[Zoro's POV. Docking at Lumina City]
As soon as Gigi hands me my allowance, I disembark. Reiko is going off with Reina to the sword district and I told them I'm going to the bar. I did feel slightly jealous though, Reina has her arm around Reiko and whispering something that makes her laugh as they head off. Cant she stick to Robin?... Of course not, Robin is going with the Long Nose to some museum and Reina and Robin aren't dating. Tch. Damn Reina...
Anyway, I head toward the bar. I'll find this island without help.
[20 minutes later]
The street is quiet and empty other than the dog on the porch of one of the houses. How the hell did I end up here? Why are there suburbs on a city island. Tch, damn weird island.. I turn around and head toward the bar again, annoyed and determined.
[30 minutes later]
Fine! I admit it! i'm lost. There's a damn bookstore here! I'll never find the bar at this rate! I glare into the window of the bookstore like my mortal enemy and then something catches my eye on the display... Prince Chef! Its the latest chapter of my favorite manga. Its my guilty pleasure, I will die before anyone learns I read it, so I look around to make sure Robin or someone isn't nearby and go in. At one of the tables, a cute girl with long dark hair and orange tips at the end is reading the one I saw in the window! In the open! She glances up, sensing my stare and I look away embarrassed.
"You also read Prince Chef?" She asks curiously. She has a nice voice. "N-NO!... I mean I know it. I mean.." I ramble, flustered at being caught. She smirks slightly, "Yuki, nice to meet you. Did you get the new chapter?" She asks. I blush but realize its hopeless, "No, not yet," I say, my shoulders slumping. She goes and pulls a copy from the shelf with a smile, "You can read with me!" she says. "There's supposed to be a steamy scene between Zip and Sanzo." She says, I blush and then see her sword, "your a swordsman." I say. "You are too," She says ;looking at my swords and suddenly her eyes widen in recognition, "Wait... Your Ronoa Zoro?!" She asks. I smirk slightly and nod, "Thats right" I say. She gets out of her chair and onto her knees, "Teach me." She says. I blink surprised, "Teach you?" I say. "Yes, I want to learn Santoryu. I'm a big fan of yours and I want to learn!" She says, and bows her head, "Please Master Zoro." She says quietly. I nod "Get up. Don't embarrass yourself." I tell her and she gets up and clasps my hands, tears of joy streaming down her face, "I wont let you down Master Zoro!" She says. I look away, "Right. Anyway, since we're here, lets read first then we'll head to the dojo," I tell her. She beams, "Right!" She says and sits. "You better not utter a word about this book though you hear me?" I say. She nods vigorously, "our secret!" She says and flips to the beginning of the book and we begin reading.
This manga is my guilty pleasure as I said, my deepest secret. Its about this stoic knight named Zip and how he falls for the handsome blond Prince of the kingdom who ran away to become a chef and they adventure together and with their adventuring party they joined. I'm reading it solely for the technique, the swordsmanship of Zip. Totally for the technique. Zip uses three swords too. The Prince uses his legs to kick, refusing to coat his hands with blood since one day he will rule the kingdom and he is a chef and needs his hands clean.
Later, Yuki and I head to the dojo and I show her some of the basics which she has good understanding of but we practice. I heard Jinbei once say "Teaching is the best way to learn", and now I see he's right as explaining it to Yuki helps me understand it more.
I think I enjoy having a disciple. Well... Yuki is also my confidant now, carrying my secrets too so I feel lighter, and I have someone to share swordsmanship and Prince Chef with. Reiko is my sparring partner but shed never stop teasing me if she knew this... Also I may or may not possibly like her so Im not telling her batshit about this.