A few days later, I stepped out to buy groceries.
The afternoon felt unusually quiet. Not empty, not dull, just calm in a way that made everything feel slower than usual. The sunlight rested gently on the ground, stretching across the pavement like it had nowhere else to be. Even the usual sounds of the building felt distant, as if the world had turned the volume down for a while.
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.
He stood there casually, hands in his pockets, looking like he was waiting for someone. But he wasn't alone.
Beside him stood someone who made me stop mid-step.
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 but clear once you paid attention. The way she stood was calmer. More composed. Less expressive, but sharper in a quiet way.
Then it clicked.
Her twin.
I raised my hand slowly and waved.
Axel noticed me first. His expression lit up, and 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 even clearer. Grace had a warmth to her, something open and easy. Siena felt more reserved, more observant, like she noticed everything but chose 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, almost without thinking, "Grace isn't coming?"
Both of them spoke at the same time.
Then stopped.
They looked at each other for a brief moment.
"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 after she's done."
"That makes sense," I said.
It really did. Still, I couldn't help picturing her sitting somewhere with her books, focused like always.
Their father called out to them from a distance.
They turned.
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.
As I stepped onto my corridor, my eyes moved automatically toward A Wing.
And there she was.
Grace.
She sat outside in her corridor, books spread around her, completely focused. A few strands of hair had slipped loose and rested softly against her face. Every now and then, she would tuck them back without even 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 one 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 every step. Every now and then, she asked a question 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 walked 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.
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 stayed for a moment longer than expected.
There was a small pause.
Then 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 said. "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 laughed lightly. "That wasn't necessary."
"Too late," she said.
When the food arrived, we sat together and ate.
Just noodles.
Simple.
But somehow, it felt better than usual.
Maybe it was the moment.
Maybe it was the company.
After finishing, we went back to watching.
One episode turned into two.
Then three.
Time stopped meaning anything.
The outside world felt far away.
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.
Then I took out my phone.
Without thinking too much, 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.