Chains Lifted: Her Second Act

She wasn't ready for this, and she never thought she'd be here. Now, she might even lose what little freedom she has because of it.

But this was her dream.

Ever since she knew what she wanted, she dreamed of seeing one of her short stories performed on stage. It didn't matter if it wasn't a big stage; just seeing it brought to life would be enough for her. That's why she made up her mind.

If stepping into the spotlight meant risking everything, even her freedom, then that was fine. To her, this was already a dream come true.

As the stage lights turned off, she smiled bitterly, 'It's frustrating but fulfilling. Such a strange feeling.'

"Let us present to you an original play titled, 'Fate Played Its Part,'" the announcer said.

The audience whispered to each other. The title wasn't very unique, but it felt deep, especially for a high school performance. There was something about it that made them curious, something different from the usual plays at school festivals.

Then, the sound of water filled the room.

No, it was the sound of rain.

When the lights came back on, the audience gasped. Rain was pouring down on the stage. No wonder the seats were rearranged before the show started—if not, the people in front would've gotten wet from the splashing.

"Tsk, the rain just has to start now, of all times," said the first actor as he walked in from the side.

The audience turned to look at him.

"Wow, is he the lead?" one man reacted.

"Shhh."

"Well, Dylan, aren't you surprised? That's the warm-hearted kid, right? I knew he'd be a star, but didn't he say he wasn't interested in acting? Didn't he want to follow in your footsteps instead?"

"Him following me isn't surprising, considering his family. But this is high school, he can still explore."

The other man laughed, "I'm glad we came to see their school festival."

Dylan shook his head and focused on the play. They had come to the festival to take a break from their busy college life.

"Aren't you glad I dragged you here? You get to escape from that woman," the man laughed.

"Shut it, Jake," Dylan snapped.

Jake laughed again, "She kept bugging you to teach her, and you couldn't even say no. That's why I brought you here today, to give you a break. You're too busy with all our papers."

Dylan frowned, not wanting to continue the conversation.

Jake shrugged and turned back to the stage, just in time for the next character to appear after Luca's monologue.

A girl was sitting there, drenched in the rain. Luca slowly walked over to her.

"Excuse me? Are you in a music video or something? Or don't you feel the rain?"

The audience chuckled at how genuine he sounded.

The girl didn't look up or reply.

"Hey," he said, grabbing her arm.

When she finally looked up, the whole place went silent.

Luca had seen this during their short rehearsal, but it still took him by surprise.

When Harmony looked up, her eyes were completely empty.

"What—" Kathrine had the same reaction as their classmates.

"Didn't we tell you? It's better to see her act than to describe it," Beatrice said, shaking her head.

The reason she and Luca were speechless was because of how natural Harmony's acting was. Even now, Beatrice could see that this girl had a natural talent.

"Are you okay?" Luca asked, snapping out of his shock.

Harmony slowly looked back at the grain field in front of her, which was technically the audience.

Dylan blinked. Even from the middle of the audience, he could clearly see her expression.

"Anyway, where do you live? You can't stay in the rain like this, you'll get sick."

"What… is living?" she finally spoke.

Dylan's eyes widened slightly. Even her voice sounded empty. If this wasn't a play, she might be in real danger of falling into depression.

"Wow, she's really good," Jake whispered.

"I… don't know what's going on, but why don't you come with me for now?"

"Why?" she asked.

"I don't know either. But now that I've seen you, I can't just leave you here. So—never mind, just come with me."

He pulled her up by the arm and led her to the other side of the stage.

The play continued…

"Why did you suddenly bring someone back?" a villager asked.

"I couldn't just leave her alone."

"You're too kind."

Jake couldn't hold back his laughter, "Geez, even in a play, he's still the same."

"…"

Jake looked over at Dylan, who was completely focused on the play.

'It really runs in his blood. Focusing once a talent appears in front of them,' Jake thought.

"Why are you working so hard?" the girl asked in her deadpan tone.

It had been days since she started living there.

"Why shouldn't I?" he replied.

"And since we're on the topic and you're staying here for free, why not help out a bit? Don't you feel bad eating here without doing anything?"

"I clean the house," she said matter-of-factly.

"Tsk, you know what? Just come with me."

He dragged her out to the field, and they started working together. As they worked, the girl looked around, watching the smiles on people's faces. Then, the rain started falling again.

"Tsk, rainy season is such a hassle," the man grumbled.

He turned to call her back, but she was just staring up at the sky, letting the rain soak her.

He frowned and walked over to her, "Do you like being in the rain that much?"

"No, it just wakes me up to reality," she said.

He frowned even more, "Tell me, the day I found you—what were you planning?"

The girl looked back at him and, for the first time, smiled. But it was a smile that didn't reach her eyes, and even the audience felt drawn in by it.

"Nothing. Whether I live or die, I wasn't planning anything. Whatever happens, I wasn't planning anything."