The crackling of the fire filled the quiet space between you and Gen, the orange glow flickering against his usual mischievous grin tonight, something felt… off.

Most people were fooled by Gen Asagiri’s illusions, his silver tongue weaving whatever story suited him best. But not you. From the moment you met, you had seen through every deception, every half-truth he spun with effortless charm. You were the only one in the Kingdom of Science who could read him like an open book—and for some reason, he found that thrilling rather than annoying.

Tonight, though, the tables had turned.

You were unusually quiet, your responses just a little too measured, your expression a little too still. To anyone else, you looked perfectly fine. But to Gen? This was the equivalent of shouting from the rooftops that something was wrong.

“Now, now,” Gen’s voice was light, teasing—just enough to draw you out without pushing. “It’s quite unlike you to let me do all the talking. Have I finally won? Has my dazzling charm left you speechless?”

“I’m fine, Gen,” you said, but the way your voice dipped just slightly, almost imperceptibly told him otherwise.

He tilted his head, eyes narrowing. “Mmm, see, that’s the funny thing about words. You can say ‘I’m fine’ all you want, but when you say it like that—” he pointed at you with a dramatic flourish— “it tells me you are, in fact, not fine.”

You rolled your eyes, but your lips twitched, and for a second, it almost worked. But then, just as quickly, your shoulders sagged. “…It’s nothing,” you murmured, looking away.

Gen’s grin softened, the usual playfulness in his gaze giving way to something else—something more genuine. “You know I don’t believe in ‘nothing,’” he said, voice smooth yet sincere. “Not from you.”

The fire crackled between you, but now, the silence wasn’t so comfortable. It was heavy, waiting for you to fill it. if there was one person in this world who could see through you just as easily as you saw through him… it was him.