Grading Chemistry (GenMui)

The Perfect Painting

It was another day of coloring and finger painting in Muichiro's classroom, with laughter and chatter filling the room as the kids created their masterpieces. Muichiro strolled between tables, offering gentle encouragement and admiring each child's art. Just as he was complimenting one of his students on their bright colors, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Muichiro called, looking up to see Genya standing at the door, holding a small stack of papers.

"Hey, Mr. Tokito," Genya greeted, stepping inside. "I thought I'd drop these off. They're the permission slips for the upcoming field trip."

Muichiro nodded, accepting the papers with a soft smile. "Thank you. I almost forgot about that."

As he was organizing the papers, a few of his students noticed Genya and began whispering amongst themselves, their little voices filled with excitement. Genya's height and presence had captured their attention, and soon enough, one of the braver kids piped up.

"Mr. Shinazugawa! Are you here to paint with us?"

Genya blinked, caught off guard. "Uh, I—well..." He glanced at Muichiro, who raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching into a barely concealed smile.

"It's okay if you're too busy," Muichiro said, his tone calm but with a hint of challenge. "Painting with five-year-olds can be quite intense."

Genya's competitive side kicked in, and he rolled up his sleeves. "Oh, I think I can handle it."

The kids cheered, and Muichiro handed Genya a paintbrush, watching with amusement as he knelt beside one of the tables and dove into the activity. Within minutes, Genya was laughing along with the kids, smudges of paint on his hands and even a little on his cheek. He painted with surprising enthusiasm, his tall frame hunched over the tiny table, completely absorbed.

Muichiro found himself watching, a warm feeling settling in his chest. He'd always admired Genya's dedication to teaching, but seeing him like this—with genuine laughter and a little messier than usual—was something special.

"Mr. Tokito," one of his students whispered, tugging at his sleeve. "Do you like Mr. Shinazugawa?"

Muichiro blinked, caught off guard by the innocent question. "Why do you ask that, Kotone?"

The student shrugged, her face scrunched up in thought. "Because you smile a lot when he's here."

Muichiro opened his mouth to respond, but another voice from across the room chimed in. "Yeah! And you two are always together!"

This time, Genya looked up, realizing the kids were watching them with curious, amused eyes. He glanced at Muichiro, who had gone quiet, his cheeks faintly pink.

Then, in a sudden burst of synchronized voices, the kids began chanting, "Mr. Shinazugawa and Mr. Tokito, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Both teachers froze, wide-eyed as the kids continued their playful chant. Genya's face turned beet red, and he rubbed the back of his neck, struggling to find his words. "H-Hey now, that's-uh..."

Muichiro's usual composure was cracked, and he covered his mouth, attempting to stifle a laugh. But he wasn't entirely immune; a pink flush crept up his cheeks as well. "That's enough, everyone," he said gently, trying to keep his voice steady. "Mr. Shinazugawa just came by to help, that's all."

The kids quieted down, but a few of them exchanged knowing giggles, clearly not convinced by their teacher's explanation. Genya cleared his throat, giving a little shrug as he tried to regain his composure.

"Well, it looks like you all have... interesting imaginations," he said, offering a sheepish smile. "But Mr. Tokito and I are just good friends."

As they continued painting, the atmosphere eventually returned to normal, though both teachers remained slightly flustered, stealing the occasional glance at each other whenever they thought the other wasn't looking.

Once the kids had gone back to their work, Genya leaned over, whispering to Muichiro with a smirk. "Seems like they're pretty set on us, huh? I wonder how they came to that silly conclusion."

Muichiro let out a quiet laugh, his cheeks still faintly pink. "I suppose so. But maybe they're just... picking up on something we haven't admitted yet," he said, mumbling the last part, although still easily discernable.

Genya blinked, taken aback by the calm confidence in Muichiro's words. His heart pounded as he scrambled for a response, but before he could come up with anything, Muichiro gave him a small smile, turning back to help a student with their project.

Left to wonder, Genya could only stare, feeling his pulse race as Muichiro's words echoed in his mind.