The Luster of Stars in Moscow
⁇ 11

I don't know where it is…

I don't know what power they have, but…

This performance is really beautiful!

"Two years ago." Vladimir muttered without distracting himself from the staging. "You and I worked on this script together. But in the middle of the road we're fighting."

"Well!" Rafael snorted and smiled cynically. "Together?" snarl. "Don't what you're doing just annex my manuscript?"

Vladimir finally turned his face away, staring at Rafael through the corner of his eye. But his facial expression was as flat as Rafael's.

"The one who made Marionette's original script was me" hiss Rafael sharply. "Don't forget about it, Vladimir!"

Vladimir smiled faintly and turned his attention back to the show.

"Say, where did you get that script?" Rafael asked half growled. "This cannot be said to be an original work."

Vladimir chuckles. "Oh, huh?" he said without looking. "The "interpretation and direction is much different from yours. What is not original? After all, the writing style is the same as my work all along."

K e p a r a t! Rafael is upset. "Of course it's the same" he whispered. "All Tsar Dramy's manuscripts are the same-I. You never wrote a script!"

Vladimir chuckles.

Cheri glanced at the faces of the two men with squinted eyes.

Both have flat faces. But the flash of anger was clearly visible in Rafael's eyes.

A trace of unease was implied on Vladimir Vallensky's face, but he managed to cover it up with his sly smile.

Rafael bowed while massaging the base of his nose. Clenching both eyes with a helpless expression.

"Rafael," Cheri touched his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Rafael did not answer. Just bowed with tightened jaws.

"Let's go home," Cheri asked.

The man remained unmoved.

A loud applause blared from the spectator bench.

Rafael clenched one of his hands, while the other hand rubbed his face while sighing heavily. "This accomplishment has overstepped my work" he whispered. "And I didn't realize it."

"Listen, Rafael!" Cheri tried to encourage. "This is your work anyway" he persuaded. "There is no way a fake is better than the original."

Vladimir laughed at the girl's words. "Miss," he said softly. "Rafael has admitted defeat."

Cheri tightened his jaw and glared at Vladimir. This man turned out to be much more heartless, his mind growled.

"Again the fake is always more innovative than the original" Vladimir added. "Did you never learn? Even false teachings are more perfect than the teachings of Moses. Mixed gold is always more lustrous than the original. Justification theory makes more sense than truth." Vladimir turned to Cheri.

Cheri blinked and gulped.

"You don't seem to understand anything at all about theater?" Vladimir scoffs. "When Rafael was still joined by Tsar Dramy, Rafael's only weakness was not being able to portray women. Because this young genius never knew love."

While still joining Tsar Dramy?

Not able to describe women?

Never knew love?

Cheri turned to Rafael.

The man was silent.

Oh, aye. Cheri just remembered. Didn't someone ever say that he hated women?

"If I.." Vladimir suddenly leaned his body towards Cheri. "It will certainly treat you as a woman" he said, smiling. "Not a doll."

Cheri shuffled away from him.

"Vladimir!" Someone shouted from the crowd behind them.

Vladimir turned his head and got up from his seat and passed from the mixer room.

Cheri watched the man with his mouth clenched. What the hell's going on? thought. The words of this man…

Ah, nevermind! Cheri gave a short sigh. The man is a thief, he said in his heart. I'd better not be consumed by his words.

Suddenly a wreath floated from the doorway and landed on Cheri's lap.

Cheri screeched restrained while turning his head.

Vladimir grinned from behind the backs of the spectators and blinked his eyes at Cheri.

Rafael turned to the man and stared intently at him - giving him a warning.

But the man just waved his hand cursively and passed from that place.

"I will return it" said Cheri, hurriedly rising up.

Rafael tried to hold him.

But the girl had already rushed towards the door and slipped among the crowd.

Rafael let out a heavy sigh and pulled his body from the seat reserved exclusively for the monitors. But as long as they watched the show, the place was taken over completely by Vladimir. So the two benches on his side can be occupied by Cheri and Rafael.

While Cheri was writhing amidst a sea of mobs, jostling among the audience to chase after Vladimir, the man was already standing on stage to close the show.

"Excuse me!" Cheri urged some of the spectators closest to the stage. Some of them were trying to give flowers to Vladimir.

Whoa! Vladimir satirized in amazement. Rafael's puppet?

The girl had almost reached the stage, but someone followed her, while several others tried to block her.

Vladimir leaned forward and snatched the girl from the possessive audience and pulled her onto the stage.

Cheri gave a surprised.

Rafael flinched amidst the crowd. B a j i n g a n!

"Hey! Who's she?" Some girls screamed unhappily. "It's lucky to be able to hand flowers on stage."

"I don't want to give you flowers" said Cheri.

But the noisy atmosphere made his voice sink.

"Vladimir! Give us the same honor!" The girls who were closest to the stage started to shout hysterically as they waved their wreaths.

"That's amazing!" Vladimir clucked in awe as he examined Cheri from top to bottom, then back up-to his face. While one hand still gripped the girl's hand. "Well, "he said. "You do look stunning on stage."

"Shut your mouth" hardik Cheri wriggled, trying to escape from Vladimir's clutches. "Take me off!"

The man smiled widely and pulled her closer. "The proportion of your body is nothing short of it. Now I understand why Rafael likes you!"

Cheri tapped his hand. But Vladimir's grip was as tight as an iron shackle.

"See that!" Some spectators were screaming.

"Rafael Moscovich!" Some girls screamed back.

Cheri and Vladimir followed their point of view.

Rafael was walking up the stairs and lunging on stage while punching Vladimir in the face. "Thieves!" snarl.

The mood turned boisterous.

"Lho! That's Rafael Moscovich, right?" An actress screeched behind Cheri. "One and a half years ago, he was still the lead actor in this theater."

"Ah, we're lucky to see it!" comments of other actresses, down-to-earth.

Rafael grabbed Cheri's waist and pulled him.

Vladimir managed to hold his shoulder. "Come with me" he whispered to Cheri. "Together with Rafael, you're just a marionette doll!"

Rafael jerked Cheri's waist and pulled him into his arms. Then punch Vladimir once again. This time harder than before, causing Vladimir to lunge and fall.

Everyone on the stage shouted. And so do the spectators.

Rafael clutches his middle finger at Vladimir, then leads Cheri off the stage and takes him home.