The second day of the festival began almost the same as yesterday—Reina in her plain school uniform, halo faintly hovering above her head, and ANIER softly glowing within her vision. She walked beside Himari, who seemed far more energetic than usual, already listing food stalls they hadn't tried yet.
Reina only nodded absently, enjoying the faint buzz of festival chatter around her. It's fine… just this once, she thought, convincing herself that taking a break from her lab wasn't such a bad idea.
The Ambush
"SEI!"
The sudden shout nearly made Reina flinch. From behind the food stalls came Ren, Arisa, and Mei, storming toward them with arms crossed and cheeks puffed in mock outrage.
"You dared," Arisa said dramatically, pointing at Sei, "to hang out with Reina yesterday without us?"
"Unforgivable," Ren added, though his grin betrayed that he wasn't really angry.
Mei just quietly nodded, though her eyes sparkled with mischief.
Sei raised his hands like he was about to be arrested. "Wait, wait, it wasn't my idea! ANIER dragged me into it!"
[ANIER:Correction. I only optimized your poor sense of timing.]
Reina gave a small sigh, though the corner of her lips curved faintly upward. "Fine. If you all want to join, then do whatever you like. Just… don't make it troublesome."
"Yay! Group outing unlocked!" Arisa cheered, looping her arm with Himari's, who nearly tripped from the sudden gesture.
The Collision
They continued down the main hall, laughter blending with the noise of games and performances in the background. But suddenly—
Thump!
Reina staggered backward as someone crashed into her. Before she could react, her balance slipped, and the next thing she knew, she was on the ground—on top of someone else.
The boy underneath groaned lightly but immediately sat up. "S-Sorry! I wasn't looking—I'm really in a hurry!" He gently helped Reina to her feet, eyes wide with guilt.
Reina brushed her skirt calmly, blinking. "...You cushioned me. So, I should be the one saying sorry."
Still, out of instinct, she murmured, "ANIER, physical scan."
[ANIER:Running analysis… No fractures, no bruises, pulse normal. Subject's condition: mildly embarrassed.]
"…You didn't need to say that last part," Reina muttered under her breath.
The boy bowed again. "I'm truly sorry, but I have to go. My performance is starting soon!" And with that, he dashed off toward the auditorium.
The Revelation
Reina turned back to her group, only to see everyone staring at her in stunned silence.
"…What?" she asked.
Sei slapped his forehead. "Do you even realize who that was?"
"That was Shion Kurobane," Ren explained, his voice filled with awe. "Second year, president of the music club. He won the inter-school tournament last year with his violin solo. People call him the 'Prodigy of Strings.'"
Arisa leaned closer to Reina. "And you just… fell on top of him like some rom-com heroine. Do you know how jealous half the school will be?"
"…I don't care about that," Reina said flatly.
But Himari tugged her sleeve gently. "Still… maybe we should watch his performance. You might like it."
Reina hesitated. Crowds weren't her thing. Noise wasn't her thing. Music wasn't… well, actually, she'd never given it much thought.
But ANIER chimed in before she could refuse.
[ANIER:Statistical prediction: Attending this event will reduce current stress levels by 27.8% and provide potential emotional enrichment.]
"…Fine," Reina finally said, adjusting her halo. "Lead the way."
The Performance
The auditorium was packed, the air buzzing with anticipation. Reina and the others managed to squeeze into a row near the middle, the lights dimming just as they sat down.
On stage, Shion walked out calmly, bowing politely to the audience. At first, his hands were empty. Reina tilted her head in mild confusion.
Then, a staff member brought out a violin.
The moment Shion lifted the bow and drew the first note—
Reina froze.
The sound cut through the hall like liquid silver, warm and sharp all at once. Each vibration of the strings shimmered, flowing straight into her chest. Her heartbeat synced with the melody, her breath involuntarily slowing.
She leaned forward slightly. "ANIER… record this. Every note."
[ANIER:Already recording in lossless quality. Heart rate increasing. Pupil dilation detected. Emotional reaction: captivated.]
"...Shut up," she whispered, though she didn't look away.
The performance soared—gentle and playful at first, then swelling into something grand, almost cosmic. It felt to Reina like the sound of distant galaxies being born, of stars colliding, of silence breaking into light.
She didn't realize she was holding her breath until the final note faded and the hall erupted into thunderous applause.
Aftermath
Reina exhaled slowly, blinking back into herself. Her hands trembled slightly in her lap. "…It was worth it."
[ANIER:Confirmed. Stress levels decreased. Emotional satisfaction: high. Would you like me to replay the performance as a bedtime track later?]
"…Maybe," Reina murmured, still staring at the stage even though Shion had already bowed and exited.
Her friends were buzzing with chatter—Ren praising Shion's skill, Arisa comparing him to anime idols, Himari quietly smiling as if she was glad Reina came.
But Reina sat in silence, letting the echo of the violin linger in her chest a little longer.
Closing of the Day
By the time the group left the hall, the festival sun was already dipping low, orange light spilling through the windows. They grabbed some snacks from a nearby stall—Reina barely tasted hers, still lost in thought.
[ANIER:You seem unusually affected. Possible new interest detected: music.]
"…No," Reina muttered. But her lips curved ever so slightly. "It was just… beautiful. That's all."
And as the day ended, for the first time in a while, Reina felt that maybe stepping away from her lab hadn't been such a waste after all.