manynovel Page 134
Page 134
Liu Jun arrived.
Yuto's heart skipped a beat. He quickly retreated backstage and, along with everyone else, turned his gaze to the huge white curtain.
The school emblem, followed by the film title—"Echoes".
/Q*un兒鸠企」 硫九删罢卄卅l?iu〡 A low and eerie background music begins, and the movie starts.
The opening scene is a deliberately created everyday scene by Yuto: bright sunshine, dust flying in the classroom, and the main characters having a relaxed conversation.
Scattered laughter came from the audience, creating a relaxed atmosphere.
But soon, the first story was introduced.
When the protagonist slowly revealed during the deduction, "The murderer... had already confirmed through the photos that you lived next door, and he had already entered your closet through your unlocked balcony," the air in the entire auditorium seemed to freeze.
The camera slowly zooms in on the half-open wardrobe door behind the protagonist.
"what--!"
A sharp scream shattered the silence, like a pebble thrown into a lake, instantly creating ripples.
Screams erupted throughout the auditorium, and many girls instinctively covered their eyes or grabbed the arms of their companions.
Backstage, Eriri's lips curled up uncontrollably.
"Hmph, a bunch of cowards," she muttered under her breath, her tone full of smugness.
Yuto couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief; he knew it had worked.
He firmly controlled the rhythm of the film.
The second story's twisted maternal love, the morbid protection of hiding the child back inside the body, made the audience feel both physically and psychologically uncomfortable.
When the monster designed by Eriri, made of countless withered arms tangled together, first emerged from the shadows, a collective gasp filled the auditorium.
The monster had no facial features, only a huge, murky eye that coldly stared at the camera through the crack in the door.
"Wow...who drew this monster? It's amazing..." came the whispers of the boys in the back row.
Eriri's ears twitched, and her cheeks flushed slightly.
When the plot progressed to the appearance of the first victim, played by Mai Sakurajima, the atmosphere changed once again.
She only appears in a blurry old videotape discovered by the main characters, playing a senior student who flashes briefly in the background with a strange smile.
There are no lines, and there is only one close-up shot.
But it was that one shot, that one look in her eyes, that conveyed the distinct emotional shifts from curiosity to amusement, and then to cold malice, which she portrayed perfectly.
"It's Sakurajima Mai!"
"My God, she acted so well! That look in her eyes gave me goosebumps!"
The commotion in the audience proved the overwhelming power of the national idol.
She doesn't even need lines to infuse a character's soul into the screen.
The final twist elevates the story's message when the main characters realize that the turtle soup story they were playing was actually a real event from their childhood that they had long forgotten, and that the monster was the embodiment of their past fears.
Fear stems from forgetting.
The monster has always been hidden in everyone's heart.
The film abruptly ends with a close-up of the protagonist's terrified eyes, the end credits roll, and the entire auditorium remains deathly silent.
A full five seconds passed.
"Slap! Slap slap! *** Slap—"
It's unclear who started clapping first, but then thunderous applause erupted and lasted for a long time.
The lights came on, so bright that it was hard to open one's eyes.
Looking at the audience below the stage who stood up, clapped vigorously, and whose faces still showed shock and heartfelt admiration, Yuto felt a huge warm current surge from the bottom of his heart, instantly washing over his entire body.
"Now, please welcome the main creative team of the drama 'Echo' to the stage!"
At the host's enthusiastic invitation, Yuto, along with a group of equally excited and flushed friends, walked onto the stage.
The reporter from the school's news department was the first to rush forward and hand the microphone to Yuto.
"Itsuka-kun! As the director and screenwriter, how did you come up with such a brilliant story? The depth of this script has completely exceeded the scope of a high school student!"
“And Sawamura-kun!” Another reporter turned to Eriri. “Your art style is amazing! The design of that monster was a stroke of genius. What was your inspiration?”
"Kasumigaoka-senpai! As co-writers, how did you and Itsuka divide the work? The story's exploration of human nature is very profound!"
"Sakurajima-san! Sakurajima-san! Why did you choose to star in a student film? Your performance has captivated everyone!"
Problems came flooding in.
Eriri was so flattered by the praise that her golden twin tails stood up straight.
Kasumigaoka Utaha, on the other hand, remained as composed as ever, answering questions with impeccable words and occasionally subtly taking credit for herself.
Mai Sakurajima smiled and politely stated that it was a very pleasant collaboration that allowed her to rediscover her original passion for acting.
Kato Megumi stood on the outermost edge of the crowd, watching Yuto surrounded by lights and praise, a smile gentler than ever before on her face.
She went unnoticed by anyone, but she didn't care.
She was genuinely happy for him.
Yuto stood in the center of the stage, answering one question after another, but his gaze pierced through the crowd and met Kato Megumi's eyes in the air.
He saw the relief and joy in her eyes, and the softest part of his heart was gently touched.
This victory belongs to each and every one of them.
"To celebrate the film's huge success," Yuto announced, picking up the microphone, "we're having a celebratory party tonight at my house! We'll drink until we drop!"
"oh--!"
The crew members cheered excitedly.
……
As night fell, the apartment of Yuto Itsuka was brightly lit.
The hustle and bustle of the cultural festival was kept outside, replaced by the aroma of food and a warm atmosphere.
The low table in the living room was filled with dishes that Yuto had made himself—golden and crispy fried chicken nuggets, hamburger patties drizzled with rich sauce, colorful vegetable salad, and a large pot of steaming oden.
"Wow! Yuto, when did you learn to do this?!"
The two lively kids, Kohei Onodera and Yoshihiko Kamigo, pounced on the food as soon as they entered, stuffing their mouths full and making mumbled exclamations of praise.
"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you." Yuto smiled helplessly as he placed the last tamagoyaki dish on the table.
The girls, on the other hand, are much more reserved.
Kato Megumi naturally helped distribute the tableware in the kitchen, her movements as practiced as if she were the lady of the house.
Mai Sakurajima sat on the sofa, flipping through the monster design book that Eriri had brought with great interest, occasionally letting out a word of praise.
Eriri and Kasumigaoka Utaha, on the other hand, were like two wary cats, each occupying a favorable position next to Yuto. They seemed to be chatting with others, but their eyes never left each other.
"Speaking of which, the success of this movie owes a great deal to Kasumigaoka-san's script." Sakurajima Mai closed the art book and smiled at Utaha.
"Especially the final twist, which elevated the entire story's theme."
Kasumigaoka Utaha picked up a cup of oolong tea and nodded in approval, but still remained polite in her words.
"No, I only did some minor repairs on a junior's flawed first draft. The real hard work was done by the director who was responsible for turning the words into images."
Her gaze lightly fell on Yuto, and the intimacy in her words was self-evident.
Eriri was immediately displeased.
She immediately moved closer to Yuto, picked up a piece of fried chicken, and presented it to his mouth like a treasure: "Yuto, ah—I just tried this, it's fried just right! You must be starving after a long day."
This intimate gesture instantly created a subtle tension in the living room.
Yuto paused for a moment, then instinctively opened his mouth to catch it.
The chicken was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with delicious juices; it was indeed very tasty.
"Hmph." Kasumigaoka Utaha let out a barely audible snort. She put down her teacup, slowly picked up a hamburger patty, placed it on her plate, and then carefully cut it into small pieces with a knife.
“Junior Wuhe, I think that spiritual satisfaction is more important than filling one’s stomach.” She looked at Yuto with a playful gaze.
"With the film's huge success, shouldn't you, as the director, receive some special 'reward'?"
"A reward?" Alarm bells rang in Yuto's mind.
"Yes."
Kasumigaoka Utaha leaned forward slightly, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders. She lowered her voice and spoke in a volume that only a few people nearby could hear.
"For example... a kiss from an older female student that can make you forget all your fatigue, or something like that?"
"Pfft-cough cough cough!"
Kohei Onodera, who was drinking cola, spat it out, choking and turning his face red.
Yoshihiko Uego's glasses almost slipped down to the tip of his nose.
All eyes were focused on Kasumigaoka Utaha's face, which held a mocking smile.
This woman is always so outspoken!
"You...you shameless, scheming woman!" Eriri's face flushed bright red, and she stood up abruptly.
"What nonsense are you spouting in front of everyone!"
"Ah?" Kasumigaoka Utaha elegantly wiped her mouth with a tissue. "I was just making a reasonable suggestion. Why is Sawamura reacting so strongly? Could it be... jealousy?"
"Who, who would be jealous of you!"
Eriri was so angry that she stammered. She grabbed Yuto's arm, who was still sitting on the ground, and held him tightly, almost pressing half of her body against him.
“Yuto doesn’t need your frivolous reward! He has me as his partner, that’s enough for him! Right, Yuto?”
She looked up at Yuto with a mixture of expectation, grievance, and threat in her eyes, as if she would burst into tears on the spot if he dared to say "no".
Caught between two burning gazes, Yuto felt utterly overwhelmed.
"Um... I think..." Yuto tried to smooth things over, his mind racing as he searched for a way to survive.
Just then, Mai Sakurajima, who had been silent all along, suddenly chuckled softly.
Her laughter wasn't loud, but it seemed to have a magical power, instantly attracting everyone's attention.
She picked up her cup and raised it towards Yuto: "The director deserves the most credit for the success of a movie."
"We actors were just doing our job. It's an honor to work with such an excellent team."
Her words were impeccable, both affirming Yuuto and subtly placing herself in a humble position.
But those clear eyes were fixed on Yuuto, with a tacit understanding that others couldn't comprehend.
“Ah, um, Yuto-kun,” Kato Megumi’s voice rang out at just the right moment, breaking the suffocating silence, “The oden seems to be getting cold. Why don’t you all eat something first? The daikon radish in it is very flavorful.”
She pointed to the pot, and with her unique ability to transform any tension into an invisible sense of ordinariness, she successfully changed the subject.
"Oh, oh! Eat, eat!" Onodera Kohei responded immediately, as if granted a pardon.
An impending war has been temporarily suppressed.
However, Yuto could sense that Eriri, who was holding his arm, was still tense.
Across from him, Kasumigaoka Utaha resumed her meal, but the look she gave him became even more aggressive.
This celebratory banquet was more tiring than filming a movie.
……
After the banquet ended, everyone took their leave.
After seeing off the last guest, Yuto collapsed wearily onto the sofa and let out a long sigh.
The apartment was finally quiet again.
He closed his eyes, but the different expressions of the girls involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
Utaha's provocation, Eriri's dependence, Mai's smile, Megumi's concern...
"Om."