To Love In The 57th Century (sengen)

ch 4 \\ school

The early morning shined throughout the sky as Senku entered the train. It was the period before the rush hour, so it isn't as crowded as it's supposed to be.

"The doors are now closing, please stay behind the yellow line," the voice of a machine echoed through the station and within the train. The structure of the beige walls of the station was replaced by Senku's reflection from the window...

...and also by another person...

"Gen?"

The dark haired person was sitting nearly across the opposite train doors, right behide Senku. He was wearing a uniform that Senku is unfamiliar of. It must be his old school's uniform.

"Oh Senku-chan, you're quite early," Gen raised his head to face Senku

"Yeah, I needed to prepare for science club,"

"Of course you are," Gen had guessed it correctly.

"Are you going to our school by any chance?"

"Oh yes, how'd you know?"

"I already figured it out and Mr. Asagiri told me to take care of you," Senku distinctly remembered Gen's father talking to him after dinner right before he left.

"Don't listen to anything he says," Gen furrowed his eyebrows as his hands tightly clutched the strap of his bag. Senku did not object nor replied.

The two spent the rest of the train ride reminiscing about their past and about their school. When they eventually arrived there, many people greeted Senku down the hallways while a handful of people stared at the man beside him.

"It seems like Senku is pretty popular here..." Gen thought.

"This is the faculty room," Senku stopped in front a door. He was leading the dark-haired transfer student to meet their supposed advisor before he enters the class he's supposed to be in.

"Thanks for the help," Gen smiled at him as he knocked the door and waited until he's admitted in.

"Surely Gen won't be in our class, the other classes have more slots open than ours," Senku thought as he walked towards the science club room. He still has several minutes before the bell rings.

===

"Alright everyone! I have a couple bit of announcements for our homeroom," their advisory teacher entered the room and stood in front the students. "We probably won't have enough time for roll call. Class president, will you take it for me later on please?"

"Yes sir," a voice from the students said to the teacher

"Okay, now that's settled. We have a new transfer student,"

"Wait, that doesn't make sense," Senku's head faced to the front instead of his notebook, where he was calculating his recent experiment. "Why is Gen in this class?"

"Mr. Asagiri, you can come in," the teacher faced his head to the door as the dark haired man entered the room. "I know it's the middle of the semester and it's unusual for a transfer student to come but please take good care of him. Mr. Asagiri, any introductions?"

"Hello everyone, I'm Gen Asagiri. I'm into psychology, if you want help with your love life, hit me up," Gen said with a wink and smiled. The crowd of students giggled and some started whispering. One of them said, "he's cute."

"You guys better not slack off of your studies while searching for your love life. Gen, I need your help in that," the teacher joked as the students laughed. Then the teacher gestured Gen to seat at the near-back of the classroom - slightly far away from Senku's seat.

The dark-haired boy sat down and slightly looked at his left, where Senku sat. He was looking at him. Gen smiled while holding out a peace sign, the corners of Senku's lips slightly lifted up then looked at the front again.

===

"Hey Gen,"

The bell just rang for lunch and a couple of male students surrounded Gen, "hey we're going to go to a mixer* this saturday, d'you wanna come with us?"

Gen politely smiled, "ah sorry, I'd be busy on that day. But would you like me to give you some tips?"

"Sure!!"

Senku stared at the man who was slightly over to his right. Gen was chatting away happily with the men.

"He's doing alright with making friends, I guess I don't need to interrupt," Senku thought as he stood up to meet Taiju who was waiting by the door of his classroom.

"...and that's all I could give to you," Gen maintained the polite smile.

"OHH I think I could get a girlfriend at this point!!" One of the guys said

"Ehehe... if you could do me a bit of a favor, would you mind helping me pick out some clubs?" Gen asked the men and they eagerly accepted the favor.

"Thanks," Gen replied.

《*mixer = a group date, usually with strangers with the prospect of finding a potential relationship partner.》

===

"So you picked the psychology club at the end?" Taiju asked Gen as the three are walking to the station after school.

"Yeah, it's one of the things I'm good at," Gen replied then lightly grinned at the two. "Hey listen, if you were to save your the love of your life and your family, who would you pick?"

Taiju pondered hard to the point where he started spacing and lasted off without blinking. The two other men looked at him with concern.

"Good job, you broke him," Senku said sarcastically as Gen laughed awkwardly.

"That's just impossible!!" Taiju finally made a conclusion.

"That's to show what matters to you the most in life when faced with dangerous decisions," Gen replied to the conflicted Taiju.

"That's an absurd question, it's practically useless," Senku said, "I'm going to save them all."

"But Senku, you could only pick one!" Taiju exclaimed.

"Not with science, everything is possible. I will find a way," Senku smiled at the two. His eyes gleamed under the light of the evening sun, his determination overrode the arrogance that was written on his face.

Gen stared at the man in front of him who made such a declaration; even though it looked off-hand and childish from other's eyes. It was Senku they were looking at, an air of possibility flowed within the wind.

Pink petals flowed through them, brightly contrasting Senku's fading green hair. His smile was more brilliant than the reflection of the sun... why has it only been today that such an option was attainable?

Gen's chest seemed to have blossomed in admiration.

"I never knew Senku-chan would be so selfless," Gen commented and looked at Senku teasingly.

"Shut it, I'm only after the thrill of the process with science," Senku rebuked the statement.

Gen thought. "If what you said is true, then why did you personally escort me to the faculty room instead of telling me the directions? You could've had more time with your experiments by then."

----

A/N: just in case any of you guys are wondering why there are pink petals in the start of school. It's because Japan starts their semeters in April, ending until March of the following year.

Spring in Japan mostly lasts from March to May, which explains the cherry blossoms 🌸.

Hope this helps :>