[Class-D]
"What is wrong with you two?"
Hazel asked as she gazed suspiciously at Kaiser and Kuramoto.
Usually, one of them would have been the one to speak first. However, they had both been silent and uncommunicative since they arrived. Something was definitely going on.
"Nothing."
They replied in chorus, their tone very dry.
'Tch. Something must have happened between them which they are unwilling to share.' She thought. 'I know they are both smart and strong but always trying to be under the radar. I guess I can't dig too deep. Just enough to make them think I'm curious.'
"That's definitely not nothing." She pressed. "I can smell overthinking from Kuramoto and I can smell... Sigh, nothing from you Kaiser. You've learnt to evade my perception."
"Really?" Kuramoto asked Curiously as he turned his head back. "How does it even work. You just sniff out people's emotions?"
"It's my flaw." Hazel confessed. "It's more complex than that but it's basically what you said."
"Wow, that's a bomb! You have it quite easy then." Kaiser clapped and said with mock surprise in his voice.
"Just say you wanna share your flaw..." Kuramoto quietly said, tying up his hair.
"Oi, where's the fun in that? Eh, Daisuke?" Kaiser snorted as he threw an eraser which the former easily evaded.
"Tch. Just say it anyway." Hazel clicked her tongue, showing slight interest in the topic.
"Well... It's nothing grand. In fact, it's very mundane." Kaiser said as he rested his chin in his palms. His eyes narrowing slightly. "I'm deaf."
Hazel looked stunned for a moment before shaking her head. "Wait— are you messing with me?" Her eyes narrowed while her nose flared in irritation.
"I wonder." Kaiser grinned softly as his eyes curved into crescents, amused by her reaction.
Seeing his reaction, she understood that he wasn't joking and decided to test it out.
Click.
She softly clicked her fingers behind her back while studying his reaction.
"You clicked your fingers, Hazel." He purred softly as he adjusted his bangs.
"Hah? Didn't you say you're deaf? How can you hear that?" She asked in mild irritation— her brows twitching.
"Hazel, being deaf doesn't mean I can't see sounds." Kaiser replied while rolling a pen in his fingers.
"Huh? See?" Hazel's expression turned deadpan, struggling to make herself believe him.
"I call it Visual Echolocation. I compensate my deaf ears with my eyes which can see sound waves from the moment they are made while analyzing the rhythm to determine what kind of sound." He explained.
"That's... complex. And you can analyze all the data within a short time frame? I can literally see my brain frying if I try that." She said with a small sigh. 'He's incredible!'
"I had to train with it for years. It was hard at first, but I soon got used to it. That's where the soul comes in. Ah, nevermind. I'm going to blow your mind if I continue." He said with a mischievous smile. "However, you could ask nicely if you want to know."
"Tch. Never." Ignoring the gnawing curiosity in her mind, she snorted and turned away— not ready to play into his hands.
...
Kuramoto watched and listened to their conversation while his thoughts analyzed Kaiser's revelation on a deeper note.
'If he was deaf throughout the fight, that's insane. He calls it Visual Echolocation like it's nothing grand but to be able to tailor a technique for himself at this young age.'
Suddenly, he remembered those techniques he had used when fighting. Those techniques were strange and unheard of despite his vast reach of information.
'Could it be that he created those too? No. That'd be too convenient. He definitely has a strong backing.' His green eyes stared intently at Kaiser almost as if he wanted to drill a hole in him.
However, despite noticing the stare, the boy chose not to address it at all and instead continued teasing Hazel.
'He wants me to think I've found a weakness in him but I know I have to grow stronger to be able to defeat him. Such a wise but poor strategy, Kaiser.'
"Wait, when did you start calling Kuramoto by his first name?" Hazel asked with a frown, seemingly displeased.
Kaiser turned to look at her with an uninterested gaze, his eyes screaming laziness.
"Well, I just decided it on a whim. You wouldn't mind right, Daisuke?"
Kuramoto looked away in annoyance but still replied— feeling strange from Kaiser's perfect lie.
"Yeah. I don't."
Hazel looked surprised but eventually accepted with a sigh.
"Whatever..."
...
Kaiser leaned into his arm and stole a subtle glance at Daisuke.
'By making him think I want him to be complacent, I can expect him to train harder. This is going to be very useful. After all, he'd make do for a perfect grinding stone. Hehehehehe. Daisuke, although you're very impressive— you lack experience.'
At that very moment, a brown haired girl barged in with her chest immediately attracting attention.
Chris, the quiet nerd in the class had a silent nosebleed.
"Hello!" The girl, Rika waved at the class before turning to Liam.
"Prince Charming, we've come for you!"
Behind her, another girl appeared. She had neck length white hair and sharp purple eyes that made people feel calm when looking at her.
Iruca.
The purple eyed girl reprimanded the other girl before apologizing to the class.
"Um, Liam, can I see you for a minute?"
She asked shyly, fidgeting in place—clearly unnerved by both the students' stares and Rika's dramatic entrance.
Jose made a surprisingly polite remark, but the look in his eyes betrayed his intentions—earning him a smack from Joshua.
Liam, although surprised at their arrival, stood up from his seat and whispered something into Kiera's ears before standing up and excusing himself from the class. After all, he recognized her— a childhood friend of his.
As they left, Iruca's eyes met two different pairs of eyes that sent shivers down her spine.
'Who are those?'
...
'Quite interesting. I'll consider adding her to my... collection.' Kaiser thought, his eyes flashing blue for a split second.
'She's going to be useful. Class-B's leader huh?' Daisuke thought internally as he gazed at her.
When the three left, Kaiser and Daisuke stared at each other briefly— a silent understanding passing through them.
This was going to be a competition. One to decide who would acquire her first.
Two minds. One target. Neither willing to back down.
'Let's see who wins this game, Kaiser.'
'Entertain me more, Daisuke.'