Even though Rustbay had its own place in their hearts, it was worth looking at the flower gardens Ohara had to offer. From afar, you could see how the Oharans were creative with how the flowers meticulously decorated the gardens — it was a sight to behold, delightful to their eyes, as flowers wonderfully welcomed them with their natural beauty. It was notable to their eyes, especially to Nami.

"I really thought this would just be a mini garden, but turns out it's like a wide flower field." Nami sighed peacefully, still taking in the beautiful sight of the garden.

"This view really looks so beautiful." Usopp agreed as he took a picture of the sight below with the camera snail he brought.

"You know, I just remembered, way back…" Dr Clover started out of the blue as Robin sighed deeply, she knew where this was going. "Robin always came here when she was a child." The old man said, reminiscing about the old times.

"Dr. Clover…" Robin muttered, slightly embarrassed now that he was about to say something about her childhood.

"And then, I would see her the next few minutes, lying down on the dried leaves my archeologists raked." Dr. Clover chuckled, to which Robin bashfully hid her face from her friends. "And, her book was on her face. What a silly child. We didn't even see her for a few hours because we didn't know that she was covered in dried leaves—"

"Okay… That's enough for now, Dr. Clover. You don't have to say that." Robin patted his back while her free hand covered his mouth, to which her friends only laughed.

"I bet Robin-chwan was so cute." Sanji cooed but Robin only shot him a disapproving look. It was too late, and Dr. Clover managed to pry her hand away from his face.

"It's a shame I don't have any pictures of Robin. She was really cute! But don't be deceived by her cuteness! She often clashed with one of my colleagues in archeology. There was a day my co-workers had to go buy her food because she won debates against them. Imagine a little child against experienced archeologists? That little girl was Robin."

Dr. Clover chuckled as he ruffled her hair but Robin only rolled her eyes. Yet deep down, she smiled.

Afterwards, most of them were still admiring the gardens from the top of the hill except for Luffy, who was planning a prank on Chopper, and not long after, he pushed Chopper down the grassy hillside.

"AAAAAAHh!" Chopper screamed as he rolled down the slope, Luffy laughing his heart out.

"Luffy!" Nami exclaimed, she almost ran down to get Chopper but she was tugged on her wrist by Sanji who stopped her, shaking his head. "It's not worth it, Nami-swan."

Even Zoro laughed along with Luffy, not knowing that Usopp was about to push them both. Without waiting a moment, Usopp pushed Luffy and Zoro, sending them tumbling down the slope behind Chopper. Watching them roll down, Usopp claimed he was the 'last man standing!' There was even a grin on his face when he said it, a bit too proud of himself.

Nami slapped her forehead. "These fucking idiots."

Robin patted her friend's back. "Don't worry, at least they're enjoying themselves, Nami. Don't stress yourself. And, good thing there weren't thorns or else there would've been blood splayed across the garden."

Usopp grimaced at Robin while Dr. Clover chuckled, "Hah. Good one."

The rest of them who didn't roll down the grass, descended on the stairs leading down below the garden premises, and the picnic area where Zoro, Luffy, and Chopper were found laughing.

Robin smiled at them. "Enjoying yourselves, boys?"

"Let's do it again! Come on, Luffy, Zoro!" Chopper beckoned them after he stood up, then walked up the slope. He was followed by Luffy, but Zoro just shook his head. He'd had his fun going down once, so he stayed where he was.

While the others were walking to the picnic premises, Nami looked up to the east, noticing a heap of clouds, high in the sky.

"I think it's gonna rain…" Nami muttered under her breath.

Sanji, who was behind her, followed her gaze.

"Don't worry, Nami-swan. That won't happen." Sanji assured her.

Chopper was true to his words. Even if he and Luffy had grass and dirt on their shirt, they kept on climbing all the way to the top, and then tumbled themselves down the hill. There were some people who were just casually visiting the gardens, who saw the reindeer with the straw hatted boy, and Zoro, pretending that he wasn't with them, but eventually, he shrugged it off, smiling that the two of them were enjoying themselves

"Aren't you getting tired rolling down?" Zoro crossed his arms.

"No! Ehe heh~" Chopper laughed as he walked dizzily.

Zoro shook his head, but he kept on watching Chopper and Luffy until they got tired, rolling down the slope. Thankfully not for too long, it was a miracle that they stopped. Lucky for them it was cloudy, and not too humid when Luffy and Chopper laid their backs down on the grass, looking up to the sky.

"Look, Chopper! I think that's a sheep." Luffy said, pointing his finger at the cloud.

Chopper squinted his eyes, following where that 'sheep' cloud was.

"It's not a sheep, Luffy. That's a heart. What do you think, Zoro?"

"Huh? What?" Zoro was dozing off that late afternoon, seated by their side, when the two began arguing what shape the clouds were.

"I said, 'What do you think about the clouds, Zoro'?" Chopper pointed at said cloud.

Although Zoro didn't want to answer the reindeer, he still gazed up. He couldn't tell if it was a sheep or a heart, since what he saw was…

"It's a flower." He said.

"Bah, booo! You were just thinking of flowers because you were thinking about Robin!" Chopper pouted, frowning that the swordsman wasn't on his side.

"I… What?! I'm not!"

"Hmph. Keep lying to yourself— Oh wait, flowers!" Chopper sat upright — not even letting the swordsman explain himself — and ran all the way to the flower fields, fully distracted by its beauty, and leaving Zoro and Luffy. Eventually the two men followed Chopper and Luffy to the flower fields, much farther away from the picnic area.

"Waaah! So many flowers!" Chopper ran as he touched the flowers with his little hoof — only flowers that he could reach with his tiny hooves and height — at the same time, jubilantly laughing and hopping as he looked back at Zoro and Luffy.

"They're so great for flower crowns, hehe." Chopper said as he stopped in the middle of the fields.

Zoro had some knowledge about flowers, thanks to Robin's flower shop and the books she read him on some nights he spent with her in Rustbay and in the seas of Grand Line, back where he was from. 'Robin might be well versed on the flowers planted in this garden,' the thought crossed his mind but was quickly shaken away.

With a smile on his face, he watched Chopper from a distance as the reindeer seated himself. But, surely enough, those two didn't know a thing either, but 'you do you,' as they say, so, he let the reindeer make his flower crowns.

Chopper busied himself with weaving flowers while Zoro and Luffy sat comfortably side by side not too far from where Chopper silently did his work.

"You know, Zoro…" Luffy started.

"What?"

"Good luck." Luffy said without a hint of malice, unless…

"With what? Zoro lowered his voice, slightly confused, yet at the same time, had a hunch where this was going.

Luffy grinned. "Shishishi. You thought I wasn't that observant."

Zoro glared at him but sighed as he shook his head. Just like he was, Luffy was Luffy.

"You really are you." He thought out loud.

"Hm?"

"It's nothing, you just really remind me of a friend, back where I came from." Zoro trailed off his words.

From time to time, Zoro observed how Chopper looked so happy as he made the flower crowns, sometimes even waving his work at Luffy and Zoro, and Luffy gave him a thumbs up. It didn't take long for Chopper to make the crowns. Already done, he was skipping merrily on his way towards him.

"Zoro, take a look at this." Chopper offered him a… flower crown?

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Zoro smiled faintly, teasing him.

Chopper pouted. "Duh, wear it like a crown. Look, Luffy's already wearing his!" Luffy gestured to his own flower crown on his straw hat. Chopper made his crown consisting of two big sunflowers standing out among a ring of daisies.

Even Chopper was wearing one too. Instead of his usual hat, he wore a flower crown that was made out of pinkish roses. Meanwhile the one Chopper was handing to Zoro was crafted out of greenish-white roses.

"Didn't you get hurt making them all? I thought roses had thorns."

Chopper shook his head. "Nope, because I used this!" Chopper showed him a small pocket knife, and Zoro's eyes widened, never taking something away so fast from the reindeer's hoof.

"Where the hell did you get this?"

"I got it from Zo—!"

"What?!"

Zoro hid the knife in his pocket. It was much safer that the blades go into his hands rather than Chopper's small hooves. He sighed deeply and kneeled, eye-level to the reindeer before saying, "Look… I don't trust that guy, okay?"

Chopper was tearing up, droplets building up on his round eyes when the swordsman took the knife, but Zoro, fond of Chopper, didn't want the little reindeer to cry.

"Fine, I guess you've made an effort, I'll wear these crowns. Will that make you happy?"

Chopper was already sobbing into his hooves, but hearing Zoro agree to wear the flower crown, his expression immediately turned into joy.

"Yay! Yay! Yay!" Chopper was hopping in glee, unable to control his excitement, embracing Zoro tightly in his arms. Luffy then joined in, hugging the two, not wanting to be the only one left out, before heading back with the others at the picnic area.

Meanwhile, at the picnic premises, all they were doing was relaxing and eating the snacks they had packed. Dr. Clover was telling stories about Ohara to Franky, Usopp was still taking pictures, from the flower displays to his friends. They got to talk once in a while as they took in the beautiful sight of the flowers before them, and the cloudy sky above them, not too hot for a picnic day.

Meanwhile, Robin and Nami were busy chatting when Sanji gestured for her to come with him. With a squinted look, she raised a brow at the cook, but with his silent pleading, Robin excused herself to Nami and went over to Sanji. Nami only shrugged at him, letting Sanji tug Robin away from the others.

"So, where are you bringing me? I'm pretty sure you have a long explanation for me, Sanji." Robin asked.

"Uh… We're…" Sanji averted his gaze, and Robin just chuckled into her hand.

"Fufufu, together now, huh?" She teased.

Sanji stopped walking, making the two of them halt in the center of the flower field.

"Uh... yeah. Earlier at the market I officially asked her out."

"The market, huh…? Interesting place to ask a woman out." Robin continued to tease him, making the cook's blush deepen, cheeks almost tinted with a slight shade of pink on his pale skin.

"But really… The real reason I asked you here is because… Please Robin, can you help me with a bouquet?" He clasped his hands, and bowed his head at Robin, pleading.

"Please?"

She could've given the cook what he wanted then, as a way of celebrating Sanji and Nami being a couple. But Robin wanted to tease him, and couldn't help herself to test him playfully.

"Well, Sanji, it's too bad, the flowers are off limits, Dr. Clover might not even allow us—"

"I already asked Dr. Clover and he said yes."

Robin snorted. "Okay, but we don't have scissors—"

Sanji gestured 'wait' with his hand, and quickly fished something out of his pocket. There was even a reddish tint on his cheeks when he offered her a pair of scissors, a piece of orange fabric and neatly folded colored papers in several shades of orange.

"Here." Sanji huffed shyly.

'So prepared,' she grinned, delighted at his gesture.

But thinking about it further, did all those materials come from Sanji's pocket…? How did he manage to fit all of those in there— 'Never mind, it was already quite impressive he brought all of these here,' Robin shook her head in amusement at the cook's gesture.

He really wanted to impress Nami that badly, huh?

"Then, let's see what I can come up with, shall we?" Robin beckoned him to follow her.

If memory served her correctly, she was sure she remembered where all the flowers were planted. It didn't take long to find the ones she was looking for when they arrived at an array of daisies and tulips closely arranged with each other. Luckily, this year's flowers had orange-colored daisies and tulips. As far as she remembered, it was a rare sight to see those flowers in Ohara.

'Talk about luck,' she smiled as she cut them.

"You know, Sanji, there's a saying that flowers are a great replica of human life." Robin attempted to start a conversation.

"I can see that, Robin-chwan. Beautiful and lively flowers that match the greatness of one's soul." Sanji replied as he watched Robin, not too far from the carnations he was crouched beside.

"By the way… I'm curious why you chose these flowers, Robin-chwan?" He then asked as he toyed with the carnation's leaves.

"Oh, these?" She held the daisies up, showing him. "Have you heard of the language of flowers?"

Sanji shrugged. "I can't say I know much… but flowers do have meanings, right?"

"Yes. And these gerbera daisies, particularly the orange ones, represent warmth — putting them in your perspective— Nami is the sunshine of your life, am I right?"

Robin shot a sly grin at Sanji who just nodded bashfully, rubbing the back of his head.

"For as long as I've known you two, I know I'm not wrong, Sanji." She added.

"Well, you're not wrong about that, Robin-chwan… And how about the tulips you chose?"

"Tulips… Hm…" She thought for a moment before carefully choosing her words. "If I'm not mistaken, you feel both physically and spiritually connected to her. And when you add both the daisies and tulips' meaning, it becomes, `the warmth that she brings makes you go on with your day despite how exhausting, and you won't get tired of that love.'

Robin sat beside him as she said those words, and continued, "If you feel tired, you know that you won't give up because you promised yourself, that you wouldn't let the hearth die, wouldn't let the flame cool — that's why I know your love is true."

Robin gave him a mellow smile which Sanji returned.

After that, Robin continued to work, and Sanji just watched her. Robin really was meticulous about her work, her delicate practiced hands mending the flower bouquet for Nami.

"If you would give someone…" Sanji's words trailed off, "You know, to Zoro… what would you give him?"

"What—?" Robin was caught off guard.

She even almost crushed the fragile flowers in her hand, but thankfully didn't, and immediately composed herself, considering his question. What flowers would she give? Probably striped carnations. Or maybe a wild rose? But would he even accept them and not neglect the flowers, she asked herself.

"Zoro might not be the type of guy who would understand them…" she thought out loud.

"Ah right, that moss head wouldn't even notice. Sorry I asked you that, Robin-chwan."

"No, no it's fine." She waved her hand dismissively. "It's just… Maybe he'd still accept them… It's just that there are so many flowers that I could give— carnations, wild roses, but Sanji, if I'm being honest with you, I don't even know if it's worth it. If it's worth the try…." Her words trailed off.

Honestly, for a swordsman like him, he was surprisingly responsible for the things she never thought she could do. The possibility of her coming back to Ohara was low since she had already established a life in Rustbay but now here she was, with her friends in Ohara, staying for a few days just because of him.

"I haven't even told anyone about this but, Zoro will never come back." Robin's voice almost cracked as those words came out of her mouth instantly.

The truth had been spilled without thinking straight. It might have been too sudden to tell Sanji, but the cook didn't argue with her nor talk shit about the swordsman. Seeing the florist's face, he remained silent, and listened, letting her go on.

"Would you even believe me if I said that he wasn't from this world?" She chuckled sadly — if it still counted as a chuckle — and in the moment, Robin gripped the grass beneath her, and slowly, tears fell down from her eyes. Ohara really had a way to make her emotional, to cry harder than she had back in Rustbay. Coming back here might not have been a good idea but…

"Robin…" Sanji reached for her hand and held it in his, and pulled her in a hug.

As the mid-afternoon clouds passed by above their heads, along with a wind breeze that danced away, Sanji patted Robin's back, consoling her in that still, comforting silence.

It didn't take long for the silence to resolve.

As if nothing dramatic had occurred, Robin quickly wiped her tears and took a deep breath, smiling at Sanji, then went back to working on the flower bouquet he requested.

Sanji quickly understood that, 'Okay, Robin-chwan didn't want to talk about it…' but he was somewhat guilty that he didn't even get to tell her something comforting. But he knew better. Whatever happened earlier, Sanji would not ask further about Robin's qualms. He left it as is.

Despite that he, himself, was questioning how and why that swordsman had an effect on Robin, he knew Robin had her choices, a mind to make her own decisions, and that he was only there to guide her.

What was important now was that Robin poured her heart out, and Sanji was there to provide company.

"Nami-swan will definitely love this!" Sanji exclaimed in happiness when Robin showed him the finished product — orange cloth and abaca was now wrapped around the gerberas and tulips she picked earlier.

"I'm glad you like it. We should return to the others now, yes?" She said, standing up from her seat.

"Wait, wait, Robin-chwan, I found these. I don't know what they're called." Sanji held up white flowers above her ear, tucking it in her raven hair.

"Oh, lilies…" Robin mumbled.

"They look beautiful on you, heh." He said with a smile.

"Let's go back now, the others may be looking for us."

"Nami, I hope you like this! I asked Robin to make it for you."

Sanji blushed as he gave Nami the bouquet, Robin at his side, smiling proudly at her work.

"Oh, Sanji, Nami, smile for the camera!" Usopp suddenly snapped the camera in front of them, capturing the moment candidly.

There proceeded to be more photoshoots which included photographs of Chopper and Luffy with their flower crowns on their heads, and the flower fields as their background; then there was a photo of Dr. Clover, Robin and Franky smiling for the camera, sat on the picnic blanket, sandwiches in their hands; Sanji and Nami were photobombed by Luffy and Usopp, arms slung on their shoulders beside the couple; and even Zoro couldn't escape — Nami was the one to take that unforgettable picture.

"Robin! Go sit there, and you Zoro, go there." Nami gestured at the sunflowers. It was a good background for a photograph, 'worth remembering,' Usopp commented earlier when he was the one who chose that background, specifically for Zoro and Robin. Since Nami and the others were done taking their pictures, they all collectively agreed, except for Robin and Zoro, that they needed to have a picture together in at least one photograph.

Hand on the grass below her, Robin almost felt her soul leave her body for a moment — she was exaggerating, she knew that. 'This is only for a picture, not something worth overthinking,' she tried to calm herself, especially her heart, quickly beating fast now that Zoro was beside her.

"I'll be here with Zoro!" Chopper looked smug as he stood close to Zoro's chest.

Robin sighed in relief. At least Chopper was there to calm her, although the reindeer was closer to the swordsman.

"Okay, try to give your best smiles! Three, two, one—" Hand on the camera snail, Nami took a picture of the three, hoping it was a good shot or else they would have had to repeat it once more.

As she finished shaking the polaroid, Nami snapped an almost perfect picture of the three. Perfect, because the way the sunflowers complemented Robin's radiant beauty, yet Zoro, on the other hand, wasn't looking at the camera but instead…

"Oh… Heh." Nami smirked as soon as she saw the result.

"Can I see?" Robin asked.

"Oh, wait. Let's take another one, but this time, Zoro, make sure to look at the camera and not at the flowers." Nami said to Zoro, before she continued to get the camera ready again, she added, "Also, try not to get distracted, 'kay?" Nami gave the swordsman a knowing look.

'How the fuck did she notice that? Oh right… camera snail.' Zoro grumbled under his breath.

He tried to hide his blush, and almost raised Chopper to his face to hide it. Thankfully, he didn't have to hide his face since he quickly composed himself.

They successfully took at least five more shots before they were done with the photography session. Chopper jumped out of Zoro's grasp and began walking around. It was already late afternoon at that time when the reindeer sensed something was coming. His nose sniffing into the air, he also extended his hoof.

"I smell rain…" He muttered.

Nami had heard him and observed the clouds above them. Chopper was right— she also saw how the clouds were closely formed and at any moment, the rain would pour, and they would get drenched in the rain if they stayed in the open any longer.

"Told you, Sanji, it was gonna rain." Nami mumbled but there was nothing she could do about nature; it would rain when it wanted to rain.

"Okay, people, we need to pack up our things now." Nami told them. Sanji and Franky started folding the picnic blankets, while Robin and Usopp put away the plates and leftover snacks inside the baskets.

"There's a shelter over there, let's go!" Luffy ran first even though he didn't know where he was going.

With Luffy fleeing away from any responsibilities, Nami took a deep sigh, and a stress mark appeared on her forehead. But she couldn't do anything about Luffy now that the rain would fall at any moment. Fortunately, the rest of them quickly packed away their things and afterwards, Dr. Clover told them to follow him to a nearby shed, only a few minutes away. While some of them were already shuffling away, not wanting the rain to fall on them, Zoro and Robin were trailing behind them, both walking slowly, not even caring if their clothes would be dampened by the rainfall.

There was a silent agreement between the two as they fell behind. Zoro could almost smell the petrichor emanating from the plants, and the wind brushing past to his skin as he walked in the middle of the flower fields when suddenly, the dark clouds overshadowed the two — the gentle pour of rain was falling upon them.

'This could be a sign that this might be the right moment,' Zoro muttered to himself.

"Robin..." Zoro called out.

Zoro himself knew that he wasn't always the type to think sensibly about his decisions. Most of his actions were made impulsively back when he was with the Straw Hats, well, even till now, he never changed, still the rash swordsman he always was.

But it was as he said, this might be it, the right moment — what he was supposed to do last night.

Robin looked back at him. "Why—?"

Without any hint of hesitation, Zoro pressed his lips onto hers as if he bore certainty — his calloused hand, dominant in battle, caressing her cheek, tip-toed to match her height with his lips onto her own. Zoro might not have been in his right mind to do any of these, but fuck it, he even pressed her closer to his own body with his free hand placed on her lower back.

At first, he thought Robin would pull away from his grasp but the sound of a low grunt left rumbling from his chest when Robin returned his kiss with the same intensity. Robin's hand coiled around his neck, tugging him closer while her free hand had cupped his jaw, feeling him in her own hand. At that very moment, close to each other, was the only exception that she let someone take her in beneath the pouring rain.

He had waited for the right moment — perhaps Robin as well.

Only the downpour of rain was their witness, and the flower fields served as their stage in this chapter of their blossoming romance.

Did he ever want to stop? No, he didn't want to. Did Zoro regret this impulsive decision? He didn't. Despite his mind being filled with ambiguity, this was his conviction. This was right, and never would it be wrong.

Under the soft downfall of rain, away from their friends, there was no one to distract them. The sweet symphony brought by the rain, where two less lonely people savored every waking moment despite uncertainty about when this would end, and how long it would take them, but perhaps nothing would be lost if they succumbed to each other's arms.

He knew that he wasn't fit to be a poet yet he couldn't help but think that all the flowers blooming in these fields could never match how beautiful Robin was.

Was he being out of character? Probably so, because of how she messed with his head. Zoro then threaded his hand on her soft raven locks, which were braided earlier, with his other hand. No further questions ran about his mind, yet — in the next few days, sooner or later, he would be gone, but what mattered right now was that:

With every deliberate beat of their hearts, with every breath they took in their heated kiss under the rain, how he never wanted this to stop, and how he yearned for so long that this would happen even though it wouldn't last, but… it didn't stop him from thinking that, right now, Robin was here with him in close proximity, within his grasp. The word 'love' subtly preceded inside his fluttering heart, a concept he was unfamiliar with but was trying his best to understand now that Robin was here with him.

He never wanted this moment to end — perhaps Robin as well.

Although at some point, they needed to withdraw themselves— even though Zoro wanted not to pull away — or else they might have been led to an unforeseen rush of events.

Robin was the first one to pull away from their kiss, faces inches away, catching her breath from their long passionate kiss under the rain.

"Robin…" Zoro exhaled, and smiled at her with a longing gaze in his eyes — still heaving breathlessly as she was.

Meanwhile, she smiled wistfully, and Zoro knew that look at a single glance.

She might have returned his smile, with her hand that stayed caressing his right cheek, eyes focused in his, but instead of happiness, why were her eyes somber? Dreary enough that it matched the weeping rain above them. He didn't have the chance to utter a word when she embraced him, frozen in his place with her head close to his neck, breath almost tickling his skin.

"I don't want to hold you back from your journey, Zoro. Some things aren't meant to be, like the two of us— you and me. We're like sunflowers growing in the winter season— extremely too good to be true." She whispered into his ear, her voice almost on the verge of breaking, so Zoro held her in his arms. He even wanted to comfort her but Robin pulled away from his grasp, and stepped back before him.

"Robin…" Zoro called her name once again, and he was stunned for a moment before their eyes locked but Robin avoided his gaze, shaking her head, and muttered, "I'm sorry, Zoro… It has to be this way."

Robin's upturned smile that could be compared to sunshine, was replaced with a mournful smile that matched the dark clouds' gloominess above them. Zoro swore that there were tears building up in Robin's eyes before she left, but he only stood there, watching her leave him standing all alone in the middle of the pouring rain.

A confession that he thought wouldn't leave him hurt.

To leave scars and marks, so be it, he knew his body was meant for his skin to be scarred. His body could recover and heal, but… why did her words hurt? Why did they hurt so much more than any piercing blade that scratched his skin? Why was his chest hurting even more? Leaving him with so many more questions in his mind than he had thought in his life, here underneath the falling rain — replacing the tears he held back, he couldn't cry nor scream, just stared blankly as Robin walked alone until she disappeared from his sight.

All these things happened so fast, a moment that slipped through his fingers at the speed of light, he thought it might work, that they would work, but it didn't. They didn't.

And they said the rain itself wasn't that bad, but they were wrong.

Why did a brewing storm come instead?

It was already raining hard when Robin left Zoro in the middle of the flower field. Robin's tears still streamed down her cheeks as she stood by a tall tree, sheltering her drenched body away from the pouring rain. She was heaving breathlessly as if on the run.

Earlier, the day was going fine— so many delightful memories made, from taking pictures to creating the flower bouquet. But how could this day have been such a rollercoaster of emotions? That morning with her aunt, she was found crying in Zoro's arms, then earlier with Sanji, she let a secret out and cried. Whatever happened in the middle of the gardens, she could never have anticipated. Never expected him to kiss her, and that kiss— it was real…

Robin touched her lips, feeling it once again, and a weak smile curled up on her face despite being fresh from tears and crying.

'He's not bad,' she smiled faintly.

She wouldn't have been lying if she said that when Zoro embraced her tightly with their kiss, almost comparable to a slow dance, she forgot the thought of Zoro leaving her. At that moment, it was just two bodies pressed close to each other drowning in each other's abyss. She already warned herself not to step over that line. Alas, in just one kiss from Zoro, she made a fool of herself. He was her first — the first time she had the right kiss, and reciprocated it with the same fervor.

The moment felt right, with him pressed close to her, but…

Robin couldn't stop her tears from falling once again, and she started pacing back and forth.

Was that the right thing to do? Why would she even tell him that? And why would Zoro even do that to her? Was he a masochist? Were they both masochists? Kissing her like he wasn't about to leave her in the next few days. What was she even scared of? Was she scared that Zoro wouldn't leave his past behind to be with her?

That's what she wanted, right? Not daring him to come closer, or else everything would turn into chaos? Not the type of catastrophic disaster that could ruin millions of lives, no, but chaos that would bring her sane mind falling into pieces, then into the spiraling abyss until he caught her in his grace. Her eyes gazed into his own, and said: 'I love you, dearly—' 'Wait… love?' She shook away the thought so fast.

It was all so sudden yet it felt as if it could lead to that. A love they could both share…

Just when she met someone she genuinely liked, the one she hoped would love her for a long time, was when fate decided to intervene. Was it wrong to long for this? Was this fate's decision, for them to meet at the right moment, but parting them at the wrong time?

If only they didn't live in different worlds, if only they weren't so different, if only there is any other way…

If only he could stay.