Monday, after class and training was over, Hannah and Liam met up in the library to begin working on their first prototype: a gauntlet.
After several minutes of discussion the day before—after Liam had been forced to become a temporary chef—they had decided on the following for the glove's features: a suction mode for climbing, and a double feature of an armour and strength increase.
"It's pretty convenient for us to be in the same group," Hannah said as they sat in the corner where they had first met. "Now we can get to work properly."
Liam nodded. "You said you got one of the workshops in the Laboratory Block right? We should probably move there first if we want to get used to its layout."
"Fair point. I just wanted to meet here to discuss a few things and pick up a few books before we go."
With that, Hannah pulled out her laptop and opened up a file, and they began to discuss the schematic of a mechanical-looking glove. As time passed, they began to argue, pore over details, and one-up each other. After Hannah won another argument, they packed up their stuff and began collecting several books to use. Some were on electronics, some on engineering, some on materials, and—
"Of course comic books are relevant!" Liam hissed as he grabbed four thick volumes.
Hannah shrugged with a quiet laugh, and the two checked out all the books and headed for the Laboratory Block.
Suddenly, Hannah sighed.
"Hm?" Liam turned his head to her. "What's up?"
Hannah looked at him like she couldn't believe he was asking that. "Don't you remember? We have to meet the rest of the members of the group we were assigned to."
Liam's expression darkened, and he gave a heavy, drawn-out sigh.
"Why the hell did we get put in a group with Kazumi?" Hannah grunted dejectedly.
"Life isn't fair," Liam answered. "It's only a matter of time before we both get dragged into 'sparring' with him."
"If you mean, 'getting the crap beaten out of me', then yes, it's only a matter of time. At least there are people there we know already."
Liam nodded. "Yeah. Jay and Nanami got dragged along. At least, thanks to Jay, we won't be the only ones in the direct line of fire."
Hannah looked up at the sky with a deep groan. "Ugh~! That barbarian won't hold back at all in a fight! Eris says she spars with her brother, so at least she'll be able to hold her own. As for us top-tenners, we're cooked."
Liam's mouth stretched into a straight line. "I don't think so..."
Hannah looked at him in surprise. "Huh? What do you mean?"
Liam sighed. "Kazumi is definitely a wild-card, but I don't think he'll beat us up to the point of incapacitation. I don't think he's the type to enjoy beating on the weak, or at least that's what Lee told me."
Lee had been the one to clarify Kazumi's actions to him, and had also been the one to train him. Of course, that training had deteriorated to daily spars because of their new class routine. Whenever he thought about it, Liam couldn't help but feel a little longing.
It wasn't exactly easy... but it was enjoyable.
Liam flinched, then shook his head violently. Ugh! That was so weird! What's wrong with me!?
"You might be right..." Hannah muttered, making Liam flinch. She glanced at him, her eyebrows twitching at his red ears. "He did say he'd rather train me before fighting me properly. Although, I don't know how that's going to work."
Liam shrugged, and after a few more minutes of walking, they reached the classroom area. They continued around the park-like grounds to the building in front of them: the Business and Science classroom block. They entered it, still laughing and joking, then went through a few corridors to reach the area behind the block.
There stood the large buildings belonging to the Science and Business Departments. Of the three that were there, one of them was for lecture halls and meeting rooms, another was for storage, and the last one was a short stretch of a building.
Kinda looks like a warehouse, Liam thought as Hannah began to complain about how heavy the books were.
"Hey~ Liam~" she groaned.
"What?"
She turned around, smiling brightly. "Can you carry these for me?"
"No."
Hannah was taken aback from his blunt answer, and she scrambled to make a comeback.
"I-if Lisa was the one asking—"
"Hard pass," Liam answered with zero hesitation.
"Ack!" Hannah flinched back, as if hit by his bluntness. "Why did you answer so quickly?!"
What she was trying to say was: "Is that true? You seem suspicious."
Liam frowned. "That girl has the strength to go through several workouts everyday. She can handle it, just like you're doing right now."
Hannah scowled. "What kind of... are you really childhood friends?"
Liam froze, his eyebrows raised. "She told you that?"
Hannah smirked. "Naturally. What, did you think you could keep it secret forever?"
Liam blinked in confusion. "It was never really a secret."
Hannah flinched. "H-huh?"
Liam shrugged. "We never tried to hide it. The reason we're so close is because we've known each other for years."
Hannah narrowed her eyes at him. "But you two seem nothing like childhood friends."
Liam leaned back in shock, his mouth falling open a little. "Excuse me?"
"Yeah," Hannah nodded. "Aren't childhood friends who meet again after being separated after a long time normally sweet to each—"
"Lemme stop you there," Liam said with an expression of disbelief. "I don't know what kind of fantasy you have, but Lisa and I are nothing like that. Sure we're close, but I'd rather not be rumored to be dating that bossy, crazy girl."
****
Back in the library...
"Ah-choo!"
...I feel like someone's talking about me, Lisa thought as she put her handkerchief away.
"Hey, Manabe, pay attention."
Lisa glanced to the side at the handsome blonde beside her.
"Tch. Get to the point then, Jason."
****
"So this is what we're going to be working with," Liam said as he opened a large black case to reveal several different tools. Two boxes and cases were open beside him, sitting on the long workbench attached to the wall.
"Yep," Hannah answered as she picked up a box. "Now—"
"Huh? What are people doing here?"
Liam and Hannah froze, then turned around to the open garage door of the workshop. Standing at the entrance were three people: a girl with a smooth, large black tail and short black hair, a tall boy with large ears and long, flaxen hair tied into a ponytail, and a shorter boy who had a single vertical line on his forehead. He was wearing a dark knit vest, and he was glaring at the two Hunter students.
That mark, it's like Confucius's... Liam thought with a frown. The boy frowned, then opened his mouth.
"Well? Explain yourselves. What are you two doing here? Don't you know it's off limits?"
Liam and Hannah glanced at each other, temporarily understanding each other's expressions.
Talk to them, Liam stared.
Hannah blinked repeatedly. What? No—!
Liam kept staring. Talk.
Hey—
Talk.
Hannah pursed her lips as Liam's stare intensified, and for a brief moment she felt pulled into the colourful orbs that were his eyes.
Focus, Hannah shook her head. She then turned to the newcomers.
"Um, I know it's hard to believe—"
"HA! I knew it!" the boy in the vest laughed. "You two shouldn't be here!"
As he turned his nose up into the air, Hannah and Liam stared at him with matching expressions of tired disbelief.
"Well," he continued as he rubbed his chin. "I believe we can come to an agreement. That is, if you're willing to cooperate..."
He grinned as he made a circle with his index finger and thumb. "You could always pay me to keep silent. Two hundred units should—"
"The hell are you talking about?"
All three flinched as Hannah glared at them.
"Who the hell do you think you are to blackmail us?" she growled as Liam walked up behind her, his eyes cold.
The boy managed to keep his cool and replied, "Ah, right. The name's Robert Green, but you can just call me Bob. These two are..."
"Elona Finley," the girl muttered with a short wave.
"Bruce Lockwood." The tall boy folded his arms. "Elona and I are from the Science course. Bob's from business."
Bob nodded. "I haven't seen you two around before. But there are quite a few Business and Science classes, so which—"
"The Hunter Class," Hannah said with a smirk.
The other three flinched back. "H-huh?" Bob stuttered.
"You heard her," Liam glared. "We're from the Hunter Class."
Bob rose a finger as he paled. "Th-th-those psychos?!"
"Huh?!" Hannah and Liam grunted, deepscowls on their faces.
"Eep!" the other three squealed. Then, to Hannah and Liam's complete shock, they all fell on their knees.
"Please don't beat us up!" all three cried, hands clasped before them.
"...Excuse me?" Hannah blinked in surprise.
****
In the Crucible...
"Please don't do anything stupid," Lee sighed as he parried a punch with his forearm and threw a sharp jab at his opponent's gut.
"I don't know what you mean," Kazumi replied as he rose his knee to block the punch. He hopped back, raising his fists in time to block a powerful punch from Lee. He shifted his weight from side to side as Lee began to attack in earnest.
"All I was planning to do," he muttered as he ducked, "was challenge Paxton tomorrow. He seemed much stronger than before thanks to you."
He blocked a kick to the left side of his head, then turned the move into a grab with his right hand to pull Lee closer. He pivoted quickly, pulling Lee's leg forward and sending his left fist flying towards Lee's gut.
Lee took the blow, allowing him to fall back and gain some distance. As he rolled back to his feet, he narrowed his eyes at Kazumi.
"It's not up to me. I may have helped him out, but I'm not obligated to get in the way of either of you."
Lee shifted to the side to dodge an incredibly fast jab, then jumped back further as Kazumi made a grab at him. The tall blonde frowned.
"So you won't get in my way?"
Lee looked at him as if he were an idiot. "Of course not."
Kazumi raised an eyebrow. "I thought he was your friend?"
Lee scoffed. "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't let him experience proper hardship?"
With that, Lee lowered his body into a stance, and Kazumi dashed forward with a small smile.