"YOSHA! IT'S PARTY TIME!!"
Luffy announced in such great enthusiasm as he held a chunk of meat in his right hand as if holding a scepter of victory. Then without blinking, the energetic captain immediately indulged himself in the pile of scrumptious dish prepared by Sanji-kun on the party table.
Seriously, I still cannot fully imagine that he is our captain. But he is.
Everyone seems to be really having a lot of fun. Sure, because being with this crew gives you more than fun. It's not something I would trade for, even for a dozen billion of belli, and you ought to believe that after hearing it from someone whose god is money. Bringing grief to this bunch of people is the last thing I would want to do, but why would I even think of including that in the options?
As the day closed to an end, everybody seemed to be already preoccupied with each of his or her own concern. Sunny's deck was given certain bliss for a while. As I stood in the open space, I saw the most carefree captain lying on the figurehead of Sunny by the bowsprit, back rubbing against the lion's parietal, face kissing the rays of the setting sun, sleeping. I took light-weight steps as I covered the distance between my initial location and the captain's sacred seat. I stared at his blithe face; assured by his wide-opened mouth which gave out a rhythmic melody of his snoring with a bonus of his very own watery saliva streaming down his cheek, I spoke to him.
"Luffy… I will leave the ship."
Without seeing any signs of him hearing a word of what I just said, I continued.
"And please do not ask me why or even try to stop me."
A couple of coughs springing from my lungs ended my secret confession.
I opted to stare at his peaceful sleeping face for a while. Confirming the absence of any signs of consciousness, I started to thread my way back to the cabin.
I was only successful for a couple of steps.
"When are you leaving?"
My eyes rounded as my ears heard the unexpected but known voice. Muscles stiffened, fists clenched. I turned my body slightly around, slowly, as I feel the dusk breeze brushing through my orange hair.
He was sitting, facing the setting sun. I can't see his eyes.
"I wouldn't tell you," I smirked. "It's a surprise."
Hearing no response, I continued to walk my path back to the cabin. As I reached for the door, a cough let itself out from my mouth again. This time, a voice which had always annoyed me in some way or another came splashing on my ears.
"Will that be such a wise idea?"
A muscle-stuffed body gift-wrapped with a marimo head stood by the entrance. I glanced at the snooping swordsman without turning my head, and then directed my eyes back to the cabin door.
"I will not talk to you," giving out another cough afterwards.
As I took a step inside, he startled me again with his succeeding words.
"That cough… would it be best for Chopper to take a look at it?"
Yes, it startled me, but responded by just ignoring him and continuing my walk towards the interior beyond the door.
He noticed.
That's what I hate about him. He would seldom give out his opinions, but when he does, there's always a striking force with it, and I hate that I heard his voice this time.
He noticed.
The thing that I so carefully prevented Chopper from doing so, he noticed.
I hate it.