IT WAS THE hours after school when students must be at their homes doing homework or resting. And yet, a certain boy had a distressed expression on his face while three of his friends watched him go around in circles.
"I need help...!!!"
It wasn't usual for him to ask for help, given that he was the leader of their 'crew', but this was different. Of course, what would he know about what a normal guy would?!
He wouldn't know what Sanji knew about ladies.
He wouldn't know what Zoro knew about swordsmanship and wine tasting.
He wouldn't know where Jinbe got his words whenever he speaks ever-so-wise.
His problem arrived earlier, but later than he expected; Nami asking him out to the dance despite him having already going with Boa Hancock. The fact frustrated him not only because he felt he was being punctured by those imaginary needles Nami had when he refused, but with the fact that he saw her put up a front.
Again.
Did he do something wrong?
"Luffy, calm down." Sanji comically sweatdropped as Luffy had his hands on his messy mane.
Jinbe hummed. "You should take a rest, Luffy. Tomorrow's the dance and–"
"That's the problem!"
The three helpers exchanged confused glances. "What?"
They were sitting on the couch in his dorm because apparently, Luffy showed no intention of letting him go home that night. So, they had their party clothes with them at the moment and they were already in their 'pyjamas'. Well, Sanji was.
Zoro was comfortably laying on the couch as if he owned the place while Jinbe was sitting albeit more properly yet also relaxed. Sanji, on the other hand, was sitting cross-legged on the floor whole sucking on a lollipop he found on top of the fridge.
"Luffy, you're lucky enough to have Nami-san ask you out to the dance," the blonde chef said calmly but his voice seemed to break further down. "not to mention...you're going out with the Pirate Empress herself!!! While me...?"
"Yeah, yeah, shut your hole ero-cook. We get the idea."
With that, Jinbe remained calm amidst the shoutings from either side of his face. "But Luffy, why are you so worried?"
"I dunno,"
Simple: because Nami was his friend. Did he need another reason to find a way to cheer her up?
"But she looked so disappointed when I told her 'no'."
The three then have their eyes locked on Luffy who was now on the floor, his elbow supporting his head up. He had the face that one would subconsciously show when feeling sincerely worried about something; and that fact alone troubled the three of them.
Sanji had a vague idea in his head.
Jinbe could deduce what it was.
Zoro knew what it was, but in Nami's side.
"..."
"Do you...like....Nami-san?"
"Of course I do," Luffy immediately retorted. "she's my friend."
"No, not like that." Sanji scoffed as he already knew what he was going to say. "...like, do you like her as more than a friend?"
"Sabo talked about that stuff with Ace often...but I don't really know what you're trying to say."
"What he meant, idiot captain, was that do you feel butterflies in your stomach whenever you see that witch?"
Luffy blinked. "No."
They let out relieved sighs.
"But I don't like how my chest becomes, I dunno, heavy."
At that, Sanji almost collapsed. He, for one, knew exactly the cause of that sensation his numb friend was experiencing.
"Wait..."
"You mean..."
"Only around Nami-san?"
Luffy answered with a firm nod; it was his confession, simplified by a few confused remarks that demanded answers.
At the moment, it was Zoro's turn to collapse. But not from familiarity, but from nausea of his friend having the hots for that witch. Heck, she didn't even try flirting with him and Luffy was downright falling? For what reason exactly?! Was she...enchanting him?
No. Even if Nami was indeed an evil witch who stopped at nothing to get her wishes, he was not that inhuman. She at least had honour and pride to spare.
"Now tell me how can I cheer her up for tomorrow?!"