GASP!
Garu woke up abruptly, his wide eyes darting to his bedside clock. He grunted.
1:36 AM.
He fell back onto his bed and tried to sleep again.
.
.
.
He couldn't.
Garu sat up, got out of bed, and faced the wall with a serious look.
"..."
"Gah!" he exclaimed, messing up his hair in frustration. After a moment, he calmed down, leaning his forehead against the wall.
He couldn't stop replaying what he said to Pucca.
"What was that?! 'This is my answer for now?'" His head hung low as he scolded himself in his mind. "What kind of response is that?!"
He began pacing the room. "I shouldn't be giving her unsure answers! That's giving her false hope!"
"Tsk!" Garu rubbed the back of his neck with one hand while the other rested on his waist. Letting out a deep sigh, his face turned red as another thought crossed his mind.
"False hope? What if it wasn't?" The realization hit him like a punch to the gut, and he grimaced at his own thoughts.
What in the situationship is this, Garu? *laughs
"Shut up!" he shouted, pointing his finger around him. His embarrassment grew worse when he caught sight of his hand, which reminded him of yesterday's interaction with Pucca.
"Why did I do that?!"
Desperate to clear his mind, Garu dropped to the floor and began his training routine. Push-ups, sit-ups, punching drills, meditating—anything to exhaust his restless energy.
---
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
6:00 AM.
Garu lay flat on his tatami mat, staring at the ceiling with bloodshot eyes. He hadn't slept a wink.
Creakkk...
Like a rusted door, his eyes sluggishly turned to the window. Morning sunlight spilled in, signaling the day's arrival. For a moment, the warmth of the light made him feel sleepy.
Just as he started to drift off—
RIIINGGGGG!
6:05 AM.
Garu's bloodshot eyes flew open again. One eye twitched in annoyance as he forced himself to sit up. He used breathing technique to calm down.
"Ah... that's right. I need to finish those reports today," he muttered to himself. Slowly, he stood and got ready for school. He skipped breakfast, his mind too foggy to focus on anything else.
As always, Garu made sure his uniform and appearance were tidy—he had a reputation as a role model to maintain. However, his sunken, reddened eyes didn't go unnoticed.
His head throbbed, and his movements were sluggish. Exhausted and absent-mindedly, he failed to sense that someone was secretly following him.
---
Garu lived in Sooga Valley not too far from the city, a peaceful area surrounded by bamboo and trees. Few people ventured there, making it an ideal place for quiet living.
Suddenly, a figure stepped out from the bamboo grove, blocking Garu's path.
"Garu... Garu... GARU!" A voice mentioning his name with a tune.
It was Tobe, a guy who hates Garu and as usual, he's with his gang of masked lackeys. They all wore the same uniform from an All-boy's school.
Tobe's long hair was tied back into a loose ponytail, and the large X-shaped scar between his eyes gave him a menacing look.
"Today, I will finally have my revenge!" Tobe declared, his deep voice echoing as he laughed.
What exactly is he getting some revenge for?
Is it sense of inferiority? A rival in martial arts? or just jealous?
No one knows...but we're here for action. hehe...he...
Garu, his head still drooping from exhaustion, barely reacted. He gave a small shiver, which made Tobe hesitate.
Finally, Garu lifted his head. His bloodshot eyes glared at Tobe, his expression dark and intense.
"HUH?!" Garu barked, sounding more like an aggressive street thug than his usual calm self.
Tobe faltered for a moment before grabbing one of his lackeys and shoving him forward. "All of you—ATTACK!"
The lackeys charged forward, weapons drawn.
---
"Ah, shit," Garu muttered, clearly more annoyed than alarmed.
He shrugged off his blazer, tossing it aside along with his bag to avoid messing it up. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled out a pair of Knu Chucks. A quick twist transformed the nunchakus into a long wooden staff, reminiscent of Sun Wukong's legendary weapon.
Sleep deprivation had pushed him over the edge. With a wild laugh, Garu took his stance. He looks crazy and mad right now.
The lackeys got scared and hesitated but ultimately rushed him. The bamboo grove was soon filled with the sound of clashing weapons and painful grunts.
Despite his exhaustion, Garu dispatched the lackeys with brutal efficiency. Only Tobe remained standing.
Their weapons collided with a resounding THWACK, both combatants locking eyes in a tense standoff. Tobe gritted his teeth.
Pishing each other, they leaped back, creating some distance, then charged at each other again.
"Hyaaaaaah!"
Just as their weapons were about to clash, someone stepped between them.
Garu instantly recognized and reacted, pulling the figure out of harm's way. Tobe's weapon missed, narrowly avoiding a serious hit at the person.
"WHAT?!" Tobe shouted. "WHY IS YOUR GIRLFRIEND HERE?!"
It was Pucca.
Garu frowned, his tone cold as he addressed Tobe. "Enough. Were you really about to hit a frail girl?"
"Frail? Pucca? PWAHAHAHA!" Tobe doubled over laughing. "Everyone knows Pucca's anything but frail!"
Pucca's face puffed with anger. Without hesitation, she grabbed Garu's staff and hurled it at Tobe with all her might.
TOINK!
The staff struck Tobe square in the forehead, sending him stumbling to the ground. His lackeys scrambled to drag him away as he slurred, "Aym gonna gwet yow bhaaaaccckkkk!"
---
"Hm!" Pucca grinned triumphantly, then turned to Garu. Her smile faded when she noticed his sunken, bloodshot eyes.
Somehow, his disheveled state made him look even more attractive. Pucca bit her lip, shaking her head to clear the thought.
She reached up, gently touching his cheek.
"I'm fine," Garu said softly, his hand moving to hers. He gave her hand a light squeeze but didn't let go. "But why are you here?" He crouched to atleast level Pucca's height and see her face clearly.
Pucca grinned mischievously, squeezing his hand tighter and pulling him forward on the way.
Garu blinked, then smiled without realizing it. Pucca didn't steal a kiss at Garu."She's really taking it slow," he thought, finding her approach cute. A soft chuckle escaped his lips.
"Wait," Garu said, breaking the moment. "It's still cold in the morning."
He picked up his blazer and draped it over Pucca's shoulders. Then, he extended his hand for her to hold again.
Now, Pucca had two blazers and a warm hand to keep her company.
Pucca was still not used to Garu's unusual treatment for her but she doesn't want it to end so she'd decided.
She will cherish every moment.
Pucca held Garu's hand and wrapped her other hand on his arm as if hugging it but not too tight, making sure there's still a distance in their bodies.
---
Lubb Dubb. Lubb Dubb.
Pucca's heart raced as her face turned red. She shrieked internally, biting her lip and avoiding Garu's gaze.
But Garu wasn't faring any better. His cheeks and ears burned crimson red as the two of them walked to school, shyly stealing glances at each other.
(;ŏ﹏ŏ)