Grading Chemistry (GenMui)

Typical School Assembly

The school’s auditorium buzzed with the low hum of chattering students and the occasional burst of laughter as Muichiro guided his kindergartners toward the seating area. His students followed in neat rows, clutching each other's hands with excitement as they looked around at the older kids filling the room.

As Muichiro’s class settled in, he noticed a familiar face leading another small group of kindergartners from the other end of the aisle. Genya’s gaze caught his, and a smile crept across his face as he directed his class over to join Muichiro’s. It had almost become tradition by now—where one class was, the other wasn’t far behind.

A few of the students exchanged glances and whispered to one another, realizing that Mr. Tokito’s and Mr. Shinazugawa’s classes always seemed to end up side by side.

Genya made his way over to Muichiro, settling his kids before joining him at the back. They leaned casually against the wall, keeping an eye on their students but mostly focused on each other.

“So,” Genya murmured with a grin, crossing his arms. “Another assembly where they’ll tell us all about the importance of… what was it again? Good behavior?”

Muichiro chuckled, a soft sound that Genya always found himself leaning in to hear. “Something like that. Guess we’re just here to set an example.”

Genya raised an eyebrow. “Are we really setting the best example if we’re over here talking through the whole thing?”

Muichiro smirked, nudging him with his elbow. “Please. They won’t even notice.”

Genya let out a laugh, and their eyes met, both feeling a little thrill at how easy it was to lose track of time around each other. The speech on stage had begun, but their own conversation was far more captivating.

“Remember last week?” Genya asked, eyes shining with amusement. “The field trip? One of my kids asked if we were, uh… ‘best friends.’”

Muichiro rolled his eyes, a faint smile on his lips. “Oh? What’d you tell them?”

“Just said that we spend a lot of time together,” Genya replied with a shrug, though his gaze was anything but casual. “I mean, they aren’t wrong.”

Muichiro tilted his head, studying Genya. “You don’t think it’s weird for them to see us like this?”

Genya’s expression softened. “Honestly? Nah. Kids can tell when adults actually like being around each other. It probably feels more… normal to them than anything else.”

They both fell into a comfortable silence, glancing occasionally toward their classes, who seemed content in their seating arrangement. After a moment, Genya leaned a little closer, voice dropping.

“Hey, speaking of last week,” he murmured, “have you… thought about fall break much?”

Muichiro’s gaze drifted, a faint shadow crossing his face as he remembered the riverside, the way the warm sunlight reflected on the water, and the sudden emptiness he’d felt when Genya had pulled away. He kept his voice quiet, barely above a whisper. “I mean… yeah. A lot, actually.”

Genya seemed to pick up on the shift in his tone, his own face softening. “Muichiro, are you… okay? You kinda look upset.”

“It’s just… well,” Muichiro hesitated, glancing down before meeting Genya’s gaze again. “I guess I wanted to ask why you got up so suddenly that day. It was… confusing, to say the least.”

Genya’s brow furrowed as he listened, something like guilt flickering across his face. “I… honestly don’t know, Muichiro. I think… maybe it was just a lot to process. Being there with you, I mean.” His voice was barely audible, as if he were confessing something he hadn’t even admitted to himself yet.

Muichiro’s shoulders relaxed a little, but his eyes stayed on Genya, searching for something. “So… it wasn’t just me feeling like that?”

Genya shook his head slowly, his gaze intense. “No, not at all. In fact…” He hesitated, glancing away before taking a breath and returning his eyes to Muichiro’s. “If you want, we can talk more about it. After school. My place?”

Muichiro’s heart raced, and his face grew warm, but he managed a small, slow nod. The implications hung thick in the air between them, and even Genya looked flustered, his hand twitching as if he wanted to reach out but wasn’t quite sure how.

Finally, though, he did. He rested a hand gently on Muichiro’s outermost shoulder, holding him close in a way that felt natural, comfortable, despite the overwhelming heat rising between them. The brush of his fingers felt electrifying, and Muichiro leaned into it, his heart pounding but soothed by Genya’s presence.

They barely registered the words of the speaker on stage, too caught up in the warmth and nearness of each other. Genya’s fingers brushed Muichiro’s arm now and then, and Muichiro couldn’t resist leaning in, his shoulder against Genya’s as if they were drawn together by some magnetic force.

Meanwhile, their students were exchanging glances, a few nudging each other as they whispered among themselves. A couple of them had noticed how their teachers always seemed to gravitate toward each other and, more importantly, how neither of them seemed to mind at all.

In the back of the auditorium, lost in their own world, Genya and Muichiro stood together, not needing words to understand the gentle promise they’d made. The assembly continued on, but for them, the true meaning of the moment lay in their silent agreement—one they would explore later, away from curious eyes.