60. Sin of Envy
06-01-2024
A/N: Thank you for all the reads and votes guys! This fic is heading toward 100k reads at a steady rate, it's crazy. I can never thank you enough. (*ï¼¾â½ï¼¾*)
Q: Got anything planned for this summer?
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"Okay, so basically, I'm going to help infiltrate the palace with Kohaku and Amaryllis to steal the petrification device from the master," you explained after hearing the entire story from the group.
They had also told you about Amaryllis backstory about seeing the device for the first time. According to Senku, the device had three rules to it: it has a set range, it can petrify the user if too close, hence it being thrown, and the petrification can be stopped if parts of the body were to be removed. You had also learned that Kirisame and Moz were the master's top dogs, which caused you to realize that you really did have a shot at getting picked.
"Yes. All while looking for the platinum," said Senku. "But first thing's first, we need to deal with a few problems before attending the harem selection."
"And that is having to fix Kohaku-chan's boorish attitude and appearance!" cried Gen as he pointed directly at the blonde woman. "We need your help, (Y/N)-chan! You know exactly what 'ladylike' means!"
You looked at the lioness, who had a cat-like expression on her face as the man stuck his finger toward her. Upon seeing her, you had a feeling that you knew what they wanted to fix with her. But really wanted to confirm it first.
With a sigh, you crossed your arms and asked, "Okay, how we 'fix' her then? I can see that you guys changed her dress to something more elegant. Kohaku, what do you think of the dress?"
"I like the way it looks but it's really hard to move around in! Especially around the legs!" Kohaku told you as she tried to do a flip in front of you, shocking everyone around her. She then equipped her shield and sword on her back, which you immediately snatched away from her.
"I can see what needs fixing now..." you muttered to yourself, then faced the blonde girl. "Okay, I will help Amaryllis with fixing Kohaku. But clothes aren't the only things that makes someone pretty...we need some make-up! If this is essentially a beauty contest, we need her looking more feminine!"
"Then, we need the lab. I can't do anything with what we've got in hand," said Senku as he nodded at your claim.
The five of you lead Amaryllis to the ship while explaining to her that it was important to have. Since science was your trump card, you needed the lab on the island.
"Did you sail here on that?! This is my first time seeing a ship that big!" Amaryllis wondered with surprise.
"Yeah, and it's overflowing with enemies...I could probably sneak in there and get the lab, though," you mentioned as you studied the enemy's formation.
Senku looked directly at you with furrowed brows. "No way. You can't do that with all of them up there, especially if you're doing it alone."
You turned to him with determined eyes. "I won't be alone. There's a survivor on that ship. I'll be able to help her if one of you send some sort of subtle signal."
"What kind of signal would be subtle?" Soyuz questioned you.
"I'm... not sure, but I'm going to go over there," you declared as you started heading down the cliff side in a haste, ignoring everyone around you.
"Are you kidding me, slowpoke..." This caused Senku to let out a sigh, reminding him of the time you left without a care in the world to help someone. Some things never change. But it's not like he'd change that part of you either.
"Wait, wait, who's the other survivor, (Y/N)?!" Kohaku blurted out as she started following you. However, because of her dress, she couldn't climb around as well as you did, and ended up going another way. She was then catching a glimpse of the ship a bit better from where she was, which resulted in her getting angered upon seeing the statues get destroyed on board.
"Who are you? What are you doing here and what village are you from?" You suddenly heard around Kohaku's direction.
You turned toward the voice to see a woman looking directly at the lioness with an intimidating aura. Kohaku went on the defensive, which caused the woman to swiftly go on the offensive. She was strong--you could tell. This was probably Kirisame, one of the top dogs of the master; the one as strong as Moz.
Before you could even help her, your friend glanced over to you. The look she shot at you made you stop in your tracks, meaning that she didn't want your aid. She wanted you to keep going.
"Lab! I need the... lab!" Kohaku suddenly shouted as loud as she could, defending herself against the woman's s violent attacks. "That's all I need! Please!"
The green-eyed woman stopped attacking, clearly confused by the word the lioness had mentioned. You looked over to the side to see Senku and the others quickly coming down to check on her, while you continued to climb around to make it to the water. But Gen had other ideas--the grin on his face was completely faked when you looked over.
"Go on, Lab-kun! Your woman is waiting for you!" The mentalist pushed Senku toward the blonde girl.
With sweat dripping down their heads, knowing full well you were watching and listening, the man continued to play up his act. He grabbed Kohaku and Senku, wrapping them around his arms, and stated, "Sorry, sorry! She's just soooo possessive. She gets so jealous and starts a fight as soon as she finds another girl hanging around him!"
What the hell is he doing... you thought as your furrowed your eyebrows. As you watched, you had finally made it to the water to swim toward the ship.
Kohaku gulped as she eyed you in an apologetic way, then added firmly, "That's right! Lab-kun and I are lovers!"
The next thing she did made you shocked to the core. She forcefully grabbed Senku's head and turned it toward her to give him a kiss.
"HUH?!"
You, Soyuz, Amaryllis, and Kirisame had the same expression on your faces, while Gen seemed to find it amusing that his plan actually worked. You were lucky enough that Soyuz made such a loud noise that it covered the one you made. However, you squinted enough to see that their lips weren't actually touching, and that their eyes looked exactly like dead fish eyes.
But you couldn't exactly force down that uncomfortable feeling that formed in your gut all the way. You knew that feeling too well. It was envy. Envy really was a sin to be avoided... and you needed to redirect it into something else.
Nonetheless, the act was enough for everyone to get distracted, and you swiftly swam toward ship with quiet motions. You used your short sword to stick it's blade into the cracks of the ship's planks so you could climb up. But you stopped as you heard some people talking up top.
"I could've sworn that this barrel here just moved," said an old gravelly voice stated.
"Huh? It did?"
"Indeed, it did. By a width of my pinky finger. These old eyes of mine don't lie."
The tone of that old man you heard was dangerously close. But since a barrel had moved on its own, that meant a survivor was on the ship right now.
That must be Suika! You frantically thought to yourself, trying to think of a way to save her.
Suddenly, you heard the sounds of glass shattering in what sounded like the greenroom of the ship. All of the intruders started heading toward the room made of "ice," leaving nobody on deck for now. You quickly hopped onto the ship and started lifting the barrels, only to find a blonde coward under one of them.
"Ginro?!" You widened your eyes upon seeing his figure.
"(Y/N)!" Ginro cried with tears. "How are you here?!"
"Be quiet!" You whisper-shouted at the blonde boy as you shoved a finger against his mouth. "Suika must've been the one in the greenroom...but where's Haru?! They were with you when everyone got petrified!"
The boy winced at your strict tone. "Haru's alive somewhere! I don't know where they are. We split up before we could get caught!"
"Shit... well, we gotta get going! Suika is doing what she can to distract them, so we need to get to the lab. Let's start going over there, okay?" You started heading over to the lab as quick as possible, but realized Ginro had ditched you mid-speech to grab Kinro's statue. "God damn it, Ginro!"
You didn't want to waste any more time, so you had run down to the mobile lab to see Haru already down there, alive and well. They were using the lever to get the vehicle moving above the ship, and had put the grass covering over it.
"Haru!" You loudly whispered.
They turned their head toward you and you saw that their eyes were full of relief. "Senpai, you're alive?!"
"Yeah, yeah, I am, but where's Suika?!" You questioned them.
"She's on the deck, distracting all those people up there!" They answered you.
"Okay, get in the lab, turn the car on, and start driving when this is open! I'll take over when I get inside!" You instructed as you grabbed the lever.
Haru nodded and climbed up the platform that the lab was on and swiftly went in by your instruction. Using all your strength, and thanks to the iron pumping you've done in the past, you used the lever to make it rise. Ginro suddenly burst through the doors as you were doing it yourself.
"I'll do it, (Y/N)! You get in and drive!" Ginro cried out as he grabbed the lever and started pumping rapidly.
You nodded and climbed onto the platform to head inside with the other kids. As you went in, you quickly took over the front seat and immediately started driving off of the boat's deck the moment you saw the opportunity to. At the same time, Ginro ran out to jump on the lab while the villagers were distracted.
Quickly heading toward land, you picked up the rest of the gang with the lab.
"Great job, guys!" Senku smirked as he placed a hand on top of Suika and Haru's head. He then looked over to you with a grin. "Heh, I gotta stop doubting you, slowpoke."
You replied, "Thank you, love, but we can't celebrate right now! They're going to surround us!"
"Heh...leave it to me!" He snickered as he held up some shells and a white flower in his hand.
~~~
Your group quickly escaped thanks to Senku's science creation of "skatole," which was the most horrid smelling thing you've encountered. Luckily, it drove the intruders away into thinking that the mobile lab was a beast. At the same time, Amaryllis had guided you to a seaside cave that was only accessible through the water, which allowed for the perfect hiding spot.
"This place has been carved out by the waves over time..." Senku explained as he examined the area when leaving the parked lab.
"We should be safe here for now. As far as I know, only the people of my village know of the Sapphire cave," said Amaryllis.
You then got out of the vehicle to see that the cave was big enough to hold experiments, and the water reflected enough light into the cave. Though, seeing it didn't exactly help you relax and your feelings were still bubbling harshly inside of you.
"I'll just swim out to make sure nobody followed us," you quickly stated.
The mentalist then pushed the scientist in your direction as you walked off toward the water. The mood was extremely tense.
"Please go cheer her up, Senku-chan. I know for a fact that she's angry with me," said Gen, who had felt bad about what he had done earlier. If he was being honest, there was no other ideas that came up when he was trying to save Kohaku from Kirisame.
Kohaku gulped and added, "Please tell her that making her angry wasn't my intention!"
"Yeah, yeah, you think I'm gonna let her stay like that? Don't need to tell me twice," Senku let out a sigh as he headed in your direction.
He started swimming out with quiet motions. As he reached the entrance of the cave, he saw you squatting on a small piece of land that was washed away by the water, but covered so that you wouldn't be spotted from above. You were holding your knees close to your chest as you ran your finger across the gentle waters. The scientist came up from behind and just stood next to you.
"You know you don't have to go out of your way to see if we're being followed again," said Senku.
You replied, "I know. And I know you came out here just to check on me. I'm sorry if I worried you."
He answered as he breathed out, "Don't apologize, it's not your fault. I'm sorry for what happened earlier. My neck nearly snapped just from the act itself."
Slightly flinching at the mention of earlier events, you said, "It's not your fault. I know you guys didn't have a choice. If you guys didn't do that kiss act, who knows what could've happened."
Senku saw that you were gazing down into the water with what appeared to be guilt. "You're jealous about what happened, aren't you?"
You widened your eyes as you looked at him with a suddenly darkened face. He could see it so clearly with the moonlight cascading down on you. Sputtering out as you stood up, you stared at him, "W-Who would be jealous?! It was all an act, after all! We needed anything we could to get to have Kirisame and the others distracted..."
A smirk curled on his face as he slightly leaned down to meet your eyes. "Don't lie to me, (Y/N). It's clearly written all over your face."
"Senku!" You whined as you covered up your face when he started laughing. "You don't have to laugh!"
He started holding in his joy to your request. "Sorry, but I find it quite amusing that you would be jealous. I never took you to be the type."
You sighed as you placed a palm on your warm head, watching the ocean water hit the rocks with a gentle to and fro. With a quite voice, you replied honestly, "I never took myself as one either. I knew you had no interest in women before, and redirected those feelings toward something else when I did. Like when you got married to Ruri."
"You got jealous then?" He wondered.
"Yeah, the excuse I made was pretty stupid, huh? I even got jealous when Ryusui said he was gonna have you for himself if he got me..." you nervously admitted with a chuckle.
"There's no way in hell I'd ever be with him. I can't believe you actually got worked up with that moron," he stated with lidded eyes.
"In a way, though, not really. But this time, it was different. Seeing something happen when you have ownership is different." Your eyes wandered back to him as you spoke.
The green-haired boy asked, "You know that the kiss wasn't an actual kiss, right?"
"I know. But it's not like I have complete control over these feelings," you muttered with a frown. "I don't want to feel this way. Kohaku is my friend, and I know she doesn't feel that way toward you."
He could really tell you felt bad about being envious. Senku then held his hand out for you, which you weren't reluctant to take a hold of. In a softer tone, he asked as he tenderly held your hands in his, "Would it make you feel better if I reassured you that I would never abandon you? That I would always care for you? That I'd stay by your side, and that I love you, ten billion times?"
Consequent in hearing those words, you let out a gentle giggle. "I guess it would."
"Then I'll say it. I'll say it whenever you need it or when you're in need of reassurance. Just for you," he affirmed.
A dove-like smile grew on your face. "Thank you, Senku. I love you too. But I think I've gotta do this to help with what I'm feeling right now."
With a raised eyebrow, he questioned, "And what's that--"
You interrupted him by taking his face into your hands, then leaning forward to place a kiss on his lips. It lasted a few seconds, but allowed your jealousy to transform into those fluttering butterflies in your stomach--the excitement of love.
"Ah, I feel much better now," you laughed lightly as you pulled back. You saw that his ears were a tad bit red, and his crimson-colored eyes were softened upon looking at you. You internally squealed over how cute he was. "I'll be heading back now...feel free to join me in bed so we can get ready for tomorrow."
As you turned around, you felt his hand quickly wrap around your wrist. Pushing the stray hairs from your back, he placed a soft kiss on your nape. This caused you to stop and blush heavily when realizing what he'd done.
"Senku!" You looked back at him as you placed a hand over your neck. "On the nape, of all places?!"
"Look, if you surprise me with a kiss, don't get upset when I do it back," he chuckled.
"Okay fine!"
The two of you swam back into the cave, where your friends were waiting. Before you could do anything when getting to land, Kohaku came up to you with a frantic look on her face, as well as Gen.
"I'm sorry, (Y/N)-chan! I couldn't think of any other way to make that woman leave!" Gen apologized to you.
"And I am so, so sorry, (Y/N)! I can't continue living like this, so I have to give one to you!" cried Kohaku and she immediately grabbed the sides of your head and placed a kiss right next to your lips.
"AHH?!" Everyone screamed in unison. You, on the other hand, were speechless as your face darkened in color by her sudden act of affection.
"HAH?! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, LIONESS?!" Senku yelled at her with tick marks all over his head.
She replied as she let go of your head, "I HAD TO MAKE IT UP TO HER FOR KISSING YOUR DISGUSTING FACE!"
"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT!" Your boyfriend retorted as he grabbed your arms and pulled you away from the lioness.
"Wait, wait, Senku and Kohaku-chan kissed?!" Ginro screamed out, then turned to you. "Are you three a thing now?! What happened?!"
"Obviously not, idiot! They clearly had to do something to save their asses!" Haru interjected.
As the group argued, Amaryllis and Soyuz explaining the entire situation to those who have missed it. Meanwhile, all you did was ignore them and went straight to sleep. The stress of today was eating at your energy, and you finally could relax after getting to safety.
-To be Continued-
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I had to rearrange bits and pieces of writing a bunch for this just so my ideas could be executed correctly. I hope this isn't too OOC for you guys!
Anyway, here's a writer's meme: