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The dark sky of an evening filled with a gentle fall of snow was a background to the bustling street of Shibuya. People there commuted with their own agendas and sets of mind, and could only see themselves in the path they walked towards or ran away from. And amidst that calamity of uncertainty, one girl - a red-haired high school girl who was full of hope and dreams - with a small box before her was trying to communicate to those self-centered souls with her singing voice.
Her voice traveled through the air but did not reach any ears nearby. Her loud singing voice played from the speaker was nothing but a mumbling whisper to those who passed by, being treated as another noise in the street where many dreams were formed and destroyed. Nevertheless, she sang to the end of her song and bowed to her audience which was nowhere to be found.
Her hand clenched on her microphone as her lips were bitten by herself. The deafness of reaction from the street full of bustling noise was a contrast that stung the girl's heart like a stab of knife to her heart. This was not her first time, but it was not better than the last, also. It.... hurt like hell, being unheard like this..... And the chilling cold was making this feeling even worse.
Should I...... go back now?
The girl pondered to herself as she had been singing for the last hour. Her young and fragile heart could hold so much, and it was clear that it had reached its limit for tonight. Biting her lips to fight with the familiar disappointment, she turned to gather her belongings before the voice of a woman stopped her.
"A.... Excuse me...."
The voice was so melodic and unexpected that it turned the girl's head and attention. Once her eye made contact, she met with a tall woman of similar height. She was wearing fully covered attire: face mask, hat, sunglasses (seriously, at night? - the girl thought), and a trench coat. The first thought that came to the girl's mind was that she was approached by a mysterious spy as she saw in the movie. But that thought immediately dropped after the second that sense of realism kicked in.
"A.... Yes?"
Despite her initial hesitation, the girl replied to the woman.
"A..." Even though the woman's mouth was covered by the face mask, her voice told the girl that the woman was smiling. "I..... heard your singing. But it was the last part of the song. So...., if you don't mind, could you sing again for me? I think your voice is wonderful."
The woman's voice was so soft and soothing despite being muffled by her face mask. She approached the girl's box and put in a generous piece of banknote before looking up at the girl through her beautiful sunglasses.
"A..... Y....yes....."
Despite her confusion, the girl decided to comply with the woman's request. Millions of questions were bouncing back and forth in her mind with uncertainty. But one thing was certain; the girl's voice was heard by someone for the first time.
With that realization weighing on her, a smile wouldn't leave the girl's face. Her hands moved in jittery happiness while calibrating her speaker; her legs trembled in excitement as she stood ready to sing for her first-ever audience. Making eye contact while calming her drumming heart, the girl saw the woman waiting in anticipation while doing a little cute clapping to cheer on her.
The little gesture from the woman calmed the girl's drumming heart greatly. With a smile on her face and confidence in her heart, the girl poured her heart and soul into her first-ever witnessed performance. She messaged her voice through the melody of the song and the sound of her own, woven into the delicate show full of heart to the woman, and to herself.
Time became meaningless to the girl as she sang the song. Her world had narrowed to just her and her one audience who would watch her performance intently with joy.
The final note would come into play. And once the melody was gone, the girl bowed to the woman, feeling both relieved and grateful. Relieved that the show had gone well, and grateful that the woman listened to her song till the end. And for the first time ever, the girl would receive applause for her performance. No more to the empty response after pouring all her heart and soul. At this very moment, there was someone who heard her voice and responded to it. The reality sank in as the girl was on the verge of tears. But she held it in and bowed to the woman once more.
Hence, the girl's first-ever witnessed performance ended in a success.
After talking with each other a little while after the performance, the girl found herself on a bench in the nearby park with the woman who went to buy drinks from the nearby vending machine as the girl was still bewildered by what just happened to her.
Ten months after performing on the street of Shibuya alone. Finally, the day had arrived, the day when her voice was heard; and she was fortunate enough to get a response, even.
While wandering into the unexpected encounter of this snowy night, the girl's eyes landed on the digital billboard playing a promotional video of a new Christmas album of one singer.
"Oh..... Miss Nerissa's album will be released next Friday...."
Nerissa, or Nerissa Ravencroft is a household name of the renowned singer adored by every soul, including the girl herself. The singing and the charisma of the singer were incomparable. Her song guided many souls, including the girl's, by the touches provided to the hearts and souls of its listeners.
It is going to be the banger again, the girl thought to herself as the promotional video repeated after the advertising loop. As the video played, the girl heard footsteps approaching her; they were of the woman.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Here, your hot chocolate." The woman said with a smile under her face mask as she handed the can of hot chocolate to the girl.
"Ah..... Thanks, Miss... You.. really don't have to." Receiving the can from the woman, the girl nodded lightly in gratitude before she slowly sipped in the warm beverage to soothe her body from the low temperature.
The woman smiled in response under her face mask before settling herself down next to the girl on the bench. Sipping her own can of hot beverage, the woman enjoyed the comfortable silence she had with the girl. The promotional video would once again return, and the girl would not fail to look at it once more despite being her third time.
"Her fan?" The woman asked the girl with her soothing voice after noticing how engaged the girl was in the promotional video.
"A..... Yeah.... You could say that... W... What about you, Miss?" The girl sheepishly responded.
"Mmm~ Well, I like her singing. That I can say much~" The woman would answer back with a lace of playfulness in her voice.
"I see....." Playing with her can of hot chocolate, the girl continued sheepishly. "She's..... great, no? Her singing.... and her performance... As expected from a diva like her....."
Hearing the girl's remark, the woman couldn't help but smile under her mask, yet again. The outside might be cold from the falling snow, but the woman inside was warm by the girl's words.
"You must like her a lot." The woman said with a gentle voice.
"Yes." Despite being shy, the girl answered without hesitation. "I like her a lot. Miss Nerissa, I mean. She is so beautiful and talented. So many, many good things could be said about her. And......, she is the reason why I started to sing." A genuine smile graced the girl's face as she recounted her admiration for her favorite singer.
"I see...." The woman's voice was so kind. "Why is that?" The question was out of pure curiosity of the woman.
"A..... How should I put this?" The girl felt a strangeness in how much she was so open to the stranger woman she just met tonight. Yet, against all odds, she answered the woman's question genuinely.
"I...... I want to be able.... to sing like her... I... like to sing and want to tell the story through my voice and make others feel something from my singing; may it be happiness, sadness, or confusion..... I..... I want to be heard....."
The girl's voice was full of vulnerability as she bared out her true dream to the woman who was nothing but a stranger to her. Yet, being able to carry out this thought to someone and feeling her hope and dream being heard was something the girl found liberation in. The lightness in her heart was something so foreign yet so welcoming to her.
"I see...." The woman smiles under her face mask after hearing the girl's response. She would look back at the promotional video with the girl before continuing in her gentle voice with a hint of understanding. "I guess...., you are heard tonight."
The words were spoken with great tenderness and understanding by the woman and the girl was taken aback by it. But after letting the words sink into her heart, the girl replied with a smile.
"Yes.... And...., I thank you, Miss. Thank you so much..... It means a lot to me more than you will ever know"
" *chuckle* Trust me, young girl. I know more than you think~"
The playful response from the woman made the girl smile. Some part of her believed the truth in the woman's words. She could feel some connection between them.
"Well~" The woman would spring herself from the seat. "Guess, I have to go now~"
The girl felt a pang of disappointment in her heart as the woman announced her leave. She wanted to spend some more time with her, despite being a stranger to each other. Nevertheless, she held no reason to keep the woman with her any longer.
"Okay, Miss. Take care. And..., thank you for today, again... It really means a lot."
Seeing a grateful smile on the girl's face, the woman couldn't help but smile under her face mask again.
"Of course, darling~ Oh, by the way, you wouldn't, by any chance, have Miss Nerissa's goods with you now, right?"
The girl was puzzled by the woman's question but answered nonetheless.
"Actually...., I have her album with me...." The girl took Nerissa's first album from her bag. "I always carry it with me whenever I perform on the street. It is my lucky charm."
"Oh~ The first one, even. You really are her fan~" The woman said with a sparkle in her eyes hidden under her sunglasses.
"A.... Yeah.... Actually, I.... was her fan since she was performing on the street. You know, before she debuted as a singer, and everything. And...., that spot I chose to perform....., it was hers. I chose that spot solely because I wanted to feel close to her somehow...."
The woman was bewildered by the revelation. The girl's unwavering support for her favorite singer, even before the singer acquired her fame, touched the woman's heart and radiated the greatest warmth in its deepest territory.
"I see...... That's a wonderful story. What is your name, young girl?" The woman's voice was laced with tenderness.
"It's Elizabeth. Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame. But..., my friends call me Liz."
"Elizabeth, huh~ Could I call you Liz too?"
"A.... Of course. Please do. And.... what's yours, Miss?"
" *chuckle* I will tell you. But before that, could you lend me the album for a second?"
" ? Oh, yes... Sure."
Despite her puzzleness, the girl handed her precious album to the woman. To her surprise, the woman would write something down on the cover with a marker she took from her bag. She was utterly shocked and tried to stop the woman. But before she could do so, the woman handed her the album.
"....."
Getting her precious album back from the woman, the girl's inside was filled with turmoil of bad feelings. But right after, she saw the thing the woman wrote on, her eyes widened as her heart beat its fastest beat.
"No way......"
The girl looked at the woman in disbelief as the woman would enjoy her reaction and removed her disguise. Without her hat, face mask, and sunglasses, the beautiful feature of Nerissa Ravencroft was bestowed before the girl. Putting her finger on her lips playfully, the renowned singer introduced herself to her flabbergasting fan.
"Hi ya, darling~ It's your favorite devilish diva. The one and only, Nerissa Ravencroft~"
The introduction froze the girl, Elizabeth, more than the chilling weather could do to her. She was like a statue, unable to process a single coherent thought after the most unexpected event crashed on her.
"Oi~ Oi~ Earth to Liz-chan. Earth to Liz-chan~"
After getting called by the woman, Nerissa, Elizabeth was brought back to reality after a shocking event. She still couldn't believe what was happening but tried her best to remain composed before her favorite singer.
"M... Miss Nerissa... It was you all along?"
" *giggle* Sorry to keep it a secret, Liz-chan. I just didn't want to make a scene. I just passed by after rehearsal and thought of visiting my old performance spot. I went there and saw you singing. It was so great that I wanted to hear it one more time. But I didn't know you were my fan. Making me blush too~"
The information was too overloaded for Elizabeth's brain to comprehend. What did you mean she had been spending time with her favorite singer until now? What do you mean she just listened to her singing? And what do you mean that she thought it was good!?
" *giggle* Liz-chan. You are out again~"
"A! Sorry... I just..... Aaaaaaaa........"
Elizabeth buried her face in her hands as her cheek was burning with intense blushing. Letting out a sheepish noise, she looked at the writing on the album Nerissa had just written for her; it was her signing with a message.
To my #1 fan, Elizabeth, Thank you and I will cheer on you. Nerissa Ravencroft, your fan.
Reading those words once more made Elizabeth on the verge of tears. The past 10 months of struggle faded away in a flash. All her hard work and dedication paid off in the most unexpected way possible. This very moment was too good to be true for Elizabeth. Her voice had been heard and was heard by the very ears she had ever dared to wish for. She could not describe the blissfulness she was having at that moment. Its intensity was too much to handle.
"Liz-chan...." With her gentle call, Nerissa squatted down to look at the bewilderment Elizabeth in the eyes. "Do your best from now on, okay? You have my support."
The words Nerissa said with her gentle smile were like a soothing balm to Elizabeth's weary heart. She couldn't believe how fortunate she was. She knew deep down that this moment was pure coincidence, the scenario happened out of pure luck. But..... it was worth more than anything in the world to her. It was..... inspiring. The strength she was in need in order to move forward to her faraway dream.
"Thank you....." Elizabeth responded to Nerissa in a shaking voice filled with tears of happiness flowing out from her eyes like a broken dam. "Thank you so much....."
Hearing Elizabeth's response, Nerissa held the girl's hands with care and tenderness; her voice was laced with tenderness.
"You're welcome."
Elizabeth would hold onto Nerissa's hands like a lifeline, as she cried all her weariness and happiness out. The weariness from holding on to her dream for the whole 10 months. And the happiness from finally being heard.
Elizabeth would cry out for 5 minutes while Nerissa's hands never left hers, giving the girl all the emotional support she needed through her touch and presence. Once the cry had subsided, Nerissa got up and looked at the more calm and settled Elizabeth one last time.
"I will have to go now, Liz-chan."
Elizabeth looked up at Nerissa with a more calm demeanor.
"Y... Okay. Good luck, Miss Nerissa. Take care."
With their hands being waved to each other, Nerissa started walking away from Elizabeth. But before she would leave far, she turned back to tell Elizabeth something.
"Liz-chan~"
"Y... Yes, Miss Nerissa!"
With a playful giggle leaving her lips, Nerissa turned back to Elizabeth.
"My friends call me Rissa. Just Rissa, not Miss Nerissa~"
The implication behind Nerissa's words slowly reached Elizabeth. She - yet again - was bewildered by what was happening. But with a more calm and composed heart, she smiled and replied to her new friend.
"Okay..... Rissa..... Then, I guess I will see you around."
Hearing the answer from Elizabeth, Nerissa smiled contently.
"Of course~ See you around, Liz-chan."
With her final wave, Nerissa slowly walked away until she was gone from Elizabeth's sight. Still bewildered by the entire sequence of events happening to her in one evening, Elizabeth just sat still on the bench while looking at Nerissa's signing on her album.
She would spend time in blissful solitude for a good 10 minutes before getting interrupted by a phone call from her best friend.
"Hmph? What's the matter, Raora? You're calling late."
From the other end of the line, Raora, Elizabeth's best friend, said in a thick accent hurriedly.
"Liz! X! Look at your X!"
"X? What do you mean?"
Elizabeth's X was usually quiet because of low follower counts, so she was confused about why Raora sounded very shaky by it. Usually, she would post her cover from her YouTube account, but no engagement happened much so far. So, imagine her surprise to receive 99+ notifications plus a spurt of followers in such a short moment.
"What's...... What's going on!?"
Elizabeth said in disbelief as she scrolled through her notifications to learn the cause of this occurrence. And once she reached her first two notifications, she got her answer with a warm fluster in her heart.
Nerissa Ravencroft has followed you.
Nerissa Ravencroft mentioned you in her post.
Elizabeth clicked on the post, and it read as follows:
Today I met an amazing singer, @LizMusic, at Shibuya Street. Her singing was gorgeous and her performance was wonderful. You guys should check her out, Jailbirds, and give her lots of love.
Elizabeth couldn't believe what she just read. Yet again, on this one evening, her mind was blown by a rush of confusion. Fortunately, she had grown some tolerance and reacted to this with a mild smile.
"Liz!" The call with Raora was still on and she called Elizabeth from the line. "What is happening? What did you do!?"
A smile graced Elizabeth's face as she answered the curious Raora.
"I just got lucky~"
Elizabeth's words hung in the air, creating a brief silence between her and Raora.
"Lucky? .... Oh, come on, you can't just leave me at that!"
Hearing Raora's discontent response, Elizabeth chuckled.
"But it's true~ But I guess I owe you an explanation. Let me head back home first then I will tell you tonight."
"O! Oki! Text me when you are home, k?"
"Okay. See you later, little cat~"
"Hey! I'm not a little cat. I'm a big cat!"
"Sure, sure~ See you."
Elizabeth hung the call and looked up to the sky and falling snow. She closed her eyes, letting all the emotions and the reality of tonight sink into her one last time. After a moment, she opened her eyes and graced her face with another smile. Her heart was pounding in a steady rhythm of joy as a smile had never flattered from her lips. She felt extremely warm in the middle of the night full of winter snow.
Moving towards her house with the album Nerissa signed for her in her hand, Elizabeth was grateful for how fortunate she was tonight. For her, Nerissa has become more than just her inspiration, her idol, and her dream.
For Elizabeth, after that night, Nerissa has become more than any of those. She has become the first person who has ever heard Elizabeth's voice in this world full of dissonance and incoherent noises. And she is utterly grateful for it.
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