As soon as Reina walked out of the classroom that morning, an awkward silence fell over everyone. For a moment, all they could do was look at each other in a mix of surprise and disbelief.
Kaito scratched his head, breaking the silence. "Did Reina just... hand everything over to us? Like, actually trust us to handle it alone?"
Ayumi's eyes widened. "I mean, it sure looks that way. This is the first time she's even hinted that she doesn't need to micromanage every detail."
Hana grinned. "She must trust us more than we thought. Or... maybe she just wants time in her lab."
Everyone laughed at that, releasing some of the tension that had been building since Reina's announcement. They had come to understand Reina well enough to know that she wasn't deliberately intimidating or cold—it was just who she was. And while she was clearly brilliant, her approach could sometimes be a little intense.
Kaito leaned against one of the desks and looked around the room thoughtfully. "Look, her plans have been working great. I think we just need to stick to her schedule and follow everything she set up. The last two days went well, right? If we just keep the same pace and stay focused, we'll be fine."
"Agreed," Ayumi nodded, pulling out the schedule Reina had prepared, complete with detailed notes in her precise handwriting. "I mean, look at this—it's all laid out for us. Every fifteen minutes is accounted for. All we need to do is stick to it."
She laid the schedule on the desk, and everyone gathered around to get a closer look. Each slot was marked with careful details, reminders of when to restock supplies, a checklist of cleaning duties, and even a few contingency plans for unexpected hiccups.
Hana scanned through it, impressed. "She really thought of everything. Even backup plans for backup plans."
Kaito grinned, giving a small shrug. "Well, that's Reina for you. Nothing's left to chance."
"Okay, so let's divide tasks again," Ayumi suggested, her tone more confident now. "We'll stick to her layout and keep up the pace. And remember, if anything comes up, we've got her contingency plans to fall back on."
The first hour went by smoothly. Without Reina's usual intense presence overseeing every detail, the atmosphere felt lighter, and everyone seemed to relax into their roles more naturally. Students and teachers drifted in and out, checking out their class's unique setup and sampling the snacks. There was laughter, conversation, and an air of excitement that filled the room.
"Excuse me," a teacher said, catching Ayumi's attention as she rearranged some snacks on the counter. "I heard about your class's cafe setup, and I was hoping to meet Reina, but I don't see her here. Is she around?"
Ayumi quickly put on a polite smile, something she'd practiced over the past few days. "Actually, Reina couldn't join us today, but we're following her instructions to the letter! If there's anything you'd like, we'd be happy to assist."
The teacher nodded, satisfied with the answer. "Ah, I see. Well, she's done an impressive job organizing all of this. Be sure to tell her I said that."
As the teacher moved on, Hana nudged Ayumi. "See? They're curious about Reina. She's really making a name for herself."
Ayumi laughed. "Yeah, and now that she's not here, maybe we can show that we're just as capable without her glaring at us from across the room."
Kaito, overhearing, chuckled. "True, she has that intense look sometimes. But I don't think she's ever actually mad—it's just that she wants things to go perfectly."
"Or maybe she just cares too much," Ayumi added with a smile.
The day wore on, and by midday, they were operating with a comfortable rhythm. As they rotated shifts, everyone worked efficiently, following Reina's outline. The steady flow of visitors continued, and each group left with satisfied smiles and compliments for the class's meticulous setup.
"It's going so well!" Hana said as she restocked supplies from under the counter. "I thought we'd be struggling without Reina breathing down our necks, but this is… nice. Kinda feels like we're doing this on our own."
Ayumi nodded. "Yeah, she really set us up for success, though. Everything was planned so well that it's like she's here even when she's not."
Just then, another group of students came in, glancing around and taking in the decorations with interest. One of them, a first-year with wide eyes, whispered to his friend, "This is the one Reina-senpai helped organize. I heard she's, like, a genius."
The friend nodded. "Yeah, everyone says she's super serious and hardly talks to anyone, but they say she's really smart."
Hana overheard the conversation and chuckled softly, leaning over to Kaito. "Looks like Reina's getting a bit of a fan club."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Well, I don't think she'd be thrilled about that. She barely tolerates us, let alone a fan club."
They both laughed, but Ayumi quickly shushed them, stifling her own smile. "Keep it down, guys. We don't want them thinking we're unprofessional!"
As the afternoon turned into evening, the final wave of visitors came and went. By the time the last few teachers had trickled out, they were all feeling the fatigue from three days of hard work. But as they began cleaning up, there was a shared sense of accomplishment among them—a satisfaction that they'd managed to pull it off.
"Let's start putting everything back," Ayumi said, grabbing a cloth to wipe down the counters. "Reina left us with such detailed instructions, it'd feel wrong not to finish up just as perfectly."
They nodded, getting to work, each taking on a section of the classroom. As they moved the desks and tables back into their original positions, Hana glanced at Reina's usual spot—her desk near the window, where she usually sat, often with her head down, deeply focused on some calculation or another.
"Hey," Hana said softly, gesturing to Reina's desk. "Maybe we should do something... special with her seat?"
Kaito's eyes lit up. "I like that idea. She did kind of, you know, pull us all through this festival."
Ayumi smiled. "Agreed. Let's make it just a little nicer for her."
Together, they gave her desk a quick polish, wiping down every surface until it shone. They added a cushion to her chair, one from the decorations pile they hadn't used. Kaito even folded a small napkin and placed it on the desk, giving it a touch of elegance.
"There. She deserves something nice for once," Hana said, stepping back to admire their work. "It'll be a nice surprise for her."
As they continued tidying up, Hana sighed with relief. "I honestly can't believe we did it. Three days, and it actually went well. It's kind of… I don't know, amazing?"
Ayumi nodded. "It really is. And I think Reina would be proud of us too, even if she'd never admit it out loud."
Kaito chuckled. "Maybe she'll give us one of her rare smiles—her actual smile, not the kind that makes us feel like she's calculating our weaknesses."
They all laughed, the tension and exhaustion easing away. In that moment, it didn't matter that Reina had chosen to focus on her lab. They'd taken her plan and made it work, proving that they could stand on their own without her constant supervision. For once, they felt like a true team, confident and capable, all thanks to Reina's hard work—and, perhaps, their own perseverance too.
As they locked up the classroom and headed home, each one of them carried a quiet pride. The festival had brought them together in unexpected ways, teaching them just as much about teamwork and trust as it had about following schedules and executing plans.
And as they walked away from the school that night, they couldn't help but look forward to showing Reina their small gesture of appreciation the next day. After all, she'd given them her all, even if she didn't realize just how much it had meant.