Archive of Our Own

Chrome had always been called an eccentric child in Ishigami Village.

He was the sort of boy who wanted to know why everything existed. Why some rocks glittered while others crumbled into dust. Why certain herbs eased a fever but others left a bitter taste and did nothing at all. Why the stars shifted across the sky with the seasons. Why birds flew in formations. Why rain smelled different before it fell. Every answer only seemed to lead to another question.

Most people simply laughed and called him strange.

His father, though often bewildered by the endless stream of questions, indulged every single one. If he didn't know the answer, he would help Chrome search for it instead.

His mother had never cared much for unusual rocks, medicinal plants, the constellations overhead, insects hiding beneath fallen logs, or the countless little mysteries tucked away in the forest. But because Chrome's eyes lit up whenever he discovered something new, she found herself becoming just as fascinated—not by the mysteries themselves, but by the joy they brought her son.

Then his father died from an illness no one could name.

A few years later, his mother followed.

After that, Chrome lived alone.

The villagers pitied him. They offered food, checked on him from time to time, and made sure he never truly lacked for anything. He appreciated their kindness, but it never filled the silence his parents had left behind.

Somewhere along the way, he stopped collecting strange rocks.

He stopped wandering the forest just to see what he might discover, asking questions whose answers no one around him could give, and thus, life became quieter.

Then he met Ruri.

Of course, Chrome had known of her. Everyone in Ishigami Village knew the village chief's eldest daughter.

But knowing someone's name wasn't the same as knowing the person.

Ruri had looked at him only once before smiling gently.

"Will you play with me?"

It was such a simple question.

Chrome hadn't realized then that those four words would change the course of his life.

At first, Chrome had been hesitant.

Ruri, however, was relentless.

Every day she found him. Every day she asked him to spend time with her. Before long, resisting became more tiring than simply saying yes.

So he gave up.

Somehow, without realizing it, he began looking forward to seeing her.

Ruri was destined to become the village priestess one day.

It suited her.

If Chrome had to compare her to anything, she would have been a stone hidden in plain sight. One that most people walked past without a second glance, only for its true beauty to reveal itself to anyone willing to look closer.

She was steady and gentle. 

Like the most dependable stones Chrome had ever found, she never demanded attention, yet she always proved useful in ways people overlooked. 

Ruri listened when others needed someone to hear them. She comforted those weighed down by grief. She carried kindness so naturally that people often forgot how much they relied on it.

Chrome had thought she'd always remain that way.

Then Ruri fell ill.

He had never imagined that one day, she would become like a beautiful stone placed upon a shelf—admired from afar, yet never allowed to leave its place.

The elders said it was best for her to remain indoors. No more wandering the village. No more climbing hills to watch the sunset, and no joining everyone beneath the stars.

Chrome could see how much it hurt her.

She smiled anyway.

That made him even angrier.

He was tired of watching people disappear.

First his father. Then his mother. Now Ruri was being told to quietly accept whatever fate had decided for her.

The villagers called it the will of nature, some said the heavens had already chosen, others believed there were things humans simply were not meant to challenge.

—to hell with that!

Chrome refused to believe that an illness could not be defeated simply because everyone had given up trying.

If there was a cure somewhere in this world, then he would find it.

No matter how long it took.

Years later, he met Senku.

And eventually, he met Gen.

At the time, Chrome never could have imagined that those two would become people who would leave permanent marks on the story of his life.

***

Chrome jolted awake with a sharp gasp, his lungs straining as though they had forgotten how to breathe.

The dream had been far too vivid.

He had watched his father wither away all over again, watched the light in the man's eyes grow dimmer with each passing day until there had been nothing left.

Then he saw his mother.

Chrome had watched grief hollow her out, had felt the crushing strength of her embrace as she held him close, desperately pretending everything would somehow be all right.

The dream changed.

His mother was the one lying motionless now.

Her body had been still as stone, yet her eyes had remained open, frozen in a silent stare that refused to leave his mind. And then came the same unbearable stillness that had swallowed his father.

And she was gone. Just like that.

The dream shifted again.

This time, it was Ruri.

The image barely had time to form before panic seized his chest.

No.

He couldn't—

He wouldn't let that happen…!

Chrome shot upright, his breathing uneven.

He refused to lose another person.

He just had to find something—anything—that could cure Ruri. He didn't care if the villagers laughed at him, called him strange, a fool, or even an evil sorcerer meddling with things beyond human understanding.

Chrome didn't care.

As long as Ruri lived—

"Ssshhh..."

A quiet voice drifted into his ears, and Chrome froze.

Only then did he realize someone was holding him.

Gentle arms wrapped around him, one hand slowly rubbing circles against his back.

"There, there," the voice whispered. "It's going to be all right, Chrome-chan."

For a fleeting moment, the years melted away.

He was a little boy again, running home with scraped knees and bleeding hands after another reckless expedition into the forest.

His mother would always welcome him with the same warm smile.

She would pull him into her arms, let him bury his face against her chest, and stroke his hair while whispering promises that somehow made every hurt seem smaller.

Promises Chrome had believed with all his heart.

"...Mom," he whispered.

The person embracing him went still for only for a heartbeat.

Then the gentle strokes resumed, slower than before, fingertips combing carefully through his unruly hair.

They murmured something too soft for him to understand as the words slipped past his ears before he could catch them.

But he understood the feeling behind them—tenderness, comfort and safety.

"Go back to sleep," the voice murmured.

Chrome's racing heartbeat gradually slowed.

His clenched hands loosened.

The warmth surrounding him seeped into his bones, chasing away the lingering chill the nightmare had left behind.

Chrome’s eyelids grew heavier with every gentle stroke through his hair.

The panic faded as the memories blurred.

Before he knew it, darkness welcomed him once more.

And this time, when Chrome fell asleep, there were no nightmares waiting for him.

***

Chrome wasn't completely oblivious.

A few days earlier, he had suffered one of those painfully vivid nightmares.

It had happened not long after Ruri had finally recovered enough to leave her hut again. The nightmare had dragged him back through memories he would rather forget, and he had awakened with tears he hadn't even realized were falling.

Senku and Gen had been staying in his hut. Neither of them had one of their own yet, so the three of them simply shared the space.

Chrome remembered waking to gentle hands rubbing slow circles against his back and remembered someone stroking his hair while Chrome whispered, "Mom."

The rest was hazy, as though the memory had been wrapped in morning fog.

Still… Chrome wasn't stupid.

Between the two of them, there was only one person who would have comforted him like that. And Senku wasn’t a fan of skinship.

Gen.

She had been strangely attentive ever since that nightmare, and she simply... looked after him.

Gen made sure he actually ate whenever he became too absorbed in experimenting. She quietly cleaned up cuts he'd forgotten about after gathering materials. Sometimes she'd scold him with a laugh, other times she'd simply fuss over him before pretending she hadn't.

Senku was gentle, too.

Just... in a way only Senku could be.

He answered Chrome's endless questions without telling him to stop asking. He shared stories about the old world as though they were bedtime tales instead of history lessons. Whenever Chrome stumbled onto a new idea, Senku encouraged him to keep digging, never once making him feel foolish for wanting to know more.

Neither of them was particularly good at saying they cared. They just had strange ways of showing it.

Which was exactly why Chrome wanted to confirm his suspicion.

The opportunity came a few days later.

The others had gone to gather supplies, leaving only Chrome and Senku inside the hut.

Sunlight spilled through the gaps in the wooden walls, illuminating the clutter that had long since become Chrome's workshop. Stones, herbs, handmade tools, jars filled with curious odds and ends, and half-finished inventions were scattered across every available surface.

Senku sat cross-legged near the workbench, grinding charcoal with practiced ease as he prepared another batch of materials for one of his countless experiments.

Chrome waited until the silence felt comfortable.

Then he asked, as bluntly as always, "...Did you see me wake up from a nightmare?"

Senku paused and looked up. "...You remember?"

Chrome's face burned.

"So…” He buried it in his palm with a groan. “it really happened, huh?"

"...Yeah." Senku's answer came after a brief pause, his eyes already drifting back to the materials spread across the workbench.

Chrome hesitated before asking the question he already knew the answer to.

"...Gen was the one who comforted me, wasn't she?"

"Yep."

Chrome groaned louder. "That's so bad..."

"You looked like a kid in her arms." A quiet snort escaped Senku in obvious amusement. "Head against the mentalist's chest while she rubbed your back and played with your hair."

Chrome's head snapped up.

"W-What?!" he yelped. "What do you mean about her chest?! Did I do something?!"

His mind immediately spiraled.

If he'd accidentally grabbed Gen somewhere inappropriate… And she'd still acted perfectly normal afterward...

Maybe he really did deserve to throw himself into the nearest river.

Senku stared at him for a second before letting out another laugh.

"I literally just told you." He waved a dismissive hand. "You looked like a baby. Nothing weird happened."

"...Oh." The tension drained from Chrome's shoulders so quickly he nearly slumped over. "Thank goodness..."

Still, he definitely owed Gen something.

Gen had already done more than anyone could reasonably ask of her.

She had risked her life spying for Senku, received Magma's blade, chosen to stand next with the Kingdom of Science despite knowing exactly what it could cost her, and now she worked just as hard as everyone else, hauling supplies and helping however she could without a single complaint.

Well.

Almost without complaint.

Chrome remembered Gen sighing the other day about missing the hair stick she'd once owned in the old world.

Lately she'd just been tying her hair back with the same strips of cloth Kohaku used.

Maybe Chrome could make her something.

His eyes drifted toward Senku, who had already returned to grinding charcoal as though the conversation had never happened.

But one thought still lingered.

It wasn't Gen seeing him like that that embarrassed him.

Gen had a way of looking straight through people, as though she could read feelings they hadn't even admitted to themselves. Somehow, everyone simply accepted that about her.

But Senku… That was different.

Chrome respects Senku more than anyone.

The greatest scientist he'd ever known and the person who had shattered the limits of Chrome's imagination and replaced them with endless possibilities.

If someone like Senku had witnessed him breaking down...

"...It's embarrassing," Chrome admitted quietly, staring at the floor. "Ruri finally got better... and then I went and had a nightmare. Calling for my mom—"

"Nothing embarrassing about missing your parents."

Chrome blinked, looked up.

Senku wasn't teasing him anymore.

The scientist simply shrugged, as though he were stating another undeniable law of nature.

"They raised you." His crimson eyes met Chrome's. "There’s nothing to be ashamed of missing your parents even knowing they were gone for years. I think… you’ll miss them even with your happiest moments.”

Chrome's throat tightened as his vision blurred.

Before he could say anything, Senku reached over and gave his head a quick, absentminded pat.

"They'd probably think you turned out pretty damn good."

Then Senku withdrew his hand as if nothing unusual had happened.

Chrome bit hard against the inside of his cheek.

No way.

No way was he crying in front of the coolest person he'd ever met.

He took one slow breath, and then another.

When he finally looked up again, Senku had already turned back to his work, politely pretending not to notice Chrome collecting himself.

Chrome couldn't help smiling.

"...So," he asked, clearing his throat, "what're you making, Senku?"

"Heh." A grin spread across Senku's face. "I was wondering when you'd finally ask."

Immediately, he launched into an explanation of charcoal ratios, purification methods, and the next step toward rebuilding civilization.

Chrome listened with sparkling eyes.

Just minutes ago, his chest had felt unbearably heavy.

Now, as Senku spoke with the same unstoppable excitement he always carried whenever science was involved, Chrome felt something warm settle in its place.

“That’s so bad, Senku!” 

And Senku laughed.

A few days later, Chrome asked Kaseki for a favor.

The old craftsman had happily agreed.

After a surprising amount of carving, sanding, and Chrome accidentally nicking his fingers more times than he'd liked to admit, the two of them finally finished.

That evening, Chrome tucked the small wooden hair stick into his belt before heading back to his hut.

His cramped hut was quiet except for the occasional crackle of the embers. Gen sat nearby, undoing the braid she'd worn throughout the day, long strands of hair gradually slipping over her shoulders.

Chrome swallowed. "...Um, Gen?"

She looked up from her hair. "Yes, Chrome-chan?"

"I, uh..." He quickly held out the wooden hair stick before he could lose his nerve. "I wanted to give you this. You kept saying you missed having one, right?"

Gen blinked as she accepted it with surprising care, as though Chrome had handed her something fragile instead of a carved piece of wood.

"Oh my..." Her smile softened. "Thank you, Chrome."

Heat immediately rushed to Chrome's face. "It wasn't a big deal."

Gen turned the hair stick over in her fingers, admiring the smooth wood.

"You didn't have to make this just because I omforted-cay you after your nightmare."

Chrome froze, and then he groaned. "...Can we please pretend that never happened?"

A laugh bubbled out of Gen.

"Oh, Chrome-chan." Before he knew it, Gen pinched both of his cheeks between her hands. "You're adorable."

Chrome pulled away from her with a scowl on his face..

So... Gen wasn't going to forget. At best, she'd quietly tease him about it for the rest of his life.

"...Anyway," Gen said, lifting the hair stick again. "This is awfully plain."

Chrome blinked. "...Plain?"

"Mhm." She nodded with a mischievous smile. "No flowers, carvings or any fancy patterns."

Chrome stared at her.

...There were supposed to be patterns?

He silently prayed that Kaseki would never hear those words.

The old man would undoubtedly take it as a personal challenge and spend the next week carving increasingly elaborate hair ornaments until the Kingdom of Science somehow became famous for them.

Chrome let out an exaggerated sigh. "You're complaining?"

"Nope." Gen's smile widened. "I actually like that it's plain."

"...Huh?"

"Because where I came from..." She twirled the hair stick between her fingers. "Giving a woman a hair ornament like this could be seen as a romantic gesture."

Silence descended upon them as Chrome stared.

"...What?" His brain stopped working.

"It could mean you're courting her." Gen shrugged casually. 

Chrome recoiled so quickly he nearly tripped over his own feet.

His face twisted into utter horror. "I-I wasn't—!"

Gen burst into laughter.

The sound echoed throughout the little hut.

That single amused chuckle was enough to make Chrome wish the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

"Why did Chrome look so horrified?"

A sleepy voice cut through Gen's laughter.

Chrome turned to see Senku shuffling over, rubbing at one eye with the back of his hand. His hair was somehow even messier than usual, and he looked as if he'd only just remembered humans were supposed to sleep.

Gen beamed. "Chrome-chan gave me a hair stick."

"It's not like that!" Chrome blurted. "It was completely platonic!"

Senku blinked once.

Then his gaze shifted toward Gen with immediate suspicion.

"...What'd you tell the village's resident scientist, mentalist?"

"Me?” Gen pressed a hand dramatically against her chest. “I am but an innocent maiden. I would never anipulate-may poor, impressionable Chrome-chan."

"That's the biggest lie you've told all week."

"Rude."

Chrome pointed accusingly at Gen. "She said giving someone a hair stick is a romantic gesture!"

"...And?"

"...Isn't it?" He hesitantly asked.

"What are we?” Senku looked genuinely puzzled. “Ancient China?"

Chrome frowned. "...I have absolutely no idea what that means."

"It means," Gen interjected with a smug smile, "that Senku-chan has absolutely no appreciation for romance."

"I've got plenty of appreciation."

"You've got scientific appreciation."

"Same difference."

"It is decidedly not the same difference."

Senku folded his arms. "You're telling him folklore like it's a universal law."

"It is true in some places."

"Keyword: some."

Gen tilted her head. "So you're saying if omeone-say gave you a handcrafted hair ornament, you'd think absolutely nothing of it?"

"...Yeah."

"Not even if they spent days making it?"

"Nope."

"What if they blushed while handing it to you?"

"Nope."

"What if they said they made it just for you?"

"Nope."

Gen sighed dramatically. "You really don't have a single romantic bone in your body."

"Good.” Senku smirked. “Less unnecessary variables."

Chrome watched the two of them bicker back and forth.

Truthfully... He only understood about half of what they were talking about, but somehow, it was entertaining anyway.

They bounced from one topic to another with effortless ease, Gen poking at Senku whenever she saw an opening and Senku retaliating with that same dry expression that somehow made his comebacks even funnier.

Neither of them ever seemed bothered. They simply... fit.

Chrome found himself smiling.

But then he noticed something.

It lasted less than a heartbeat.

As Senku turned away with another scoff, Gen looked at him and her smile changed. The teasing grin softened into something warmer, and there was also a gentleness in her eyes that Chrome couldn't quite describe.

No...

Maybe he could.

It reminded him of the way his mother used to look at his father whenever she thought no one else was watching.

Or...

The way he knew he looked at Ruri.

But the moment vanished almost as soon as Chrome noticed it.

Gen caught Senku rolling his eyes and immediately grinned again, mischief returning as naturally as breathing.

"...Senku-chan, was that your way of admitting you'd accept a hair stick from me?"

"In your dreams."

"There goes my confession."

"Ten billion percent fake." Senku gagged.

Gen sent him pouty lips, eyes blinking dramatically. “What if you gave me one with an intricate design?” 

“Never in a million years.”

“So ean-may!”

Their banter resumed as though nothing had happened. Chrome frowned though.

Maybe he'd imagined it.

Yeah. That had to be it.

Although…

From that night onward, Chrome found himself paying a little more attention.

Not just to Gen.

But to Senku, too.

***

Eventually, the villagers built an observatory for Senku as a birthday present.

The idea had come from Gen.

From then on, the three of them no longer slept in the same hut.

Senku and Gen moved into the observatory, while Chrome was just downstairs.

It was... different, but not unpleasant.

The observatory was only a hatchet away, and somehow, knowing the other two were just upstairs beneath the stars was enough to put Chrome at ease.

Although, one thing confused him.

Senku and Gen were sleeping in the same room.

Usually, in Ishigami Village, an unmarried man and woman sharing a home would have raised more than a few eyebrows.

A few days later, while Senku and Gen remained buried in yet another project, everyone else gathered for a late lunch beneath the shade of a large tree.

Chrome finally asked. "...Doesn't it seem a little strange? Senku and Gen living together?"

"...Maybe they have different customs," Kinro wondered aloud one afternoon. "They are from another world—from thousands of years ago, after all."

That explanation seemed reasonable enough.

Even so, Chrome couldn't help being curious.

"Forget living together.” Ginro let out a wistful sigh. “Senku's already luckier than the rest of us just getting to sleep near Gen."

Ruri giggled behind her hand. "I don't think Gen sees it that way."

"...Because she flirts with everyone?" Chrome guessed. "She never seems serious whenever romance comes up."

"...Something like that." The priestess smiled as she looked toward the observatory. "I just can't picture Gen settling down with anyone."

"Neither can I picture Senku," Kohaku added matter-of-factly.

Kaseki laughed. "Especially Senku."

Just like that, the conversation drifted elsewhere. And Chrome let the topic drop.

But the thought lingered.

Because... He was almost certain Gen was in love with Senku.

Chrome had simply noticed the way she looked at him sometimes—especially during Christmas.

When Senku had secretly arranged the celebration after Gen realized what day it had been...

The expression on her face hadn't been a surprise alone—there was gratitude, wonder, and that sort of happiness that seemed too big for words.

Maybe Senku’s present was the whole celebration, because that’s what Chrome thinks so. 

Chrome wasn't sure, still.

All he knew was that something about those two felt… Odd.

One quiet afternoon, Chrome was taking a break beneath the shade of an old tree when Ruri approached him.

"Mind if I sit here?"

Chrome smiled. "Of course."

She settled beside him, folding her hands neatly in her lap. For a while, neither of them spoke.

Then Ruri turned toward him with a gentle smile. "You've done amazingly, Chrome."

"...Really?" His eyes brightened.

She nodded. "I've watched you grow from a little boy everyone thought was talking nonsense..."

Chrome's smile faltered. "...Uh... was that supposed to be a bad compliment?"

Ruri blinked, then she laughed softly.

"N-No." A sheepish smile spread across her face. "I only meant... I've been fortunate enough to watch you become the person you are today."

Fortunate.

The word repeated heavily in Chrome's chest.

Fortunate...

Because there had once been a possible future where Ruri hadn't lived long enough to see any of this.

Chrome’s grip tightened against his own knees, biting his lower lip.

He definitely didn't like thinking about it.

Not after everything… not after coming so close to losing her forever.

Without another thought, Chrome reached over and took both of Ruri's hands in his.

He squeezed them gently. "Then keep watching."

Ruri blinked.

Chrome grinned, his eyes shining with quiet determination. "Because I'm gonna show you even more amazing things from here on out."

"...Chrome." Her voice was barely above a whisper, and a smile slowly bloomed across her face as she returned the squeeze. "I'd like that."

Silence settled comfortably between them.

The afternoon breeze stirred the grass around their feet, carrying the scent of fresh earth and distant flowers through the village, insects echoed faintly somewhere in the distance while birds called to one another high above the treetops.

Neither of them felt any need to speak as their joined hands were warm beneath the gentle sway of the trees.

It also reminded him that Ruri was here. Alive.

After a long while, Ruri cleared her throat. "...There's something I'd like to ask you."

"What is it?" Chrome tilted his head.

She hesitated. "It's about Gen..."

"What about her?"

Ruri's fingers tightened ever so slightly around him. "...Do you like her?"

Chrome blinked, confused.

"I mean..." Ruri looked away, suddenly fascinated by the grass beneath them. "...Romantically."

For a moment, Chrome simply stared.

Then the meaning of her words finally reached him.

"W-What?!" He nearly leaped to his feet. "No! Never!"

His frantic denial only made Ruri look more surprised.

"I mean—Gen's pretty! And she's smart! And she’s bad! And she's fun to be around, but..." Chrome waved his hands wildly, desperate to explain himself. "She's like a sister to me! And besides..."

He met Ruri's eyes.

"...She could never be you."

Silence wrapped around the air as Ruri froze.

Then her blue eyes slowly widened, and a rosy blush spread across her cheeks.

Chrome blinked as his own words caught up with him.

"W-Wait! I didn't mean—" With that, his face exploded with heat.

No.

He had meant it.

Just… not out loud.

The two of them stared at one another, equally red and equally speechless as the world around them seemed to disappear.

All the sounds from the villagers, trees and the birds… None of it reached Chrome anymore.

All he could see was Ruri.

Chrome leans toward her, and Ruri does the same.

Suddenly, Ruri was close, closer than he'd ever noticed before.

If either of them leaned forward even the slightest bit...

"Chrome!"

The shout shattered the moment as both of them jerked apart.

Senku rounded the corner before abruptly stopping in his tracks, his crimson eyes moved from Chrome...

...to Ruri—and to their still-intertwined hands.

"...Sorry." Senku slowly turned around. "I'll come back."

"N-No!" Ruri squeaked. Her face somehow became even redder. "If you need Chrome, then please don't mind me!"

She hurriedly slipped her hands free, and Chrome felt a little cold from it.

"Actually, I just remembered—I need to help in the village!" Ruri exclaimed in a high pitched voice, and without waiting for another word, she spun around and hurried off. "Goodbye, Senku! Goodbye, Chrome!"

Chrome watched her disappear.

Idly, Ruri still ran just as fast as she had when they were children.

Back then when they were just children, she'd always challenged him to races through the village. Back then, he'd never beaten her.

Some things, it seemed, never changed.

"...So." Chrome scratched the back of his head before looking at Senku. "What'd you need me for?"

A faintly guilty look crossed Senku's face. "...Bad timing."

"...Yeah." Chrome laughed awkwardly.

Still, whatever had almost happened wasn't going anywhere. There would be another chance.

There always would, or so Chrome believed.

He couldn't have been more wrong because the days that followed swallowed everyone whole.

There was too much to do and too many plans to prepare.

The Kingdom of Science pushed forward without pause, racing against time as they developed new methods of communication and readied themselves for the inevitable confrontation with Tsukasa's Empire.

Before Chrome realized it, thoughts of Ruri and even his quiet observations of Senku and Gen were pushed aside by science.

Then, one evening… Lillian's voice echoed across the village, the source came from Byakuya’s record. And Chrome stood perfectly still.

He had never heard anything like it before.

The melody drifted through the air as gently as the wind itself, wrapping around everyone who listened.

It didn't simply sound beautiful, it felt beautiful.

For a brief moment, the village grew quiet, as though no one wanted to disturb the song. Chrome found himself smiling without realizing it.

It reminded him of Ruri.

Not because their voices sounded alike, they didn't.

Lillian's voice carried the brilliance of a world Chrome had never known.

Ruri's voice was different, warm and gentle.

Like sitting beside a fire after a long day's work. Like the quiet rustling of leaves beneath a summer breeze. Whenever Ruri told stories, Chrome always found himself relaxing before he even noticed it happening.

Her voice had become a place he returned to without thinking.

A place that felt safe.

Comforting and a home.

Chrome wondered if that was what people meant when they said they wanted to hear someone's voice for the rest of their lives.

The thought made him smile.

***

Later that night, after everyone had settled down to sleep, Chrome stirred awake.

At first, he only caught the faint murmur of voices drifting from the observatory's upper floor.

He kept his eyes closed, listening.

It wasn't unusual for Senku to stay awake late into the night. The scientist often became so absorbed in planning that sleep seemed like an inconvenience. Gen, on the other hand, had somehow developed the habit of staying up with him.

Curiosity won over drowsiness.

Chrome quietly shifted, careful not to make a sound, and listened more closely.

The conversation was serious.

Gen explained how she would continue pretending to be Lillian to deceive Tsukasa's Empire. Senku calmly agreed with the strategy, fully aware that once everything was over, the deception would eventually come to light. Neither of them tried to justify it. 

If the people judged them for what they had done, they intended to accept the consequences without complaint.

Chrome couldn't stay quiet after hearing that—especially when they heard him falling.

After that, he climbed the ladder and interrupted before either of them could say anything else, insisting that they weren't the only ones responsible. If anyone deserved blame, then he would stand next to them. They had made the decision together.

Senku and Gen exchanged a brief glance. Chrome noticed it but thought nothing of it.

After that, the three of them discussed Tsukasa's Empire long into the night, tossing around ideas until exhaustion finally won.

Eventually, they all decided to get some sleep.

Chrome returned downstairs and settled onto his straw mat.

He closed his eyes, though his mind refused to settle.

Something still felt... strange.

Ever since he had started paying closer attention to Senku and Gen, little things kept catching his eye.

Chrome kept laying onto his mat downstairs, eyes forcing to shut tight as he also forced his breathing into the slow rhythm of sleep. His suspicion about Gen and Senku gnawed at him, so he stayed perfectly still, listening for any hint of what they might be hiding.

Maybe Gen and Senku were up to something—and they didn’t want to let Chrome know.

Tough chance.

Minutes dragged by. His thoughts began to blur and his body grew heavy. Chrome nearly slipped into real sleep when faint sounds drifted down from the upper floor.

He blinked awake, heart thumping. Quietly, he rose and crept closer to the ladder, straining his ears.

At first he caught low grunts and the wet smack of something moving. Chrome frowned, completely baffled. What the hell were they doing up there?

Upstairs, Senku’s voice cut through the rhythm. “Fuck, Gen… you—”

Chrome can't hear what Senku is saying, so he assumed Senku was whispering it to Gen.

“Mmm, Senku-chan….” Gen answered with a breathy laugh that melted into a moan. 

The wet sounds grew louder, punctuated by the steady slap of skin. Senku groaned again. 

Actually, Chrome didn’t need to know anymore.

Because Chrome's imagination immediately began filling in the blanks.

His face slowly turned scarlet.

No. Surely...

His eyes widened as that sound kept repeating.

Oh.

Oh no.

He carefully lowered himself back onto his mat, pulled the blanket over his head, and firmly decided he had heard absolutely nothing.

Maybe... Maybe what he'd overheard earlier—their conversation about accepting condemnation together... 

Maybe those had been wedding vows.

Chrome had no idea how people from the old world confessed their love.

Perhaps this was simply how they did things. That had to be it.

There was probably a perfectly reasonable explanation for why Senku and Gen kept their relationship a secret.

Yes. That was definitely it.

Chrome squeezed his eyes shut.

Those two are bad for each other…!

He briefly considered sneaking out to wash his face in the river, feeling incredibly disgusted of himself and of what he heard.

Instead, he buried himself deeper beneath the blanket.

He had absolutely no desire to think about whatever was happening upstairs.

Fortunately, the next morning left everyone far too busy for awkward conversations.

The Kingdom of Science had work to do, and Chrome threw himself into it with all the enthusiasm he could manage, determined to keep his mind occupied.

***

Honestly, Chrome had almost forgotten the entire incident.

Almost.

He had long since decided not to question why Senku and Gen kept their relationship a secret.

More importantly, Chrome didn't want to know.

Whatever happened behind the closed doors of the observatory was none of his business.

Chrome had already been traumatized once. He wasn't about to experience whatever that had been a second time.

But sometimes those two made it painfully difficult not to notice.

Like today.

Chrome and Senku had been buried in another experiment when Gen quietly appeared next to them, carrying two steaming cups of tea.

She set one in front of Chrome before placing another beside Senku. As Senku reached for his cup, Gen's fingers brushed against his hand.

They lingered there for just a heartbeat before she pulled away.

Chrome noticed.

"You two are going to work yourselves into the ground," Gen said with a patient smile. "Drink your tea and take a reak-bay."

Chrome instinctively straightened. "...Right."

"But, Mentalist,” Senku, however, barely looked up from the mess of materials scattered across the table. “we're in the middle of something important."

Gen crossed her arms. "And your health is important."

"We'll survive."

"That's exactly what people say before collapsing from exhaustion."

"We're scientists." Senku scowled.

"Scientists still require functioning bodies."

Senku clicked his tongue. "What a troublesome woman."

Gen smiled sweetly. "And yet you're still eaching-ray for the tea I made."

Senku glanced down.

Sure enough, his hand had already wrapped around the cup.

"...That's beside the point."

"It sounds exactly like the point." Gen looked smug.

"I'll drink it eventually."

"You'll drink it now."

"...Bossy." Senku muttered.

"aring-cay."

"Overbearing."

"Alive." Gen dramatically uttered. “Got your heart perfectly beating, Senku-chan.” 

Senku sighed with theatrical resignation before finally taking a sip. "There."

"See?” Gen's smile widened in quiet triumph. “That wasn't so difficult."

"It was a complete waste of twenty-three seconds."

"And now you'll be alive for twenty-three seconds longer."

"...That's not how biology works."

"It is today." Gen grinned at him.

Chrome watched the entire exchange in silence.

He wasn't exactly being ignored.

If anything, he was perfectly content sitting off to the side while the two of them argued over something as ordinary as drinking tea.

It felt... Comfortable. Almost strangely familiar.

Like watching two parents bicker over household chores while their child quietly pretended not to listen.

The thought nearly made Chrome snort into his own cup.

After making absolutely certain both of them were drinking their tea, Gen gave a satisfied nod before leaving to help the others.

"She fusses like a mother hen." Senku watched her disappear before shaking his head with an amused smirk.

More like your wife, he thought.

Chrome followed his gaze toward the doorway, as he simply took another sip of tea and hummed in agreement.

***

After Treasure Island, Chrome couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed between Senku and Gen.

He couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Gen seemed... clingier. Not in an obvious way though.

She simply lingered around Senku more often than before. Whenever Senku wandered off to work on another invention, Gen somehow wasn't far behind. Sometimes she stood nearby with her usual smile, other times she quietly followed him around the village as though making sure he stayed within sight.

It almost felt as though she were guarding him.

The strange part was Senku's reaction.

He wasn't annoyed. If anything, he looked... confused.

Every now and then, Chrome caught Senku glancing sideways at Gen with the expression of someone trying to solve an equation that refused to make sense.

Whatever was happening between them wasn't obvious enough for most people to notice.

Still, Chrome wasn't the only one paying attention.

More than once, he caught Ukyo quietly watching the pair with unreadable eyes. Yuzuriha, too, seemed to notice something, though she never commented on it.

Chrome wasn't sure whether that made him feel relieved or even more curious.

There was another thing.

Lately, Senku and Gen had been spending an awful lot of time alone inside the laboratory. Far more than Chrome could remember.

He tried very hard not to think about it.

… Surely Senku wouldn't do that in a laboratory.

...Right?

Chrome immediately decided he didn't want the answer.

Whatever was going on between those two was already complicated enough. At this point, he was less worried about their relationship and more worried about Gen.

Because Gen simply hadn't seemed like herself since Treasure Island.

One afternoon, while Chrome was tinkering with another experiment, Gen approached him.

"Chrome, did you wash your clothes?"

Chrome scratched the back of his head. "I'll do it tomorrow."

Gen gave him a flat look. "No, you'll forget tomorrow and tell me the exact same thing the day after."

"...Maybe."

"Come on.” She sighed, though there wasn't any real annoyance behind it. “You're ashing-way them now, and you're coming with me."

"...All right." Chrome laughed sheepishly.

The two of them walked toward the lake just outside the village.

The afternoon sun reflected off the calm water, turning its surface into rippling sheets of gold. A gentle breeze carried the scent of damp earth and fresh grass, while the surrounding trees whispered softly overhead.

It was peaceful.

When they arrived, however, Chrome noticed Gen standing unusually still.

She stared at the water with an expression so conflicted that it almost looked as if she had personally offended the lake itself.

There’s even an edge of an apologetic in her expression.

"...What's wrong?" Chrome asked in concern.

Gen visibly startled. "N-Nothing."

Her answer came a little too quickly. Chrome frowned.

Something definitely felt off.

Still, he chose not to press the matter.

Judging by the almost imperceptible sigh of relief that escaped her afterward, he had made the right decision.

The two of them settled along the shore and began washing their clothes.

Chrome scrubbed his tunic with perhaps a little too much enthusiasm, splashing water everywhere without meaning to. Next to him, Gen worked with practiced care, wringing each piece of clothing neatly before laying it across the sun-warmed rocks to dry.

For a while, only the gentle sounds of running water and rustling leaves filled the silence.

Then Chrome noticed something. "...Hey."

Gen looked over. "Hm?"

"Isn't that a blindfold?" Chrome pointed toward the strip of black cloth she had been carefully rinsing.

"...What?" Gen froze.

"That." Chrome nodded toward her hands. "What's a blindfold for?"

Recognition flickered across her face before she laughed softly, her hands resuming their work as if nothing had happened.

"Oh, this little hing-tay?" She lifted it slightly before dipping it back into the water. "It's one of the many tricks up my sleeve."

Chrome accepted the explanation without much thought.

Gen's mentalist techniques had always been full of odd props and stranger secrets.

If she wanted to keep this one hidden for now… He figured she'd reveal it when the time was right.

As Chrome reached for another shirt, his gaze wandered to the neatly folded pile of clothes waiting next to Gen.

He paused. "...Aren't those Senku's?"

Gen glanced down before nodding. "They are."

"You're washing them for him?" Chrome blinked.

"Mm-hm." She smiled lightly without looking up from her work. "We take turns doing chores henever-way one of us gets buried in work. It saves time."

"So... sometimes you wash his clothes, and sometimes he washes yours?"

"Exactly."

“That’s bad.” Chrome couldn't help smiling to himself.

So... This was what a married couple looked like.

It wasn't grand romantic gestures or dramatic declarations.

It was little things like making tea, reminding each other to eat, taking turns with the laundry, and quietly looking after one another without being asked.

Somehow, Chrome found that much sweeter.

He hoped...Someday, Chrome and Ruri could have something like that.

Because he wanted to be someone she could rely on just as much as he relied on her,  someone who shared every burden equally, and someone who washed the laundry when she was tired, and let her do the same when he was.

Chrome's ears suddenly turned bright red.

He had just imagined marrying Ruri.

"...Thinking about Ruri-chan?"

Chrome nearly dropped the shirt in his hands. "W-What?"

"You've got that look again." Gen giggled, her attention never leaving the clothes she was scrubbing.

"...What look?"

"The one that only appears whenever you think about Ruri-chan."

Chrome scratched his cheek. "...Is it really that obvious?"

Gen laughed softly. "Chrome-chan, everyone can tell."

His face only grew warmer.

For one reckless moment, he almost asked if people found her feelings for Senku just as obvious.

The words reached the tip of his tongue...

...before he remembered how unusually downcast Gen had seemed ever since Treasure Island.

Chrome swallowed the question.

Somehow, it didn't feel like the right thing to ask.

Silence settled comfortably over the lakeshore once more.

Water lapped gently against the rocks while the afternoon breeze carried the scent of damp earth through the trees.

Next to him, Gen carefully rinsed one of Senku's shirts before wringing the water from the fabric with practiced hands. She smoothed out the creases almost absentmindedly before laying it across a nearby rock to dry alongside the rest.

"You know, Chrome-chan..." Her voice was more soft. "I hink-tay you should tell Ruri-chan how you feel."

Chrome looked up. "...Right now?"

Gen nodded. "Yes."

"We're preparing for another voyage," Chrome pointed out. "I can't exactly think about romance while all this is happening."

"I'm not saying you have to." She smiled gently. "But you can still tell her."

Chrome frowned. Maybe she noticed the expression on his face, so Gen continued before he could answer. 

"Ruri-chan stays behind every time we leave because someone has to guide the village." Her fingers tightened slightly around the damp cloth in her hands. "She always puts everyone else first."

Chrome lowered his eyes. "She's understanding."

"So understanding," Gen agreed softly. "Maybe a little too understanding."

“... Yeah.”

"...Have you ever asked her what she wants now that she's inally-fay healthy?"

The question struck him harder than he expected.

Chrome blinked. "...I..."

He hadn't. Not once.

Chrome had been so caught up in inventions, science, and preparing for Tsukasa that he'd simply assumed Ruri would always be there when he came back.

"...I've been busy," he admitted quietly.

"I know." There wasn't an ounce of blame in Gen's voice. "Just... make time for her."

Chrome nodded. "I will."

A small smile returned to Gen's face. "And maybe tell her how you feel while you're at it."

"I'll try." Chrome laughed awkwardly.

After a moment, Gen sighed again as she looked down at the shirt in her hands again. 

"...ometimes-say it's kinder to be honest. Otherwise... the other person starts wondering if the one they love will ever feel the same way."

Chrome stared at her, not knowing what to say.

For some reason… It didn't sound as if Gen was talking about him and Ruri anymore.

It felt personal, like those words belonged to someone else—someone much closer to her heart.

Chrome found himself wondering who she had been thinking about.

Ever since Treasure Island, there had been a sadness lingering around Gen that refused to disappear.

He hated seeing it.

Maybe mentioning Senku would cheer her up.

"...By the way, Gen."

She hummed in response.

"Where's Senku?"

Suddenly, Gen’s shoulders sagged almost imperceptibly, the faint smile she'd been wearing disappeared, replaced by something tired.

For just a second, she looked as if she had expected someone who never came.

When she finally answered, her voice remained as gentle as ever. "...He's with Kohaku-chan."

"I see." Chrome nodded slowly.

He didn't ask another question.

Whatever sadness had crossed Gen's face… He had the feeling he wasn't supposed to see it.

***

After a bit of shameless investigating, Chrome finally discovered why Gen had been acting so strangely.

Apparently, half the Kingdom of Science thought Senku and Kohaku were romantically involved.

Chrome nearly laughed himself breathless when he first heard it.

The evidence? During Treasure Island, Senku had allowed Kohaku to hug him. That was enough for everyone to start whispering.

To be fair, Senku disliked physical contact enough that the conclusion made a certain amount of sense.

Oh, If they only knew how often Gen touched Senku without him batting an eye, and Senku enjoying it even more. 

Chrome immediately forced that line of thought out of his head.

No.

He refused to remember what he'd overheard in the observatory, some memories deserved to stay buried forever.

Unfortunately, the rumors themselves were another matter.

If Kohaku actually liked Senku… Things could become troublesome—not because Senku would return her feelings—Chrome couldn't imagine that happening for even a second.

But because Gen had already looked miserable enough lately.

One morning, after Kohaku returned from hunting with a freshly caught bear slung across her shoulders as though it weighed nothing at all, Chrome decided it was time to get answers.

"...Hey, Kohaku."

She glanced at him, a faint crease appeared between her brows. "You didn't call me gorilla."

Chrome ignored the observation. "...Do you like Senku?"

"W-What?" The bear nearly slipped from Kohaku's shoulder.

For perhaps the first time in Chrome's life, he saw Kohaku genuinely flustered.

A faint blush dusted her cheeks as she looked away for the briefest moment.

Chrome stared at her in disbelief.

… Hell no.

"Oh, come on!" Kohaku sputtered before hastily clearing her throat. "Whether I do or don't is none of your business."

Chrome pointed an accusing finger at her. "So you do like him!"

“I said none of your business!”

“Stay away from him!”

Kohaku's eyes widened as it narrowed suspiciously.

"...Wait." She pointed right back at him. "Do you like Senku?"

"What?!” Chrome recoiled so violently he almost lost his balance. “No!"

He physically cringed as that very idea felt absurd.

If Gen was like the sister he'd never had. Then Senku was the older brother Chrome had always wanted—the coolest scientist in the world and someone to admire.

Not that.

"Then why," Kohaku demanded, "are you telling me to stay away from him?"

Chrome hesitated.

He couldn't exactly blurt out that Senku was secretly involved with Gen. That wasn't his secret to tell.

Besides... If Senku and Gen were hiding their relationship, they probably had a good reason. Chrome desperately searched for something convincing.

Then he remembered one of Gen's lessons.

A white lie isn't always a bad thing if it protects someone. Gen had taught him during their breaks.

"...Because Gen liked Senku first." Chrome blurted out .

Kohaku blinked, then she gave him the most skeptical look he'd ever received.

"...There's no way."

"It's true!" Chrome folded his arms with absolute confidence before wincing. "Just... don't tell Gen I said anything."

"I don't believe you."

"Then watch them yourself!" Chrome shot back. "You're one of the sharpest people in the Kingdom of Science. You'll figure it out eventually."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

The two of them glared at each other with matching determination before turning on their heels and marching off in opposite directions.

Chrome sighed.

Kohaku could be unbelievably stubborn when she wanted to be.

Still, he also knew she had a kind heart.

If she realized Gen truly loved Senku, Chrome was certain she wouldn't intentionally get in the way.

He just hoped she noticed before things became even more awkward.

Besides, it wasn't as if Senku would suddenly fall for Kohaku. Chrome couldn't imagine Senku betraying Gen like that.

If anything, Senku would probably stare at Kohaku with complete confusion before asking why everyone kept making romance so complicated.

Chrome nodded to himself.

Yes.

That sounded exactly like something Senku would do.

Feeling oddly satisfied with his own intervention, Chrome decided he'd done his part.

The rest, he concluded, was up to Kohaku.

***

Before the Kingdom of Science departed for California, Chrome made one stop of his own.

He went to see Ruri.

She had just finished one of her usual storytelling sessions, the village children gathered around her with bright eyes as she brought another tale to its gentle conclusion. 

One by one, they thanked her before running off to continue their games, leaving the priestess with a rare moment to herself.

Ruri looked up.

The instant she spotted Chrome, her face lit up with a smile so warm that his own appeared without him realizing it.

"What are you doing here, Chrome?" she asked.

Chrome rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish laugh. "...I just wanted to see you."

"...Oh." A faint blush immediately bloomed across Ruri's cheeks.

For a brief moment, neither of them knew what to say.

Then Chrome laughed again. "So... want to go for a walk?"

"I'd like that." Ruri nodded.

They wandered away from the heart of the village together, following the familiar paths they had walked since childhood. The bustle of the Kingdom of Science gradually faded behind them, replaced by the rustling of leaves and the distant songs of birds settling into the trees.

For once, there was nowhere either of them needed to be.

"...Do you remember that time I climbed the old fruit tree because I wanted to bring you something?" Chrome asked with a grin.

Ruri covered a laugh behind her hand. "The branch broke."

"Yeah, it broke bad!"

"You looked so confident before you fell."

"I thought I was going to impress you." Chrome chuckled.

Ruri giggled. "You certainly made an impression."

Chrome groaned dramatically. "I still remember everyone laughing."

"So I climbed the tree instead." Ruri's laughter grew brighter.

"You did."

"You refused to eat the fruit at first because you insisted it was your gift."

Chrome rubbed the back of his head. "...I was stubborn."

"You still are."

"I prefer the word determined." Chrome announced, remembering one of the things Senku used to say when he countered Gen’s argument of scientists being so stubborn.

"I think stubborn fits better." Ruri smirked.

Chrome couldn't help laughing. "Fair enough."

The conversation wandered from one memory to another.

They talked about chasing butterflies through the fields, gathering herbs for the village, racing through the forest until both of them collapsed from exhaustion, and the countless times Chrome had returned home covered in dirt after searching for yet another strange rock.

Ruri remembered every story. Even the ones Chrome had forgotten.

Time slipped quietly past as they reminisced, each memory leading effortlessly into the next. Sometimes they laughed until their sides hurt. Other times they simply smiled, content to let the comfortable silence settle between them.

Eventually, their wandering brought them to the familiar lakeshore.

The water shimmered beneath the afternoon sun, gentle ripples reflecting streaks of gold across its surface. They settled onto the soft grass near the shore, watching dragonflies skim across the water while the breeze carried the scent of wildflowers through the air.

Before either of them realized it, the sun had begun its slow descent toward the horizon.

Golden light bathed the lake and painted the sky in shades of amber and rose.

Chrome looked at Ruri.

Then, gathering every ounce of courage he possessed, he reached out and gently took both of her hands in his.

Ruri went completely still.

"Hey, Ruri..." Chrome wet his lips, suddenly finding it much harder to speak than he had expected. "...What do you want to do after we save humanity?"

Ruri blinked in surprise.

She lowered her gaze for a moment, thinking carefully before a small, almost shy smile appeared.

"...I want to see the world."

Chrome listened quietly.

"I've spent so much of my life inside," she admitted softly. "I want to see mountains I've only seen and heard about. I want to see another set of beaches, forests, and villages beyond ours... I want to learn about all the places that existed before."

Her smile grew a little brighter as Chrome felt his chest tighten.

"I want to know just how big the world really is." Ruri finished.

Chrome should have expected that answer.

Ruri had spent most of her life confined indoors, watching the changing seasons through a window while everyone else lived beyond it.

She had carried the responsibilities of a future priestess long before she was old enough to choose them herself.

Of course she wanted to see the world.

Yet somehow… A selfish part of him had assumed she'd simply remain in Ishigami Village, happily welcoming everyone home whenever they returned.

The realization left an uncomfortable weight in his chest.

He hadn't even thought to ask what she wanted until Gen pointed it out.

Chrome smiled. "Then let's do that."

"...What?" Ruri looked up.

"When humanity's been saved..." Chrome grinned, his nervousness easing just a little. "Let's travel together."

Her eyes widened. "The world's huge."

"I want to explore it too." Chrome laughed. “The world is bad!”

"But..." Ruri hesitated. "What about your science?"

Chrome tilted his head as though the answer were obvious.

"I can still do science while traveling." He squeezed her hands gently. "And I'd rather discover the world with you than by myself."

Ruri stared at him in silence as Chrome drew a slow breath.

I need to do this bad!

His heart pounded so loudly he wondered if Ruri could hear it and then he tightened his hold on her hands ever so slightly.

"...Ruri." Chrome met her gaze straight on. "I'm in love with you."

Her breath caught, as Ruri’s eyes widened.

Chrome smiled nervously.

"I've been in love with you for a long time." He laughed quietly at himself. "I just didn't realize how much until recently."

Ruri squeezed Chrome’s hands in encouragement, so Chrome continued.

"I know we still have a long road ahead of us, and there are people to save, and there's a world waiting to be rebuilt." He swallowed his throat, eyes looking determined at Ruri. "So, could you wait for me? When all of this is over... I want us to be together."

“Chrome…” Ruri’s voice becomes wet.

His smile turned almost painfully hopeful. "I want to travel with you, I want to build that future together, what I want to ask you is… will you wait for me until then?"

Tears shimmered in Ruri's eyes and Chrome felt his own throat tighten.

For one terrifying heartbeat...

She said nothing.

Then Ruri threw her arms around his neck.

Chrome instinctively caught her, one arm wrapping securely around her waist while the other rested gently between her shoulders. Ruri buried her face against him and Chrome closed his eyes.

The familiar scent of fresh herbs and flowers clung faintly to her clothes, carried by the breeze from the village.

It was comforting. It felt... Like coming home.

"I will," Ruri whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "I'll wait for you. No matter how long it takes… Just promise me you'll come home safely."

Chrome smiled against her hair. "I promise."

The two of them remained wrapped in each other's embrace as the sun slowly slipped beneath the horizon.

Neither hurried to let go nor neither felt the need to speak.

Eventually, they pulled apart just enough to look at one another.

Although no one could stop smiling even if their cheeks ached from it.

Ruri suddenly laughed. "...I almost forgot."

"Forgot what?" Chrome blinked.

Without answering, she rose onto her toes once more. Then Ruri slipped her arms loosely around his neck.

Then, with a shy smile, she leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss against the corner of his mouth.

When she pulled back, her cheeks had turned a lovely shade of pink.

"...I'm in love with you too."

Chrome stared at her.

For a second, his mind simply stopped working.

Then happiness rushed through him all at once, so overwhelming that it left him almost breathless.

His heart suddenly felt far too full to contain everything he was feeling.

Before he could think twice, he pulled Ruri into another hug. This time, she laughed right along with him.

His future felt brighter than ever before.

***

Several months had passed since the Kingdom of Science had left Japan behind.

Chrome missed Ruri. More often than he cared to admit.

Every now and then, Ginro would throw an arm around his shoulders with a smug grin and ask when he was finally going to confess. Kaseki occasionally joined in, laughing as if the answers were the most obvious thing in the world.

Chrome never corrected them.

He simply smiled, shrugged, and let them believe he was still hopelessly oblivious.

It didn't matter. Chrome didn't need to prove anything to anyone.

The promise he and Ruri had made belonged to the two of them alone.

That was enough.

Whenever humanity was finally saved, he would return to her.

And even if he returned to her, Chrome had no intention of giving up science. He simply needed to learn how to balance the two things he treasured most.

As he wandered across the deck of the Perseus, lost in thoughts of inventions, future expeditions, and a certain girl waiting for him back home, he failed to notice where his feet were carrying him.

Only when familiar voices drifted toward him did he finally stop.

Chrome blinked.

He had wandered behind one of the ship's storage sheds near the stern, where crates, ropes, and spare sails were stacked high enough to create a secluded corner hidden from the rest of the crew.

"...Oh."

Senku and Gen stood there together.

Fortunately, neither of them had noticed him.

Chrome instinctively ducked back behind a stack of barrels before either of them could turn around.

He hadn't meant to eavesdrop.

Really.

But now that Chrome was there… His curiosity won again.

Ever since the casino game, something between the two of them had shifted again.

This time, it wasn't Gen who hovered around Senku. If anything, it was Senku.

Not in any way most people would recognize as Senku was still Senku, because he still buried himself in science and acted as if romance occupied approximately zero percent of his brain.

Yet somehow… He always ended up next to Gen.

Always found some excuse to continue whatever conversation they were having or lingered just a little longer before walking away.

Meanwhile, Gen seemed caught between happiness and sorrow.

She smiled more whenever Senku was around.

Yet there was a quiet sadness lingering beneath those smiles that Chrome couldn't understand.

Now, watching them from a distance, Chrome found himself frozen.

Senku had one arm resting lightly around Gen's back, his other hand settled comfortably at her waist. Meanwhile, Gen's hands rested against Senku's chest, absentmindedly toying with the edge of his collar as they talked.

Their voices remained low, almost impossible to hear over the sound of the waves.

At one point, Senku said something that earned a soft laugh from Gen.

Their foreheads drifted just a little closer.

Not quite touching but close enough that the distance between them seemed almost nonexistent.

Chrome's ears immediately grew warm.

Gen looked up at Senku with an expression Chrome recognized all too well. Her smile was gentle and eyes shone with quiet affection. She watched him as if simply standing next to him was enough to make the rest of the world fade into the background.

It reminded Chrome of the way he found himself looking at Ruri whenever she wasn't paying attention.

There was no mistaking it.

Gen loved him.

As for Senku...

Chrome frowned.

Something about him felt different.

Senku wasn't uncomfortable and wasn't pulling away.

Quite the opposite as he looked entirely present at that moment. And yet...

There was the faintest hint of restraint in the way Senku held himself, as if he were carefully measuring every movement before allowing himself to make it.

Chrome couldn't explain why.

The feeling slipped through his thoughts before he could give it a name.

And the conversation continued in quiet murmurs.

Then Gen leaned forward, she pressed a soft kiss to Senku's lips.

Senku's hand lifted almost instinctively, gently brushing a loose strand of hair back behind her ear and—

Chrome immediately looked away.

That was his cue.

As quietly as he had arrived, he turned around and retraced his steps across the deck, making certain his footsteps were swallowed by the creaking of the ship beneath him.

Some moments… Were meant to remain private.

Chrome decided this was definitely one of them.

***

A week later, Chrome realized something had changed.

Again.

This time, it wasn't subtle enough for him to dismiss.

Senku and Gen were avoiding each other.

Neither of them made it obvious. They still worked together whenever science demanded it. They still spoke when they had to. If anyone else in the Kingdom of Science noticed, they never said a word.

But Chrome had spent far too long observing the two of them to miss it.

The easy conversations had disappeared, the lingering moments were gone, and whenever one of them approached, the other always seemed to find a reason to leave.

It felt... Wrong.

As if something invisible had wedged itself between them.

Then there was Kohaku.

Chrome couldn't help noticing the strange guilt that seemed to follow her around. Every now and then, she'd glance toward Senku and Gen before quickly looking away, her expression tightening with quiet remorse.

Chrome didn't know what had happened.

He wasn't even sure if Kohaku had anything to do with it.

Still, the timing made it difficult not to wonder.

He sighed to himself as he leaned against the ship's railing, watching the endless sea stretch toward the horizon.

It would work itself out.

It had to.

Senku and Gen had always been a team.

No matter how much they bickered or disagreed, they always found their way back to one another. Everyone in the Kingdom of Science knew that.

Those two had survived impossible odds together before.

Whatever had happened this time... They would get through it.

Chrome rested his arms on the railing, letting the salty breeze wash over him.

He smiled, even if it carried a trace of uncertainty.

They'd be fine.

At least… Chrome hoped they would.