While the others walked on ahead, Nami was a little slow on her pace. Luckily, Vivi stayed behind to keep her company. As always, Sanji was with Vivi, and he was in charge of carrying Nami's bag while she concentrated on her crutches. They may be a little late, but at least they had an excuse. Shanks and Ace will understand. Even if they don't, Luffy will convince them anyway.
"Summer's coming up, huh?" Vivi brought up the topic. It was getting warmer, and the cherry blossoms were losing their signature color. It was a sign that the hottest days of the year are now approaching them.
"Do you think Makino will ask us to accompany her to Yokohama again?" Nami asked. "I would love to go back there."
"She always asks us to help her out," Sanji said. "I'm sure she'll ask us this year."
"Let's just hope we don't run into Foxy and his crew again," Vivi said with a shudder. "Well, I guess it shouldn't matter since Luffy and Zoro will be with us this time."
"This time, Luffy and Zoro will be with us," Nami just realized. "And I'll be out of my cast once summer starts!"
"Someone's excited." Vivi giggled. When they reached the gate, it was almost empty. A man stood leaning with his back against the wall. His head leaned down while his hat covered his face. When they got closer, they could tell he was asleep. If it weren't for his straw hat sitting on top of his head, Nami would have never approached him.
"You guys go on ahead. Luffy and I will catch up with you," Nami said.
"We'll let Shanks and Ace know." Vivi winked before pulling Sanji ahead.
Nami approached Luffy cautiously. When she reached his front, he didn't move, nor woke up. She waved her hand in front of his face, but he didn't move. She poked his stomach. He flinched, but didn't wake up. She kept poking him while moving her finger up his chest until she reached his lips. She replaced her finger with her own lips and pecked him on the lips. This time, he woke up.
Nami furrowed her brows when he smirked. "Seems like you knew I was going to kiss you. What if another girl came up to you and kissed you while you were asleep?"
"Like I'd let that happen. I can smell your mikan scent coming from the mansion."
Nami stepped back and said, "creeper," before continuing past the gate on her own. Luffy laughed and chased after her.
"Okay. I can tell its you from your lips."
"What do you mean? Have you mesmerized my lips?" Nami raised an eyebrow from curiosity. It sounded ridiculous, yet she wanted to hear what he had to say about this. Her beloved boyfriend always had a lot going on in his mind that she was always curious about.
"Actually, I have. Should I give you the details?"
Nami almost bursted out laughing. She quickened her pace. She changed her mind. She did not want to hear what he had to say after all. Who knew where this will lead to. "Please don't."
Despite what she said.. "Well, they're soft, and warm..."
"No!" Nami would've covered her ears if her hands weren't currently occupied.
"Even on a cold day, your lips feel warm. How do you do it?" Luffy asked, completely bewildered that Nami was trying her best to get away from him.
"Chapstick." Nami struggled to open the door for herself. She kept her arm steady on the crutch while reaching for the door at the same time. Before she could lose her balance, Luffy swung open the door for her. Quickly, Nami took the opportunity to escape.
Luffy immediately caught up to her and said, "you want to know what my favorite kiss from you is?"
"You have a favorite? And what would that be?" Nami couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Luffy pulled off a thoughtful face to make it seem like he was thinking. "Hm, probably the kiss you give me when we're alone."
This made Nami blush a deep red. She felt herself heat up from embarrassment.
"H-Hey! Someone could hear you!" Nami whispered loudly.
"No one's here." Luffy smirked.
-x-x-
The door to the classroom slid open, causing everyone in the room to redirect their attention towards the late lovebirds. Shanks was in the middle of explaining something, when his son and his girlfriend suddenly appeared at the door. Of course, he wasn't too happy about being interrupt during the middle of lecture. However, Ace was the first to notice something odd in Nami.
"Oi, Nami, why is your face so red? And why are you sucking your lips?" Ace eyed Luffy. Nami covered her face with her hands. She wanted to die in a hole. He just had to say that in front of the whole class.
"Outside of class is fine, but none of that when class is in session," Shanks said. "Remember where you stand, Luffy."
"Hai~." Luffy trudged to his seat, while Nami tailed along to her own seat.
Ace rolled his eyes. "Anyway, the summer festival is just around the corner. Just like in high school, we'll be raising money. However, this time, we'll be raising money for our trip in the fall."
"Trip? Where are we going?" Bonney asked.
"East Blue Isle."
Nami noticed a sudden change in mood in the boys sitting in front of her. Both Luffy and Zoro had the same expressions on their faces. It was a sign of excitement. If she remembered correctly, when they returned from their little vacation at the beach house last time, Shanks and Makino called Luffy to say they were taking a little vacation to East Blue Isle. Luffy was really bummed about it and demanded that they take him with them the next time.
East Blue Isle is an island just off the east coast of Japan. It was a tiny island, one where not many tourists would go to unless they wanted peace and relaxation. Nami doubted that was the reason they were going there.
"Tch, why do we still have to do all these festival shit," Kidd murmrued. "I've got better ideas of getting money."
"All right! Let's get this festival going!" Luffy cheered, completely ignoring Kidd's statement.
"Kidd," Shanks started, "let me remind you that if you don't participate in all the activities you're required to do for your goal, you will automatically be dropped to an F and you will be dropped from this class."
-x-
"I can't believe we chose a host club as our theme," Zoro said grimly.
"I can't believe we chose a host club as our theme!" Sanji said cheerfully.
"Will hosting a host club really get us enough money for the trip?" Nami wondered. She looked to the girls eating their lunch beside her on the table.
"Well, what do you think?" Vivi gestured to the boys of her group. "They may not look like it, but we've all gotten attention from the media. If word gets out, a lot of people will be piling at our door."
"Mainly females," Robin pointed out. "I admit, our boys have gotten very attractive over the years."
"I trust them," Nami said. "Um, and about East Blue Isle..."
-x-x-
Nami never expected she would be visiting Luffy and Zoro's home island like this. Luffy told her he was born on an island off the coast of Japan, but he never specified where. It was like she was learning more and more about her boyfriend everyday.
"Luffy, do you want to stop by the convenience store before heading home?" Nami asked.
"Sorry, I need to head somewhere for a bit before I can go home. Can we go on the weekend? I'll be busy all week, and I don't want you out by yourself," Luffy said. He stopped walking when they reached the gate of the school. Nami furrowed her brows. Luffy can be overprotective, she expected that. However, Luffy would've normally told her beforehand where he would be going if he were to be separated from her.
Of course, Nami couldn't say no. "Um, sure. Hurry home, okay?"
Luffy grinned. "I'll be back in a couple hours." He pecked his girlfriend on the lips before dashing back towards the direction of the school. As he ran, Nami noticed a red cloth hanging from an unzipped area of his bag.
-x-x-
"Luffy's sure taking his time," Chopper murmured. He slumped on the couch out of boredom. "I thought I could check on his injuries one last time before I know he's fully recovered."
"Zoro's been gone for a while now too," Brook said. "I wonder if they're both together doing something."
"As long as that Marimo's out of my way, I'm fine with it," Sanji said, then snuggled into his girlfriend.
"Now that I think about it, he's always gone after school ever since the semester started. Where has Zoro been?" Nami asked Robin who replied with a shrug. "You mean you don't know?"
"He said he'll be busy after school from now on."
"You trust him?" Franky asked.
"Why would I not?"
This time, Franky shrugged. "I'd tail him the first second."
"And now that Luffy-san is gone, something must be going on," Brook said.
Vivi sighed. "Its their private lives. You shouldn't dig into their secret so easily. If they want to tell us, then they will. Have faith in our captain and hopeless captain."
Franky laughed. "Which one's the hopeless one?"
Nami looked out the window. Vivi was right. She shouldn't feel so worried about Luffy. She trusted him. However, trusting him alone has been a very difficult past considering all the crazy situations he's gotten himself into. He'll tell them eventually.
-x-x-
Since the summer festival was just a week away, the school turned its attention directly toward the festival under Rayleigh's instructions. Rayleigh was always the carefree and laid back type. Everyone was given a task to accomplish by the festival. Due to her leg, she couldn't do much, but she hated being able to not doing anything. So, under Robin's watch, they were in charge of painting the banners. Nami nearly painted outside the lines if it weren't for a certain distraction.
"Robin..."
"Yes?" Robin asked while not taking her eyes off her job.
"Have Luffy and Zoro been acting... odd to you?" Robin gazed up. Luffy and Zoro were both carrying a rather tall tower of boxes down the hallway. As they did so, they were glaring daggers at one another and murmuring bickers at the other. "Do you think something happened?"
Robin raised an eyebrow. "I'm assuming they made another bet. Must be over something ridiculous again."
"They got home really late last night. At the same time too. I wonder what happened."
-Flashback-
Luffy tied his black sash around his waist, then looked up at himself in the mirror. The last time he wore this uniform was at Nationals two years ago. His old uniform got tattered from his last match, and therefore it had to be replaced. He missed wearing this over the two years he was away. It symbolized his strength and how much he's grown. Makino still kept his first uniform from when he was about seven years old. It held memories.
Luffy closed his locker. As he made his way towards his training room, he noticed a lot of new students, some of whom he recognized from the hallways. He remembered when he and Ace would rush to class from Grand Line Academy before their father would beat them up for being late. Now, the dojo is on campus and he's in the toughest class there is in the dojo. He's worked really hard to get to where he is right now.
He slid open the door to his room. There were twenty students present, not counting the mentors. All of them were already training on their own using the equipment that was provided. However, one of the students did catch his attention, and it blew Luffy out of his socks to find him here before him.
"What are you doing here?" Luffy asked and pointed at him.
"He's been here since he got back. We've all been wondering when you would join," Shanks teased.
"B-But... so this is where you've been going to after school everyday, Zoro?! You're eligible to be in this class?!" Zoro, in turn, smirked. "Does Robin know?!"
"What's wrong, Luffy? Scared your vice-captain might be stronger than you now?" Ace taunted. This lit a fire in Luffy's heart.
Shanks rolled his eyes. Teasing Luffy will lead to this turning into a competition. In other words, another bet. Since Luffy and Zoro's last bet never pulled through due to some circumstances during Nationals, this one possibly might.
"You're on!" Luffy bellowed.
I have returned, and I am not dead. A lot (and I mean A LOT) of things happened over the past two months where I just needed a break from writing and just enjoy my time with my family and cousins I haven't seen in nearly six years. I know it was selfish and I apologize. Bear with me 0.0