Reina Saeki leaned forward on her desk, her cheek pressed lazily against the wood. The classroom was noisy around her—chatter, laughter, the rustling of bentos and juice cartons. But Reina wasn't participating. She wasn't even pretending to listen.
Her eyes were half-lidded, her hand limply holding a pencil that hadn't moved for the past five minutes. She wasn't asleep, but she looked close enough.
Two days in the lab… plus whatever that "deal" with Ren was going to turn into… It had left her drained. Even for someone like her, with endless drive, her body still had limits.
"Reina-chan."
The voice was gentle, almost hesitant. Reina blinked and turned her head slightly.
Ayumi stood by her desk, smiling like always. Behind her were Hana, twirling a strand of her hair, and Kaito, carrying his lunch tray.
"…What?" Reina muttered.
"Can we sit with you?" Ayumi asked, already pulling out the chair beside Reina's desk.
Reina tilted her head, faintly confused. "You're asking for permission?"
Ayumi chuckled. "Well, I didn't want to interrupt your… brooding."
"I wasn't brooding. I was… resting."
Hana laughed quietly and sat on the other side. "Resting, huh? That's new. The Reina Saeki I know doesn't rest. She disappears."
Kaito set his tray down and leaned forward with a grin. "Yeah, seriously. It's been a while since we've actually seen you in class for more than half a day. You didn't vanish to your lab this time. Should we be honored?"
Reina rolled her eyes but didn't push them away. "Do whatever you want. Just don't expect me to entertain you."
Rumors of the Camp
They began unwrapping their lunches, chatting like they always did. Reina sat silently for a moment, letting the noise wash over her, until Ayumi's words caught her attention.
"I heard something about you," Ayumi said, looking at Reina with a teasing smile.
"Rumors again," Reina muttered. "Ignore them."
"But this one's interesting!" Hana chimed in, her eyes sparkling. "About the camping trip. You were the supervisor for one of the first-year classes, right?"
Reina sighed and adjusted her posture, sitting up a little. "Yes. Unfortunately."
"Unfortunately?" Kaito raised a brow. "That's not what I heard. Word is… your group had the best time out of everyone. They came back bragging about how amazing it was. Even the teachers were shocked."
Ayumi leaned closer. "Some of the first-years were saying they want to go camping again just because of you. That's… kind of a big deal, Reina."
Reina clicked her tongue softly. "…Exaggerations. They don't know what they're talking about."
But her cheeks were faintly warm. She remembered the late-night storytelling, the laughter, the way the students looked at her like she wasn't just a scary genius, but someone reliable.
It had been… nice.
"You're embarrassed," Hana teased, nudging her.
"I am not."
"You are," Kaito said with a smirk. "Your ears are red."
Reina quickly turned away, pretending to focus on her notebook. "…Annoying."
A Softer Reina
Despite her protests, she didn't chase them off. A year ago, she probably would've. Reina had always been cold, distant, preferring silence over chatter, isolation over company.
But now… she found herself listening to their voices, responding here and there, letting the conversation flow around her.
It wasn't the same as with Himari, who had somehow slipped deeper into her guarded world. But Ayumi, Hana, and Kaito were close too. Close enough that Reina didn't feel the urge to put up walls.
"So," Hana began, resting her chin on her hand, "what was it like being in charge of a whole class of first-years? Must've been a nightmare."
Reina thought for a moment. "…Tiring. Very tiring. They're loud. Unorganized. Easily distracted."
Kaito snorted. "Sounds like normal students to me."
"But," Reina continued quietly, "they listened when it mattered. They worked hard. They didn't give up, even when I pushed them."
Ayumi's smile softened. "That sounds like you took good care of them."
Reina hesitated. "…Maybe."
There was a brief silence. The kind of silence that wasn't awkward—just comfortable. The three of them smiled at her, and Reina felt something stir in her chest.
A warmth she wasn't used to.
Honest Words
"You've changed, Reina," Ayumi said suddenly.
Reina blinked. "…What?"
"You used to be so cold. Like… an ice queen."
Hana nodded. "Yeah. You hated attention, hated people, hated… well, everything."
"I didn't hate everything," Reina muttered.
"You know what we mean," Hana said with a grin. "But now, you're different. You still act cool and scary sometimes, but… you smile more. You talk to us more."
Kaito leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Even the way you're sitting here right now, letting us bother you—that's new."
Reina lowered her gaze. She didn't know what to say. They weren't wrong.
"…Maybe," she admitted softly. "It's not bad."
Ayumi reached out and placed her hand over Reina's. "It's good. I'm glad you're letting us in a little."
Reina froze at the contact but didn't pull away. Slowly, she looked at Ayumi, then Hana, then Kaito. Their faces were warm, genuine.
For someone who had spent so long avoiding bonds, it was overwhelming. But… also comforting.
"…You're all annoying," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.
They laughed, knowing exactly what she meant.
A Quiet Moment
The lunch bell rang eventually, signaling the end of break. Students began returning to their seats, finishing up their food, the room filling with noise again.
Reina, however, felt oddly calm.
As Ayumi, Hana, and Kaito stood to head back to their desks, Ayumi gave her one last smile. "Let's talk again after class, okay?"
Reina nodded slightly. "…If I'm not busy."
"Progress," Hana teased, grinning.
Kaito chuckled. "See you later, Reina."
They left, and Reina leaned back in her chair, exhaling. Her eyes drifted to the window, sunlight spilling into the classroom.
She didn't realize it, but she was smiling.
Just a little.