Unwanted Attention

[Scene: Reina's Lab, Lunch Break]

Reina sat in her lab, flipping through the pages of her journal. The recent cooking class was a minor inconvenience, but at least it had been a temporary one. She had no intention of repeating the experience, despite the surprising success of the dish. She reached for her pen to jot down notes on her latest experiment when—

Knock, knock.

Her eyes flickered toward the door. She wasn't expecting anyone. Usually, only Himari visited during lunch, and even then, she would have sent a message beforehand.

She remained seated, debating whether to ignore it. But the knocking continued, more insistent this time.

Reina: (Sighs) "Come in."

The door creaked open, revealing a tall figure with an apron draped over his uniform. His face beamed with enthusiasm, but there was a glint of nervousness behind his brown eyes.

???: "Ah, you really are here! Reina, right? I'm Masaki, the president of the cooking club! It's great to finally meet you in person!"

Reina tilted her head slightly, eyes narrowing just a fraction. He looked… overly eager. That wasn't a good sign.

Reina: "...What do you want?"

Masaki: "Oh! Uh, sorry, that sounded like I'm here to bother you or something. I mean, technically I am, but in a good way! Haha… ha." Clears throat. "Look, I heard from the others that you're amazing at cooking! Your curry was the best in class yesterday, and everyone's talking about it! So I was thinking—"

Reina already knew where this was going.

Masaki: "You should totally join the cooking club!"

There it was. Just as she expected. She sighed internally. Why did people always misunderstand?

Reina: "No."

Her answer was immediate, direct, and devoid of hesitation. Masaki blinked rapidly, clearly not expecting such a blunt refusal.

Masaki: "Wait, wait! You don't have to decide so fast! You might really enjoy it! You already have the talent, and we'd love to have someone like you. You wouldn't even have to participate in every meeting—just drop by and cook whenever you feel like it! It's a win-win!"

Reina: "I said no."

Masaki: "Oh, um… Is it because you're too busy? Or do you not like group activities? Or—"

Reina: "I'm not interested."

This time, her voice came out colder than she intended. Not because she was angry, but because she wanted to end the conversation quickly. Unfortunately, Masaki misread her tone entirely.

Masaki: ("Oh no, I pissed her off!") "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to bother you! Please don't be mad! I just— I mean, I really respect your talent and— Ahh, I totally messed this up, didn't I?!"

Reina just stared at him. Processing.

He was apologizing?

Why?

She didn't say anything offensive. She simply declined the offer. Yet, Masaki looked like he had just committed a grave sin.

She opened her mouth to clarify, but Masaki, in his panic, mistook her silent stare for something far worse.

Masaki: "I—I swear I won't bother you again! I just really thought you'd be interested! I—I'll get out of your way now!"

And with that, he bolted out of the room before she could say another word.

Reina blinked.

That was… unexpected.

Did she scare him? But how? She wasn't angry. Her tone had been neutral, or so she thought. Maybe she had come across as colder than intended?

She sighed, closing her journal and rubbing her temple. Social interactions were a hassle.

She had no time to dwell on it, though, because just a few moments later, another knock sounded on her door—this time, softer and more familiar.

Reina: "Come in."

The door creaked open again, and this time, it was Himari.

Himari: "I saw Masaki practically sprint out of here. Did something happen?"

Reina let out a small sigh, relieved to see a familiar face. Her usual guarded expression relaxed, though to most people, it probably still looked unreadable.

Reina: "He wanted me to join the cooking club. I said no. He panicked and left."

Himari: ("Sounds about right.") "I see. Did you… scare him?"

Reina: "Not intentionally. I only refused."

Himari: "Hmm… Knowing you, Reina, you probably sounded really cold without meaning to."

Reina: "...I was just being direct."

Himari chuckled softly, setting down a small box on the table and taking a seat across from Reina.

Himari: "Yes, but not everyone takes 'direct' well. Most people prefer softer rejections, or at least an explanation." Pauses. "Though, to be fair, Masaki is a little dramatic."

Reina thought back to the way he'd apologized profusely as if she had personally sentenced him to exile.

Reina: "I noticed."

Himari: "Are you going to clarify things with him?"

Reina: "No."

Himari: ("Should've seen that coming.") "Well, at least he probably won't bother you again."

Reina: "Good."

Silence settled between them, comfortable and familiar. Reina glanced at the box Himari had placed on the table.

Reina: "What's that?"

Himari: "Lunch. I made extra, so I brought some for you."

Reina: ("I didn't ask her to.") "...You didn't have to."

Himari: "I know. But I wanted to."

Reina hesitated before nodding. She took the box and opened it. A neatly packed bento greeted her, complete with rice, side dishes, and a few carefully arranged vegetables. The effort was obvious.

She picked up a pair of chopsticks and took a small bite. The flavors were balanced, subtle, yet comforting.

Reina: "...It's good."

Himari: "I'm glad you like it."

They ate in relative silence, broken only by the occasional clink of chopsticks against the container. Reina found herself appreciating the quiet companionship.

For now, she decided to let the whole cooking club incident fade into the background. After all, there were far more important things to focus on than an overly eager club president misunderstanding her personality.