[Net King] Pilgrim

Chapter 48

Machida slept until almost noon.

Confused, she took out her phone and checked the time.

She was alone in the room, she hugged the quilt and sat up, trying to recall, it seemed that she heard Echizen Ryoma said that she was going to train in the morning.

This guy……!

Rehearsed all day yesterday, and tossed until midnight... Machida yawned with his hands on his forehead, and got up to wash with his sore legs.

After taking a shower, she went to the kitchen to make a simple oatmeal milkshake, milk, oatmeal, honey, and added a small handful of chia seeds. She turned to get some more fruit from the refrigerator. When she touched the door of the refrigerator, she caught a glimpse of the countertop There was a fruit salad that was brought out ahead of time.

She paused, then reached out to take the cup of seasonal fruit, room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, the portion was just right.

She couldn't help but smirked, took off the plastic wrap and ate a piece of sliced ​​cantaloupe.

The final exam is due in one week, and the theoretical class has to be reviewed. When Echizen Ryoma was training two days on the weekend, Machida Kazu was reading in the apartment.

At noon on Sunday, the professional tutor called and asked her if she had time to go to school in the afternoon.He did not elaborate on the reason, but only said that there was something that needed to be interviewed with her.

Machida couldn't help being puzzled, so he came down, packed up a little in the afternoon and went to the teaching building of the college.

It wasn't until she pushed open the door of the office and saw another familiar face besides the tutor, that she vaguely guessed what it was for.

The man had already greeted her with a smile, "Hi Hajime, how you doing?"

"I'm good." Machida said with a smile, "Happytoseeyouagain, Alice."

Alice was one of the interviewers who came to the school to audition for the London summer show team and was also the director of the audition.

As soon as Machida sat down, she learned the reason for being called in the anxious anticipation. Alice looked at her with a smile and said that after many discussions, the interview team decided to cast her as one of the protagonists of the latest musical. , "You were so amazing at the audition, bythe way the "Defying Gravity" yousangmadeus very impressive."

Machida reacted for a few seconds. Among the several new and old songs during the audition, she actually made a mistake in this one.

Alice laughed and said that she was invited to come here today to discuss related matters in detail.Although the content of the script was slightly mentioned in the final exam question, she still needed to read the script carefully first, and gave her the printed copies of the contract and non-disclosure agreement, so she could go back and read it, and if she made up her mind, she would formally sign the contract next week.

When Echizen Ryoma returned to the apartment at night, Machida ran out of the bedroom, hugged him directly, looked up and smiled, "I have some news for you."

He smiled, "I also have news to tell you."

"You speak first."

"The date for my trip to London has been set, and it will be the 20th of this month."

"So fast?" Machida's mood dropped immediately.

"Well, I'll leave the next morning after finishing the last class." Echizen Ryoma looked at her distraught, hugged her, and asked, "What do you want to say?"

"...I don't want to tell you."

"..."

Machida smiled, "I have a confidentiality agreement, so I won't tell you." In fact, this is equivalent to telling him.

Echizen Ryoma thought for a while, and when he understood, a smile appeared in his eyes, and he just said, "I'll leave you the tickets for the game, you can watch it if you have time."

In the next few days, Machida took the time to read the script and listened to some suggestions from his mentor.

In fact, the teachers in the department are not very in favor of students being judged from a commercial perspective prematurely, fearing that it will damage people's artistic perception on stage.However, this newly written and original play is not a commercial play, and the production style is more artistic exploration. The show crew also wants to take this opportunity to find new talents, and it will be shown in art theaters that enjoy government funding in advance. If the response is good, it will be considered commercial. theater.

This is also one of the reasons why the department finally agreed to the show's on-campus interview.

After Machida finished chatting with the mentor, before leaving, the mentor only said to her: "Hajime, don'tloseyourself."

After confirming that there is no problem, Machida signed a contract with the playwright.

In addition to her, another girl in the class was also selected, and the classmates encouraged them both when they heard about it. Machida was also grateful to have a companion to discuss the script with.The idea of ​​the story is about anti-racism, the story is very strong, there are not many characters, but they all have distinct personalities.

She suddenly remembered what Alice said, every role has an alternate, and the next rehearsal is the key.It was also stated in the contract. As soon as Machida looked at the "first candidate" above, he couldn't help feeling a layer of pressure in his heart.

Entering the review week, most of the classes are over.

Machida found time and made an appointment with Janice for dinner. The day Janice flew to Zurich happened to be the end of Machida's first stage performance, so she had to practice it in advance.

The meal was served at a restaurant where the two of them frequented. As soon as Machida ate lightly and restrainedly, he put most of his energy into chatting, and Janice laughed and said, "Hajime, don't you think that you are more talkative than before?" Much more. I mean more than when I was single."

"Have it?"

Janice nodded affirmatively, and changed into a gossip tone, "But I'm curious, I think you and Echizen-kun have a tacit understanding, did you have been together in junior high school?"

"No, we were so pure back then, okay?"

Janice gave a meaningful "oh", "So, it's not pure now?"

Machida's ears turned red, "...what are you talking about!"

The meal was very noisy, and the two chatted for two hours before ending.

Before leaving, Janice gave Machida a gentle hug, "I will go back to Gdansk next year for the last year, and if you haven't left by then, we can still meet."

"Okay. You take care of yourself in Switzerland."

"Ah, you too."

During the review week, Machida was busy preparing for the theory class in the examination room first, and at the same time taking care of the rehearsal of the final performance, so he had to postpone the study of the script for the London performance.

Echizen Ryoma's exam timetable was full of subject names, but even so, he didn't seem to be as overwhelmed as Machida Kazu. At most, he would bring review materials during training and take time to read them.

It is normal to stay up late after being busy, so Machida can only go to bed as early as possible, after all, poor sleep will affect his vocalization.Since... the first time, she and Echizen Ryoma slept together in the master bedroom, and he didn't show much desire or dissatisfaction, so they just hugged each other and slept after a tiring day.

On the afternoon that Echizen Ryoma finished the last "Western Economics" exam, Machida Kazu also finished the final performance exam.

She said early on that she wanted to eat hot pot after the performance, and Echizen Ryoma went to the theater to wait for her.When he arrived, it was just in time for the end of the performance, and he leaned against the door, just in time to see the moment when Machida was in high spirits on the stage.

After the curtain call, the audience in the theater began to leave, and Echizen Ryoma left before the crowd poured out.

After all the performance matters were over, Machida tidied up in a hurry, fearing that Echizen Ryoma would be waiting for a long time, and went out to look for him after removing his make-up.

The car was parked under the shade of the trees outside the building. When she got in the car, the temperature of the air conditioner was just right, and it didn't take long to relieve the heat from being on the stage.

On the way to the city center, Machida talked casually about the performance just now, and said with a smile that she almost fell during the curtain call just now, but luckily she was rescued immediately.

But Echizen Ryoma suddenly said, "I don't see that you made a mistake."

"...Are you in the audience?" Machida looked at him in surprise.

"Well, it's almost the end, so go in and have a look."

"I thought you wouldn't come to see." She still remembered his jealousy.

Echizen Ryoma was silent, "I want to know more about you."

Machida was stunned for a moment, and when the car stopped at the intersection, he put his arms around his neck, leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

Echizen Ryoma came to his senses, blushing quietly behind his ears, "...sit down."

As soon as Machida couldn't help covering his mouth and laughing, he kissed his palm again, and then touched his face, "That's all right."

After dinner, the two returned to the apartment early. Echizen Ryoma had a plane to London the next morning and still had to pack his luggage.

Machida temporarily left a few days later than him, but he had to pack up in advance and confirm with the show crew to avoid mistakes when leaving.

At nine o'clock in the evening, everything was tidied up, Echizen Ryoma came out of the bathroom after taking a shower, and saw Machida lying on the sofa watching a movie, laughing hard.

He looked at him from a distance, and smiled slightly. She was still sullen and reluctant to let him go when she was eating dinner, and now she is smiling like this.

He took a sports magazine and sat on the carpet. When Machida saw him coming, he sat next to him, picked up a bag of prunes on the coffee table, and continued watching the movie while eating.

She turned her head to look at Echizen Ryoma, his eyes were focused on the magazine, his half-dried hair smelled of mint, it was fresh and pleasant, it was the shampoo she had chosen before.

She blinked slowly, "Ryoma."

"Ok?"

"It's okay, I just wanted to call you."

He stopped flipping through the magazine, and without looking up, he reached out and rubbed her head.

Machida smiled and handed the dried umeboshi to his mouth, "Do you want to eat it?"

"No, I brushed my teeth."

"You've brushed your teeth." Seeing the right moment, she stuffed the prunes into his mouth. The trick succeeded, and she couldn't help laughing.

Echizen Ryoma: "..."

He ate the prunes that were forced into his mouth, and glanced at someone beside him who couldn't help laughing, "I'll give you three points."

What he said "let her be three points" is not the three points of "three points of running water and seven points of dust", but the three points of "there are only three points of moonlight in the world". *

The next morning, the sun was high.

Kaibin drove and waited downstairs to pick up Echizen Ryoma to the airport.

When Echizen Ryoma woke up early, Machida Kazu also woke up. Last night she said she would go to the airport to see him off. Echizen Ryoma saw that she was very tired after the exam and wanted her to sleep more, so she didn't let her see him off.

She was still in her pajamas, helped him check his luggage and then sent him out, "Tell me when you arrive."

"Yeah." Echizen Ryoma hugged her at the entrance, but suddenly didn't want to let go.

According to the existing schedule, he will be training and playing outside this summer, and they should rarely meet each other.

Machida caressed his back with one hand, and urged him in a soft voice, that it was going to be late, but in fact he was very reluctant.

It wasn't until he had to leave that Echizen Ryoma released her and kissed her forehead, "You must eat well, even if you are preparing for a performance, you can't go on a diet."

Machida smiled, "I don't know how to go on a diet, otherwise I wouldn't have the energy to go on stage."

After sending Echizen Ryoma out, Machida Kazu couldn't sleep at all.

After going back to bed and laying around for a while, I got up to wash, and went to the practice room after breakfast—even though I finished the exam, I couldn’t lose the practice of basic skills.

At ten o'clock in the morning, Echizen Ryoma sent a text message that he had arrived, and attached a photo, which was the view outside Heathrow Airport.

Machida was lying on the wooden floor of the practice room dripping with sweat, holding up his mobile phone and looking at it, smiling.

Turning her head to look out of the glass window, the sunlight poured into the room, a streak of white, folded, just sprinkled on her fair cheeks.

At noon three days later, Machida arrived in London.

The residence arranged by the play party is in the city center, but far away from the downtown area, a few streets away from many theaters in the West District, red and white pointed buildings on quiet streets, each room has its own small balcony.

Machida shared a room with Erica, a girl selected from the same class. Erica from Greece was tall and tall, with short dark hair and wheat-colored skin, which made her look very enthusiastic and cheerful, and she was indeed so.

In the evening, the cast and crew who had arrived gathered in the common room on the first floor, and Machida saw Chloe and Harper again in the first test.

Chloe was wearing a casual suit, standing in the middle, and explained with a smile that everyone gathered here to get to know each other, and tomorrow they will officially enter the stage of script study.

When people from five continents chat, they can naturally collide with many strange and interesting topics, and the atmosphere quickly becomes warm from the initial strangeness.

After the meet and greet at 07:30, Machida went back to her room and took a shower first. When she got out of the bathroom, Erica reminded her that her cell phone had been ringing just now.

Machida went to get his phone in a hurry, looked at the caller ID, closed the door and went to the balcony.

On a warm and humid night in early summer, she leaned on the railing, and heard Echizen Ryoma's voice coming from the receiver, "Are you still used to it?"

"Well, I'm going to be busy tomorrow." After a pause, he asked, "Have you finished your training?"

"It's almost over. There is an interview in the afternoon, which takes up some time."

"...Are there still interviews during training?"

"There is always a part of the season." Seeming to know what she was thinking, he smiled, "It won't affect me."

Machida Kazu also smiled, "Yes."

Echizen Ryoma's training was not over yet, the two briefly said a few words before hanging up the phone.

As soon as Machida stood on the balcony, he looked across the bend of several blocks, and saw a group of historic buildings rising up amidst the gradually brightening neon lights.