To Love In The 57th Century (sengen)

ch 1 \\ start

Sunlight has entered the room, gently caressing the sleeping Senku with its warm touch. The desk was cluttered with disassembled pieces of machinery that shined bright when the sunlight laid on them.

"...this is so heavy," a gentle noise from the window has broke the silence that enveloped Senku's room. Senku's heavy eyes slowly opened. Glowing flying dusts flowed in this vision as his head rested on top of his arms.

He had fallen asleep on his study desk again while working on fixing the broken music box Taiju gave him. It was probably from Yuzuhira, Taiju begged him to fix it for her.

knock knock

"Come in," Senku replied to his father who opened the door and was dressed in his teaching clothes.

"Hey Senku, we have a new neighbour next door. They have TONS of boxes to move, would you mind if you were to help them?"

Senku positioned his body to face Byakuya, "I'm the last person you should come to, you do know I failed P.E?"

"Help this old man for a bit, will you?"

"..."

Byakuya took another look at his wrist watch, "Thanks, I'm running late. Gotta go, I'll be off!"

"Come back safe,"

Senku sighed as he went downstairs to eat breakfast that Byakuya usually makes. Then picked his phone up to call Taiju;

"Oh hey Senku! You never called me before, what's up?"

"Hey, can you come and help me move some boxes? We have a new neighbor,"

"YOU HAVE A NEW NEIGHBOR?!?!"

"It's so early in the morning, keep it low oaf..."

"It's been a long time since that house lived on! I'll be on my way!!"

"Thanks,"

Senku pressed the red end call button and opened the door. He was greeted with chirping birds mixed with the buzzing sound of the moving truck. The usual fresh air was slightly polluted with the combustion of the vehicles.

Inside the truck was the towering pile of boxes, it almost reached to the roof of the compartment. The street was desolated as the time was normally the rush hour, except it was the weekend.

The house next to them was-

"...senku-chan?"

A sudden yet familiar voice was made through the silence. Senku turned around to see an unfamiliar silhouette with shoulder length hair. The corner of their eyes were slightly lifted up, a man whose height is taller than his. Very unrecognizable but at the same time, very familiar.

"Gen?" Senku muttered,

"It's Senku-chan!" Gen ran towards him.

The small boy who was once his height became a taller man with attracting visuals. The boy he once remembered as his neighbor who left a few days after his birthday, came back. Senku's chest gave a slight nudge. The pain that once terrorised his chest ever since he left, flew away as if it never happened.

"Long time no see! Oh my God, you're so little hahaha," Gen started to compare his height onto his.

"Stop, I wasn't as small as before. Our height was only different because I hadn't got my growth spurt yet,"

"So what brings you out here?"

"My old man said to help out in moving boxes," Senku sighed.

"Can you move them?," Gen smirked, teasing Senku who eyed him with furrowed eyebrows.

"Senku!!!" Taiju was running nearer towards the two. As he grew closer, the more excited his expression became. "GEN?! Is that you??"

"Taiju, you never change," Gen chuckled at the loud man.

"No- 'cause this is strange. Why have you come back??"

"My father wanted to move back here, so the company made some adjustments," Gen explained briefly.

"Welcome back," Taiju beamed.

"Thanks," Gen warmly smiled.

Senku continued to stare at the man next to him as he chatted away to the other. Beyond that warm smile, Senku sees a cunning man who paves through dishonesty to get the simpler way out.

He and Senku were always together since childhood along with Taiju. However, Senku treated Gen differently than Taiju. He saw him more as someone to look up to rather than a friend to be with.

"I guess he's changed now..." Senku thought.

"Ahaha we've been chatting for too long but we can continue once we finished moving the boxes," Gen started to sweat over the pressure of the box he was carrying.

"You're right, let's go!" Taiju exclaimed.