To Love In The 57th Century (sengen)

ch 3 \\ past

Fireworks echoed through Senku's heart everytime Gen holds his hand. Amidst the warmth that he felt, a shaky movement came from it.

The two seven year olds held each other's hands firmly throughout the forestry filled with thick leaves as ceiling. A fox stood in front of them. The nearer the fox came, the stronger Gen's grip on Senku became.

In the middle of the tightening sensation on his hand, Senku's eyes were directed at Gen. The outline of his face was fainty lit by the sun's glaze outside the forest. Gen's eyes maintained a steady position towards the fox. His breath was steady but within his calm stance, his hands were terribly shaking.

Senku squeezed his hand back and the expression on Gen's face softened.

When the fox saw that the two boys weren't a threat, it left. The boys exhaled in relief. They gradually left their place in a fast pace and managed to arrive in their designated sites before the teacher called for everyone.

"You idiot, what's gotten into you?? We could've got in trouble. Not to mention that I'm your partner, I'd be responsible if you got lost," Gen yelled at Senku.

"Well, you shouldn't have followed me in there and you could've just informed the teacher about me! You wouldn't get in trouble if you did."

"Seriously..." Gen raised his hand to his forehead. His head kept pounding from a massive pain; with each pound, the more he wanted to yell at Senku.

It was just as when the teacher called everyone for a final roll call before heading home. The two boys didn't talk to each other for the entirety of the trip back home.

Trees swayed past the window of Gen's seat, the bus was booming with loud noises from other students. The two pair of eyes looked at opposite directions, their pride didn't allow them to confront each other.

It was sunset when the two walked home, their silence was greater than the sound of their footsteps. Usually the two would walk together side by side.

But today, Gen's eyes looked upon the spiky-haired boy covered in orange hue. Walking at a great distance from him, greater than the length of the bus they rode.

An older man stood before the boy in front of him with their parents. When Senku stopped, Gen did as well. The man seemed to have talked with the other boy and gave him a big packet of a bag full of something.

Senku talked to him. The man looked at Gen and smiled, prompting the boy walked closer to him and to his parents. The man gave Gen a similar packet as Senku's.

It was a bag full of toys with the shape of the celestial bodies in space. Each piece has its own relative size and design.

"I'd like to thank the two of you for joining the morse code competition but sadly, you boys didn't make it to the top three," the man said. "However I've never seen such young minds with a proficiency of the language. I was taken aback."

He continued, "I knew the two of you were aiming for the prize money. I didn't want to lose the opportunity to meet two young geniuses. So I asked for your parents for a short meet up and I hope these participation prizes would at least suffice."

"Thank you mister," the two said.

"I'm sure you two are destined for something great," the man remarked just before he walked away, nodding at their parents as goodbye.

"Come along you two, let's have dinner," Byakuya said to the two. Their parents seemed to have agreed to eat dinner at Senku's place.

Byakuya looked at the two, both did not move an inch. "The two of you seem to have something to talk about, I'll leave you both alone but don't take too long," Byakuya said before the door of his house shut.

A soft breeze flowed around the two boys as they stood under the glaze of the yellow sunset. Senku's light-coloured hair has been tinted by the sun and his eyes are blazing as ever.

Before Senku could say anything, Gen gestured the space stickers to him, "I know you like the space ones more so... you can have it."

Senku looked upon the space stickers that Gen was giving to him. It was true. He liked it more than what the man had given him. But even more so...

"I'm not taking it if you like it," Senku said.

"I didn't say that I like it, I only gave it to you because you know more about space than I do,"

Senku took the pack and silence befell onto them...

"Look, Gen, I only went to the forest because it had the crystals that I wanted for my experiment," Senku said.

"...Senku, you know that's illegal?"

"..."

"pfft seriously Senku... Ahahaha,"

Gen was bathed whole by the sunset, his laughter echoed through the silent street. The corner of Senku's lips lifted and joined within the joy that he and Gen were sharing. Senku's chest gave him a tug along the way.

"You're an idiot," Gen said between his laughter.

"No, you are,"

When the small bit of laughter has died down, the two were looking at each other. Forgetting what had just happened a few hours ago.

"Sorry, for troubling you," Senku finally admitted.

"You should be," Gen firmly responded.

"You should have this," Senku gestured to him the other pack he had, the star ones. "I'll have what you gave me."

"Thanks," Gen smiled at him as the two walked to the house.
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