A Life Torn Asunder

Two Hearts, One Journey

Lucifer and Masha had spent nearly two years preparing for the final exam of middle school. Their lives had become a whirlwind of studying, long hours of revision, and dreaming of their futures. They had always been close—perhaps too close, as some of their classmates would joke. They were inseparable, like two sides of the same coin. But something had changed within those two years. Their bond had deepened beyond childhood friendship, though neither of them quite knew how to label it yet.

One afternoon, about a week before the final exams, their teacher called them both to her office. It wasn't unusual for them to be summoned—after all, they were the top students in their year—but something about the way she looked at them that day hinted that it was more than just academic praise.

"Lucifer, Masha, I've got some exciting news for both of you," the teacher began, her voice filled with excitement. "There's an opportunity to study abroad in Japan for high school, fully sponsored for the top two scorers of the final exams. I wanted to personally recommend you both for it."

Lucifer's eyes widened in surprise. "Japan? To study abroad?" he repeated, almost as if to confirm that he had heard correctly.

Masha was already smiling, her mind racing at the thought of adventure. "That sounds amazing!" she said enthusiastically, turning to Lucifer. "Imagine all the new experiences, the culture, the people. And the food!"

Lucifer chuckled, nodding in agreement. Though the idea was a bit overwhelming, the thought of going somewhere so far from home intrigued him. He looked back at the teacher. "We'll do our best," he promised.

After the meeting, Masha's parents were thrilled to hear the news. They were always supportive of her ambitions, and Lucifer had become like a son to them since the tragedy that had left him orphaned. They encouraged the both of them to give it their all. They even started talking about Japan as if it was already a certainty. But first, they had to secure the top two scores.

The final exams came swiftly, the tension in the air palpable. Masha and Lucifer, both brimming with nervous energy, spent late nights studying together, quizzing each other on everything from math equations to history dates. When the exam day arrived, they walked into the hall side by side, a silent understanding passing between them that no matter what, they would face this together.

Days after the exam, the results were announced. As the teacher revealed the top scorers, there was a collective gasp in the room. Lucifer and Masha had taken the top two spots, just as they had hoped. The teacher smiled at them with pride.

"You've earned your place," she said warmly.

***

With the school year over, the holidays stretched ahead of them, but neither Lucifer nor Masha felt like taking a break. They had something much bigger to prepare for—learning Japanese. They threw themselves into their language studies with the same intensity they had shown for their exams, spending hours memorizing kanji, practicing phrases, and speaking to each other in their slowly developing Japanese.

Lucifer, always the quick learner, began picking up the language at a much faster pace than Masha. His sharp mind absorbed information like a sponge, while Masha, though equally determined, struggled at times to keep up.

One afternoon, they were sitting on the couch, practicing conversational phrases. Lucifer had just rattled off a complex sentence with perfect pronunciation, leaving Masha to stumble through her attempt. Frustrated, she let out a groan and tossed her textbook onto the coffee table.

"You're making this look too easy, Lucifer!" she said, half-joking, half-serious. "It's like you're not even human sometimes."

Lucifer smiled softly. "I've just had a lot of practice."