The next evening, Rumi found herself walking toward the same window seat, almost without thinking. The sky was painted in soft shades of purple and gold as the sun dipped below the horizon.
To her surprise, Arif was already there, sitting cross-legged on the floor with his book open, eyes on the page but clearly aware of her presence.
"Hey," he said softly, closing the book. "I wondered if you'd come."
Rumi smiled faintly, unsure why her heart thumped a little faster. "I… wanted to see the stars again," she admitted.
Arif nodded, as if he understood without needing more words. "They're waiting for us," he said.
They sat together, side by side but not touching, and watched the sky grow darker. Slowly, one by one, the stars appeared—tiny sparks in the vast, endless night.
"You really believe they're never alone?" Rumi asked quietly.
Arif tilted his head. "I think… maybe they just have each other in their own way. Even if we can't see it."
Rumi's gaze drifted to her twin star, shining brighter than the rest. "I always thought it was lonely," she whispered.
"Maybe it just needed someone to notice it," Arif said gently.
For a long while, neither of them spoke. Yet the silence was comfortable. It was the kind of silence where words weren't necessary—where presence alone was enough.
Finally, Rumi spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you… ever feel invisible?"
Arif smiled faintly, looking at her rather than the stars. "Sometimes," he admitted. "But then I realize, maybe we're only invisible until someone chooses to see us."
Rumi felt a warmth spread through her chest, a mix of relief and something she didn't want to name yet. She realized that for the first time in years, being quiet didn't feel lonely—it felt… shared.
The stars twinkled above them, indifferent and eternal, yet somehow closer now. And in that moment, Rumi understood: maybe loneliness wasn't about being alone. Maybe it was about finding the person who noticed your light.
When she left that night, Rumi didn't glance back at her twin star. She didn't need to. The star wasn't the only one watching anymore