Tinkering Together (Mei Hatsume x Reader)

Chapter 5: A Chat with Nezu

I knocked on the door of the UWM's (Unidentified Walking Mammal) office and heard a 'Come in!' from the other side. I opened the door to see Nezu sitting at his desk.

"Why hello, Diamante-San! How can I help you?" Nezu asked. To be honest, I was nearly petrified. From what I had heard, Nezu could be the nicest thing on earth to a straight up sadistic monster who would destroy the dreams of an entire class in an instant. He was almost like a strange mix of Eraserhead's and Present Mic's attitudes towards their students.

"Uh, I wanted to talk about something I heard about the hero course," I said. Nezu got up from his desk and walked over to the middle of his office, where there were two sofas with a coffee table in between them. He sat on one and gestured I sit on the other. He poured out two cups of tea and gave me one.

"And what did you hear?" Nezu asked.

"Well, I heard that a student had been expelled from one of the classes, and now there's a class that's one short," I explained. Nezu sipped his tea and nodded. I also sipped my tea, and noticed it was very tasty.

"Yes, that is true. I suppose you're interested in joining, aren't you?" Nezu asked. I nodded. He pulled out a file from a pile of files on his coffee table.

"It says here that while you got very high marks on the written test, you completely flunked the physical exam, and yet you ask if you could still join the hero course?" Nezu asked. I could practically feel the relish he had in talking about my rather foolish idea of asking to join. However, I got a sudden stroke of courage.

"I assure you, it was due to the quirk of another student. Before the exam even started, a purple-haired guy somehow made me freeze in place until the exam had ended. If it wasn't for that, I'm sure I could have easily gotten into the hero course. Nezu sighed.

"Either way, I can't let you in if you just ask. You have to earn your entrance into the hero course," Nezu said, which caught my interest.

"During the sports festival, which is next week mind you, if you score high enough you can be put into the hero course. That will be your only way to get into the hero course," Nezu explained. I sighed.

"So, I just have to get enough notice during the sports festival to get in?" I asked. Nezu nodded.

"Well, if that's all, I think it's time for you to leave now, Diamante-San! I hope to see your success in the sports festival!" Nezu said, ending the conversation. I thanked him for the tea and left.

"So I just have to do well in the sports festival, huh?" I said to myself. It was only one week away, and I had no intentions of losing!

Over the course of the next week, I spent less time in the studio and more time training. Of course, I still spent time there occasionally to work on random stuff; I had learnt that support students were allowed to use their own inventions during the sports festival, and I was gonna abuse that rule for my own personal gain. Finally, it was Sunday, and I spent it preparing my final pieces of equipment for the event.

"So, what are you gonna be using?" Hatsume asked me.

"Well, I've got my strobe light arm bracers to temporarily blind anyone close to me," I said, pointing at the arm bracer on my bench, "And then there's also my Nitroglycerin Gauntlets," I added, pointing at my project that Bakugou had inspired, "And a few other wild cards that are there just in case," I said, pointing at the other things on the bench. Hatsume seemed impressed.

"Y'know, I hope you do get to achieve your dream, but a part of me hopes you'd stay here..." Hatsume said. I looked at her with confusion.

"Why?" I asked.

"Well, it's just that you actually take interest in my babies, and you help me with random projects too. It'd get boring without you here," Hatsume explained with a sad face.

"I can still visit, Mei. I'm not abandoning my friend just because of a class switch," I replied, using her first name for once. Hatsume looked at me with shock.

"I...thank you," Was all Mei could say. I looked at her and ruffled her hair.

"No problem Mei," I said as we stood there in silence. After a while, I checked my phone and saw the time was 5:00 PM. I grabbed my stuff.

"I gotta go. See you tomorrow, Mei!" I said as I went to leave. But before I could I felt her wrap her arms around me.

"Just a little longer?" Hatsume asked. I looked down at her and smiled.

"Sure. I don't have anything I have to do at home anyways," I replied. We both sat in chairs next to each other and talked until we both fell asleep.