It was a few hours later, Giroro was still inside his tent. Busy looking over his guns quietly. Well… With only a bit of sudden coughing here or there. And that's when he heard the familiar high pitched croak of Keroro's voice from outside the tent.
"Hey, um… Corporal Giroro? Can I talk to you for just a sec…? Please?"
Keroro was nervous, and he could tell. They didn't exactly leave off on very stable terms after all... But, as much as Giroro loathed his sergeant's incompetence as… Well, a Sergeant. He was still his commanding officer… And his friend.
He reluctantly opened the flap to greet the green Sergeant with his usual glare. And just like Natsumi, Keroro also had this look of pained unease on his face. With only a nervous fake smile, attempting and failing to hide it.
Keroro couldn't help it, the Corporal looked awful…
"What do you want, sir?" He 'greeted' the Sarge.
"Ah! Hey pal, didn't think you'd actually… You know, nevermind! I was just coming by to see how you were doing, you know?" He chuckled stiffly. The Corporal could see right through him.
He knew that Keroro found out about his… Problem, and just didn't want to be the first to say it outloud.
So, he'd kindly 'spare' the Sergeant from having to be the one to bring it up.
"This is about the coughing, isn't it?" Giroro muttered coldly. He just wanted the damn moron to get to the point already. The soldier was already in a bad mood, as is. And the idiot's 'humorous subtly' was only further irritating him!
Keroro was taken a bit off guard at his bluntness, but quietly nodded to confirm. He would admit this much, he was never good at handling serious situations... No matter how much he tried.
"Has it… Has it gotten worse…?"
Giroro didn't respond. He just remained quiet, letting the silence answer for him. And to this, the Sergeant winced slightly. But luckily for him, Keroro knew how to fix this mess! And decided to help finally brighten the mood with it!
He chuckled, causing the red soldier to raise an eyebrow at his sudden and suspicious switch in behaviour. Keroro could be a real mischievous little bugger when he wanted to be, and so whenever he chuckled… It usually meant he was up to something...
"Oh, don't worry too much about it! After all, there is an easy cure for it!" The Corporal's eyes widened at this. Was there? Did he mean he could make sure Natsumi recuperated his feelings? 'Unlikely… What's his stupid plan this time?'
Seeing doubt begin to reach the soldier's face, he continued. "We could always get Pururu to surgically remove those pesky plants, no problem!" A surprised realization, had finally hit Giroro. And to this reaction, the Sergeant grinned.
Now Giroro could see what he was getting at. And he knew the side effects of that alternative. as while removing the plants through surgery is an effective method to get rid of the disease, the extraction of the plant this way causes the patient to lose all previous feelings for their beloved…
And he didn't know if he wanted it.
"Ah… I see…" He mumbled quietly. Keroro paused at his somewhat sad tone. Shouldn't he be happy that his glorious leader had found a way out of his problem? Shouldn't he be at the very least, grateful?
He stuttered a bit, not knowing how to respond to this unexpected reaction. "S-so…. Does that mean you'll… THINK about it, Corporal?" Keroro asked.
Giroro simply nodded, and retreated back into his tent without another word to the frog. Leaving Keroro confused, and just standing out there numbly for a few more minutes before finally leaving to go about his own day.
He left Giroro to think about it, so he wouldn't have to. He knew it was somewhat selfish, but that was just easier for the Sergeant...
Giroro just sat in his tent as he racked his brain, thinking over Keroro's suggestion of just getting the surgery and being rid of this stupid disease. And he soon realized the ramifications of the surgery should he go through with it, and getting rid of his hopeless infatuation for the Pekoponian female… Would be a good thing in the long run.
He knew this surgery could benefit not just him, but his mission. As, while he would never say it out loud... Giroro knew he was also guilty if not more so, for the decline of the invasion. Because sure, while he'd never admit it, he grew a bit attached to this planet... But more accurately, he grew attached to her…
Time and time again, he had found himself throwing plans in a bin whenever Natsumi had been tossed into harm's way. And while he tried to get over it… Damn did he try.. Actively devising his own schemes to get her out of the picture one way or another… But, when it finally came down to pulling the trigger, he just couldn't do it...
And if he could abolish that problematic obsession, he could go along with the invasion no problem then! No attachment… No emotion… No Natsumi.
...But… That was the reason he also didn't want to do it.
He grew too fond of the Pekoponian. Too fond to just forget her and just move along with the Invasion instead. The reason he was on this stupid rock to begin with! To invade! But, not with her around… Noooooo….
Natsumi just had to be difficult, had to make it difficult! Had to be strong, respectable, relatable, violent, passionate, beautiful! Had to make him literally fall for her after that very damned day, when she beat him and punted him out a goddamn window!
And his petty crush only kept growing after that…
Growing with every little moment. Every battle, won or lost, didn't matter! Every short but sweet conversation they shared, or every long entertaining conversation! Or just enjoying blissful silence in each other's company by the fire, eating goddamn potatoes!
He couldn't tell you how many times he's found himself fantasizing about her, fondly remembering some of the battles they had together, or even with each other. He just knew he did that more times than he had planned invasion strategies!
He couldn't help it! Truly!
...Then again, it's not like he's tried very hard not to... Not anymore anyway…
Hell, he'll probably still be hopelessly smitten with her, even after she confessed her feelings to that pathetic, scrawny, white haired pretty boy and they start dating! Just the very thought twisted his gut and made his already sore throat go dry.
The more he thought about it, he figured he probably won't even see that day, 'thankfully'. And that will be all thanks to her of course, for just being her wonderfully violent self. Though, he knew he should also blame himself, for just being his stupidly stubborn, cowardly self.
All and all, he should be relieved right? Why wasn't he?
He knew he should just get the procedure done! Get it over with! It's stupid to die for nothing! This is nothing! He's never had or is ever gonna have a real chance with her anyway!
...So why the hell… Is he just sitting here…? Living out the rest of his days, unsure of Natsumi's feelings and in fear his own heartbreak!? This practically WAS suicide!
He couldn't breathe.
And once more, petals tore from his throat and onto the floor. He could see the small specks of blood begin to stain the pink flower that littered the ground. He didn't care, he just wanted it to be over already, so he could go to sleep and briefly forget about it.
Was he really that sad? Why can't he just say something? Was he that much of a coward, when it came to her? Was he truly that… Pathetic?
If he wasn't so damn proud, he probably would've cried.
He didn't.
Really.
