A Day of Social Training

It was the morning after Reina's unexpected visit to the cooking club. The sun shone gently through the wide laboratory windows, casting a soft glow on the neatly arranged equipment in Reina's private lab. The air carried the faint scent of chemicals, paper, and faint traces of the experiments she had been working on.

Himari sat across from Reina, resting her chin on her palm as she watched her friend scribble calculations onto a notepad. Despite the events of the previous day, Reina seemed completely unbothered, her focus solely on her work.

Himari: "Reina, we need to talk about something important."

Reina, still jotting down notes, responded without looking up.

Reina: "Go ahead."

Himari: "Your social skills."

Reina's pen came to a halt. She blinked once before finally raising her head, her gaze meeting Himari's expectant one.

Reina: "...What about them?"

Himari sighed, leaning back in her chair.

Himari: "Look, it really bothers me that people misunderstand you all the time. You're not cold or mean, but the way you talk makes people think you are."

Reina tilted her head slightly, looking genuinely confused.

Reina: "But I only state facts. Misunderstanding me is their problem, not mine."

Himari groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead.

Himari: "That's exactly the problem! You say things so bluntly that people think you're intimidating or don't care. But I know you do, Reina. You wouldn't have checked on Masaki if you didn't care. You wouldn't tolerate me constantly hanging around if you didn't care."

Reina sighed, setting down her pen.

Reina: "I just prefer being alone. That's all."

Himari shook her head.

Himari: "I get that. I'm not asking you to change who you are, but at least try to communicate your emotions properly. Otherwise, you'll keep scaring people without meaning to."

Reina was silent for a moment. Then, after what felt like a long pause, she exhaled in defeat.

Reina: "Fine."

Himari's eyes lit up.

Himari: "Really?!"

Reina: "If it gets you to stop pestering me, I'll do it."

Himari grinned.

Himari: "Then let's start with something simple. I'll ask you some basic questions, and you answer them naturally, okay?"

Reina nodded.

Himari: "Alright, what's your favorite food?"

Reina: "Anything that provides sufficient energy with minimal preparation."

Himari blinked.

Himari: "...That's not a normal way to answer that."

Reina: "It's a logical response."

Himari chuckled before trying again.

Himari: "Okay, what do you do in your free time?"

Reina: "Research, development, and calculations."

Himari: "Reina. That makes you sound like a machine."

Reina: "It is an accurate representation of my activities."

Himari let out an exasperated sigh but couldn't help smiling.

Himari: "Alright, let's switch it up. How about a harder question? Explain the principle behind ion propulsion in simple terms."

At that, Reina's eyes lit up—not physically, but there was a subtle shift in her expression, like a spark of excitement hidden behind her usually calm demeanor.

Reina: "Ion propulsion functions by accelerating charged particles using electric fields, producing thrust in a highly efficient manner. It allows for prolonged travel in space with minimal fuel consumption, making it ideal for deep-space exploration."

Himari burst into laughter.

Himari: "See? That's the most energy I've heard from you all day! Why don't you talk like that more often?"

Reina: "Because discussing science is relevant. Everything else is trivial."

Himari wiped a tear from her eye, shaking her head.

Himari: "Well, we need to fix that. So I'm taking you out tomorrow."

Reina: "Out?"

Himari: "Yep. An outing. Just the two of us at first, but maybe we'll run into some people you know. It'll be a good chance to practice socializing."

Reina stared at her for a moment before sighing.

Reina: "Fine. But don't expect much."

The Next Day: Outing Day

The next morning, Reina stepped outside in slightly more casual clothes than usual—a comfortable dark turtleneck sweater, well-fitted pants, and a light jacket. However, despite the change in attire, there was still something about her that gave off a scientist's aura. Perhaps it was the way she carried herself, or the way her sharp gaze constantly analyzed her surroundings.

Himari, on the other hand, dressed casually in a comfortable hoodie and skirt, bouncing slightly on her heels as she greeted Reina.

Himari: "Alright! First stop: a café!"

Reina: "Why?"

Himari: "Because it's a normal place to hang out, and you need to learn how to engage in casual conversations."

Reina sighed but followed along.

At the café, Himari ordered a drink while Reina simply observed the menu with disinterest. Eventually, Himari picked a drink for her. They sat down, and Himari encouraged Reina to at least make small talk with the barista, though Reina's responses remained short and precise.

Next, they visited an arcade. At first, Reina was skeptical about the appeal, but once she got involved in a rhythm-based game, she quickly became too good at it, drawing the attention of a small crowd. She had no emotional reaction to winning, only analyzing the patterns for efficiency.

Himari: "You're scary when you're good at things."

Reina: "Efficiency is key."

As they left the arcade, they unexpectedly ran into a familiar group—Ayumi, Hana, Kaito, and Hiro.

Ayumi: "Oh! Reina! Himari! What are you guys doing here?"

Himari: "I'm helping Reina improve her social skills!"

Ayumi: "...What?"

Hana: "Wait, Reina agreed to this?"

Reina: "I was forced."

Kaito smirked.

Kaito: "Well, since we're here, why don't we all hang out? Might help you more than just following Himari around."

Reina hesitated. Being around one person was tolerable. A group was another matter. But as she glanced at Himari—who gave her a reassuring nod—she sighed and accepted.

Surprisingly, spending time with familiar classmates was easier than expected. While Reina still wasn't the most talkative, she found herself relaxing slightly in their company. They visited a bookstore, had lunch together, and even walked through the shopping district.

At one point, Hana and Ayumi started chatting about trivial school matters, and Reina listened in silence. Normally, she wouldn't care for such conversations, but for once, she found it… mildly engaging.

By the end of the day, Reina felt less tense than she had anticipated. She wasn't suddenly a social butterfly, but she had to admit—just a little—that the experience wasn't entirely unpleasant.

As the group prepared to part ways, Himari leaned in with a teasing smile.

Himari: "So? How do you feel?"

Reina paused before answering.

Reina: "...Less bothered than expected."

Himari grinned.

Himari: "That's a win in my book."

Reina sighed but didn't deny it.

Maybe—just maybe—she could tolerate these outings once in a while.