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With Tsukasa now fully recovered, the kids from the Academy of Science wanted to do a small play to celebrate, and when Mirai suggested doing ‘The Little Mermaid’, everyone agreed that was the best choice, especially considering how much that tale meant for both siblings.
“Very well, then,” Ukyo said after they finished discussing the script they would use with his small class, settling down for Ruri’s version. “Now we only need to find our actors.”
“Senku is obviously the scientist prince from the tale,” Namari pointed out.
Ukyo, despite chuckling at the idea of Senku interpreting a prince (especially since he flatly refused to play himself in their last play), wrote down his name on the list.
“What about our little mermaid?”
“It has to be someone with a pretty voice,” Mirai explained confidently.
“Oh, like Lillian!” Suika said, getting a nod in agreement.
“Exactly! Although I don’t know if there’s anyone here who sings like her. Maybe Ruri or Kohaku?” Mirai wondered. After all, they both looked a lot like the singer, so maybe they had her voice as well. “Or maybe Nikki since she was her biggest fan!”
“What are you all fussing about?” Senku asked, walking towards their direction upon noticing their group talking quite excitedly for it to be just another one of their classes.
“Oh, you’re going to love to hear this—,” Ukyo began to say, just as Suika raised her voice: “Senku! Do you know someone who sings like Lillian?”
“Hah? Well, I guess the mentalist can do that, since he can imitate her voice and all that,” Ukyo froze while the kids continued to discuss the new candidate for the role.
“Um… Senku?”
“Yeah?”
“Would you mind playing the prince in our play?”
“Nah, just ask Chrome or someone else. I’m sure he won’t have a problem—,” Senku began to say, refusing just as one would expect.
Except that now Ukyo had an idea.
“Okay, I guess Chrome and Gen will be the leads then.”
“Sure— Wait, what?”
“You know, Chrome as the prince and Gen as the little mermaid,” Ukyo explained, keeping his best poker face. “I mean, you’re probably right. They won’t mind at all. Gen is used to being on stage and Chrome seemed to have a lot of fun last time, and a little kiss should be—”
“What kiss?” Senku interrupted, not even attempting to cover up his sudden interest.
“Ah, the one between the prince and the mermaid once they’re reunited again. Mirai suggested adding that to the ending since now her own tale has reached its happy ending,” she didn’t, but Ukyo was sure she wouldn’t mind the addition either.
Besides, seeing Senku’s face at that moment was too much fun.
“Senku-chan! Ukyo-chan! There you are! We've been looking for you,” Gen said, approaching them along with Ryusui and Chrome. “We wanted to have a small meeting to discuss the next steps now that Tsukasa has recovered.”
“Oh, of course. By the way, Chrome—,” Ukyo began to say, but was swiftly interrupted.
“I’ll do it,” all eyes turned to Senku, who was trying to act as nonchalant as possible. “I mean, it’s not as if we are that busy right now, so I guess I can give it a try if that’s what everyone wants.”
Ukyo bit back a smile.
“Wonderful! I’ll mark you as confirmed then,” he said, making a note on the list he had.
“Confirmed for what?” Ryusui asked, leaning closer to take a look at the list.
Ukyo explained all the same.
“The prince for our play,” he said with an innocent smile.
“Ara, ara~ Am I hearing this right? Is Senku-chan finally going to show us his super secret acting skills?” Gen asked, clearly amused with the idea.
“Ugh, if you are going to be annoying about it, I won’t do it.”
“Aww, but think of the children, Senku-chan! They will be really disappointed if you drop out like that!” Gen protested with an exaggerated pout that only managed to annoy the scientist even more.
“So glad you think that way! I also trust that you’ll be able to give him some acting tips, being his co-star and all that,” Ukyo added.
“Co-co-star?”
There it was, that devilish sparkle in Ukyo's eyes that warned Gen that they had fallen right into his trap.
“Oh, didn’t I mention it? The kids thought you would be a good candidate for the little mermaid, considering your ability to imitate Lillian’s voice and all that.”
“I can’t be the little mermaid!”
“Heh, congratulations on your first lead role, mentalist,” Senku smirked, unable not to make fun of Gen despite finding himself in the same situation, and before Gen could retort, he added: “After all, we have to ‘think about the children’, right?”
“You’re the worst!” Gen fake cried, but there was nothing left to do, not when the kids already were staring at them excited at the idea.
“Don’t worry, Gen! We’re sure you will be an amazing little mermaid!” Mirai assured him, completely misunderstanding the reason behind his lack of enthusiasm.
“Right? After all, Senku suggested you for the role himself,” Ukyo added, like the bastard he actually was.
“Se-Senku-chan?!”
“Oi!”
He would definitely make Ukyo pay for that! Not that the archer seemed too concerned about it.
“Should I also mention why you accepted your role?” Ukyo asked calmly.
“No–no, that’s fine,” he replied, feeling Gen’s, as well as everyone else’s, curious eyes on him.
“Aww, but I also desire to participate in the play! If Senku doesn’t want to, I can be the prince in his place!” Ryusui offered with a snap of his fingers.
“Me too!” Chrome added with equal enthusiasm.
Senku and Gen exchanged looks.
If they worked together and played their cards right, they could get Ryusui and Chrome to interpret their roles instead and save themselves.
However, Senku realized, it would also mean they wouldn’t have to kiss… Not that he cared about kissing Gen!
But if their plan failed and either Ryusui or Chrome kept his role, it could be really troublesome. In Chrome’s case, it could lead to a misunderstanding with Ruri and in Ryusui’s… Yeah, it would definitely be a terrible idea.
“You can be the sea witch and… the fish or some other—,” he vaguely remembered the kids were listening as well, “—crab.”
Gen made a face.
Wasn't Senku the one who was complaining about having to play the prince in the first place? Was Ukyo blackmailing him or something?
That would make sense. That was what he must have been referring to when he talked about "why" Senku accepted his role.
It wouldn’t be surprising that Ukyo had dirt on everyone. He could hear almost everything after all… Did he have something on him too?
Gen didn’t want to risk finding out.
“Did… did Senku-chan just made a dad joke?” He asked instead, earning a laugh from Ryusui.
“Self-censorship hardly counts as a dad joke,” Senku argued with a frown, though he was actually very relieved that Gen didn't question his sudden change of heart.
“I think it does~!”
“Ah, Senku, you’re getting old,” Ryusui laughed, patting his shoulder.
“Shut up.”
“What’s a dad joke?” Little Suika asked then.
🐚🐚🐚
“Thank you so much, my prince, for now I can see you again,” Gen said, after hugging Senku with enthusiasm upon being ‘revived’ by the prince’s science.
“I…,” the kiss, the next thing was the kiss. “I’m…” Gen should really stop staring at him as if he had hung the moon and all the stars in the sky. It wasn’t fair! “I knew science would bring you back… to me,” he practically choked on the words… because of how cringy they were, not because he was nervous about what was to come!
He slowly leaned and—
“Cut!”
“Hah?!”
“Gen, excellent job as usual!” Mirai said, speaking over the paper megaphone they had made her for the occasion, “but you, Senku! You need to show more love!”
“I am showing love!” He replied, moving his arms that were still around Gen’s figure, only to let go upon realizing that he was still hugging him.
“You can’t even look him in the eye!”
“That–that’s–!” because if he did that, he would die from embarrassment!
He could barely face Gen’s look of utter adoration.
How the fuck was the mentalist able to do that so easily?!
“Now, now… How about we give it another try, miss director-chan?” Gen intervened.
“Fine!” Mirai huffed, before giving a few more instructions to the rest of the team.
“It’s not going to be different from the other 7 attempts, you know?” Senku muttered as everyone got in their respective positions.
“I knew you were counting,” Gen chuckled. “Don’t worry, okay? Just try to relax and let me take the lead.”
“Okay…”
“Action!”
“Thank you so much, my prince, for now I can see you again,” Gen said once again. This time, taking the liberty of caressing Senku's cheek, guiding his face to look at him and covering it up fairly well from the public's eyes in the process.
Senku quickly understood the reasoning behind that gesture… but that didn’t mean his face wasn’t going to warm up by it! And what was worse, there was no way Gen wouldn’t notice it from that close!
“I…,” he took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. “I knew science would bring you back to me.”
There it was. Now he needed to lean and… Gen did as well, placing a kiss on his cheek, taking advantage of how his hand covered them from the public.
“See? Nothing to worry about,” he whispered in his ear before letting go.
Senku barely registered the rest of the cast clapping at them for finally completing the scene.
“You look disappointed, Senku,” Ukyo noted, clearly amused with the expression on his face.
“Zip it.”
“Fine… fine…” He said, raising his palms in defeat. “Oh, and Gen,” he called, completely ignoring Senku’s frustrated look. “Awesome job! Although you aren’t even acting, are you?”
Senku watched as Gen’s face flushed at that moment, but he still didn’t understand what Ukyo meant.
How couldn’t he be acting? He wasn’t a mermaid in love with a scientist prince, he was just… A mentalist in love with a scientist.
“Ha ha, that Ukyo-chan is so funny… Why are you staring at me like that?”
“You’re in love with me?”
“No-no!” If the stuttering didn’t give him away, the blushing on his face totally did!
“You are!”
“Of course not! Ah, look at the time, I better go and get ready for–,” Gen tried to escape, but Senku stopped him by the wrist.
“Hey, director? Shouldn’t we do the scene once more? Just to make sure it all looks good for the opening night?” He called towards Mirai. “1 out of 8 scenes right can’t be good enough.”
“Mm, I guess we should,” the girl said in agreement, instructing everyone to get back in position.
Gen felt quite betrayed by the lack of complaints and the clearly amused expressions everyone seemed to be wearing.
“Senku-chan…”
“Don’t you trust me?”
Gen knew he had lost the moment Senku gave him that smile.
“Thank you so much, my prince, for now I can see you again,” Gen said, hesitating before caressing Senku’s cheek again, only that this time, the scientist put his hand over his, moving it just enough so it was no longer able to hide his face from the audience.
Senku could feel everyone's eyes on them as well as the warmth of his skin, but he ignored it all in favor of looking at his mentalist.
This time Gen was looking at him clearly confused and with a nice blush on his face. It was quite a sight and he regretted having avoided it all this time.
“I knew science would bring you back to me,” he said, and before Gen could even begin to lean for the kiss, he added: “I love you.”
“You-you–?!” Senku chuckled as his reaction, before slightly standing up on his tiptoes and landing a peck on the corner of Gen’s mouth. “You tease!”
“Oh? Were you expecting something else–?” He was interrupted by Gen’s lips on his.
Ukyo smiled at the scene, satisfied with the results until he remembered that there were kids present and those two were too mired in their own world to care.
“I think that’s a good enough wrap up. Let’s go, everyone!” he said, breaking up the small crowd that had gathered and ushering Mirai away despite her insistence of staying to see how they could include that on their play as well.
Tsukasa was going to kill him.