This time, she turned and gave a slight bow of the head in apology, then returned her attention to the play. To Merrion, she gave a small smile to set him at ease.
As the plot progressed and the entangled relationships between the characters began to sort themselves out, she could see him become increasingly cheerful. When Fredrick and Desirae began to sing the Finale, reunited in their love, Merrion beamed.
"See," she whispered. "They will be okay. She is happy now."
The man behind them, it would seem, was far too caught up in the action to admonish them again. As Artfeldt exhaled her last breath and the curtain fell, she smiled. The cast took the stage again to bow to the audience, and the audience in turn gave them a standing ovation. Kiyoko was one of the first to stand up, clapping enthusiastically at their performance, as she did every time.