Because Yuan is my friend. Friend. And if we’re friends, it’s not about one person unilaterally talking about themselves, but a relationship where both share their daily lives. No matter how poor my social skills are, I know that much.

Perhaps I was just afraid. After all, we’ve only been exchanging letters for barely half a year. A time when it would be awkward to question if either of us silently turned away.

In truth, even friends don’t have an obligation to share all their circumstances.

Ugh! Saying it like this makes me sound like someone desperate to dig into your private life. That’s not it……

Yuan, did I tell you about my school days? My teenage years when I was much more immersed in my own world than now.

There were kids who would briefly talk to me out of curiosity or whatever, but well, it never lasted long. Anyway, there was someone I was fairly close to.

He was the most famous boy in school. His eyes were as blue as the sky, and his handwriting on the blackboard was the prettiest in the entire school. His name was also ‘Yuan’.

No, saying we were close is just a one-sided claim. If we were truly close, he wouldn’t have disappeared without a word. I was just excited over a few conversations. Naively.

Looking back, that boy only listened to me. Quietly, with occasional responses. He just nodded silently to the stories I told. Sometimes he would add a word or two.

He was generally quiet at school too, so I thought it was just his personality. But…… after he left, I realized our relationship wasn’t that close. I had arbitrarily named us, him and me, as friends.

But to him, we weren’t.

Perhaps that’s why, that’s why I acted a bit sharply. Despite receiving something immeasurably large from Yuan, I wanted more assurance. I wanted to find evidence to be reassured, beyond the glossy name of “friend.”

The breeze coming through the window is gentle. With my eyes closed, it feels like being buried under a very thin blanket. Wherever you are right now, I hope no unwelcome visitors come to your bed.

May 20,

With all my heart, Perry.

P.S. I don’t know what book you bought—surely something like ‘Refined Letter Writing’—but it would be better not to reference that book anymore. Not that I doubt the book’s expertise…… but we’re friends. Write comfortably, naturally, honestly. That’s enough.]

[Dear Perry

I’m sorry. I know this isn’t an appropriate opening sentence for a letter, but I couldn’t continue with any other words.

I swear I had no intention of making you anxious. Please don’t blame yourself. If there are points to be corrected, they’re all on my side.

Perry, you may not believe it, but I am an extremely boring person. I don’t particularly like or hate anything.

In short, what moves me is not passion and dreams but duty and rules. I’m content with the place the world has assigned me. I have few memories of having ambition or competitiveness.

There was some friction with my family when entering aviation school, but even that is too trivial to be called “rebellion.” If my family had been more adamant, I would have likely reluctantly lived according to their wishes.

I thought such a past wasn’t important. While being completely absorbed in the “trivial” stories you shared, I prematurely judged that my stories weren’t worth telling. This opinion remains unchanged.

But Perry, if you wish, I’ll practice from now on. I don’t want to upset you with my inexperience and awkwardness.

Finally, um, I can’t be certain, but I suspect “that boy” might have had similar circumstances. For example, he might have had reasons he couldn’t tell you……

That’s just my guess, though.

The nights are still a bit chilly. Roju is probably the same. I hope your day isn’t lonely.

May 25,

From your eternal fan and friend.]

[To my eternal fan and friend

It’s not so cold at night anymore. Summer must be approaching rapidly. It’s almost June.

I’m more worried about you, Yuan. I only go between the restaurant, rehearsal room, and home, but you travel from countries where tropical trees grow to countries so cold your toes turn purple.

Come to think of it, two days ago, one of the workshop participants was bragging about having been on an airplane. Going on about how the airport entrance is different, how arrogant the flight attendants are. Some looked bored, but most were interested. Even with blurry facial features, I could tell from their voices.

I was sitting far away, stretching. But I could hear everything. While listening to these uninteresting tales, I thought of you. My friend has flown a thousand times more than you guys, I childishly retorted in my mind.

Yet I’ve never even set foot in an airport. I wonder what it feels like to be dropped in a place full of unfamiliar languages. I started imagining but stopped when I felt a bit lonely.

Though I occasionally have to listen to such uninteresting stories, the workshop itself is very satisfying. We do basic physical training, and I’ve learned vocalization and breathing techniques I couldn’t have learned on my own. They also teach by comparing traditional acting methods with trending ones, which has helped me gain new perspectives.

The instructor says that someday actors’ performances will extend beyond the fixed stage. I can’t even imagine it, but they insist such a time will come in less than ten years.

There’s also learning from watching other actors, even outside of class. With twenty different actors, it’s natural.

Some have already built recognition, and a few of them boast so much that, frankly, they’re unlikable.

If you came to learn acting, just focus on acting. They brag about how fans pooled money to give them department store perfume or had suits tailored for them…… There was no respect for fans in their voices, which was quite offensive.

Although I’ve received several gifts from you too, they seem to flaunt their fans as numbers, not people. Look, I’m the kind of person who receives this much, you know? Such arrogance!

Gifts from fans to actors aren’t something to be taken for granted. Yet seeing them compete over who received what was absurd. If I build recognition and become accustomed to gifts, will I also compete like them?

Yuan, I have one request. If someday I become popular and many people seek me out, please let me know if I act arrogantly like those people!

For now, just taking care of myself is overwhelming, and whether such a day will come feels distant. But still.

Who knows? Maybe someday I’ll stand as the lead at the Royal Theater. Then I’ll be sure to send you the best seat among the invitation tickets. I promise.

May 30,

Sending abundant friendship, Perry.

P.S. How was your day?]

[Dear Perry

It’s the beginning of June. After staying overnight in Diam and returning, I can strongly feel the summer atmosphere. Is Roju the same?

Since I haven’t been to Roju lately—because there’s no performance by you—I often guess the weather of the familiar city through the radio.

Though not as busy as you, I too am having busy days. There’s a lot of talk about creating new air routes. As other countries are also establishing civilian airlines one by one, I expect the number of people taking airplanes will increase much more than now, perhaps as early as next year.

Have you ever thought about leaving for another country, somewhere else?

Perhaps as a reaction to moving around frequently in my childhood, I often suffered from a desire to stay in one place.

Yet ironically, I’m now doing a job that involves traveling to various countries. I have to go to different countries without even considering settling down.

Today is my day off, so I used the company housing kitchen for the first time in a while. I’m not skilled, but I can make simple dishes—the kind you just put in the oven and leave. Due to the nature of my job, it’s easy to get used to outside food, which makes me miss home-cooked meals that aren’t too salty.

However, dishes I make myself are always lacking by about 10 to 20 percent…… I followed the recipe and ingredients carefully. This time too, the edges of the white bread burned.

Do you have any favorite foods? Since you skillfully make tea syrup and donuts, I infer that your kitchen tools fulfill their original roles better than mine.

Still, there are days when you want to eat food made by someone else, right? What do you do on those days?

June 4,

Yuan.

P.S. If you ever lose your mind to fame, I will certainly tell you. But as an audience member and fan who has been watching you on stage, I’d like to see your arrogant side at least once. While pride might be arrogance for actors without skill, for skilled actors, it becomes their worth.