The Glorious, Before

When the curtains fall, don't come looking for me. If you've watched closely, you've already seen everything I ever had to offer. I have simply stepped where the light no longer reaches, still warm from it.

Perhaps there is another audience. Perhaps there is only silence. Either would suit me.

So if one day the memory of my voice loosens, if my laugh can no longer be recalled without guessing, let it happen gently. I would rather fade than be clung to until I resemble someone I never was.

Nothing left unfinished. Nothing begging to be understood. Just a warmth lingering in the empty seats long after everyone has gone home.

So, listen close. When the house lights finally snap off, and that heavy, dust-choked red velvet drops like a final sigh don’t you dare start mourning. That’s not the end of the show; that’s just when the audience goes home.

When the curtains fall, you won’t find me frantically packing up my props or scrubbing the makeup from my face. No. You will find me sitting right there in the dark. Radiant and absolute. Caught forever in my glorious before. Before the memory of what I did here starts to warp and fray in your minds. Before time starts chipping away at my edges until I’m just a name someone forgot to look up.

That will be my triumph.

Let them keep their tears. I’d rather they keep the rhythm of my pulse. The glory isn't in staying forever; it's in being undeniable while you're here. So don't look for me in the quiet, sad places. Just remember the heat of the performance. I was magnificent here. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I'm not gone. I'm just offstage. And darling, I was so good in this role.

Mizuyōkaii, 2026 Dimensions: 4800x5800