Uneasy daily life

"Hey? Your condition seems more serious than expected."

"Energy conservation, please do not disturb."

"Just when the event was about to be canceled, he suddenly stepped in to fill the vacancy with Chitanda, and ended up spending the whole afternoon looking after the swimming pool. He didn't get to play at all. I don't see how he saved any energy."

"You're annoying."

“Yeah, yeah, I’m not afraid of being bothered by people talking.” Hachiman Hikigaya shrugged, gazing at the approaching twilight outside the car window, feeling unusually talkative. “Isn’t it great? I heard you two were classmates for three years of junior high, and you even went to Chiba Soubu High School with her. Your relationship is really special… Hmm? This sudden feeling…”

Hachiman Hikigaya muttered something, frowned deeply, and stared at the listless Houtarou Oreki: "You seem to be a total hottie who's just asking for trouble, don't you?"

They must have been misled by the other person's so-called energy conservation! Come to think of it, this guy seems like a social butterfly whose life is full of pink and should be exploding with excitement!

I thought that even if we had different ideas, we shouldn't be considered "normative" people. Suddenly, a huge chasm has appeared between us!

"Don't try to comfort me, I just want to be alone."

Houtarou Oreki glanced at him and continued to ponder.

"Who wants to comfort a social butterfly like you? That kind of thing is way too self-conscious." Hachiman Hikigaya hesitated for a moment, then said resolutely, "If there's really no other way, just go find the department head... Just be prepared to die, but the department head seems to be very busy these days, and his presence is almost nonexistent."

Oreki Houtaro: "..."

You're actually interested!

Hachiman Hikigaya couldn't help but feel admiration.

It is a special, irreplaceable, and unique connection between each other—something that cannot be obtained by simply saying it, nor can it be given up unconsciously. It is something that truly exists and is held tightly in one's hands... Does such a thing really exist between people?

It's not as easy as "Let's be friends," nor as casual as "We haven't been in touch for a long time," nor as nonchalant as "We broke up after a fight"—it should be heavy, impossible to ignore; it should be profound, causing heartache as it pulls at you; it should be immortal, leaving no mark no matter how hard you try.

Is there really something between people that can remain undamaged even after constant dissection, peeling away, questioning, and breaking down?

Hachiman Hikigaya suddenly felt a pang of envy, then abruptly became alert and introspective.

Why should I envy them? Is the relationship between Oreki and Chitanda just my own imagination? Is it possible that it's just a delusion born from excessive self-consciousness? Is it just my own opinion?

Let's take another look; perhaps we'll find the answer...

“A suspicious heat suddenly flared up in your eyes.”

Houtarou Oreki moved to the inside.

"Ahem, I'm so sorry if my dead fish eyes are getting in your way."

"The sudden use of honorifics... has become suspiciously disgusting."

"..."

Hachiman Hikigaya mouthed the words expressionlessly: "Explode! You popular guy!"

Well……

Yui Yuigahama, sitting in the back seat, gazed intently at Hachiman Hikigaya and Houtarou Oreki in the front. What's going on? Why do Oreki and Hachiman seem to get along so well? Hmm—speaking of which, Hachiman's relationship with Shiro is rather complicated too… Ah! It must be just wishful thinking!

Sigh, Xiao An said she was busy with rehearsals, and Xiao Xue said she was going on a trip with her parents. Neither of them participated in the swimming event in Shenshan City. It's such a pity.

Xiao Bai's play—I'd better go see it; I'm guessing it'll be another chaotic and bewildering performance.

……

……

Under the thin twilight, a stage about ten meters high stood in the open space. At the front of the stage, there were chairs that looked like VIP seats, each with a name thoughtfully marked on it. These seats were reserved for those who had received tickets.

As for other audience members, please bring your own seats, stand as punishment, or rent plastic stools on the side.

"Plucking feathers from a passing goose, the art and aesthetics of the mouthpiece—tsk tsk tsk."

"Shut up. It's still twenty minutes. Dusk will reach the perfect level of light, and that's when the spotlights will shine at their best. Instead of nagging, you should warm up."

"The mouthpiece, always causing trouble."

"Get up! I call this striving for perfection!"

"White hair, black beard, straw clothes..."

"..."

Backstage, Mai Sakurajima felt out of place. She tried her best to remain calm, repeatedly imagining the possible performances of the other three.

She wore a simple apron and a straw hat to shield her eyes, and her beige dress was adorned with flower petals. Her simple attire couldn't hide her natural beauty, while the others...

Phantom was scratching his throat in a daze, while White Shadow was changing into a simple, one-piece outfit. Angelina next to him was muttering some kind of order, her mouthpiece talking to the doll.

Mai Sakurajima suddenly wondered if her impulsive decision to join the group had led to some kind of mental breakdown.

"Hey! You rascal, busy already?"

A corner of the curtain was lifted, and Yukinoshita Haruno peeked out with a grin.

Everyone stared at her instantly.

An immense aura suddenly rose from among the crowd.

"Audience members are not allowed backstage!"

The mouthpiece, enraged, grabbed some tools, ready to teach this audience member a lesson on the spot.

"excuse me."

Yukino immediately retreated, listened to the noise backstage, stuck out her tongue, walked around the stage, and returned to her seats: "Yukino-chan, what do you think that jerk will perform?"

When Bai Jun jumped into the river, he seemed to have let slip that he wanted to use this performance to make himself realize the importance of determination and courage.

But it's hard to say what Bai Jun will actually do to impress himself.

“Uh…” Yukino Yukinoshita said subtly, “It’s probably something he wants to perform.”

Yukinoshita's mother tries to join in her two daughters' conversation: "I've seen the Scarlet Theatre Company's performances. Although I don't know what those actors are like in private, their stage performances are wonderful and each one is unique."

My biggest worry plus, I hope your performance goes cold.

Yukinoshita's father silently offered his blessings, while also gazing wistfully at Hachiman Hikigaya beside him—although it was just an accidental injury, in a sense, this guy's personality traits and various behaviors were also a threat, and it was necessary to keep the enemy outside the country's borders.

"Do the young man have a girlfriend?"

"No, I'm not interested, I'm not in the mood."

Uncle, why bother? Hachiman Hikigaya had a headache, but then he thought, what if someone he considered suspicious appeared next to Komachi... like the club president?

Wow! So, in that case, the uncle and I are actually comrades on the same path!

However, this potential ally is not very friendly; he seems to only want to kill.

Houtarou Oreki didn't notice the small theater next to him. His gaze shifted slightly and he saw Eru Chitanda in the audience at the other end of the stage, with her parents by her side.

The sky was getting dark at dusk, and it was hard to see Chitanda's condition clearly... What could have happened?

Houtarou Oreki lowered his eyes.

My father and I had a conversation, a conversation in which we both kept misunderstanding each other. Uncontrollable emotions shaped my words, and they took on a different hue as they came from my father. His words may have come from a genuine heart full of love, but my ears couldn't help but distort them into other meanings.

You raised me as your heir since I was a child, so why are you now giving me the wings of freedom that you envision? Is this meant to make me turn back halfway, to have all my efforts in vain, or is it to let me spread my wings and soar to the distant place you envision?

Unable to contain her grievances, her words became fragile and uncertain, which her father misunderstood as a sign of temporarily losing her direction. He was probably filled with guilt, guilty for not being able to give more, but instead leaving her with more responsibility and burdens, which made him even more determined not to inherit the family responsibilities.

so hard.

How can I calmly and clearly express my voice when the person who initially set a goal for me has then rejected that goal?

I am a child in my father's eyes, and my father is an adult in my eyes. How can I make my father truly hear my voice? Do I really have the unwavering power and possibility to convey my voice to my father?

Conversations between people are really difficult.

Oreki-kun...

With her excellent eyesight, she could see Oreki Houtarou, who was resting with his eyes closed, even from across the stage.

No, I must be strong, not weak.

Think carefully and face things calmly. No matter how confused or wronged you feel, you must be strong when you take action.

Chitanda Eru lowered her eyes.

Has something happened to your sister's family?

Guan Gu Chun felt that his niece was not in a good mood today.

"The biggest problem with art films is that they are incomprehensible to the audience. Directors and screenwriters are focused on expressing something, but the more deeply they insist on expressing themselves, the more confused the audience becomes. Even the actors may not understand what they are acting in..."

"The differences in consciousness between people are enormous. The more intensely one expresses oneself, the more foolish one appears in the eyes of others. An excellent art film should and must have a popular story aspect."

"Only by gradually winning people's hearts can we gain their empathy."

Director Tadashi Okita flipped through the script, talking about his years of experience writing and directing his own films, and couldn't help but sigh softly: "Unfortunately, it's extremely difficult to balance intense catharsis with calm depiction, and to achieve a harmonious expression of this conflict—this script makes me want to give it my all."

"That's right, I knew back then that Brother Bai was no ordinary person." Guan Guchun immediately began to praise Bai.

Okita said regretfully, "I thought he wouldn't be able to finish the script, so I was even prepared to lend him the crew's small dark room. Now it seems that I won't be able to use it."

"Ahem, it seems the performance is about to begin."

As a creator, Guan Gu Jun is overly sensitive to things like the "black room" phenomenon and quickly changed the subject.

A bustling crowd waited.

Soft lights rose up at the edge of the stage.

The lights above suddenly converged.

"Ah↗↗↗↗↗——!"

The powerful vocals gradually rise, naturally drawing the audience's attention through sound, and simultaneously drawing back the grand curtain.

Chapter 145 The Doll

In the background, a gentle singing voice flows.

"Hahaha, I've succeeded!"

An old man's laughter, accompanied by an excited tremor, drowned out the soothing and lively background prelude.

An elderly man with a hunched back and white hair strode over.

"A body of jade, feet of gold, arms of silver, eyes of gemstones, a ring of a hundred flowers, the result of more than a decade of painstaking work, the culmination of heart and soul! My perfect masterpiece is now complete!"

With clear pronunciation and fluent intonation, the old man stepped to the center of the stage, bathed in the spotlight. His youthful face contrasted sharply with his aged voice, coarse clothes, and wig.

The background music seemed to understand the conductor, naturally adjusting to a level that resembled a heart pounding with excitement and joy.

A rather short figure suddenly fell from the beam directly above the stage.

"grandfather--!"

The innocent and childlike shouts spread out.

The old man reached out and caught the figure, then took a step and spun around, naturally pulling the person up. He said with great joy, "My beautiful and lovely child, Grandpa is right here."

She was a beautiful young woman with a body of jade, golden feet, silver arms, and gemstone eyes. She wore a light gauze dress, perfectly matching the old man's description. Her face was delicate and exquisite, her features were exceptionally harmonious, and her long, black hair flowed smoothly down to her waist.

The old man gently pulled, and the flower wreath that had fallen from the sky landed perfectly on the other person's head.

The girl gently raised her hand to straighten the flower wreath, then playfully hopped around the old man, making a clear and melodious sound like a lark.

The singing was just right, like a clear mountain stream, melodious and melodious.

"Grandpa, Grandpa, what kind of child am I?"

"Sincere, gentle, strong, brave, kind, you are my perfect child, you are my perfect doll."

The girl and the old man exchanged questions and answers. The girl circled the old man, dancing lightly, while the old man occasionally let out a kind and proud laugh.

As they talked, they reached the edge of the stage, and the girl waved and called out, "Grandpa, I'm going out!"

"Remember to come home on time."

The old man gave a word of advice, then turned and disappeared from the edge of the stage.

The girl turned around excitedly, skipping and hopping, singing a cheerful tune: "Crossing the clear stream, splashing in the water, the wind gives me a ride... Oh!"

Thump! The girl crashed heavily onto the stage, the sound like a heavy drumbeat, instantly shifting the background music to a more oppressive tone.

Appearing with a subdued rhythm was a carpenter with a full black beard, wearing a cloth shawl, and holding a wood-chopping axe.