CHAPTER 1

Ah – there she came. It had been a few weeks since she started to frequent their restaurant. Rumors had it that she moved into their neighborhood after some incidents, but no one had came forth to testify that. She would chose to sit at the same table every time she arrived, and only ordered three different kinds of dishes, rotating them each and every day. And her beverage would be tea. Amusing, wasn't it? It seemed like it was projected in her head to come and order the meals each time.

"Would you like to order, miss? The same dishes, I guess?"

He had been taking her orders for quite some time now. And it was enjoyable as he would place a bet with his fellow colleagues on which of the three dishes would she picked on that day. Little did he knew that she only chose one of the three options as it was all he ever asked her of.

"Sure. I would like an extra serving today, if it's possible," she said. He grinned in triumph while he glanced at his friends. 'I won' was all he wanted to say out loud. He saw their defeated faces. She used to try every dishes on the menu. But when he took her orders, it would always be one of the three options. He wondered why. Those three were their signature dishes and of course, were quite expensive.

"It will take some time to be prepared. Please enjoy your tea while waiting for it. Don't worry, it's on me. My treat," he said, placing a cup of tea in front of her, grinning.

"Thanks." And with that said, she got herself indulged with her phone, probably finishing her online games. Lurking from the kitchen area, he watched her from afar with curiosity.

Who was her? She came to the restaurant twice a day, and on top of that she had that weird ordering routine. All they knew of her was that she came from another state and that she lived alone. Was she a criminal hiding from the authority? Or maybe she was living a secret agent life whereby no one knew her true identity? Nah- he watched too much dramas. It would be impossible. Ridiculous.

"Thanks for the food." He heard her voice as she paid her meals and started to walk away. Darn! He couldn't get her off his mind. Tried to think of his girlfriend, but failed. She was more influencing than his girlfriend. Wait- what was her name? It had been weeks, but he never knew her name? 'Okay, tomorrow I'll ask her', he thought silently.

The next day was exactly as it was the other day. She came after her working hours ended and there he was, taking her orders again.

"You know, I've been wondering on something. Mind if I- we, asked you what your name is?" he broke the silence. She lifted up her face while closing the menu booklet.

"Shouldn't you tell your name first before asking someone else's name?" she replied. He froze for a minute before fabricating a sweet smile.

"It's Sanji. Yours are.."

"Robin."

"Robin? Hmm..I guess I can call you Robin-chwan, perhaps?" He grinned. Slyly.

"Just-just don't call me that. Seriously."

"Sure, Robin-chwan." He grinned and quickly went to the kitchen. Mission accomplished!

He anxiously anticipated her, but she didn't show up. It had been four straight days. He couldn't help wondering as why she didn't come to their restaurant. Well, she never skipped her routine even if the weather was bad. She would stay in the restaurant until it was safe to go home. It was probably close by, and she wouldn't bother to drive to the restaurant on such a distance. Yet, why didn't she come these days?

"Sanji, are you waiting for that girl?" Patty, his colleague, asked him upon seeing his anxiousness. He gave Patty a fast nod. He did wait for her. Only that she didn't show up. But that didn't mean he did not wait for her. Not even once.

"You know, I think I've seen her somewhere yesterday." Carmen, another colleague of him, spoke. She served as a waitress there for almost two years now, after her divorce. All of the staffs looked at her, waiting for further explanation.

"W-what?" She gulped.

"Where did you see her?" Patty asked her on behalf of Sanji.

"At the clinic, I guess. She doesn't seemed well." Carmen explained briefly on what she saw, but still, she couldn't satisfy their curiosity. Still, that was all she knew.

"Tell the boss I'm taking a leave today. I'm off!" Sanji yelled as he stormed to their locker room.

"Wait! You don't even know where to find her!" All of his colleagues yelled back in sync. It was of no use. He was already gone.

"Excuse me! I'm looking for a patient getting treatment here yesterday. Her name's Robin-ch- ..err-Robin! Her name's Robin." He tried to ask politely, but his voice was threatening. He knew, but couldn't help , he felt stupid. Why did he bother anyway?

"I'm sorry sir. We can't tell you. It's P&C," replied the nurse at the counter.

"I'm her fiance. She wants to break off, and she doesn't want to see me. I don't know how can I find her in this state. Oh God..how can I let this happen." There he was, falling on his knees on the floor, covering his face with both his palms. He didn't even know how he forged the story. Not even the tears he faked. But the patients seemed to take a liking to hear him out. Then, he just mumbled on and on about her until an old lady sat beside him, patting his shoulder.

"I heard she lives alone in an apartment off the road. Third floor. Poor little kitty,' the old woman told him in a whisper. He grabbed the old woman's hand and thanked her, looking confused. 'How did the old woman know where she lived, by the way?'

Wiping off his fake tears, he rushed outside the clinic only to see her on the other side of the road, waiting for the traffic to settle. Her left leg was bandaged.

"Robin!"

He rushed and crossed the busy traffic. Cars honking at him, but he didn't care. He reached her. Gasped for some air, he looked at her confused face.

"Found 'ya!" he said.

"Sanji?"

"Yeah, it's me. I'm playing detective with my friends. We made a bet whether or not I could find you. Gotcha!" He said, still catching his breath. No way. Why did he uttered such nonsense? What would she think of him now? Silly mouth!

"Sherlockian , are you? I'm not into detective things. Why don't you go and claim your prize then?"

"My prize is in front of me." Oh, great. Another mistake. A lethal one, he thought.

"Ha-ha..You're funny." She replied with a laugh. He didn't know what to do except laughing with her. Luckily his colleagues were not there or else he would be totally ashamed of himself.

"Can I escort you? Where are you going? Have you eaten yet?"

"Woa..So many questions all at once. I'm going to the clinic. I have a pizza delivery and so, I've eaten. Are you going to be my chaperone? And since when are we this close?" She threw him the questions, getting alert of his reddening face. Was he that easy to blush? Coughing, he tried to change the topic.

"What happened to your leg?" He asked, hoping to divert their conversation to a different way.

"The stairs were wet, so I fell. But it's getting okay now. Though they say I should rest a few more days. And FYI, it's not broken. Just fractured." She explained.

"Yeah, it's great to hear that. Hey, I don't even know what do you do for a living." He tried to ask for her details, hoping to get answered.

"W-wait. Am I being interrogated? 'Cause it seems so."

"Nope. I'm just curious."

"Okay. But can we continue another time? I'd like to proceed to the clinic. It's already past my appointment time.'

"Let's go. I'll escort you there."

"Thank you."

She was enjoying her breakfast when a black cat approached her. Giving it some of her food, she didn't realize that he was watching. All she knew was that the cat looked pitiful. And as she finished her meal, he was already at the counter, waiting for her.

"I see that you've brought a friend today,Robin," he said with a grin. She looked confused.

"What friend?" She asked blankly.

"That black one there."

"Oh, I thought it was yours. I mean, I thought it lives here," she replied.

"No. The one we own is that pregnant tabby cat you used to play with. She'sat the back, with her kitten. Do you wanna see her?" he asked, hoping that she would want to.

"I'd like to, but I've got to go now. I'm already late," she refused politely.

"But I thought your time's flexible."

"I never said anything about that."

"Okay."Disappointed as he was, he tried to sound cheerful. It's okay, Robin. It's enough just to see you.

"See you later. I'm off," she waved as she walked from their restaurant.

In the evening, a sassy looking girl entered the restaurant. She went straight to the kitchen where Sanji was working. The atmosphere started to tense.

"Who's that girl?" facing him, she asked the question.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sanji replied half-heartedly. The girl started to throw a tantrum upon hearing his denial.

"I saw you. With her. You've never been like that when we're together. What is it that she have that I don't have?"

"Let's talk about it outside. Come," grabbing her hand, he guided her to their locker room. She gave a weak resistance, but followed him despite that.

"Now, what is it?" He questioned her once they were at the locker room.

"That Robin girl. Do you love her? No one knows anything about her, let alone you."

"I don't have the answer you seek. I can bluff all i want, but I can't feign ignorance on what I feel. I loved you. It's just that – I don't know."

"Loved?Loved? So it's true. Your feelings for me had faltered. I've known it for quite some time, but now it has faded completely. Tell me, am I wrong?"

"I..I can't answer that."

"Then which question do you think you can answer?"

"I'm sorry, Nami."

It was all he could say. She stood up to him, and suddenly gave him a slap in the face. She was holding her tears.

"Jerk! I'm done with you. Let's not meet anymore," she said. Paused for a second, she left the locker room without looking back, while he on the other hand, felt a sharp pang pierced his heart.

I'm sorry, Nami. I never meant for us to be like this. I can't contain my feelings for her, though I know nothing of her nor her feelings for me.

The very next day, Sanji was absent from work. His colleagues could not reach him on the phone, and he was not at his home. They couldn't stop wondering on why he didn't come to work. He had never been like that before.

"Did you saw Nami yesterday?" Carmen asked them when they gathered at their favourite corner.

"Yeah, who didn't? I was there when she slapped Sanji. But I'm quite curious. Sanji didn't look like he regret it. Their breakup I mean," said Patty.

"You guys haven't catch it up yet I guess. He was bewitched by that girl. Robin." Carne, the other waiter, replied.

"Bewitched? I think you exaggerate it a bit too much. That girl hardly said anything. She didn't even converse with any of us. How could you say she bewitched him?" Jerked another staff.

"She didn't converse with you, not us. I have no problem with her. It's just that it is so sudden. I know that he didn't love Nami anymore, and that he didn't leave her because he pitied her. Now that he has set his eyes on that Robin girl, he might think that it is time to let go. Right?" Patty explained it in his point of view. Carmen and the others nodded. It sounded real anyway. They just need him to verify the fact, and it will be valid.

"Hey, are you talking about me? Whoa, I don't know that I'm worth any gossiping. It means I'm famous, right? Want my autograph? Anyone?" Sanji suddenly popped up from behind them. He already changed into his uniform.

"W-why? I thought you..you.." Carne could not finish his trembling words.

"I have something to attend to. Not your business anyway. Let's continue our works." Wrapping his apron, he went straight to the kitchen, leaving them in awe.

Earlier that day, he went to see Nami at her house. Of course, she didn't want to meet him. The only one that greeted him was Nami's mother, who told him that Nami was crying her heart out all night. He felt guilty enough that he even knelt down before her mother, only to be asked to leave. Did he took the right decision to meet her? He didn't know. All he knew was that he should apologize.

Robin roamed the street in a low pace, one hand carrying a black tote bag while the other hand was holding a book. She was indulged in whatever story it was that she unintentionally bumped into a man on the street. An odd green haired man with piercings in one of his ears.

"I'm sorry." She apologized, bowing her head a little.

"Tch!" The green haired man ignored her and walked away straight to the restaurant she was heading to. 'What a coincidence!' she thought silently.

As she walked into the restaurant, she found that her usual seat was already taken by the man. Having to choose another seat, she sighed and hurried to a table at the corner of the restaurant. And Sanji was fast to attend to her.

"Robin-chwan, you're late today. What is it that keeps you from coming earlier? It's past your dinner time and-" His speech was interrupted by her.

"Sanji-san, do I have to report to you everything I did? I don't think so. "

"Sorry. I'm just curious. Okay, what's your order today?"

"Oi..! Waiter! Why won't you take my order? I come here first and there you are, attending to her instead of me!" The green haired man's voice thundered the dining area. Sanji flinched. He totally forgot the man.

"Sorry Robin-chwan. I'll take your order later." He then rushed to the waiting man, politely taking his order.

"I'm sorry, sir. May I take your order now, please?"

"Huh-I don't feel like eating. What do you recommend?" The man shrugged. Sanji tried his best to maintain composure. Zeff would be mad if he was rude to the customers.

"Well, we hav-"

"A plain water. I think I'll have just that. Nothing more." The man cut him off his sentence, suddenly placing his legs on the dining table.

"You know it's rude to place your legs on the table. Remove that, or you won't be coming here anymore." Sanji's face turned furious. This man was totally uncivilized. Just seeing him in the restaurant made him mad. Of course, there had been a lot of customers like that, but they never did place a leg on the table.

"Jeez, okay. So where's my water?" He took down his legs.

"A minute, please." Sanji hurried to the kitchen and bring him the drink, plus a small serving of chicken carbonara in case he was too shy to admit that he did not have much money to spend. Sanji was always like that. He couldn't help it but to give people something to eat.

"I didn't order this." The man pointed at the dish placed in front of him. Sanji sighed.

"Just eat it. My treat."

"I don't want to."

"Why won't you?"

"Do you think that I cannot afford paying my meal?" Standing up, the man angrily shouted at Sanji's face, who flinched at the man's gaze. Hearing the commotion, Zeff, the owner came out and head to both men.

"What the heaven is this, Sanji?!" Zeff had made it a policy to all his crews never to use rude words. Curse words included. The green haired man looked at Zeff and pointed his finger to Sanji.

"He thinks I can't afford my meal. That's humiliating me!"

"Look, marimo. I think you need to calm down. He's always treating our customer with dishes like this. No bad intention intended. Just sit down and enjoy your meal, okay?" Zeff pushed the man to his chair.

"Don't call me marimo! And what the hell is a marimo?! The name's Zoro!" The man stood up again. This time shouting at Zeff's face. Sanji chuckled.

"Moss head. That's what it means." Sanji explained, giggles turned into laughter and in no time, he was laughing at his heart's content.

"Stupid restaurant. Stupid cook. And stupid waiter. That's you, curly brow." Zoro pointed at Sanji, anger still had not subdued.

"Hey, I'm not a waiter. I'm a chef. And my name's Sanji, by the way." Sanji smirked.

"This is ridiculous." And with that said, Zoro stormed out of the restaurant, ignoring Sanji's call.

How could that blonde treated him that way? Did he looked like he had no money to pay? What's wrong with ordering just plain water? Okay, that was a fancy restaurant. He knew it. He was just afraid to order anything on the menu, scared that he might order something gross. Like escargot. Eww- he disliked that. And ironically, that was the only thing he understood on the menu. But still, being his first time in a place like that did not bring him any good so as it seemed. Zoro walked faster. He was hungry. Pride did not allow him to eat the food Sanji offered. It was tantalizing and enticing. But still...

Robin rushed down the stairs of her apartment. She was late. And unluckily as it seemed, she bumped into the green haired man again on the first floor. 'Oh-he live here too. What a coincidence.' She thought, again.

"Do you have a grudge over me or what? You seemed to bump into me twice already. Tch!" The man glanced at her before he too, hurried down the stairs. Robin did not answer. She simply headed to her car and drove off. Darn-she was late. Glancing at the side mirror, she saw the man already on his red 959 Panigale, moving past her car. Wait. He owned that, and how could Sanji thought of him as a poor helpless man he was, yesterday? Robin could not fathom the incident in the restaurant yesterday. After all, that man really looked like he couldn't afford the meal.

"Oi Usopp! Where's the forensic report on Doffy's case? I thought I told you to get it yesterday. Didn't I made it clear?" Zoro asked his assistant, a man with a long nose.

"I went to get it this morning, but Tony-kun said his superior is late. She will send the report here directly. Don't worry." Usopp explained. He was trying not to incurred Zoro's wrath, not after he had seen his devilish side once he was angry. His former superior was more tolerable, though sometimes childish to an extreme extent.

"She?"

"Y-yes..a she.." Usopp stuttered. He was lucky if Zoro would just let him go. He had cases to attend to. He did not-definitely did not- join this team to have him murdered by his superior.

"Hmph..I'll just have to wait then. By the way, Usopp..I manage to get some intel last night. Another big shot is plotting on new drug called satan-or demon-ah whatever its name is! Take Yosaku and sniff everything we need to know. Don't come back until you found it." Zoro said in a stern voice that sent Usopp running from his office. God, he was scared!

Zoro trailed him down with his eyes when his gaze was suddenly blocked by a woman in front of his door. That woman! Again!

A/N: This is my first fanfic. Please pardon any mistakes. ^_^