians and stagehands were present, chatting quietly as they prepared for the evening's performance. The stage floor had been covered with matting, awaiting the touch of the dancers' toes. The familiar light-colored tape marked the rehearsal positions, as if silently preparing everything for the upcoming performance.
Beams of cool white light streamed down from overhead, slicing the shadows on the stage. Lighting technicians stood by ladders, making final adjustments. On the other side of the stage, a prop master adjusted the curtains, ensuring they rose and fell at the perfect moment. A piano technician sat nearby, gently tapping the keys to adjust the pitch. That instrument would be the primary accompaniment for today's "La Dame aux Camélias" ballet—Chopin's solo piano, which would soon become the soul of the performance.
The orchestra pit was empty, and the sheet music used in rehearsal was scattered on the podium.
Everything was silent, as if just waiting for the sound of the piano to begin.
"Are you nervous?"
A soft voice sounded from behind her, pulling her out of her thoughts. Le was slightly startled and quickly turned around, only to breathe a sigh of relief when she saw a familiar face. It was He Jiu. His tone was full of familiar teasing, as if gently peeling back a layer of concealment in her heart.
"I'm always a little nervous." She said it very calmly.
She was so frank that He Jiu choked on the lines he was going to use to expose her. He coughed lightly in embarrassment, "Ahem, well, it's normal to be nervous. Don't be nervous." He patted her back mechanically, which made her laugh. "What are you laughing at?"
"I thought you were going to tell me some good ways to overcome my nervousness, Chief."
She emphasized the word "chief" and her slightly provocative smile made He Jiu not willing to be outdone and immediately fight back.
"Didn't your celebrity teach you how to handle being nervous?"
"Him?" Le blinked, suddenly not knowing how to answer appropriately.
Overcoming nervousness seems to have been a key topic of conversation between her and Yuzuru Hanyu since they met, a common "enemy" they've faced together. Now, if anyone were to argue who taught whom, no matter which answer is given, it's hard to be convinced.
Le pondered for a moment, as if making some kind of decision, gritted his teeth and raised his head.
"Well... he taught me..."
That unwilling expression made He Jiu frown.
“…There’s no need to answer these questions so seriously.”
A simple quip punctured Le's excessive seriousness, and she realized she was being a bit silly and laughed. Her hearty laughter shone brightly in the empty theater, drawing the attention of the staff. The oppressive tension that had permeated the stage suddenly dissipated, drifting away into the sunlight as the two, chatting and laughing, pushed open the door and left.
Are you nervous?
This keyword has surrounded her since she entered the backstage. In the dressing room, in ballet class, and in the practice room backstage, everyone comes to greet her and show concern. Only the people in her messages show different concern.
[The Moon Can't Be Confined: Lele, when will there be an official photoshoot for your performance? I really want to see it!]
The Moon Can't Be Contained: It would be best if there was an official camera with a Hanu reaction frame in the corner. Perfect!
After finishing my final walk and returning to my dressing room, I sat in front of the mirror, clutching my phone, feeling both amused and embarrassed. Before I could reply, another green bubble appeared, this time a Line message.
Yuzu: The gift merchandise has been decided! There's a cute little flag, look! [Image]
The message Yuzuru Hanyu sent was the same as usual, a tidbit of daily life. There was no mention of this special day, as if she had simply gone to work at the theater as usual, and had given him a family ticket to the performance. They would go home together after the show that evening.
It's just that he's been sending messages a bit too frequently today... If he doesn't receive a reply, he'll start a new thread...
[Raku: It's pretty cute. (Quote)]
【Raku: I think this outfit is very suitable. (Quote)】
【Raku: I've already had lunch, don't worry. (Quote)】
She replied to all the missed messages one by one. Finally, after thinking about it, she edited a new message and sent it.
Yuzuru Hanyu had just finished getting ready at home and was carefully fixing his hair in front of the mirror. He imitated the makeup artist he'd been working with recently, smoothing hairspray between his fingertips and meticulously twisting and kneading the strands, aligning them precisely over his brows. As he studied the mirror, he heard the sound of his phone chirping over and over again.
He swiped open his phone, and the chat interface showed a series of expected replies. He read them carefully one by one until the last one.
【Raku: By the way, I'm really nervous about returning to the stage. But I'll trust my body and relax mentally.】
【Raku: Don't worry, Mr. Hanyu. 】
"Who's worried?" He argued softly, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise.
【Trust your body and relax your mind.】
These were the words he said the night before yesterday when he took Le onto the ice rink.
After all, it had been ages since she'd been on the ice, and having recently been injured, her body's stress response was still there. Le, who had vowed she wasn't afraid beforehand, stiffened unconsciously the moment she took off her skates and stepped onto the ice. Hanyu turned and noticed her fingers nervously scratching the edge of the board, and quickly moved over to support her waist.
"Let your breath go, don't hold it in your chest." He reminded softly beside her, "Trust me, trust your body, and relax your mind."
call--
He could hear her accepting his advice and slowly adjusting her breathing. Then, following his rhythm, she took steps left and right, slowly releasing his support and finding her own skating rhythm. As she gradually gained speed and relaxed her expression, he returned to the sidelines with confidence and started playing music.
The piano melody slowly began to play, and the prelude to "The World's Restraint" flowed gently, seemingly blending with their footsteps across the ice. Yuzuru Hanyu glided to Le's side, following the notes, not at a breakneck speed, but maintaining a leisurely pace. The sound of his skates slicing across the ice was like an invisible brush, gently outlining a graceful arc.
Yuzuru Hanyu said little, simply guiding her rhythm. Her hand rested on the back of his, their movements as seamless as breathing. No complicated jumps or spins; they simply enjoyed this incredibly relaxed pace. Each gentle push, each turn, was so smooth that time seemed to stand still, with only the sound of blades clashing against the ice echoing through the air.
They were the only two people on the ice rink. The overhead lights cast a soft shadow on the ice, casting a pure light and shadow.
When the song "Carousel of Life" switched to a more cheerful melody, Yuzuru Hanyu gently guided Le, their speed gradually increasing, the wind brushing past his ears. Le must have felt the exhilaration of soaring high. He turned back to see her relaxed smile, as if immersed in a boundless freedom. Her body was light, gliding in graceful arcs to the rhythm of the music, as if she had broken free from the ground and melted into a world of ice.
That feeling of freedom and unrestrainedness is the happiness that Yuzuru Hanyu has always wanted to share with Le.
His wish was not in vain. Le Zheng, at the side of the curtain, was making her final adjustments, looking at the stage, which had already been set. Her portrait sat on the sofa on the stage, and the audience could be seen bustling with activity, taking their seats amidst the subtle clamor, and gradually quieting down.
Facing the bright lights of the stage, she took a deep breath, searching her mind for any fragments of joy that would relax her. Closing her eyes, the feeling of the wind and the gliding of her skates returned to her mind, releasing the pent-up tension bit by bit.
Yuzuru Hanyu was unaware of all this. He sat in the audience, carefully observing the stage, which had been arranged like an exhibition, through a telescope. Without a heavy curtain to obscure the view, the stage was bathed in a dim light. The setting was simple yet carried a heavy sense of history. An antique desk and a few exquisite pieces of furniture symbolized Margaret's former luxurious life. A portrait of Margaret rested quietly on a chaise longue in the center of the stage. Before the show even began, he raised his phone, zoomed in, and took a photo of the portrait of Margaret, painted in Le's likeness.
The theater bells rang.
As the maid entered the center stage, a layer of sadness and complex emotions gradually settled in the air. Some of the gentlemen and ladies who entered had tender eyes, as if reminiscing about past relationships; others had a cold gaze, simply waiting to find a bargain. Workers silently moved her belongings, as if these items were the last remnants of the deceased woman.
There was no music on the stage, only the sounds of footsteps and objects being moved. In the solemn and mournful atmosphere, a gentleman strummed a string of notes on the piano. As the third movement of Chopin's Third Piano Sonata played, a distraught Armand stumbled onto the stage.
Armand's gaze drifted into the void, and memories began to surge. At that moment, Marguerite's figure loomed behind the veil. She emerged from the shadows, almost dreamlike, as if she were no longer dead, but still alive in Armand's heart, young and beautiful. Her figure was lithe, her eyes clear, like a young girl, floating through Armand's memories.
Grief and despair knocked him to the ground. Then the symphony began, and this heartbreaking love story officially began.
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