Tobe

Tobe, an evil ninja, or at least that's what he tries to appear to be. He's always trying to defeat Garu, another ninja just as skilled as himself, though deep down he knows it's never that simple.
From childhood, the rivalry between them grew into something more, something complicated. Every fight, every chase, every silent glance seemed to carry more weight than Tobe was willing to admit.
In the village of Sooga, everyone continues with their lives. Ching and Abyo remain close to Garu, supporting him as always. Pucca, well, she hasn't changed much; she's still persistent, even though Garu clearly doesn't reciprocate her feelings.
But Tobe does notice.
Notice how Garu distances himself from everyone. Notice how he fights alone. Notice how he never lets his guard down, except in those rare moments when his eyes meet his.
And that irritates him.
Because Tobe doesn't know if he wants to defeat him or understand him.
One night, under the dim light, Tobe appears in front of Garu, blocking his path as always.
"Don't think this is over," he says, crossing his arms with a defiant smile. "This time... I don't intend to lose."
But their gaze is not only one of rivalry.
It's something more dangerous.
The fight did not end as Tobe had promised.
He didn't win
And that was unacceptable.
Back in his lair, hidden in the shadows and far from the bustle of Sooga, the atmosphere was tense. His ninja accomplices avoided looking directly at him, knowing that any word could be the wrong one.
Tobe was no longer wearing his usual combat gear. He had changed into lighter clothing, with bandages covering part of his torso and arms. Every movement reminded him of the outcome of that battle.
He was injured
But it wasn't just physical.
Sitting down, while roughly adjusting a bandage, his mind kept returning to that exact moment: the final collision, the closeness, Garu's gaze.
That damn look
—Tsk…—he clicks his tongue, annoyed
There's something intense that he doesn't understand.
He gets frustrated and feels strange
—I just need to sleep, if that—
But he doesn't know if he's talking about a fight or love.