A/N : 🎵 You know I talk too much! Honey, come put your lips on mine and shut me up!🎵
The Kingdom of Science was in the Age of Energy and possessed a hydroelectric generator, thus they were able to run everything without requiring human labor which made the villagers very satisfied.
In addition, the Kingdom of Science had to build batteries to contain the electricity. Not only that, but because this kingdom had formed the Spartan Crafts Team - you, Senku, Chrome, and Kaseki - you also created gears.
However, when the team decided to build light bulbs, Senku unexpectedly assigned you to teach the kids until he requires your assistance.
"C'mon, goldfish. The children need you." Senku said lightly, sticking his pinky inside his ear.
Of course, you shook your head, "I've taught them enough, lettuce head! I'm the commander, so I'd like to assist you with creating the lightbulbs."
Now it's Senku's turn to smugly smirk. Instantly you already know that what you just said was going to end up getting you wrapped up in his never-ending teasing.
"Oh, so you consider yourself to be in charge now?" He raised his brows amusingly, "Good to know."
When you heard that, your face became completely red, embarrassed by what you had just said.
Seriously?
Did you just really say it aloud?
That you are the commander of the Kingdom of Science?
Hell no.
"I mean, that's what everyone says, so why not just accept it?!" Too humiliated, you even had the audacity to give Senku a hard backslap.
You kind of forgot he still had a very small amount of muscle, so when you didn't expect him to fall, he literally got his face smacked hard against the ground.
"YOU- YOU DAMN GOLDFISH! YOU DON'T NEED TO SLAP MY BACK THAT HARD!" Senku shouted as he felt his back sting.
"Wha-? WHY ARE YOU BLAMING ME? You deserved it." You, the one who never backs down from a fight, glared, "I swear, do you want me to jump on top of you and smack the shit out of you because I don't have all day for this!"
It was quiet for a minute while you noticed Senku were breathing in and out as if to give him the power and patience to deal with you. Following that, you assumed he would apologize (not that he ever did). But, this is the Ishigami Senku we're talking about. Of course your expectations will always be crushed!
All that was seen on his face was arrogance and mockery.
"You feeling froggy?" He flashed a rude smirk, "Leap."
Oh, that's it!
THAT.
IS.
IT!
In that moment, you swiftly folded both of your sleeves and gritted your teeth to cover up your annoyance, "Okay. Well, here I come, YOU ASSHO-!"
Well...
Things did not go as planned.
At the end of the day, you give in.
Why? It's not that you give up willingly; rather, it's because literally every kid in the village came running to you at the same time and begged you to teach them.
At that point, you realized you were trapped. Senku gave you a very smug grin when you turned to face him, as if to say; 'I'm still the Ishigami Village's chief. Of course the people here will do what I say.'
Thus, here you are, educating the kids.
"(Name)-nee! What're you going to teach us today?" A few young girls eagerly stared at you, while the others engaged in small talk about what new knowledge they would gain today.
"Ah, good question." You chuckled uncomfortably before sitting down, "In your opinion, what should I talk about?"
As of right now, you had the same height as them. It is ideal to avoid standing up when teaching youngsters since it portrays authority.
"Hmm, do you have something you like, (Name)-nee?" A black-haired boy leaned forward.
'Something I like?' Your brows were furrowed slightly when you thought about it. Eventually, a faint smile appeared on your lips.
"Yeah."
"Then maybe you could teach us that." After one of the boy's friends piped up, there was a loud chorus of agreement around the area.
With that, you clapped twice to silence them before continuing, "Alright. I'll tell you about my favorite topic; the ocean."
"Oooo!"
Sure, these primitives live near the beach, but they probably had no idea what's in the ocean, so you planned to tell them about it.
"Now, when I say 'ocean', what term comes to mind?" You started.
Instantly, several children raised their hands at once.
"Our home."
"The ocean is probably flat."
"It's boring! When the fisherman go fishing, we children aren't allowed to go along with them!"
"Clearly, the ocean gives us food."
"We rely on the ocean to survive."
"The color of it is light blue, just like the sky."
"We always have a good time at the ocean, of course."
To be honest, you were pleased with their answers. It's what you wanted them to think and what you expected from children their age.
They believed that the ocean's color, purpose, and surface were its only unique traits.
"Oh, wow! Good answers, kids. I'm impressed." You smirked confidently, earning cheers from them before they settled down again, ready to listen to you.
"Well, do you kids know that the ocean isn't just flat?" You raised an eyebrow. The kids' reactions were, of course, different. There were many who were just curious, those who were confused, and others who refused to believe a word you had just spoken.
Thus, you continued, "Back in the Modern World there was a place called the Mariana Trench - one of the deepest part of the ocean that has ever been discovered."
"Huh? How deep is it, (Name)-nee?"
"About 11.000 metres or about 36.000 feet."
"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"
Surprisingly the children yelled in unison, their jaws gaping wide in amazement.
"No way. I can't imagine how far down it is..." One of the children spoke up, holding his head as if he was dizzy.
You, on the other hand, were laughing uncontrollably at this response.
The Mariana Trench was generally well-known in the Modern World, but this response is completely unexpected.
"Yep! It's so far down that for a long time, scientists weren't even sure if anything could live there." You shrugged off your shoulders and pointed to the nearest mountain, "See that mountain over there?"
"Yeah?"
"If you put that mountain inside this Mariana Trench, the top of it wouldn't even come close to the surface of the water!" You included, "And when you get that deep into the ocean, trust me, it becomes really hard for anything to survive and it's super dark. It's darker than the night and colder than ice."
Once again, the children screamed unexpectedly.
"NO WAY!"
"Yes way, kids. The sun's light can't pass through all that water, and if the water were even slightly colder, it would freeze into ice." You smirked.
"So, is there nothing in the Mariana Trench? Since, y'know, everything alive requires sunlight to survive and there's no sunshine in there." A girl muttered, furrowing her brow.
"I bet there's nothing." Several boys scoffed, believing that this learning was a waste of time if there's nothing in the trench.
But when you flashed them your cunning grin they stopped instantly and started to pay attention to what you have to say again.
"That's where you're wrong, kids." You casually grabbed a nearby stick and started drawing an odd creature that none of the primitives had ever seen, "It turns out that there are some awesome forms of life down there. Like something called a Sea Cucumber."
"Ewww!!" When you drew it rather precisely, the girls exclaimed and covered their eyes in disgust, "They kinda look like big worms!"
Observing the girls' reactions, the boys evilly grinned, as if they had an idea.
Needless to say, you are aware of their thoughts. It was obvious to you that the boys were coming up with a plan to scare the girls with this Sea Cucumber.
So you mentioned some more information, "It's not possible to find one in this world, boys."
"Aww man..."
"They live on the ocean floor where they look for things to eat - Like tiny animals. It's so small you wouldn't even be able to see them." You then drew another one, erasing the previous one, "Another type of animal that lives in the deepest part of the ocean are Amphipods, which look a little like shrimp."
"(Name)-nee, can we eat those?"
"Mayb- Wait, what? Who just said that?!" When no one responded to you, you eventually cleared your throat in discomfort and went on, "I mean, they may look like shrimps, but that doesn't mean you can eat them. They can be 20 centimetres long or about the size of a grown-up's hand..."
This time, children did not shout out in disgust. You look up from your drawing to see each of their eyes had a spark of curiosity that ignited in themselves. They look at you with admiration, waiting for you to continue.
Therefore, you didn't give them time to wait.
"Well, there are also Foraminifera - Forams for short. There are more than 400 kinds of them living in this trench, y'know?" You clarified before one of the kids raised her hand.
"Yes?" You pointed to the girl with short, black hair cheerfully.
She seemed thrilled to ask a question like this, so you gave her a chance.
"Are they animals?"
"Nope."
"So, are they plants?"
"Wrong agaaaiiinnn..."
"Mushrooms?!"
"Oh uh! Guessing time is over! You're incorrect, by the way." You teasingly stick your tongue out before drawing Forams accurately on the ground.
"See, this is a protist - a kind of living organism. They can be about the same size as the Amphipods or even bigger - probably up to 30 centimetres long if I remember correctly."
"Woaahhhh!"
"Now!" Changing the mood, you cheerfully gazed at everyone, "What do all three of these species have in common?"
Everyone soon began to think while you calmly waited for them.
A few seconds later, a blonde boy pointed excitedly in your direction, "They have no hard bones!"
"Oh? Why is that?"
Then, with confidence, a brunette girl with gorgeous hair got up next to him, "Well, they can't have bones, (Name)-nee. It's because the pressure down there is so strong that it would just turn them into mush."
"Bingo!" You pointed excitedly at the two while the other children gave them several hand claps, "You two are correct. The intense pressure also made it difficult for scientists from the Modern World to explore the Mariana Trench."
"Just make them swim." A girl stated before her brother unexpectedly hit her head jokingly, "No, you dumbass. They can't due to water pressure."
"Now, now, you two." Patting both of their heads, you began answering their queries, "Because we had advanced machinery back then, it made it easier for scientists like me to explore the Mariana Trench. Two options are available; Either send people down there in specially designed 'boats' that protect them from the water pressure or send robots alone!"
"Huh? Ro... bots?"
Oh uh.
It looks like you'll be discussing more about Modern World in the coming months.
→
"Ugh. How come you're here?"
Today was the day you returned to teaching the children of Ishigami village. But it looks like an Annoying Menta-freak will be joining you today as a special guest.
"Ouchh! I am deeply hurt, nepo baby-chan. You don't want me around?" Gen gasped dramatically, placing his palm on his chest to show his 'pain'.
But after attempting to maintain a glare, you gave up and simply smiled at his exaggerated attitude. Asagiri Gen is always dramatic, wherever he is.
"I'm joking." You rolled your eyes amusingly, then put your arm around his shoulder, "Good to have you here, Gen."
"Good to be here too, (Name)-chan. By the way, Senku-chan is doing great." He flashed you a wink before waving enthusiastically at the children, "Hey, kids!"
"...(Name)-nee, is he an annoyance for you?"
"He seems to disturb you."
"Would you like us to beat him up?"
"EEEEK! S-SO MEAN!!" Gen's eyes widened in an instant, and he hurriedly hid behind you.
These primitives' gazes were obviously serious and murderous. It was very terrifying until Gen wondered if you taught them that.
"No, kids. Of course not." You shook your head nervously, worried about what they were saying, "Gen is just here to accompany me for the day. That's it. We don't have to kick his ass or do anything else that you guys are thinking about."
"Why doesn't Senku accompany you? Why Gen?"
"Yeah! Why not your boyfriend?"
"Isn't Senku your husband, (Name)-nee?"
Now it's your turn to widen your eyes and let your mouth drop open. One thing that was different about your response from a few weeks ago was that your cheeks unexpectedly flushed red.
Gen undoubtedly noticed this and smiled like a cat.
"What? Who even told you that?!" You exclaimed in fear but the children were still giggling among themselves, "Sen is NOT my boyfriend."
"Ooo! It looks like nearly all of the villagers agree that Senku-chan is your boyfriend, (Name)-chan!" Gen made fun of you.
But when you gave him an unusual frightening glare, his mouth closed and he sat down right away.
"Okay. Right. Of course. Sorry, ma'am. Sorry, (Name)-sama."
Gen had no intention of making you furious. But making fun of you? Yeah, he will absolutely do that, even if you give him a truly scary expression.
As soon as you saw him sit down with the kids, you began to clear your throat and your behavior immediately returned to normal.
"Alright, everyone! Let's get started on today's lesson." You began, grabbing a stick before drawing a few words on the ground, "Today, we are going to study four traditional Japanese instruments!"
Of course, the kids gasped in unison when they heard that and started speaking in many words at once.
"We're talking about music now! My favorite!!"
"Huhhh? Instruments? What the heck is that?"
"Oh! (Name)-nee is talking about the thing that can make a beautiful melody. You know this, dude!"
"I actually don't-"
"Ah! 'Instruments' was something our parents talked about often. Don't you know them, guys?"
"No, but my parents did let us know that they want to hear it."
"Of course they would! Our founders describe it as something that is gorgeous in the tales! That just listening to its tune will make the world happier!"
You merely chuckled at their energetic arguments, giving them a moment to talk. Gen was also seen talking about it in wonder, so you give him time to bond with the kids.
After it ended, you went on.
"Music... is a big part of Japanese culture - our culture. A very VERY long time ago, traditional Japanese instruments helped create the music that graced the royal halls and enriched theatrical performances" You gently proclaimed, "However, in the Modern World, you can hear it at a festival or just about anywhere."
After that, you began drawing an instrument like a flute. Once you were done, you pointed and circled it, "This is Shakuhachi."
"Sha... ka.. chihu?"
"Pfft- No, sweetie. It's Shakuhachi." You snickered, "This instrument is one of the most popular traditional Japanese wind instruments - a Japanese flute. You hold it vertically and it has four holes on the front and one on the back. It's traditionally made of bamboo."
Out of nowhere, Gen was standing next to you, presenting a neatly chopped brown bamboo, nevertheless you continued, "A very long time ago, Shakuhachi music was originally used for personal spiritual enlightenment rather than public performance."
"With that, we could make the instrument, right?" A boy with disheveled brunette hair pointed to the object that Gen was holding.
"Correct!" You replied enthusiastically, "But you have to know precisely what is necessary in order to make it. Moving on!"
After a few seconds, you sketched another instrument. This time, though, it appears to have lines on top of it, which confused every kid and made them tilt their heads. However, Gen was rather impressed with your artistic abilities and was also quite familiar with this instrument.
"This is Koto - a Japanese string instrument that is placed on the ground and plucked on a wooden surface. The koto usually comes in two varieties - a 13-string type and a 17-string type. Now, you can find some with 20, 21, or 25 strings!" You happily boasted while picking up an item - two pieces of short stick connected by several strings.
"Look here, kids."
Then everyone, including Gen, turned to face you.
"Do you think this could be an instrument?"
They shook their heads at the same time again. Except for Gen, of course, who understood the basics of producing sound with just a string.
"Well, hear this."
Slowly, you raised your hand and placed a finger between two strings.
When the forest went quiet, you knew it was time; The time to pluck the string firmly.
You then plucked it gently but firmly.
As you did so, the children were so amazed that their expression showed nothing but amazement.
It really did make a sound.
A perfect C note, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"W-WHAAAAAAAAAATTTTTT?!"
You approached them, chuckling lightly at their reaction, and explain further, "Yep! That's how it works. Sound travels through a substance like a pressure wave. When an object vibrates quickly back and forth, it can push air forward to make way for itself. It can then travel away, creating a partial vacuum in its trail."
Surprisingly for Gen, the kids pick up on your words right away. Possibly it's because you ever told them how sound was produced few days ago.
Before long, you added more information and wiped the drawing on the ground to sketch a different instrument, "The Koto is very large, y'know? It's usually about 180 cm or about six feet long and made of a specific wood called Kiri Wood."
"Ahh..." Gen let out a dreamy sigh, "Back then, the music made from Koto is said to be very romantic."
With that added to your explanation, the children undoubtedly gasped when they heard the term 'romantic'.
"Alright, alright. Would you guys rather hear Gen's boring talk about romance, or would you like to know more about instruments from me?"
"We wanna know moreee!"
"Good. That's my kids." Winking, you pat a few of their heads before moving on, "The next instrument we're going to talk about is Taiko."
"Like Takoyaki?"
"Shush, Gen. These children have no idea what a Takoyaki is." With a lighthearted roll of your eyes, you took Gen's hand and pulled him to stand beside you.
"What's Taiko, (Name)-nee?"
"Taiko is arguably the most well-known Japanese instrument internationally." Then, out of nowhere, you pulled out an enormous jar, set it in front of Gen, and gave him two sturdy bamboo sticks. There was also soft animal skin covering the top of the jar.
"(N-Name)-chan? W-What are you-"
"Shhh!" Quickly, you leaned towards Gen, whispering, "Please, just play this like a drum. It's only a demonstration."
When Gen let out a deep sigh and began playing it on beat, it made an extremely loud soft thumping noise - which amazed every kid who witnessed it.
"Although this is not a Taiko, it's similar to this." Gen was still playing while you gave the explanation, "Taiko has come in many sizes and shapes. One example is the Tsuzumi, an hourglass-shaped rope tension drum. Another is the Byo-Uchi-Daiko, a drum made out of a single piece of wood."
You doodled them on the ground while you explain the different forms of Taiko to them. When you were drawing, you were obviously surrounded by curious eyes.
"Is there more? Their name sounds silly." Three children giggled, but you were sure they weren't trying to mock it.
All they did was express what they thought.
"Well, yes! There's the most dramatic Taiko named Oo-Daiko." You exclaimed enthusiastically.
When you looked back, you noticed Gen attempting to transform the handmade Taiko into Oo-Daiko.
Undoubtedly, you were pleased with his attempt to help you, "Those are really large drums that are usually in the back of a Taiko ensemble or Kumi-Daiko. Kumi-Daiko is where each drum has a specific role and voice calls to help players coordinate."
When you had finally finished explaining Taiko to them, Gen put the two bamboos he was holding on top of the jar and went back to his seat. Now that the other kids were starting to grow used to him, a boy was sitting on his lap, staring at you with a delighted expression and stars in his eyes.
"Now, kids. The last one is an instrument I used to really enjoy playing." You described softly and beautifully, drawing an instrument and another object next to it that appeared to be the plucker of the string.
Oh, how you remember how fixated you once were on learning how to play this on your own.
Once you talked about it differently than the other three instruments, Gen realized that this instrument was the one you valued the most and felt the most memorable.
"This is a Shamisen. My mother's favorite..."
At that moment, Gen hurriedly lifted his head to meet your gaze in shock.
You missed her.
You really did miss your mother.
"You know, she used to play this instrument constantly." Muttering to yourself, you could still hear the memory of her playing.
Thus, carefully, Gen grabbed your hand to pull you out from your thoughts.
You did, thanks to him.
Finally, your eyes find his, and you tried to give him a sign that you're feeling okay now. He understood you were telling the truth, so he let go and allowed you to continue.
"So... Shamisen is a plucked-stringed instrument with a 'neck' and three strings stretched across the body. Compared to a guitar, the Shamisen has a slimmer neck." Next, you marked the instrument's most significant part, "This is the body - Dō. Its body is hollow and covered in skin on the front and back."
"Doe? A female deer?"
"No, silly. It's Dō." Immediately Gen burst out giggling, standing right next to you once more, "Anyway, to continue what our lovely (Name)-chan is talking about, the type of music and the player's skill level determine which Shamisen's skin is used. Traditionally, the skin was made from dog or cat skin. Disgusting, right?!"
"But because of social stigma, Shamisen's skins are now often made with synthetic materials, like plastic. Jeez, Gen. Instruments made from dog or cat skin? That's creepy." You smirked as you lifted your eyebrow, knowing Gen was only trying to frighten the kids.
Of course, Gen responded by just raising both hands in the air, signaling that he was sorry.
"Anyway, Shamisen has a Sao, which is his neck. Usually made to be easily disassembled, Shamisen are separated into three or four sections that fit and lock together." You traced the stick around the Shamisen's neck before settling on the 'bridge', "The strings are now stretched across the body and supported by a bridge or Koma that rests directly on the taut skin."
When you finished, you swiftly erased the drawing you had just created by swiping the ground.
"Well, I used to be really skilled at playing this." You smiled at the memory, shaking your head, "I really wish I could play it once again... It means a lot to me."
Suddenly, all the kids got up and gathered around you, which made you gasp in surprise, for sure. It was unexpected for them to swarm you in this way, yet it didn't bother you.
After all, they are really adorable.
"WOAHHHHHHHH!! (Name)-nee, could you please play it for us one day?"
"Pleaseee! I'm sure it will sound lovely."
"Aghhhh! Can't you just make it so you can show it to us, (Name)-nee?"
"We beg you, (Name)-nee!"
"Imagine how our parents would react if you suddenly made a string instrument. Maybe they'll cry tears of joy because they can finally hear what a musical instrument sounds like!"
"True! I remember my mama and papa would not stop talking about instruments and how exactly they mimic a melody."
"Wait, guys. But (Name)-nee can't make it alone. How about we help her?"
"Yes! Tell us, (Name)-nee. Tell us, step-by-step, how to make it."
"But, guys, we have to help our parents find food. Winter is coming."
"Okay, that makes sense."
"Wait, we can form separate groups."
"You're right! Some of us stay at home, some help our parents, and some create this Shamisen. How does that sound?"
Undoubtedly, you were too busy trying to calm everyone down and responding to all of their excited remarks. When they started discussing how they intended to make one for you, you stopped them right away.
You should definitely take care of your current projects and experiments before making what you want. You already have enough on your plate.
From a distance, Gen just stood there with his arms tucked into his sleeves and grinning a little.
'Hmm...' A cat-like grin formed on his lips before he turned around to face the laboratory.
Oh, Asagiri Gen is surely bringing wonderful news to a green-haired scientist about the important information he recently acquired! After all, that was his job as the green-haired scientist's spy.
→
"Aaaggghhh! I'm so tired." You let out a groan and started to crawl on all fours toward the storage room.
At last, you want to go to sleep for the first time in a long time.
In the end, you spend two solid months educating children until you run out of energy to think. You are too exhausted to do so anymore.
Unfortunately, Kohaku has informed you that Senku wanted everyone to come to a certain spot, so your only option is to see what he's up to.
However, when clouds began to come in, you felt a very chilly breeze blow by you, cutting off your thoughts.
'Seriously?!' Once more, you groaned to yourself inside your thoughts. But since the storage room was so close, you just stopped being dramatic and walked towards it casually.
You went into the storage room, got your gorgeous white fur dress, and were ready to leave. Thankfully, you realized that Senku had left his coat, so obviously - being the kind friend that you are - you grabbed it.
Just when you were climbing down the ladder, Kohaku surprisingly appeared in front of you with her soft smile.
"You done?" She inquired as you stood side by side, walking.
"Yeah. Pretty tired, though. Why are we even out in the middle of the night?" You murmured before you yawned tiredly.
"No clue. Senku just instructed me to call everyone to where he is now, especially you." Kohaku answered while you two, along with all the villagers behind you, strolled in comfortable silence.
It was very cold and completely dark when you turned to look around, but a moment later, you noticed something extremely bright from a distance.
Atop that clearing, you noticed a massive tree surrounded by bright lights. But after a few blinks, you were able to see several lightbulbs encircling the massive tree.
'Wait... Holy shit. Wait. No.'
Just in time, snow fell from the sky.
It made it look even more stunning and magnificent; A miracle.
'No way...'
Gosh, you couldn't remember when was the last time you saw something this incredible.
Your eyes brightened while you took in all the beauty of your current surroundings.
"Is it..." You shook your head in disbelief, trying to laugh, "Please, tell me that's what I think it is."
No way the Spartan Crafts Team created this.
Did they just create a Christmas light?
They did, definitely.
You practically almost cried.
Almost.
Although it didn't cause you to burst into tears, it did cause you to drop on your knees and keep looking up at it.
You watched as the lightbulbs joyfully sparkled on the tree, bathing everything in their vicinity in light.
The dazzling tree seemed to be a beacon of light.
"Twinkling stars." You spoke, breathlessly, "This is interesting."
Without even turning your head, you could tell Senku was standing next to you, smiling slightly. You bet the light shone so brightly that his face was beautifully portrayed.
"I take it this is your plan?" The scene in front continued to captivate you, "You exhaust me to death by pushing me to teach those kids till I forget that today is... Christmas."
He was silent for a moment, probably taking in the scenery, before he laughed and crouched down next to you.
Even though the light in front of him made his ruby eyes shine, his attention was fixed on you.
"Yeah." He gently placed his hand on your head and turned it so that you looked at him, which oddly did not bother you, "Finally you noticed."
His softened gaze met yours and at that point, your face turned completely red.
Two people were crouching next to each other in front of the Christmas tree, not seeming to notice the sight that was meant to be admired. In truth, they admire what they see in front of them; each other.
"I remember you mentioning that this was your favorite season." He whispered quietly. He then moved closer to you as he carefully pulled his coat from your grasp and draped it around the two of you.
"You always come to my house every year and start singing every Christmas song ever written." He scoffed at the memory, "It's kinda annoying, not gonna lie. Sorry, goldfish."
"Oh, shut up." You playfully nudged him, "You are a horrible liar. You mentioned it because you want me to sing a Christmas song for you, right? Aww, don't be shy."
"What? No! I really am sick of hearing th-"
"Have yourself-"
"Oh hell no."
"-A merry little Christmas... Let your heart be light."
Lightly, you started singing 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas'. The primitives may not be familiar with the song, yet they remained silent to hear you sing it wonderfully.
It was amazing, almost alluring.
The way you sing was both gentle, yet firm.
Even though Senku had previously stated that he was tired of hearing you sing Christmas songs continuously, he hasn't made an effort to distance himself from you.
Rather, he stayed while his eyes... his eyes were fixed just on you.
Everything seemed to have been a blur for him, except for your face.
Everyone gazed at the scenery for a while before getting to sleep. But you and Senku stayed, taking in all of their beauty from every perspective.
That is, until he walked to grab something from behind the log of the big, decorated tree.
"Here."
Senku spoke while he placed something on your hand.
"Huh?"
It took you a moment to comprehend what it was.
When you did, it was like your body had a mind of its own. So, you instantly tackled Senku with a hug, making him a little surprised.
His lack of strength caused him to finally collapse onto the snow, with you on top of him. When he groaned in pain, you simply laughed aloud from how wonderful this moment felt.
"How did you even do this?!" In disbelief, you shook your head.
This certainly caused your emotions to rise within you.
It was perfect.
It's the same as the one you used to have, but brand new.
"How did you know I had been missing playing this instrument, Sen?" You furrowed your eyebrows immediately, "Don't tell me that Gen was your spy so you can know what I want!"
"Ten billion points for you, goldfish."
"I'm right?!"
Still surprised, you carefully examined the object with your shaky hands.
It's an instrument.
A Shamisen.
Your mother's favorite instrument.
[ SHAMISEN ACQUIRED !! ]
Without saying anything, you carefully stood up and sat right next to him. You eventually took a deep breath and positioned the Shamisen exactly where it should be.
In that moment, the memories start to pour in; The times when you and Senku used to be amazed by your mother's graceful appearance when she played the Shamisen every night, the times your mother only relied on the Shamisen to get through those lonely nights, the times when she finally performed the Shamisen in public, and many more.
Damn it.
"I feel so bad." You placed the plucker and the Shamisen on your lap, gazing sorrowfully at Senku, "I have nothing to offer you. How can I repay you for the gift you've given me?"
"Oh yeah? What gift?" Senku arched an eyebrow, smirking.
"My Kyudo gear and weapons? This Shamisen?? What's next, huh? A submarine?!" Despite shaking your head in disbelief, you had a smile on your face.
You were unable to stop yourself from smiling.
Your entire face was getting warm from the kindness Senku had shown you and you could already feel your feelings for him have grown stronger than before.
"Seriously, Sen. How can I repay you for this?" With gratitude, you spoke.
"Just..." His eyes stayed on you, stating quietly, "Keep our promise, alright?"
It's obvious you thought he was kidding. He wasn't the type to look back on his naive days only to remember an illogical promise. However, you could tell he was being genuine when you looked into those ruby eyes of his.
The promise to explore the world together, to always treat each other as equal, to do the impossible, and... no matter what, you two will always be there for each other.
Thus, you leaned closer to him.
"Of course I will."
You two exchanged silent glances for a moment before both smiling slightly at the same time; Genuine and meaningful.
After all, it is a promise.
No promises should ever be broken.
Behind those smiles of yours, there were so many hidden feelings that you two never expressed.
Even so, you both knew what it was.
Even though it sounds absurd and illogical; It's LOVE.