Chapter 114 Under the Lens
Makuhari Arena wasn't as quiet and empty as usual. A number of people wearing work badges were coming in and out. Passersby noticed, but weren't surprised. Perhaps there was a performance? They naturally thought so. Then, seeing a black van pull into the parking lot, they wondered who the main performer might be. However, the Makuhari bulletin board didn't list any performances scheduled for the past two weeks.
How strange.
I could only think so and left.
One person in the crowd was walking quickly toward the open back door. Nancheng Honggui, head down, clutched his bag, searching for something inside, but he didn't stop. The messenger bag on his shoulder slid down to his elbow as he moved, and the heavy weight made him shiver. Fortunately, he managed to steady himself in time, and with a sigh of relief, he finally pulled his work ID from the bag and handed it to the security guard at the door. After a brief breath, he adjusted his backpack and messenger bag, as if to compose himself, and then hurried into the venue.
“It’s so big…”
Nancheng looked around and couldn't help but sigh.
The vast stadium was devoid of the clamor of an auditorium, nor was there a towering stage to support the space. Instead, a unique floor lay throughout the center. It glowed faintly white, transparent yet textured, like ice, yet not quite. Nancheng squinted his eyes, and in a trance, the smooth floor seemed like a giant mirror, reflecting the vastness of the entire venue with even greater depth. He stood on the stairs and looked out. The entire space was infinitely extended by this "mirror," serene and mysterious, as if time had slowed down.
"Nancheng!"
A shout brought him back to reality. Near the "mirror," a staff member was waving at him, the sound echoing in the empty venue.
"Coming!" Nancheng responded hurriedly, jumped down the stairs in two steps and ran over quickly.
"Why are you so late today? Yuzuru Hanyu is already here."
Nancheng opened his mouth to explain the train delay, but before he could say anything, the other party waved his hand, unconcerned with the details: "It's not important. Get ready quickly. We have to hurry up and shoot today's behind-the-scenes footage."
He nodded hastily, putting away any unnecessary explanations, putting down his backpack, and neatly unloading his camera equipment. He adjusted the lens, confirmed the angle, and checked the lighting, each movement swift and skillful.
The camera's red dot lights up.
Nancheng re-examined the scene through his camera. The staff in the frame were busy and methodical. Some were testing the lighting, others adjusting the sound system. Dancers were warming up on the floor, their movements gentle and rhythmic. The entire space was filled with an atmosphere of focus and restraint.
Suddenly, the lights in the venue dimmed, and darkness surged in like a tide, engulfing every inch of the space. Only the floor shone faintly, like the surface of a tranquil lake. Then, laser beams lit up, their beams like sharp lines piercing the silence, cutting through the darkness, cold and sharp. Music then began, its long melody intertwined with light and shadow, transforming the entire space into a calm yet tense painting.
The dancers slowly moved to the music, their bodies weaving between light and shadow. Their movements were as natural as flowing water, soft yet powerful. Laser beams carved jagged lines through their bodies, like flowing sculptures, both sharp and soft, imbuing the entire space with a surreal aesthetic.
Nancheng gripped the camera tightly, but subconsciously turned away when the beam suddenly swept across the lens. If the strong beam accidentally hit the lens, it could cause irreversible damage. Professional acumen allowed him to quickly avoid it, his fingertips subconsciously tightening, adjusting the angle and refocusing.
Just at this side, he caught sight of two figures.
The focus moved slightly forward, and Nancheng's sight was fixed on the audience seats.
Yuzuru Hanyu and Raku Suginohara stood behind the railings of the auditorium. They didn't speak, but stared intently at the simulated "stage," as if examining something.
Yuzuru Hanyu rested his hands naturally on the railing, leaning forward slightly. He squinted his eyes, his hand pressed between his brows, as if trying to see every detail in the distance more clearly. His black tracksuit clung to his shoulders, his slightly shaggy short hair flickering in the light and shadow, giving him the look of a high school student in deep thought. He frowned, tilted his head, seemingly contemplating the perfect match between the stage and the lighting, his gaze never relaxed.
But Suginohara Raku beside him was a completely different scene.
She stood quietly, arms folded, her posture straight and composed. A black turtleneck fitted the slender lines of her neck and shoulders, her long hair casually tied up, revealing a smooth, slender nape. Laser light slid down her shoulders like a delicate veil, softly outlining her three-dimensional profile. Her expression was calm, her brows brimming with a cool, controlled, and distant expression, as if the surrounding light, shadows, and music could not shake her in the slightest.
She stood there quietly, like a statue.
Under the strong contrast of light and shadow, the contours of her facial features are more clearly outlined, and the lines are calm and graceful, neither appearing ostentatious nor hard to ignore.
Nancheng's fingers involuntarily tightened for a moment.
She was alone in front of the camera, and she looked like this...
This surprised him a little.
He'd seen her before. It wasn't often, but he'd noticed her a few times during work meetings. During the prologue rehearsals, she'd mostly been standing with Mikiko, the two of them chatting, discussing in low voices. Occasionally, she'd take the microphone and interact with Yuzuru Hanyu on the ice at the main console, bantering and lightening the tense atmosphere. Back then, she had a bright smile and a relaxed tone. Even across the rink, Nancheng could sense her infectious energy, like a light that illuminated the atmosphere, reflecting the brilliant smile of Yuzuru Hanyu on the ice.
However, at that time, Suginohara Raku was one of the people who was not allowed to appear in the behind-the-scenes footage.
He could only watch those vivid scenes from afar, but was unable to record them with his camera.
Nancheng once thought that perhaps this regret would run through the entire filming.
——Until today.
Just as he was wondering behind the camera whether he could capture a more vivid side of Suginohara Raku in this behind-the-scenes footage, Yuzuru Hanyu, who was leaning on the railing, suddenly turned his head, as if he wanted to say something to the people around him.
At that moment, Suginohara Raku seemed to have noticed his movements.
Her peripheral vision twitched slightly, and although her eyes didn't immediately turn away, they seemed to have caught something. At that moment, her originally calm and composed expression suddenly softened a little.
She didn't smile deliberately, nor did she show any special expression, but the lines between her eyebrows relaxed quietly.
In Nancheng's camera, the change was so subtle that it was almost imperceptible, but so clear that it could not be ignored.
It was just at that moment that he suddenly felt that Suginohara Raku under the camera seemed to have something different than what he had seen before.
He couldn't describe the feeling in words.
I just subconsciously thought that such a scene deserves to be recorded in its entirety.
Before they knew it, the applause of the closing bell rang out in the vast gymnasium. It was crisp and brief, yet like a ritual, marking the end of a long and tense day. Nancheng Honggui finally breathed a sigh of relief, stretching his stiff shoulders and wrists, his knuckles aching slightly. The camera felt heavy in his arms, and he touched the lens casing, as if to confirm that everything was still intact.
He scanned the site. The staff had already begun to relax, chatting in groups and packing up equipment, feeling relieved after having just relieved the pressure. At that moment, he truly felt that "the day was over."
"How was it? Senior Nancheng, did you capture any good shots today?"
Ishikawa from the Projection Art Team came over with a smile, his voice still filled with a hint of excitement. "It's a rare sight that Director Suginohara is here today~"
“Yeah, even though Gift said we allowed her to be photographed in the behind-the-scenes footage, she wasn’t there every time the reporting crew came. I thought Hanyu was still hiding her. I was surprised to see her today.” Fujiwara, who was in the same group, came over and joined in the conversation with a smile.
Nancheng held the camera, his mouth moving slightly, but he captured some differences.
"How do you...know so much about Director Suginohara's schedule?" He raised an eyebrow, his voice gentle but questioning. Within Yuzuru Hanyu's ice performance team, gossip was almost an unspoken rule.
Fujiwara blinked playfully and said in a relaxed tone, "Our team has a lot of communication with Director Suginohara. All our designs need her approval."
"Nanjo-senpai, please don't change the subject." Ishikawa smiled, a hint of mischief in his voice. "I'm really looking forward to today's highlights! The scene with Hanyu running on the ground is so funny!"
At this point, she couldn't help but recall the scene—Yuzuru Hanyu, dressed in his tracksuit, moving around on a simulated ice floor. With each step, a faint hint of frustration crossed his face, as if he was worried about the unfamiliar ice and his lack of agility. But to get to his position on time for the music, he resigned himself to his fate, lowering his head and starting to "run."
"Every time he runs, that expression is so funny!" Ishikawa couldn't help laughing out loud.
"Right, right, right!" Fujiwara chimed in. "He was the first to complain, saying, 'Oh, the ice rink is so big!' Hahaha! What's the strategy? He's the first to say it so no one else can complain?"
Nancheng couldn't help laughing as he listened. "Of course we did." He tapped the camera lightly. "How could we miss such a scene?"
"Ah, there's more!" Ishikawa suddenly slapped his head, as if remembering something important. "Today's lift is really high!"
"Well, of course I took some pictures." Nancheng patted his equipment bag proudly, his expression natural, but with a hint of professional confidence.
The final test of the day was the lifting equipment. Yuzuru Hanyu donned his fancy coat and skates and did his best to simulate a proper performance. Standing on the platform, he wore a hint of nervousness, yet he managed a smile while comforting the staff strapping him in.
The elevator slowly ascended, Nanjo standing nearby, the camera locked on that figure. At that moment, Yuzuru Hanyu was like a proud firebird, quietly spreading his wings. Standing tall and straight, his expression focused, he showed no fear as he stood on the platform, instead exuding an indescribable determination and composure.
Nancheng unconsciously zoomed in, trying to capture his expression more closely - unfortunately, the big mask covered most of his face, and the details were obscured and could not be seen clearly.
"You're truly worthy of being called Nancheng-senpai," Ishikawa exclaimed, his eyes unconsciously glancing toward the lift platform. His tone was relaxed, yet a tinge of emotion lingered. "I saw Director Suginohara standing nearby, and his expression was even more nervous than Hanyu's. Even when he looked up from below, his hands were clenched like this."
As she spoke, she imitated Suginohara Raku's way of clenching her fists and looking up at the elevator, with a teasing curve at the corner of her mouth.
"Eh? Do you mean taking pictures of athlete Hanyu or director Suginohara?" Nancheng raised his eyebrows.
"Of course I want both!" Ishikawa said with a look of regret. "Didn't you capture it? Didn't you see the concern in Director Suginohara's eyes? That's a rare shot! Straight guys really can't capture the key points!"
Nancheng scratched his head helplessly and didn't say anything else.
The backstage curtain was lifted, and Yuzuru Hanyu emerged, having changed his clothes. He observed the relaxed conversation among the group, a rare look of relief plastered across his face. After gathering his clothes and skates, he quickly walked towards Suginohara Raku, who was waiting nearby.
"Sorry for the wait~"
Yuzuru Hanyu smiled and leaned in, quickly opening up to Le, recounting his experiences of the day. His words were tinged with excitement, as if he had finally found an outlet for his long-held desire to share. He nodded and said goodbye to the staff along the way.
Le Jingjing followed him quietly, only occasionally nodding "hmm" in agreement.
"Wow, this lift today was really thrilling! I haven't even tried something this high at an amusement park." Hanyu put his hands behind his back, pulling a suitcase like a child. "But when I perform and look at the fans in the distance, I won't be afraid!"
Just as he finished speaking, someone tugged at the hem of his clothes.
He stopped and looked sideways at Le, who was looking downcast beside him. The mask obscured most of her expression, but he seemed to understand immediately.
He smiled and reached out to rub the top of her head gently.
"You're just nervous about me~" he coaxed gently, "Okay, okay, it'll be fine! I'll super-carefully fasten my seatbelt, then go up safely and come down safely. Nothing will happen!"
"Hmm..." Le raised his head, his eyes fixed on his face calmly, "But could your arms be less stiff? They really look like chicken wings."
She also did not forget to imitate his movements when he stood on the lift today and fanned his arms gently.
"No way!" Yuzuru Hanyu protested immediately, imitating the movements with his hands in the air. "I pay attention to the feeling of my fingertips!"
The two of them kept joking with each other and gradually walked away from the noisy venue.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com