Ruby stopped, breathing heavily with two fingers next to her right eye. Her cheeks were flushed, but she didn’t feel tired despite practicing the entire afternoon. Perhaps due to all that resistance training she had taken the last few months, or the idol routine finally paying off.
“I don’t know, I think I have this song mostly mastered. And Star-T-Rain too!” she said, taking her water bottle and sipping it. “But I also think I could improve my dancing a little. Was the singing better than last time?”
Leaving the bottle of water aside and sitting down, Ruby breathed slowly several times like Piyeon had taught her. Almost immediately, she started to feel less tired, and her heart recovered to a normal rhythm.
“But of course, I think we should mostly focus on our new songs” she said spreading her arms “ I can’t wait for the songs to be finished!”
Ruby opened her eyes, seeing her mother in front of her. She looked exactly the same as when she died, just three years older than Ruby was now. But always, always bright with her purple eyes and a smile that shimmered more than anything in this world.
“What do you think, Mama?”