The days following the festival felt almost surreal as I returned to my usual projects, the quiet of my lab a welcome contrast to the chaos of the last few weeks. I was back to my normal routine, hidden away in the lab, far from the stares and conversations that had made up so much of the festival. Yet, a new project occupied my mind now—one I hadn't considered before.
The idea had come to me over the weekend. What if I collected all my findings, sketches, and observations into a single journal? Something compact, concise, with the potential to be expanded upon later. A journal of the cosmos, perhaps. Or maybe… just a diary. It felt more personal that way. I opened my notebook to a new page, my pen scratching faintly as I began sketching a nebula that had fascinated me for months, trying to capture its wispy edges and intricate colors.
The first five pages had come together in the last two days, mostly explanations of my theoretical findings, some accompanying sketches, and a rough table of contents. It was slow progress, but steady. Lost in thought, I didn't notice the light tapping on the door until it came again, this time louder.
Setting down my pen, I got up, unlocking the door. A small figure stood there—just a head shorter than me, clutching her bag tightly.
"Uh… excuse me… am I… interrupting?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.
The girl looked out of place, her large eyes darting around nervously as if she'd accidentally wandered into a lion's den. She looked like a first-year, probably new to the academy. I raised an eyebrow, slightly intrigued but mostly wanting to return to my journal.
"No," I replied calmly. "But this isn't a place for sightseeing. Are you lost?"
She hesitated, glancing around the room before answering, "Yes… I think I took a wrong turn."
"Well," I sighed, gesturing to the only other chair, "you can wait here until a teacher comes by to get you. But don't touch anything," I warned, adding a slight frown for emphasis.
The girl nodded, her eyes wide. She sat down carefully, barely shifting in her seat. It felt strange having someone in my space, especially someone so obviously intimidated. I resumed my work, the scratching of my pen the only sound in the room. Every now and then, I could feel her glancing at me, but I ignored it, my focus on the stars I was sketching.
Himari's Perspective
My heart pounded as I sat there, wondering if this was a mistake. I shouldn't have been wandering around, and of all people to run into, I found myself in the company of her. The girl everyone whispered about in the halls, her reputation almost mythical. Reina. Even just sitting here, I could feel the intense presence she carried, as if she were a queen presiding over her own kingdom.
She hadn't even spared me more than a few words, and I felt both a relief and disappointment at that. I glanced around the room—a curious place, filled with books and sketches on the desk, a faint smell of ink and paper lingering in the air. I wanted to ask what she was working on, but the focused expression on her face was too intimidating. Her eyes were fixed on her notebook, deep in concentration, and I couldn't help but notice how her gaze seemed otherworldly, almost distant.
Her eyes. They were the most startling thing about her. They were such a deep shade of black that they reminded me of the night sky. The light seemed to catch in them just right, giving off a kind of… galaxy-like shimmer. Mesmerizing, and a little terrifying at the same time. I bit my lip, trying to shake off the feeling that I was staring too much, but I couldn't look away. She seemed like someone who belonged in the stars.
"So… you're… Reina, right?" I finally ventured, my voice barely audible.
She didn't look up, her voice quiet but clear. "Yes. And you are?"
"H-Himari. I'm new here."
She gave a small nod and returned to her work, as if that was all she needed to know. I felt my cheeks warm. So much for trying to make small talk. I sat back, fidgeting slightly, hoping the teacher would come soon.
The silence stretched on, her pen scratching against the paper in a rhythm that almost calmed me, even as it added to the tension. I kept sneaking glances at her, trying to see what she was writing, but all I caught were intricate sketches and equations I couldn't even begin to understand. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, there was a knock on the door.
Reina's Perspective
I looked up as a teacher opened the door, nodding at me as she stepped into the room.
"Himari," the teacher said with relief. "I was just about to send someone to look for you! Thank you, Reina, for keeping her here."
I nodded, handing Himari over to the teacher's care. "It's fine. She didn't disturb anything."
The teacher smiled, thanking me again, before ushering Himari out the door. Himari gave me a nervous glance over her shoulder as she left, as if she'd glimpsed something both fascinating and terrifying. I watched her go, her small figure disappearing down the hall with the teacher. Strange. I'd never considered myself someone people would fear. My attention drifted back to my notebook as I turned the page, the thought soon forgotten.
A Few Days Later – Himari's Perspective
I'd tried my best to put my brief encounter with Reina out of my mind, but every time I passed her in the halls, a chill went down my spine. She always had that same intense look, as if nothing and no one could touch her. It wasn't just her presence—it was those eyes. They held something vast and unknowable, like an endless night sky. Every time we crossed paths, I found myself averting my gaze, as if even a second of eye contact would pull me into another world.
"Himari, are you okay?" my friend Saki asked one day, catching me staring after Reina as she disappeared around the corner.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. It's just… do you ever look at Reina?"
Saki looked confused for a moment, then shrugged. "Everyone looks at Reina. She's like the school's mystery. Quiet, distant… and, you know, some people think she's super intimidating."
"Intimidating?" I echoed. "Yeah… I guess that's one word for it."
"She's cool, though," Saki continued. "Like, I heard she's a genius. But you know what's even cooler? You were actually in her lab, right? Did she say anything?"
I thought back to the strange silence, the cautious way she'd let me in and then proceeded to ignore me almost entirely. "Not really," I admitted, still a bit thrown by the encounter. "She was really focused on her work. But her eyes… they're like a whole galaxy. It was kind of… mesmerizing."
Saki snickered. "Wow, Himari, sounds like you're falling for her or something."
My cheeks flushed. "No, no, it's not like that! It's just… she's… different."
"Different good or different creepy?" Saki teased, nudging me.
"Just… different," I said softly, lost in thought. Every time I saw her, that feeling of awe mixed with intimidation came back, and it was hard to shake.
Reina's Perspective
Days passed, and I'd noticed that Himari, whenever we happened to cross paths, seemed to avert her gaze quickly. A strange reaction, but not unusual. People often treated me as if I were unapproachable. It didn't bother me—I preferred it that way. Still, I could tell something was off whenever Himari was around. Perhaps she'd misunderstood something. I didn't want her, or anyone, to feel uneasy.
Then again, it didn't really matter. I was content to return to my work, letting the world pass by as I focused on my journal.