Grace's POV
There was always a moment in the evening when the house felt quieter than usual.
Not peaceful. Just… quieter.
Like the storm had paused for a breath before beginning again.
I sat on the floor near my bed, my sketchbook resting against my knees, pencil moving carefully across the page. The lines weren't perfect, but they didn't need to be. This was the only place where things didn't have to be perfect. Where no one interrupted. Where no one judged.
The faint outline of a girl slowly formed under my fingers. Her expression was calm, almost distant, like she existed somewhere untouched by noise.
Maybe that was why I liked sketching.
Because I could draw silence.
---
The door creaked open.
My hand froze.
Without even looking, I knew who it was.
I quickly slid the sketchbook under my notebook, my fingers moving faster than my thoughts.
"Grace."
My mother's voice carried that familiar sharpness, the kind that made your shoulders stiff even before she said anything else.
I turned, trying to keep my expression normal.
"Yes?"
Her eyes narrowed immediately.
"What were you hiding?"
"Nothing."
That was the truth.
But truth had never really mattered here.
"Show me."
"It's just...."
Before I could finish, her hand came down sharply across my cheek.
The sound echoed louder than it should have.
My head turned with the force, and for a second, everything went silent.
"You've started lying now too?" she snapped, pulling the notebook from my hands and flipping it open impatiently.
The sketch slipped out.
She stared at it.
Then her expression twisted.
"This is what you do all day?" Her voice rose with every word. "Instead of studying, instead of doing something useful, you sit here drawing nonsense?"
My fingers curled into my palms.
"It's not nonsense…"
"Then what is it?" she cut in harshly. "Will this give you marks? Will this give you a future?"
I stayed quiet.
Because I already knew the answer she wanted.
---
She scoffed, throwing the sketch back onto the bed.
"Look at your classmates. That girl… what's her name… Iris." Her tone changed, but not in a good way. "No parents, no one to control her, and still she manages everything. Studies, work… everything."
Her words landed heavier than the slap.
"And you? You have everything and still can't do anything properly."
---
The door shut behind her.
This time, the silence stayed.
---
My vision blurred slowly, and I didn't bother stopping the tears.
I reached for my phone with slightly trembling hands and opened Joy's chat.
For a moment, I just stared at the screen.
Then I typed.
"Something happened at home…"
Before I could send another message, his reply came.
"You're crying again?"
I blinked.
"Grace, you really need to stop being so sensitive about every small thing. Grow up a little."
My fingers stilled.
The tears didn't stop.
But I wiped them anyway.
"Yeah," I whispered to myself, locking the phone. "Small thing."
---
By the time I reached the café, my face had returned to normal.
Or at least normal enough.
---
She was already there.
Iris.
---
She was smiling.
Not loudly. Not for attention.
Just… naturally.
As if nothing weighed her down.
As if nothing ever did.
---
I didn't like that.
Not because she had done anything wrong.
But because of how easily everyone compared me to her.
Because of how my mother said her name.
Because of how she existed… without trying.
---
I lowered my gaze and went to work.
Orders. Tables. Routine.
Something I could do without thinking.
---
"Excuse me!"
The voice was loud enough to turn heads.
I froze for a second before turning.
The customer looked irritated, his expression already annoyed as if he had been waiting for a reason.
"What kind of service is this?" he snapped. "I've been sitting here for so long and no one is attending properly. Is this café run by children now?"
My throat went dry.
"I'm sorry, I..."
"Sorry doesn't fix anything," he interrupted sharply. "If you can't do your job, then don't stand here pretending."
The words hit harder than they should have.
I wanted to say something.
Anything.
But nothing came out.
---
And then,
another voice cut in.
Calm.
Clear.
Steady.
---
"Our job is to take orders and serve them," Iris said, stepping forward. "Not to entertain unnecessary complaints."
The man scoffed.
"Who do you think you are..."
"Sir."
Her tone changed.
Not louder.
But colder.
Sharper.
Enough to make even me look at her properly.
---
"If you have a genuine issue, you can state it properly," she said, her gaze fixed on him without wavering. "Otherwise, please sit down and wait."
For a second, the man looked like he would argue again.
But something shifted.
His expression faltered.
And slowly,
unexpectedly,
he sat down.
---
I didn't understand why.
But the way he did it…
felt strange.
---
A chill ran down my spine.
---
Iris turned away as if nothing had happened.
As if that moment didn't exist.
---
Iris's POV
The kitchen air felt heavier than usual.
Or maybe it was just the way the manager's voice carried through it.
"You think you can talk to customers like that?" she snapped, arms crossed tightly. "If he complains, do you know who will be responsible?"
I stayed quiet.
There was no point arguing.
There never was.
---
When she finally left, the silence that followed felt almost relieving.
I turned around,
and saw Grace.
She hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"…thank you."
I blinked slightly.
"It's nothing," I replied simply. "He was just making noise because you're new."
She nodded, though something in her expression didn't fully settle.
Then she left.
---
I let out a small breath and leaned slightly against the wall.
And then,
it hit.
---
A sharp pain surged through my head, sudden and intense, as if something had tightened inside it all at once.
My fingers pressed against my temple instinctively.
Not again.
---
I closed my eyes for a moment, steadying myself, then pushed myself forward, using the wall for support as I reached my bag.
My hands fumbled slightly as I searched, finally finding the strip of tablets and taking one without hesitation.
Water.
Swallow.
Wait.
---
Slowly,
the pain eased.
Not completely.
But enough.
---
I exhaled, wiping my face with my hand.
And that's when I saw it.
Blood.
---
My fingers moved to my nose instinctively.
It was still there.
I sighed quietly, pulling out a napkin and wiping it away before anyone could notice.
This was getting… frequent.
---
My phone rang.
I picked it up quickly.
"Hello?"
"Are you Iris?" a voice asked from the other side.
"Yes."
"You need to come to the hospital immediately regarding your grandmother."
My grip tightened.
"I'm coming."
---
Everything after that blurred.
---
I informed one of the staff quickly, my words rushed.
"I need to go to the hospital. Please tell the manager."
Before waiting for a response, I left.
---
By the time I reached the hospital, my breath was uneven, my steps faster than they should have been.
I pushed the door open,
and stopped.
---
Grandma was sitting there.
Fine.
Calm.
Looking exactly like she always did.
---
A wave of relief hit me so suddenly that I almost laughed.
But before I could say anything, a doctor walked in.
He didn't look at me directly.
"You need to arrange funds for further treatment," he said plainly.
I frowned.
"I just paid for her medicines half a month ago."
"The condition is critical," he replied without emotion. "Regular medication is necessary. Without it, we cannot continue treatment."
---
There was no space for argument in his tone.
So I didn't argue.
---
I stepped out into the hallway and sat down slowly. The earlier dizziness was still there.
The relief had faded.
Something heavier had taken its place.
---
"Sister Iris?"
I looked up.
Lux.
Standing a few steps away, beside a woman who looked like a doctor.
He said something to her before walking towards me.
As he got closer, his brows furrowed.
"Was that… from your nose?"
I instinctively touched my face.
"Oh it's nothing."
"But it doesn't look like nothing."
"Ah..it might be some saunce."
He just nodded not completely sure.
---
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"My parents work here," he said simply. "Why are you here?"
"Grandma."
He nodded.
---
My phone rang again.
Anya.
"Why aren't you at the café?" she asked immediately.
"What are you doing there?" I frowned.
"I came for coffee."
I almost laughed.
"I'm at the hospital."
There was a pause.
"I'm coming."
---
She arrived faster than expected.
"Are you okay?" she asked, immediately holding my arm.
Then she noticed Lux.
"You?"
"My parents work here," he repeated.
"Oh."
---
I explained briefly.
"Grandma's medicines… need to be renewed."
"Didn't you just pay for them?" Anya asked.
I shrugged lightly.
"What can we do?"
---
Lux spoke after a moment.
"Who's the doctor?"
I told him the name.
"Dr. Keller."
He nodded slowly.
"I'll talk to my father. He might be able to help."
Before I could respond, Anya said,
"See? You do have some useful qualities."
Lux rolled his eyes.
---
"Can we meet her?" Anya asked.
I nodded.
"And you?" I looked at Lux.
He hesitated for a second.
Then agreed.
---
We entered the room together.
---
Grandma opened her eyes slowly after a while, a small smile forming as she looked at me.
"Well… the young lady is finally here."
I smiled back, helping her sit up slightly.
Then her gaze shifted.
To Anya.
Then to Lux.
---
For a brief moment—
something changed in her eyes.
---
"Lara," she said softly, "your husband is quite handsome."
---
"What?" Anya and Lux said at the same time, turning to each other in shock.
I quickly stepped in.
"Grandma, this is Anya… and that's Lux. My friends."
Lux gave an awkward greeting.
Grandma blinked, then smiled apologetically.
"Ah… my mistake."
---
Anya moved closer, holding her hand.
"You need to take care of yourself. And who is Lara?," she said lightly.
Grandma chuckled. Then sighed, pondering over something before she spoke.
"A student of mine."
Anya blinked.
"Oh."
Grandma just smiled.
---
The room filled with light conversation.
Soft laughter.
Normalcy.
---
And I smiled too.
Listened.
Responded.
---
But somewhere beneath all that,
a quiet thought stayed.
---
How will I manage this… again?