This chapter is a bit short, sorry about that, it also doesn't involve anyone but Garu and his thoughts
Garu opened his closet, shoving her latest gift deep in, proving that his hiding spot wouldn't hold much more. Though, no matter how much they pilled up, he didn't make an effort to get rid of anything; rather he couldn't bring himself to. So everything sat there, in a box in the back of his closet.
As he added the small, hand woven patch of his face to the collection, noticing how each stitch was perfect, and he knew she probably had spent hours on it, just to end up where every other thing did, hidden away and never really thought of.
As he shoved it in, his eyes glanced over the sweater.
Why do I still have this?
He lifted it, noting how fucking tiny it was, though, back then, it had fit him just right. The right sleeve was about 4 inches longer than the left, it was a bit lopsided, and a few stitches were missed.
He remembered, so clearly, how that sweater saved his life.
I never thanked her.
He smiled a bit, running his bare fingers over the fabric, feeling it. I kinda wish it still fit… She'd be happy to see me wear it…
Under the sweater, was her handmade ninja manual, with all those awkward, yet somehow very powerful moves she always used on him. He never even opened it, of course.
Curiosity got the best of him, and he did, looking at the hand painted drawings of ten-year-old Pucca.
It was adorable, seeing it. How much time and effort she must've put into every brush stroke.
Why did she love me back then…? He wondered. He wasn't really mean to her, he just, he just didn't care about her. He found her annoying. How she always kissed him, hugged him, went after him against his will. And it wasn't like he could stop it. She was a girl, for crying out loud; he'd rather die then lay a hand on her. So she got away with it, smothering him in her unwanted affections.
Why does she still love me?
That question bothered him more than the first. Why did she? He paid more attention to her now, acknowledging her existence, and she responded by laying off a little, just slightly, so that she didn't grope him whenever she saw him. In exchange he sat next to her while eating, or went on group dates with Ching and Abyo. Though, those two were dating, steadily for the past 7 years.
He saw his autographed book, remembering the day he couldn't get in to see his greatest role model, Hill Kick Yu. Even though he couldn't see the show, he later heard from Abyo, just how hard Pucca worked to get that autograph, proving her love for him yet again. It wasn't something passing. It wasn't like when Ring-Ring winked his way, or when other village girls blew kisses. When it came down to it, no one, no one cared about him the way she did. He just couldn't figure out why, why all that affection was going his way, and not someone better suited for her. There were plenty of guys in Sooga. He wasn't special at all. Sure, he was the best ninja, but, is that all she cared about, strength?
He huffed a bit. Deciding to close the closet before any other thoughts ransacked his mind, though the thought process was already going.
Pucca.
She was beautiful, strong, talented. She was the definition of the perfect girl. She'd modeled, she won several pageants, and she could sing like an angel. She was a woman of few words, though he liked that, seeing as he rarely spoke either.
She just, she just felt things too intensely, too strong, too fast, too hard. He just didn't, he didn't want to break her heart.
He could never be the prince she wanted, the prince she was waiting for, the prince she deserved.
Not that he wanted to be; he didn't want to save anyone. He didn't want that responsibility. He just wished that Pucca would move on, and leave him by himself, like he always was.
He was used to alone. It was quiet, almost peaceful, never having to worry about anyone.
But sometimes he wondered, if it wasn't for Pucca, would anyone even know he existed at all?
There will be more interaction a bit more as the story progresses, I guess I just want people to know how Garu thinks, since in the show, it doesn't really show much of Garu's personality