Ghost

Chapter 1

"One, two, three, four! One, two, three, four!"

The dance instructor was merciless. The steps to the choreography poured out of her mouth like a broken dam. Spittle flew airborne, splattered against the mirrors, her intensity reminiscent of an angry drill sergeant. Even as a seasoned dancer, I was struggling to keep up with this unrelenting tempo.

In the back of my mind, a tiny seed of doubt had begun to sprout. I had questions. Uncertainties. Was I skilled enough? Did I achieve enough? Did I truly deserve to be performing on this stage? I knew deep inside that this was something I desperately wanted, but when confronted with the agony of failure, I was starting to wonder if this was all worth it.

Don't give up.

Sometime during the practice, the music in the background became strangely distant. The melody appeared muted, slowly fading, and soon all I could hear was the relentless beats.

Something didn't feel right, but I was determined to push through.

My vision blurred for a brief moment before suddenly snapping back into focus.

"Get ready, Suisei! Four, five, six, and jump!"

I spun and leapt off my left leg right as the beat dropped. It was a natural motion—a movement that I had done hundreds of thousands of times. For a brief second, I was airborne. My mind was flushed with the rush of elation. I'd done it. I was on beat. The timing was perfect. The choreography that I had struggled for so long had finally been conquered. As my reward, I basked in the fleeting sensation of weightlessness as I soared through the air. Then, like it always had, gravity pulled me back to earth.

Except this time, it was senselessly cruel.

-----

March 7th, 3PM.

The afternoon sun shone brightly over the streets of the crowded metropolis. Amongst the innumerable skyrises towering over the city, inside a certain apartment, a particular young lady sat before her computer.

Relax.

She stared blankly at the screen, currently displaying a loading animation, watching as the view counter climb. She was a live streamer, an entertainer of the digital age, where the click of a single button could broadcast her voice and likeliness to thousands of people online. It was currently the afternoon, near the end of the school day. Students from across the country will soon be tuning in to her voice during their commute back home.

She lifted her arms, and carefully wiped the sweat condensing on her forehead. Her hands were trembling. It was difficult to keep them still. There was a knot in her stomach, twisted by her rattled nerves. She was no amateur to this and yet despite that, the anxiety of switching on the camera never seemed to get easier.

Deep breaths.

She inhaled and slowly released.

Smile. Be energetic. Stay positive. Remember what your fans are listening to you for. They just had a long day at school. Classes were boring. The tests were tough. The assignments endless. With the stress and pressure weighing down on them, they turn on their smartphones to watch their favorite idol.

Me.

Click!

She forced herself to click on the foreboding button. The loading animation on the screen disappeared, revealing the visage of a composed young lady. Blue-haired. A gentle, elegant disposition. Adorned in a plaid coat patterned in gray and black. Wearing a faint smile.