Breaking the Ice

The next morning arrived, with its same almost robotic routine: wake up; have breakfast; get dressed; precisely make Reina's coffee, black with two sugars, just as she requested. 

After opening the door to the classroom, I half-expected Reina to be glaring at me again, but today she seems... off somehow.

I set the thermos on her desk. “Good morning, Reina.”

“...”

Nothing; she didn't flinch. Her gaze was perfectly locked on her phone; it was like I wasn’t even there. Just why is the ice queen so cold today?

I fully expected her to be teasing me in the middle of class, mocking me with that low-effort version of my voice from when I allegedly called her my mom.

But throughout the morning lecture, she'd ignore my attempts to bait her for a debate; she'd just stare into her tablet like I wasn't worth the time arguing with.

At lunch, moment I moved to sit across from her, she stood up with a sharp rustle of silk and vanished into the crowd without a single word.

A few of my classmates saw this, and one approached me, asking, "What did you do this time, Kaito?"

"What? I didn't do anything," I snapped, stabbing at my rice.

"Stop lying, it's obvious you did something. I mean, just look at Kujo; in fact, she’s being so distant. You two are in different time zones. A lover's quarrel, perhaps?"

"Huh!? Lover's quarrel? I'm not dating Reina. We're just rivals."

"Right. A 'rival' who spends every waking hour with you, listens to your nonsense, and stares at the back of your head with that weird, intense look when you aren't looking? Sure."

I couldn’t reply. Does she really glare at me like that? I don’t know whether to feel flattered or scared.

"Anyways, it's visible to everyone that your 'rival' is struggling with something" his tone softened just a bit. "Since you're the only one who can actually stand her for more than five minutes, why don't you get her a gift? You know, an olive branch."

"An olive branch? Why?"

"To cheer her up, genius. You're a national talent, Kaito, but you’re denser than a protagonist from a romance novel."

"I told you, we aren't—"

"Just go. You'll thank me later. Trust the guy who actually talks to girls."

An hour later, I found myself wandering the polished, echoing halls of the local mall.

Ugh, I can't find anything good to give her. How am I supposed to give a gift to a girl who already has basically everything?

I was aimlessly wandering past the high-end boutiques until a shop filled with minimalist hair accessories caught my attention. “This might get expensive, but it’s probably worth it," I murmured to myself as I walked in.

"Welcome! Are you looking for something for your girlfriend?" a saleslady asked, her smile a little too knowing as she glided toward me.

"Oh, she’s not—we’re... acquaintances," I muttered, my face heating up. "She just... she helped me out with something. I owe her."

"Of course," she said, her eyes twinkling with a skepticism she didn't bother to hide. “A 'thank you' gift' Well, if she’s the type who appreciates quality, you’re in the right place; we are a very popular choice for young men looking to impress."

"I'm not... trying to impress her," I lied, though my voice lacked conviction.

The saleslady let out a soft laugh. "In that case, how about jewelry?" Her eyes drifted toward a glass-topped case filled with shimmering silver and gold. "We have a fine collection of earrings, necklaces, and even rings if you want to take things to the next level."

I glanced at the price tags and winced, but more than that, I just couldn't see it working. "She probably has more necklaces and bracelets than she even knows what to do with," I replied while scratching the back of my neck.

The lady hummed thoughtfully, tapping her chin. "I see. If she’s already got the expensive stuff covered, we should go for something a bit more personal, something she can actually use," she said, leaning in slightly, a curious glint in her eyes. "What’s she like? Specifically, how does she wear her hair?"

I paused; the image of Reina standing by the fountain and sitting on my futon in the middle of the night flashed through my head. "It’s long," I murmured, looking at my shoes. "Really long and dark. Always perfectly straight."

The saleslady’s expression shifted from professional to genuinely intrigued. "Long, dark hair, the classic beauty."

She turned around and pulled a velvet-lined tray from a shelf behind the counter. On it lay a single, wide ribbon made with smooth white silk. 

"A silk hair ribbon," she said, lifting it up so the fabric draped elegantly over her fingers. "It’s simple, but you can feel the quality the moment you touch it. On dark hair, it’s subtle but unmistakable."

I stared at the ribbon. It was elegant, disciplined, and a little bit intimidating. It looked exactly like her. "I'll take it."

"Excellent choice." But while she was boxing the clamp, she glanced towards the nearby shelf filled with plushies. "You know, if she’s been stressed lately, maybe something for her to hold onto? Most girls in this... 'partnership' stage appreciate a bit of tangible comfort."

She pointed to a large, navy blue teddy bear, made of deep, soft velvet. It looked like a complete contradiction to the ice-cold personality of Reina.

"I'll also take that large blue bear too," I said before I could talk myself out of it.

"A hair accessory and a cuddle companion," the saleslady said, her eyes twinkling as she rang them up. "She’s a very lucky girl."

I stood there, shifting my weight as she tucked the items into a delicate bag. I could already hear Reina’s voice in my head: “Akizuki, a teddy bear? Really? Do you think I'm a child?" 

But I also remembered the way she’d looked on that night, exhausted, human, staying in a drafty apartment on a bed that costs less than her shoes.

The hair ribbon was for the "ice queen." The bear?  That was for the girl who, for just a few hours, had let her guard down.

Tonight was going to be a disaster or a breakthrough. Either way, the "Ice Queen" was about to meet her match in a velvet bear.

I rushed back to the academy, reaching the gates just before sundown. I needed to find her as soon as I get the chance, and there’s only one place I knew where she always goes. The Eiryu Library.

After circling around the library, I spotted her in the very back, tucked into a desk all alone, studying with multiple textbooks resting on her table.

 She looked... smaller than usual. Although her posture was perfect, the way she was aggressively rubbing her temples made it obvious that she wasn’t in a great mood.

I tightened my grip on the paper bag, the paper crinkling loudly in the stagnant air. It’s now or never.

I took a breath and stepped into her line of sight. "...Reina?"

“Whatever it is you want to say, Akizuki, I’m not interested," she turned me down in a soft whisper. Not even sneaking a glance at me again. “I don't remember asking for you to be here. Leave.”

“I’ll be quick; just please listen to me." I said, my voice sounding steadier than I felt.

She finally looked up. Her eyes were tired, shadowed by a fatigue she’d never admit to, and the "Ice Queen" glare she leveled at me felt more like a shield than a weapon. "I believe I made my desire for solitude clear during the lunch hour. Your persistence is irritating me."

I softly placed the paper bag on the mahogany table, right in front of her large textbooks.

"What is... this?" she asked, her voice uncharacteristically small.

"It’s a... peace offering," I muttered, looking at a stack of books to her left to avoid her eyes.

Reina stared at the bag, a faint, treacherous pink beginning to climb her neck. "I told you countless times. You can't buy my mercy, Akizuki.”

"Just take it, Kujo," I said, already taking a step back before my courage could fail me. "You don’t have to open it here. Just... take it home."

She looked at the bag and then at me. Her mouth opened as if to deliver another cold response, but no sound came out.

"I'm going now," I said, adjusting my hoodie. "I'll see you tomorrow, Reina. Don't be late for the coffee."

I turned on my heel and walked away, my heart still thudding against my ribs. 

I didn't look back. I didn't want to see her struggle to find a reason to reject it.