In any case, I’m fully prepared. I’ve definitely cleared my work schedule, purchased tickets, and I’m even meditating every morning to create the most appropriate condition for enjoying the play. I mustn’t ruin things by getting too excited before even seeing the stage.

If there’s anything I’m lacking, I earnestly request that you tell me. I truly have no idea what else I should be doing.

I’m marking off each day on the calendar, waiting only for the opening day.

December 17,

From your devoted fan.]

[To Yuan, who is full of expectations,

Is it possible that you will be on stage with us? If so, reveal the truth now!

But since that’s unlikely to happen, I should give you a proper answer as a friend, right?

First. What should you do?

Do your work.

Second. How did I embroider the name on the scarf?

That’s a trade secret.

Boring, isn’t it? I didn’t know you had already purchased tickets. I was going to give you an invitation. Of course, someone like you would probably say that buying tickets directly is part of the joy.

To live up to those expectations, I practiced hard today too. The backgrounds and props were completed a while ago, and the costumes finished their final stitching two days ago. Until now, I was busy modifying existing clothes, but now I have clothes tailored to my measurements!

Inside the costume, it says “Pirouette-Raga-Perry” in small letters. It means the costume for Raga, the character from 「Pirouette」, worn by the actress Perry! This is to prevent confusion with other similar costumes. Leopora Theater has so many productions and costumes that have passed through that they distinguish them this way.

These days, we’re doing a dry rehearsal once a day. Standing on the actual stage for rehearsal makes my heart pound as if the audience were already there.

Less than ten days remain. We’ll be able to meet soon.

I’m also waiting for that day.

December 20,

Waiting for her fan, Perry.]

[Dear Pipi,

Are you doing well?

I wonder if you remember that your brother’s birthday is on the 27th. It’s not just any day, but your brother’s coming-of-age ceremony, so please make sure to come home.

I also want to hear about your acting career. Dad and Mom were indifferent before, weren’t they? You must have your own intentions and will.

Even if you just show your face briefly, I hope we can see you.

— With love, Dad.]

※※※

Drip, a cold droplet trickled down her hair. The stain drawn on the old wooden floor remained hidden in darkness.

“Open the door! Open it!”

The torn skin widened as it hit the door. Perry persistently knocked on the door with her torn and bruised hands. Outside, no disturbance could be felt. Minutes or hours. The old warehouse made it impossible to gauge even the flow of time. A broken cry escaped from her throat. Her swollen neck stung.

“Please, just……”

“Pipi, our daughter. This is all for your own good.”

The quiet voice was even affectionate. Unlike someone who had locked their daughter, whom they hadn’t seen for years, in a warehouse without a speck of light.

The word “daughter” now felt disgusting. When she was very young, really young, it hadn’t been like this.

Her chest rose and fell irregularly. Perry swallowed her breath, biting her lips fiercely though there was nothing left to bite.

“Don’t think about taking a single step out until you drink it all.”

The omitted subject was clear. The fishy smell soaking the floor was nauseating. You’re really going all the way, it was beyond shocking—it was sickening. Perry nervously scratched away the dried blood around her mouth.

“Mom, I told you my performance is in two days. Please—”

“Is that d*mn performance important right now?”

The angry shout echoed loudly inside the door. There was absolutely no reasoning with them. Of course.

“How long will you keep up with that empty— no, no……”

Because they wouldn’t listen to Perry’s words.

“Perry Humble, think carefully. Where in the world is there a blind cripple actress? Talk sense. We’re doing this all for your own good, how much your mom and dad—”

“Please, Mom! Stop! Come to your senses! Does it make sense for parents to lock up their daughter and force her to drink blood? Where did this blood even come from? Do you know where it was brought from? Have you been deceived by another cult—”

“Watch your mouth!”

The rage-filled shout turned into sorrowful wailing. It was a pitiful cry, as if she were the poor victim.

“Because of you alone, your mom and dad, how much, how much…… Do you know how much we spent preparing this?”

Purifying the body with holy water and then drinking clean blood would restore sight—it was an order that belonged in a low-quality folk tale, but Perry’s mother was adamant. The woman, possessed by obsessive blindness, sternly scolded her daughter. Fiercely, as if she were a god above the clouds, not just beyond the door.

“Just close your eyes once and drink it. Quickly!”

“Why? Why should I do that? Mom, you did this before too. You said if I did it just once, just once, you wouldn’t ask for more.”

Smearing cow dung on the eyes would cure it, spending a night alone on some mountain would cure it, praying for ten days and nights without sleep would cure it……

“You won’t even listen to me!”

The woman who had fled her hometown long ago clenched her fists. The wounds from scratching and resisting were frozen in the cold, not even painful anymore.

“Fine, this is really the last time. If you just do this—”

“I’m fine living like this, why! Why do you keep saying you love me while treating me like I’m deficient? Why?”

“Because you actually are! How long are you going to indulge in childish fantasies? Please stop being stubborn and come to your senses, you fool!”

The blood she had filled her throat with and then vomited out was choking her. Perry wrapped one hand around her neck, struggling to breathe properly, to straighten her posture, to speak clearly.

“The ones who need to come to their senses…… are not me, but you people.”

“Fine, let’s see how long you’ll keep being stubborn.”

Hoo, the heavy sigh resembled the winter north wind. Screams, persuasion, threats, and pleas were mixed, but they were insufficient to change the other person’s mind.

“Know that you can’t take a single step out until you drink it.”

Just as those who gave birth to and raised Perry had always been.

They haven’t changed at all, her dried eyelashes trembled slightly. Neither logical explanations nor emotional appeals worked. They only endlessly pitied themselves.

The hand that had been pounding on the door slid down as if scratching. The receding footsteps did not return. For a very long time, or perhaps just a brief moment……

Click.

A pale light brightened her vision. Light brown hair, similar to Perry’s, shook. With traces of youth still remaining on his face, too young to be called an adult, he rolled his black eyes—just like his sister’s—unstably. Taking advantage of the gap her brother had created, Perry staggered out of the warehouse.

“Thank you, Saturn.”

“I’m sorry, sis.”

No other words followed. There was no time to share sentiments anyway. They couldn’t know when their parents, who had briefly stepped away, would notice the second child’s betrayal.

I’ve ruined your birthday, the sentence, whether actually spoken or not, pooled in her mouth and then dissipated. In fact, whether those words were delivered or not didn’t matter. At least not now.

Perry ran. Following the back door her brother had left open, without a map or white cane. Continuing through the falling white snow. Tripping over unrepaired blocks, not caring even when blood flowed from her torn palms.

Running,

Running,

Running to……

“Hic……”

The cold wind painfully slapped both her cheeks. The clothes sticking to her skin due to the water that had been poured on her in the name of holy water were even colder. Her stiffened jaw trembled. Her frozen hair ends created transparent sounds: clatter, clatter.

The falling snowflakes grew increasingly thicker. The woman continued running. Even if she couldn’t get any information from the worn-out signs.

To get away from those who said they loved her, that they were doing this because they loved her, even if she couldn’t gauge what was just a step ahead—

“Phone.”

A red telephone booth.

Her frozen eyelashes slowly rose and fell. Perry, squeezing out her last strength, leaned her body against the old booth. Her skin stung.

“Haah……”

The biting wind became distant. Her shoulders, without even a coat, were wet with snow and trembled violently. It was a very different appearance from when she had gotten off the train. The faint hope and excitement felt like a past life. Even though she didn’t believe in reincarnation or other lives.

The change remaining in her pants pocket was placed one by one on the phone. Her stiffly frozen lips exhaled the breath she had been holding.

Although among the contacts she had memorized, there was only one number she could dial now. Even knowing it was too late to receive a call.

Her hand placing the coin in the slot slipped incorrectly several times. After completing the sequence of numbers, Perry quietly held her breath. The back of her white, chapped hand rubbed her sticky eyes.

The dial tone rang. Perry slowly recited the name of the person who would be on the other end of the phone.

Perry Humble’s first fan, the man who had volunteered to be a sponsor and then changed his position to a friend, and at the same time—

A liar who tried to hide his identity with ridiculous tricks.

“Hello, Flight Operations Headquarters.”

She had known from the beginning.

“Yuan, it’s Perry, can you help me right now?”

She had known from the beginning……