My eyes snapped open. The ceiling of my room stared back at me, impassive. I sat up in bed. A dull ache throbbed in my right shoulder, right where Misaki had plunged the needle.
"Ah… it hurts, damn it…"
I brought my hand to my shoulder and massaged the area. The skin was tender, as if the cold of the yellow liquid still slithered beneath the surface.
I got out of bed and dragged myself to the bathroom. I turned on the hot water tap and waited for the steam to start fogging the mirrors. The soft waters fell over my skin, warm, enveloping, and for a moment the outside world ceased to exist.
But thoughts don't dissolve with hot water.
(Thinking back… did Misaki inject me?)
The image of her distraught face, the metal medical kit, the puncture… it all came back like a slap.
(It didn't seem like her. Or maybe it was the first time I'd seen her truly scared.)
"Well, well… let's put that aside."
I washed my hair. The soap bubbles slid down my body, oblivious to my existential dilemmas. My fingers paused for a moment on my chest, and then drifted downward, inevitably, toward that place that still felt strange and familiar at the same time.
(I'll never get used to them… But genetics are treacherous, aren't they?)
I finished bathing, dried myself with a fluffy towel, and got dressed in my uniform. In front of the mirror, the girl staring back at me was Sienna. Always Sienna. But behind those eyes, Dani was there too, like a ghost refusing to leave its home.
I opened the door and walked down the stairs toward the kitchen. The aroma of fried fish and spices hit me before I arrived.
"Huh? Dad, are you cooking?"
Hiroshi was at the stove, frying what looked like a whole fish. The oil crackled with a homely cheer. When he heard me, he turned, spatula held high as if it were a scepter.
"Wow, Sienna, you're up very early. How about you keep me company?"
"Keep you company? Sure… Do you need me to cut something?"
"Hahaha, don't worry, sweetheart. Just sit and be with me."
Dad seemed very happy. A quiet happiness, the kind that doesn't need explosions or fireworks. I sat at the dining table and rested my elbows on it, watching him cook. The steam rose in spirals, and the morning sun came through the stained-glass windows, painting the kitchen in golden hues.
"Sienna… how has school been these last few days?"
I placed my hands on my chin, leaning on the table like a little girl.
"Well… there were a few interesting things here and there… but normal."
"Normal?" He smiled. "That makes me very happy to hear. Anything else?"
"Ah, yes. I'm having a study group with Misaki and some friends."
He stopped for a moment. He set the spatula down on the counter and turned toward me with a big smile. Then he sat across from me, drying his hands with a cloth.
"Some friends? That's wonderful news! Who are they? Where do they come from?"
"Uhhh… There's Misaki, Daisy —a girl with orange hair—, Arisha —a repressed girl—… Together we'll form a study group."
Dad smiled and listened attentively. His eyes shone with that restrained pride only parents can have.
"That's great. And where will you do it? Here at home?"
I thought for a moment.
(Right… I hadn't thought of that.)
"Ah, we haven't decided yet."
"I see. It's so good you're making more friends."
He got up and went back to the kitchen. He pulled a small cloth bag from the spice cabinet.
"Seasonings? Are those seasonings, Dad?"
Dad didn't turn around. He kept cooking.
"Something like that. Go wake Misaki so she can eat."
"Right, right."
I stood up but stopped halfway.
(Where the hell is her room? Would it be stupid to ask?)
"Uhh… Dad?"
I clasped my fingers together, playing with them like a child about to ask for candy.
"Dad… where does Misaki sleep?"
Dad finally turned to look at me. His expression was a little confused, as if I'd just asked him what color the sky is.
"Sweetheart… are you feeling alright? She… sleeps in the attic. Just go to the end of the hallway and press the green button on the wall."
"Oh, right… how could I have forgotten…"
I smiled and left as quickly as I could, feeling the blush rise to my cheeks.
(Sleeping in an attic… well, it must be a nice attic, right?)
I finally reached the end of the hallway. A dark wooden wall, seemingly normal. I searched for the green button with my eyes. There it was, tiny, almost invisible, like a whispered secret.
"So… I press here?"
I pushed the button.
Zzzzz…
A hidden mechanism activated above my head. A small door in the ceiling opened, and a metal staircase slowly descended, like an invitation to another world.
"Wah… These rich people really do have everything."
I climbed the steps. The metal was cold under my bare feet. At the top, I pushed the door, but it wouldn't budge.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Misaki! Are you awake?"
"Ah… yes, I'm awake…"
Her voice sounded strange. Breathless, as if she'd just run a marathon.
"Are you in trouble? You sound winded…"
"Ah… no. I'll be down in a moment. Please, don't worry."
I hesitated for a moment. My hand stayed pressed against the wood.
"If you want, I can wait—"
"No! It's not necessary! Please, just go…!"
I stood still, staring at the wood. The grain of the door formed tiny swirls, like little universes trapped on the surface.
(Did I do something wrong?)
"Okay…"
I climbed down slowly. The metal steps echoed under my feet: clank, clank, clank.
(What's got her so worked up?)
We waited a while in the dining room until Misaki came down. Her hair was immaculate, her uniform perfectly pressed, her posture as rigid as a soldier before battle. But her eyes… her golden eyes wouldn't look at me.
We ate in silence. The food was delicious —Dad's fish had a sweet touch I couldn't identify, like honey mixed with something citrusy— but to me it tasted strange. Not because of the seasoning. Because of the emptiness.
Dad talked with Mom in a rather affectionate way. Camila, with her perpetual coffee cup, responded with monosyllables and the occasional crooked smile. An almost perfect family scene.
But Misaki didn't speak or look at me throughout the entire breakfast.
(Misaki hasn't spoken since this morning…)
Every little glance I gave her, she subtly avoided. As if my eyes were the sun and hers needed protection.
After breakfast, we left the mansion. The black Mercedes hadn't arrived yet, so we decided to walk. The tree-lined path leading to the school was carpeted with dry leaves. The morning wind smelled of damp earth and wildflowers.
We walked in silence. Our footsteps on the gravel: crunch, crunch, crunch. Two rhythms that couldn't quite sync up.
Misaki walked a step behind me. Always a step behind.
Almost at the buildings, I couldn't take it anymore. I stopped short, turned around, and took her hands.
"Misaki… did I do something wrong? If I did, can you forgive me?"
My hands wrapped around hers. Her fingers were cold. They were always cold when something tormented her.
"Y-you didn't do anything wrong. It's just that… I'm a little confused."
Misaki wouldn't meet my eyes at any point. Her gaze drifted to the ground, to the trees, to anywhere but me.
"I-I see… That being the case, will you still come to the library?"
I tried to press further, pulling her arm harder, as if I could yank an answer out of her with sheer touch.
"Yes… I'll be there. I won't fail you."
She smiled at me, face-on. A small, fragile smile, but real. Did that encourage me?
"Thank you."
Then I hugged her once more. Her hair smelled of lavender and her body was very warm. I felt her arms slowly rise and rest on my back. A shy, but sincere hug.
(Please, don't drift away from me.)
After that, we said goodbye once more, and I ran off to the classroom.
When I got to the classroom, the teacher hadn't arrived yet. A few girls were chatting in small groups, their voices forming a background murmur. I headed straight for the back, where Arisha was dozing on her desk.
"Hey!"
"Huh?"
She sat up, rubbing her eyes. Her reddish mane was more disheveled than usual, and dark purplish circles shadowed her eyelids.
"Don't you sleep, or what?" I asked as I sat down beside her.
"Not much… I have to help my sister…"
"I see. Very admirable." I leaned in and lowered my voice. "You know? I found what you asked me for."
Arisha shot up from her seat as if propelled by a spring. Her green eyes, previously drowsy, lit up with an almost childlike excitement.
"Seriously?! Where is it? Do you have it here?"
She started rummaging through my clothes. Her fingers dug into my pockets, my jacket, my skirt.
"Stop! Stop!"
She stopped. The girls stared at us. Some snickered under their breath.
"Okay… I don't have it yet… but I found where to get it."
"Oh, I see…"
Arisha turned her face away, blushing, and sat back down. Her fingers drummed impatiently on the desk.
BAM!
Someone burst into the classroom, flinging the door open. The hinges screeched.
"Sienna!"
Daisy ran toward us. Her orange hair flew behind her like a trail of fire. She stopped in front of me, panting.
"Listen, Sienna! We have to go to the library today, got it!"
She grabbed my hands with a strength I didn't know she had. Her violet eyes glistened with held-back tears.
"I don't want Dad to lower my rank again!"
A solitary tear rolled down her cheek.
Arisha turned her face toward the window.
"I don't think he'd throw you away…"
I placed my hand on Daisy's cheek. Her skin was warm and soft.
"Don't worry. We'll do our very best, okay?"
She nodded, sniffling.
The teacher entered the classroom after everyone finally took their seats. Her heels echoed against the marble floor: clack, clack, clack.
"Alright, ladies. Today I'll give you the final topic. Study hard, because the exams will be very important to see whether you'll go to university… or whether you'll have to take a different path."
From the digital screen, a complex topic emerged. Time stamps, grainy photos, newspaper clippings. The large letters read:
"Between heaven and earth, where God's magnificent palm dazzles us, we swear to follow His norms and face the profane, and forgive the unsalvageable…"
(So it's a religious country… how did I not notice before?)
"Now then, ladies…"
The teacher showed us a golden flag, adorned with flowers and with a woman at the center holding a baby in her arms. The image was beautiful, almost hypnotic.
"Remember that any woman who comes from Edernais must be shown no mercy!"
A shiver ran through the classroom. Some girls nodded fervently. Others lowered their eyes.
(Edernais… who could they be? And why so much hatred?)
After a day that felt eternal, classes finally ended. Our group gathered in the library. The smell of old paper and polished wood welcomed us like an embrace. The shelves rose to the ceiling, forming labyrinthine corridors bathed in the golden light of the standing lamps.
"Did you guys understand what the teacher said?" I asked, genuinely confused. I'd understood almost nothing.
"Just that the people from Edernais are barbarians, right?" Daisy made a complicated expression as she said it.
"It's that you should never trust them or turn your back on them," Arisha browsed through a book, gently running her fingers across the yellowed pages. "Because they're profane ones who are against our teachings, political issues and—"
We all stared at Arisha, who seemed surprisingly well-informed.
Misaki smiled beside her.
"I didn't know you were so informed. I've learned something new."
She placed her hand on her chest, as if hinting she was storing it in her heart.
"Tch, it's not that big a deal," Arisha shut the book quickly. "It's just that my sister goes to the temple from time to time, you know, she—"
While Arisha kept talking, I drifted away a little, observing the finely kept books one by one. My fingers brushed the leather spines, the golden letters, the corners worn by time.
Then, one with red edges caught my attention. I picked it up.
"What a beautiful book… It reminds me of fantasy books."
The cover was a work of art: a snow-white bird flying over a starry sky, with a tiny forest below. The title, in golden letters, read:
"The Longed-For Reunion"
"What a beautiful title…"
"Do you like that book?"
Misaki had stopped behind me without making a single sound. Her voice startled me.
"I… I find it interesting."
I pressed the book to my body, as if afraid someone might snatch it away.
"I see…"
Her eyes seemed melancholic for a moment. A shadow crossed her face, too quick to identify.
"Are those… all of them?" I asked, pointing at the books she was carrying.
"Oh, these?" She lifted them and showed me. They were thick textbooks, with colorful markers peeking out between the pages. "Yes. These will give us a good guide for the exams. But just in case, the others are looking for more."
"I see. So, shall we sit and wait, Misaki?"
She smiled and nodded.
"Yes. Let's sit together in the chairs."
We sat together, shoulder to shoulder, and I opened the red-edged book. We read in silence, with the excuse of spending time together. The story was about a bird that crossed the entire world to reunite with its mate, facing storms and predators. It was beautiful.
Then, two shadows were cast over our table.
"Well, well… wasting time on stupid things instead of studying."
I looked up. Hayato. And beside him, Madeline. Her green hair shone under the lamplight.
(Madeline's alone… no Hilda or Ellie. That's new.)
"We can use our time however we like, can't we?" I said, staring him down.
"Ha. Of course you can. But I'd thank you not to drag our distinguished student into your filth."
Hayato looked at me with disgust. As if I were a stain on his impeccable academic record.
Misaki got a little angry. I felt her tense up beside me. When she was about to stand up, Hayato pressed his hand down on the red-edged book. He crushed it against the table.
"Look at you, reading useless books like this, instead of learning what little fits in your brain."
Then, a tiny voice near Hayato whispered:
"I-it's my… favorite book…"
It was Madeline. Barely audible. But I heard it.
I said nothing. I just held Misaki's hand under the table, squeezing it tightly. My knuckles were white.
"Tch… No reaction, huh?"
Hayato walked away, but before leaving, he said over his shoulder:
"You shouldn't have the right to be at this school…"
I watched him leave. His figure disappeared among the shelves.
Misaki hugged me a little. Her arm wrapped around my shoulders, warm and protective.
"Hey… shall we keep reading?"
Misaki nodded. We kept reading until the girls returned. The silence between us was no longer awkward. It was a shared silence.
We checked out our books with the librarian —an older woman with tiny glasses and a patient smile— and gathered outside.
"Well, we'll see each other tomorrow at Daisy's house."
"Don't forget! It's super, super important that you're all there!"
Daisy shouted at us, excited. Her hands formed an improvised megaphone. One by one they left: Arisha with her carefree stride, Daisy hopping like a little bunny.
When it was our turn to leave, the car still hadn't arrived. Misaki and I sat on a stone bench by the entrance. The first stars were beginning to twinkle in the violet evening sky.
I rested my head on her lap. Misaki's uniform smelled of lavender, and the fabric was soft under my cheek.
And then, she sang.
Her voice was low, almost a whisper. An ancient lullaby, the kind passed down from generation to generation.
"Before time had a name,
when the Goddess walked among us, her beloved children,
the Goddess wove the dream of the forests
and at dawn sang to be reborn…
Every animal asleep in its eternal dream
awoke again to the echo of her voice…
It was harmony, the first existing miracle,
life dancing beneath her laurel…"
My eyes closed as I listened to her delicate voice. I felt at peace. As if the entire world could crumble, and as long as Misaki sang, nothing bad could happen to me.
(I could listen to her all my life…)
The spell was broken by the roar of an engine. The black Mercedes stopped in front of us. Osvaldo got out of it.
"Sorry for the wait, ladies. I had to come back as fast as I could."
(Osvaldo… He's finally back. Good.)
We got into the car. I leaned my head on Misaki's shoulder. The engine purred and the vehicle pulled away smoothly.
I looked back, through the rear window.
And then I saw him.
In the middle of the street, bathed in the orange light of the sunset, there was a blond boy. Our age, maybe a little older. His golden hair shone like wheat under the sun. He was staring at us.
He didn't move. He just watched.
The car turned the corner, and his figure vanished.