I hope next chapter will continue on this rather than jumping away.
But the incoming year end break (one edition sandwiched between two break weeks) and Aka's reputation made it very likely he will just drop a bomb and then take a strategic break to make it like 3-4 weeks at least until next chapter (jumping to another plot).
It's nice that this one directly continue from the previous chapter.
The Akane and Aqua's interaction for example, ends as just a tease.
About the acting and chapter.
I'd be happier if Aka had elaborated where Ruby stumbled. Based on previous chapter, this time it would be scenes related to Ai's relationship to other B-Komachi members, and he cut it short by saying she is hitting a wall.
Back in chapter 120, he at least give an idea about the underlying cause (Sarina has an idealized view of a mother, so she can't understand Ai's feeling).
This time, it wouldn't hurt if he let Ruby elaborate more, why she think her acting is inadequate, what part of did she think her acting is inadequate in understanding the real Ai.
So, I might be wrong in this. Kana is an experienced actress. She use her experience to empathise with the character and know better how to act as them. Ruby is inexperienced, will she got caught in the pitfall of thinking the character will act like her after she got similar experience. Because how Ai react to Nino's telling her to die, won't be the same as how Ruby react to Kana telling her to die. Like, Ai probably accepted the feeling with a kind of surrender, while Ruby might still be trying to fix things up.
Hmm.. I don't get it. Is it worth it for Kana to say that? I mean, that's her honest feelings. It's not just her "acting" to get Ruby motivated. Yeah, I don't get it.
Kana and Nino are not the same person.
Kana does feel the envy to Ruby, but she made different choices. Unlike Nino, she got another place and another passion (acting). So she can think she and Ruby will be going different way, and she's not just running away, because acting had been what she always wanted anyway. So that feeling would hurt her less than it did to Nino.
She only say it out now to let Ruby experience Ai's rejection by Nino. Her feeling is real, but not as severe as it looks.
And as shown in earlier chapters, she had the tendency to sacrifice herself. So it's worth the risk of tragedy for her.
Kana might know where Ruby stumbled, but as I mentioned above, would have like it better if we the readers are also shown in what way she is misinterpreting Ai so much she know it need to be fixed.
Also, Akane is counted as Ruby's family. I wonder why... 🤔
That part is really problematic.
Seeing from how Ruby explain it, her definition of family in that context are people (she believe) are close to her and still caught in Ai's death.
She only knew Akane as her brother's ex-girlfriend, but never have any idea she is involved, or heavily influenced by Ai's death.
