◑ 𝐓𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 ◐

chapter 1

Ishigami Senku was known to be the smartest kid in all of Japan. Though, he never bragged about it. As a kid, he created rockets in his backyard out of pure curiosity, and now he was casually refining gasoline from plastic water bottle caps in his high school science room for the same reason. It wasn't to impress people or to use it for fame--it was all just to see how far he could go.

Around him, his science club members were all glancing nervously in his direction, hoping to get a look without angering him; however, their worries disappeared when someone barged into the room.

"Listen up Senku!" the buff student shouted, startling every student within proximity, "I've decided that today's the day I'm going to confess to Yuzuriha about these feelings I've had for the past five years!"

Senku, seemingly as unbothered as ever, looked away from his machine and said, "Oh? Well, this is interesting indeed. I'll cheer you on so loudly my vocal cords might tear." His halfhearted expression didn't phase Taiju, who laughed and averted his attention from the scientist to another student at the counter.

"(y/n)! You're watching Senku again, huh?" Taiju boomed, making you smile and wave hello.

"Of course I am! It's so interesting!" you replied as you nudged Senku, making him sigh. He raised his protective eyewear on his head and took off his gloves.

"All you do is stare. It's quite distracting...in a negative connotation," the boy muttered. 

"Is it because I'm so attractive?" you teased. "Don't worry, you don't have to tell me."

"No, quite the opposite, actually. Your androstenol seems to be mutated and functioning the opposite of how it should be."

You and Taiju glanced at each other questionably before Taiju declared, "I don't know what that means!"

Senku smirked. "Basically, (y/n)'s female pheromones don't elicit a love stimulation from me but rather one of repugnance."

"...Wow, okay," you grumbled as you scrunched your nose, taking the chance to punch Senku on his arm.  "Maybe that's why I'm not getting a boyfriend. Because my freaking chemical shit is mutated."

Truth be told, it was really because you weren't looking for a relationship to begin with. You were exhausted as it is just from socializing at school, so how would you be able to spend more energy on someone outside of it?

Changing the subject, you then said, "Taiju, shouldn't you hurry up and go to Yuzuriha? It's not nice to keep her waiting."

"You're right!" Taiju gasped, dashing out of the room as he waved goodbye. "Wish me luck!"

"I send you all of my luck!" you hollered back. "Ah, none of my bad luck though!"

"That's around 99% of your luck," Senku muttered under his breath, only loud enough for you to hear. With a playful frown, you punched him in the arm again, earning a chuckle from the boy.

"Well then, I guess I don't need the luck. Did you know that some philosophers see luck as a parasite and not as something good? They say that thinking you're lucky or not puts you into the thought that outcomes are out of your hands, ultimately making you give up on life."

The grey-haired boy blinked, confused, before smiling. "Another loop into your philosophical talks. I expect no less from you, (y/n)."

"Yes yes," you giggled as you rolled your eyes. "Whatever luck turns out to really be, I know it'll work in favor for Taiju."

"Really? I bet he'll get rejected," a club member said, hearing your conversation with Senku.

"Put a hundred yen on that," another agreed. You--getting a little angry at their lack of confidence in Taiju--were going to tell them off, only for Senku to say something before you.

"I'll put 10,000 yen on him unexpectedly not getting dumped," he commented, glancing at you for a second before heading to the vending machine (that he built just for the science classroom) for a drink. He wanted to know your reaction to a confession, wondering if he should say something soon or not. It was high school after all--the peak of romance. Even if you didn't seem interested in anyone, that didn't stop others from liking you. Heck, even a few of his club members seemed to have some sort of feelings for you, making him purse his lips from time to time. 

"But," he frowned, "did you even know this?"

He shook away the thought and walked back toward you.

"I think, no, I know it'll go well!" you smiled. You sincerely hoped that the confession would go well; throughout the years you've been friends with Taiju and Yuzuriha, you could tell the two had some kind of feeling for each other. 

You and Senku approached the window together where you could see the scene of the confession, close enough to brush each other's shoulders. Taiju was in the middle of yelling out his feelings for the whole world to hear when you felt a tap on your hand, averting your attention to the boy next to you. There was something odd about his expression. His usually mocking expression was replaced with a solemn one, his red eyes staring into yours.

"...Speaking of confessions," Senku muttered, leaning close to your ear so only you could hear, "how would you feel if-"

A bright light stopped him, catching not only yours but everyone's attention. It was closing in faster than you could process, but somehow the next few seconds felt like hours. Someone screaming for help, some staring outside, others trying to run away. Everything flashed by in slow motion. Seeing such a bright light, you couldn't help but think that it was a flash bomb--nothing serious. But, something in you shouted to hide. To get out. Yet, your body didn't listen.

The last thing you saw was Senku's hands pushing you away.

Then, the world faded to black.