ᴘᴀᴛʜ ᴏꜰ ᴘɪʀᴀᴄʏ // ᴏɴᴇ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇ

-

Klein made up his mind to go and find his missing friend. The forest is obviously a dangerous place for a kid, especially for a kid like Luffy. Even though Garp trained him to be all by himself in order to hone his survival--- no skills, just pure survival and luck--- he still can't be rest easy and just wait here.

Taking a step out of the bandit den that wasn't even clean enough to begin with, Klein suddenly felt a large hand grabbing the back of his shirt and tugging him forcefully.

"Hey brat, where do you think you're going?!" Dadan yelled. She nearly throw Klein inside.

Klein quickly pull away from the older woman. Although he doesn't mind being touch accidentally by others, like when Luffy would hug him or something, the thought of dirt getting into him is still unbearable.

'Human hands are one of the most unclean things.' Klein thought, his lips trembles as he tightly close his eyes. Some bad memories flashed through his mind, causing some undescribable emotions to appear in his eyes before he forcefully suppressed them.

"I'll go find Luffy." Klein whispered, his tone is faintly exuding danger. "It's already night. It's not safe for him to be out there."

"So you know it's dangerous out there!" Dadan wanted to strangle this brat alongside that stupid kid named Luffy. It's their first day here but they're already causing her trouble. If Garp were to know what happened and that one of them already went missing, she's dead!

Magra saw the expression on his Boss's face and knew nothing good will come out of her mouth at any moment. Quickly, he look at Klein whose head was lowered.

"Klein, right?" Magra thought that Klein was scared of his boss. Look, the kid's head was lowered and his hands was clenched into fist! He looks terrified! Feeling his heart softening at the sight of a seemingly obedient looking kid, Magra started to think of a way to coax Klein into staying here. "I'm sure Luffy will come back. You can't go out at this time it's really dangerous. You don't have to worry, we'll go with you tomorrow to look for him. So stay here, okay?"

"Who's going with him to look for---" Dadan didn't finish her words when she felt a strong tug at her clothes.

Apparently, Dogra also manage to think what Magra has thought off. He has to interrupt their boss from speaking anything otherwise this kid, Klein, would surely go out deep into the woods at night to look for Luffy!

"Boss, don't say anything! If the kid really ran out and went missing too, what are we gonna tell Garp-san?!" Dogra whispered to their boss.

Listening to Dogra's words, Dadan who still wanted to yell and refute Magra's words quickly fell silent due to realization. She glance at Klein who's silently watching them before agreeing to Dogra's words.

They're right.

Because of that, Dadan became more irritated. She really wanted to throw these kids out of her place but she can't! She's done with children!

“You brat, you better stay here! Or else!” Saying that, Dadan quickly pick up Klein and throws him inside the only room and also Ace's bedroom. “Don't even think of leaving!”

Klein would simply not listen to them. However, remembering Garp, he hesitated.

Surely that man, who is known as the Navy's hero, wouldn't really leave them in the hands of irresponsible people, right?

This must be some kind of tricks or some kind of training.

Klein could only try to convinced himself, making up reasons for Garp in his mind while worrying for Luffy.

“Hmp.”

While Klein was occupied with his thoughts, he heard a contemptuous hum coming from the darkness. The room was dark, but the darkness has long sinced accompanied Klein so he could still see a bit of what's in the dark.

A kid, just like himself.

“Who?” Klein spoke, eyebrows furrowed.

This person...he doesn't know him. But since he appeared here that means he's also someone who live here with those Bandits.

Thinking like that, Klein lowered his guard. Bandits...no, more like, people here in East Blue, aside from those well-known pirates....Klein doesn't really consider many people as threats.

“Hey—” Klein wanted to speak, but then he saw the other kid was just laying down in there, not saying anything and was even ignoring him.

Frowning after being ignored, Klein understood that other doesn't really want to talk to him. He sigh and look at the close door.

“These doors...they don't have locks, right?” Klein asked in the darkness, making sure only him and the boy would be able to hear.

Like the previous attempts, the boy still remained silent and unresponsive. But the light twitch that Klein heard was enough of an answer.

Pulling the door, Klein sigh in relief seeing it can be opened.

Unfortunately, when the door was ajar, the voices from the outside quickly came inside, resounding in the whole room.

“We already given up from looking after Ace. I don't care if he dies...”

Klein: ......?!

He seemed to have...opened the door at the wrong time?