The classroom buzzed with voices, chairs scraping against the floor as lunch break finally began. Reina Saeki stood from her seat, stretching her arms and glancing around. For the first time in days, she was actually here, sitting in class like a "normal" student.
Her classmates stole glances at her, whispering. Reina, of course, ignored them all.
She had more important things to do.
"Lab time," she muttered, scooping up her notebook and heading straight out the door.
Lunch Break Tinkering
The lab door closed behind her, sealing her in with the silence she loved so much. Reina exhaled, set her bag down, and immediately pulled the glowing halo from its case.
It still looked dangerous. Sharp edges. White glow. Not divine at all. But functional. Stable. Alive.
And now… it was time to give it a new feature.
Reina sat down and carefully pried the halo open, exposing its inner circuits. Wires like veins, chips like tiny bones, humming softly with power. Her tools clicked as she added new components, soldering them neatly in place.
This time, it wasn't about propulsion or hovering. It was about sound.
A speaker system—but one that didn't project outward. Instead, it was designed to deliver soundwaves directly into her head. Like invisible headphones. Like hearing a voice in her own mind.
A perfect, private channel.
"Alright," Reina murmured, tightening the last screw. "Testing time."
Calling Himari
She pulled out her phone and tapped Himari's contact.
"Himari. Come to my lab. Bring your phone."
The line was silent for a second before Himari's nervous voice replied: "Uh… okay?"
Minutes later, Himari appeared, holding her phone awkwardly.
"You're not dragging me into something dangerous, right?" she asked, peeking suspiciously at the halo.
Reina ignored her question. "Call me."
"What?"
"Call me. On the phone."
Himari sighed, but obeyed. The ringtone buzzed—except Reina didn't hear it in her ears.
She heard it inside her skull.
"Testing… one, two, three," Himari's voice came through. Crisp, direct, like Himari was whispering in her brain.
Reina's eyes widened slightly. It worked.
"This… is strange," Reina admitted, tilting her head. "But effective."
"You can hear me?!" Himari blinked.
"Yes. Directly in my mind. It's… almost too clear. Like my thoughts have a voice of their own."
"That's creepy."
"Useful," Reina corrected flatly.
The AI Problem
After a few more successful tests, Reina began tinkering again. She added a small chip she had prepared earlier—something recycled from an old project.
This one ran a lightweight AI system. Nothing special. Just a basic assistant that could read text, answer questions, and fetch information.
For a moment, it seemed fine. She asked a few questions, received simple, robotic answers.
But soon the flaws became obvious.
"Explain quantum resonance field theory," she asked.
The AI replied in a monotone voice: "Apologies. I do not have sufficient data."
She frowned. "What about classical EMF shielding?"
The AI stuttered. "Result… not found… please… rephrase…"
Reina groaned, pulling the chip out and tossing it aside. "Useless. Just a glorified search engine. I need something real."
Her mind raced. She needed a programmer. Someone sharp, reliable, and capable of building an AI tailored just for her.
Her gaze lifted. She already knew who.
Independent Research Society
The Independent Research Society's clubroom was always a mess. Papers scattered everywhere, monitors buzzing, and cables snaking across the floor like vines.
Reina stepped inside without knocking.
"Yo, Reina." Arisa waved casually from her chair, chewing on a piece of candy. "Skipping class again?"
"Lunch break," Reina corrected. Her eyes scanned the room until they found him.
Ren. The quiet programmer. A boy with messy hair, dark circles under his eyes, and fingers that never seemed to stop moving over his laptop keyboard.
"Ren," Reina said plainly.
Ren looked up. "...What is it?"
"I need an AI."
The room froze for a second.
"...Come again?" Ren blinked.
"An AI. Custom-built. Reads, listens, provides me information in real time. Clean interface. Minimal latency." Her tone was matter-of-fact, like she was ordering lunch.
Ren raised an eyebrow. "That's not exactly a small request. What's in it for me?"
Reina smirked faintly. "An invention that streams information directly into your mind."
The room fell silent again. Arisa's candy nearly dropped from her mouth.
Ren sat up straighter, his eyes gleaming. "…You can make that?"
"Yes. Not in the form of a halo—too flashy. But in a discreet form. Like… an earphone."
Ren rubbed his chin, clearly intrigued. "So, basically, a brain-link earbud. Data without a screen."
"Precisely."
"And in exchange, I build you an AI tailored to your… experiments."
Reina nodded. "Deal."
Ren grinned, already pulling up a fresh coding window on his laptop. "This is gonna be fun."
Arisa groaned, leaning back in her chair. "Oh great, now he's obsessed too. I swear, Reina, you're like a walking recruitment poster for madness."
Reina ignored her, as always.
A Dangerous Partnership
As Reina turned to leave the clubroom, Ren called out after her.
"By the way, what's this AI supposed to sound like?"
Reina paused. She hadn't thought of that.
"…Something calm. Neutral. Not annoying."
"Got it. A polite, serious voice. Like your opposite."
"Don't mock me."
Ren chuckled as Reina walked out, her expression unreadable.
But inside, her mind was already racing.
If she had a custom AI, if she combined it with her halo project…
It wouldn't just be a tool anymore.
It would be a companion. A partner.
And maybe—just maybe—something that could push her even closer to the stars.