When the Sun Sets

They see each other, he runs, she chases. It had always been like that between Garu and Pucca. This routine of theirs was getting old. She wanted it to stop. She felt tired, hurt and hopeless.

If she told anyone of this, they would've just looked at her disbelievingly and waited until she reverted back to chasing Garu. She couldn't blame them. A few hours ago, if anyone told her she'd stop chasing Garu, she would've laughed it off and told them that would never happen. But not now.

A few hours ago felt like a wasted lifetime of pursuing something she wasn't meant to have. Pucca closed her eyes and let the memories come.

0o0o0o

She was at the beach strolling when she saw Garu practicing his fighting skills. Normally, Pucca would've leaped up and chased Garu the second she saw him. But at that particular moment, she was content to just sit cross-legged on the white sand and lean against a rock.

He looked magnificent against the orange sky streaked with shades of pink, red and purple. With the setting sun and the glittering ocean behind him, Pucca could see his dark silhouette moving with the grace, speed and power of a jungle cat. Pucca sighed and continued to watch him.

She was so mesmerized by him that she didn't notice Ring-ring make her way towards Garu. Garu stopped his training and looked at Ring-ring swaying nearer until she stopped a few inches from him.

Despite herself, Pucca didn't move from where she was sitting. She just stared transfixed at the scene before.

She couldn't hear what they were talking about but when Ring-ring sent her a look of pure malice and Garu jerked his head towards Pucca looking surprised, she knew they were talking about her. Pucca felt a an unpleasant heaviness drop at the pit of her stomach.

Not knowing what else to do, she started to stand but her eyes did not leave the two.

Ring-ring closed the distance between herself and Garu. She snaked a hand to clutch the back of his neck and pulled him closer. Garu pushed her away but Ring-ring pulled him close to her again. He looked uncomfortable and was sneaking glances at Pucca who was standing there seething in rage.

How dare she! Pucca thought furiously. She marched towards them a dark cloud hanging above her head. She was determind to give that spoiled, conceited and jealous brat a piece of her mind.

Garu saw her making her way towards them and was trying to pull away so he could run but Ring-ring circled his waist with her other hand and clung like a leech. All the while, whispering close to his ear. With a look of panic towards the nearing Pucca, he grabbed Ring-ring by the hips and lowered his lips to hers. The girl moaned in delight and responded to the kiss eagerly.

The kiss ended as soon as it had begun. Garu tore his lips away and firmly pushed the dazed girl from him.

"I told... I told you that would keep her away." Ring-ring said hoarsely smiling wickedly.

True enough, when Garu looked back to where Pucca had been, she was gone.

0o0o0o

Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. Pucca stopped bothering Garu. She stopped giving him that bright smile whenever their eyes met. She stopped trying to kiss him. She stopped chasing him around the village. She just stopped doing things that he had come to associate with only her over the years. When she did that, he realized that he never really knew her before.

She was a hardworker at Goh-Rong. She was sweet and helpful to the Sooga villagers. She was fiercely loyal and protective to those she loved. But to Garu, she acted none of those. Atleast, not anymore.

Oh, she didn't really ignore him. They sometimes even hang out with Ching and Abyo. But when she talked to him, it was in that distant and polite way that he wanted to shake her. He wanted to see the fire he'd experienced all those years dancing back in her eyes.

The thing he regretted the most was that for years he never gave Pucca a chance. If he did, then he would have known that when she rushed towards him, he shouldn't have run away. He should've caught her and not let go. For she was the woman he could've counted on, she was the woman he could've considered his partner and his equal. She was the woman who could've been his to love.

0o0o0o

It was early in the morning and Garu and Abyo were training at the beach when they heard a series of soft feminine laughter. Garu stopped to look where it was coming from and saw Pucca and Ching coming their way holding a picnic basket and a blanket.

Garu hadn't seen Pucca since yesterday so he kept his face expressionless as he drank in the sight of her.

Pucca still wore her black hair in odangas. She was wearing a sleeveless red dress that fell mid-thigh and knee-high black-as-sin boots. She had definitely grown some curves and her attire clung to her in all the right places. Garu stopped himself from swallowing his tongue.

"Dude, eye-candies coming this way." Abyo sighed appreciatively. Garu couldn't agree more even though, he knew Abyo's googley eyes was aimed not at Pucca but at Ching's fitting purple blouse and small white shorts.

"Hey!" Ching and Pucca greeted cheerfully.

"Morning, girls." Garu answered politely.

"What's wrong with him?" Ching asked pointing at Abyo who only grunted as he continued to stare at Ching. Garu only shrugged. Not quite sure how to answer.

Ching turned to Abyo and waved a hand in front of his face to break his trance. Abyo continued to gaze at Ching in a lovestruck manner. Ching looked puzzled as she asked Abyo if he was drunk, hit on the head or replaced by malfunctioning robot.

"Well, baby." Abyo said taking her hand leaning closer "If I said I was malfunctioning, would you take me with your capable hands and fix this heart of mine?"

Ching laughed, "Wow, that was awful."

Abyo snickered, "I know!"

Abyo started rambling and laughing about how good it would be if they were together and Ching was swatting him and telling him to stop teasing her about that. Neither knew that both were serious.

Garu just rolled his eyes at the scene and unintentionally turned his face to Pucca.

His eyes were drawn to hers like magnet and he felt a strange pull deep inside him. How he longed to know what was behind those dark depths. How do you see me now, Pucca? Is it still with the same love and affection?

Pucca turned her head and noticed his piercing dark eyes directed at her. Pucca's amused face faded to a blank expression as she looked back at him. With that almost indescernible change of her expression, Garu felt her erect an icy barrier that kept him from reaching her.

"Ching, I think we should leave them to their training." Pucca said turning back to her friend and breaking their eye contact. Garu's gaze never left her but he schooled his features to a bored look.

"Sure." Ching said uncertainly noticing the tension between the two.

"Bye, guys. We have to find some place to set up our picnic." Pucca waved and smiled politely before she turned away carrying the blanket with her. Ching threw one last exasperated look at Abyo before she picked up the basket on the sand and jogged to catch up with Pucca.

Garu heard Abyo groan. "I don't believe this. I can't stop joking around when she won't take me seriously. She won't even believe me when I- What?" Garu turned to see Abyo wearing only his pants, shoes and a puzzled expression on his face. Garu didn't even notice Abyo ripping his shirt to show off.

"What?" Abyo repeated.

"What?" Garu echoed.

"You were staring at them with a pained look on your face." Abyo scratched his head as he regraded him uncertainly as if he wasn't sure at what he saw.

"I wasn't." Garu denied convincingly but his eyes betrayed him when they flickered back to Pucca.

"You miss her." Abyo said without a hint of question or uncertainty in hs voice.

"I miss her." Garu turned to the space where Pucca had been.

Abyo's eyes bugged out. "Woah... I didn't think you would say that out loud." Garu just snorted in disdain.

"Soo... What are you gonna do?" Abyo asked.

He wished he knew.

0o0o0o

That afternoon, Pucca was working at the restaurant and Ching was helping out when Garu ambled inside and walked towards Pucca. Pucca had her back to him and Ching had to elbow her for her to notice him. Pucca looked surprised to see him. She regarded him with a small nod before she continued picking up used bowls and silverware and placing it on her tray. Ching rolled her eyes and took the tray from Pucca.

"Go talk to him." Garu heard Ching whisper as she pointed a thumb in his direction.

"I'm working." Pucca replied trying to take the tray back. Garu took a seat and gestured for Pucca to take his order. He smirked when Pucca raised a brow at him.

"See. Go take his order." Ching looked amused at the silent exchange. Pucca scoffed but did as she asked.

"I'm yours to command. So what do you want, Garu?" Garu grinned at the loaded question.

"Just your time. Come with me to the beach." Garu took her hand. "Come on."

"I-I can't. I'm busy." She stammered but did not pull her hand away.

Garu looked left and right to indicate the now empty restaurant. Pucca blushed when Garu regarded her with a raised eyebrows. "I'm sure your uncles can handle it for a moment."

"I can't just leave Ching here working."

"Actually..." still sitting, Garu looked behind Pucca and saw Ching clearing the tables. "Ching! Abyo's outside looking for you. He said he needed to tell you something important." A delighted Ching thanked him and skipped outside.

Garu turned back to Pucca, who was looking at him suspiciously. "Anything else?"

"What you told Ching, was that a lie?"

"No." that was a half-truth, he corrected in his mind. Abyo was indeed outside but he wasn't looking for Ching. He just said it because he wanted Pucca to run out of excuses and he knew Abyo won't turn Ching away.

"Alright, I'll go with you."

0o0o0o

Here they were again, at the beach, with the sun setting behind the horizon, where his life turned upside down in a span of a three-second kiss.

He wanted his old life back. No. He wanted them better. He wanted a life with the woman he loved.

He needed this moment to right his wrongs.

Romantic ambiance, check. Perfect girl, check. Now, if he could just be the perfect guy, who knew how to be charming and suave and not the tongue-tied idiot he was being now.

Garu placed a hand on the small of her back as he guided her sit on a log. Silence stretched between them since Garu didn't know how to start.

"You wanted to talk about something?" Pucca cast him a cool, impersonal look. This was so far off from the teasing, cheerful girl he knew her to be. Tease me, chase me, hold me, kiss me, anything but just come back to me.

"You know we never really did talk about what happened here all those months ago." Garu said remembering his confused and panicked self that led him to kiss Ring-ring.

"That doesn't matter anymore." Pucca turned her face away from him and towards the ocean. She closed her eyes and the breeze lifted the strands of hair that had escaped her black odangas. "I would've thought that you of all people would not want a conversation about that."

"Well, I do. You gave up on me after that." Pucca still wasn't looking at him so she didn't notice Garu's face shadow in pain.

Pucca was silent for a minute. "Maybe I don't want to be known anymore as the foolish little girl who kept chasing someone who couldn't love her back." Her voice held no hint to what she was feeling.

"I'm sorry. For everything." He couldn't help himself when he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Pucca didn't move away. He decided that was a good thing.

"It was a long time ago."

"Three months isn't that long."

"I guess it depends on whose point of view. Three months feels like a lifetime away."

They were silent once again. Garu just studied her as the ocean breeze played with her black hair.

"Do you know what Ring-ring said to me that time?" Pucca turned her gaze to his face questioningly "She said she knew of a way to get rid of you." Pucca turned away again.

He figured Pucca already knew they only kissed for that purpose. What she didn't know was why. Ring-ring's motives was simpler. She wanted to feel that she was better than Pucca by hurting her through Garu. Garu's motives however were a lot more complicated.

"I said I wasn't interested and she looked surprised. I realized I rejected her even before I heard her plan."

"Why would you do that?" She whispered hoarsely.

"Somehow, I knew that whatever she was planning would be effective in its purpose and I didn't want that." Pucca scoffed and Garu gave her a small smile "Yeah, that was my reaction too when she pointed that out to me. What scared me though, was when I realized that she was right.

"I didn't even know you were there until she told me. That was when Ring-ring grabbed me and tried to kiss me. She said if I really didn't care about you, that was the time to prove it." Garu laughed bitterly as he stood up with his back to her. He shoved his hands in his pockets and stared unseeingly at the ocean.

"Garu..." she said his name softly caressing every syllable that rolled off her tongue.

"I panicked because I was faced with my growing feelings towards you and I didn't want to admit it even to myself." Garu turned to her. His front was shadowed because of the dimming light behind him. "Do you still hate me, Pucca? For kissing that brat?"

Pucca gave him a small sad smile, "I never hated you, Garu."

Garu sat next to her again and took her hands in his. "Do you still love me, Pucca? Is there any love left? Because, god, I've missed you." His voice was rough as it betrayed the emotions he was trying to control.

Pucca tensed and was speechless for a minute until she was finally able to say, "Garu, I don't know. I thought that maybe, it was time for me to move on". She lifted her chin defiantly daring him to contradict her. Despite himself, Garu felt a small relief in seeing the familiar fire in her gaze.

"Pucca, I don't think you-" He stopped himself short knowing it would be a mistake to argue with her about her feelings. "I believe you. Just know that I- I care about you deeply."

He tucked the wayward lock in her ear again then slid his hands to her jaw loving the feel of her soft skin. She closed her eyes her crescent lashes resting on her rounded cheeks. She sighed sadly.

He couldn't tell her he loved her yet. He just couldn't, not when she wasn't sure how she felt about him. It wasn't the right time and he can only take so much disappointment.

"I have to go." she said turning her face away from him abruptly. He dropped his hands from her jaw. She stood up and hurried away from him not even noticing Ching and Abyo looking at her in concern as they held each other's hands.

Abyo must've taken advantage of his little lie. He wanted to smile at his friend's fortune but he couldn't find it in his heart to do it at that moment.

Garu sighed. Atleast some of them wouldn't be alone tonight.

0o0o0o

I'm sorry, so sorry. He was a jerk. Where was his sense of honor at that time? His guilt was eating at him but more so his regret for being so blind and ignorant that he couldn't see the precious gift fate bestowed upon him even when the said gift was being thrust to his face for years.

Frustrated, he kicked a pebble in front of him that sent it bouncing off a tree and flying back to him. He dodged it easily inclining his head and missing his ear by inches.

He turned towards a nearby tree and then with an almost superhuman strength and agility, hopped and swung from branch to branch as he climbed it. He was near the top before he settled down and casually leaned his back on the trunk.

He found that he preffered to be up on a tree when he wanted to collect his thoughts. High up, he felt separated from his problems and he felt he could look at them more objectively.

He didn't feel objective at that moment though. When he closed his eyes, all he could see was Pucca, her warm smile, her eyes soft and tender… Damn! He could even feel her, the way her soft body would slam against him then fit perfectly with the hard contours of his body…

As a kid, he found her annoying and was really not interested in what she was offering. He had no place in his life for her love. His training and his mission to stop Tobe was all he needed to go on. He preferred to be alone. But through the years, she gradually grew on him. Sometimes, before he could check himself, he found himself watching out for signs of Pucca not with dread but with excitement. Looking back, he knew he kept running away from her out of habit more than anything else. He actually looked forward to their invigorating chase. It was just easier to deny it than accept something as foreign to him as love.

Well, he accepted it but ironically, she was the one denying it now. His mouth twisted in a wry grimace as he stared unseeingly at the lush green scenery before him. The only thing he could see was the memory of Pucca's polite expression, talking to him as if the only thing they shared was a casual hello. They both knew that wasn't the case and there was no point pretending otherwise.

She liked him before, and he can make her like him again.

I'll get her back.

The statement rang loud and clear in his mind. A sense of rightness filled him. He may not be certain of a lot of things but he knew for certain that he would stop at nothing to get Pucca back. He was nothing if not determined.

He was about to give Pucca a taste of her own medicine. He wouldn't go around literally running after her. He was a strategist and plans for tomorrow were already forming in his mind.

He broke a twig from a nearby branch and was skillfully rolling it between his fingers in an unconscious gesture.

He grinned at the possibilities and determination glinted in his dark eyes.

Get ready, love. It's my turn.

I'm pretty much still a rookie in this fanfiction business. So please review so I can improve on my writing. Thank you.