I often mention that I'm not a huge fan of romance anime (except for BL), but I do love a tiny hint of love in shounen ones. I'm a fan of NaruHina (Naruto), Deku and Uraraka (BnHA), Yami and Charlotte (Black Clover) and so on.
Having said that, there's this one pair from the almost zero-romance anime ONE PIECE that I really got invested in... Sanji X Pudding. I was so invested that I even made a poem from Pudding's POV. Let me share it below.
VIDEO SOURCE
I made this poem after reading some parts of the Whole Cake Arc and even posted it in the previous blog site 6 years ago. You can check the post HERE, but I'll be posting it below as well.
PUDDING TO SANJI
In my life, I have one big secret
Despite the sweet and lovely appearance
Lies another monster with an extra eye
I deceive people so my mom would accept me
I know I'm being used, but what could I do?
I'm just a mere puppet bound in my own doom
And then, the powerful mom that's controlling me
Gave me a mission that suits my ability
Fooling people by acting so damn weak
Once they sympathize, I'll directly kill that freak
But meeting you changed my then hopeless life
You accepted the me that even I hated so much
You protected me and my fragile heart like a real man
You even taught me the undeniable value of self-love
From that moment, I grew so confused
My heart started beating so fast when I'm with you
Then I cried realizing how deeply I fell
Will I finally get out of this burning hell?
But the strings that tie me is still so strong
In your life, I could be your only wrong
I didn't want that to happen, so I braced myself strong
Took the memories of you and me we shared along
And now, in a dark alley, I cried in peace
Hoping that someday, I could find my release
Hoping that one day, our paths will cross again
And maybe, that time, there'll be no more pain
If you're curious about this scene, I found this short clip on YouTube for reference.
VIDEO SOURCE
Right after this heartbreaking scene, Sanji hurried back to meet up with the other members of Mugiwara leaving Pudding crying alone in that alley.
If I were to make a fanfiction following the scene from the video, it would go like this...
Sanji X Pudding
Sanji stood dumbfounded for a moment as he saw Pudding's back slowly disappearing. Although confusion still clouded his mind, he unknowingly found himself following her. His steps getting faster as he grew closer and when he finally closed the distance between them, he hugged her from behind.
Still hearing the tiny sobs coming from Pudding, Sanji held her closer and said, "I don't know what happened, but I know something did. It was as if a precious memory was robbed off of me." He brought his face closer to hers and continued, "But whatever it is, I know I'll soon remember." Pudding's eyes widened, still brimming with tears. She turned around to face the man who she shared a kiss with just a minute ago, "You should go. They need you. I'll take care of things here." She tried to smile while faking a brave front. Sanji nodded as he placed his hands on her shoulders, "You are beautiful and special. Never let anyone say otherwise. We'll meet again someday, I promise."
Holding onto those words, the two went their separate ways.
It's funny how Oda-sensei try not to insert romance in the series but ended up with such a scene. I know Sanji is a womanizer, but he's also very sincere. I hope they'd meet again someday.
Anyway, I'm a ZoroSan fan, but I don't mind pairing Sanji with Pudding and Zoro with either Perona or Robin. hahah
I miss writing these "cringe" fanfictions. hahaha I used to write some for my fellow fangirl friends, though mostly BL since the characters were J-pop idols. Haha It's nice to have such an opportunity again. Thanks to the anime community here. <3