Himari's Perspective
That night, lying in bed, I found it hard to sleep. The more I thought about my day with Reina-senpai, the more I realized how much I didn't know about her. She had this unwavering dedication to her work—every word she said, every time she glanced at her screen, even her absent-minded replies made it clear how serious she was about space. It wasn't just a hobby to her. It was like her entire world revolved around it.
I'd heard rumors about someone called "The Space Girl," a mysterious student who barely spoke to anyone, always looked like she was lost in thought, and was rumored to spend most of her time in the east wing lab. People said she was eccentric and didn't care much for social interaction. Now that I thought about it, it had to be Reina-senpai. But she didn't seem nearly as unapproachable as people made her out to be—just… focused. I turned over, letting the image of her tiny, awkward smile and her intense eyes linger in my mind before finally drifting off to sleep.
The next day, I sat at my desk in class, absent-mindedly doodling in my notebook. I wasn't a particularly social person, but I had my circle of friends, and that was enough. My friends kept me grounded, and I preferred to stay out of the chaos of the more boisterous groups.
As I stared at the pages in front of me, remembering how Reina-senpai had spent hours switching between her notebook and the computer, my friends began to gather around me, their voices pulling me back to the present.
"Hey, Himari, did you hear about Reina-senpai's class stall at the festival?" asked Akari, one of my closest friends, leaning over with excitement in her eyes.
"Oh, yeah! I heard she was in charge of it and that it was one of the most popular stalls!" another friend, Yui, added, her eyes wide with admiration. "It's so hard to imagine Reina-senpai in that role. She's so… quiet."
I nodded, smiling slightly, the memories of her cold, yet somehow gentle responses coming back to me. "She was… different from what I expected," I said quietly, looking down at my notebook.
Akari's eyes lit up. "Wait, you've actually spoken to her, Himari?"
"Uh… yeah. She's not as intimidating as people say," I replied, not really sure how to describe my experience. "She just… really loves space. I could tell."
That caught everyone's attention. Now they were all staring at me with fascination, and I could feel the curiosity in the room grow. The few friends who had been leaning over my desk were now joined by even more classmates, and suddenly, it seemed like the whole room was waiting for me to explain.
"So, what's she like?" Akari asked, her eyes shining with curiosity.
"She's… well, it's hard to put into words," I began, feeling a bit flustered under the weight of everyone's expectations. "She's really focused, for one. When I was in her lab, it was like I barely existed to her unless I asked a question. She'd answer, but she was very direct. Like, she doesn't waste words."
"Sounds kind of intense," Yui said, wide-eyed.
I chuckled nervously. "It was! I mean, I was trying to be polite and ask her about her work, but she didn't even look at me half the time. She was so deep into whatever she was doing on her computer. I felt like I was intruding."
"What kind of questions did you ask?" another classmate, Shiori, asked, leaning in closer.
"Well…" I thought back to our conversation. "I asked her about her journal and what she was planning to do with it. She called it a 'journey' of her knowledge about space. She wants it to be like a guide, but not exactly—more like something people can learn from at different levels. She kept saying it was 'necessary,' like it was something she couldn't live without."
A murmur went through the crowd as everyone processed this. Some students exchanged glances, clearly intrigued by the idea of such an intense, personal project.
"Wow, that's… really something," Akari said, her eyes full of admiration. "I never realized she was that passionate."
"Yeah," I replied, smiling a bit. "And even though her answers were… blunt, I could tell she was trying to be polite, in her own way. It was like she didn't mean to be cold—she was just so focused."
My classmates all nodded, and I could see a new appreciation forming in their eyes. Reina-senpai had always been somewhat of a mystery, and this glimpse into her world seemed to make her even more interesting.
"So, did she ever smile?" Yui asked, raising her eyebrows. "I've never seen her smile before."
"Well…" I hesitated, thinking back. "Sort of. When I was leaving, she gave me this… small, kind of awkward smile. It was like she was trying to be friendly, but… it came out weird. But it was kind of sweet, in a way."
They all laughed, some of them giggling at the thought of the usually expressionless Reina-senpai trying to smile.
"I heard she's always silent and serious," one of the quieter students, Kana, said from the back of the group. "Is she really as scary as people say?"
I shook my head. "Not really. I mean, she has this intense gaze, and yeah, it's kind of intimidating at first. But once you get used to it, it's not so bad. She's just… really into what she's doing."
The conversation continued like that, each of my classmates taking turns to ask questions or share their own impressions of Reina-senpai. Some of them had only seen her from a distance, admiring her from afar but never daring to approach. Others had heard rumors about her brilliance and her reputation as a "space prodigy."
I felt a strange sense of pride talking about her, even though I barely knew her myself. But somehow, spending those few hours in her lab made me feel like I'd seen a side of her that most people hadn't. She was more than just the "Space Girl" or the "Genius Senpai" that people whispered about. She was someone who was genuinely dedicated to her passion, and that was something I could respect.
By the time the lunch bell rang, almost everyone in the class had been part of the conversation. As we all returned to our seats, I felt like something had shifted. Reina-senpai had been this untouchable figure in the school—a quiet, mysterious presence. But now, thanks to our discussion, she felt a little closer, a little more real.
After class, as I packed up my things, Akari nudged me with a grin.
"You know, Himari, it sounds like you and Reina-senpai would make a great pair," she teased, winking.
"W-What? No!" I stammered, feeling my face heat up. "She's… she's my senpai. And besides, I don't think she'd even care if I was around or not. She's so focused on her work."
Akari just laughed. "Yeah, but still. You're probably the only one who's actually had a conversation with her. That's kind of impressive."
I looked down, fiddling with the strap of my bag, feeling a bit embarrassed but also… a little proud. Even though our "conversation" was mostly just her answering my questions in the shortest way possible, it was still something. And knowing that Reina-senpai had tried to smile, even if awkwardly, made me feel like I'd seen a side of her that most people hadn't.
As I walked out of the classroom, I couldn't help but think about Reina-senpai and her passion for space. Maybe… maybe I'd visit her lab again, if she didn't mind. There was something about her that intrigued me, something that made me want to know more. And maybe, just maybe, I'd be able to learn more about the vast universe she seemed so determined to explore.