Difficult To Find

"In many ways?" Heaven recalled Howard's response and asked curiously.

It was a shame he asked too late however, Howard had long since left, leaving him behind with the robotic arm and Helen.

"Wow… too think you talked with the rising star, Howard Stark," Helen said as she looked at Heaven in amazement. "One day you will be like that as well! Make sure not to forget me."

Heaven smiled at Helen's words and held her hand gently, "I won't forget you. Y-you're… very i-important to me."

His face turned completely red as he held Helen's hands and when he lifted his head, he noticed Helen also blushing.

"You flirt…" Helen quietly murmured as she pulled her hand away.

"Huh?"

Heaven looked at her with a confused expression unsure of what she said.

With her back to Heaven, Helen looked forward into the distance as if she was looking at something in the distant future. The blush was still on her face but with a touch of melancholy.

"Heaven… one day, you will be a very popular person. You will have money and women… I truly hope that I would still hold a place in your heart," Helen said quietly as she felt her face burning red.

At this moment, both had just confessed to each other. They subtly knew of each other's feelings, but now, they definitely knew what each other felt.

"You…"

Heaven opened his mouth, ready to tell her something, but she instantly turned around and placed a finger on his lips, stopping him from speaking.

"It's okay… I already know what you want to say… I also… like you," Helen said as she smiled sweetly before placing a gentle kiss on Heaven's cheek.

Ding! Ding!

The sound of a bell rang out, instantly catching Heaven and Helen's attention as they turned around.

They looked at the five judges standing together.

The judges looked at all the students with smiles and began speaking, "We have concluded the winner!"

The judges nodded to each other and a different judge began speaking.

"After careful consideration, we have concluded that the computer science project wins first place!"

Ah!

The sighs of disappointment from all the students escaped for a brief moment before they clapped in respect to the group that did win.

Even Heaven clapped in disappointment before he turned to leave with Helen. He grabbed the robotic arm and placed it in a specially prepared suitcase before walking away.

Emboldened by the kiss she had already given Heaven earlier, Helen held Heaven's hand gently as they walked out together.

Feeling Helen's soft and warm hand, Heaven turned to look at her with a smile as he held her hand in return.

"You're amazing Helen."

"Mhm. I know."

"Let's build something much better than a robotic arm."

"That's a great idea."

***

Two hours later, Heaven was inside a lab with Helen.

Sitting to the side as she rested her elbows on the table and propped her head up, Helen looked at Heaven with a smile on her face.

With a magnifying glass in front of him, Heaven was carefully tinkering with the robotic arm.

Tink!

Done with the tinkering, Heaven fixed up the robot arm and put away all the equipment as he turned to look at Helen.

"Another good improvement," Heaven said as he flashed her a smile.

"Great!" Helen said happily.

"Now, let's f-focus on your biology work," Heaven said as he sat in front of Helen, his eyes looking into her's timidly.

Helen smiled and took out a couple of items and a microscope.

Beginning her work, Heaven quietly looked at her.

Her long and shiny reddish hair covered the fair skin of her neck, her brown eyes were bright and luscious, her lips plump and pink, her cheeks had a healthy rosy hue…

He just liked every inch of her being. Her personality was cheerful and optimistic. She was also very forward and would stand up for any injustice.

Has all the confidence Heaven wished he had.

They both quietly remained together in the lab room, occasionally talking with each other and fooling around. Heaven would also offer a helping hand whenever it looked like Helen was having trouble.

"You're pretty good at this Helen," Heaven muttered as he nodded his head as he looked at her answers.

Helen smiled.

"I studied hard. I should be good at this," Helen remarked teasingly.

Heaven chuckled at her words and opened his mouth to tell her something.

Bang!

Before he could get a word out, the door to the lab was opened and a man walked in.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but I need to talk with you kid."

Curious, Heaven and Helen turned to look at who it was before they both gasped in surprise.

Standing at the door was a young man wearing a sharp suit, a thin mustache and a charming smirk on his face.

"H-Howard Stark?" Heaven stuttered.

Hearing his name, Howard smiled.

"You're difficult to find, kid," Howard mentioned the instant he arrived before Heaven and Helen.

Helen, knowing that this was Heaven's chance to achieve his goals of pursuing further knowledge, stepped back and watched anxiously.

Seeing Helen take a step back, Heaven began to feel a little nervous as he turned to look at Howard.

"W-what can I do for you, sir?" Heaven nervously asked.

"Relax kid!"

Howard chuckled and gave Heaven a pat on the shoulder as he looked at him with a smile.

"Remember what I told you before? 'In many ways'!"

With a large smile on his face, Howard took a step forward and gestured to the robotic arm to the side.

"You will become my new assistant!"

"What? Really?!" Heaven excitedly asked.

What Heaven cared about wasn't becoming close to or studying under Howard, it was to further and expand his knowledge, to gain money, and to discover the secrets of the universe, all whilst taking care of his family and loved ones.

"Yes! The guys who were studying the body only asked questions and didn't study or develop anything. The computer guys only made developments as a team and weren't that intelligent individually.

You, on the other hand, are a very intelligent person, second only to me. You also gave good hands and skills as an engineer. Make this arm and ask it's intricate details yourself, albeit with some help," Howard mentioned as he studied the arm before gesturing to Helen.

Heaven nodded and continued listening to Howard.

"That's why I have a proposition for you," Howard said as he turned to look at him.

"A-anything sir!"

Howard smiled, "Great! You and I will create many interesting things. I'm working on an interesting project. For that, I need you to join me in New York City and assist me. I would like to have the help of someone as capable as you and help speed things along."

"New York City?"

Heaven looked at Howard with surprise.

New York City

The place of Heaven's birth and where his family currently resided.

To think he would return after three years of studying at Metro Science and Technology University in Metroville.

Turning to look at Helen, Heaven was met with a smile from her.

"I…" Heaven said anxiously.

His relationship with Helen was just starting to develop but now he had to leave. He felt reluctant, even with his future right within his grasp.

"Go ahead Heaven. Take the chance… I will catch up to you, one way or another," said Helen, demonstrating her determination and confidence.

She looked at Heaven with a bright gaze, confident to see him in the future no matter how far apart they were or how high his status became.

Heaven smiled wryly and lowered his head before turning to look at Howard with a determined gaze of his own.

"W-what about the war sir?" Heaven asked as he thought about the current ongoing war.

Despite the relaxed atmosphere at the university, there was a war currently ongoing outside of America.

Most students in the university were tense but being scientists in the making, they forced themselves to calm down.

Those who couldn't calm down were removed from school grounds in order to stop panic from spreading. The director of the school wanted to continue teaching before students are drafted or join the war.

As a lover of teaching and knowledge, the director even offered scholarships to many promising students. One of them being Heaven himself.

Aside from the situations at school, America was already providing support to various allied countries and it was only a matter of time before America joined it.

They heard of all the atrocities the Nazi were doing on their own people, the Jewish. It was cruel and inhumane and Heaven worried he would have to face such heartless monsters that would massacre any form of living beings.

Howard nodded to Heaven's questions and simply said, "We will cross that bridge when it appears. However, I can tell you that you won't have to go to the frontlines if you're standing by me and offering help."

Haa~

Sighing in relief, Helen who was on the side had naturally heard Howard mention Heaven won't go to war.

However, both didn't listen to Howard's underlying words.

Although Heaven won't go to war, it was only on the basis that he performed well and provided help.

If he doesn't perform up to expectations, then he will be kicked out of the group once the war begins and sent out to war.

Although Heaven didn't here this subtle threat, he was excited that he could learn new things and begin experimenting with the knowledge he had.

"I-I will do it! W-when do we leave?"

No matter what Howard answered with, Heaven was already planning on heading with him.

"Today! So go and pack up your things."

With a smile, Howard nodded and turned to leave, leaving Heaven and Helen behind alone together.

Seeing Howard leave, Heaven turned to look at Helen.

"Quick! What are you waiting for?! Let's go pack your things," Helen said as she looked at Heaven with a smile on her face.

"R-right!"

Heaven packed his things and walked next to Helen towards his dorm room.

Helen acted excitedly and her emotions began to bleed into Heaven as he too began to feel excited.

They jogged to his dorm room and grabbed his luggage. Happily and rapidly, they wasted no time to fold and place his clothes in the luggage.

Heaven grabbed all his papers and notebooks before stuffing them in a suitcase.

Meanwhile, Helen grabbed his dirty clothes and stuffed them inside a bag for him.

After just an hour, Heaven and Helen placed away everything in his dorm room into his luggage, suitcase, and a bag.

"Great! Everything is ready," Helen said as she picked up Heaven's suitcase.

"Let's go!"

Heaven smiled and followed behind Helen. Dragging his rolling luggage and carrying with difficulty his bag of dirty laundry, Heaven kept up with Helen.

***

"Did you find the perfect assistant?"

"Yes. Right when I thought that we would have to work without one, I found the perfect kid for the job. Pretty smart and is quite adept with machines. With his help, we can make the success rate as high as 99%."

"This is good news! If what you say is true, we can relax during the selection process."

"Hehe… as long as you focus on perfecting your work, Dr. Erskine…"