I'm back again for my latest update! 10 chapters already! I never expected that I'd be doing it this far. Whew…!
Thanks for recommending my story P-Chan! Oops…I mean Ryoku's Jiki Sweetie (it's still a kawaii nickname!). You're a creative writer. I love your stories and it deserves to be recommended, too! Good Luck!
Hi, Mew05. Thank you for reading the story, and thank you for the nice review. Yes, we all love that sexy swordsman, don't we? Here's chapter 10 that you've been waiting for. Hope you enjoy.
Flames Of My Heart: Zoro and Nami multiplying like bunnies! Aw, that's the cutest phrase I've ever read in my entire life! Hm, that could be an inspiration too. Hee hee…
Kgmck-117: Thanks for the review. Naa…I'll always love that swordsman whatever the world spelled out his name like.
And never slipped from my mind, thank you very much to Marta, gothywolfie, Yachtzee, Caya Strife and Darkblaze666, for the great support that you guys gave me. It's always nice to have readers like you.
A little feedback for Caya: I do feel sorry too for the guy who would be 'left behind' (whether it's Zoro or Sanji). Because I don't deny that SXN are cute for me also. But for this story, you positively know who's going to be left behind, don't you? So I have to say sorry for him. I'll try not to make him hurt that much XP
Special message for Omnichild: Whatever they say, I'm still lovin' it, and I'll wait for your latest project. Yosh!
Special Case for chapter 10: Fewer humor; complicated character developments; OOC-possible.
Paper Trouble
-chapter 10-
One Step Closer
"I like you. Do you want to be my girlfriend?" The swordsman uttered.
No… He was not uttering those three sacred words to her. Not yet. The morning after the night when he'd realized her feelings for her, he felt that he needed to share his feelings with someone. He knew very much that it wasn't quite like him, but his infatuation for her had nearly brought him to insanity. And he couldn't keep it silent. He needed someone to talk. Someone who's smart enough on how to handle situation like this. Someone who could maybe gave him some advice or solution or anything that could make him felt better. Someone who could……well, gave him a lesson…
And so he decided that Usopp was the right place to go.
Usopp half closed his eyes; baffled of Zoro's words. "Zoro, that's not an honest confession. It sounded more like a failed acting."
"Then how!" He groaned; distracted with Usopp's 'love lesson'.
"Zoro, you only need to tell what you really feel. Just be honest." He assured him.
"I AM being honest! I do like her!"
"God, Zoro you're 19 and you're saying it like an 11 year old boy! Be a little romantic, will ya!"
Zoro swallowed, sulkily, he acquiesced. "My love for you is deeper than the deepest sea, purer than the morning dew. We're like to dolphins who swim freely in the ocean of love. Let me be the happiest man by having you in my arms…"
Zoro heard no reply. He raised his head and was responded by a ridiculous expression of Usopp's. Usopp's mouth was closed tight, but his lip was protruding a bit, and the edge of it turned out to be wobbly. It was an expression between 'dying to laugh' but 'trying not to laugh'.
"What?" Zoro asked; his forehead wrinkled.
Usopp tried to answer but was only followed by laughter. Between his laugh he managed to apologize by saying "Oh, I'm sorry." But he continued to laugh again.
"Zoro, I said romantic not sappy! That's what you get when you're giving Sanji's word too much credit." He said between laugh.
"What!" His forehead wrinkled even more.
Usopp could no longer talk, his laughter burst as twice as bigger than before until it brought him into tears. He laughed so hard until it hurt his stomach and had to make his right hand grip on it. Zoro was so embarrassed. At that moment he could feel that his face went red like a blood.
"Hell! This sucks!" The swordsman cursed.
"Zoro! Oi Zoro, matte! You said you want a lesson!" Usopp called him; his hand was still gripping his stomach.
"I don't need it!" He shouted as he marched away from men's quarter.
At the same time, Nami decided to cancel her sun-tanning plan. She did not want to see him doing the training. It would only made her suffer; watching the man you're in love with but not being able to touch him. So close…but at the meantime so far…
Instead she went to Chopper's medical room and watched the reindeer making medicines. She sat on the chair. Her hand was scribbling on a piece of paper. She sighed as her mind mused about him.
"I feel like stuck in the middle." She spoke up.
Those desperate words that came out from her mouth made the reindeer stop mixing his potions.
"What's wrong, Nami?"
She sighed again. "My mind. My mind is stuck."
"Is something bothering you?" The reindeer continued. "You've been acting strange lately."
Nami took a deep breath. "Chopper, have you ever been mistakenly in love?"
Chopper crumpled his forehead, thinking. Childishly, he answered, "Um…I used to be a jellyfish mania. I had always wanted to try a jellyfish soup, but when Sanji made it last Friday, well it wasn't something that I'd expected, so I think I had been mistakenly in love with a jellyfish."
"Nooo…" She shook her head. "Not like that. I mean…mistakenly in LOVE. You know…man…woman…"
"Ah, you mean THAT love!" He spontaneously responded.
Nami nodded her head enthusiastically.
Chopper bit his nails and his voice lower a bit. "I haven't think about that, Nami…"
"But…" He continued. "Are you in love now…?"
She nodded again but this time in a slow and sad movement.
"And what do you mean by mistakenly in love?" The little reindeer tilted his head to the left, wondering.
"I'm in love with the wrong person." She cleared out.
"In love with the wrong person…?" He wondered again, this time he tilted his head to the right.
Nami could only smiled bitterly that made Chopper stared at her pitifully. The little reindeer walked closer to her and hopped in next to her.
"How could ever think that you're in love with the wrong person?" He asked further.
"Because…" She trailed off.
"Because…" He echoed, waiting for her answer.
"Because I think he will never feel the same way." There she said it. It hurt her so bad when she spelled out the words. Ever since her confession to her own heart, she finally got to realize why -all this time- she had always been in such denial. She was afraid of being rejected. She was afraid that he would never return her feelings. After all, she had always showed herself to him as a dirty bitch.
"Why?" Chopper demanded.
"Because I think he'll hate me."
"Why should he hate you?"
"Because I'm a witch."
"You're not a witch."
"But I know he'll think of me like that."
His tiny hand came to pat the navigator's back, relieving the pain she had on her heart. "Nami, don't conclude everything too fast. You haven't even said anything to him."
"I'm never going to say anything to him." She said incisively.
"Why not?"
"Because he's an idiot. He's insensitive, he's cold, he's brute--" She swallowed, unable to finished her own sentence, knowing that she was in denial again. She knew he wasn't really like that. Although he always appeared to be that way, but that wasn't the right reason for her to hate him. She forced a laugh. "I bet he'll just smirk when I speak something serious like that."
Chopper's sympathy grew bigger. He looked at her with a heartbreaking face. "So what do you want to do then?"
"I'll try to forget him." She said bluntly.
"Forget him?"
She sighed once more. "Yup. I don't wanna get doomed forever by loving the wrong guy."
Especially by having him in the same ship…
Nami rose from her seat, ending the conversation. Her voice was forced to set like normal. "Anyway, thanks Chopper."
She walked to the door and opened the handle. As she was about to leave the room, Chopper called her once again.
"Aa…Nami?" He said.
Nami stopped. Her hand was still holding to the edge of the door.
"This person…if you don't mind…I want to know…" He asked, with a little fear.
"Ah, I don't think you know him." She lied.
Chopper didn't say anything, but Nami knew that he wasn't satisfied with the answer. So she tried to give him a further explanation. "Well although he's…hm, what to say…famous enough…and is growing more and more famous…"
ThoughChopper still didn't say anything, but she knew that he wanted some more.
But Nami couldn't say any further. So she decided to end the conversation quickly. "But really, he's just some sick young samurai who's crazed by girls just because of his good-looking face and his killer body. Not actually my type 'cause I don't think he's rich. Although his head is worth million berries."
She left the room. "Ok, jya."
"Jya…" He replied. The room turned out to be silent when the navigator left the room. Chopper stood freeze for a few seconds. His brain began to evaluate all of the words that had came out from Nami's mouth. He mumbled to himself. "Someone who's growing famous…good looking…killer body…million berries…cold…insensitive…Nami…witch…samurai…bushido…bushido-san…"
His mouth was wide open when he broke the clue. "Hey! that sounds like--!"
In the bar…
Nami sat alone in the corner. She had ordered the largest glass of beer and had decided to make herself drunk. But she wasn't feeling like doing it. She folded her arms on the table and resting her head on them, staring off into space. She sighed, a breath of sound of a name. One that had always been ringing in her head.
Zoro.
There was another sighed.
Chopper's right. I haven't said anything to him. So why do I have to conclude everything rashly?
Wait,
I'm a woman. He's a man. And when a man loves a woman he would say it first, right?
So I guess it's true…
He didn't feel the same way…
She sighed again, leaving the beer neglected on her side. She closed her eyes, imagining his face. She opened her mouth slightly and spoke in a whisper to herself. Something between hope and pray.
Kamisama, are you there?
If it's not him, then make me forget him.
And please send me the one that I should love…
Now…
……………
"Nami?" A voice behind her called.
Nami opened her eyes. She didn't expect something like that to actually work. God had sent her love one! The one she should love stood right behind her! Wait, or is it the one she should forget? Just as she recognized the belonging of the voice.
"Z-Zoro…?" She turned around and rubbed her eyes in disbelief.
Zoro just stood there and stared at her. His mouth was suddenly numb. And it was the same for Nami. Her mouth was left hanging open, willing to say something, but nothing came out.
For a few seconds they just stared to each other.
"So." They both began at the same time.
Zoro lifted his eyebrows as sign to let her speak first.
"So..." She started. "…what are you doing here?"
"I-- I need a drink." He was not sure with his own answer for he did not know the real reason that had brought him here. To find her?
Nami cleared her throat. "Aa…same here."
"…mind if I join you?" He asked.
"Sure." She nodded. "Of course."
In Nami's imagining sequence, she danced in rejoice. Twirling around, jumping up and down, with her hands holding some Japanese victory flag, and screaming 'hooray!'. And Zoro was having the same illusion as well. Nevertheless, both of them forgot that they were in the public area. Little did they know, that a troop of paparazzi had been following them from behind…
"LOOK! IT'S THEM!" The paparazzishouted as they spotted them on the corner.
"Holy shit!" Zoro barked. Without thinking, he grabbed her arm and pulled her along, escaping from the paparazzi.
"Wait! Roronoa-san!" They tried to catch him and followed them from behind. Zoro walked away quickly with Nami on her side. His hand automatically grabbed hers tighter so that she wouldn't be left behind. But paparazzi never cared about privacy. They seemed to be accelerating their steps every time the couple walked faster until they were only five feet behind. Zoro knew exactly what to do.
"We'll have to run." He said to her. Nami opened her mouth to answer him but he had already pulled her to join him running. He sprinted, never leaving his hand from hers. He ran fast. So fast until it intricate her. When was the last time she'd ever run so fast? Of course, she'd run fast before. But not in a man's power. She couldn't compare her short steps to his long steps of running.
"Z-Zoro…!" She tried to call his name; her voice was shaking due to the galloping footsteps and heavy breath that she took. But he didn't seem to listen. He kept running as fast as he could. The paparazzi wildly called out their name, making their best effort to catch them from behind, without forgetting taking snapshots of pictures of them running together.
"Z-Zoro…!" She tried to call him again, but there's still no answer.
"Zoro…! S-Slow d-downnn…!" Her voice was shaking harder once she begged. But Zoro ignored her. He didn't reduce his speed; instead he just clutched her hand tighter. Nami attempted to level his pace. However, it only made her more difficult. His footsteps were much longer than hers, and it cost her threes for every single steps that he took.
Her footsteps were no longer steady. Nami started to get confused with her own footsteps.
Left, right, left, right, right, left, left, right, left…
Her balanced disappeared and what she feared most during the time, happened.
"I c-can't-- Aa--Aaawww!" She fell over, loosing the grip from his hand.
Zoro had to stopped. "Oi bitch, you alright!"
Nami bit her lip. "My ankle…it hurts."
Zoro wiped his face with his hand, thinking how this could happen during his most urgent situation. His head went back and forth from her then to the running paparazzi. For a few second he patiently waited for her until she was able to run again. But the paparazzi was reaching closer and closer to them. Stressfully, he puffed a breath, arms resting on hip, before letting himself doing something that could bring her to surprise.
"There's no time." He grumbled. He had no choice. He scooped her and brought her body to his shoulder. Her stomach was laid on his broad shoulder and his hand circled around her slim waist to hold her firmly as careful not to fall. Nami gasped at his action.
"Z-Zoro! What the hell-- put me down!" She protested, struggling to get down.
"So how are you gonna run with that ankle?" He muttered while running away.
"…I don't know…" Her words faltered.
"So shut up and trust me." He said. She just nodded slightly. It wasn't the first time that he carried her. He had carried her before. But that was before she realized her feelings for him. Now, it was different. Being in his arms like this made her felt...felt...comfortable.
Zoro was starting to lose his breath. Man! Was she this heavy? But no, he wouldn't let those crazy reporters to catch him. He'd run to forever if he had to. But he knew that wouldn't be happening either. So where should he go from here? Stop? Giving up? Of course not!
His idea suddenly came up flashing his mind when he spotted an old lodge far across the street. That's it!
Roronoa Zoro quickened his footsteps, running much faster that before.
Once he reached the lodge, he pushed the door to force it open. The handle was stuck at first. He put a little more strength on it, and it opened easily. He hurriedly went inside the lodge. He dropped her body to the ground and immediately locked the door.
His hand came down resting on his knees to catch his breath. He let himself grasping for air for a few seconds. Then, his brain alerted him that there's one thing that he had almost forgot. Her. His eyes went to her. There, she juts stared at him blankly. She was breathing heavily also. But it wasn't because of the exhaustion like what he had. Of course, she hadn't run much after all. It was because of the terror she had just before. Being chased by a crowd of crazy people was as scary as being chased by the marines.
Zoro didn't want to let her frightened more. He spoke to her between his breaths.
"Just stay here until everything calms down."
-end of chapter 10-
Duu du duu…. (whistling a no-name song)
Ok, this one seems to be a bit more serious than usual. Relatively, fewer humor for this one. That made me think "should I change the genre from Humor/Romance to Romance/Humor?"
I couldn't put too much humor in case of Nami's situations. Because I know how depressing it is for a woman to be stuck in a situation like that! (Wait, this isn't about real life, it's about the navigator).
Oh, yes…it's one step closer and it's third to last chapter! So two chapters left!
One down, two more to go…
Notes:
Matte: wait
Jya: bye
Kamisama: God