This chapter is dedicated to Goji and Kureha...don't worry, no nasty descriptions...
Day 8
Goji spent the rest of yesterday and most of today with Kureha. It still makes me queasy just thinking about whatever…they're doing.
Apparent Roy and Captain knew about this whole thing between Goji and Kureha. Roy fondly calls it their "unholy union". I got another word for it: "unspeakable". Captain tells me that he never wants to think about it, but it was hard not to.
I know how he feels.
Anyway, Goji came back about four hours ago, around after sundown. Captain told him that since Goji didn't seem to be exhausted from…whatever he's been doing, Goji can keep watch.
I tried to get some sleep, I really did. But my mind was too disturbed. Goji came back looking really cheerful and he was actually singing to himself while he kept watch.
Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and got on the deck to talk to the old man.
He didn't even acknowledge me when I was standing next to him, he just started whistling instead.
I finally spoke up.
"So…you and her?"
Goji just looked up at me with amusement.
"I'm a man, she's a woman. We both have needs that only WE can give each other," he said.
I cringed at the description.
"I just have a hard time imagining the two of you…" I began, but Goji poked me hard in the gut with his sword's scabbard.
"That's my woman you're talking about, pup," he said. "Show some respect."
"I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't mean to…"
"Newgate," he said suddenly.
I was so startled by his sudden use of my name that I fell silent.
"Look at me," Goji said. "I'm an old, battle-scarred man. No woman, not even those in the brothels would want me. I may live for battle, but I'm still a man with other needs. I'm not talking about random, empty shagging. If that is what I wanted, I could just force any woman into doing that. But that's not what I want. I just want a connection, something meaningful, something that can make this old body of mine feel young again and something I can hold on to on a cold night on the sea. It's the same with Kureha, despite her vanity, nearly all the men who remembered her youthful beauty are either dead or close to it. It can get pretty lonely for the two of us. So we just…comfort each other. Is wrong for two old people to want that?"
I felt ashamed. I only thought how weird it was, not how Goji and Kureha, two people who've seen more of life than I have, just want that sort of comfort.
"I understand, Goji," I said. "I'm sorry."
He just nodded and resumed whistling until I asked another question that popped up in my head.
"Do you love her?"
This time, he was the one who was startled. He considered my question before answering.
"After all we've seen and been through, I think that love is something that we both don't believe in," answered Goji. "We don't love each other, that much I'm sure. But I definitely care for her. I don't know if she feels the same way about me, but I do care about her."
I grunted my acceptance. I'm too young to judge them, so I shouldn't.
"How did you two met?" I asked.
Goji is not one for answering questions. He'd normally tell me to shut my trap or knock me on the head with his scabbard. But it seems that talking about Kureha brought out a softer side to this tough old man.
He told me that the first war he fought in was in drum, when he was nineteen. He had stopped by Drum on the way to Alabasta where he was supposed to start his career as a royal guard for the king. But Drum had been in a civil war then, and he got caught up in it. He was seriously wounded in one battle and would've died if he weren't rescued by a young and beautiful doctor.
That doctor was Kureha.
I cringed a little at the description "young" and "beautiful" but I reminded myself that even the old hag had to at least be young once.
Anyway, Kureha was a young doctor who just finished her studies. She scared and didn't know what to do with Goji's wounds. Goji told me that she trembled and cried in her fear. Goji told me that he had to reassure her that he wouldn't blame her if he died while she tried to save him.
That seemed to calm her down and she treated Goji well. The old man told me that he was back to cutting off enemy heads two weeks later.
Charming.
Anyway, Goji told me that he spent the remainder of that war serving as Kureha's bodyguard. They got closer and I don't need to write about what happened after that.
After the war was over, Goji decided to resume his travels and so did Kureha. They went their separate ways but would always meet back at Drum from time to time. Apparently, Kureha only decided to settle down in Drum just over a decade ago.
So that's the story anyway.
Now that I know that there's more to their relationship that mindless sex, that there's some sort of deep feelings between those two, I can put my mind at ease at least.
Anyway, it's getting late now and we're going to set sail for Alabasta tomorrow. So I'd better end today's entry here.
Oh yes, I used "Day" instead of "Entry", but who gives a damn?
next chap coming soon...
