Chapter 80

After she left from the wing, and after practice resumed on stage, I was called by Senior Kiriyama. Having no choice but to answer his voice, I told Detective Chikage "see you later" and headed deeper backstage.

"Sorry. I interrupted you while you were with a girl. Your girlfriend?"

"Senior Kiriyama... if we talk about that, the night will come before we know it, so let's get to the main topic."

I brushed it off casually and tried to hurry him along. I'd also do the job he asked of me, and keep an eye out for the threat letter. That was probably what I ought to be doing.

"Um, there's a black backdrop behind the horizon backdrop. Do you see the batten between the black and the horizon...? Look, that thing."

Just as Senior Kiriyama said, I looked up in that direction. A rope was tied to the batten he'd mentioned, apparently used to raise and lower large props. This time, at the end of Act Two, they would lower a disc meant to represent the sun.

He dashed off to the opposite wing for a moment, operated the machinery, and lowered the batten. It seemed pressing a certain button made the batten descend steadily.

I stared at the batten and confirmed nothing was out of place. The sun disc was securely attached, and I saw no noticeable dirt.

"At any rate, the script calls for lowering it near the end of Act Two. Ah, and the large props are all right, aren't they?"

"Yes, nothing stands out in particular."

Thus I let him teach me everything—checking other large props and how to move them. Yet in his eyes I could glimpse an ambition that seemed to say he'd drag me into the world of theater.

No, no. Unfortunately, I have no intention of setting even one foot into that world.

While reluctantly listening to him, I kept looking toward the high walkway behind the horizon backdrop. Then from Senior Kiriyama came a shout: "Hey!"

"Hey, what's up?"

I flinched. Thinking he was angry that I wasn't really listening, I apologized at once.

"Sorry! I was just bothered by that narrow walkway."

"Ah, the catwalk. We use it to check the lights and so on."

"Huh..."

It really was a high perch. A place a cat might walk.

I thanked him and took another break.

"Lunch break's coming up. There are bentos in the boys' dressing room—go grab one."

With that, I parted from Senior Kiriyama again and headed for the dressing room. I ate the bento right away (it was a set of inarizushi), and then prepared for the actual move. I stretched my arms and legs so my back wouldn't ache at the crucial moment.

I also took the opportunity to look into the incident.

During lunch break I checked every place except the stage, which was sealed off because of Misora-san. If something happened on stage, Misora-san would be suspected, but I found nothing suspicious. In the dressing rooms, restrooms, and hall entrances there were no questionable people or objects.

The only others there were gifts for the guests and performers looking forward to the show. Detective Chikage was in the area, keeping a sharp eye on things. For some reason, the President—who was supposed to be touring the open campus—was clinging like a bug.

I asked him what he was doing.

"What are you doing, senpai? Playing bug as part of the gifts?"

"Huh? Hyoga!? No, no, that's not it. I was just helping Chikage-senpai."

Detective Chikage nodded. Whatever happened to keeping secrets? How many people would she have to leak classified information to before she was satisfied?

Ignoring my questions, Detective Chikage checked the gifts again for hidden dangers. Especially Reira-san's: she'd been told she could look inside, so she'd opened the seal.

"It's sweets... right?"

The President agreed with Detective Chikage.

"Yeah... sweets."

I felt guilty about rummaging through someone else's things. If anyone came in now and saw us, they might think we were thieves. I checked the gifts while breaking into a cold sweat.

In the end, nothing. No noteworthy items.

Before I knew it, opening time was approaching. The actors were bustling in the hallway.

Soon the curtain would rise, so I hurried to the backstage area I was now allowed to enter.

There was Senior Kiriyama, as if he'd been waiting for me. He was fanning the other actors with a uchiwa and signaled me to do the same.

Wearing costumes could make it a little hot. The actors must be stressed. Amid that irritation, someone said to Senior Kiriyama:

"Hey, where'd Reira go?"

"Hmm... haven't seen her..."

"What's that girl doing at a time like this...?"

"Well, she still has plenty of time before her scene. She's probably focusing herself."

While Senior Kiriyama covered for her, preparations began. Moving large props. Timekeeper. As various preparations went on, the time came in the blink of an eye.

It began.

A dazzling tale unfolded on stage. From the wings, Senior Kiriyama and I kept watch.

One thing after another.

Tiny lines, music, songs. If only this peaceful time could just keep going. I checked the surroundings while watching for anything unusual.

A bad feeling.

Trying to shake it off, I focused on the stage. Misora-san came forward, wearing a lovely one-piece dress. Just then, fire fell from the curtain.

Sparks almost landed on Senior Kiriyama; I leapt in a panic. I think the sound reached the stage, but only for a moment. Fire also fell onto the curtain at the front of the stage. A single scream. That was the trigger that made the audience and actors scream and cry.

The flames grew into what you'd call a blaze, and the area was enveloped in fire and smoke. In an instant, the place changed from a stage to a battlefield.

Someone triggered the emergency alarm.

"Follow staff instructions and evacuate immediately!"

Performers and prop staff fled backstage. But Senior Kiriyama seemed to have a plan. He headed for the spot where the stage curtains were controlled.

"First I'll close the front curtain! That should keep the flames from reaching the audience!"

"...Yes... Ah...!"

I went the other way. I'd noticed Professor Shishido running behind the stage. If he kept going forward, he'd be hit by falling sparks from the curtain for sure.

I waved away smoke, trying not to breathe it, and rushed at Professor Shishido. He tumbled toward the horizon backdrop. Because the backdrop was there, he apparently wasn't hurt.

But the problem was that it made me...

"What's the big idea, running off like that!?"

Even without my saying it, flames rained down where he'd been about to go, so he understood. Without a word he just sat there.

I scolded him sharply.

"Run away quickly! Into the corpse—"

With a squelch. Unable to stop my momentum, I'd shouted "Do you want to become one!?" before I realized what had happened. My face went pale.

Professor Shishido, trying to stand, also looked shocked and nearly fell toward the burning curtain.

I turned around and confirmed.

There was the small figure of Reira-san. Covered in blood, her neck bent at an impossible angle, she stared fixedly at the closed curtain and the audience beyond.

As if, in her final moments, she too had wanted the audience's applause.