The television droned softly in the background, flashes of color dancing across the living room. Reina lay sprawled across the couch, her long white hair spilling like snow across the cushions. A blanket clung loosely to her small frame as she pressed the remote lazily, flipping through channels with absent motions.
ANIER: "Observation: prolonged inactivity detected. Recommendation: resume research schedule."
"...Shut up," Reina muttered, not even lifting her head. "It's fine. Once in a while."
The AI didn't protest further, though Reina could almost feel ANIER's disapproving silence hanging over her.
Click. Click. Click.
She kept switching channels, disinterested—news, variety shows, reruns of dramas. Nothing stuck. Until—
She stopped.
A cheerful opening theme burst onto the screen, colorful animation filling the room. Reina blinked.
"…Anime?"
Her black eyes narrowed slightly. She'd never really bothered with it before. Cartoons, stories, overexaggerated expressions… she didn't see the point. But… something about it caught her eye. A simple slice-of-life story, friends gathering after school, walking home together, laughing over trivial things.
Reina stayed on the channel.
Minutes blurred into hours.
By the time noon sunlight spilled through the curtains, Reina was still lying there, her small hands clutching the remote loosely as she stared at the screen.
"…"
She sighed, dragging herself upright. Her hair tangled, her eyes faintly weary—yet her chest felt oddly warm.
"…Hooked, huh," she whispered to herself.
But she wouldn't admit it out loud.
After stretching her stiff limbs, Reina decided not to waste the rest of the day. She slipped into casual clothes, simple but neat, and ordered a taxi through ANIER.
When the car pulled up in front of her favorite café, she stepped out quietly, her halo glowing faintly above her head. Immediately, staff members straightened at the door.
"Welcome back, Saeki-sama," the manager greeted with a polite bow.
Reina twitched slightly. She still wasn't used to that. "…Good afternoon."
She was led without delay to her reserved seat—an elegant table by the wide glass window. The grape tea she favored was already waiting, steam curling in delicate wisps above the porcelain cup.
Convenience. Almost too convenient.
She slid into the seat, lifting the cup gracefully, her black eyes glimmering in the reflection of the glass. Outside, the city stretched beneath her, alive yet distant.
Meanwhile, ANIER projected holographic data through her contact lens, filling her vision with neat strings of text and diagrams. Reina scrolled silently, reading into amplifier specifications, signal processors, and stage-lighting setups.
"Shion's equipment…" she murmured softly. "Complicated… expensive. No wonder he asked."
Her mind drifted for a moment. Or maybe…
Reina shook her head sharply, pressing her lips into a thin line. "…No. Stupid."
She returned to her tea, the warmth grounding her.
The hours slipped by. Afternoon light turned golden. Reina knew she'd been there too long, but the café staff never showed any signs of impatience. If anything, their smiles only grew each time they passed.
She caught fragments of whispers from nearby tables.
"Look… she's still here…""Saeki-sama really is beautiful in person…""That halo, is it real…? She looks like a goddess…"
Reina's black eyes lowered, her fingers tightening slightly on the teacup. She set it down with a faint clink.
"…Privacy. Remember?" she said calmly when the manager approached.
The man froze for half a second before smiling sheepishly. "Of course, Saeki-sama. We'll make sure not to disturb you."
They left her alone after that, letting her sit quietly by the window.
Reina exhaled, leaning back in her chair. She tilted her head slightly, letting her gaze linger on the skyline. The sun dipped lower, casting streaks of orange and violet across the glass.
She lifted her fork to the parfait she'd ordered—a towering confection of fruit, cream, and sugar. With her small appetite, it looked ridiculous. But ANIER's voice chimed in faintly.
ANIER: "Nutritional analysis: additional sugar intake is recommended. Your body mass requires higher glucose levels to maintain stamina."
"…You just wanted me to order it," Reina muttered. Still, she scooped a bite, chewing slowly.
The sweetness melted on her tongue. She allowed herself the faintest smile.
Her halo flickered softly above her head, glowing gently in rhythm with her heartbeat. The light reflected in the window, giving her the faint silhouette of a divine figure seated among mortals, sipping tea as the world passed by.
"...New project ideas," Reina whispered after a long silence, leaning back.
Her voice was quiet, meant only for herself and ANIER.
"Maybe… an upgrade to my lens. Higher projection fidelity. Or… portable micro-reactors. No… too dangerous."
Her black eyes softened, gazing past the horizon. "Or something random. Something simple. Something useless, maybe."
ANIER: "Acknowledged. Drafting new project logs."
"…" Reina sighed. "…It's fine. Just let me relax for now."
And so she did.
Wrapped in soft light, sipping sweet tea, a small genius girl rested in a space between divinity and humanity—unknown to most, yet quietly shaping the future one lazy afternoon at a time.