Barbeque!
Two weeks had passed since Maria arrived in Hoshikawa. As usual, she followed her daily routine—restocking shelves and cleaning the store.
While Kohaku observed her, the bell chimed. Yumi stepped inside, holding a bag of sweets.
"Hey, besties! I brought you some treats!" she announced.
"Ooh! Sweets! My favorite!" Maria cheered, rushing over to Yumi.
Yumi handed her the bag with a proud smile. "Behold, my elegant sweets—crafted with love and mastery!"
Then, she turned to Kohaku. "Oh, and my supplies, please~"
"Yeah, yeah, here," Kohaku muttered.
As Kohaku handed over the supplies, one of the packages slipped from the stack. It tumbled through the air, but before it could hit the ground—
Snatch!
Maria caught it with a swift, precise motion, her fingers closing around it so fast that Kohaku barely registered the movement. It was almost unnatural.
Kohaku blinked, slightly puzzled, but before she could dwell on it, Yumi’s cheerful expression faltered for a split second. She had seen it.
Maria, unfazed, smiled as she handed the package back. "Got it!" she said casually.
Kohaku shrugged it off, but Yumi’s gaze lingered on Maria, a flicker of suspicion hidden behind her usual grin.
"Uhh… w-wow, Maria! That was quick!" Yumi said, her voice carrying a hint of surprise.
Maria chuckled, waving it off. "Ahaha, just good reflexes!"
Kohaku raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment. Meanwhile, Yumi’s cheerful smile remained, though her eyes sharpened ever so slightly as she studied Maria.
Quick… too quick, Yumi thought, her smile unwavering.
"Welp, gotta go now! I need to help Ruri with some stuff," she said, slipping the supplies into her bag.
As she turned to leave, her gaze lingered on Maria for just a moment longer than usual before she cheerfully waved. "See you later, besties!"
Maria grinned. "See ya!"
Kohaku watched Yumi go, unaware of the quiet suspicion now brewing in her friend’s mind.
.
At Chrome’s home, he and Senku sat surrounded by scattered notes, sketches, and calculations for the cave mission. The dim light of the lantern flickered, casting shadows over the mess of their planning. It was obvious neither of them had gotten proper sleep.
Chrome groaned, barely keeping his eyes open. "Senku, I’m tired! Can we at least take a break!?" he whined, on the verge of passing out.
Senku, hunched over a blueprint, barely glanced up. Instead, he smirked and held up a single finger. "One millimeter, Chrome."
Chrome groaned even louder, flopping onto the table. "I swear, if you say ten billion percent one more time, I’m—"
"—Ten billion percent we need to finish this first," Senku cut in, completely unfazed.
Chrome let out a dramatic wail. "I hate you."
Senku only chuckled, pushing another set of calculations toward him. "Quit whining and get your brain working. Science waits for no one."
1 Hour Later
After an entire week of intense planning, they were finally done. Notes were scattered everywhere, blueprints covered the table, and the smell of sweat and burnt-out brainpower filled the air.
Senku stretched with a yawn, already collapsing onto his bed. "Alright, now that it's done, I need to rest."
Chrome, slumped in his chair, groaned. "Same…" He barely had the energy to move.
A day had passed since their intense planning session. Senku, now somewhat rested, decided it was time to inform Chrome about the upcoming virtual meeting with Ryusui, Chelsea, Hyoga, and Tsukasa to finalize their plan.
But before he could turn on his phone the doorbell rang—
Ring Ring Ring
…
Ring Ring Ring
Senku ignored it, lazily resting his chin on his hand. ‘They’ll just go away,’ he thought.
Ring Ring Ring
…
Then, a loud voice shattered the silence.
"CHROME, ARE YOU THERE!? IT’S ME, KOHAKU!!"
Senku sighed, running a hand through his hair. Ahh… it’s the lioness.
Senku sighed, dragging himself to the door. He swung it open and leaned against the frame.
"Lioness."
Kohaku immediately frowned. "I’m not a lioness!"
"Yes, you are," Senku said flatly, picking his ear. "And that’s a ten billion percent fact."
"Bastard!" Kohaku huffed, crossing her arms. "Ugh, whatever. Look, is Chrome here? I want to invite him to a barbecue tonight with our friends." She shot Senku an annoyed glare.
Senku smirked. "He’s not here, but I’m ten billion percent sure he’s with your older sister."
Kohaku clicked her tongue. "Tch. Of course he is."
Kohaku turned on her heel, ready to leave, but paused for a moment. Without looking back, she casually added,
"Oh, and you’re welcome to join us too… Bye."
Then, without waiting for a response, she walked off.
Senku blinked, then chuckled to himself. Heh. The lioness inviting me to a barbecue? Now that’s amusing.
.
That night, Senku, Chrome, and Yumi made their way to Kohaku’s house, carrying drinks for the gathering.
For Senku, this was a first—he had never been to Kohaku’s house before. As they walked, he glanced around, taking in the surroundings with quiet curiosity.
Yumi, cheerfully swinging the bag of drinks, grinned. "Ooooh, this is gonna be fun! Bet the lioness has some crazy-good food prepared!"
Chrome chuckled. "Yeah, Kohaku’s got a solid taste for meat. This barbecue’s gonna be awesome."
Senku smirked. "As long as it’s scientifically edible, I’ll ten billion percent eat it."
"Ohh! Let me set up the karaoke! Barbecues are boring without some singing~!" Yumi sang excitedly as she rushed off to set it up.
"I'll help Ruri with her stuff," Chrome said, already making his way toward her.
Senku, now feeling slightly left out, decided to just sit and observe. But before he could—
"Hey, Dr. S!" Kohaku called out, hands on her hips. "Can you arrange the table? I’m gonna go help Maria with the barbecue!"
Senku sighed, scratching his head. "Tch. Guess I’m on table duty, huh?" Still, he stood up and got to work, muttering, "Ten billion percent not what I expected to be doing tonight."
Kohaku shot him a teasing grin. "Hah! You should expect it!" she called over her shoulder as she walked off to join Maria by the barbecue.
Senku rolled his eyes, but a small smile tugged at his lips. Yeah, I should’ve expected this. He shook his head and went to work, arranging the table while the sounds of laughter and chatter filled the air.
Minutes passed, and finally, the barbecue was ready. The group settled around the table, plates piled high with grilled meats and various sides, while drinks were passed around and laughter filled the air. The scent of sizzling meat mixed with the night breeze, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Yumi was already deep into karaoke, singing with exaggerated enthusiasm, much to the amusement of the others. Chrome and Ruri were laughing, occasionally joining in with the chorus or offering playful banter.
Maria, still grilling, kept the meat coming, her focus steady. "Don’t worry, I’ll keep it coming!" she called out as she flipped another batch of skewers.
Senku took a sip from his drink, raising an eyebrow as Kohaku, sitting across from him, nudged him with her elbow. "What, you want me to sing?" he asked, knowing exactly what was coming.
Kohaku smirked. "You should join in. Or at least stop being so boring."
He shot her a flat look. "I’m just here for the food. Karaoke's not my thing."
But even as he said it, Kohaku’s teasing smile never left her face. "Yeah, you’d probably make a great scientifically perfect karaoke singer."
Senku gave her a side glance. "Maybe you should try making the karaoke scientifically perfect."
Kohaku chuckled and raised her glass. "Maybe I will."
Every so often, the playful banter between them continued, a light-hearted back-and-forth that no one else could quite match. But the atmosphere was relaxed, everyone enjoying the evening—barbecue, drinks, and a bit of friendly teasing mixed in.
An hour passed, and everyone was still enjoying the barbecue. The meat kept coming off the grill, and the drinks flowed freely. Yumi took every opportunity to tease Chrome about how Ruri looked, throwing playful comments his way. "Come on, Chrome, aren’t you gonna tell Ruri how great she looks tonight?" she teased, grinning as Chrome turned a little red.
Chrome rolled his eyes. "You’re impossible, Yumi."
Ruri laughed softly, clearly used to Yumi’s antics, while Senku and Kohaku exchanged occasional jabs. The karaoke continued in the background, with everyone joining in when they felt like it, and the energy stayed light and carefree.
Maria, who had been grilling most of the time, stood up suddenly. "Sorry, guys, gotta go now!" she called, waving. "I have to take care of grandma. It was a REALLY fun barbecue! Paalam!"
With that, she grabbed her things and headed out, leaving the rest of the group to continue enjoying the night.
Another hour passed, and the lively chatter continued, but Senku finally stood up, stretching. "Well, this has been fun, but I have to go now. Bye, lioness."
Kohaku shot him a fierce look. "I'M NOT A LIONESS!"
Senku smirked, grabbing his things. "Sure, sure.”
.
As Senku walked home, the night air cool and calm, he noticed something odd—Chrome's gate was wide open.
That’s weird... Senku thought, pausing in his tracks. I remember Chrome closing it earlier, and Yumi even double-checked it.
He eyed the gate suspiciously, his mind running through possible explanations. He stood there for a moment, listening for any sounds, but the area was quiet, too quiet. A flicker of unease passed through him, but he quickly brushed it off. Still, the open gate lingered in his thoughts as he decided to approach with more caution than usual.
Senku stepped inside Chrome’s house, his eyes scanning every corner for any signs of a break-in. His mind worked quickly, running through all the possibilities. But everything seemed intact—nothing appeared to be stolen.
That was until he entered his room.
Senku froze in the doorway, shock and frustration washing over him. His room was in shambles—papers scattered, books knocked over, and his meticulous organization completely destroyed.
It took me nearly an hour to organize this room! Senku thought bitterly. And now it’s in shambles again. Damn my luck!
He stepped further in, scanning the chaos, looking for anything that was missing. But to his relief, nothing appeared to be gone.
Good.
But then, something nagged at him. His gaze fell on the bookshelf. One book, the one he had placed carefully on the shelf, was out of place. He picked it up, flipping it open, and his heart sank. The red ribbon was hanging out from the pages.
If the ribbon’s outside, then the book was opened.
The book wasn’t just a book—it was a concealed data drive, holding all the crucial and final details for the cave mission.
And the drive that was inside that book is stolen.
Senku’s mind raced. Someone has taken it. He clenched his fist in frustration. Damn my luck.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Ring Ring click..
Status Report.
Good news, sir. I’ve gathered information on what Dr. S is searching for, and it’s in this drive I’ve stolen. I’ve also gone through it, sir.
Good job, Xeno would be delighted hearing that. send it to me now.
yes sir.
Click.
“dear could you help me with this? I can't seem to find the screen shot”
“…Coming grandma”
END OF CHAPTER.