Eichi studied her for a moment. As much as he found her overly cheerful demeanor grating, he couldn't deny that she was useful. And if she was the class rep, she likely had access to information he might need later. For now, he'd play along.
"Shit," he muttered, sighing heavily. "Let's go on thisadventure, I guess."
Kaina's pout instantly transformed into a grin, her energy bouncing back as if his reluctant agreement was the greatest victory. "That's the spirit! Don't worry, Eichi, I'll make sure this is painless. Well, mostly painless. Hatsume can be a little... intense, but she's a genius when it comes to support gear. You'll see!"
Eichi didn't respond, simply falling into step beside her as they walked. He wasn't sure what he was walking into, but he had a feeling it was going to be more of a headache than he'd bargained for.
As they made their way through the halls, Kaina chattered away, seemingly unfazed by his lack of engagement. "So, have you thought about what kind of costume you want? Something sleek and stealthy? Or maybe something with a lot of gadgets? Oh, or—wait, no, you'd probably hate that. You're more of a 'less is more' kind of guy, right?"
Eichi glanced at her, his expression flat. "Functional. That's all I need."
Kaina nodded, though her grin didn't fade. "Functional, got it. But you've got to think about the little details too, you know? Like, what colors do you want? Any specific materials? Oh, and what about your Quirk? You'll need something that complements it, right?"
Eichi didn't answer immediately, his mind briefly flickering to the cover story he'd been given. "Enhanced Strength," they called it. A simple, straightforward Quirk that didn't require much explanation. "Something durable," he said finally. "And no unnecessary frills."
Kaina tapped her chin, pretending to think deeply. "Durable, no frills... got it. I'll make sure to pass that along to Hatsume. But don't be surprised if she tries to convince you to add a jetpack or something. She's kind of obsessed with those."
Eichi sighed again, already regretting his decision to go along with this. "Incredible."
Kaina laughed, clearly enjoying his suffering. "Don't worry, Eichi. I'll protect you from her... probably."
As they arrived at their destination, Kaina raised her hand to knock on the door but paused midway, her smile faltering for the first time since they'd started this little excursion.
Eichi tilted his head, his expression shifting slightly as he watched her hesitate. "What's wrong?" he asked, his tone dry but laced with a hint of curiosity.
Before Kaina could answer, a loudwhooshechoed from behind the door, followed by the sound of glass shattering and then—BOOM—an explosion that made the door rattle on its hinges. A faint plume of smoke seeped out from the gap at the bottom of the door, accompanied by the smell of something burning.
Kaina sighed, lowering her hand and taking a cautious step back. "Yeah, that's... about what I expected."
Eichi raised an eyebrow. "Is this normal?"
"For Hatsume? Absolutely," Kaina said, her tone a mix of resignation and amusement. "She's, uh, very passionate about her work. Sometimes a littletoopassionate."
Eichi stared at the door, the faint smell of smoke still lingering in the air. "And you thought bringing me here was a good idea?"
Kaina shrugged, her smile returning. "Hey, you wanted functional, right? Hatsume's the best when it comes to support gear. Just... maybe let her finish whatever she's doing before we go in. For safety reasons."
Eichi didn't respond, his gaze still fixed on the door. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but it certainly wasn't this. Still, if this Hatsume person was as skilled as Kaina claimed, she might be worth the trouble. Assuming, of course, she didn't blow them both up in the process.
After a moment, the sounds of frantic movement came from inside the room—clattering tools, muttered curses, and the occasionalhissof something cooling down.
Finally, the door swung open, revealing a girl with pink hair tied up in a messy bun, goggles covering her eyes, and a wide, manic grin on her face. Her hands were covered in soot, and her lab coat was singed in several places.
"Kaina!" the girl exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement. "You're just in time! I was testing my new baby, and it worked! Well, mostly. There was atinyexplosion, but that's just part of the process, right?"
Kaina chuckled nervously, taking another step back. "Uh, yeah, sure. Tiny explosion. Totally normal. Anyway, this is Eichi. He needs a hero costume. Think you can help him out?"
Hatsume's gaze immediately shifted to Eichi, her grin widening as she stepped closer, practically invading his personal space.
"A new client! Excellent! Don't worry, I'll make you the best costume you've ever seen. Functional, durable, and with just the right amount offlair! Oh, and maybe a few extra features. You never know when you'll need a grappling hook or a built-in flamethrower, right?"
Eichi took a subtle step back, his expression as neutral as ever, though there was a faint glimmer of unease in his eyes. "Just functional is fine. No flamethrowers."
Hatsume waved a hand dismissively, already pulling him into the room. "Details, details! Come on, let's get started. I've got so many ideas already!"
As Eichi was dragged into the chaos of Hatsume's workshop, Kaina lingered in the doorway, watching with a mix of amusement and pity. "Good luck, Eichi," she called after him. "You're gonna need it."
Eichi shot her a look that could only be described asmildly betrayedbefore disappearing into the smoke-filled room. Kaina chuckled to herself, leaning against the doorframe. This was going to be fun to watch.
Some time later, Hatsume was frowning, shaking her head frantically. "No, no, no! This won't do.
Grey and navy blue? Where are thecolors? How are the citizens supposed to notice you? And let's not even talk about the mask—it's too scary! Yes, its protective abilities are incredible, but what about beingfamous? Huh?"
All the while she was frantically rambling, Eichi hung his head in his hand, already exhausted. However, he couldn't do much about the situation. After all, he couldn't just knock her out—not without causing a scene, at least.