Ch. 6: Because a Special Seat is Prepared
After that, a few days had passed…
Drole: “…”
Even now, Drole was practicing his high-wire act without using a lifeline.
Every time I watched, I was filled with anxiety…-.
OO: “Please Drole. Won’t you use a lifeline?”
Drole: “Eeh….do I have to?”
OO: “Yes. If something happened to you…-“
Drole: “I guess…”
Drole looked straight into my eyes.
I returned the stare, and he seemed to nod as if satisfied.
Drole: “Then you have to watch my performance. I’ll have a special seat prepared, so don’t go anywhere okay?”
OO: “If I come, you’ll use a lifeline?”
I still refused to back down.
Drole: “Well, I’ll consider it.”
Those words passed his lips.
OO: “Drole…okay, I’ll go. I’ll definitely come see you.”
As I gave my answer, Drole looked at me in satisfaction.
Ch. 7: Why?
Drole: “Then you have to watch my performance. I’ll have a special seat prepared, so don’t go anywhere okay?”
OO: “If I come, you’ll use a lifeline?”
Drole: “Well, I’ll consider it.”
————————
As I had promised to watch the circus performance…
True to his word, Drole seemed to have attached a lifeline.
(Thank goodness…)
Then one day as I was finally watching the practice without that feeling of anxiety…-.
Drole: “Stop, hurry and get down!”
Drole’s sharp voice made me turn in shock.
I followed Drole’s gaze to see a young boy on the high-wire, holding a precarious pose.
OO: “Drole!? That boy…-.”
Drole: “That kid was pretty confident that even he could pull of this dangerous technique if he just tried harder… Aah~ … it’s no good, he isn’t moving. You, keep an eye on him. I’ll go get him.”
OO: “Right…!”
With a nod, Drole quickly climbed up the ladder and walked out onto the line.
He moved forward despite the precarious situation…
Drole: “Here, give me your hand. It’s alright, don’t be scared.”
He spoke as if to reassure the child he needed to save and firmly grabbed his hand.
After that, Drole picked the boy up and jumped off the line.
OO: “…”
I held my breath as the lifeline stretched out behind Drole…
And the two landed safely and gently in the net.
OO: “Oh good…”
Drole, still holding the boy, walked over to me as my body relaxed in relief.
Drole: “It’s because you kept telling me I needed to wear a lifeline.”
OO: “Eh…?”
Drole: “If you hadn’t, the both of us probably would have gotten hurt. But because of you, I was able to get him down safely.”
Drole set the boy down and his face turned serious.
Drole: “Don’t do that again. You know how dangerous that technique is, right?”
Boy: “…but I wanna be like you Prince Drole.”
Drole: “That makes me happy. But you’re not quite there yet. You don’t have to rush; it’s okay to just take your time and go at your own speed.”
Boy: “…”
The boy bit his lip, then turned around and walked off.
OO: “Is he going to be okay…?”
Drole: “…I’ll go talk to him in a little bit. But…why?”
OO: “Eh?”
Drole: “Why were you worried?”
(Why was I…?)
I tilted my head, not understanding the meaning behind his question.
Watching me like that, Drole also looked confused.
Drole: “That kid isn’t your friend, or part of your family. So why were you still worried about him?”
OO: “I’m still going to worry about people who aren’t my friends or family…”
Drole: “I don’t get it. Why should you? Why should you worry about other people?”
OO: “But you were kind to me Drole, and I’m an outsider.”
Drole: “Eh?”
Drole’s eyes opened wide.
He blinked repeatedly, then…
Drole: “You’re right. I wonder why I did…”
He put his hand to his chin and pondered the idea.
Drole: “…how strange.”
There was a faint trace of happiness in those words as he murmured quietly to himself.
Ch. 8: Mysterious You
A few days after that…-.
The boy Drole rescued had returned to practice, and everyone was hard at work.
However…
Drole: “I feel like he hasn’t given up yet.”
Watching the boy practice, Drole whispered so that only I could hear.
Drole: “That technique on the high-wire involves difficult maneuvers, and if you make a mistake at any point, you’ll definitely fall. Long ago, there were people who lost their lives trying that move… that’s why we banned it.”
OO: “It’s that dangerous…?”
Drole: “Of course I’m careful when they see me do it. But…-“
After saying as much, Drole suddenly stopped talking as if he’d just realized something.
That was…
Drole: “…so this is what you were feeling.”
OO: “Eh?”
Drole: “You were always worried right…? I finally understand, that’s what this feeling is.”
Drole frowned and gave a rueful laugh.
OO: “Drole…”
His eyes were full of sorrow, and yet beautiful.
Drole: “Anyway, the performance is today… so I’ll make sure we finish it without any incidents.”
OO: “Right, good luck.”
Drole deeply bowed his head, then headed towards the stage…-.
…
……
The circus began without any incidents and the acts came on the stage one after the other.
(I wonder if Drole and the others will be alright…)
Drole: “…”
Two figures appeared at opposite ends of the high-wire line.
The two moved across the line in turns as they performed their act, however…-.
(Ah… that maneuver…!)
The boy who stepped forward was doing the same move Drole had stopped him from doing the other day during practice.
Drole: “…”
I could see the strain on Drole’s face as he stood at the other end of the line.
However, the stage had already been set…
(That’s dangerous…!)
Atop the high-wire, the boy lost his balance.
In that same instant, Drole seemed to steel himself and stepped out onto the line.
He picked up the boy before they fell together, and his form was so elegant that it seemed like this had been part of the act all along …
Still holding the boy, the two landed in the net to a round of applause and cheers…-.
…
……
Drole’s brow was furrowed as he looked at the boy, his head hung in dejection.
Drole: “Why did you do it when I told you not to?”
His expression was even more severe than before…
And his voice held the anger he was barely able to control.
Boy: “But… I wanted to hurry and be like you Prince Drole… I wanted to surprise you…”
Seeing Drole’s expression, which clearly didn’t accept his excuse, the boy started to cry.
Drole: “I already told you, remember? You don’t have to rush. But besides that, you not listening to what I told you is really bad. You’re not old enough for this.”
Boy: “…I’m sorry.”
Drole: “You’re going to think about what you did. Got it?”
Boy: “…yes.”
Drole watched the boy as he trudged off, then let out a sigh.
Drole: “Hey…do you think I was too harsh on him?”
OO: “I think it’s alright. I mean…your strictness was born from kindness.”
Drole: “Well then, I’m glad. I don’t want to see other people getting hurt.”
As he said it, Drole smiled and looked very mature.
OO: “You really are a very reliable person Drole.”
Drole: “Eh? I am…?”
OO: “Yeah. You think about things for the sake of the circus, and you act for the sake of others… I think it’s very adult-like.”
Drole: “Hmm, I don’t think being a kid or an adult has anything to do with it but… since you mentioned it, I wonder if that’s true? But I told you before what Brother Nero said right? He said that we don’t need adults.”
OO: “Haha…alright.”
Drole: “But…”
Drole slowly reached his hand out to mine.
(Eh…)
My hands were gently wrapped up in his.
Drole: “You’re so mysterious. When you’re around, I’m so full of doubt. There’s so much still that I don’t know, but I…”
A comfortable sensation of warmth was coming from his hands…
Drole: “My friends and family…and you, I want to protect them. This feeling doesn’t have anything to do with being an adult or a kid… because everyone is important to me.”
OO: “Yeah… that’s a really nice sentiment.”
Drole: “…I’m glad you think so.”
He looked at me with a warm smile.
(Drole said he and the others have no need for adults but… when I see him being so reliable like this, I feel like there are adults…)
From that day onward, after I convinced him to wear a lifeline, Drole always kept his promise.
And in addition, there weren’t any signs of new injuries on him…
OO: “…thank you.”
Drole: “OO?”
The Drole I met that day who told me he liked pain had vanished, and this Drole who looked ahead with steadiness and a determined gaze filled me with warmth.
END