Chapter 13 — The Welcome Back That Wasn't
The first Monday after Elira's return came faster than expected. Summer break had only a few days left, but the school had called for a voluntary preparation session for committee members.
Since Kaito was still class president, and Elena and Elira were both involved in the Literature and Art Clubs respectively, all three were expected to attend.
Kaito arrived early, as usual. The classroom still smelled like old wood and chalk. The windows were open, letting in the soft scent of morning dew and blooming summer grass.
He settled into his seat and glanced at the door every few seconds. He had seen Elena in recent weeks, of course. But Elira? He hadn't seen her since the start of the summer.
When the twins walked in together, the whole room shifted. Heads turned. Conversations stilled for a breath.
It wasn't just that Elira had changed—cut her bangs, wore a subtle touch of color on her lips, and carried herself with more confidence—but the dynamic between her and Elena had shifted, too. There was a gravity to them now, like two halves of a whole reunited.
"Hey," Kaito said, standing awkwardly.
"Hi," Elira answered, and for a second, her smile faltered with a hint of shyness. Elena nudged her gently, and the expression became more genuine.
"Welcome back," he added. "You look… I mean, it's good to see you."
"Thanks. It's good to be back."
They took their usual seats. The rest of the class fell into a hush, then into a wave of murmuring.
"Is that really her?"
"She looks so different."
"Did she always draw like that? I saw her exhibition poster online."
The whispers didn't bother Elira as much as they used to. Instead, she opened her sketchbook and began sketching the room. Drawing always calmed her nerves.
But then, someone she hadn't expected to see again approached.
Minami.
Minami had been one of the more passive bullies from middle school—the kind who laughed at the right times and never defended them. She hadn't laid a hand on the twins, but her silence had hurt almost as much.
"Hey, Elira," Minami said.
Elira looked up. "Hi."
"You're… back. I saw your art. You're really good."
"Thanks."
"I just wanted to say… um, sorry. For how I was. Before."
The classroom noise dulled. Elena sat up straighter.
"I didn't know how to deal with… different people. But I'm trying to be better now. I hope we can be friends."
Elira paused. Her pencil hovered above her page. Her heart thudded.
"I don't know if we can be friends," she said slowly. "But I accept your apology."
Minami nodded. "That's fair."
She walked away, and Elira finally let out the breath she'd been holding.
Kaito leaned closer. "That was… brave."
"I'm tired of pretending I'm not hurt," she said. "But I don't want to stay angry forever."
After the committee session ended, the twins and Kaito walked home together. The streets were hot, but shaded by the canopy of ginkgo trees that lined the road.
"How does it feel to be back?" Kaito asked.
Elira considered. "Like waking up from a dream and realizing the world's a little louder than you remember."
Elena chuckled. "You've been reading too much of my stuff."
"I missed your metaphors."
They laughed together, and it felt natural. Familiar.
At a corner convenience store, they stopped for ice cream. Elira grabbed her favorite—chocolate almond bar—and Elena picked the classic matcha cone. Kaito hesitated before choosing strawberry, which made the twins exchange a knowing glance.
"Still your favorite?" Elena teased.
"Don't judge me. It's nostalgic."
As they walked, Kaito asked quietly, "Are you both… okay now?"
There was silence. Then Elira said, "We're better. We're learning."
Elena nodded. "It's not perfect. But we're not alone."
Back home, the twins sat in their room surrounded by piles of books, art supplies, and the soft hum of the fan.
Elira reached for a small envelope from her bag.
"What's that?" Elena asked.
"My sketch for the Tokyo exhibition."
She pulled out a folded piece of thick paper. Unfolding it revealed a detailed drawing of two girls sitting on a rooftop under a starlit sky.
One girl held a pen, the other a pencil. Both looked up—not at the stars, but at each other.
Elena stared. "Is that… us?"
"It was called The Distance Between Stars."
"I love it."
"I wanted to bring a piece of you with me, even when you weren't there."
Elena looked down. "I should've asked to visit. I thought… you needed space."
"I did. But space doesn't mean absence."
They didn't speak for a while. Just sat, side by side, letting the silence weave its quiet magic.
That night, Elena couldn't sleep. She kept thinking about what Kaito had asked.
Are you both okay now?
She rose from her bed, careful not to wake Elira, and opened her laptop. She clicked open a fresh document and began typing.
Title: The Girl Who Found Her Reflection
Once, there were two girls who lived inside mirrors. One drew the world, the other wrote it. They never knew they were looking at each other until one of them stepped through the glass.
She wrote until the sun rose.
The first day of school arrived with a flutter of nerves. The twins dressed in crisp uniforms, checked their schedules, and prepared to face their classmates again—not as quiet, strange girls hiding behind books and pencils, but as themselves.
Elira tied her hair back and wore one of the necklaces she bought in Sapporo. Elena clipped a tiny pen charm to her schoolbag. Little changes. Bold declarations.
As they walked into the building, something strange happened.
People smiled at them.
Some waved.
Others approached with compliments, shy questions, and even club invitations.
It wasn't a miracle. Not everyone had changed. Not everyone was kind. But enough had shifted.
Kaito was waiting by the door. "Ready?"
The twins nodded.
Together, they stepped into the classroom.
This time, no one looked away.
To be continued...