The Luster of Stars in Moscow
⁇ 68
"Why is the phone closed?"
Cheri froze with his mouth clenched. His hand was still holding the phone plane, while he stood his back to the phone.
Mikail lay across the room, leaning one shoulder against the door frame. Staring at Cheri with a flat expression. "That's a call from Rafael, right?"
"How long have you been standing there?" Cheri asked a little sullenly.
"Told enough to see the scene of Joan hearing the voice of God," Mikail replied with an intensity of a cornered gaze.
"You eavesdropped on my conversation" Cheri concluded.
"Yes" Mikail answered briefly.
"So.." Cheri raised his jaw and cleared his throat. "What kind of person sneaks into my room quietly, eavesdropping on my phone—you're spying on me. Not to mention the way you caught Valentin.. Who are you?"
Mikail let out a short sigh, lowered her hands from her chest, then slipped them both into her pants pocket. Then walk slowly towards Cheri.
Cheri gulped and bowed. Inching uneasily as the distance between them narrowed even more.
"I thought you knew the truth about me" Mikail said.
"Yes" replied Cheri Parau. "I heard it from Valentin. But I don't want to believe it."
"What if the one who said that was Rafael? Are you gonna believe it?"
Cheri did not answer.
"Yes, I am indeed the shadow bodyguard of the Moscovich Corporation. I've been watching Rafael without his knowledge all along. And.." Mikail stopped one step ahead of Cheri. "Now too."
Cheri fell back down, not knowing how he should react.
Mikail looked at him expressionlessly, without blinking.
"So, all this time." Cheri again gulped. "You have deceived Rafael."
"Yes," Mikail did not dodge.
Cheri grimaced and sighed heavily.
"I didn't mean to be mean to you, Cheri." Mikail said straightforwardly. "So does Rafael."
Cheri raised his face, looking into Mikail's eyes.
Mikail kept a flat face. The trained expression of a professional bodyguard.
"But if you're ordered to stalk and capture Rafael, you'll do it, right?" Cheri was barely able to stop himself from crying. He punched both of his fists in Mikail's chest.
The man wrapped his hands around Cheri's waist, rubbed his back and calmed him down.
Cheri burst into tears and sucked his face into the man's chest. "You're so mean," he sighed raucously.
Mikail slipped her face on the top of Cheri's head. Then rub the back of the girl's head and let go of her embrace. He guided Cheri to the front of the fireplace and sat the girl on the sofa.
Cheri wiped his nose and both eyes, sighed deeply and calmed himself down.
Mikail knelt in front of him, aligning her face with Cheri's. The look on his face remained flat, but the glint in his eyes softened and dimmed. "Listen, Cheri!" said. "I've never told anyone my despicable past."
Cheri frowned.
"But I've been determined to tell you this tonight. The reason why President Moscovich used me and why I became Rafael's superintendent."
Cheri prepared himself to listen to Mikail's story.
Cheri blinked and fell. But I dare not interrupt.
Mikail opened the double window in front of her, letting the wind blow over her hot face. "For the sake of my sister, I have killed my drag teacher."
Cheri smothered his mouth with both hands and held his breath.
Mikail turned to Cheri and smiled bitterly. "I know you must hate me now, right?"
Cheri shook his head and gulped with difficulty. "No," he said. "I know you're a very patient person. So, there must be a good reason until you do."
"The man raped my brother" Mikail replied as she turned back to the window.
"Tell me why you're a student of a dance teacher?" Cheri got up from the sofa and approached Mikail.
Mikail turned a glance at Cheri and smiled faintly. "I'm also a ballet dancer" she said. "Just like you!"
Cheri widened his eyes, almost prancing around. "You should be so beautiful" she said innocently.
Mikail smiled wryly. "The face is the most important weapon for the people who perform on the stage" he agreed. "But I was embraced by someone with an evil heart. He was good at everything, especially in pampering and meeting my needs. But it's too much. He made me depend on him. Unfortunately, that was the beginning. He's expecting a thank you."
Cheri frowned.
"I was just following my gut feeling. I tried not to be in one room too many times, and I started watching him. She seemed very upset whenever I avoided her and always reminded me how good she had been to me."
"The man.." Cheri asked hesitantly.
"Yes," Mikail replied, "The man has an aberration."
Cheri smothered his mouth again.
"But because he failed to get me, he took it out on my sister" Mikail continued. "That day I was performing when my brother came. She brought some presents and looked for me in the dressing room after my performance. But like I said, I always avoid enclosed places, especially dressing rooms, because in places like that my teacher can do it, you know what I mean?"
Cheri nodded clumsyly with a blushing face, slightly feeling stung by Mikail's question. Speaking of dressing rooms, she remembered Valentin's actions.
"That's where he set my brother up!" Mikail added.
Cheri fell deeper.
"I didn't know my sister was coming, and when someone told me that a girl who looked so much like me was looking for me, I knew she was my sister. I looked for him and did not find him. As soon as I find her, I'm too late."
Cheri screeched restrained.
"I've never been that angry in my entire life until I've had dark eyes" Mikail murmured. "So I killed him." He adds.
Cheri blinked and rubbed the base of the man's arm to provide support.
"Because I'm permanently disabled, I can't perform on stage anymore. I was almost in jail, but since my actions were considered self-defense, I was not put on trial. Just got kicked out of the hangar and I'm living an abandoned life."
Cheri could not imagine what it would be like to live a neglected life with a character defect.
"In a desperate state, I was embraced by President Moscovich, who happened to be my sponsor for a long time. He guaranteed my life on condition…"
"You're being a spy?" Cherry continues the story of Mikail.
"Yes" answered Mikail helplessly. "When I was sent to Rafael's place one year later, I found a stage that performed rehearsals of a play. Back then, Rafael was seventeen-years-old as rich as I was. His figure was dazzled by the overflowing talent. The youthfulness and beauty of his face amaze me. Especially when I heard that Rafael was working on his own screenplay and direction. Suddenly I thought that I could leave my lost dreams to her. Armed with that hope, I came near her."
Cheri's gaze warmed, imagining the figure of young Rafael who was very stunning do not mind making his heart flowery. His admiration for the man grew.
"For a moment.. I wonder in my heart, why does Rafael need supervision? But I don't care. To me, someone who can shine on stage is my treasure," Mikail turned to Cheri. "So is you."