They stared at each other for a long moment.
Luffy was the first to snap out of it, scratching his head awkwardly. A faint redness crept onto his cheeks, something that rarely happened to him.
"Cough… Margaret, you should eat quickly, or the meat will get cold."
Margaret also came back to her senses. Her face was still flushed, but seeing Luffy's awkward expression made her laugh softly.
Luffy froze for a few seconds, then quickly turned his head toward the sea.
"Hurry and eat. It won't taste good when it's cold."
Margaret watched his back and let out a quiet sigh before lowering her head to continue eating the roasted rabbit. Her movements were gentle, almost silent.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Only the faint rustling of leaves and the uneven rhythm of their heartbeats filled the air.
Luffy's thoughts were in chaos.
There was a strange feeling growing inside him, something unfamiliar that spread through his body like a current. It was not friendship, not brotherhood, not anything he had ever experienced before.
He could not describe it, but it made him restless.
And whenever he was near Margaret, that feeling became stronger.
Right now, part of him wanted to put distance between them.
It unsettled him.
Because this feeling had begun to shake something that had always been absolute to him, his dream.
To become the freest man on the sea, to become the Pirate King.
That goal had always been at the center of his life.
Yet now, this unfamiliar emotion was beginning to challenge it.
At the same time, he did not want to leave.
Being around Margaret made him feel at ease, like he could forget everything else for a while.
Margaret, on the other hand, felt a quiet ache in her chest.
She wanted to stay by Luffy's side, but she knew she could not.
She did not want to become something that would hold him back from chasing his dream.
She had already realized her feelings.
She loved him deeply, enough that she would choose his happiness over her own.
Even if he became the Pirate King and never came back.
Looking at Luffy's confused expression, she understood something else.
He did not understand this kind of emotion.
Even if she confessed, he might not grasp what it meant.
So instead, she chose to treasure the time they had left.
Even sitting quietly behind him like this was enough.
Luffy suddenly turned around.
"Margaret, I want to invite…"
"Hahahahaha!"
Before he could finish, a loud burst of laughter shattered the peaceful atmosphere.
An old voice followed.
"Luffy, you brat, so you've been hiding here."
Both Luffy and Margaret turned in shock.
Margaret frowned immediately. That voice belonged to a man.
This was Amazon Lily, an island where men were not allowed.
Even though the island was now under Rolan's control, the rule had not completely changed.
So why was there a man here?
Unlike her confusion, Luffy's expression turned serious.
The sound of footsteps grew closer, crunching against dry leaves.
Soon, a tall and muscular old man came into view.
He had a broad chest, a scar over his left eye, and short graying hair. He wore a white suit with a blue tie, and a Marine coat with a dog-headed design draped over his shoulders.
When Luffy saw him, his expression stiffened.
"Gr… Grandpa."
Margaret's eyes widened. "This is your Grandpa?"
Luffy nodded. "Yeah. And don't attack him."
Margaret was confused by his warning.
Luffy continued, "Don't let his age fool you. He's nearly killed me more times than I can count."
Margaret was completely stunned. It sounded less like family and more like enemies.
The old man cracked his knuckles.
"Luffy, you brat. You don't even get up to greet me, and you're calling me an old man who can't walk."
His figure vanished instantly.
Bang!
A loud impact echoed, followed by Luffy's scream.
"Ah! That hurts!"
Margaret turned in shock.
The old man was already standing beside her, fist still clenched.
In front of him, a massive crater had formed, and Luffy was lying at the bottom, clutching his head, now covered in swelling bumps.
"So fast… and that strong…"
Margaret was stunned. That level of speed and power was monstrous.
And this was an old man.
Garp flexed his wrist and sighed. "My strength really has declined with age."
He looked down at Luffy.
"I've been searching everywhere for you, and you've been hiding here."
Luffy sat up, still wincing. "Grandpa, why are you here?"
He could not understand it.
This was territory controlled by Rolan, and Garp was a Marine.
No matter how he thought about it, it did not make sense.
Garp raised an eyebrow and suddenly appeared in front of him again.
Bang!
Another punch landed, adding a fresh bump to Luffy's head.
"Ow! What was that for?"
Garp's expression darkened. "When you see your Grandpa after so long, you greet him properly."
"I did greet you!"
Garp grabbed Luffy by the collar and lifted him up.
"You should say, respected Grandpa, long time no see, not just Grandpa."
"I'm going to die!" Luffy struggled wildly.
Garp raised his fist again, ready to strike.
Margaret panicked.
Through her Observation Haki, she could feel just how overwhelming this man's presence was.
But this was Luffy's Grandpa.
She hesitated, unsure whether she should step in.
"You… let go of Luffy, I…"
ZZZ…
ZZZZ…
Before she could finish, both of them suddenly went still.
Luffy and Garp stood there, each with a snot bubble forming from their noses.
They had fallen asleep.
Margaret stared at them, completely speechless.
===
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