Playing the part of Snow White, I accepted the poisoned apple from the Queen, who was disguised as an old woman in black robes.
"This is a token of my gratitude for helping me. Come now, young lady, please try a bite of this apple."
This was the climax.
Once I ate this, all that remained was to lie down and sleep on the bed until the end of the play.
"..."
I went through the motions of eating the apple, then immediately clutched my throat, staggered, and collapsed onto the bed.
Because the bed was made from gym mats used for athletics and cardboard, lying here like this made me realize how much it smelled of sweat... No, it was actually disgusting. The stench was enough to make my nose curl.
"Ke-he-he! Now Snow White is dead! The most beautiful in all the world is me! Wryyyyy!"
Hino nailed his over-the-top performance as the Queen and made his exit.
I lay on the bed with my eyes closed, waiting in the darkness for the Prince's kiss. Hurry up and get here, Yuria.
"—I allowed my horse to wander where it pleased and ended up in this forest, but to think I would find a house in such a place."
Just as I was wishing for Yuria to arrive, the sound of boots echoed across the stage.
"Kyaaa! Yuria-chan!"
"Yuria-chan is so cool!"
"Take me now!"
Squeals of delight erupted from the audience one after another.
I hadn't realized Yuria had so many female fans.
Normally, Yuria was just a Thick-Thighed Gyaru, but for all her sharp edges, she was surprisingly caring and looked after others like an older sister.
Perhaps that was what resonated with so many of the girls.
"This house has an unusual amount of small furniture, but wait... What is this? Such a beautiful woman in a place like this..."
As Yuria’s voice and footsteps drew closer, her shadow fell over me as she peered down at my face.
"...She isn’t breathing? Quick, I must perform mouth-to-mouth!"
With my vision blacked out, Yuria’s perfume seemed even stronger; I could tell exactly how close she was.
(I’ll just open my eyes a tiny bit... Hm?)
Yuria’s face was right in front of mine.
Perhaps due to the heat of the stage lights, her forehead was beaded with sweat, and her eyes were moist as if she were on the verge of tears.
"Ryouta... I'm sorry. Keep your eyes closed."
Sensing that I’d opened my eyes slightly, Yuria whispered those words and slowly lowered her face toward mine.
Cheers from Yuria's Fans echoed through the gym.
Since she was blocking the audience's view, it was impossible for them to tell if she was actually kissing me. To the spectators, it was truly Schrödinger's Kiss.
"..."
Yuria’s breath tickled the tip of my nose.
Her face felt... unusually close.
During rehearsals, she would just pretend to kiss me before quickly moving on to her next line.
"...You know," she whispered.
"?"
"I always thought I had a decent amount of nerve. But when I look at your face, Ryouta... I realize I can’t bring myself to be underhanded like this."
Underhanded? What? What does she mean?
Since I couldn’t speak with my eyes closed, all I could do was listen to her.
I wasn't sure what she was talking about—was she just talking to herself?
Then, all of a sudden—I felt a soft sensation on my cheek.
It was slightly damp and soft... No way, could this be—!
"!!"
The sheer shock of it made me bolt upright on the bed.
That sensation against my cheek just now...
There was no mistaking it... it was a kiss, wasn't it?
"Are you awake, Princess?"
Yuria flashed a beaming smile, looking completely nonchalant.