beyond the net - RAN TAKAHASHI. (ON HOLD)

020. routines and tulips

₊˚ . 🌱 ₊˚ ⌗﹒ﾟ.

── .✦ THE DAYS FOLLOWING the supercoppa win had passed in a blur of excitement and contentment for yn. winning such a prestigious title with her team had left her on cloud nine, but now she had another challenge ahead - her practice with the italian national team in milan, just days away. the idea of donning the azzurri colors, even for a practice session, still felt surreal to her, and the anticipation built as each day brought her closer to that dream.

however, while yn prepared herself mentally for the trip to milan, she found herself focusing just as much on supporting her best friend, alexis. the pressure of her own career was weighing heavily on her shoulders, and with her dance crew's big performance coming up in verona, alexis had been practicing relentlessly, determined to make sure the show went off without a hitch.

it was late afternoon, and the sun had already begun its descent, casting a warm, golden glow over the apartment as yn watched alexis go through her routine in their shared living space. the music echoed softly through the room, the rhythmic beats of the song guiding alexis's graceful movements as she moved across the floor, her face a mask of concentration. despite the fluidity of her dance, yn could sense the tension in her best friend, the way her brows furrowed ever so slightly with each step, as though the weight of perfection was pressing down on her.

alexis finished her sequence with a sharp pirouette and then stopped abruptly, letting out a frustrated sigh as she ran a hand through her tousled hair. "it's not right." she muttered under her breath, walking back to the corner of the room to start again.

yn frowned, concern flickering in her chest. she had seen alexis in this state before, completely absorbed by her craft and unable to see just how incredible she truly was. for the past few days, it had been non stop rehearsals, as alexis and her dance crew prepared for their performance in verona - an important show that meant everything to alexis.

"lex, you're being too hard on yourself." yn called out gently from where she was sitting, watching her best friend like a hawk. alexis didn't stop. "i just want it to be perfect," she replied, her voice tight with frustration. "this routine has to be flawless. i've been working on it for months."

yn stood up and crossed the room, stepping in front of alexis before she could launch into the next movement. "hey," she said softly, catching her attention. "you're going to be amazing. i know you are. but maybe pushing yourself this hard isn't going to help."

alexis blinked, her breath still a little uneven from the intensity of her practice. she looked at yn, clearly conflicted between her determination and her growing exhaustion.

"show me," yn suggested with a small smile, gesturing to the space around them. "let me see the routine. i know i'm not a dancer, but maybe it'll help to have fresh eyes on it."