Chapter 10 — A Shift in the Silence
The crisp air of mid-May carried the scent of blooming irises as students adjusted back into their academic routines.
The festival had become a memory, one softened by time and reshaped into nostalgic whispers.
Yet for Elira, each day felt like she was walking on the surface of a still pond—any step might ripple into something deeper.
She had always lived in the background. Drawing stories, reading others. Watching Elena shine in her quiet way.
But now, something shifted. Not in a dramatic blaze of change, but like a chair subtly moved in a room she knew by heart.
Kaito.
He still smiled when he saw her. Still remembered her favorite genre, brought her snacks during lunch, even shared silly cat videos on their class chat just to see her giggle.
But something unspoken stirred beneath those interactions—a kind of awareness. As if every conversation carried an extra weight neither of them wanted to name.
One morning, a low murmur rippled through the classroom as students crowded around a notice posted near the front.
"Summer Student Exchange Applications Now Open — Deadline: Next Friday."
Elira stood frozen. Exchange programs were rare and highly selective. Their school offered only one slot per grade.
Kaito walked in moments later, his expression curious as he read the notice.
"Thinking about it?" Elira asked before she could stop herself.
He blinked, then smiled. "Maybe. I've always wanted to see Kyoto."
Elira nodded, tucking her sketchbook under her arm. "You'd get picked."
"I'm not sure," he said honestly. "But… you should try too. There's a cultural arts program in Sapporo. I read about it last year."
She laughed softly. "Me? Leave for the summer?"
"Why not? Your art deserves to travel."
She flushed. "I'd miss everything here."
Kaito looked at her with an unreadable expression. "Some things will wait. Others… might grow from the distance."
She didn't know what he meant exactly.
But his voice stayed with her long after the bell rang.
Elena sat on the rooftop during lunch that day, her favorite spot for writing when the classroom felt too crowded. The soft breeze teased strands of her hair as she wrote, the tip of her pen dancing across the page.
"Editing Club is opening submissions again," a voice interrupted gently.
Elena turned to find a familiar figure—Rintaro Takahashi. The quiet boy from class 2-D, always seen with a book under one arm and a thermal flask of herbal tea.
He smiled nervously. "I thought I'd let you know. I… submitted a new short story."
Elena blinked. "You're R.T.?"
He chuckled. "Surprise."
"You said you liked how I edited your last piece."
"I meant it. Your changes brought the story to life."
She looked down at her notebook. "You write like someone who's lived a thousand lives."
"And you edit like someone who's saved them all."
They sat in silence for a moment, broken only by the rustle of leaves.
"Would you like to… read the new one together sometime?" he asked.
Elena hesitated. Then smiled. "I'd like that."
That evening, at home, the twins sprawled across their bedroom floor, each surrounded by papers, pens, and snacks.
Elira was rereading her sketchbook while Elena typed up a feedback email.
"Someone likes you," Elira teased, nudging her sister.
Elena's face turned crimson. "It's not like that. He's just a talented writer."
"You never blush over talent."
"I don't blush over anything!"
"You're blushing now."
They both laughed, the tension from the past weeks slowly melting away.
Elira's laughter faded into a thoughtful quiet. "Do you think we're changing?"
Elena paused. "I think we're becoming more ourselves."
"But… what if the people we're becoming want different things?"
"Then we'll learn how to want together."
It was a simple sentence. But Elira felt it settle deep in her heart.
...
The following days were a blur of test prep, club meetings, and discreet exchanges.
Kaito continued to walk part of the way home with the twins whenever he could, sometimes carrying Elena's bag, other times helping Elira fold a new zine she was preparing for Art Club's summer exhibit.
One afternoon, while waiting out a sudden downpour under the old shrine gate near the school, Elira spoke again.
"Would you miss us? If you got into the exchange program?"
Kaito looked at her sideways, a raindrop clinging to his lashes.
"Of course I would."
"Even if we drifted apart?"
His answer was quiet. "We won't. Not unless we choose to."
She nodded, unsure if that made her feel better or worse.
Then, with a sudden burst of courage, she said, "I'm thinking about applying too."
He blinked. "To Sapporo?"
"Yeah. I want to try."
Kaito's smile was radiant. "You should. I'll help with your application essay if you help with mine."
Deal struck.
And the rain, strangely, felt like a blessing.
Friday came too quickly. Submission day.
They stood together at the faculty office, holding their neatly typed forms. Elira's fingers trembled slightly, but Kaito's steady hand over hers grounded her.
"Ready?"
She nodded.
Together, they slid their applications into the designated box.
...
Two weeks later, results were posted.
The hallway outside the teacher's lounge was packed. Students craned their necks. Elira held Elena's hand. Kaito stood behind them, silent but solid.
There it was.
Selected for Summer Cultural Exchange:
— Kaito Yamazaki (Kyoto International School)
— Elira Hayashi (Sapporo Art Institute)
For a full three seconds, Elira couldn't breathe.
Then her sister's arms wrapped around her.
"You did it," Elena whispered, voice thick with pride.
Kaito tapped her shoulder. "Guess we'll both have a summer to remember."
Elira looked between them. Something in her heart lifted and broke at once. But it was the good kind of break. The kind that made room for something new.
...
That night, Elira couldn't sleep.
She walked out to the porch, hugging a blanket around her shoulders. The stars above were clear.
A soft sound behind her—Elena.
"You okay?" she asked.
"I think so."
They sat together on the porch step.
"I'm scared," Elira admitted.
"So am I."
"But I think… we need to grow."
Elena nodded. "We've hidden behind each other for so long. Maybe it's time to shine on our own a bit."
Elira rested her head against Elena's. "Will you be okay without me for a whole summer?"
"No," Elena said honestly. "But I'll manage. You're not disappearing. Just expanding."
They stayed there, letting the night hold them. Change was coming. But it didn't have to mean loss.
In the days leading up to their departure, the twins created a shared journal. A promise book.
Each would write in it every day of the summer. No matter how far. No matter how busy.
Drawings. Notes. Inside jokes. Observations. Their link would stay strong. And when they returned—when summer gave way to the second semester—they'd read it all.
Together.
On the morning of their parting, the train platform buzzed with travelers. Kaito stood beside Elira, suitcase in hand.
"I'll message every day," he said.
"Same."
They didn't hug. But their fingers brushed as the train arrived.
Elena waved from the other side of the platform, her eyes shimmering with emotion.
"I'll be waiting," she mouthed.
And then they were gone.
Elira looked out the window as the scenery Together A new story was beginning.
Not a goodbye.
But a turning page.
To be continued...