"Just pull it down! This is worse—"
Min-Ha quickly stopped her colleague from screaming.
"He will notice us."
After finishing the dish, Averie continued his walk, watching the exhibition stands.
In cases and on walls, paintings, books, and sculptures were displayed.
The enthusiasts, most of whom had volunteered for the exhibition, were spreading their lovely crafts.
"Would you like to learn a little about pottery?"
"Flower arrangent is a sophisticated art form. Man or woman, everyone should participate."
"To paint with a brush made from a horse’s hair, one must first learn to ride a horse."
"I ran away from an asylum. Please, don’t touch . Please, touch !"
Averie only spared a glance or two to these people and moved on.
While walking by the fountain, one of the stalls caught his eye. It featured pinwheels and traditional masks on display.
"Would you like one?" the lovely old lady behind the stall asked.
Averie nodded.
"Here." She handed him a white mask with red paint around the eyes. "It’s a Kitsune mask. It will suit you."
’I was thinking more like a pinwheel, but this works too, I guess.’
He bought the mask and wore it in front of her.
’I am foxy.’
"You..." Her eyes went round. "Are you...?"
Looking like a mischievous fox spirit, Averie lightly raised his finger to his mouth.
"Let’s forget the illusions and enjoy the night."
He went around, finding himself in front of a cluster of black tents. These were small, makeshift theatres. Most of them were screening old films.
"Black and white, huh? I don’t have ti for that."
He did buy a few DVDs even though he didn’t have a DVD player.
"I should start collecting stuff like this."
’I will gift these to people just to annoy them.’
He could just imagine Hyerin awkwardly thanking him, and him deliberately asking her how the film was.
"Oh?" A woman hailed Averie. "Is that Mr. Auclair?"
Averie turned around to co face to face with an old woman whom he seed to have seen before.
"No, madam," Averie said, taking a bow. "I am Foxy, the spirit of tobacco."
’That’s what Kitsune is, right?’
No.
The woman laughed. "Oh, how you jest, Mr. Auclair."
She tucked her hair behind her ear.
"I could tell it was you from your eyes."
Indeed, the gravity of his amber eyes was difficult to go unnoticed.
"Do you not rember ? I am Sofia Monet. We t at a charity event."
"Oh, yes, of course."
He could not rember.
"I heard about your stunt, and I must say it was fascinating. Will I get to see properly fild footage of it?"
"It will soon be released, I am sure."
The two talked about films, art, and politics for a while.
"It’s always good to experience different things." The woman observed him with a keen eye. "Do you have any ambition to work overseas?"
"I do." His eyes sharpened. "If there is a good script, I will love to."
"Even if it has no comrcial value?"
"Even then."
The woman grinned and pointed her finger towards the direction of a stage so distance away.
The seats for the audience were made of wood, and only the oil lamps provided the stage with its glitter. Set up like a Roman theatre, it was prepared for plays.
"Go there. You may find soone not so dissimilar to yourself."
With a mysterious smile, she left.
Averie didn’t move.
’What does that an? Are they handso? Are they violent? Are they brilliantly talented?’
Curious, Averie moved towards the theater.
On his way, he saw beautiful traditional dances, music that reminded him of the bygone era, and even a sky lantern event.
Watching him from behind, Hyerin muttered, "Was that woman hitting on him?"
"No, I don’t think so." Min-Ha shook her head. "I bet they have t before."
"He must be planning sothing."
"Shouldn’t you be trusting your friend a little more?"
"I trust him."
’Trust him to start trouble.’
At the entrance, a booth was set up and a woman was selling tickets.
"One ticket, please," Averie said.
The girl punched a hole in a ticket and handed it to him.
It had the date, ti, and na of the play on it.
Averie entered the venue and looked around.
He couldn’t find anyone handso who also looked violent.
’Was she lying?’
But one person caught his eye.
’Baldy.’
It was a bald man with golden-rimd spectacles.
’Those suspenders, that lancholy... It’s him, alright.’
It was Director Jean-Louis Groux.
Averie inched towards the man.
’Auspicious is the day. Let’s find out what you are making and why I saw you in my sleep.’
He pointed towards the seat beside the director.
"Is it taken?"
The bald man looked at him, shook his head, and turned his head back towards the stage.
’Does he think it’s strange to wear a Kitsune mask here?’
Averie sat down and observed him from the corner of his eye.
"We present to you, Harmony of the Seven Spirits," the voice sounded over the speaker.
Soon, under the open sky that glimred with stars, the play began.
’It’s not bad,’ Averie thought. ’What does the baldy think?’
He observed the director.
The man looked neither impressed nor offended.
’Why does he always look so composed? Did soone kill your cat, my dude?’
Once the play was one-tenth of the way through, Averie shifted his crossed legs.
"The girl isn’t moving properly," he whispered.
It was just loud enough that it would seem like he was speaking to himself.
The director spared him a glance, but it was brief. The man did not seem to want to engage in conversation.
’Slowly, now. It’s a ga of patience. Bait needs to be believable.’
"The lighting isn’t proper. I would have preferred more shadows."
This caught the attention of the man.
"Why would you say that?" he said in a quiet voice.
"Hmm? Did I talk out loud? I am sorry; I’ll be more mindful."
"That’s fine. But I was wondering about your opinion on the lights."
"Ah, yes." He tapped his fingers. "The shadows, they are lacking."
"Are they?"
Averie’s grin widened underneath the mask.
’They can never resist talking about the set, these directors.’
If the director could see the expression Averie was making, he would have run away.
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