I had no idea what to do but just stand there and stare at her. What was she doing here? I was probably about to get my ass kicked. She looked just as uncomfortable as I did.

"Uh... Hi?" Was all I could muster. I was unbelievably nervous. This was the girl I REALLY liked's best friend. I had to try my absolute best to make a good impression. Even though we've met, and I could assume those impressions weren't exactly stellar.

"Do you... mind if I come in? It's freezing." She loosely gestured to the outside world behind her. I nodded and stepped aside to let her in. Maybe this was it for me. She WAS also a trained ninja. A fairly good one, too, from what I've seen.

"You know, I intended on coming here to beat the heck out of you..."

I sighed. "Yeah, I... kind of had a feeling."

"But I'm not going to anymore." She said, looking dead at me, crossing her arms in front of her.

"I'm sure I deserve it for one reason or another." I half-heartedly laughed. "Wouldn't even blame you."

She uncrossed her arms, cracking her knuckles. Not intimidating at all. "We saw you with Pucca in town today."

I sighed, leaning against the wall. It felt weirdly inappropriate to sit, even though it's all my body desperately wanted. "I told her this would happen... but does she listen? No..."

Ching's stance quickly got less defensive. "You know, that's basically exactly what she said you'd say."

I panicked. "You. Uh. Talked to her?" I asked. I could feel my entire head turning red. I've never had to talk about Pucca with anyone but the Ninjas or Dada before. Ching felt... like way more of a challenge.

"Of course I did, I wasn't about to run over here with a metaphorical shotgun until I talked to her." She paused to sigh a bit. "We saw you leaving the hospital with her, so, obviously, we followed you guys."

"Obviously."

"We couldn't hear what you guys were saying, but, uh. I can't say I expected to see you kiss her."

"You and me, both." I smiled. I honestly still couldn't believe that was something Pucca ASKED for from me.

"Look. I got Pucca's side, now I want yours. I'm not mad, unless you give me a reason to be. You just have to understand my perspective here."

"Ching, trust me. I understand your perspective way better than I understand hers." I started just fidgeting with my phone with my free hand. "I'll tell you everything I've got, though."

I explained to her everything about the bike accident, which mostly seemed like news to her. Pucca must actually not have told anyone when she saw I was uncomfortable with it. "Then, after I left the hospital when I dropped her off... I couldn't get her out of my head. I was so worried about her. She was all I thought about for, like, two weeks. I didn't care if she never knew it was me who brought her there, I didn't care about the glory or anything like that. I just cared that she was okay."

Ching sat intently listening, just nodding her head a bit.

"One day, kind of late, in the middle of a rainstorm, she just. Showed up at my door. Pretty much exactly like you did. She was soaked, so obviously I let her in. She knew. The entire time. That it was me. I tried so hard to be subtle, and the damn girl noticed anyway. Since then, we've just... talked a lot. And yesterday, as she was getting ready to leave an at-home date I'd set up for her, I totally lost any control and kissed her. I just got lucky, and she, actually... kissed me back." I paused, letting myself be embarrassed. "Sorry, this is the first time I've retold this story to anyone, I haven't been home since it happened."

She smiled. "No, it's... actually kind of nice to hear someone talk about her all flustered like that."

"Well. Then, someone ruined the moment my chucking a knife into my shoulder from the woods." I kind of gestured to the arm sling as best I could. "I'm alrightish now, but if Pucca hadn't been here, I probably would have bled out. I'm... maybe a little stubborn with hospital visits."

She groaned. "Yeah, so is she. If she'd been awake after that accident, she probably would've still made the food delivery and walked home."

"That doesn't surprise me in the slightest. She is possibly the only person I've ever met that is somehow more stubborn than even me." I smiled. "Wouldn't change her for the world, though."

Ching looked ecstatic, a reaction I couldn't say I was expecting. "You know, she did tell me she had a major crush on someone, and that she had a date with him. She just didn't tell my a name." I just started at her. I wasn't sure what the right reaction the that was. "It was like Garu all over again, but... with you. It was so much easier to listen to, too. She's told me all the nice things that mystery guy had said, and done for her. Look, I was pretty mad at first when I realized it was you, but... She seems really happy. And you seem like you're JUST the right amount of flustered and blush-y when you talk about her. So. You get a pass in my book. So long as you keep it up."

I didn't even realize there was a correct amount to blush.

"So." She went on. "Why don't you want people knowing? Is it a Garu thing? Because I can confirm, she's over him. Seriously. Garu is one of my best friends, but he really messed with her head. Not on purpose, he just has no social grace with that kind of thing whatsoever."

I took a second to think. Was it a Garu thing? I didn't think it was... "Well... you came here to make sure I had good intentions, yeah? That's why."

She raised an eyebrow. "I mean, yeah, you're right, but, what do you mean?"

"I'm not a well-liked guy. Don't exactly have the best reputation. I don't want people to think I'm hurting her in any way. I don't want people to ask her if she's okay on the streets every time they see her, just because they saw her with me. I've grown up a lot since the whole "evil ninja" days, but, not enough to have even a remote amount of confidence from anyone that that's true, myself included. Except her. She didn't seem to question it for a second when she came here the first time." I sighed. "I just want to protect her."

"You must be terrified for her uncles to find out..."

"I do not even want to think about that. I think the noodle one might have an idea, at least..."

"...Do you mean Linguine?" She asked, half laughing.

"THAT'S HIS NAME?" I asked, genuinely excited. "I have been WAY to scared to ask Pucca, and if I am going to make the whole dating Pucca thing work, I didn't really want to start off with, 'hey, I've known of you for years and I'm dating your niece, but what's your name?"

She laughed. "I do the same thing with Abyo's family all the time. And he DEFINITELY does it with mine."

"Names are hard for the guy who lives in the woods."

"You know? Fair point. I'm honored you remembered mine." She continued to laugh.

"I was like, 90% sure." I walked over, and sat on the opposite end of the couch from her. "You know, I'm actually kind of glad you came to maybe kick my ass today. I really love her, and-" I stopped mid-sentence, realizing what I had just said, and who I said it to.

"I'm sorry, did you say LOVE?" She excited-yelled.

"I. Uh..."

"You did! You totally said love! And I am TOTALLY telling her that." I was doomed. This girl came to doom me this day.

"Of course I love her. I've known her for forever. Even though she was technically my 'enemy' for a few years... I still always looked up to her. She's basically the perfect human being in every single way. And now? She's one of the first people that's shown me any amount of decency and compassion in years, and it feels so genuine. I know it's genuine, I don't think she could lie if she tried..."

"She can't, she's an awful liar."

"That's...oddly comforting. But yeah... Above everything else, though. I just... do... love her. It just happened. She's always on my mind. Makes the days feel so much more worth living. She gives me a reason to wake up in the morning, so I can roll over and check my phone to see if she left me any cute messages when she woke up."

"Which she always does, I'm sure."

"Every. Single. Day."

Ching stood up, gently brushing her clothes back into perfect order. "Well, you're getting my seal of approval. I'll do my best to convince Abyo not to beat you down, but no promises." She smiled. "She really has been happy, though, Tobe. Have a little faith in yourself."

We exchanged a quick goodbye. I could see her pulling out her phone as she walked through the door, no doubt to call Pucca.

Not a minute or two passes before I get a message from Pucca. "She's protective."

"Yeah, I kind of figured."

"Did her visit make you feel better or worse? I'm still worried, you know."

"Mentally? Pretty good, actually? Physically? I'm going to go suffer myself to sleep."

I dragged myself to bed, feeling any energy I had quickly fading. I've had an unbelievably long two days, but, at the end of them? I just miss her, again.