"Uuuuuuuuuuuu-" you've been saying for a bit too long now.

The computer that was your brain just completely crashed. Senku just kept looking at you, patiently waiting.
'Fuck! Fuck! What do I say?!' you freaked out, your heart going crazy. 'Shit! No! I can't tell him! Not like that not now! It's too soon I'm not ready! Don't just stare at me like that with your handsome face! Go back to being too busy with science! Oh god!'
"Senku!" Kohaku, like an angel, walked in. "Does that mean we'll finally be able to make the cure-all for my sister?!"
'Saved by the bell!!! Retreat retreat!'
As Senku's attention was shifted, you took a few steps away and tried to calm yourself from that horrible situation.

But you haven't left his sight, he sighed at your reaction. He figured you weren't going to say anything, he was just about to let you go before you got interrupted. And he wasn't planning on bringing it up again, but after his life-on-the-line mission, he needed to tease you a bit. He knew you weren't ready, and he was totally okay with that. It's not like he was either.

He smiled and looked back towards Kohaku.
"That's right, now that's we collected the materials, all we have to do trudge through the road map's blocks ahead and check them on our way to out goal!"
He walked to the lab and grabbed some glassware.
"All we'll knock 'em out all at once today! Here comes our full-force surge of chemical cooking! Now this is exiting!"

Now that you finally recovered from your heart attack, you could fully enjoy Senku's little chemistry class. Gagging at out cool each lethal chemistry he made was, though poor Suika was probably traumatized. And you found adorable the way Senku was holding them like they were his babies.

"Alright! We've just about finished!" Chrome exclaimed.
"All we need is three more things:" he said. "Sodium bicarbonate, aniline and acetic anhydrine."
"Senku, you know you're the only one who understands that stuff." you said. "Just tell us how to get it."
He smiled.
"To need any of them, we'll need alcohol."
"So I guess that's our last step?"
"You got that right!"

"Then let's go make some booze already!"
"Let's do this!" Chrome added as you all went outside.
"It's gonna take a bit of time and labor, but we'll manage with man-power as always."
"What are you talking about?" Kaseki asked. "If you win the village games tomorrow, they'll give you more alcohol than you can ever drink."
"Awesome! Then we definitely have to win!" your smile faded after a second. "Wait, tomorrow already?!"
"Kukuku, looks like we have no choice but to win, even if it kills us! We're right up the time limit!"

This morning, before anyone arrived, you were outside, playing your new djembe. A light and jumpy rhythm to externalize your excitement for the upcoming tournament.
As soon as you heard their steps on the wood of the bridge, you stopped and quickly put the instrument aside. No offense to your friends, but you didn't think you could take any more being-surrounded-and-praised situation. Three times in a row was enough.

"Senku you're going to enter the village games?!" Kohaku asked once you were all gathered in the lab.
"Yup! I made the request myself!" Ginrou cackled. "After all, you're above 14 and not married, right Senku?!"
"Kukuku! It doesn't say a damn thing about having to be a member of the village!"
The two of them high-fived.
"Since when did Senku and Ginrou get that buddy-buddy with each-other...?" Suika asked.
"I guess their sleaze-bag nature binds them together." Kohaku rubbed her face, shaking her head.

"Above 14...?" you mumbled. "Don't you find it pretty creepy to get people married at such a young age? 'Cause I'm creeped out."
"Well it is a primitive village of the stone world." Senku shrugged. "You shouldn't expect them to very 'woke'."
Seeing your bothered expression remained, he added.
"Don't worry, once science takes over, they'll be too occupied with working to the bone to do that kind of stuff."
You laughed.

"But Senku...?" Kohaku asked. "What about your fighting abilities?"
"Kukuku I don't plan on winning! All I need to do is tire out my opponent and we'll be ahead."
"And not only that!" Ginrou excitedly exclaimed. "If we end up fighting each-other..."
"It'll be an easy win!" you added. "That's genius! Now I wanna participate too!"
"But (Y/n)...you're a girl."
"And also, it's too late, the village games are just about to start." Senku added before you burst all your anger onto Ginrou.

"You're fixing the games?!" Kinrou exclaims. "No matter how troublesome they are, rules are rules! I'm not gonna lose on purpose just to help fix a match!"
"Good!" you nodded. "Because we want you to win! So you don't have to cheat at all!"
"That's right~!" Senku smirked. "After all, all you need to do is beat the strongest, Magma! So just save your strength while you keep winning 'till then!"
"You'll do you and we'll do us! That's all!" Ginrou said, with a similarly evil very snake-like expression. "No problem right~?!"

"Why do I not feel like I'm on the side of justice when I look at your faces?" he mumbled, then looked at Kohaku. "Kohaku, what will you do?! Are you okay with sullying the games with this kind of foul play?!"
"Well I mean... If it raises our chances to save Ruri, even a little bit."
"It's for the cause~! Doin' it for the cause!" you raised your fist.

For the first time, you and Senku were walking through the bridge.
"Man..." you looked down at your feet. "It's almost weird."
"It's been five months since our arrival..."
"Felt like only a few days."
"For the first time, we'll set foot in the village."
You giggled out of excitement, or nervousness. Maybe both.

Of course, everyone was staring at the two of you. Not sure what to do, you made a little wave of the hand as the two of you walked to where the village games will be held. Glancing at Senku, you smiled seeing his face. Satisfied, and looking ahead.
'That motherfucker. He's loving it!'
"Mister Senku, I presume?"

You turned around and saw a girl, who looked just like Kohaku. Except for her long hair and more gentle and fragile look. She was staring at Senku in disbelief.
"So you're the priestess Ruri." he said. "At last we meet face to face."
"There is something that I absolutely must ask you..." she paused, hesitant. "What is your family name?"

"Huh?" you frowned in confusion.
"A...family name?" you heard people ask themselves in the crowd.
"A family name is another name that would precede your normal name-"
"Yeah yeah, we know what a family name is." Senku sighed.
"Could it be...You are Ishi..."

Your jaw dropped at what she was about to say, and gasped when she fell on the ground, coughing violently.

"Oh my god! Are you okay?!"
You rushed towards her but was stopped by a woman with black hair while Ruri got surrounded by her entourage.
"Outsider! Stay away from the priestess!"
"But we can heal her! That's bullshit!"
"You're already allowed in the village! Don't push your luck!"

You were about to give a sick comeback when Senku grabbed your shoulder.
"Calm down. We don't wanna cause a dog fight."
'Did you just compare me to a fuckin dog?!'
You looked back, Ruri was being carried back to her room. You sharply exhaled in frustration.

"So what was the deal back there?" you turned towards him. "She knew your family name right? How is that even possible?"
"I also have a boatload of things to ask her." he kept looking at her. "After Kinrou wins and marries her, we'll take our time and go over all of it."

"That's fine and all..." Kohaku said. "But it's all going to come down to what the tournament pairings are."
"Pretty much yeah." you smiled.

"Cheating, fixing, rigging, who cares?!" Ginrou exclaimed, proud of his scumminess. "All we're after is winning! We've gotta beat Magma if we wanna save Ruri after all!"
"Doin' it for the cause baby!"
"Yeah!" Senku smirked. "Fair and square my left nut! These are the village games of schemes!"

The three of you laughed. This time, the fact that you and the boys' were on one hand excited and cheerful, on the other evil and sleazy-looking, was seen by the whole village, and it just made them unsettled.

"So all we need is Kinrou and Magma to be in different blocks." you concluded after the participants picked their straw.
"It's going to be decoded by a lottery, which means all we can do is pray to god." Suika joined her hands together. "Please let Kinrou and Magma be in different blocks. Please let Kohaku and Magma be paired up immediately." she repeated over and over.
"Are you doing tongue twisters over there?" Kaseki asked.

"Don't worry Suika." you tapped the top of her watermelon shell. "There's eight people, and two of them. I'd say the maths are in our favor."
...

.

.

.

"Round one of the village games will be Kinrou versus Magma!"

While your entire group was expressionless, overwhelmed by a feeling of despair, you covered your face in your hands, whimpering and laughing at the same time because of the comedy of the situation.
Sometimes, you just need to shut the fuck up.
'Cause you know, it only happened twice. But like, it was two times too many.