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It was 10 minutes till the show began. Most of her troupe were getting settled in their places. Tsukasa was finishing his warm-ups and going over some reminders with Emu, and Rui was doing the last checks for the lighting and equipment. But, Nene stood by the stage, heart pounding against her chest.
She felt it all over again. The nausea and the tightness around her chest. Her throat felt uncharacteristically dry and painful. Worst of all, her hands couldn't stop shaking. Their grip tight against the sheet of paper, eyes scanning each line but never fully reading them. But, she had to read it, she had to remember it, remember every line, don't mess up. Don't mess up. Don't mess up.
"Nene~" A singsong voice chimed from around the corner, peaking through to find the last member of their group. "Everyone is ready except for you—"
Rui was quick to fall silent, watching her hands tremble uncontrollably as her eyes zoned in on the pages. His heart shattered into a million pieces, recalling the moment that turned her away from her love of performing. He didn't need a second to deliberate; he immediately stepped forward, gently placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Nene?" he called out, softer this time.
Nene snapped back, stumbling over her legs. Losing her balance, she frantically tried to catch herself before feeling a pair of arms wrap around her, holding her steady.
"It's ok," he reassured, his embrace tight around her. "You're not alone, you'll be ok."
Nene, even in his arms, struggled to believe that. "But, what if…" her voice quivered. "What if I do it again…"
"You won't, you haven't, not in a long time," he reassured her. "You've done incredible during practice. And if it does happen, we'll be here to help. No one will leave you alone like that, never again."
A soft yet shaky sigh left her lips. Her arms stretched around him, returning the embrace. Her face sunk into his chest, uncaring whether the tears would stain his shirt. All she cared was the comfort he provided, the promise he was making at this very moment.
A minute passed, her arms grew loose around him. Carefully, he let go, taking a step back. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, I am," she whispered, slowing down her breaths. "We should… Get ready as well, right?"
Rui smiled, taking her hand. "Yes, we should. Everyone is almost ready."
Nene nodded her head slowly. The feeling of his gentle tug led her along, meeting the rest of Wonderlands Showtime in the back. Emu greeted her enthusiastically while Tsukasa went on about how there was only 5 minutes left till showtime. All the while, Rui stayed by her side, thumb gently rubbing against hers to remind her that it'll be alright.