"Just do it," Ruby said casually, ignoring his reaction. She placed the pencil in her hand and waited patiently.
Karl hesitated, his fingers twitching slightly. Finally, with a deep breath, he reached out and placed his hands over hers, his touch awkward and hesitant. His baby-blue eyes avoided her face, his ears turning a faint shade of red.
"See? Not so hard," Ruby said, smiling lightly as she adjusted her grip with his hands over hers. "Now watch carefully."
She began moving the pencil slowly, forming the letter A with steady strokes, guiding his hands along with hers. Karl stayed quiet, his focus entirely on the paper. His earlier irritation seemed to melt away, replaced by cautious curiosity as he followed her movements.
"Like that," Ruby said softly, tilting her head to look at him. "Now try it on your own."
Karl finally looked up, his eyes meeting hers for a brief moment before darting back to the paper. He nodded slightly, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Okay," he murmured.
Karl tried to write on his own, gripping the pencil awkwardly, and after some effort, he finally managed to write the letter A. The lines were uneven, and his handwriting was shaky, but he looked at it with a small sense of accomplishment.
Ruby observed him silently, her eyes catching the way his fluffy black hair fell messily over his forehead, the strands brushing against his fair skin. His expression of concentration, mixed with his slightly crooked grip on the pencil, made him look unexpectedly adorable. She couldn’t help but think, He’s actually a pretty cute guy.
"Alright," she said, straightening up, "make sure to write all the letters now. Keep practicing."
She glanced at Julian and noticed he was biting his lips, his mossy-green eyes focused on her. There was something unreadable in his expression, and she raised an eyebrow slightly but didn’t comment.
Julian quickly looked away when their eyes met, his chest tightening. He had seen how Ruby patiently guided Karl by holding his hands, and a wave of regret swept through him. Why didn’t I think of that? he thought bitterly. If I had asked for help like that, she might have held my hands too.
But he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He just kept writing quietly, his heart feeling heavy with emotions.
Meanwhile, Ruby turned her attention to the fabric she had brought earlier. She picked up another pencil, one that was already worn down from her previous use, and began making careful outlines on the fabric. Her movements were slow as she marked which sections to cut, creating the foundation for her design.
She wasn’t a professional and she knew her work might not be perfect. Every stitch, every cut was something she was learning on her own, guided only by trial and error.
In her past life, she had designed clothes on high-quality computers, where patterns and adjustments were just a matter of a few clicks. Back then, precision was guaranteed by advanced software, and the process required more creativity and vision than technical skill.
But here, everything was different. She had to rely entirely on her hands, her instincts, and the rough tools available to her.
Ruby carefully started cutting the fabric along the lines she had drawn. Her hands trembled slightly, and she paused every now and then, afraid she might cut it wrongly. The scissors felt heavy in her grip as she focused on each snip, making sure everything was precise.
When she finished, she let out a deep breath, relieved. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve and looked up, only to find Julian watching her.
"What are you doing... Wi— I mean, Ruby?" Julian asked hesitantly. He had seen her working on stitching fabric many times now and was genuinely curious. Is she making clothes for herself? he wondered.
"Making robes," Ruby replied simply, her tone casual as she smoothed out the fabric she had just cut.
Julian raised his brows. "Why?" he asked, not out of doubt but curiosity.
"To sell," Ruby replied, her voice steady as she picked up the next piece of fabric to prepare it.
Julian nodded, his lips pressing together as he tried to hide the small smile forming on his face. Deep down, he felt a sense of pride. At least she’s doing something, he thought, recalling how, in the past, she had spent her days drinking and wasting away. Seeing her now, focused and determined, was a relief—and it made him strangely happy.
Karl, however, looked shocked. His baby-blue eyes widened, and he stopped writing entirely. "Sell?" he muttered under his breath, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.
Ruby didn’t seem to notice his reaction. She continued her work, picking up the fabric she had just cut and holding it up to check the measurements.
"But where are you going to sell... Wi—Ruby?" Julian asked, his voice hesitant yet curious.
Ruby glanced at him, her hands still busy adjusting the fabric. "To the market," she replied simply. She hadn’t thought much about the details yet, though a flicker of worry crossed her mind. How will I market these clothes? she wondered silently.
Back in her previous life, marketing had never been her responsibility. She had an entire team dedicated to it, ensuring her ideas reached the right audience. But here, it was just her, and she wasn’t sure if people would buy clothes from someone they didn’t know.
Julian sighed, leaning forward slightly. "People usually buy clothes from shops, Ruby. And if you want to have your own shop someday, you’ll need to build some stock first," he explained gently.
Hearing his words, Ruby fell silent. She knew he was right, but the reality of the situation stung a little. Her determination was still there, but now the challenge seemed a little bigger than she had anticipated.
Karl, who had been quietly watching, bit his pencil hard, his baby-blue eyes filled with mixed emotions as he looked between Ruby and Julian.
—To be continued...🪄