One Piece: It's always been you

Chapter 43 What's there to hesitate about if you like someone?

"You! Get out!"

Yu had lost count of how many times he had roared like this, and the people on the ship were used to it.

"Brûlée, did Katakuri go to Yu-nee's room again? I think I heard Yu-nee's voice."

"Breen, don't worry about your brother's affairs." Breen was used to it, and tired of it.

Ever since Yu helped Katakuri back that day, Katakuri's behavior has been a huge surprise to Brulee. Is this still the perfect, calm, and aloof older brother she knew?

"No."

"Why not? Can you please stop coming into my room!" Yu gave up struggling, walked to the bedside and nudged Katakuri to make room for her. "Tell me, where does it hurt today?"

These past few days, Katakuri, taking advantage of the fact that his right shoulder injury was caused by her, has been ordering Yu around and often staying in Yu's room, saying it's convenient for her to take care of him at any time.

Yu always chased him away, but he would always find a reason to come back the next day. It wasn't that the wound had reopened, but that the wound was hurting for no reason. What's even more absurd is that because of his injury, he hadn't been using his hand properly and needed to apply pressure to prevent muscle atrophy.

When did he become such a scoundrel?

"My eyes hurt. It's been so long since I've seen you. I need to see you to ease the pain."

"Katakuri, don't go too far!" Yu really gets angry; she's not without a temper. Yu took a deep breath. "If your injuries have healed, stop making excuses to come over every day."

"I can choose not to come, but can you guarantee you won't avoid me?"

"I'm not hiding from you, and it's my freedom to go wherever I want, isn't it?"

"It's my freedom to contact you."

Katakuri shut Yu down with Yu's words. He had been making excuses every day for the past few days just to spend more time with Yu, but her resistance was making Katakuri a little anxious.

"Katakuri, I don't want to see you! Aren't you tired of making excuses every day?"

“I still prefer you to call me Katakuri.” Katakuri pushed Yu onto the bed, leaned over him, and held Yu’s hands in his own. “I know you care about what Mom told you, and I know you were scared when I didn’t answer you that day.”

!!!

What does he mean, so what? Is he going to explain now, or what?

"Get up and let me go!" You clenched her fists, trying to suppress her anger. You didn't like this; it felt like she had lost her freedom. "I don't care. What happens to you is none of my business."

“Don’t worry about what Mom said. I won’t marry anyone through a political marriage.” Katakuri noticed Yu’s discomfort and eased the pressure on his injured body. “Yu, not everyone will be able to accept the real me like you do.”

"According to you, anyone who can accept the real you can replace me. Besides, your aunt is arranging a marriage for you. Can you refuse? Would you refuse?"

Katakuri chuckled, "Mother won't arrange a marriage for me. The Charlotte family doesn't need another one like me. If there's going to be a marriage, it will definitely be for my younger brothers first. Yu, I'm not young anymore, and only you will like me."

"To put it bluntly, I liked someone nobody wanted. Let me tell you, Katakuri, don't think that just because you're explaining it like this, I won't mind you coming into my room every day."

"Listen to me, call me Kaka 2."

"I do not."

“Yu, no one likes my mouth. Everyone who has seen my face is dead. You are the only one who doesn’t dislike me and even kisses me. You are also the only one who can take off my scarf.”

"Who says nobody likes it? I like it! I think this kind of mouth is cool! Anyone who dares to complain, I'll be the first to beat them up!"

"So you've finally admitted you like me?"

"No... I was referring to your mouth."

"My mouth is mine. If you like my mouth, it means you like me. Yu, please stop avoiding me, okay?"

"I...I didn't. I'm just afraid..." Afraid that after I get used to being by your side, someone will suddenly take my place next to you, and you will no longer have a place for me.

"What are you afraid of? I will always be by your side. Maybe I can't marry you, but you will be the only one by my side, and you will be the only one I allow to walk alongside me."

"Kari...I like you..."

Katakuri had his difficulties, which Yu could understand. He explained all this simply to answer what he hadn't answered at the time.

Since she liked Katakuri, and Katakuri had confessed, what was there to hesitate about? He had taken that step; the rest of the journey was up to her.

"I know." Katakuri chuckled, patted Yu's head, and stood up, saying, "It's getting late, go to sleep. I'm going back."

"Ah...oh..."

Yu thought the timing was perfect; she figured Katakuri would do something, like give her a kiss—it had been so long since she'd kissed him on the lips. But instead, he just patted her head and left?

Hmph, time to sleep!

Katakuri glanced at the mirror in the room before closing the door and leaving. He didn't go back to his own room but went to Brûlée's room.

"Katakuri-nii... what are you doing here? Did Yu kick you out again?"

"You've already seen it, so why pretend? Next time you see it, you won't need to leave the mirror world."

"Brother, I understand!"

Brulee didn't do it on purpose. She accidentally passed by the mirror in Yu's room and, out of curiosity, lingered for a while. Who knew that her brother would actually pounce on Yu and say such cheesy things.

At such a rare moment in the world, she couldn't help but watch for a while longer.

At worst, she can just watch secretly next time and not let her brother find out.

"Brulee".

"Yes, Katakuri-nii-san!"

Brulee was startled; why had her brother come back again? Hopefully, he hadn't noticed anything.

"Go to the nearby island from the Mirror World and buy some candy beans. Buy a lot. You'll like it."

"Okay, brother! I'll go first thing tomorrow morning."

"Going right now!"

"I see."

Without hesitation, Brûlée immediately jumped into the mirror. Katakuri had changed; he was no longer the gentle brother he used to be.

It's so dark now, everyone on the island is asleep, where is she going to buy one? And the mirrors that let her out are all from her house; even in the middle of the night or early morning, anyone would be startled if someone came out of a mirror! Doesn't her brother think about this for her?!

My brother has changed. He has changed.

Meanwhile, a battle for Devil Fruits is underway.

CP9 member Who's-Who is escorting the Devil Fruit. The World Government values ​​this fruit highly, otherwise they wouldn't have sent him, a member of CP9, to deliver it.

His journey had been peaceful until a pirate ship blocked his path. The pirates were after the Devil Fruit.

The crew of Who's-Who was no match for the pirates. Who's-Who managed to escape, but the Devil Fruit fell into the hands of the pirates.

Who's Fozfoe, one of the world government's top agents in the intelligence organization "CP9", failed his mission and was imprisoned.

The pirate crew that stole the fruit has disappeared.

The captain of the pirate crew was none other than Shanks, who would become one of the Four Emperors six years later. The Devil Fruit they exchanged was the Gum-Gum Fruit.

After Shanks stole the Gum-Gum Fruit that CP9 was escorting, he made a brief stop in Windmill Village and met Luffy, who was 7 years old at the time.

Shanks never expected that the Devil Fruit he stole would be accidentally eaten by Luffy, a child he had just met. He also lost his left arm because of the child. However, their brief time together led to a friendship that transcended age.

(The second update is here! I'll definitely catch up on the ones I missed the last two days. Please don't abandon this chapter since the two of them finally reconcile QAQ)