RT_Strawhat_Ninja: FLASHBACK CHAPTER

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Makino's eyes flitted up to the man at the bar. She knew him. He often came in with his friends for drinks when his wife divorced him three years ago. He had been sad at first, yes. But slowly, he regained his joy and became one of her favorite customers. Always so cheery and full of life. She figured he got a girlfriend and now, she had dumped him.

But his friends weren't with him. She knew his name was Shanks.

"Shanks? Is everything okay?" She asked. He looked up and she saw tears in his brown eyes.

"Oh... Hi, Makino." He said quietly. Makino leaned her elbows on he bar and looked at him.

"What's wrong, Shanks?" She asked. He sighed and wiped his eyes. She had never seen this man cry. Not even when his wife left him.

"I lost my job at the work yards. Normally I'd say "no big deal, I'll just get a new job" and find one. But I've looked everywhere. Restaurants won't hire me, I can't do desk jobs, no auto-shops are hiring, hell, I can't even get a custodian job." He sighed. His eyes closed and his eyebrows pulled together.

"And just Monday morning, the social worker told me that if I don't have a job by the end of the month, then my ex-wife gets full custody of my daughter. I can't lose her, Makino. Not my baby girl. Anyone but her." He said, voice shaking. Makino was surprised. She didn't know Shanks had a daughter.

"What am I going to do, Makino? If I don't get a job soon, I'm going to lose my baby girl. I live for that little girl." He said. Makino hummed.

"Do you have your résumé?" She asked. Shanks looked up at her.

"Yeah. I have a few copies. I've been job hunting all day." He said.

"Give me one." She said. Shanks blinked at her. He reached over in to the backpack on the seat beside him and handed it to her.

"I'll review this tonight and call you in the morning... or whenever your hangover wears off." She said with a smile. Shanks's eyes widened at what she was implying. He nodded and finished his drink.

"Thank you." He said and headed home for the night. After closing, Makino reviewed over his résumé as she said.

"He has a bachelor's degree for education? Why didn't he apply at the school? Oh well, I'll give him an interview. He's kind enough." She said.

The next morning, Makino called Shanks in for an interview. He walked in on Wednesday morning before opening. Makino's heart jumped when she saw him. He wore a dark red dress shirt and black dress pants. He looked really nice. They started the interview.

"Okay, so final question. You mentioned you had a daughter in duel custody with your ex-wife. What days do you have her?" Makino asked.

"I have her from Friday evening to Sunday evening." He said. Makino nodded and made a note.

"Alright, Shanks. Thank you. I'll review this and I'll call you." She said with a smile.

"Thank you, Makino." He said with a smile. Makino returned the smile and he went home for the night. Makino drew a breath and checked the time. It had been a few good hours and she already made up her mind.

"I shouldn't do this for the reasons that I am. But... well, he has a child he has to take care of. And I saw his face. Just for a little while. After he's worked here long enough, I'll send his résumé over to the school." She thought as she picked up the phone. She listened to it ring.

"Hello?" The deep voice that made Makino's heart flutter answered.

"Hi, Shanks. It's Makino." She said.

"Hi, Makino!" He said. She could hear the smile in his voice.

"You start Monday at noon exactly. You'll be trained through out the week and I'll give you your official schedule after you finish training on Thursday night." She said. She heard him cheer to one of his friends on the other side.

"Thank you, Makino. Thank you so much. I'll see you Monday at noon." He said. Makino said her good bye and drew a deep breath.

"I'm doing a good thing. It's not just to get close to him. It's so he can see his daughter." She told herself.

Shanks worked at the bar for one year. He and Makino became very close, but neither made a move on the other. Kept it strictly boss and employee relationship.

"Shanks, mind if I ask you something?" Makino asked.

"Sure." He said.

"I noticed on your résumé that you have a bachelor's degree in education. Why didn't you ever apply at the school?" She asked. Shanks sighed.

"I applied at every school across the city. None had any openings." He sighed. Makino hummed.

"Well.. New World high has a principal position opening." She said. Shanks's head snapped up.

"Does it really?" He asked. She nodded.

"I figured you might want to apply there." She said. Next thing she knew, Shanks was hugging her.

"With a job like that, I could have my daughter for more days!" He said. She giggled, trying to hide her blush.

"I may have sent your résumé over this morning~" she hummed.

"Oh, Makino, thank you so much! I could kiss you!" He said. He suddenly realized what he said and a blush flew to his face.

"Um.. well. You'd have to wait until you got a different job for that." She said, red claiming her face as well. Shanks stared at her, then gave her a sheepish grin. She returned the grin.

A few months later, Shanks told Makino that he could only work at the bar for one more month. He got the job as principal. Makino was happy for him.

Before either of them realized it, another year had passed. Shanks sat in the bar with Makino near closing on the last day of school for staff.

"Wow. A whole year." She said. Shanks chuckled, then let out a soft sigh.

"Something wrong?" She asked. Shanks took a sip of his drink.

"I never got to tell you, but just as I was starting my job as principal, my ex-wife, Hope... she told me that she was moving my daughter and herself out to West Blue. I... I only get to see my daughter for one month a year. I get one full month with her in the summer, but... call me greedy, but I need more than that." He sighed. Makino frowned.

"I'm sorry, Shanks. I wish there was something I could do to help." She said. Shanks smiled at her.

"Oh, it's alright Makino. You've helped me out so much in these past two years." He said with a gentle smile.

"Hey, Makino... you can say no if you want, but... would you like to get dinner with me on Sunday?" He asked nervously. Makino blinked.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" She asked.

"W-well, I uh, I-I..." he spluttered. She giggled.

"I'd love to go on a date with you, Shanks." She said with a smile. He smiled back.

"So, pick you up at six?" He asked. She smiled.

"See you at six." She said.

The first date had gone well. As had the second, third, fourth, fifth sixth, seventh, so on and so on. Before Makino had realized it, she and Shanks had been on about 57 dates before he finally asked her to be his official girlfriend.

They have been together five years.

Present day

Aisuru beamed at Makino as she finished the story.

"What?" Makino laughed.

"You and Dad are cute together." She said. Makino laughed.

"Looks like Aisuru has joined Benn, Yasopp, Lucky, Rockstar, Dadan, Ace, Sabo and Luffy in the shipper's category." She thought.