Reina sat quietly inside the principal's office, her posture as straight as ever, her expression unreadable. The office smelled faintly of old books and flowers, a strange but oddly comforting mix. It was a place Reina had gotten used to over the years. Out of all the adults in her life, the principal was the one person she trusted the most… maybe even more than her parents sometimes.
The woman herself was behind the big oak desk, smiling that same teasing smile she always wore whenever Reina came by.
"You're looking serious today, Reina. Not here to complain about cafeteria food again, are you?" the principal said with a light chuckle, resting her chin on one hand.
Reina didn't even flinch. "No. This is official business."
Her words carried weight. Enough to silence even the playful grin of the principal. Before anything more could be said, the office door opened again.
Four familiar faces stepped inside: Himari, Ren, Sei, and Arisa, with Mei trailing behind.
The group stopped in their tracks when they saw Reina already sitting there.
"Eh? Reina? You too?" Himari blinked in surprise.
"What's going on?" Sei frowned. "Why were we called here?"
"Did someone get in trouble?" Mei whispered.
The principal cleared her throat. "Relax. No one's in trouble. Sit down, all of you."
The five of them sat in the chairs across from Reina, exchanging confused looks. Reina herself remained calm, her hands folded neatly on her lap.
The principal chuckled. "See? She's scarier than me sometimes."
Then, she spoke. "I want permission to wear the halo. At all times. Even in public."
Her friends' jaws collectively dropped.
"…Huh?" Arisa blinked, as if she hadn't heard it right.
Ren raised his hand slowly. "Wait. You mean the halo? The floating one? The one you've been hiding?"
"Yes," Reina replied firmly.
The room grew quiet. The only sound was the faint ticking of the principal's desk clock.
Reina continued, her voice as sharp and steady as ever. "I can't hide my project forever. Revealing it sooner rather than later is better. There will be consequences, yes. But the benefits outweigh them. With recognition, I'll be able to gain the support and funding I need. And this—" she tapped the glowing ring hovering just above her head, "—is not for cosmetic reasons. This is a prototype. A potential auxiliary propeller for spacecrafts. Something I need for my dream."
Her friends stayed silent, trying to process the sheer boldness of her words.
The principal, however, leaned back in her chair, folding her arms. "So that's what this is about. I should've guessed. You've always been like this, Reina. Cold, direct, and aiming for the stars—literally."
She sighed, then smirked. "You know, if it's such a hassle, you could just drop out of school. No more uniforms, no more restrictions. That might be more convenient for a prodigy like you."
Reina's answer came without hesitation. "No. I refuse. My lab is here. And you've helped me too many times to count. I won't throw that away."
For a moment, silence again. Then, the principal laughed softly. A gentle, proud laugh. "I see. You really are stubborn."
Her grin widened. "Alright then. Permission granted."
Her friends immediately erupted.
"Wait, you're seriously letting her?!" Himari gasped.
"Principal, are you sure about this?" Sei's brows knitted together.
"Absolutely," the principal said calmly. "She's already decided. And honestly? I trust her."
Ren muttered under his breath, "…This is either going to make her a legend or a walking target."
Arisa simply sighed, though her smile betrayed amusement. "Well, it's Reina. Of course she'd do something like this."
Mei fiddled with her fingers nervously. "I-I guess… if anyone can pull it off, it's her."
Reina only nodded. The decision was final.
The next morning, Reina's room was spotless as always. Organized shelves. A tidy desk. The faint scent of antiseptic mixed with lavender. Her true chaos was reserved for her lab, not her bedroom.
She brushed her hair, brushed her teeth, and then applied the skincare routine her little brother Hiro had picked for her months ago. It was a habit now—one she had begrudgingly accepted, though she would never admit aloud how much her skin had improved.
Once done, she slipped into her school uniform, pulled on her lab coat, and finally adjusted the glowing halo above her head. It hovered there silently, perfectly stable.
When she went downstairs, her family was already at the dining table. Her parents glanced at the halo but didn't comment. By now, nothing Reina did could surprise them anymore.
Her mother sipped her tea, smiling warmly. "Don't be late, Reina."
Her father only nodded in approval.
But Hiro, her younger brother, stared wide-eyed, his mouth hanging open. "R-Rei-nee… that's… that's… so cool!"
Reina simply sat down and began eating her breakfast. "Eat your eggs before they get cold."
Hiro nodded quickly, but his eyes never left the halo.
On her way to school, Reina immediately noticed it. The whispers. The stares. People's eyes glued to her halo as she walked down the street. Strangers muttered under their breaths, some awed, some confused.
"Is that… floating?""Looks divine…""Or terrifying."
By the time she stepped through the school gates, the whispers had multiplied tenfold.
Students froze mid-step, conversations cut short, all eyes locked on her as she calmly walked to class with her usual blank expression. The halo glowed faintly, both holy and intimidating at once.
By the time she reached her classroom and sat at her desk, the room had gone silent. Everyone stared. It felt exactly like the time she had started using skincare months ago—but multiplied by a hundred.
Ayumi, Hana, and Kaito hesitated before approaching her desk.
"Reina…" Ayumi said carefully. "That's… um…"
"A halo?!" Hana blurted out, her eyes sparkling.
Kaito rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "You've been skipping class for days because of… this?"
"Yes." Reina answered simply.
No hesitation. No attempt to hide. She told them everything in her usual blunt way. About the project. About the tests. About the design.
Her classmates listened in stunned silence. And then, slowly, they nodded. They accepted it.
Because this was Reina Saeki. If she said she built a halo, then she did.
Lunchtime came. Reina headed to her lab as usual, but this time she was followed.
Dozens of girls—underclassmen, classmates, even a few upperclassmen—peeked at her from corners, followed her down hallways, and whispered excitedly.
Some even handed her small gifts. Cookies, chocolates, handwritten letters.
Reina accepted them all politely but with a weary expression. Gifts made her uncomfortable. She didn't know what to do with them. Especially cookies.
By the time she finally reached her lab and locked the door, she leaned against the wall with a sigh.
Wearing the halo in public was exhausting. The constant stares. The whispers. The unwanted attention.
She rubbed her temple, muttering under her breath. "This is going to be more tiring than I thought…"
But even then, she didn't regret it. Because she knew—one day, it would all be worth it.