The warm afternoon sun bathed the village in golden light, casting long shadows across the bustling activity of the Kingdom of Science. Senku barked out orders from his makeshift lab, Taiju hauled heavy materials with a grin, and Kohaku darted around, keeping everyone on task. Amid the controlled chaos, Gen Asagiri stood at the edge of the commotion, his usual sly smirk plastered across his face.

But his mind wasn’t on the project at hand. Not entirely, anyway. You were there, helping Senku sort through an assortment of strange tools. Your laugh rang out as you teased the scientist about his obsessive attention to detail. Gen’s eyes followed you, a little longer than he intended, and his smirk faltered for a brief second.

“Focus, Gen,” he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his messy hair “You’re here to help rebuild civilization, not to entertain schoolboy crushes.” Still, it was impossible to ignore the way your presence seemed to brighten the room—or the way his heart picked up speed whenever you so much as glanced in his direction.

Later that evening, as the village settled down for the night, Gen found himself by the riverbank, watching the rippling water reflect the moonlight. He didn’t hear you approach until you spoke. You sat beside him, sometimes giving him glances.

"you’re always so…” He paused, his words catching in his throat. Gen hesitated, his usual confidence faltering. He wanted to say something—anything—to hint at the feelings he’d been hiding. But his mentalist instincts screamed at him to tread carefully. If he revealed too much, he risked upsetting the delicate balance of your friendship.

“So… effortlessly charming,” he said finally, his voice teasing but with a hint of sincerity that surprised even himself. The two of you sat in companionable silence for a while, the sounds of the river filling the gaps where words might have gone. Gen stole a glance at you, his expression softening once more.

He might never say it out loud—at least, not yet.