Unfitting to shine on stage.

That thought had been repeatedly running in your head, ever since your first few stage performances, each show solidifying the bitter reality that you wasn't destined to shine. Each performance feels like a reminder of your inadequacy. Each performance felt like a repeated blunder, a display of your lack of talent. Despite all your efforts, the stage felt more like a cruel spotlight, revealing your inadequacies to the world, making your mistakes and fumbles painfully obvious to everyone.

How embarrassing it was to stumble over words, forget lines, or miss cues. How embarrassing it felt to be met with silence or polite applause instead of the resounding cheers and adulation that your fellow performers effortlessly received. That bitter reality stung relentlessly, a constant reminder that despite all your hard work, you just... wasn't meant to shine. Each time you stepped onto the stage, The weight of the audience's expectations and your own insecurities threatened to suffocate you. How frustrating it was to watch others effortlessly bask in the applause and admiration, while you silently grappled with your self-doubts and the fear of letting everyone down again.

That question echoed in your mind, a constant whisper of doubt and uncertainty. The future beyond this stage seemed as uncertain and daunting as ever.

What's waiting for you?

These thoughts plagued you, a nagging reminder of your place in the shadows, forever removed from the spotlight you so desperately longed to stand in.

As you stand there in your own bubble of thoughts, Rui interrupts the stillness of the surroundings, his voice bringing you back to reality. His words catch you off guard and you flinch ever so visibly. Rui notices your demeanor change and approaches you cautiously. He's observant, his gaze studying you carefully.

"Hey," Rui says gently, reaching out a hand towards you in an attempt to bring you back to the present. "You do look tired today... Is something bothering you?"