"We still have to rehearse one more time, right?"
Ajitani nodded thoughtfully. "As for the venue, there's a venue arrangement team, and props too; all the work has been arranged in advance.
There's also makeup before the opening, but that should only take about 30 minutes."
"You just need to be mentally prepared, relax, and don't get nervous and forget your lines when you see so many people on stage."
Tsuna heard this and didn't hesitate. He told Shouko, who was sitting next to him, and then lay down on the table to catch up on sleep.
It was around 8:30 AM, and he figured if nothing went wrong, he could sleep for about another hour.
"Shouko-chan, this is the School Festival performance schedule for the auditorium. Take a look and see if there's anything you're interested in. We can go watch tomorrow."
Shouko took the program list she handed her, and her eyes immediately fell on their performance, then she looked at the other programs.
"Our class has two shows scheduled before us, both are major performances by senior students; there are three more after us." Ajitani counted on her fingers, pointing at each program on the schedule on the table.
"Except for the show right before our class, which will likely be busy and we probably won't make it, we can go enjoy the excitement of the other shows."
As she spoke, she excitedly poked at the names of several programs on the list that she was particularly interested in.
"Good morning, Takagi-chan, Nishikata." Her peripheral vision noticed the two people walking in, and she waved hello.
Nishikata had just strolled into the classroom, waving and nodding greetings to a few classmates scattered around.
His gaze then fell on the guy with his head buried in his arms behind the desk.
Seeing that person sleeping soundly, he could only helplessly go to the front of the classroom to chat with friends.
Shouko and Ajitani, along with a few other girls, gathered in a circle, chattering as they planned the most efficient route to explore after the performance.
But no matter how lively the conversation or how specific the discussion, the answer that revolved in Shouko's heart and finally settled was always the clearest thought.
On the first day of the School Festival, she wanted to spend time with Tsuna, time that belonged only to the two of them.
— —
"Tsuna, Tsuna, wake up," Shouko returned to her seat, shaking the sleeping person, "It's time to get ready for makeup."
"Don't we rehearse once before makeup?" Tsuna yawned and looked up at her.
"Nanase-sensei said there's no need to rehearse. We just need to change clothes, put on makeup, and wait for the show to start.
Takagi-chan and Nishikata have already gone down to change. Let's go too."
Tsuna rubbed his sleepy eyes and mumbled a nod. He squinted at his watch, then got up with Shouko and walked toward the changing room.
As for makeup, they naturally used the classroom. Once they changed, they would just return to the classroom.
As for why they didn't change directly in the classroom? It would be more convenient and faster, but that's because there are cameras in the classroom, and they were afraid of any accidents.
— — — — — —
Shizuka held the ticket in her hand, confirming the information on it as she walked.
"A-13, A-13…" She stepped into the auditorium, her gaze beginning to carefully search among the rows of seats.
As Uzaki Tsuki, who was walking behind her, stepped into the dimly lit audience area.
Among the scattered audience members already seated, many subconsciously stopped their chatter or movements, their gazes quietly fixated on this 'eye-catching' woman.
Because of the dim environment, some individuals stared directly, not even bothering to pretend.
"Found it, found it,"
Shizuka quickly located the exact center of the first row, reaching out to gently tap the seat marker on the empty chair back. "Uzaki-san, yours is A-14."
She then turned sideways, her gaze falling on Uzaki Tsuki, and gave a slight nod towards the empty seat, her meaning unmistakable.
After Miyamura and Uzaki Tsuki were comfortably seated, the lights in the hall dimmed slightly.
A bright spotlight "click" illuminated the center of the stage, and the host walked steadily into the center of the light circle.
He didn't speak immediately but first lightly tapped the microphone head with his finger.
"Thump, thump." A dull thud echoed in the suddenly silent hall.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the host's steady voice came through the microphone, carrying a clear sense of calm:
"The performance is about to begin. Please remain quiet. The story of 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' will be presented to you shortly."
With that, the host bowed slightly and slowly walked off the stage.
Perhaps because the story was old-fashioned, half of the auditorium seats were not filled, and most were just parents and friends there to show support.
"Once upon a time… blah blah blah blah…"
The steady voice of the narrator echoed around the auditorium, and the previously noisy auditorium gradually quieted down.
"And so, time flowed, and a new mistress arrived by the King's throne.
Blah blah blah blah…"
"Miyamura-san, what roles are your two children playing?" While the narration was still ongoing, Uzaki Tsuki leaned into Shizuka's ear and whispered her question.
"Tsuna is the King, and Shouko is the Big Bad Wolf." Shizuka, who was already yawning, waved her hand and replied, "You should be able to see Tsuna once the red curtain opens."
"Big Bad Wolf? Is there such a character in 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'?"
Compared to Tsuna, who was about to appear, Uzaki Tsuki was clearly more interested in the completely unheard-of character.
"I'm not sure about that. I heard them say it's a revised version, so I didn't ask too many questions, afraid of spoilers."
'Besides, that brat Tsuna wrote the script, so it shouldn't be too boring,' Shizuka thought to herself, without saying it aloud.
Uzaki Tsuki nodded at the words, and just as she was about to say something more, the red curtain on the stage slowly opened as the narrator's last sentence fell.
A scene depicting the interior of a castle hall came into the audience's view, along with several characters in costume on stage.
"Hiss… I can't even imagine how handsome the Prince will be when he appears later."
"Coward, I dare to imagine! I even dare to imagine that King on stage is my boyfriend!"
"Are you sure it's not that they don't have enough actors, so the Prince came to play the King as a cameo?"
Shizuka and Uzaki Tsuki's gazes were also firmly fixed on Tsuna.
Because there were only four people on stage right now: a King, an Evil Queen (a male), and two Guards (who were there as cameos because of insufficient staff).
Shizuka, reacting quickly, immediately picked up her pre-prepared camera and pressed the shutter repeatedly, aiming at Tsuna.
Tsuna's gaze on stage quickly swept across the audience below, finally settling on Shizuka's camera before he quickly retracted it and began reciting his lines.
— — — —
As the last words of the two main actors on stage fell, a shadow in the side wing of the stage subtly stirred.
'Takagi,' playing the Princess, had already lifted her light skirt and, with trained small steps, swiftly glided into the spotlight on the stage.
"Miyamura-san, will Tsuna appear again later? Is this a cameo because they didn't have enough actors?"