After successfully signing up, the four of them sat together in a small pavilion in the campus garden.
With arms crossed, Lucien sat on one end of the bench, his brows slightly furrowed. Out of the blue, he asked, "So, Serena, what's the direction of your entry project?"
Serena leaned back confidently and patted her chest. "Of course I've got it all planned out already!"
"Oh?" Lucien sounded skeptical. "Then let's hear it."
She smiled mysteriously, placing her index finger in front of her lips. "I'll bring the design tomorrow. You'll see then."
Aiden couldn't help but whisper, "What kind of project is it?"
"It's a four-wheeled, self-built drone that integrates physics and counterforce mechanics."
"That sounds like… you've already figured out the core concept?" Elena asked, surprised.
"Of course! It's not too complicated, but still an eye-catching piece that can score well. Trust me—it won't let you down!" Serena assured them again with a firm pat to her chest.
Lucien didn't say anything else, though his gaze still held some doubt.
Meanwhile, Serena thought to herself: I really have to get the sketches done tonight...
That night, the dorm room was so quiet, the only sound was the soft scratching of pencil on paper.
Serena sat at her desk, draped in a thin jacket. Her eyes were focused as her pen moved swiftly over the draft.
From the bed behind her, a rustle of sheets sounded. Ivy sat up, pulling her blanket closer. "Serena, it's really late… you should get some rest. There's class tomorrow."
"Mmhmm, just a little longer," Serena replied softly without looking back.
Elena glanced at Serena's hunched back and sighed. She didn't say anything more, just laid back down and quietly closed her eyes.
Serena's hand continued moving, her eyes sparkling with determination. As she sketched, she was calculating in her mind:
No way I can go find Erwin tonight… I'll have to postpone that a few days.
But just then, her pen came to a halt. She smiled slightly.
Then again… maybe this isn't a bad thing. Gives him a whole night to think through the value of this collaboration.
A cunning glint flashed through her eyes.
Opportunities don't wait. If he still can't make up his mind, I won't waste another second on him.
—
The next morning, Serena walked into an empty classroom carrying a large, overstuffed blueprint tube. Lucien, Aiden, and Elena were already waiting.
She wasted no time. As soon as she arrived, she unrolled the meticulously drawn blueprint across the table. Detailed structure lines, clearly labeled component sections, and a bold power core module—every line was precise, almost obsessively so.
"…You drew this all last night?" Aiden's eyes widened as he leaned in. "You sure you didn't secretly work on this for days?"
"Of course I did it last night! We're a winning team, remember?" Serena raised her chin proudly.
Elena's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. Her fingertips traced the axle lines on the paper. "This design is… far more refined than I expected."
Lucien also frowned in thought, staring at the blueprint for a long moment before muttering, "…Looks pretty solid."
"Told you!" Serena beamed, then looked up seriously at the others, her tone taking on a more technical, confident edge.
"Let me walk you through the core concept of this 'Four-Wheeled Counter-Rotation Drone System.'"
She tapped on key areas of the blueprint as she spoke.
"We're using a balanced four-wheel layout with a propulsion system based on reaction force and airflow disruption. When the flywheels rotate in sync, air flows through external deflectors to create a controlled lift through angular turbulence."
"The key is synchronized activation." Serena smiled slyly and pointed to the flywheel connection. "It only starts when all four flywheels are rotated simultaneously within 0.5 seconds. In other words, we all need to trigger it at the same time. The internal sensor detects symmetry—only then will it launch and hover."
"It's a symbol of our teamwork—and a highlight of the competition."
Aiden blinked. "So… not even a second's delay allowed?"
"Exactly," Serena nodded. "This isn't just about engineering and aesthetics. It's about synergy. Without coordination, the drone won't fly."
Elena studied the blueprint thoughtfully. "You even considered the judging criteria…"
"Yep!" Serena snapped her fingers. "Innovation, interactivity, aesthetics, and teamwork—all baked into one."
Lucien finally sighed and turned away. "…I admit, this is more reliable than I expected from you."
Serena winked. "Relax. We're definitely going to win."
The actual building process took place on the top floor of the lab building that afternoon. The group had a clear division of tasks: Aiden handled the assembly and wiring, Elena focused on shell structure and stability tuning, Lucien calibrated the central sensor core, and Serena floated between them, overseeing coordination and making final design tweaks.
The day before the test flight,they ran their first full synchronization test.
"Flywheels ready!" Aiden called out, crouching to adjust the last axis with a screwdriver. "Now all we need is—wait… something's off."
"Did you mess up the propeller alignment?" Elena cut in, clearly irritated. "That angle is completely wrong—totally unstable."
"I installed it backwards… That's not my fault, the propeller's just weird—"
"No, it's not the propeller. It's your hands," Elena shot back coldly. "They're clumsy."
Aiden's face darkened. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you're careless. And your handiwork sucks. I don't want the drone falling apart mid-flight because of you."
Aiden dropped his tools with a snap and smirked. "Then why don't you do it all yourself, genius?"
Elena didn't respond at first. She just stared at him icily. Then suddenly—smack!—she slapped him squarely on the forehead.
The room went silent.
"Did… you just hit me?" Aiden stared, completely stunned.
"Arguing won't speed up the build," Elena replied flatly, wiping her hands. "If you can't take criticism, don't work on a team."
Seeing Aiden trembling with rage, Serena quickly stepped in. "Calm down! Are you really this easy to provoke?"
"She hit me! How am I supposed to calm down?!" Aiden snapped, his eyes red like he was about to cry.
"She hit you because you were challenging her role on the team," Serena said, poking his forehead. "A little extreme, sure. But if you don't want to screw up the competition, now's the time to breathe and get it together."
Aiden clenched his jaw and finally picked up his tools again. "…She's crazy. But fine—I'll suck it up."
Lucien, who had been quietly organizing tools nearby, muttered, "You guys are louder than the damn flywheels."
Serena laughed awkwardly. "What can I say? Friction sparks creativity."
The building continued over the next few days.
Eventually, after some awkward silence but surprisingly smooth cooperation, the flywheels spun perfectly. The drone slowly lifted off, hovered steadily for a few seconds, and landed softly.
The four exhaled in unison.
"First successful flight," Lucien nodded.
"There's still room for improvement," Elena said flatly as she packed her tools.
"…Hey, Elena," Aiden suddenly said, rubbing his forehead. "Next time… can you not hit my head?"
Elena didn't respond—just gave him a cold glance.
"Okay, I'll shut up."