Chapter 3 (2/2)
A man, in the opposite wing, smiles affectionately.Somewhere, in the back of their minds, they are listening to their friend and lover and employee’s life being recited.Kibum: … And then the lover, sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier, full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, seeking the bubble reputation even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice, in fair round belly with good capon lined, with eyes severe and beard of formal cut, full of wise saws and modern instances; and so he plays his part.He walks around the stage, casually running his fingers
Along a large array of rainbow-colored strings.
From infantine blue, to lusty red, to envious green, to confident yellow.
His hand slides along the fabric as his mouth counts his emotions. The sixth age shifts into the lean and slippered pantaloons with spectacles on nose and pouch on side, his youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide for his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice, turning again toward childish treble, pipes and whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, that ends this strange eventful history, is second childishness and mere oblivion…(stands with his arms crossed over his chest) sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.Uproarious applause.
Lights glimmer out, then focus on activity backstage.Enter Taemin and another actor.
They play out their scene silently.
Meanwhile the ladies are heard speaking backstage.Eonsook: (to Junghee) I should thank you for letting him do this. Even without his condition, very few people would—Junghee: (holds up hand) I only did it for the money.Eonsook: (snorts) You don’t have to lie when he’s not around. I know you have a soft spot for him. It’s painfully obvious.Junghee: (laughs with ridicule) That sort of thing might be common in the film industry. This is theatre. We don’t do any of that shit. If you’re talented, we’ll give you a shot. If you’re not, maybe you should get the fuck out of here.Eonsook: (nods appreciatively) Direct. You must be a heartbreaker.Junghee: I prefer bones to muscles. More permanent damage. Eonsook: What are you even—Light switches back onstage, where someone is singing a sonnet.
The other players circle around him in various states of attention.
Then resume dialogue from the play, which is heard only faintly.
Enter Junsu and Baekhyun.
Lights swing backstage again.Junghee: Listen. (seriously) I’ve been under a lot of stress for this particular show. As you can see Kibum is a fucking mess. And initially the producers didn’t even ask for him. They (hesitates) they only wanted Taem. “He’s not as unpredictable,” they said. “He may not be the best choice but he can remain in the same character for the entirety of a scene, at least.” And I had no rebuttal to that.Eonsook: You mean…?Junghee: There was a time limit to the offer. I had to decide soon. How was I to help anything? (bites lip) I… was going to sign the contract. I was going to… to let it slide off to Taem doing it alone.Eonsook: (smirks) Bitch.Junghee: Yah…! (smarting) But you’re right. (shrugs) Anyway, Taemin refused. He said he wanted to do it together or not at all. It’s weird because he’s usually not shown that sort of… solidarity. Particularly where Kibum is concerned. Remeber last year when he did that regional play by himself, and it ran for five whole months? Kibum had no schedules that entire time, it was a little sad even. But Taemin never gave in. So I thought it was especially odd since a big role like Orlando…Onstage, all exit except Taemin.
The ladies watch him intently, applauding
When he's done with his part.
The reporter in the front row is smiling wide.
Perhaps their little comedy is a success after all.Exit Taemin, enter Kyuhyun with another actor.
Lights go up backstage again.Eonsook: So.Junghee: So they agreed to let Kibum on the list. Of course. They had no choice. Nobody really does theatre anymore, you know?Eonsook: (raises eyebrow sarcastically) You’re joking.Junghee: Pssht! (looks out to the stage) Anywho, the point is. What’s stressing me out is not Kibum at all. I mean, yeah he might screw up if he suddenly turns into Psychobabble one-oh-one or whatever. But it’s not him I’m worried about. It’s… (turns to the other) you.Eonsook: (surprised) Me?Junghee: You antagonize him. It aggravates him. (confused, tilts her head) Aggravates it...? (annoyed) The whole thing, damnit.Eonsook: Whatever happened to “women stick together”?Junghee: (sighs) I know, I know. (with more strictness) But this is hurting him. You’re hurting him. You always have. I didn't know him when you were together, but I knew what was left of him when you were done. Sookie, he was... a total mess. I felt more like a rehab officer than a manager with him in those early months. He was swimming in booze, swimming! And you coming back into his life like this is just—you've seen how smashed he gets at parties.Eonsook: I didn’t come here by choice, if that’s what you’re saying.Junghee: No, I’m not saying that at all. What I’m saying is you can leave by it.Eonsook: Huh...?Junghee: Quit the play.Eonsook: (incredulous) What?!Junghee: (hisses) Come on, don’t make me say shit like that a second time.Eonsook: Didn’t look very bothersome the first time!Junghee: Sookie…Eonsook: No, I won’t!Junghee: Sookie, please… This is a man’s sanity we’re talking about here.Eonsook: Tell him to leave then. Like you said, he isn’t even supposed to be here.Junghee: You know I can’t do that. Neither professionally, nor logically. (lowered tone) Theatre is his life. You’ll do this play and go back to the movies. If it’s a success, whatever. If it’s not, you’ll very well forget any of this ever happened. But Kibum? (shakes head) This is the pinnacle of Kibum’s career. This is probably as good as it gets for him. And you want him to quit? He can’t.Eonsook: (tutting) Why does anybody have to quit in the first place?! Why is it always about quitting with Kibum?Junghee: I don’t know what happened six years ago. I also don’t know the reason behind it. But I do know that he has never been happy since. Sookie... (with worry) He was suffering from strange psychological conditions even then. He was so troubled by the tiniest of changes. And so scared! Of people, of places, of something as simple as the utterance of a few words! Sometimes I can't believe how scared he looks of the most normal things... And now that you’re back in his life, it’s gotten worse. Like his mind has just one direction to roll. Downhill.Eonsook: H-how can you blame me for this?Junghee: I can’t. And I won’t. (pauses) But it’s obvious you upset him. You need to go.Eonsook: No, I don—Junghee: (nudges insistently) No, I mean you need to go right now. As in it’s your scene next.Eonsook: O-oh. (smoothes her wig down) Right.Lights brighten as Eonsook steps out onto the stage, then dim gradually.
Exit all. Scene Four Park bench.
A man occupies it. Alone.
He doesn't remember the last time he sat alone here.
He's always been here with her. Or him. Or someone.
But today this bench is his, only his.
Sounds of bicycle bells and laughing children in the air.
Pink strings flutter in the wind. Flutter past his sight.
They fly loose, unhooked to any system, unsuspended from any control.
He reaches a hand out to catch one.
He fails.
He tries again.Enter Minjung.Minjung: Kibum ssi? Have you been waiting long?She hands him a bouquet.
He laughs and accepts, drinking in the smell of fresh flowers and letting out a satisfied ahh~Kibum: (slides to make place for her) Not at all. (grins and rubs his hands together) So. I noticed you had a front row seat~ What did you think? Minjung: (blushing) I... always like your work. Even if it's a terribly written experimental play with strange symbolism like raining salt and--Kibum: Oh, Hades (slaps forehead) You went to that disaster... I still can't believe I agreed to something like that. What was I thinking... (shakes head)Minjung: (giggles) It wasn't too bad. I could sit through it.Kibum: (nudges her) You're being sweet.Minjung: (nudges back) There's nothing else to be~ Shall we go?Kibum: (smiles and nods)Lights brighten until nearly blinding.
Sound turns to happy music.
Exit Kibum and Minjung, hand in hand. <s>There. End. Might change a few things here and there. But basic skeleton so far.</s> I made it meatier. Enjoy.~IQ