It was still the same day. Reina, having finished lunch and done her part helping Hiro sort the groceries, collapsed lazily onto the living room couch. Her legs dangled over the armrest while she halfheartedly scrolled through her online shop. The room was quiet, save for the faint murmur of the television her father was watching on the opposite couch.
Her eyes skimmed past the usual tech gadgets, books, and science kits—until something unusual caught her attention.
"Anti-Gravity Room," the screen boldly displayed, along with flashy diagrams of floating furniture and smiling models bouncing as if in space.
Reina raised an eyebrow. "...Anti-gravity? No. That's not real. But..." She sat up slightly, squinting. The description, though clearly dramatized, gave her an idea. If she turned a closed chamber into a vacuum environment—no air, no friction—then she could simulate weightlessness, at least partially.
Her mind whirred with possibilities, but her gaze shifted to the walls of her house. Building such an experiment here would be impossible. Dangerous, too. She needed a separate place.
Reina leaned back and sighed. "...I'll need a hall. Something big."
Without wasting time, she turned her head toward her father, who sat on the other couch, lazily holding the TV remote."Dad," she called, her tone casual but her eyes serious. "Can you help me buy a land property?"
Her father blinked, turning his head slowly. "A property? For what?"
Reina deadpanned. "Anti-gravity experiment."
There was a pause. A long one. Her father stared at her, his brows furrowed as if expecting more explanation. Then he sighed, shaking his head with a half-smile. "...You're unbelievable. Alright. Let's go."
Reina blinked. "...Now?"
"Now."
Even Reina, who rarely showed much reaction, sat up straighter in surprise. She hadn't expected such an immediate response. Her father, however, grinned as he clicked the television off and stood up. "Come on."
Reina let out a resigned sigh, grabbed her bag, and followed him outside.
The familiar white family car rumbled to life as her father took the wheel. Reina buckled in, glancing at him. "So how are we supposed to buy a property? Isn't there a long process?"
Her father chuckled. "We start with a real estate company. Don't worry, I know the steps."
A short drive later, they arrived at a tall, modern building lined with glass windows and polished stone pillars. Reina followed her father into the lobby, where they were immediately greeted by a polite receptionist.
"Welcome. How may I assist you today?"
Her father answered with a straight face. "I'd like to purchase a property. Something large. A hall-sized building, preferably near our home."
The receptionist blinked in surprise but quickly regained her composure, bowing slightly. "Certainly. Please, this way."
They were guided into a consultation room, where documents, maps, and listings were displayed on a large digital screen. Reina leaned back, letting her father handle the discussion while she scrolled through the digital tablet handed to her. Her eyes scanned property after property until she found one that made her stop.
A large white hall, spacious with multiple rooms, located not too far from their home.
"This one," Reina said flatly, pointing at the screen.
The receptionist hesitated. "Ah, yes. That property... it is indeed very large. But the price—" She showed them the figure: sixty million yen.
Her father whistled lowly. "Reina, are you sure—"
Before he could finish, Reina stood and approached the receptionist. "I'll pay."
The woman blinked. "Eh?"
Reina raised her finger. The receptionist, though startled, pulled out the card reader with shaking hands. As Reina pressed her fingertip against the device, a soft beep rang out.
"Transaction complete," the screen displayed."Amount: 60,000,000 yen."
The receptionist nearly dropped the machine. Her father chuckled, covering his face with his hand. "This girl..."
"Handle the paperwork," Reina said simply to her father, before excusing herself. She left the office, walked down the hall, and stepped outside where a car waited to take them to the property.
The building stood tall and pristine, its white walls glowing faintly under the late afternoon sun. It was exactly as the images showed—spacious, with high ceilings and wide corridors. Inside, the air smelled faintly of fresh paint and polished wood.
Reina stepped inside, her shoes echoing softly on the marble floor. She moved through the main hall, her sharp eyes scanning everything.
"It's perfect," she whispered.
Room after room, she checked them one by one. Large, empty spaces ready to be transformed into laboratories. A hall big enough for full-scale experiments. One room, in particular, caught her attention—it had no windows, just walls and reinforced flooring. It was sealed tight. Perfect for her vacuum experiment.
"This will be the one."
She ran her hand across the smooth wall, already calculating how to fit the machinery, vacuum systems, and safety locks. Her lips curled into a rare, satisfied smile.
Outside, her father was still handling the formal paperwork with the receptionist. Reina walked out of the hall, her steps calm, her expression composed.
Her father looked up. "Well?"
Reina gave a single nod. "It's perfect."
Her father smirked knowingly. "I figured you'd say that."
Reina glanced back at the hall once more. A new project. A new possibility. For the first time in a while, she felt a flicker of excitement.