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"Hey Yuzuriha! What are you doing over here?" Kohaku asked as she found the other girl sitting at the edge of the river, out of view from everyone else who were either, working, training or just mingling.
"Ah! Oh, Kohaku! You scared me!" Yuzuriha jumped turned to smile sheepishly at Kohaku, stopping her fiddling with... hair? Or fur?
"Right, sorry about that." Kohaku apologized as she moved closer, glancing back and forth between Yuzuriha and the hair.
Getting a closer look she saw that the fur had been spun into a thin rope and rolled into a ball together before one end went around what looked like two thin wooden sticks from which it seemed to form a piece of cloth together, but different from the cloth the hot air balloon or their clothes were made from.
"Oh this?," Yuzuriha caught on before she has to ask, "I took some fur from the goats you and the others captured to make yarn and- and maybe... knit a scarf for Taiju. It's getting colder after all!" she explained, starting out calm before turning flustered near the end.
She was honestly adorable and Kohaku couldn't help but giggle.
"I've got no clue what yarn or a scarf is but I'm sure Taiju would love it." she told her confidentally.
After all, Taiju was already someone who'd be grateful with about anything, but if it was from Yuzuriha, he'd absolutely treasure it.
"Oh, back in my time, gosh I feel old saying that, people would take fur of some animals like sheep or now goats and use it to make clothes that tend to be far warmer then those of regular cloth. A scarf is quite long and people wrap it around their necks to stay warm." Yuzuriha explained, holding what she was working on out for Kohaku to feel who did so carefully.
"It's so soft," she said in awe, "Honestly, I kinda wish I was actually good at making stuff. Then I could make something like for Sen- Ah! For Ruri!"
She managed to catch her slip-up but it was already too late judging by the way Yuzuriha was staring at her with a stunned face before a wide smile slowly spead across it.
"Kohaku, you want to make something for Senku?" she asked, voice calm but eyes sparkling.
"I-I never said it was for Senku!" Kohaku protested as her face burned bright red.
"But you were gonna~" Yuzuriha just giggled back and Kohaku sighed and nodded, knowing it was no use to try and deny it.
Times like these really made her wish she was in better control of her emotions.
"Would you like to try making a scarf for Senku? I brought extra knitting needles." Yuzuriha then offered, pulling two more wooden sticks out and holding them out to her.
"Eeeehh!? But why?!" Kohaku cried out, probably more dramatically than needed, but like she said admitted to herself, she was never good as keeping her emotions in check and now she was both very confused and surprised.
"You said you wished you could make something nice. Why not start now? I'm more than happy to teach you." Yuzuriha offered, never stopping smiling.
"Why do I feel like this isn't you just being nice?" Kohaku deadpanned, earning another giggle.
"I promise I would have offered either way Kohaku," the other told her and she knew she was being completely honest, "But I can't help but be curious. After all, everyone knows how much you love Ruri, yet instead of her or even Suika the first person you thought of to make something for was Senku."
"Should have seen that one coming." Kohaku groaned, slumping in place.
"Kohaku," Yuzuriha lightly touched her shoulder, "I won't force you to tell me anything if you really don't want to."
"I know." Kohaku said, placing her own hand over the one in her shoulder and giving a small smile back.
"I guess it would be nice to talk to someone..." she admitted, blushing and looking down.
Yuzuriha didn't say anything more and simply pulled her to sit down with her and handed her the extra knitting needles.
With that she patiently explained how knitting worked and demonstrated, going extra slow to allow Kohaku to see every single movement.
After this she helped Kohaku make a start and watched over her for a few moments went back to her own work.
"So... How exactly did Senku end up being the first person you thought of when wanting to make something for someone?" she finally asked the question Kohaku had been waiting for.
He gave a deep sigh before answering, "I'm pretty sure you already know this but... As much as I love my family and friends, Senku's just different."
Yuzuriha didn't say anything, just smiled and nodded encouragingly for her to continue which she did.
"I've always admired him. From the moment I saw how he was willing to give his live to save you from Tsukasa." she told, seeing how the other girl's eyes got a emotional shine in them as if she herself had gone back to the very moment.
"I saw a man who was willing to put someone else before himself, no matter what would happen to him. Then later he miraculously turned out to be alive and again showed this in him when his first reaction to finding me stuck under a tree was to try and safe me. Senku is rude, blunt and sometimes a downright asshole, but caring for everyone to the point taken it upon himself to revive all of humanity. He always pushes everyone to work hard, but works the hardest himself, not just for the mission, but also to give all of us a better life. He cured Ruri from her illness, made Suika her glasses and so much more and I know that no matter what he says, he didn't do any of those things just to get manuel laborers but because he wanted to help. And never has he acted as if that's all any of us are good for. He loves science so much and genuinely wants to share that passion with everyone, going through every step for every project and even when it's hard at times, always makes it fun too. And despite being smarter than everyone else combined probably, he's never acted as if that made him better than us. He acknowledges his own shortcomings without making excuses and at the same time recognizes every person's individual strenghts and talents and uses those while still teaching us new things and allowing himself to learn from us. Senku... Senku is wonderful in many ways and my respect for him turned into seeing him as a friend and before I knew it that turned into me... hoping for him to be more than my friend and to be more than a friend to him..."
Without realizing it she had stopped knitting and was just looking down at her lap, till a soft sniffing sound make her look up.
To her horror she found Yuzuriha was crying.
"Ah! A-Are you okay?!" Kohaku blurted, hands reaching for her but stopping herself, resulting in her hands awkwardly hovering.
"Y-Yes, of course!" Yuzuriha quickly answered, wipping her face, "It's just that I'm really happy to know there's someone who cares so much for Senku!"
"I've known Senku for years before the petrification beam hit and I've seen several girls fall for him." she told and Kohaku couldn't help tensing up at this.
"However, I know none of them cared for him besides that he was smart, handsome and acted cool, but you see him for all he is!"
At this Kohaku relaxed, thought she still blushed at hearing someone else point out her feelings out loud.
"Kohaku," Yuzuriha grabbed Kohaku by the shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes, "I know that you will stay by his side and support him through all the hard times and be with him to enjoy the good ones, no matter what. You are beautiful inside and out and I couldn't think of anyone who would be better for Senku."
And Kohaku could tell she meant it wholeheartedly.
"Thank you, Yuzuriha. It means a lot to know I have your blessing." she told her, pulling her into a hug.
"Of course!"
"So..." Yuzuriha pulled back with a mischievous grin, "You just listed how you like him as a person, and that's of course the most important, but aren't you forgetting a different aspect?"
"Huh? Like what?" Kohaku asked confused.
"Like that he's honestly pretty hot?"
"YUZURIHA?!"
"Hahaha! I'm just saying! Even if my feelings for Senku are one hundred, no ten billion percent platonic, I can still see he's very good-looking!" Yuzuriha laughed, winking at Kohaku.
"Yeah... About that, I may have told him once to his face that I think he's attractive when we were still trying to think of ways to get the villagers to accept him." Kohaku admitted sheepishly, earning a gasp.
"No way!"
"Yeah, but like I said, I said it while we were brainstorming so I doubt he even thought anything of it."
"Well then!" Yuzuriha clapped her hands together, "Then I guess we'll have to work on lots of things he will notice, starting with giving him his very own Kohaku-made scarf! Now stop slacking and start knitting!" she exclaimed, lightly poking Kohaku in the forehead.
"Alright! I'm kniting, I'm knitting!" Kohaku laughed, getting back to work.
Like expected, Taiju had happpily accepted the scarf Yuzuriha handed him with a cry of, "WHOOOAAAHHH! This looks so pretty and it's so soft! Thank you so much, Yuzuriha!"
Kohaku smiled from where she watched the exchange.
The two of them really were adorable and she was happy to watch them be in their own little bubble yet she turned around and left to give them some privacy.
And also, she has her own homemade scarf to deliver to her own crush.
It didn't take long to find him.
Senku was standing outside the lab with the other generals, gathered around a table and looking over some blueprints for some new project.
"Senku!" Kohaku called out, waving an arm high in greeting.
"Hey there, Lioness. What's up? Do you need anything?" Senku casually greeted her, digging with his pinky in his ear.
"I'm not a lioness! Also, hey guys." she shouted back before shooting a quick greeting to the others, receiving several back and turning back to Senku again.
"Actually, I don't need anything from you but I came because I got something I think you need." she said, doing her best to appear equally casual as she reached behind her and pulled out her own scarf.
"Yuzuriha taught me how to knit. She said it's really nice and warm to wear when it's cold and I thought you could really use one of these." she told him, stepping closer and holding the scarf out.
"Huh." Senku mumbled as he accepted the scarf and looked it over.
Kohaku didn't show it but her heart was racing as she waited for him to finish examining the piece of clothing, wondering if maybe she shouldn't have given it anyway.
After all, as much as she had done her best, the scarf turned out nowhere near as pretty as Yuzuriha's, being wonky with having some parts very tight together and others on the other hand very loose and having pieces poking out here and there.
Then Senku finally seemed satisfied and grinned at her and wrapped it quickly around his neck.
"Ten billion points to you, Kohaku! This will come in handy in making being outside for longer periods more bearable." he told her and she couldn't help the snort that escaped her.
"Ha! I figured you'd be happy with anything either science-related or otherwise useful." he told him, crossing her arms and lifting her chin a bit to appear confident.
"Kukuku! Alright, even I can't deny I've become sorta predictable. But seriously though, thanks a lot." he chuckled before calming down and giving her one of his more earnest smiles that made him so much more handsome and also made Kohaku blush a little at seeing it aimed just at her.
"No problem, really." she told him, clearing her throat when her voice hitched slightly.
"Well, I should get going. I have training with the other fighters in a while." she told, only giving a half-truth since while she did have training planned, it actually wouldn't be in a couple hours yet and just wanted to get away as long as she was still able to act normal and not accidentally say or do something embarrassing.
"Sure, see you in a bit, Lioness."
"I'm not a lioness!" and with that she turned and ran away as fast as she could.
Once she was a safe distance away and out of sight all tensing promptly left Kohaku to the point she had to lean on a tree to not topple over.
It had been a simple interaction, one that had really been one suited for just friends and not a girl wanting to give her crush a gift, but she still smiled to herself.
It didn't matter if Senku probably didn't pay any thought to her intentions.
He'd been happy with her gift and given her that smile and that was enough for now.
She'd work her way up slowly if that was what it took.
"Me oh my~ Someone's really lucky to get such a ice-nay gift from our dear Kohaku-chan!" Gen smirked at Senku when Kohaku was gone, his and everyone's eyes on Senku.
"Why are you saying it like it comin from the gorilla makes it extra special?" Chrome frowned, dense as always.
"You're so lucky she already left or you'd probably be getting another concussion for that comment." Ukyo sighed at him.
"HA HA! All gifts should be treasured but coming from a beautiful woman makes them even more precious! Am I wrong?!" Ryusui asked loudly, snapping his fingers.
"You are absolute right, Ryusui-chan!" Gen agreed before smirking at Senku.
"Wouldn't you agree, Senku-chan?" he asked the scientist who huffed.
"Does it really matter. Kohaku handed me a scarf and I accepted it since I could actually use one. Simple as that. Now come on, we should find Kaseki and see how quickly he'll be able to put a proto-type together." Senku deadpanned at them before promptly turning around and walking away, obviously expecting them to follow.
"Goodness, blunt as ever." "That's Senku for you."
What the others however didn't see from behind him as Senku subtly pulling the scarf up highed to hide his own blushing face.