Heartbeat

Chapter 1

It was 10:41 in the morning at Shinsekai City. People were still at work or at school, since it's a Friday.

Inside a lecture hall in Sabaody University, there sat on the back of the hall was Monkey D. Luffy, who was lazily resting his chin on the palm of his hand while his elbow rested on his desk beside Usopp, who was writing down the notes Mr. Smoker was writing on the white board.

It was a long morning for Luffy. Thankfully, he doesn't have any scheduled classes in the afternoon so he could see his brother and bring him flowers, and possibly, meet his soulmate there.

That's right. Luffy has been feeling a heartbeat faintly when he was visiting the hospital his brother was at. Could be another patient, could be a doctor, and they could be a nurse. He couldn't care less unless he is certain that his brother was okay.

Gol D. Ace hasn't woken up yet and it has been a month since the accident at Marineford District.

Luffy feels that it's his fault. If he hadn't carelessly crossed the road when he saw something interesting, Ace wouldn't be in this current situation. Sabo could still be concentrating at work across the city without worrying about Ace, Luffy would still be smiling more, and Ace would still be at home with documents from his company in hand with the occasional visits of his soulmate, Marco.

Instead, they were met with the current situation.

Sabo could only visit Ace once in a while since his job requires him to travel – don't know how a job at the law firm would require him to travel but Luffy doesn't question it one bit. Luffy is still a busy college student, so he doesn't know when he could visit Ace during his free time when he's still exhausted from all the projects and homework they have to do. They could only count on Marco to keep him company every other day, though he's one of the executives of Whitebeard Corp.

This Friday is different. Luffy was free from the homework since it's gonna be a national holiday soon and the professors aren't allowed to give them homework, since the school believes in rest days so that's a plus.

He can finally visit his brother after six whole days of non-stop academic torture.

Sabo brings orchids to Ace every time he visits. And Marco brings him pink roses when he does and he visits every other day. Maybe Luffy should try bringing sunflowers this afternoon and hope that Ace will wake up this time.

---Scene---

It was finally 2:38 in the afternoon and Luffy was finally free.

He already went to the local flower shop where his friend, Nami (It's a part-time job for her), and her sister, Nojiko, works at. It was also a rare moment that Nami gave the sunflowers to Luffy free of charge. It was a one in a million-year opportunity and he had it. He bid goodbye to the pair of sisters while thanking them for the free flowers.

Now, Luffy was in front of the famous Heart Hospital. The hospital where his brother was taken in. And where his possible soulmate would be at. Luffy could already feel the flutters from his soulmate's heart and his own heart beating fast, nervous to see his older brother. He stepped inside the hospital and saw doctors, nurses, and people who wants to be checked up on and some emergency patients.

The hospital was at its usual state.

Seven times he visited the hospital, including the current visit today. His heart started beating faster as he went deeper inside the hospital. Luffy didn't know what was it about anymore, the nervousness of meeting his comatose brother, or the fluttering heartbeat of his soulmate slowly getting stronger with every step of the way towards the elevator doors.