The Luster of Stars in Moscow
⁇ 31

"Tomorrow, you can still perform" Mikail persuaded. "So.. you still have a chance—"

"No!" Cheri insists. "I'm going to finish this drama. After all who would believe that he wasn't Rafael. This drama cannot be canceled!"

Simultaneously, a few staff members rushed inside with riled faces. "Here you seem to be," said one of them. "We're looking for you everywhere" said another.

"I'll go" said Cheri.

Mikail raised her hand hinting at the staff to wait outside. "Cheri, I also don't expect this drama to be ruined. But it's impossible for us to ask this personality to act."

"I'll adjust to what he does later" Cheri said.

"It's too risky" Mikail argued. "In the end this drama will still be destroyed by this personality."

"But pity Rafael!" Cheri raised his voice. A thread of tears rolled down his smooth cheek.

Mikail gulped and looked at the girl's face with an unbearable feeling.

"Cheri! Mikail!" The staff waiting outside began to run out of patience.

Mikail let out a short sigh and took out a handkerchief from her pants pocket, then thrust it at Cheri. "Remove your tears" he said. "Your face is very messed up."

Cheri received the handkerchief while observing Mikail's face.

Mikail turned her face away. "Go!" He shook his hand while pouting.

Cheri forced a smile and hugged her.

"Hey! Please bring powder and lipstick brushes!" Mikail shouted towards the door.

Instantly the atmosphere outside turned rowdy. The sounds of clashing and thumping on the floor surface, were earthy with the voices of those who instructed one another, blaring all the way to the end of the corridor.

Moments later, Sesha broke into the room with a box of makeup equipment.

Mikail herself dressed up Cheri this time.

"I just found out you're a make over expert," Sesha commented slightly surprised.

"Look down," Mikail orders Cheri as he sweeps the eyeshadow on the girl's eyelids. "Remember," he said. "You can't let your guard down!" He advises.

"A year ago..how did he disappear?" Cheri asked half muttered.

"As the situation worsened, he disappeared on his own" Mikail explained. "He can't stand being pressured the most."

Sesha listened to their conversation with the eyebrows interlocked.

"When I act, it feels good that I can disappear" Cheri whispered to Mikail. "But in this case, Rafael may completely disappear. I can imagine how horrible it was."

Mikail smeared blush without talking.

"I'm a fool." Cheri muttered.

Mikail finished her work. "Berakting doesn't mean eliminating ourselves" he said. "But awakening a personality in us that we never knew."

It was Cheri's turn to be silent now.

"There are times when the audience holds their breath and exhales.." Mikail continued. "That's the moment where you and the whole audience animate the characters of the Beautiful and the Ugly." He looked into Cheri's eyes now. "Cherry.." he said. "You have raised the Beautiful and the Ugly One who has been sleeping in his sleep all this time."

Cheri. "Is that something great?"

"Yes," Mikail replied with a gentle smile.

"I.." Cheri stuttered in novelty. "I'll try to perform. If I could animate the Beautiful One, I would surely be able to awaken the soul of Rafael who is now asleep in that personality, right?"

Mikail.

"Rafael can go back to how it was, right?" Cheri asked again, this time his voice sounded trembling withstanding the cries.

Mikail pulled the girl's head to her chest. "Here, don't cry anymore. Your makeup will wear off" she said. "I like your tough self!" He adds. Giving a spiritual boost.

From across the corridor, Rafael glanced towards them through the open administrative room door and smiled sinisterly. "I'm not that pampered," he grinned, putting a lion mask on his face.

"Beautiful! Badly Appearance! Ready already?" The stage supervisor shouted impatiently.

Sesha was still frozen in place, looking at Cheri, then looking at Mikail with a puzzled facial expression.

"See what?" Mikail glared at him.

"Nothing," Sesha quickly replied, then turned her face and hurried to leave the administration room. What exactly were they talking about? thought Sesha, then glanced towards Cheri with a full probing gaze.

Cherie was backstage.

Rafael had been waiting for him while thrusting his palm towards Cheri.

Cheri gulped with difficulty, then linked his hand to the man's hand with a nervous feeling.

He is not Rafael, his mind is bitter.

Then the two stepped onto the stage with a terrifying aura.

What will this personality do?

I was scared, thought Cheri. But…

"Bad as it may be, may I return to my father's house?" Cherry begins her dialogue. "One week only," he continued trying hard. "You yourself have seen it, through the magic mirror. Allow me to see him."

Rafael just shut up.

"Please, Ugly!" Cherry continued her dialogue. "If my father knew I was okay and treated very well, my father would definitely recover soon. I will definitely come back to you. Please!"

Rafael approached. But then only a whimper behind his mask while glaring at Cheri.

Supposedly in this passage, the Ugly Bad One reached out and said, "I'd rather die than make you suffer."

So you intend not to say a word? thought Cheri. All righty!

"Bad Appearance! Are you angry?" Cheri improvise. "Then I'm sorry." Rafael's hand was taken away with one hand, while the other took the edge of his robe.

Mikail watched them from the gap of the curtains behind the stage. Looks worried and concerned.

In this section, it should be that the Ugly One gives his gloves to the Beautiful One as a sign that he is allowed to leave. But Rafael did not do it.

So Cheri quietly snatched the man's glove and moved it into his own hands silently. The man's robe hid his actions from the attention of the audience.

"Then you don't have to say anything" Cheri-still said in improvised mode. "I won't bring it up again."

Realizing that something was wrong, Rafael jerked his hands and robe. Then shuffle away from Cheri.

Cheri had already managed to move the man's gloves into his hands. He looked at the glove with round eyes and mouth, then looked up at Rafael's face. "Badly Appearance," he hissed with a haru expression. "Your magic glove that can take me anywhere in an instant…"

Mikail covered her mouth with a fist and laughed silently. He is very clever, he said in his heart. Then hurriedly left that place and rushed to the control room.

"You're giving something this important to me?" Cheri widened his eyes and hugged Rafael. "Thank you, Ugly!"

Rafael growls.

Cheri let go of his embrace quickly, then turned around and ran away from the stage. "I'll definitely be back in a week" he shouted before he disappeared behind the curtain. "Wait for me, Ugly!"

Rafael stared at the place while glaring at the girl with a near-exploding rage.

"Sorry! I'm taking control for a while!" Mikail said to the stage supervisor as she snatched the headset from the man's head.

The stage supervisor was choked. Staring resentfully at Mikail.

"Directly turn off the lights and connect to the round of 16!" Mikail gave instructions to the layout of the lamp via wireless.

The stage is suddenly dark.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGH!!!" Rafael shouted in wrath.

The spectators were shocked.

"What kind of stage is this?" The stage supervisor groaned in frustration.