Survival Challenge Gone Wrong

Chapter 12 - A week later

Explaining my Disappearance
Posted by GenTheMentalist 30 min ago

"This will be a more serious type of video than you are used to on my channel."

Seated comfortably at his desk, Gen arranged his camera to capture a simple conversation-style video. He took a moment to adjust his freshly re-dyed and styled long bangs. His skin soft and supple again from returning to his carefully curated skincare routine, wearing a neatly ironed and spotless outfit. Gen presented his usual groomed and pristine image again; the impenetrable wall he perfected over the years, all in preparation for baring his moment of vulnerability for millions to see.

"As you know, Japan was hit by a small tsunami just recently. I disappeared from social media because I was caught in it at a very unfortunate time. I am okay now, and I wanted to share what happened with you all."

He explained why he visited Meijima, his situation before the wave hit, but left Senku's murder smell out of it, for legal reasons.

"It is hard to put in words. I saw the wave approach, I watched as it grew taller and taller with the realisation that I am completely helpless. I thought I was going to die." He took a breath in, the memory chilling. "I remember holding my breath. In my head, I knew it was futile, but some part of my brain, it seemed, wanted to hold on to a sliver of a chance at surviving..."

Gen laughed quietly to himself, mostly in disbelief. Reflecting on it all really was surreal. "And the crazy thing was, somehow it worked. I don't know how, I don't remember. I fainted and woke up when the wave was gone. I was later found by my production assistant who was also on the island with me. Let's call him... Satoshi." Using Senku's name was an obvious no-go. So he picked a name that represented him – intelligent, sharp. It was a bonus that the first letter matched.

"Satoshi found me and started a fire. Can you believe it? Everything was damp and muddy. He himself was struggling from the aftereffects of a tsunami, mind you. He could have easily escaped by himself, but he stayed and looked after me until I woke up! Without him, I wouldn't be here today to tell the tale."

—.—.—.—.—

"So did you reach out to that Satoshi- no, Senku guy yet?" Ukyo asked, casually snacking on some chips on Gen's couch. He helped Gen edit the video to make sure he didn't share any sensitive information, and then stayed for moral support.

Gen scrolled his phone through the influx of confused and shocked comments on Twitter, having shared the link to his newest video. It turned out to be almost an hour long even after editing and cutting way a lot of the footage. He found that once he started talking, more and more thoughts just kept flowing out. Perhaps he could switch up his channel and do more of these intimate conversation videos. He could even consider starting streaming...

"Not yet," Gen sighed, switching off his phone and throwing it aside.

"It's been a week," Ukyo noted, throwing Gen a pointed look, "It would be nice to at least ask how he's doing. You both went through something traumatic, and whether you feel it or not, healing takes time."

He was right, of course. Plus Senku explicitly requested he emailed him. Gen finished the report he promised in just three days, a solid essay of two thousand words describing just how much Gen wanted to cease from existence after inhaling that nuclear waste of a smell. All in good humour.

"I know, and I will," Gen groaned, "I should not have confessed so soon. I really burdened him with my stupid feelings after all that..."

Ukyo nodded with sympathy, "You won't know until you talk. Plus, he might feel the same way." Gen raised a sceptical brow, huffing in dismissal. "I'm not pushing you, of course, do everything in your own time. But, I do think it would be best to get it over with and save you two the extra drama." Ukyo took a loud crunchy bite of his chip to emphasise his point.