After the banquet ended, Goff's parents helped their drunken son back to the car.
Kafka and Daisy sat in front of the bonfire and began chatting.
Perhaps they shared some similar quality, or perhaps Kafka had a special knack for putting people at ease. Whatever the reason, they hit it off.
Under the influence of alcohol, the slightly tipsy Daisy couldn't help sharing words she had kept buried in her heart for years with her newfound confidante:
"After graduating from secondary school, I followed in my father's footsteps and joined the Circus troupe. I actually worked as a singer for a while, but because my looks weren't appealing, I usually hid backstage and sang while the performers onstage lip-synced. The voice was mine, but the applause was theirs.
"Back then, I used to dream that one day I could step onto the stage and earn the audience's applause.
"Then my father fell ill. The medicine he needed was only available in Giantwood City, and it was expensive. My wages at the Circus couldn't possibly cover it.
"My mother passed away early, and my father and I had only each other as I grew up. Of course I couldn't bear to give up on him.
"Some people in town were making a lot of money smuggling back then. They'd actually invited me to join them before, but I was too scared to do it. Getting caught smuggling was a capital offense.
"But I had no choice then. I needed money, so much money. I went to them, cut off the long hair I'd spent so long growing, and drank a large bottle of potion to make my voice hoarse.
"I still remember it. I didn't cry when the potion burned my throat. But when I cut off my hair, I cried.