The horde of Big Mom pirates, only a stone throw away, was something Sanji couldn't ignore. They milled about, some of them loud, some of them pensive, all of them anxious. Even though it was less than half an hour away from the appointed time, everything seemed to have stopped.
Sanji should have handed Pudding a handkerchief or something instead of just standing there like a complete idiot. He faced down all sorts of foes and monsters, but a girl crying hysterically is another sort of creature. Not something many men would like to deal with.
Worried she would draw attention to their presence, Sanji needed her to calm down. A possible solution was to give her a reassuring hug, the way a mother would to comfort a crying child, but Sanji was too intimidated to do such a thing. He felt the need to keep her at arm's length.
"H...Hey, Sanji! -san," Pudding spoke. Her words punctuated with sobs and the occasional hiccups. "I have a request...! I have just one last request...!"
Sanji paused, affected by her teary face. He was taken aback when she plucked his cigarette from his lips.
Pudding looked him straight in the eye. "A kiss before we part."
Sanji held his breath, fearfully that if he breathed, something horrible would happen. He was unsure what to say or do.
It was a simple request, not a promise or a commitment, rather a simple way to say good-bye. But somehow, it felt so much more weight, so much more importance, like a sacrifice. Why he thought it was a sacrifice, he didn't know.
For a long time, Sanji dreamed what it would be like to kiss a girl. Maybe it will happen during a moment of heroism, or maybe under a romantic starry night sky, or perhaps it will be spontaneous in a moment of passion and desire. The last one seemed unlikely, but a man can always dream. Whenever the moment, he wanted it to be memorable and with the right girl, a special girl. A certain fiery girl popped in his mind.
Sanji blinked, realizing he had spaced out. How much time had passed? Did he miss Luffy's appearance?
Still holding his pocket watch, he quickly checked the time. Amazingly only a few minutes had passed. Relieved, his head tilted downward at Pudding and gently replied, "Thank you, Pudding-chan, but I have to decline."
Pudding choke back a sob, but didn't cry. She was getting stronger. "Why?" she asked.
He opened his mouth only to close it again. How to answer her? Her tear-stained face was filled with so much misery, it would be make anyone sad. He wanted to be gentle, but he also wanted to be honest.
Suddenly she turn away and stepped back from him. "It's because you're in love with someone else, isn't it?"
Her statement surprised him, stupefied him.
Sanji was the self-proclaimed love-cook. Of course he was in love. He loved all women, but to hear a girl say he was in love sounded strange.
"Never mind! You lost your chance, you moron." Pudding spun around and flipped him the finger. "You can just grovel for the rest of your sad pathetic life!"
He just stood there. Maybe he didn't need to worry about hurting her feelings after all.
"I'm so sorry, Sanji-san. I didn't mean it that way," she sputtered, horrified by her sudden outburst again.
He smiled. "It's fine, Pudding-chan." He took back his cigarette and returned to his post. At least, he didn't have to make that sacrifice and kiss her.