ORANGE | LawLu

Chapter 16: She's in love?

The next day, Law chooses not to go outside or visit the pond. He's just sulking in his room reading medical books the whole day and sleeping. He's not used to going outside to begin with. He also decided not to attend Kaya's birthday party because he thought if he continued being close with Luffy, he might regret it one day. He preferred his life much simpler than it already was. It's simpler that way. Life was simpler without emotional attachments. He already knew what his feelings are... he just doesn't want to accept it. He dare not to put a label on this feeling.

He thought he would enjoy his kind of peace in his dark room but he just couldn't. His mind is full of Luffy's. Her high pitched voice has engraved on his mind that he didn't understand a single thing he's reading.

"This isn't going to work." He muttered.

He placed his book on his table and got off his bed.

_

"He's not here again."

Luffy said with a sad tone as she lay down on the grass under the same tree.

She's been visiting the pond waiting for Law but the guy is nowhere to be found this past week. She missed the guy already even though they just met a few weeks ago.

"Luffy, I'm sure he's not going to visit again today. Let's go home."

Said Chopper, her friend whom she's bringing along with her every time she visits the pond. The boy is sitting beside her holding a medical book.

"But i don't want to go home yet." Luffy replied.

"Let's visit the Baratie. Let's eat there!" Chopper said to cheer up his friend.

"I'm not hungry yet."

Chopper puts down his book and stares at Luffy. Chopper was shocked. When did Luffy learn to refuse eating? Luffy is usually excited whenever they plan to visit the Baratie, a restaurant owned by one of their friends Sanji. But right now, she's not in the mood to eat. It's very unusual.

"Woah. That's new." Chopper said, who couldn't hide his surprise in his voice.

"Ne. Chopper, do you think he'll attend Kaya's birthday party tonight?" Luffy asked pertaining to Law, while looking to a bird's nest just above the tree.

"Based on your description of him, he's a guy who doesn't like to get along with other people. So, I doubt that. He'll be very uncomfortable if he does so. He's not familiar with most of the people there for sure."

Luffy sighed. She's really thinking if she somehow makes Law uncomfortable by her actions. She's thinking about a lot of things in her head. What if he never showed up again? What if he really hated her because she punched him just like that the other day? What if she's too clingy and he got tired of putting up with her behaviour?

She's overthinking things, the more she thinks about it, the more her face grew sour.

It all started when she saw the man sleeping under the tree. She thinks he's weird for sleeping under the tree like that but chooses to ignore the thought because her friend Zoro also likes to sleep in the weirdest places every chance he gets.

She thought the man was good looking in a rough way, she never really cared about someone's looks before and she didn't find a man whom she could tell was good looking, though many people said she's sorrounded by many handsome guys. She has no idea who's the handsome people are talking about. She thought Zoro's too weird who is obsessed with anything colored green and always lost his way, Sanji is funny looking because of his unusual twisted brows. Usopp is a funny looking long nosed coward, Chopper looks like a raccoon dog. Her two big brothers look like the villains in her favorite tv show series titled One Piece. And her uncles are a bunch of weirdos. In short she never really had a description of the word 'handsome' in her dictionary, not until she saw this man.

He's peacefully sleeping and Luffy couldn't take away her gaze off him.

She didn't realize she fell asleep watching the guy sleep and caught him staring at her when she woke up. She didn't understand but it sends her bolt of unusual feelings looking into his deep grey eyes. It's like he's hiding too many emotions in there.

Making friends is one the things she's good at but it didn't work with the guy, he's an aloof guy that he didn't even consider her as a friend but she managed to somehow get close to him little by little each passing day.

He doesn't smile, he was always so stern, his eyebrows always furrowed, face crinkled in serious thought. He acts grumpy and tough, but she can see how he feels inside as clear as day.

Days passed and the more they spent their time together, the more she found herself more and more attached to the older man.
She had been unable to say why she was so enthralled by just his mere presence.

She wanted to see him smile, she wanted to hear him call her name.

Weeks passed and she finally get to see him laugh. Just as she thought, he looked better smiling. It's like he's a different person.

"I'll try, Luffy-ya."

She suddenly remembered how he called her name once. Her heart was racing back then and she doesn't know what to do. Her name suddenly sounds beautiful. It was already a week and that's the longest time she hadn't seen him. She's wondering if he already left for the city. She couldn't help another pang of hurt that spared her heart.

Luffy's thoughts were interrupted when her stomach growled.

"Ah. Now I'm hungry." Luffy sat down and put her Strawhat in her head.

"Let's go, Chopper. Let's eat at the Baratie." She said and stood up.

Chopper just looks at her blankly. Just as he thought, Luffy would never turn down food. Though, he's still worried if she already feels okay. He didn't get a chance to ask because Luffy is already walking away. Chopper quickly keeps his things in his little bag and chases after Luffy, struggling to follow her long strides.

_

"Are you sure she's okay?"

A slim young woman of average height with long orange hair and fair skin named Nami, one of Luffy's friends asked Chopper worriedly as soon as they arrived at the baratie.

Chopper sits down at the counter beside Nami who's waiting for her boyfriend Sanji who's busy tending with the customers at his own restaurant.

They were both wondering about Luffy's actions. They're watching Luffy who's quietly sitting in one of the tables without calling Sanji to ask for food.

"She's been like that the entire week, I'm not used to it." Chopper rubbed his forehead.

"Tell me, who really is that Torao guy she's been talking about the other day?" Nami curiously asked.

Chopper shrugged totally clueless.

"I don't know either. I haven't met him yet."

"Kaya said he already met the guy, I'm envious. She said he looked dangerous..."

Chopper's pupil shrank and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

"Is that true, Nami?! This is bad, we must warn Luffy!" Chopper is panicking and was about to stand up to approach Luffy when Nami continued.

"Dangerously... handsome. Kyah!" She said dreamily.

Chopper sighs in relief and goes back to his seat.

"Please complete what you're saying next time, Nami."

"My bad."

Nami thinks for a little bit, then suddenly her eyes widened.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed at what she thought.

"What is it Nami?" Chopper curiously asked.

"Don't tell me... she's in love?!"