Tale of Our Love // Pucca

Chapter 14

It had been four years ever since the unfortunate incident took place, and people have changed since then. Garu, especially. The smile that he always use to wear could rarely be seen. He preferred to be alone most of the time, but there was one girl who refuses to leave him all by himself.

Pucca kept herself beside Garu, refusing to leave him alone. If there was one person who could speak to Garu even in his current state, then it was Pucca herself. He refuses to talk to anyone else. Most of the time, she watched him while he trained at his house.

Muji eventually came to realize that Garu wasn't as innocent as he used to be anymore, and realized that coming to Sooga was a waste of time for him. It was no use to sacrifice someone who's mind is filled with the events of a traumatic experience.

On top of that, Ring-Ring had been acting cold to Pucca lately. She began acting as though everything in the world belonged to her and her alone. Pucca never saw this side of Ring-Ring before, and she always began questioning herself if she did something to upset the goddess of the wind.

Sooga village, which used to be a village filled with joy and peace, was turning chaotic. Tobe had turned evil, so he and Garu eventually became rivals. People say that, during these chaotic moments, their goddess will come to Earth and save them from a tragedy.

But what they didn't know was that their goddess was already here. None of them knew the truth about Pucca, except for Ring-Ring. The only person who could sense the goddess' presence everytime he was around Pucca was Garu himself. He didn't know her secret. He just felt a heavenly presence everytime he was around her.

Pucca was watching Garu train, when the young ninja began walking towards her with his sword inside his sheath. He looked like he had to tell her something. If this was Garu when he was still eight years old, he would be hesitant to approach her, becoming shy.

But after that traumatic experience, Garu wasn't the same person he used to be. He doesn't hesitate anymore, nor does he show his weak side. On the bright side, it does make him stronger. But at the same time, it shows just how emotionally scarred he truly was.

"Yeah?" Pucca questioned. "You want to tell me something?"

Garu nodded, though he refused to open his mouth.

"What happened?" Pucca questioned him. "Does your throat hurt? You can't speak?"

Garu shook his head, eventually coming to realize that sign language was the only way she'd be able to understand what he was trying to say.

I'm taking a vow of silence, Garu signed. I'm doing so until I regain my family's honor.

It was a good thing Pucca could understand sign language. If she couldn't, this would've been complicated. Garu felt relieved that she could understand him.

"You're taking a vow of silence?" Pucca asked him, and Garu nodded. "If that's the case, Garu, then I'm taking a vow of silence, too!"

What? No. It's fine. Garu signed again. You do not have to do that.

Too late! I already have! Pucca signed back with a smile, making Garu sigh.

After all, if Pucca decided to have a vow of silence as well, it was her decision. She made her decision so that Garu could communicate well with someone even in his silent world. Deciding to sit beside her, Garu tried to find some right words.

Pucca noticed that he had been staring at the smiley men lately, as if wondering which one of them was who he was thinking of. It took her a while to understand it, but she eventually did. He wanted to know which one of them was his father, because Pucca said that they were the reincarnations of those who died in the village.