Steps to survival

chapter 7 : Another Mystery

"Heh heh, what're you starin' at," Chrome asked with a smug face.

"Making sure Koiru's not in any pain," Senku lied smoothly while adverting his crimson eyes in embarrassment.

"Okay, uhuh, I thought science didn't lie?" Senku rolled his eyes and snatched his magnet from the rock. He soon got to work, sparing occasional glances at Koiru, little did he know, she had been doing the same.

Back to Koiru's pov

My torso was progressively getting better, it didn't hurt at all which was good. When I began to lean upwards to stand up straight I heard Senku speak.

"Its gonna take all day with just the four of us working."

"Should I get someone from the village to help out?" Chrome suggested.

"As far as those people are concerned, you guys are just a bunch of suspicious sorcerers. So I don't think anyone is dying to lend us a hand with this," Kohaku groaned.

Further up the stream, a splashing sound was present. I looked up to see a melon approaching down the stream towards us. I tensed up.

"Don't tense up, you'll hurt yourself," I felt Senku's hot breath on my neck. It was strangely soothing but I took no notice of it.

"Is that a watermelon?" I mumbled. I stood blankly as the watermelon hopped up, it was a girl with a watermelon shell on her head? Senku and Chrome stumbled back in surprise, I had to hold onto Senku's arm to make sure he didn't trip, he muttered thanks.

"Oh, it's Suika," Kohaku intervened. "What are you doing in the water?" She questioned.

Suika held up her arm to reveal a magnet covered in iron sand.

"Did you just follow us down here or something?" she asked patting Suika's head.

"Doesn't her name mean watermelon?" I asked visibly confused.

"Pretty sure it's just a nickname, probably 'cause she's always wearing that watermelon rind," I hummed in response while Senku just grunted in acknowledgement.

"Huh?! What the hell?!" Chrome hovered over to the other girls.

"I can't believe you'd just steal my magnet like this! Iron sand!" He gasped, I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I'm sorry. I just wanna help you guys, it's kinda hard to be very useful to anyone because I've got this thing on my head. Too bad. I'll wear it all my life," my somewhat stone heart began to melt with this girls pain.

You definitely have felt what she's feeling right now, I used to feel like I couldn't accomplish anything before I started doing archery.

"But if you need any help, I'll do whatever I can!" she seemed so sweet, yet I keep a cool face.

"Yeah, we get it, Suika," I say, trying to comfort her. I've never really been good with it though.

"We would appreciate the assistance," Senku chuckles.

"The Kingdom of Science needs all the help we can get. We won't turn anybody away," he convinced her soothingly.

"Besides, a shrimpy little thing like you would be ten billion better at gathering sand. We're counting on you," Senku stalked forwards so that he was in front of her and handed her his magnet, which was cute, he was oddly gentle with this young girl.

Senku walked back towards me and nodded his head telling me to follow him.

"They're the first people I've met that didn't ask me why I'm wearing this thing on my head. Its probably because they just thought I didn't want anyone to see my face and was being polite by not asking," I heard her rambling. I smirked at looked over to Senku.

"Heh, shut up," I shake my head at him.

"I didn't say anything."

In a comfortable silence, we collected as much iron sand as possible. Still sneaking glances at each other, not getting caught once.

"You're not Momotaro! Just try not to drown!" My head perked up.

"Did I hear that right? Did he just say Momotaro?" Senku's eyes were as wide as an owls as he stood up straight in sync with me.

"Never heard of Dragon Quest or Monster Hunter, but you know Momotaro? Who taught you that?" Senku asked.

"Whoa. You know Momotaro? That's weird," Senku scrunched up his face at Chrome.

"Ruri told us a whole bunch of stories like his," Suika added.

"Come to think of it, I wonder how you guys would know about gorillas. They're not native to Japan," I say, puzzled.

"I've never actually seen one in real life," Kohaku said.

"Yeah, but I think there's a gorilla in Momotaro. That right?" We quickly walked over to the three.

"No, there isn't!" Senku raised his raspy voice.

"He used those millet dumplings to make new friends. A bear, a lion, a gorilla and an alligator."

"Momotaro isn't a wild-ass, savage hero! I wonder if that story was just an easy way to teach the kids about dangerous animals," Senku concluded.

"My sister must've told me hundreds of stories when we were growing up together. And she loves big words. That means I got all my bigger words from Ruri," Kohaku informed us.

"Is that so? The plot thickens," he chortled.

"I gotta admit, I'm getting low-key interested in this Ruri chick. And now I'm much more determined to make this medicine and cure whatever's going on with her," I looked at the water uneasily, though I don't think he meant it that way. Chrome looked taken aback.

"What the heck do you mean by that? Interested? Like how?" He pummeled Senku with questions.

"Oh my god," I whisper under my breath, Senku looks at me confused as I pressed to fingers to my temple to cure the upcoming headache.

"Huh?" The curiosity was burning up in him, he hated being clueless.

"Senku, hey. Psst, Senku!" Kohaku gestured him to listen.

"He thinks no one knows, but Chrome's got a major crush on Ruri," I listened in while I poke Chrome's shoulder to wake him from his daydreaming.

"Ahh. So that's what that was all about. Right. Great. Cool," he said clearly cringing.

'How come I never get like that? God, I hate feelings?' Senku shook his head and shook away the thought.

"And Chrome's totally like a little kid about the whole thing. He's so oblivious it almost kinda cute," I decided to ditch Chrome and start walking towards the other too.

"Are you two gossiping about Chrome?"

"Yep," I chuckled at Kohaku's blunt answer.

"Hey-"

"I know he's completely oblivious," the other two laugh gently as I try my best to not look at Senku. From there we walked back to our 'base'.