A Voice Amid the Silence

The next morning, Ms. Tanaka struck the blackboard three sharp times to silence the early chatter.

A girl stood in front of the class — stunning, almost unreal in her beauty. Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders like liquid silk, framing a face of delicate, perfectly symmetrical features. But what caught Aika’s attention the most were her eyes — so dark they seemed to hold ancient secrets. A blood-red scarf was tied around her neck with effortless elegance, contrasting beautifully against her pearly skin.

"My name is Himeko," she said in a soft, melodic voice. "I hope we’ll get along well."

Her voice... there was something familiar about it. Aika felt a shiver run down her spine, like the echo of a forgotten dream.

Himeko made her way to an empty seat at the back of the classroom, near Aika. Her movements were fluid, graceful, drawing the eye without trying. Yet Aika noticed something strange — her classmates didn’t seem to really look at her. Their gazes slid past as if she were just another shadow in the room. Only Aika’s eyes seemed truly able to perceive her, to see her for what she was — something unsettlingly beautiful.

During literature class, Aika couldn’t help but steal glances at the new girl. Every now and then, Himeko’s eyes would meet hers. Those fleeting moments of silent connection made Aika’s heart race, though she couldn’t explain why.

The lunch bell rang, releasing the students to their break. Aika gathered her things quickly, eager to retreat to her usual hiding spot behind the gym. It was the only place she could eat in peace, shielded from mocking stares and awkward silences that trailed her like shadows.

She sat down on the cold concrete bench and pulled out the bento she’d prepared mechanically that morning. A few onigiri, some pickled vegetables — nothing particularly appetizing. Since the breakup, food had lost all taste. She chewed mechanically, watching the clouds drift through the autumn sky.

"Mind if I sit with you ?"

Startled, Aika looked up. Himeko stood before her, a smile of infinite gentleness on her lips. Up close, her beauty was even more disarming. Her skin was so pale it was almost translucent, and her lips carried a natural reddish hue no makeup could replicate.

"Uh... yeah, of course," Aika stammered, scooting over to make room.

Himeko sat down with that same graceful ease that seemed to define her. She opened her own bento, revealing a perfectly arranged meal — every item placed like a miniature artwork. But she didn’t touch it right away. Instead, she turned to Aika.

"Do you always eat alone here ?"

The question carried no judgment, only warmth — and it brought a sting of tears to Aika’s eyes. No one had spoken to her with such kindness in days.

"I... I like the quiet," she lied.

Himeko tilted her head slightly, as if she sensed the falsehood but chose not to press. "Me too. The others are so... loud. So shallow in their emotions."

Aika nodded, surprised at how deeply she felt understood.

Himeko lifted an onigiri to her lips, chewing slowly, almost sensually. Aika noticed her teeth — perfectly white, perfectly aligned. Yet something was odd about them. Her canines were just a little sharper than normal.

"You seem... tired. Sad," Himeko continued.

Aika’s heart clenched. She wasn’t used to being noticed, let alone by someone who seemed to genuinely care.

"It’s complicated," she murmured.

"Some silences scream louder than words," Himeko said enigmatically, her dark eyes locking onto Aika’s. "You don’t have to explain everything. I understand."

That sentence... it was exactly what Aika needed to hear. No one had ever named her pain so precisely. Her throat tightened with emotion.

"My boyfriend..." she began, then faltered. The words were too painful.

"He betrayed you," Himeko finished gently. "With someone close. Someone you trusted."

Aika stared at her, speechless. "How do you know that ?"

Himeko offered a faint, melancholic smile. "It’s written in your eyes. That particular kind of hurt — only those who’ve been stabbed by two people they love at once know it."

Tears began to spill down Aika’s cheeks. For the first time in days, someone truly saw her pain — and named it without dismissing it.

"My best friend," she whispered. "They’re... together now. And everyone acts like I don’t exist."

Himeko reached out and wiped the tears from Aika’s cheek with a pale hand. Her touch was surprisingly cold, but deeply comforting.

They finished their lunches in a companionable silence. Himeko didn’t bring the subject up again, but her presence alone soothed something inside Aika she hadn’t known needed healing.

The bell signaling the end of lunch rang too soon for Aika’s liking.

"Are you staying ?" Himeko asked simply.

Aika hesitated. Skipping class wasn’t like her — but something in Himeko’s gaze made her nod. Himeko leaned closer. Their shoulders now touched, and Aika could smell that strange fragrance she’d noticed the night before.

Himeko lifted a hand to Aika’s neck, gently brushing aside her hair. Her fingers grazed the sensitive skin at the base of her neck, sending shivers down Aika’s spine.

"You’ll never suffer again," she whispered. "Not with me."

From her bag, she pulled out a red scarf — the same as the one around her own neck — and, with infinitely tender movements, tied it around Aika’s. The fabric was soft as silk, but oddly warm. A heady scent rose from it, hypnotic, making Aika’s head spin slightly.

Aika reached up to touch the scarf. An odd calm washed over her, as if the cloth itself were absorbing her pain.

Himeko smiled, but something in that smile was unreadable — a depth that didn’t match her youthful appearance.

They remained there for the rest of the afternoon, sitting side by side. Aika felt like they were inside a bubble, suspended outside of time, protected from the cruelty of the world. For the first time in two weeks, she didn’t feel alone.

That night, she fell asleep clutching the scarf to her chest, lulled by its intoxicating scent. In her dreams, a soft voice whispered promises of eternal love — and for the first time in a long while, Aika smiled in her sleep.