Work Text:
“Haha…David still chase our Kohaku”, thoughtfully said Gen. Lazily leaning on the laboratory doorway, he watched what was happening around.
David was a young boy,one of the first to be revived, as soon as Kingdom of Science began to build a new settlement. He did not move away from work and has some strength. Unfortunately man did not speak Japanese at all, but for Senku, Gen and over generals (except Chrome), this was not a significant problem.
The problem was different…
<”Good day, Miss Kohaku!” even in the laboratory his joyful exclamation was heard.
First, he was too talkative.
<“You are beautiful as always, Miss Kohaku...”>
Second, he prevented focus.
David fell in love with Kohaku, no matter how irrational this formulation was, “at first sight” and since then he tried to take care of it in every possible way. It was simply ridiculous for Senku to watch the guy try to instill Kohaku romance and overcome the language barrier with compliments. But then ...It became annoying.
Ishigami understood that been angry in such situation — simply stupid. He wasn’t angry, just one day, Gen caught him on a very strange caustic remark about David, and Senku understood everything.
It was possible to be angry only at oneself.
Kohaku didn't understand anything. From words, but not from actions, but David quickly realized that if compliments cannot impress a girl, then gifts do not need translation.
Kohaku was embarrassed. It was visible.
“If you want one of us to talk to him,” said Senku then, trying not to be distracted from a glass with a solution of distilled water, but still, for some reason, watching the expression on the girl’s face in reflection.
The reflection was difficult.
“No ... I think ... He doesn’t want anything bad. Moreover, you can’t say everything as straightforwardly as you usually do”.
Kohaku simply didn’t know what to do in this situation. It was the first time that it was necessary to reject someone, and she didn’t want to hurt David`s feelings.
Plus, some of David's presents were very sweet. Kohaku had never received gifts before, but it was nice. Although Senku is unlikely to appreciate something so impractical ...
She accepted the gift. An interesting woven bracelet. It seems that the guy was trying to say that he was doing something similar before petrification.
The bracelet looked beautiful on the hand, but this did not change the girl’s feelings. Kohaku still could not say that she liked David. He was a good guy, just great, but just didn't fit. She could not say this, not only because she did not speak English. She did not know HOW to say this, and everything remained only in her head.
“If you care so much, why don't you tell her?” Asagiri ask after Senku noticed the bracelet.
Ishigami did not change his face, at least he thought so. He was hoping. He just stared at Kohaku's hand longer than usual.
“This is stupid. I'm just afraid of change, like any person”, Ishigami quickly found an excuse. “However, science leads to change, so I need to get rid of this fear.”
“Or talk to him,” Gen continued, “but then you have to take responsibility ...”
Feelings like love are the root of the most illogical problems.
One of the most illogical is to deny what has already happened. Or not to sleep all night because of the words spoken by a mentalist who perfectly sees the situation from the outside.
Senk trusted Kohaku. He knew how she felt about him. About her feelings. The latter sounded a bit dangerous for Ishigami, because he knew very well that emotions were reluctant to obey logic, which means that it was not his territory and Senku could easily make a mistake.
He understood that, with all the sympathy for Kohaku, a romantic guy without Japanese knowledge has advantages. The same gifts and compliments. Senku realized that Kohaku was pleased, but he could not do anything like that. For this, he could find ten billion excuses, starting with the fact that now is not the time to build a relationship and they both understand this with Kohaku and ending with the fact that Ishigami simply does not know what she needs.
In the morning, Senku was in a disgusting mood. In the laboratory, as usual sit Gen, Chrome placed on the table what they hadn't finished yesterday.
<”Miss Kohaku, I have known that we don't understand each other, but there's no problem!”> a voice that Senku already can named “vile” burst between the tapping of glass tubes and the insistent stomping of heels.
- Senku! What is he trying to tell me? - Kohaku appeared in the laboratory, even faster than David, and then fixed her eyes on the apparent lack of sleep on the scientist's face. - Is everything okay?
“Good morning you too,” for some reason Senku grumbled. Sleep and rest are very important parts of the work. It helps, for example, to better control yourself. “Do you want to know what he wants from you?”
- Yes. It seems to me. He is trying to say something important. I don’t understand ...
Kohaku looked guilty, David blushed and hesitated in front of her.
<”...If we both feel the same... I mean... I want date you!!!”>
Chrome listened with interest to English speech, looking for familiar words, Asagiri must have been stealthily watching the three participants in the awkward scene, waiting for a denouement.
“Do you like him?”
“No, but ..,” Kohaku turned her gaze to Gen, hoping that the mentalist would help them deal with this situation.
"Kohaku-kun, you don't want relationship with David or just don't want a relationship with him now?” - The mentalist emphasized the last word. “We will help explain everything to him, it’s normal if you ask David to wait.”
Kohaku silently removed the bracelet from her hand. Gen nodded and opened his mouth, but Senku suddenly interrupted him.
<"I'm sorry, David, but Miss Kohaku is already taken.">
<"But...">
<"She has committed relationship">
Ishigami smiled as benevolently as he could. Judging by how David flinched, it turned out what was needed. The guy muttered timidly “okay” and hastened to retire.
"What did you say to him?" Kohaku asked with a sigh
"That there is already another contender."
"No need to lie. I am sure he would have understood everything and would not have insisted."
“I didn’t lie,” Senku interrupted the girl without turning around, but then he tried to deliver a speech as neutral as possible. “Lying is his duty,” he nodded toward Gen.
“I see.” She hid almost faster than her unlucky fan.
<”Dear Senku, do you know that does "committed relationship" mean?”> Gen with a very pleased expression on his face bowed his head to the side, trying not to laugh ahead of time.
"It means a responsibility."
"Oooo! Sounds very good!"
Kohaku’s bracelet was returned to David. Instead, the girl had a small pendant made of a roughly processed piece of amber, with a scratched angular line that looked like a snake.
Senku did not abandon the habit of writing his name everywhere. But on such a small pebble, only the first letter fit.