Rui
I slip out of my seat and make my way to the back of the theater. As I push by the unhappy actors and stagehands milling about, I hear murmurs— whispering about how Nene "ruined everything" and "wish she wasn't in it." It makes my blood boil, but I ignore them and head straight to where I know she'll be.
When I find her backstage, she's sitting alone, tucked in a corner, her face buried in her hands. She's trembling. My heart twists painfully. I don't want her to go through what I did.
"Nene," I say quietly, stepping closer.
She doesn't look up.
Nene: "I messed up, Rui," she mutters, her voice small and broken. "I ruined everything and everyone."
I kneel down next to her, looking at the ground for a moment, then back at her.
"You didn't ruin anything."
She doesn't respond, just shakes her head.
Nene: "Ha, they're saying I should quit..." her voice cracks. "Maybe they're right."
I sigh and look at her, really look at her. After showing her The Little Mermaid, she always pushed herself to become like the actor.
"Listen," I said softly. "You shouldn't force yourself to do shows anymore."
Finally, she looked at me, her eyes widen as if she hadn't expected me to do that.
"You don't have to do this," I continue. "It's okay to step away if it's hurting you."
Nene
I blink at him, his words sinking in slowly. He's not... pushing me? He's not telling me that it's okay and everything's gonna go well the next time? I thought for sure he'd try to encourage me, to keep going like we used to when we were kids. But he's not saying any of that.
Before I could say anything, he gets up and begins to walk away.
"Wait..." I whisper, my voice shaky. "I still... I still want to do shows. I love being on stage. But..." my voice falters, and I can't bring myself to admit the rest. That I'm scared. That my anxiety has taken over.
Rui keeps walking, his back turned to me, as if he didn't hear. The distance between us grows, and I feel the words stuck in my throat, burning to be said.
"I... I'm afraid, Rui. Of messing up again. I don't know if I can handle it."
But he doesn't stop.
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Saving Me: Ruinene
FanfictionCONTAINS GOOD GRAMMAR In this emotional journey, Rui Kamishiro and Nene Kusanagi have been inseparable since childhood, bonded by their love for creating shows and performances. As they grow older, Nene begins to struggle with social anxiety, while...
