A few days later, I stepped out to buy groceries, not expecting anything out of the ordinary. The afternoon felt unusually quiet. Not empty, not dull, just calm in a way that made everything feel slower than usual. Sunlight rested gently across the pavement, stretching lazily as if it had nowhere else to be. Even the usual sounds of the building felt distant, like someone had turned the volume down on the world.
I didn't think much of it at first. I just walked.
But as I reached the ground floor near the guard room, something caught my attention.
Axel was standing there, hands in his pockets, looking like he was waiting for someone. That wasn't unusual. What made me stop was the person beside him.
For a moment, I genuinely thought it was Grace.
Same face. Same eyes. Same height.
It felt like I was looking at the same person twice.
But something didn't match. There was a difference—subtle at first, but clear once I focused. The way she stood was calmer, more composed. Less expressive, but sharper in a quiet, observant way.
Then it clicked.
Her twin.
I raised my hand and waved. Axel noticed me first, his expression lighting up as he nudged the girl beside him. They both turned toward me and started walking over.
"Hey," he said.
"Hi," I replied, my gaze shifting between them. "…Grace?"
The girl shook her head lightly, a faint smile forming. "Siena."
Right.
I nodded, a little embarrassed, but also curious. "Yeah… that makes sense."
Up close, the difference became clearer. Grace had a warmth to her, something open and easy. Siena felt more reserved, like she noticed everything but chose carefully what to show.
We stood there talking for a while. Nothing deep, just small conversation, but it felt natural.
"So where are you guys going?" I asked.
"Family gathering," Axel replied.
I nodded, then asked without thinking, "Grace isn't coming?"
Both of them answered at the same time, then stopped. They glanced at each other briefly.
"You go," Axel said.
Siena continued smoothly, "She has homework to finish. If she comes now, she won't be able to complete it there. And we might get late coming back, so she'll come later."
"That makes sense," I said.
It really did. Still, I found myself picturing her somewhere with her books, focused like always.
Their father called out to them from a distance. They turned immediately. I straightened slightly and greeted their parents respectfully before stepping aside.
"Bye," Axel said.
Siena gave a small wave.
I watched them leave for a second longer than necessary before continuing on my way.
By the time I returned, grocery bag in hand, the building felt even quieter than before. Almost like everything had paused in between.
As I stepped onto my corridor, my eyes moved automatically toward A Wing.
And there she was.
Grace sat outside, books spread around her, completely focused. A few strands of her hair had slipped loose and rested softly against her face. Every now and then, she brushed them aside without thinking, her attention never leaving the page for long.
I stopped.
Just for a second.
Then she looked up.
Our eyes met.
And she smiled.
"Are you good at maths?" she called out.
I blinked, slightly caught off guard. "Uh… I get good marks. Answer questions in class. Help friends sometimes."
I scratched the back of my head. "Yeah… I'm pretty good."
"Will you help me?" she asked.
"Sure," I replied instantly.
"Can you come here?"
I was already walking before she finished.
The hallway between B Wing and A Wing was something I had crossed many times before. But today, it felt different. It didn't feel like just a connection between two buildings anymore. It felt like I was stepping into something new—something I didn't fully understand yet.
When I reached her, she shifted her books slightly and pushed a notebook toward me. "This one."
I glanced at it and smiled. "Alright. Let's do it."
We started solving.
She leaned slightly closer as I explained, listening carefully—not just nodding, but actually thinking through each step. Every now and then, she asked something that showed she wanted to understand, not just finish.
"You explain really well," she said.
"I just try not to confuse people," I replied.
She smiled.
And for some reason, that felt better than it should have.
After a while, she suddenly stood up. "Wait."
She went inside and came back with snacks, placing them beside me.
"You didn't have to do that," I said.
"It's fine," she replied casually.
"…Thanks," I said.
We continued, and it didn't take long before we finished everything.
"That was quick," she said, leaning back slightly.
"Teamwork," I replied.
She laughed softly.
The sound lingered for a moment longer than expected.
There was a small pause before she asked, "Are you free?"
"Yeah."
"My dad will take some time to come back," she said. "Do you want to watch something?"
I nodded. "Sure."
We started watching The Vampire Diaries. At first, I didn't expect much, but within minutes, I was interested.
"This is actually really good," I said.
She smiled slightly. "I know."
"We should continue this," I added. "Like… watch together."
"Yeah," she said. "We can sync it."
We kept watching.
Somewhere between the first episode and the second, something shifted. Not loudly, not suddenly—but quietly. The silence didn't feel awkward anymore. The conversations didn't feel forced. It just felt… easy.
Her phone rang. She got up, answered it, then came back.
"My dad's stuck in traffic," she said. "And his tire got punctured. He'll take some time."
I nodded.
"He said he'll order lunch," she added. "I told him you're here."
I raised an eyebrow slightly.
"He said that's good," she continued. "He's ordering for you too."
I let out a small laugh. "That wasn't necessary."
"Too late," she said.
When the food arrived, we sat together and ate. Just noodles. Simple. But somehow, it felt different. Better.
Maybe it was the moment.
Maybe it was the company.
After that, we went back to watching. One episode turned into two. Then three.
Time stopped mattering.
By the time her father arrived, the sky had softened into evening. We paused the episode.
"You must be Soren," he said.
"Yes, sir."
"Thank you for helping her."
"It was nothing," I replied.
Grace glanced at me.
That same quiet smile.
"I should go," I said.
"Bye," she said.
"Bye."
I walked back to my side.
From my corridor, I watched as their car slowly pulled away. For a moment, I just stood there, not really thinking about anything.
Then I took out my phone.
Without overthinking, I typed:
I had a really good day today. I liked your company. Hope you have a great evening.
I sent it.
The message delivered.
A few seconds passed.
Then my phone buzzed.
Me too :) Next time.
I stared at the screen for a moment.
Then looked up again.
The car was gone.
But something stayed.
Something quiet.
Something new.
Something real.
And for the first time—
I didn't just feel it.
I understood it.