Chapter Text
Chapter 1
- Kindergarten
First meeting
Senku Ishigami, just 5 years old, stared outside of the window with curiosity. Peering out at the bright sky above the schoolyard. The clouds like cotton, slowly moving a round. The sun rays seeping through the windows and cracks of the Earth.
Suddenly, the Teacher alerts the class with exciting news. Well at least to everyone, but Senku.
"Class, please welcome our new student Kohaku!!" The teacher exclaims, "Now then, Kohaku, please introduce yourself."
Kohaku loudly but yet proudly, introduces herself.
"My name is Kohaku and I'm from America!! I am learning taekwondo, and I'm super duper excited to be friends with everyone here!!"
The class stares in awe and amusement. Some were laughing, others are curious. But Senku wasn't just shocked. He was baffled..
Senku thinks judgingly in his head while staring at Kohaku, "How could someone introduce themselves that unprofessionally..and without feeling embarrassed? She's weird.."
While Kohaku is scanning her new class, she notices Senku. Mainly because of his funky hair, but also because of the way he was staring at her. From what she could understand, it looked like it was a stare of confusion, secondhand embarrassment, and so much more negative emotions. This caught Kohakus curiosity and wonders.
"I wonder what he's like..and why isn't anyone sitting next to him?? Mph..well in that case, i will!!" She thinks to herself while chuckling out of amusement and excitement at the idea.
"Miss? Can i sit next to the lettuce haired boy?"
Everyone is in shock. The students, teacher, and of course Senku.
Senku is even more bewildered than ever. He was insulted and embarrassed infront of the class.
"Lettuce haired boy?? Seriously?? And she wants to sit next to ME?? AFTER CALLING ME THAT!?" Senku furiously thinks.
After a bit of shock, the teacher says, "Yes, you may Kohaku. But please rememebr that his name is Senku, it's way kinder to call him that instead of…that.."
Kohaku is happy about her new seat, and new friend. She skips toward the seat and sits down, showing Senku a gleaming smile, like she hadn't just insulted him.
Senku is going through all the emotions of shock. First she insulted him by his hair, and is now smiling like nothing happened. He sighs,
"This is ten billion percent going to be an annoying day..wait..never mind, an annoying school year."
- Interactions
Outside in the playground, Senku is playing the sand box, doing little experiments. Kohaku is being called around by the other classmates. Playing tag, hide and seek, family, and much more. But of course, Kohaku feels tired, annoyed, and frustrated. She wants to talk to Senku, get to know him more, ask him,
"Why are you playing alone??"
But here she is trapped between classmates and boring games. So she decides to ask her new friends things about Senku.
"Why is he playing alone? Does he have any friends? Why don't you guys hang out with him??" Things of that nature.
But she receives answers she doesn't like at all. They all make fun of, and ignore Senku. Why? because they think he's too smart, and smug with his knowledge and personality. They even go as far to telling her to stay away from him, like he's some kind of virus or danger. So she decides to prove ALL of them wrong. She runs off to Senku, with everyone calling after her, confused on why she ran away.
"Hi Senku!! Whatcha doing??" She ask curiously, with her head tilting. Senku replies,
"Experiences with sand. To see and understand the different reactions of the substances." Senku replies nonchalantly.
But he also thinks,"Why is she trying to hang out with me? Clearly no one likes me, and she has lots of friends to choose from."
"Cool! But I don't get it so I'll just watch you. Hmm..maybe I'll understand after watching you!!" She replies excitedly.
Senku smirks even though hes confused and a bit annoyed since he didn't like the first impression she gave him. But he decided to put up with it. Mainly because finally someone other than his dad, Byakuya, wanted to see his experiments.
As the school day ends, kids run to their parents and hugging them, telling them about the new girl, Kohaku. And while she greets all of her new friends parents, she's looking for one person, Senku. As soon as the school day ended, she promised herself to become friends with him.
Senku is at the end of the gate about to leave with his dad, Byakuya. When all of a sudden, Senku, Byakuya, and really everyone in that school hear's..
"WAITTTTTTT!!!…SENKUUUU!!!!"
The entire school froze in confusion and shock.
"Why's she calling out to Senku?.." Bystanders think.
Senku and his dad turn around in confusion. Senku, with an embarrassing judgy look plastered on his face. He asks her,
"Uhm..yes?.."
"Can we pretty pretty PLEASEEE be friends??"
A one sided awkward silence happens. From Senku of course.
As Senku stood confusion, Kohaku started to get worried. Now she's thinking that Senku doesn't want to be friends, and surprisingly how embarrassing yelling was in that moment when usually it isn't. After a few seconds, Byakuya decides to take control of the situation.
Byakuya says calmly to not scare the teary eyed Kohaku, "Senku would LOVE to be your friend!! Right Senku?? You would, right??" He finishes with a smug smile.
"I…do?.." Senku thinks confusingly. Reluctantly enough, with Kohaku on the brink of tears, and Byakuyas supposedly lie, Senku says,
"Uh..sure i gues-"
Before Senku could even finish his sentence, Kohaku rushingly hugs him tightly. So tightly he can hardly breathe. He almost pushed her off, telling her to not do it again. But he looked back on how her face looked full of worry and embarrassment, and also the fact that she chose to see his experiments. So out of his little embarrassing empathy, he lets her. Everyone is in awe about the entire incident. Thinking about every question you could think of. After a long, suffocating but loving hug, she leaves his body and runs off yelling with the cheeriest smile while giggling, Senkus ever seen.
"SEE YOU SENKUUU!!!"
During dinner, Senku stares at his food plainly, lost at thought. Picking and playing at it.
"Why did she have to hug me?" "Why does she want to be my friend so bad?" "Why me??". With Senku obviously zoning out, it catches Byakuyas attention.
"Hey, Senku. Whatcha thinking about??" Byakuya ask curiously.
"Nothing.." Senku replies quietly.
"You sure? Because I think that you're thinking about that girl."
As soon as Byakuya finishes his sentence, Senku jerks. All because of a mention of that girl, Kohaku.
"Listen kid, you might be confused right now about everything, since you're typically not the type to hang out with people, which is understandable. But as the days, months, and even years go by, you'll start to understand. I promise." Byakuya says, ending it with a reassuring smile.
Senku looks up at Byakuya with a sigh and a nod, leaving the room questioning what might happen to him the next day with his new friend.
As the days and months go by, they get closer and closer. With Byakuya capturing most moments with comforting photos and videos. Catching not only their experience, conversations, but also their care, and understanding of each other.
Elementary school soon comes to an end, with fierce Kohaku hugging frail Senku.
"See you later Senku!..".
Kohaku waves him a goodbye, with him and his smirk slowly fading as he stared almost blankly at her. Maybe because he was thinking about how he never really realized how much he enjoyed her company over the years. Even though he knew it was illogical for him to think that, especially since he had way more important scientific experiments to be doing, he couldn't help but think about her for a reason he didn't know.