Chapter 3

When We Drift Apart

Hina tiptoed down the hallway that led to the bedrooms. The girl held her breath as she walked past her sister's room. A faint guitar sound could be heard from that room. She prayed that Sayo wouldn't suddenly come out and caught her carrying a guitar gig bag around.

When the doorknob of her own room was within reach, she opened the door and closed it as fast as she could.

The younger Hikawa twins let out a sigh of relief. Operation smuggling Hina Hikawa's guitar was accomplished. She intended to keep the guitar stuff a secret as a surprise; at least until she finally joined a band, just like Sayo did.

The high-schooler turned on the lights, then opened her wardrobe. She hid the gig bag between winter coats and parkas. That should do. Good thing Sayo wasn't the type to fiddle with other people's belongings, let alone borrowing coats.

Hina then went to Sayo's room. After a long day at the audition, she just wanted to see her twin.

"I'm home, Onee-chan!"

Sayo was speaking with someone on the phone. The long-haired girl glanced at Hina and said something to the person over the phone. "Sorry, it's just my little sister, yelling around like a kid. What? You're canceling the rehearsal?" She clicked her tongue and continued, "...Fine, go watch that movie, then. Okay, bye."

Sayo ended the call and turned to Hina. "How many times should I remind you to knock?"

Hina smiled awkwardly. "I kinda forgot. Sorry..." She then asked, "You okay, Onee-chan? You were talking about canceled rehearsal or something."

"Seems like I'm the only one who's serious about the band." Sayo crossed her arms and looked away. She let out a sigh. "Why am I talking about this with you? ...When it's none of your business."

"Oof, okay."

Hina averted her gaze as well. She happened to lay eyes on Sayo's navy blue guitar, which was laid on the bed. Her older sister practiced diligently as usual. Yet she kind of wondered why Sayo had to spend so much time with it, often strumming the same phrase over and over. As far as she heard, Sayo's playing was great already. So, why? Hina herself practiced a lot too during these two weeks, but it was due to her being a total newbie. Sayo, meanwhile, had picked up the instrument since middle school.

"So, what do you want, Hina?"

"Huh?"

Sayo frowned. "You just randomly entered my room with no reason?"

"We're gonna turn sixteen at midnight! Let's kill time by binge-watching your favorite dog show!" was what Hina would like to say, but her sister seemed so irritated right now.

Hina shook her head. "Nuh-uh. I just want to say hi."

The little sister then left the room in silence. Hina, once again, showed up at the wrong time. Their rhythm as twins got worse and worse as the years passed.

Sayo used to be boppin' and cherished Hina a lot. Now her big sister became all-serious and (almost) always grumpy whenever Hina talked to her. She realized that the problem was her, but didn't know what triggered Sayo. Her twin refused to speak up, while Hina was no mind reader.

It was so frustrating when you didn't know anything….

Now Hina really needed sweets to brighten her mood. Time to grab the strawberry pudding her mother made this morning.

The girl went downstairs and spotted Mom who was watching TV in the living room. Hina sat beside the older woman. She told Mom about the audition; how the judges were impressed by her performance, as well as the criticism expressed by one of them. Mom, in return, gave Hina a pat on the head and encouraged her.

"Welp, fingers crossed while waiting for my result."

Hina then walked to the kitchen. As she opened the refrigerator, a luxury-looking box immediately caught her attention. The teal-haired girl put the box out and peeked on its content.

"Mom~ There's a cake in the fridge!"

"Cake?"

"Yup! It's all colorful like that Little Pony's tail. And there's 'Happy Birthday Sayo & Hina' written on the cake..."

Mom immediately stood up with a panicked look on her face. "Forget you saw the cake!"

"But I can't unsee things…" said Hina. She closed the lid and continued, "Whoever bought it, tho? Either Onee-chan or I can accidentally find the cake if we're looking for desserts and such."

The mother of two sighed. "It's your dad… He bought an ice cream cake because the cake shop recommended it."

Speaking of Dad, he was nowhere in sight. Usually, it was he who was watching TV this time around. Mom then informed Hina that he was out buying some party supplies.

"Please act surprised for your dad later, okay?"

"WHOAAA, WHAT A BOPPIN' CAKE!" Hina gasped and opened her mouth so wide that it could chew a Big Mac all the way from the top until the bottom bun. She then returned to her normal expression. "Like that?"

Mom giggled. "That's overdramatic, but yes, please cooperate."

»↠ ≈ ≈ ↞«

Hina spent the rest of March 19th night inside her bedroom. She watched random videos while laying on the bed, and that eventually made her fall asleep.

"Onee-chan… It hurts!"

Tears flowed from Hina's eyes. The five-year-old sat helplessly on the park's walkway. Her right knee was scratched and it bled a little.

A girl, whose appearance was identical to hers, came out running; a handkerchief in hand. Sayo stumbled and almost fell like Hina, making the younger twin gasp in panic, but she managed to balance herself. As the big sister reached Hina, she joined her to sit on the brick walkway.

Sayo blew Hina's knee and repeatedly mumbled: "Pain, go away". She then wiped the wound with a wet handkerchief.

"Oww…" Hina said weakly. She wiped the tears with the back of her hand.

"You made me scared when you fell, Hina," Sayo said. Her green eyes, which looked slightly reddish due to the sunset sky, gazed at Hina with affection. "Told ya. You're gonna fall if you run too fast."

"But I don't wanna miss today's episode," replied Hina. "The rangers were beaten by that pancake monster yesterday. I wanna cheer 'em to fight back."

Sayo shrugged and glanced at a clock near the slides. "There are still fifteen minutes 'till the show," the little girl informed as she crouched. "Hop on. I'll carry you home."

Hina hugged her big sister from behind. Sayo held Hina's leg and got up. She managed to walk a few steps before eventually stopping. The girl bent her legs and her body trembled.

"You're too heavy...!" Sayo turned her head and pouted at Hina. "That's what you get for eating my cake!"

"Wha—? And you ate my chocolate!" Hina protested. She pinched her sister's cheeks to vent her irritation.

"Daz for making me eat ya cawwot!" replied Sayo. Her speech became a little unclear due to Hina's pinch.

To make Sayo eat Hina's despised carrots were kind of bending the truth. She never begged Sayo to eat her share. Her sister was the one who voluntarily did it to prevent Hina from being scolded by their mom. Sayo didn't manage to finish hers in return, so she was the one who got scolded instead.

Several adults who were walking their dogs giggled at Hina and Sayo. They commented on how adorable the twin sisters' fight was.

Sayo crouched and immediately ordered, "G-get off, Hina! You embarrassed us!"

"Eh?" said Hina while getting off her sister's back. "You're the one that offered to carry me and started the fight." She frowned.

"Hmph!" Sayo exclaimed; her cheeks reddened. She later turned to the dog-walking group and ran to them. "Aunties, uncles, grannies! May I pet the cute doggies?"

"Onee-chan, what about me?!"

Hina chased her sister. But as the little girl tried to run, she fell and let out a muffled shout. She fell again, for the second time that day. Soon enough, her cheeks were soaked with tears. She sobbed hard and called for her big sister's name.

Sayo immediately turned around, forgetting the cute dogs. She ran toward Hina and cuddled her.

"Don't cry, Hina," whispered Sayo as she patted Hina's head. "Onee-chan's here."

"Hina!"

Someone was calling and shaking Hina gently. She opened her eyes and saw a blurry figure.

"Onee-chan…?"

"Hina! Wake up."

It was someone else's voice. Hina closed her eyes again and turned her body in the opposite direction. "Five more minutes, Mom…"

"It's twelve."

"Twelve midnight…?" Hina replied. There was no sunlight coming through the window when she briefly opened her eyes before. "Still have seven or eight hours of sleep.…"

"It's one past twelve now," Mom announced. She went silent for a moment before continuing, "Hina-chan, what day is it?"

Hina yawned. "Yesterday was Sunday, so it's Monday… I don't attend a midnight school," she said. "And today is the Spring Equinox. Even ghosts aren't supposed to attend the ghost school on a public holiday..."

Hina then realized something. She got up at once and shouted, "It's March 20th! Cake! Midnight sweets!"

The mother of two chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. Don't you go midnight-snacking too often." She then walked to the door and said, "Now let's go to Sayo-chan's room."