The first streaks of morning light crept through my bedroom window as I woke up, lingering in bed for a moment. Yesterday had been the last day of the school festival, and I'd spent most of it locked away in my lab, analyzing data on asteroids and distant stars while my classmates handled our class booth on their own. My chest still felt tight from the strange feeling of having stepped out of my comfort zone for so long. Festivals, leadership, delegating responsibility—it all felt foreign and uncomfortable. But somehow… it was done, and I hadn't messed it all up.
With a sigh, I rolled out of bed and went through my morning routine. After a shower, I got dressed, then headed downstairs where the comforting clatter of breakfast prep and soft conversation drifted through the kitchen.
"Rei! Mornin'!" Hiro's cheerful voice greeted me as he ran over, arms open as if he was expecting a hug.
"Morning, Hiro," I replied, ruffling his hair instead. My little brother always called me "Rei"—a nickname he'd come up with a few years ago, and I didn't mind it, especially from him.
"Good morning, Reina," my mother said, setting a bowl of rice and a plate of eggs in front of me. My father, seated across the table, glanced up from his newspaper with a small nod. We fell into the usual rhythm of breakfast, a comforting start to the day.
"So, Rei," Hiro said, grinning as he took a bite of toast, "Mom and Dad told me all about how you were the leader at the festival. Were you nervous?"
I shrugged, poking at my rice. "It's just a temporary thing. I just planned things so they wouldn't mess up, that's all."
"'Just a temporary thing'—says the girl who managed a whole class event," my mom teased, passing me a bowl of miso soup. "You should give yourself more credit, Reina."
My dad smiled behind his coffee cup. "Leadership suits you, Reina. Don't be surprised if people start to notice that about you."
The memory of the curious eyes following me at school came back. "It was just for the festival," I said, keeping my voice even. "I doubt anyone is really noticing."
"Oh, I think they might," my mom said, winking at Hiro, who nodded enthusiastically.
After breakfast, I grabbed my bag, slipped on my shoes, and waved a quick goodbye before heading out. The familiar route to school was quiet, but as I passed groups of other students, I noticed lingering glances. The thought that people were paying attention was… strange. I didn't know if I wanted that or not. I pushed the thought aside and focused on getting to class.
When I walked into the classroom, a few classmates turned to look at me, then quickly looked away, whispering. I ignored them and headed straight to my seat. Something felt… different. My chair was a little lower than usual, cushioned, and my desk gleamed as if it had been polished by someone who took their time.
I narrowed my eyes, analyzing the changes for a few moments. Every detail stood out: the added comfort of the cushion, the pristine shine on the desk, even a folded napkin on one corner. Every last element had been meticulously done, no doubt by my classmates.
Ayumi noticed me inspecting the desk and walked over with a smirk. "Do you like it, Reina? We, um, wanted to show our appreciation for all your hard work during the festival."
Kaito chuckled, joining her. "Yeah, it was the least we could do. You ran the whole thing like a pro."
"It's… different," I mumbled, glancing at them. I could feel my cheeks warming up, so I quickly looked back at my desk, feigning deep concentration. "The polish on the desk is… a bit excessive. And the cushion makes the chair lower by approximately 1.25 inches."
Kaito tried to hold back a laugh. "Wow, you noticed that, huh?"
"Of course," I replied, my voice softer. "Everything feels different, down to the texture of the wood."
"You deserve it," Hana said, grinning from behind them. "We wanted you to be comfortable. It's kind of our 'thank you' for everything you did."
I took a deep breath and nodded, letting a faint smile slip through. "Thank you… I… appreciate it."
Class began, and as usual, the teacher didn't mind when I zoned out, focusing on my notebook. Most teachers knew by now that I would catch up on my own. They also knew that when no one else could answer a difficult question, I was the last resort.
Today's class was English, a subject I didn't mind but didn't consider my forte. However, when the teacher asked a question about complex sentence structures that left everyone stumped, she finally turned to me.
"Reina, do you want to give it a try?" she asked, smiling encouragingly.
I nodded, scanning the question briefly before answering. "The structure is grammatically correct, but it lacks emphasis due to improper use of conjunctions. If rephrased to highlight the primary clause, it would flow more naturally."
The teacher's eyes lit up, clearly pleased. "Exactly, Reina. Well done."
I gave a slight nod, a sense of satisfaction settling in. It was nice to know I could still keep my focus.
When lunch came around, I moved to my usual seat in the corner. I liked the quiet, away from the bustle of everyone else's conversations. Just as I opened my lunchbox, I noticed a shadow looming over me.
"Mind if we join you, Reina?" Ayumi asked, sliding into the seat across from me before I could answer.
"Yeah, it'll be fun!" Hana added, plopping down beside me with her lunch.
Kaito took the last seat, grinning. "Thought we'd eat together today."
I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. Usually, I would turn down any invitation. Yet, there they were, eating as if they'd done this every day. I looked down at my lunch, focusing on the food to hide my surprise.
"You know," Ayumi said between bites, "we really couldn't have managed the festival without your plan. I'm pretty sure it's the only reason we did so well."
I shrugged, keeping my eyes on my lunch. "I just wanted it to go smoothly. That's all."
Kaito laughed. "You don't realize, do you? We kept asking each other, 'What would Reina do?' the whole time you weren't there. It was like you were guiding us even when you weren't around."
I couldn't help but let a small smile slip through, something I tried to cover by taking another bite of rice.
Hana nudged me. "We also heard that some of the teachers were impressed with you. Seems like they're starting to notice all your hard work too."
I glanced at her, slightly embarrassed. "It was just… for the festival. It doesn't mean anything."
Kaito rolled his eyes. "Right, because we're all just imagining that the principal was practically glowing with pride when she talked about your work."
"It's true, Reina," Ayumi said softly. "You're really amazing. We all think so."
I swallowed, the warmth of their words making my usual quiet space feel different. I looked around, noticing that a few other classmates were glancing over, whispering and smiling. Somehow, I felt… at ease. I glanced up and met their gazes, letting my guard down for a brief moment.
"Thank you," I said, barely above a whisper, the words genuine. And this time, a real smile, small but unfiltered, tugged at my lips.
For a split second, the whole room seemed to pause. Kaito, Ayumi, and Hana exchanged a look, and suddenly Ayumi grinned.
"Did… did Reina just smile?" Ayumi whispered, nudging Kaito with a look of mock shock.
Kaito gasped, putting a hand over his mouth dramatically. "Someone alert the press. Reina, the ice queen of our class, actually smiled."
"Enough," I said, my voice tinged with a laugh I tried to suppress. But a part of me couldn't help enjoying the moment.
As the lunch hour ticked on, I felt a quiet shift. I wasn't the girl who only cared about space and math. Somehow, without meaning to, I'd become part of something bigger.