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"I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
I loafe and invite my soul,
I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.
My tongue, every atom of my blood, form’d from this soil, this air,
Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same, I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,
Hoping to cease not till death.
Creeds and schools in abeyance,
Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten,
I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard,
Nature without check with original energy."
Lounging on a bench in the park, a girl with brown hair followed her own fingertips, softly reciting Whitman's poetry. Her fair and tender legs swayed gently in the breeze and her light blue sandals dangled above the ground, lightly tapping the floor with a rhythmic motion. The book resting on her thighs gently bobbed with the rhythm, causing the words on the pages to dance along.
The setting sun in the west cast a golden glow upon her, stretching her shadow long. The girl smiled as she read, exuding tranquility and beauty.
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Suddenly, her vision darkened as a pair of hands covered her eyes from behind. A sharp voice sounded in her ears, sending shivers down her spine, "Hey, want to play a game? If you do well, there will be lollipops as a reward!"
The malicious intent in the tone was evident, initially startling the girl. However, she quickly recognized the taunting nature and managed to remain calm, holding her posture without moving or speaking.
"You're not saying anything, so I'll take it as consent. I promise you'll have lots of fun," the sharp voice continued with a sinister tone. Yet, the girl remained composed, refusing to give in to the provocations, all the while wondering who could be playing this joke on her.
Finally, after a lengthy speech from the person behind her and receiving no reaction from the girl, the voice couldn't help but become more aggressive, saying, "Alright then, let's start our game!" As the person's head came close to the girl's cheek, it seemed like they were about to take action.
Still, the girl who had remained silent all this while finally spoke, "Angela~"
This word seemed to possess some magic, freezing the person behind her. After a long pause, they asked, "Nat, how did you recognize me?"
Natalie calmly pushed away the hands that were still covering her eyes and turned her head to look at Angela, who was sitting behind her with a surprised expression on her face. Natalie replied with a hint of a smile, "When you said that last sentence, you revealed your accent. I'm good at recognizing accents."
"Well, it seems my acting skills are not up to par," Angela pouted, walking around to sit next to Natalie. Unbeknownst to Angela, Natalie hadn't entirely told the truth just now. Besides recognizing her voice, she also recognized her scent!
Natalie didn't know what was going on, but when Angela leaned her head close, she indeed smelled a faint and pleasant fragrance. She had sensed this scent during their intimate encounter in the restroom that time. Although everyone had their own scent, Natalie wasn't a dog, so she was surprised that she could immediately identify it as Angela's.
"Why are you here? And, did my dad betray me or was it my mom?" Natalie asked while crossing her arms.
"Why can't I be here? Has this place been taken over by Martians?" Angela spread her hands and shrugged.
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Natalie could only roll her eyes and clarify, "I mean, why did you come here, to New York, Long Island, and Wantagh Park?"
"I came to New York for the summer vacation, to Long Island because my grandpa lives here, and to Wantagh Park because you are here, Nat. I missed you." Angela blinked her eyes repeatedly, reminding Natalie of their intimate encounter that day.
Damn it, what's wrong with me? Natalie asked herself inwardly. She had almost forgotten about that incident these past few months, but Angela's arrival brought those memories back vividly. It's not that she disliked Angela, but she felt a bit uneasy about that kind of behavior as if she was being watched by everyone like a thief.
"What are you looking at?" Angela leaned closer again and reached for the book in Natalie's hand.
"Oh, I often come to this little park in the summer to read alone. It's not far from home," Natalie replied, shifting her focus.
Then she sighed emotionally, "I've finished reading many books here, like《Charlotte's Web》《The Prince and the Pauper》and《Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.》Oh, I also finished reading《Uncle Tom's Cabin》here." She didn't notice that Angela tilted her head slightly and muttered quietly, "Indeed, a good student."
"By the way, Angela, have you read《Leaves of Grass》? Today is my first time reading it, and although I don't fully understand what Mr. Whitman is trying to convey, it resonates with me," Natalie raised the book in her hand.
"Um... yes, I've read some of it, not a lot, but I remember the British novelist D. H. Lawrence once commented that he was the first to fire a shot against the 'pious preaching that exalts the soul above the body!'" Angela cleared her throat and puffed up her chest, feeling fortunate that she remembered some details about Whitman. She had occasionally glanced through some pages while flipping through books in her father's study before, or else she might have embarrassed herself today.
To prevent Natalie from asking more related questions, this uneducated girl changed the topic, "By the way, Nat, how does it feel to act in movies? I'm sure you did well!"
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"I think I did well too, but... about the feeling..." Natalie thought for a moment with a mixed expression of liking and disliking, "Jean Reno is a gentleman, and Gary Oldman is quite humorous off-camera, but Luc Besson..."
She bit her lip and said after a while, "He actually asked me to shoot a bathroom scene without wearing anything under the towel!"
"What?" Angela widened her eyes, "That's outrageous! But... did you agree?"
"Of course not! My mom didn't approve, and after repeated negotiations, even Jean Reno advised against it, so he withdrew the decision." Natalie shook her head, clearly not liking Luc Besson very much.
"Well, that's my mistake. I shouldn't have given the script to that French director." Angela tilted her head back, feeling frustrated about Luc Besson. Although she had already removed that bathroom scene from the script, the director still persisted. Did French people feel uncomfortable if there weren't any nude scenes in a movie?
If it weren't for worrying that《Leon: The Professional》 would be worse than the original version and accidentally sending out the script... Forget it, the movie was already finished, and no amount of 'if's would change anything unless she could be reborn again. But this did reveal one thing—directors and producers were the ones with the final say. Perhaps she should go to film school to become a director and then... use the back door...
Angela squinted her eyes as she sized up Natalie, but she quickly snapped out of her impure thoughts. Damn those unspoken rules! With her physical fitness, who knows who would take advantage of whom. It's such an annoying topic.
"Here's the deal, Nat. If that guy Luc Besson invites me to compose music for his movie, I'll definitely give him a good scolding on your behalf!" Angela waved her small fist.
"You compose music for movies?" Natalie asked skeptically.
"Of course... well, that's what I told him. I offered to handle the movie's soundtrack, but he doesn't seem to believe me. I still haven't received any response from him until now." Angela shrugged.
"Alright, music master. If you want to scold him, you can just take the initiative to fly to Paris, go to his office and give him a piece of your mind right to his face. No need to wait for his invitation," Natalie said playfully, making a funny face, which was quite adorable.
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"Hey, I'm serious. I sent him the theme song in April!" Angela hurriedly explained, as if afraid Natalie wouldn't believe her. She then showed off, saying, "You know, I've already released an EP of pop songs, and I'm currently preparing another EP of pure piano music, adapted from three of my pop songs..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Natalie interrupted with widened eyes, "Wait, Angela, are you saying you're Miss AM?"
Angela was taken aback, suddenly remembering that the EP of pure piano music had already been released in early July, right? Damn it, she forgot about that because of her body's situation. She hurriedly asked, "You've already listened to 《Recollections》?"
Natalie shrugged, then took out a still crudely packaged EP from her backpack and raised it, saying, "I don't often listen to pop music, but my neighbor Ellie recommended this EP of pure piano music to me, so I bought it. It's really good, I love it. Afterward, I looked for the first EP by Miss AM and it's also quite good. She can write such nice songs and turn them into piano pieces. It's not easy, you know."
After saying that, she raised an eyebrow and looked at Angela as if to say, 'Don't try to deceive me.'
Angela pouted for a moment and then leaned in closer, saying, "Can you come to my grandpa's house after dinner? Or you can just join us for dinner there."
"What do you want to do?" Natalie leaned back and asked.
"I have a friend coming from England. She's studying at the University of Cambridge and chose a topic about the establishment and development of 17th-century New York for her summer vacation. We need a guide to show us around New York. You see, although I often come here, you definitely know more about this place than I do. So let's discuss it properly. Of course, more importantly..." Angela extended both hands and held them in front of Natalie's face, then clenched them into a fist with a smirk, "I'll teach you how to play the two pieces from《Recollections》on the piano!"
[TL Note:《Recollections》is not the name for a song but the name of the EP]
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"I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
I loafe and invite my soul,
I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.
My tongue, every atom of my blood, form’d from this soil, this air,
Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same, I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,
Hoping to cease not till death.
Creeds and schools in abeyance,
Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten,
I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard,
Nature without check with original energy."
Lounging on a bench in the park, a girl with brown hair followed her own fingertips, softly reciting Whitman's poetry. Her fair and tender legs swayed gently in the breeze and her light blue sandals dangled above the ground, lightly tapping the floor with a rhythmic motion. The book resting on her thighs gently bobbed with the rhythm, causing the words on the pages to dance along.
The setting sun in the west cast a golden glow upon her, stretching her shadow long. The girl smiled as she read, exuding tranquility and beauty.
Sponsored Content
Suddenly, her vision darkened as a pair of hands covered her eyes from behind. A sharp voice sounded in her ears, sending shivers down her spine, "Hey, want to play a game? If you do well, there will be lollipops as a reward!"
The malicious intent in the tone was evident, initially startling the girl. However, she quickly recognized the taunting nature and managed to remain calm, holding her posture without moving or speaking.
"You're not saying anything, so I'll take it as consent. I promise you'll have lots of fun," the sharp voice continued with a sinister tone. Yet, the girl remained composed, refusing to give in to the provocations, all the while wondering who could be playing this joke on her.
Finally, after a lengthy speech from the person behind her and receiving no reaction from the girl, the voice couldn't help but become more aggressive, saying, "Alright then, let's start our game!" As the person's head came close to the girl's cheek, it seemed like they were about to take action.
Still, the girl who had remained silent all this while finally spoke, "Angela~"
This word seemed to possess some magic, freezing the person behind her. After a long pause, they asked, "Nat, how did you recognize me?"
Natalie calmly pushed away the hands that were still covering her eyes and turned her head to look at Angela, who was sitting behind her with a surprised expression on her face. Natalie replied with a hint of a smile, "When you said that last sentence, you revealed your accent. I'm good at recognizing accents."
"Well, it seems my acting skills are not up to par," Angela pouted, walking around to sit next to Natalie. Unbeknownst to Angela, Natalie hadn't entirely told the truth just now. Besides recognizing her voice, she also recognized her scent!
Natalie didn't know what was going on, but when Angela leaned her head close, she indeed smelled a faint and pleasant fragrance. She had sensed this scent during their intimate encounter in the restroom that time. Although everyone had their own scent, Natalie wasn't a dog, so she was surprised that she could immediately identify it as Angela's.
"Why are you here? And, did my dad betray me or was it my mom?" Natalie asked while crossing her arms.
"Why can't I be here? Has this place been taken over by Martians?" Angela spread her hands and shrugged.
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Natalie could only roll her eyes and clarify, "I mean, why did you come here, to New York, Long Island, and Wantagh Park?"
"I came to New York for the summer vacation, to Long Island because my grandpa lives here, and to Wantagh Park because you are here, Nat. I missed you." Angela blinked her eyes repeatedly, reminding Natalie of their intimate encounter that day.
Damn it, what's wrong with me? Natalie asked herself inwardly. She had almost forgotten about that incident these past few months, but Angela's arrival brought those memories back vividly. It's not that she disliked Angela, but she felt a bit uneasy about that kind of behavior as if she was being watched by everyone like a thief.
"What are you looking at?" Angela leaned closer again and reached for the book in Natalie's hand.
"Oh, I often come to this little park in the summer to read alone. It's not far from home," Natalie replied, shifting her focus.
Then she sighed emotionally, "I've finished reading many books here, like《Charlotte's Web》《The Prince and the Pauper》and《Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.》Oh, I also finished reading《Uncle Tom's Cabin》here." She didn't notice that Angela tilted her head slightly and muttered quietly, "Indeed, a good student."
"By the way, Angela, have you read《Leaves of Grass》? Today is my first time reading it, and although I don't fully understand what Mr. Whitman is trying to convey, it resonates with me," Natalie raised the book in her hand.
"Um... yes, I've read some of it, not a lot, but I remember the British novelist D. H. Lawrence once commented that he was the first to fire a shot against the 'pious preaching that exalts the soul above the body!'" Angela cleared her throat and puffed up her chest, feeling fortunate that she remembered some details about Whitman. She had occasionally glanced through some pages while flipping through books in her father's study before, or else she might have embarrassed herself today.
To prevent Natalie from asking more related questions, this uneducated girl changed the topic, "By the way, Nat, how does it feel to act in movies? I'm sure you did well!"
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"I think I did well too, but... about the feeling..." Natalie thought for a moment with a mixed expression of liking and disliking, "Jean Reno is a gentleman, and Gary Oldman is quite humorous off-camera, but Luc Besson..."
She bit her lip and said after a while, "He actually asked me to shoot a bathroom scene without wearing anything under the towel!"
"What?" Angela widened her eyes, "That's outrageous! But... did you agree?"
"Of course not! My mom didn't approve, and after repeated negotiations, even Jean Reno advised against it, so he withdrew the decision." Natalie shook her head, clearly not liking Luc Besson very much.
"Well, that's my mistake. I shouldn't have given the script to that French director." Angela tilted her head back, feeling frustrated about Luc Besson. Although she had already removed that bathroom scene from the script, the director still persisted. Did French people feel uncomfortable if there weren't any nude scenes in a movie?
If it weren't for worrying that《Leon: The Professional》 would be worse than the original version and accidentally sending out the script... Forget it, the movie was already finished, and no amount of 'if's would change anything unless she could be reborn again. But this did reveal one thing—directors and producers were the ones with the final say. Perhaps she should go to film school to become a director and then... use the back door...
Angela squinted her eyes as she sized up Natalie, but she quickly snapped out of her impure thoughts. Damn those unspoken rules! With her physical fitness, who knows who would take advantage of whom. It's such an annoying topic.
"Here's the deal, Nat. If that guy Luc Besson invites me to compose music for his movie, I'll definitely give him a good scolding on your behalf!" Angela waved her small fist.
"You compose music for movies?" Natalie asked skeptically.
"Of course... well, that's what I told him. I offered to handle the movie's soundtrack, but he doesn't seem to believe me. I still haven't received any response from him until now." Angela shrugged.
"Alright, music master. If you want to scold him, you can just take the initiative to fly to Paris, go to his office and give him a piece of your mind right to his face. No need to wait for his invitation," Natalie said playfully, making a funny face, which was quite adorable.
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"Hey, I'm serious. I sent him the theme song in April!" Angela hurriedly explained, as if afraid Natalie wouldn't believe her. She then showed off, saying, "You know, I've already released an EP of pop songs, and I'm currently preparing another EP of pure piano music, adapted from three of my pop songs..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Natalie interrupted with widened eyes, "Wait, Angela, are you saying you're Miss AM?"
Angela was taken aback, suddenly remembering that the EP of pure piano music had already been released in early July, right? Damn it, she forgot about that because of her body's situation. She hurriedly asked, "You've already listened to 《Recollections》?"
Natalie shrugged, then took out a still crudely packaged EP from her backpack and raised it, saying, "I don't often listen to pop music, but my neighbor Ellie recommended this EP of pure piano music to me, so I bought it. It's really good, I love it. Afterward, I looked for the first EP by Miss AM and it's also quite good. She can write such nice songs and turn them into piano pieces. It's not easy, you know."
After saying that, she raised an eyebrow and looked at Angela as if to say, 'Don't try to deceive me.'
Angela pouted for a moment and then leaned in closer, saying, "Can you come to my grandpa's house after dinner? Or you can just join us for dinner there."
"What do you want to do?" Natalie leaned back and asked.
"I have a friend coming from England. She's studying at the University of Cambridge and chose a topic about the establishment and development of 17th-century New York for her summer vacation. We need a guide to show us around New York. You see, although I often come here, you definitely know more about this place than I do. So let's discuss it properly. Of course, more importantly..." Angela extended both hands and held them in front of Natalie's face, then clenched them into a fist with a smirk, "I'll teach you how to play the two pieces from《Recollections》on the piano!"
[TL Note:《Recollections》is not the name for a song but the name of the EP]
