Corazon tells you how he fell for Trafalgar Law and you take a masochist decision.
It takes you a couple of seconds to realize that Corazon is still talking really hurriedly, as if he was nervous as hell, so you somehow manage to push back the lump that makes you feel your throat really tight and itchy and interrupts Corazon's frantic monologue.
"W-Wait, wait a minute", your voice sounds a little faltering at first so you clear your throat to speak again, "okay, what if you slow down like a couple of hundred of revolutions and start again?"
You decide to use your sense of humor because you know that in case of asking seriously, it's really, really probable that you do something stupid. As stupid as crying just in front of the man that has just broken your heart without even noticing.
"Okay, sorry"
Corazon offers you a nervous smile (jeez, why the hell he has to be so handsome while smiling…) and scratches the back of his head before talking again with a speed that you are now able to follow, although you wish you weren't since you know that it's going to hurt.
"Okay, you remember when two months ago I sprained my ankle and I had to go to the hospital?"
You nod.
"I remember. It was when you tried to lift those heavy boxes by yourself and one of them fell on your feet"
"Yes, that time. Well, the thing is that when I went to the hospital I had assumed that I was going to be laughed at, either by my peculiar appearance or by my ridiculous reason for being there. It's something that's happened before and honestly, I'm already old enough not to care about it anymore. But the doctor that attended me…"
You suppress a gulp when Corazon's eyes soften in a way you had never seen before.
"He didn't laugh at me at any moment. He didn't even scan me as people use to do when they see me for the first time, thing that I know it's pretty normal, but this man simply asked me what was wrong, listened to my little lame story while nodding and without barely blinking, and when I finished he treated my wound and asked me to come back the next week. And then, just when I was about to leave", a light blush appears on Corazon's cheeks at that moment, "without changing his serious expression he told me: 'By the way, nice lipstick. Not all men can wear that with such style'. And he didn't seem to be lying. It seemed as if he honestly thought that. And well…", Corazon smiles widely, "…I guess that I fell in love with him at that moment"
A brief silence falls and you know that it's your turn to speak now, but you first gain a little of time nodding a couple of times while forcing back the lump that has formed again in your throat. Because damn it, what that doctor said to Corazon and that made Corazon fell for the man, you have been thinking the same for almost two years, and you couldn't help to think that if you had been brave enough to say it the first time you thought about it, maybe your relationship with Corazon would be different now. And knowing that maybe you had let pass the opportunity just for being shy was frustrating.
"W-Well, that's sure what love at first sight means", you feel rather satisfied with yourself because your voice sound almost normal, "and you've seen that man since then?"
Corazon nods.
"Yes, he checked my ankle almost all the times that I came back to the hospital, so I know that his name is Trafalgar Law, that he is still studying to become a surgeon and that he doesn't like bread"
Despite the situation you can't help to laugh with surprise when hearing the last statement.
"Wow, that last piece of information is vital to get to know a person"
Corazon chuckles as well when catching the irony in your comment.
"Well, when I invite him to dinner I know that I have to avoid using it"
Your smile freezes a little in your face despite your attempts of making it look natural.
"Oh, so are you going to ask him out?"
Corazon gulps and crosses his arms, suddenly nervous.
"Yes, tomorrow it's the last time that I have to go to the hospital, since my ankle is practically cured, so I was planning to ask him out then. And…", Corazon fixes his eyes on you at that moment, "…I was wondering if you would mind to accompany me"
Your mouth falls completely open.
"What? To the hospital?"
"Of course it's okay if you don't want to come", Corazon says immediately, looking a little embarrassed, "it's just that if I go alone, I think that it's rather probable that I panic when I confess, but if you are with me I'll be calmer for sure"
If Corazon had told you that some hours, ago you would have felt immensely happy, but now you just feel immensely frienzoned, and that makes you speak without ever thinking.
"I'm so sorry, but tomorrow I can't", you realize that your sentence has sounded extremely abrupt so you immediately continue excusing yourself, "I have an assignment that I have to send on Sunday. And I also promised Rebecca that I will help her to clean the apartment so…"
Corazon interrupts your babbling by shaking his head and smiling at you.
"It's okay. I knew that probably you were going to have plans but I had to ask just in case"
Corazon really means his words and he doesn't look upset or bothered in the least with your negative, but still you feel guilty for having lied like that.
Just when you are considering to change your answer, the door of the shop snaps open and a man with punk-looking green hair, red and yellow checkered trousers and a black-tight t-shirt stomps in, followed by another man with his blonde hair perfectly combed, denim jeans and a shirt that probably costs more than your whole wardrobe.
"Cora-senpai!", the green-haired punk gets so close to Corazon that this one gives a step back against his will, looking astonished, "look, I'll pay you all I have if you fire this bastard!"
"First of all, I really doubt that you have much to pay", the blonde rich says with a petulant tone while crossing his arms, "And second, stop being a child already: you are acting disproportionately!"
"Oh, you think so?", the green-haired punk turns again towards the blonde rich, "well, then how the Hell would you react if I threw away one of your ridiculous clothes?"
"Hey, don't you dare to compare my clothes with yours! Besides, it was just a stinky coat! How in the world I had to guess that it was yours?! I thought that it was just a trash costume that we have to throw away!"
"Then you should have asked!", the green-haired punk suddenly turns to you, "please, (y/n), help me to convince Cora-senpai to fire this asshole"
"No, (y/n), I beg you: try to convince the chief to fire this bastard because he is clearly the one at fault!"
"NO, I AM NOT!"
"YES, YOU ARE!"
You exhale a deep sigh and rub your eyes. Thanks to Bartolomeo and Cavendish, it seemed that your private talk with Corazon was finally over.
At the end you managed to convince your idiot coworkers and friends that they were both at fault: Bartolomeo for having left his coat mixed with the rest of the old costumes and Cavendish for not having asked before throwing them away, so at least they stopped shouting at each other and contented themselves with glaring at each other.
With the excuse of having to make a maintenance of the website, you locked yourself in the small room of the shop that worked as an improvised office and didn't come out until it was time to go home. Normally you were the last in abandoning the shop in order to share some minutes of amicable chat with Corazon, but this time you used (again) the excuse of the assignment and left the shop without waiting for Bartolomeo and Cavendish to join you.
In five minutes you are at home. Rebecca's coat is hanging in the coat stand in the entrance, indicating you that the girl is at home.
You climb up the stairs that lead to both of your bedrooms. When you are in front of Rebecca's door, you take a deep breath and knock a couple of times.
You hear Rebecca gasp from the inside and almost immediately the door has opened and Rebecca is looking at you with expectation that soon turns into a disappointment when seeing your face.
"Hasn't it gone right?"
Suddenly you feel your eyes getting blurry and before even realizing you have begun to cry and Rebecca is hugging you with force.
Damn, you thought that you would be able to tell Rebecca the news without crying but it seemed that you have overestimated your capacity of holding back.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I don't know"
"I have just brought chocolate-cookie ice-cream. We could put our pajamas on and eat it while watching TV and crying"
You laugh between hiccups.
"You've seen too many movies, Becca"
"Why? That's what people do when being dumped, and you love chocolate-cookie ice-cream"
"…Yeah, I do"
"Then it's decided", Rebecca separates from you and smiles at you fondly, "wash your face, put your pajama, and join me in the sofa in five minutes or I'll finish the ice-cream myself"
You sob and forces a trembling smile.
"Okay"
Rebecca's eyes are opened at its maximum when you finish talking.
"So Corazon is gay?! I would have never guessed it!"
"Me neither", you comment with irony, now that you have finally calmed down.
As Rebecca had suggested you both were sitting in the sofa with your pajamas on and a bowl of ice-cream in your hands, although you have decided that the detail of watching TV while crying could be removed from the plan.
"Maybe he is bi", you put a 'really?' expression, "what? If that's the case maybe you still have a chance!"
"I don't think so", you eat a special big piece of ice-cream and you are forced to swallow before talking, "you should have seen Corazon talk about that Trafalgar Law. He looked really in love"
Rebecca sighs with frustration and takes a piece of ice-cream in a rather more delicate way than you. Definitely, you would have to work hard to have such grace.
"Well, maybe that Trafalgar Law is a cretin and Corazon soon discovers that you are way better"
You roll your eyes while chuckling.
"It's a pity that I have rejected Corazon's petition of accompanying him. I would have met that doctor"
Something in your tone makes Rebecca half-close her eyes at you.
"Wait a minute…", Rebecca points at you with her spoon threateningly, "you're not thinking about helping Corazon, right?"
You gulp and try to look at Rebecca with an imperturbable expression, but you seem to fail spectacularly.
"(y/n)!", Rebecca exclaims, "You can't do that!"
"Why not? He has already rejected me. Well, he hasn't rejected me because I never confessed in the first place but the thing is that we are still friends, and friends help each other, so I think that I should go with him tomorrow"
Rebecca looks at you in disbelief, but while you were 'working' in the office you have had plenty of time to think, and even if it is still painful to know that Corazon likes someone else, you don't want to ruin your friendship with him, even if that means to be in the friendzone.
Besides, Corazon has done a lot for you since the beginning and now it was your turn to pay him, even if that meant that you were going to play Casanova to pair the man you loved with someone else.
"You know it's going to hurt, right?"
You shrug. Once you made your mind, no one would be able to change it.
"Yes, I know. But if our roles were reversed, I'm sure Corazon would do the same for me"
Rebecca huffs and shows a really cute pouting expression.
"You're a masochist. Okay, do whatever you want, but even if you have given up I haven't, so be prepared because I'm going to make a plan to put you two together even if it is against your will. You've been warned!"
You laugh when hearing your friend's threat and take your mobile from the little table in front of you two.
"I've been warned", you repeat jokingly before sending a simply messages.
[Hi there! :) My teachers have lengthened the submission date of my assignment, so what time do you want to meet tomorrow to go to conquer your doctor's heart?!]
Barely five seconds later, your mobile sounds and when you pick up the call you can hear Corazon almost crying at the other side of the line while thanking you.
You smile to yourself.
Maybe Rebecca was right and you were a masochist.
In the next chapter you will meet Trafalgar Law :P And probably Cora-san will have news about certain brother of his… :)