A/N: As promised in the previous chapter, here's the epilogue from Senku's POV. Hope you'll enjoy this little gift from me ^^

***

Senku's P.O.V

The following day, Senku decided to take it easy and declared one week of rest with no science-related work for everyone since they deserved it after working so hard and tirelessly on the cellphone for months. As it was the chief's call, no one dared to say otherwise but to be honest, the villagers were glad for the reprieve before starting on the next round of work which was going to be an even worst nightmare than before.

However, they would leave that to their future selves to agonize over and as for now, the people of Ishigami Village were going to enjoy their vacation to the fullest. That was the plan for everyone, but one.

Senku, being Senku, didn't heed his own words like everyone else. Instead, he saw this as an opportunity to replenish the chemical stock as a lot of them were used up during the making of the cell phone. And so, the scientist had planned to hole himself up in his laboratory for the entire week with hopefully, zero interruption since everyone would be busy with their own activities.

At least, that was what Senku intended for himself and yet, he found himself being dragged away from the direction of the science lab the moment that he stepped outside of the observatory tower by none other than Chrome.

"What's the meaning of this, Chrome?!" The green-haired teen demanded as he tried to pull his hand free from said brunette's hold but was failing miserably as the other tightened his grip. "Let go of me!"

Instead of providing an explanation, Chrome just looked over his shoulder at the scowling scientist with an apologetic expression as he headed over to where Ginro, Kinro and Kohaku were waiting by the edge of the forest, "Sorry, Senku!"

"I swear to god, I'm gonna murder whoever is behind this," Senku let out a threatening growl. "And it's a promise."

The brunette let out a peal of nervous laughter at the murderous glint in those ruby-red eyes, saying nothing as he hurried his pace; still dragging the fuming scientist after him.

"Senku, nice of you to join us," Kohaku greeted the approaching pair, sapphire-blue eyes lit with amusement.

"The pleasure's not mine," said scientist grunted as he swiped his hand away from Chrome the moment the teen loosened his tight grip, glaring at the sheepish teen while he rubbed at his sore wrist.

His mood soured further when the corners of the blonde's lips twisted into a teasing smirk, and he scowled, "Someone better explain to me what's going on!"

The obvious grin on Kohaku's face grew as she responded gleefully, "We have clear instructions from (Name) to keep you away from your lab and anything that has got to do with science. Something about how you need to rest too which means no science stuff. Her words, not mine."

Senku felt his right eye twitching once he learnt that his girlfriend was the reason for his kidnapping, "I'm gonna murder her."

He turned to head back to the village to hunt down the (h/c)-haired girl and carried out said murder but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

Immediately, the green-haired teen spun around, ready to tear that person a new one when he came face-to-face with a smiling Kohaku whose eyes told a different story if the killer looks in it was anything to go by.

"Sorry, Senku but (Name)'s words are golden and I'm not gonna disobey them. So, you'll be tagging along," the blonde smiled sweetly, her fingers curling as she dug her nails into his flesh to reiterate her point.

Senku winced at the slight pain but when he noticed the knowing glint in those sapphire-blue eyes, he schooled his expression into one of annoyance and grunted, "Shouldn't my words be final since I'm technically the chief?"

"Eh, you'll live," Kohaku responded with a shrug and ignoring the scientist's indignant look, she turned to the rest. "Everyone ready?"

At their firm nod, the teen tightened her grip on Senku lest he tried to escape and tugged him along as she led the group into the forest with the three following behind her.

Realizing it was fruitless to put up a fight at this point, the scientist surrendered to his fate and just let himself be dragged into whatever shenanigans that his girlfriend and friends were up to.

It wasn't like this was his first time either and one would think that he would be used to it by now.

Time skipped

Today was a good day to be out and about as the sun shone overhead, its warm rays bouncing off glittery snow as it chased away the wintery cold. Senku let out a tired groan as he dragged his aching feet, lagging behind the group who seemed to be doing fine.

They had been walking for over an hour now and the scientist was about to fall over and die if they didn't stop for a break any time soon. Fortunately for him, he didn't have to suffer any much longer as Kohaku announced that they had arrived at their destination.

Instantly, all traces of tiredness were gone as the green-haired teen glanced up from where he was staring at Chrome's shoes to a field with a beautiful view of the mountains in the background; its snowy caps glistening in the afternoon sun.

"So, what are we doing here?" Senku asked with a raised brow as he followed after the rest heading for the lone tree in the clearing.

"Ginro and I will be having our training with Kohaku while Chrome will be babysitting to you, ensuring that you won't go back to the village to do your science stuff as per (Name)'s order," Kinro answered in a usual no-nonsense tone.

Hearing that, the scientist wasn't surprised as he folded his arms, the corners of his mouth pulled down into an annoyed frown, "Of course

Next to him, his younger brother let out a complaint, whining, "Why can't we train back at the village? Or better still, why can't I be the one to babysit Senku?!"

Then, he turned to Chrome with big, sparkling eyes as he pleaded, "Chrome, how about we switch roles? I think some training will be good for you!"

"Erm," said brunette hesitated, scratching his head in an unsure manner but thankfully, he didn't have to say anything as Kohaku answered for him by smacking the blonde across the back of his head; causing the other to let out a shout of pain.

"You're the one who needs the training! For someone who is a guard, you're terrible!" Kohaku growled out. "I expect you to work extra hard or else!"

"Yes, madam!" Ginro saluted straightaway, nodding his head up and down like a bobblehead; not wanting to incur the blonde's wrath any further.

Kohaku glared at the teen, suspicious of his easy obedience but when she noticed that he was being sincere, she let him go and turned to both Chrome and Kinro who were watching the whole exchange in amusement and exasperation respectively.

"Kinro, get your idiot of a brother to do some warm-up. I'll join in a bit," said brunette nodded his head and walked over to Kinro where he grabbed him by the back of his coat before dragging him away; the other complaining the whole way.

The blonde's gaze shifted to Chrome who snapped to attention, her lips twisting into a humorous smile at his reaction while addressing him, "Chrome, you're in charge of Senku. You can do whatever that science nerds do in their spare time as long as you keep an eye on our chief and make sure he doesn't escape back to the village."

"Yes, madam!" The brunette saluted, earning an eye roll from Kohaku before turning on her heels and making her way to join the other two who were already starting their warm-ups or more like Kinro was shouting at his younger brother to stop fooling around and put in his 120 per cent.

Then, Chrome turned to Senku with a beaming grin and chocolate-brown eyes gleaming with excitement as he asked, "So, what will you like to do, Senku?"

Said scientist rolled his eyes and replied sarcastically, "Why don't you tell me? It seems like whatever I say or do isn't allowed anyway."

The smile on Chrome's face dimmed and immediately, Senku felt a wave of guilt washing over him. Running a hand through his hair, he let out a defeated sigh and apologized for his harsh tone, "Sorry, I shouldn't have taken it out on you; knowing that it wasn't your fault and that you just got dragged into it."

Immediately, the brown-haired teen perked up again and waved away the other's apologies with a sheepish smile, "No, no, it's okay. It's not your fault too since you're here against your will. It's just that with the combination of (Name) and Kohaku, I don't dare to go against them."

Senku snorted at that image, but the corners of his eyes crinkled with fondness at the thought of his girlfriend despite still being somewhat mad at her, "They are quite the scary pair, aren't they?"

The two of them exchanged chuckles and after which, Chrome switched the subject to the upcoming war against the Tsukasa Kingdom and what was the next course of action. Seeing the glimmer of exhilaration in those chocolate-brown eyes and the wide grin threatening to break the teen's cheeks in halves, the scientist didn't have the heart to deny him.

It wasn't the original plan of stocking up on chemicals in his lab as he had planned, but it was still science-related. And so, Senku took the bait and for the next hour or so, the science users sat by the large tree; its bare branches casting shadows on their figures as they delved into the world of science.

***

After their conversation, the two just sat in comfortable silence; watching the other three training in the distance when suddenly, Chrome broke the bubble with a random question out of the blue.

"Ne, Senku, how did you and (Name) meet?"

Immediately, Senku's attention shifted to the brown-haired teen as he blinked, not having expected that at all. However, once the words sank into his mind, the scientist raised a brow and said, "Where did that come from?"

Chrome turned to look at his friend, his brows furrowing as he answered, "Earlier on when we were talking, (Name) kept popping up here and there. And I just couldn't help but be curious about how the two of you met. I imagine that she must've been the one to approach you first because you don't seem like the type to make friends. In fact, I'm surprised that you're even dating her."

At his last sentence, the brunette shot the scientist a teasing wink; the smirk on his lips widening when he noticed the twin spots of red appearing on the other's cheeks.

"I-," the green-haired teen sputtered, his arms flailing about as he tried to respond but he was too embarrassed and caught off guard by his friend's comment. In the end, he let out a deep groan as he buried his flushing face in his hands, "I wish the ground will just open up and swallow me whole right now."

Chrome lost it and started laughing, drawing the attention of Kohaku, Kinro and Ginro who were making their way over after deciding to take a break from their training.

"What got Chrome laughing like an idiot?" Kohaku asked, raising a brow in question while glancing back and forth between said brunette and Senku who was shooting daggers at the former.

"Nothing—," the green-haired teen opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by Chrome who didn't waste the opportunity to tease the other further.

"Oh, Senku's just about to tell us the lovely story of how he and (Name) met before you joined us," he grinned, the laughter giving way to low chuckles as he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.

"Oh," Kohaku said knowingly, sapphire-blue eyes gleaming with interest as a smirk snaked its way onto her lips. "This, I gotta hear."

With that being said, she settled down next to Chrome and the two of them turned to Senku in eagerness. It didn't take long for the pair of brothers to join in as well, although Kinro was much more subtle than his overexcited younger brother whose eyes held a hungry look – most likely to see how he could use this information as blackmail materials against the scientist for later on.

When Senku made no move to say anything, Ginro let out a whine and stuck his lower lips into a petulant pout while giving puppy eyes, "Come on, Senku! Share your love story with your dearest friends!"

The said scientist tried not to gag at the sweet words as he glared at the blonde, "Why are all of you so interested? It's just two people becoming friends, what's so special about that?"

Sighing dramatically, Kohaku fluttered her lashes and feigned damsel in distress as she responded, "Imagine how (Name) will feel when she finds out her beloved boyfriend thought their beginning was nothing special."

The corners of his lips deepened into a scowl, his cheeks flushing red at the blonde's teasing; turning a shade brighter when she shot him a knowing smirk. Sapphire-blue eyes glinted with mischief and ruby-red eyes narrowed, his suspicions confirming when Kohaku started to tease him again; this time around, both Ginro and Chrome joined in.

"Fine, fine!" Senku let up, eventually caving in as their teasing was starting to get on his nerves.

Kohaku let out a satisfied smirk, folding her arms in victory while the other two exchanged high-fives at their success and all four pairs of eyes fixated on the scientist; even Kinro couldn't help but be curious about it.

"I blame you for this, (Name)," Senku mumbled, cursing his girlfriend in his mind before he let out a deep sigh and started the tale of how a 12-year-old girl was insistent on befriending the weird kid of the school.

"It all started after summer vacation in the first year of middle school..."

[Flashback 1]

The classroom was filled with the sounds of excited chattering and joyous laughter as students caught up with one another, exchanging stories of their summer vacations spent in warm days filled with adventures and chill nights filled with quiet conversations over phones; all but one.

Seated by the window at the back of the class was none other than Senku, the smartest kid amongst his classmates. While everyone was surrounded by their groups of friends, the green-haired teen was alone by himself but that wasn't a bother for him.

Instead, he seemed content in his solidarity as he glanced out of the window, ruby-red eyes glimmering in the rays of the late summer sun; green leaves from the nearby trees fluttering gently in the breeze.

Senku let his eyes fall shut as he turned out the chatters of his classmates and let the harmonious melody of cicadas wash over him, their tune speaking about summertime welcoming her sister to take her rightful place on the throne – the colourful dress of blossoms ushered to her slumber while the gown of brilliant berries at late blooms ascends.

This state of stillness lasted for a total of one minute when it was disrupted by the sound of the doors sliding open – announcing the arrival of the class's homeroom teacher.

"Alright, class, settle back in your seats," the teacher smiled in amusement at the protesting groans let out by the students as they did as told. "I have an announcement to make."

Hearing that, another round of excited murmurs broke out as students glanced over to their neighbours and began to talk amongst themselves with wide-eyed interests – wondering what could the news be.

Meanwhile, Senku rolled his eyes and let out a scoff before mumbling to himself, "What's there to be so excited about?"

Once again, the green-haired teen didn't understand what was so big a deal about an announcement; finding his classmates' over-the-top reactions a nuisance.

Going back to the teacher who let out a small sigh, feeling an oncoming headache at the loud noises as she clapped her hands to gain the class's attention, "Alright, alright, I know that all of you are excited but please quieten down so I can make the announcement."

Immediately, everyone settled down and gave their 100% attention, much to the amusement of their teacher that her students would be this attentive towards everything but their studies.

Now that she had the class's focus, she cleared her throat and got back to the topic at hand, "So, class, I expect all of you to remain calm and not burst into another ruckus after I make my announcement. Is that clear?"

Stern eyes glanced across the classroom and at the students' eager nods, she relaxed as a satisfied smile broke out on her face, "Good. So, we're having a new student who will be joining us for the rest of the school year. You may come in."

At her last sentence, the teacher directed her gaze to the class's door, and everyone followed after her as all heads turned towards that direction; everyone buzzing in their seats as they tried to hold back their excitement.

As the door slid open, the students' eyes widened in anticipation as a (h/c)-haired girl stepped through the threshold; (e/c) eyes fixated on her shoes as she walked up to the middle of the class, coming to a stop next to the teacher's desk.

All the students were leaning forward, trying to get a better look at their new classmate as the teacher placed a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder and said reassuringly, "It's alright. There's nothing to be scared of. Your classmates are very nice people so why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself."

Said girl nodded her head, took in a deep breath, and exhaled slowly before lifting her head to meet everyone's eyes; the corners of her lips curled into a shy smile as she introduced herself, "Hello, my name's (Full Name). It's a pleasure to meet all of you. Please take care of me."

The class erupted into cheers of greetings as they echoed their hello to (Name), the young girl relaxing slightly at the warm welcome.

"Welcome to our class," the teacher smiled before gesturing to the empty desk at the back of the class. "Your seat's next to Senku-san and he'll be the one to show you around the school."

This was what drew a rise out of the stoic teen as he shot up from his seat, the dragging of his chair against the floor drawing everyone's attention onto him to which he ignored as he objected, "Can't you get someone else to do it?! I attend school to learn, not to make friends!"

(Name) flinched at the acid in the other's tone, her body tensing again as she gripped her arms in a moment of vulnerability; blunt nails digging into her flesh.

On the other hand, the smile on the teacher's face faded as it made way for a frown – the corners of her lips curling downwards in displeasure as she narrowed her eyes at Senku, responding in a reprimanding tone, "Senku-san, again with this nonsense. Everyone needs a friend in life. So, take this chance to make friends with (Name)."

"But—" Senku tried to protest but was cut off with a stern glare from his teacher and he acquiesced, settling back into his seat with crossed arms and an annoyed scowl on his face. "Fine!"

The teacher sighed in frustration, tired of always having the same conversation with this particular student of hers who believed that friendships were redundant and just a waste of time that could be spent on better things like working on the next science project.

His words, not hers.

She shot another warning glare at the teen before turning her attention to (h/c)-haired girl who became deathly silent throughout the whole ordeal, her head downcast as (e/c)