Episode 25: An Introvert Who Gets Carried Away Easily

“Ruri. Still at it? You’ll oversleep if you don’t get to bed soon.”

Möbius-san, just out of the bath, said it while watching me practice dance moves with my phone propped up in front of me.
This wasn’t the full choreography for the actual event — it was for a short video to post on social media.

“B-but I still haven’t memorized it…!”

The plan was for each of us to practice the social media video routine on our own time and film it before Sweet Stella opens.
I wanted to somehow get tomorrow’s filming down and get to sleep, but I just couldn’t lock it in.

It’s only a thirty-second dance, and it shouldn’t even be difficult… so why can’t I remember it!?

The answer’s simple. Because my coordination is terrible.
But knowing the answer doesn’t fix anything. Bad at it or not, I have to do it anyway.

“…Ruri, which part’s tripping you up?”
“It’s not really one part, it’s more like… everything’s just a blur at this point…”
“Ah.”

Seeing me on the verge of tears, Möbius-san tied her freshly-dried hair back into a quick knot.

“I bet it’s because you’re trying to memorize the whole thing at once.”
“Eh?”
“Instead of learning it all in one go, start with the hands. Then the feet. Then put both together at the end. Do it in that order, and it should go better than it is now.”
“In order…”
“Alright, let me teach you the hand motions first.”

Even though she’d just gotten out of the bath and probably didn’t want to work up a sweat again, Möbius-san carefully walked me through the choreography.
Parts I’d watched over and over on video without understanding suddenly clicked the moment Möbius-san showed me in person.

“Th-that’s amazing…”
“Well, I used to take dance lessons, a long time ago.”
“Really!?”
“Nothing serious, though. Ruri, think you’ve got it now?”
“Yes! Ah, but um, if it’s not too much trouble, could we run through it together one more time tomorrow morning…?”
“Sure. Alright, go hop in the bath already.”

Möbius-san gave me a push toward the bathroom. Since I’d already decided I was going to stay awake through class no matter what, I wanted to lock in as much sleep as I could.

Work, social media, school.
I’m going to properly try hard at all of it. Get Maria’s approval, pay off tuition properly.

I made up my mind, so I have to actually do it!

◆

“Wah, that just now was really good, wasn’t it? I think everyone’s moves were in sync!”

Miyuki-san was the one who gave the final approval, checking the footage we’d just filmed.

“Th-that’s a relief…”
“Riri-chan, you worked so hard. Amazing!”

Miyuki-san patted my head with a gentle smile. Miyuki-san always gives off this constant aura of comfort, and getting praised by her always makes me grin despite myself.

“Guh, guhi…”
“Oh, and Riri-chan, that selfie you posted this morning was getting a ton of traction, wasn’t it!? Even I got excited about it. Riri-chan really is just so cute.”
“Fuhi, well, I mean, ehehe…”
“Miyuki-san. If you praise her that much, Ruri’s going to get full of herself. She gets carried away really easily, you know.”
“Eh? But Riri-chan getting carried away is cute too.”
“Guh…”

Every time someone praises me, my inner validation-hunger gauge climbs a little higher.
And imagining the like count on this morning’s selfie still climbing even at this exact moment satisfied that hunger even further.

“E-everyone! Let’s work hard at the job today too!”

With my need for validation fully satisfied, I can even manage to raise my voice loud like this.