An Unheard Voice - Chapter 21: Chapter 21

They chose the dress. Although we all agreed the suit was fine, they came across a wig. Well, I'm praying to god that my mother doesn't bring my father along. It's just the heels honestly that make it a bit difficult to walk faster than usual. But I can get around pretty easily in these.
This is so humiliating.
"You're going to be okay, right?" Akito worries, and I nod a final time before he grins and leaves.
We've actually been passing out to the point Kamishiro would poke us with sticks or pour cold water with ice on us until we woke up, and immediately back to rehearsing. He almost smacked Kusanagi with the sword prop once.. She did wake up and throw him to the ground.
"Yass girl, slay!!" An and Akiyama shout, as Ena tries to concentrate on my face. It's the day we perform, and I am anything but calm right now. My heart is pounding like crazy!!
"20 minutes!" Kamishiro shouts, and everyone hurries. I told Akiyama I'd keep the other outfit they made, it's actually really nice. All the outfits are, good job Akiyama.
"Close your eyes, please." Ena requests, and I obey. It's not really a lot of feminine make-up, but she did add lipstick I think.. "Done!"
The three of them gasp, as An pulls out her camera. "Woah, dude! You look gorgeous!" She exclaims, as the photo comes out. She hands me it, and I raise my eyebrow. "For the memories~"
"Sorry, I'm here-" Akito huffs, after rushing to get dressed.
"You're late!" Ena scowls, dragging him to the mirror. "I only have.. 13 minutes to put anything on you, shit!!" She shrieks, rummaging through her bag. She doesn't really put anything on the boys, and does their hair.
I blush, watching as she gets him ready while arguing and turns him around. I must have been staring too long, since he glanced at me. I jolt, and turn away, flustered. When I look back, he smiles.
"Everyone, come here!" Mr. Kaito shouts, with Kamishiro. We all gather around, as Kusanagi hurries to get the stage set up making last adjustments. She struggles carrying a box, and I take it from her. My arms are going numb but she's already done so much. Her cheeks turn red seeing me, and looks down.
".. Th-Thank you.." She mumbles, and I smile. "You look great. Break a leg," She scoffs, and I freeze. Kusanagi, is that a threat?!
"I realize that some people are a little scared, but I know you'll all do great." Kamishiro smiles.
"Doubting is never an option..! Just think.. happy thoughts." Mr. Kaito yawns, rubbing his eyes.
"Yeah! Take deep breaths if you have to. Don't worry, everyone gets nervous in front of an audience!" Tsukasa shouts, and we have to quiet him if they hear.
"All the practice will pay off today! Do your best!" Otori grins, throwing her hands in the air. They all stare at Kusanagi, who sighs.
"Knock it out of the park." She sarcastically puts a fist in the air.
"Woohoo! Everyone, get to your station!" Otori says, and everyone scatters. I'm in the first act. They dragged me to the post, but Akito isn't with me. I stare at him intensely, and he flashes me a friendly smile. Mouthing 'You can do this'. I blush, and nod. Once I take a few deep breaths, I'm ready for the curtain to go up.
Once it does, my heart feels like it's going to come out of my chest. Why is everyone staring at me?! I can see my mother in the distance, cheering silently with her phone out. Everyone else is already taking pictures..
I'm not ready for this.
I swear, every time I talk people just go quiet. They're making fun of me, right?! Or they can't really hear me.. I'm just glad they don't ask me to speak up. Once I left the stage, everyone gathered around me.
"Good job, Toya! You went a whole 30 minutes in front of people!" An excitingly says, as Kusanagi and Kamishiro rush to get the settings and props set up along with other people. I smile back, but immediately fall to the ground. Or I would have if Akito didn't catch me under my arms.
"Are you okay-?! Act 2 is basically just An and I, you only come in for 4-5 minutes 26 minutes in, the other 20 minutes are basically again An and Otori..." Akito puts me on the chair, feeling my head. But then he notices I'm smiling to myself. I.. I was in front of a crowd. I talked in front of the crowd! Akito really helped me, saying to not focus on them. It was hard but I did it.. I don't even think Momoi, Azusawa, or Saki's girlfriends even noticed that was me.
".. You're strange." He chuckles, ruffling my hair. "My turn is up. Wish me luck, okay?" He sighs, and I grab his hand. I hugged him really quick since he wanted luck. When I pull away, I get so embarrassed that I run away to get water, looking back to see his face flushed. I freeze, as we just stand there, flustered. If this is how it's going to be on stage, I'm worried.
"Wh- How could you say that!? Of course that villager is somehow linked to the princess! They seem so close to assuming they're dating at least! It's so-- Gah, it's so obvious!! They suck at hiding it!" An shouts, and we all glance at each other thinking she forgot the line. That wasn't in it.. but it went smoothly, so we didn't say anything.
"Are you feeling well, my lord? Perhaps you should rest, you're starting to get hysterical again that you can't think properly." Otori says with a blank face as An steps back offended, and some people in the audience laugh.
I giggled a little. I'm so sorry An, but that is so like you..
"Ugh, whatever! This ends tomorrow. Forward, my minion! We shall rule this kingdom once and for all! Bring the boy to me!" She waves her hand but clenches her side, and Otori rushes off stage. Once she gives her final evil laugh, the lights go out.
"Okay, Akito, An, Otori go back on stage!" Tsukasa loudly whispers, looking at the script and naming a few other people. "Toya goes on when I signal him! Wait for it, okay? Review the script now one final time if you've forgotten the edited lines!"
Ena panics to give her final touches, combing everyone's hair and fixing make-up.
They all nod, and go in position as the stage crew gets stuff prepared, Kamishiro flawlessly pressing the buttons for the stage. If I may say this, he has done a very good job with the light and dramatic effects. It's really cool.
Kusanagi was given a break and played on her switch in the corner. I have about 10-15 minutes before I get on. I walk up to her, and sit next to her except she doesn't realize. I look over, to see her play.
"Toya! Get over here!" Ena and Akiyama shout, scaring Kusanagi. She turns her head, inches away from mine since I was leaning down. I tilt my head, as her face slowly turns bright red. She falls back. I think I scared her.. Maybe she didn't recognize me.
"Gah! T-Toya!" She shouts slightly, but covers her mouth immediately. I offer to help her up, but she declines. "G-Go to them!" Her face is beet red, pushing me away to grab her stuff and leave.
I'm scared though..
They begin fixing the wig, making some adjustments for this part. Tsukasa takes me once they're done, and I wait for the signal. I review the lines one more time, and put them down. Let's just get this over with.
"Do you seriously put his life over your own?! He is not royalty, you are! Do you realize the damage you will cause to this kingdom if they find out the princess sacrificed herself for a.. for a peasant?!" Otori shakes me, and I nod.
"I.. I-I'm fully aware of the c-consequences. H-He.. He is not a pe-peasant to me. He.. He is very.. Dear to me." I blush, shyly looking away. Even if that's just an act, it's still true who we're talking about..
"But what you're doing is wrong! Look, you don't have much time, you need to exit right no--!!"
"What are you doing?" An tilts her head, making Otori freeze.
"M-My lord..! I-.. I was just..!" She turns around, but An holds her hand up, giving Otori the cue to throw herself to a wall. I swear, Otori almost got brain damage from rehearsal. "Kh--!!"
"You dare get in my way, lowlife? Have you forgotten who you worked for..?" An asks, inching closer and closer to Otori, who's literally choking herself on the wall. Calm down-!!
"Princess! Are you alright?!" Akito runs up to me, they've added special effects like bruises and dirt. It was in the script but An was having the time of her life. I nod, and An turns around.
"Y.. You'll never get away with this!" Otori grunts, but An rolls her eyes, 'killing' her off. Otori falls, and they drag her through the hole in the wall. Kusanagi was struggling. My mom gasps, looking around. I could tell she was saying 'did anyone else see that'.
"Silence." An sighs, flipping her hair. "But we meet again, princess." She grins, and I furrow my brows at her.
"Now, what shall I do with you two..?" She places her hand on her chin, and I put my arm out in front of Akito.
"D-Don't touch him."
"What are you going to do if I dare? I hardly believe you can--" She stops, and covers her mouth. We look at each other, and back at her. "What the.?" They gave her red paint in her cape for this scene, making it look like blood.
"Wondered what that sharp pain was right before the villager was caught? That was little something I had been working on for a while now." The lights go to Otori on the opposite side of the stage, the light following her as she walks. "I may not be alive now, but it is soon to happen to you, my lord." She grins, and An turns around, panicked.
"It was a poison containing all sorts of stuff, including my own magic and the flower 'deadly nightshade' in the injector. It was not visible to the human eye, since I have altered the appearance. I have been waiting for the right moment to take you down and when you lower your guard, I have also been preparing for this very moment." Otori approaches An, not letting her smile fade. "I live to protect the good people from your kind. Abusing their magic. Oh, would you look at that." She secretly pulls out a bottle out of a pocket in An's coat, staring at it.
"The injection has been complete."
"Wh..?! What have you done?!" An looks at the wound, that was covered by her cape as well. "You.. You..!!"
"Monster? Perhaps you're right. But if we're being honest, if I'm a monster what does that make you? Hm?" She tilts her head slightly, smiling in the scariest way possible. A chill just ran down my spine. "Go to hell." She drops the item then walks away, heels so loud in the silence.
"Agh- No! This.. This can't be!!" She turns around, putting her hand over her face for the special red lighting on her. She grit her teeth, looking at us. "Curse you.. Curse you all!" She said between coughs. "You will pay!!"
The special effect time had finally come, but we knew that there was no possible way to make that, so we just flickered the lights. When they turned back on, Akito was in front of me. An shrieked, finally running off the stage 'disappearing'. As Akito fell, I immediately caught him and placed his head in my lap, holding him in my arms.
"A-Are you okay?!" I gasped, putting my hand on his. He clenched it, breathing heavily. I blushed by how close we were, but had to ignore it. I'm definitely never speaking after this.
"I.. I'm fine. Don't worry about me." He coughs. He's really great at acting, wow. I can hear my mother screaming and crying from here. "Just- Just go back to your castle, I'll- I'll be okay."
"No, you.. won't!" I protested, and he softly laughed.
"Princess, it was.. it was nice spending time with you. I'm honored you thought of me as a.. friend." He looks at me, but I frown.
"St-Stop saying stuff like.. that! You're g-going to survive!" I whisper-shout, since I can't really raise my voice.
"Why do you care about me so much..? Why can't you just leave now while I'm holding myself back?! Why have you always been stubborn like this?!" He says, coughing again.
"Because.. Because I-I like you!!" I say, turning bright red. His cheeks turn red as his eyes widen. I'm trying not to look up at the crowd where my mother is probably taking pictures. After the pause, he speaks.
".. I.. I've adored you for years, why haven't you realized that..?" Akito says, quietly. He puts his hand on my cheek, and I begin getting dizzy. My face is burning. He inches closer to me, and I have to smile for the scene.
"Th.. Then show me that y-you truly do," I say, and it's supposed to end there. "We'll.. g-get through this. Together." The lights turn off, but turn on again when it's supposed to be the 'kiss' scene. My lips are barely touching his-!! I'm going to die right here!
"AND THEN THEY MAKE OUT!" Someone from the crowd yelled, but that wasn't my mom. Some people laugh, and we both just tense up.
The curtains close, and I can hear a roar of applause. I immediately pull away from him, falling on my behind. Ouch.. I turn around to see everyone with their jaw open, staring at Akito and I. I glance at him, who puts his hand over his mouth as his ears turn red.
".. Dude!!" An claps, even if the audience still is. Everyone joins, whistling.
"He's all grown up now!" Tsukasa sobs in Kamishiro's shirt, who pats him.
"Holy shit, did you guys really kiss?! You have a red stain on your lips--!!" Akiyama shouts, and I blush hardly.
"That was amazing!" Kusanagi runs up to me, with a bright grin. That's the first time I've ever seen that. I smile back at her, as she helps me up. Ena ruffles Akito's hair messing it up slightly, as they all tease him.
After Kamishiro thanked the audience for coming, we all bowed. My knees are going to be weak now.
"Bye, Toya! Good job!" An and Azusawa wave, giggling as An kisses her face all over, leaving lipstick marks. I've been getting that from the whole cast all night.
"My baby is an actor!!" My mother cries, squeezing my cheeks. I've already changed out of the dress, but my feet are killing me. "Did you already say goodbye to Akito~?" She raises her eyebrows, and I stare at him talking to Momoi, smiling. I sigh, and shake my head. "Aw, alright."
Before we go too far from the gates, someone grabs my wrist. I turn around and see Akito huffing, catching his breath. My mother squeals, but I tilt my head. His hand is behind his back, and he gulps.
"My.. My mom thought you did good, and- ugh.. She got the flowers that Ena ordered, so.." He lets go, looking at the ground while putting a bouquet of persian buttercups, pansies, and yuzu flowers in my face. My eyes widen, and I blush. "I.. I also thought you did.. great. Good job," He says, putting it in my hands. Flustered, we both can't maintain eye contact.
"Don't just stand there, give him your thanks!" My mother pats my back. I hand her the flowers, and go near him. I give him a small peck on the cheek, flushed. He looks up, and I might pass out just by seeing his embarrassed face.
"Th.. Thank you. They're.. beautiful. I th-thought you did- good, too.." I stare at my feet, my mother looking around.
"Is.. Is anyone seeing this?" She says, confused.
We stay there, silent for a few more seconds before he clears his throat. "I.. I'll see you on the last day." I nod, waving back.
".. Are you two seriously still not dating?" My mother scoffs. I forgot she was there-!! Crap! Pardon my language.
I turn back to Akito leaving, smiling to myself again. I.. Did that kiss count as an actual one..?