Chapter 11
The seashell that Lyme gave you has been polished into a wall decoration. You didn't have any particular idea about the decoration, so you just casually hung it on the wall of what is temporarily your room.
In a sense, the gift Lyme gave you ended up on their ship. As you were still staring blankly at the seashells on the wall, excited shouts came from the deck, mixed with conversations of "We can see the island!"
An island? The keyword reminded you of your initial reason for boarding the ship. Having never joined in the fun since boarding, this was the first time you felt the urge to. And just like that, you bumped into Beckman, who seemed to be just passing by, as soon as you stepped outside.
An unexpected encounter with Beckman might give you a nostalgic feeling of meeting your school's headmaster. But unlike a headmaster, Beckman will greet you with a smile first.
"I heard it's a deserted island. Are you interested?"
"A deserted island...?"
You repeated the key words from Beckman's words, and he mistakenly thought you didn't understand, so he patiently explained the definition of an uninhabited island to you.
"As the name suggests, it is an island without residents or buildings, and it is not marked on a map."
You certainly know the definition of a deserted island, but Beckman's patience and seemingly enthusiastic invitation for you to come down the island make you wonder if Beckman has any intention of keeping you here.
Even though this was an unfounded idea, you took a half step back after stepping out with your right foot, blocking yourself behind the wooden door.
"I think I'll pass. A deserted island... I'm not that interested in it."
How could Beckman not understand the meaning behind your words and actions? Seeing your reaction of trying to shrink yourself into a small dot, Beckman smiled faintly and cleared up your misunderstanding of him.
"You misunderstood. I didn't mean for you to leave the island here. I just felt that you had been staying in the room for too long and wanted to go for a walk on land."
Thanks to Beckman's explanation, you, who had misunderstood his good intentions, were even more unsure how to face him. Your gaze was fixed on the wooden plank at Beckman's toes, unable to look anywhere else.
"Hmm, let's go for a walk."
So, at Beckman's invitation, you leave your room and follow him to the bustling deck. The first to notice Beckman's arrival is Shanks, who is chatting and laughing with the crew.
"I wonder if there's any treasure here, what do you think, Baker?"
Because of your height, you were hiding behind Beckman and no one noticed you. Beckman didn't bother to remind anyone else and smoothly continued the conversation about Shanks.
"You'll know once you go and see for yourself."
"Oh right, let's invite her too. She's always stuck in her room and the infirmary, it's so boring."
With this topic in mind, the others on deck agreed with Shanks' suggestion, and some even called out Rem's name, asking him to go and call you.
"Come on! Instead of sending Rem, let Hongo go find her. Last time, he just gave her live seashells!"
Yasopp's words elicited harmless laughter from the people on deck. Lyme, who was at the center of the conversation, wanted to refute Yasopp's words, but glancing at the shadow behind Beckman, he swallowed his words.
As the center of attention, you regret not returning or appearing when they talked about you, leaving you in a dilemma.
It was at this moment that Beckman, who had been acting as your shield, turned to the side, exposing you, who had been hiding behind him, to the gaze of everyone on the deck.
"I forgot to mention, the person has already arrived."
The pirates, who had been laughing uncontrollably just moments before, froze in their poses as Beckman introduced him, like a stereo system that had been unplugged. Only Rem, sensing something amiss, let out a soft hum and proudly raised his head in the unusual silence.
The pirates who had to stop laughing weren't the only ones embarrassed; you, who were suspected of being part of Beckman's group who had impulsively played a prank on them, were also in an awkward situation. Fortunately, Shanks was among the group, completely oblivious to the atmosphere, waving to you with his only remaining hand.
"That's great, now I don't need to send someone to call you!"
Regardless of Shanks' reasons for striking up a conversation with you, you feel grateful to the current Shanks and look at him with more respect.
Good afternoon, everyone.
Perhaps because few people greet them, the pirates who were just chatting freely gave you a somewhat awkward greeting, until Hongo's voice came from behind you.
"I was just wondering where you were if you weren't in your room. Turns out you came to the deck."
Having spent so much time with Hongo lately, your tense nerves and muscles relax when you see him.
"Because the deck was so lively, I thought I'd come and take a look."
The moment your eyes met, you saw Hongo's expression pause slightly, then in the blink of an eye, it returned to the familiar smile you knew.
"Going to the island for a stroll would be nice. But your hand isn't fully healed yet, so you should still be careful."
You nodded in agreement, truly taking the doctor's words to heart.
"I will."
When you finished your conversation with Hongo, the atmosphere on the deck changed. Even without looking up, you could feel the intense gaze upon you. It wasn't malicious, but it was enough to make you tremble with fear.
Fortunately, Snake from the lookout tower announced the landing in time; otherwise, you wouldn't know how to deal with the situation.
First off the ship was Shanks, shouting "We're on the island!" followed by Yasopp, then the other crew members, and the mature and composed Beckman. As for why you don't know their names, that's because you intentionally avoided meeting anyone after boarding.
What impressed you most about Lyme was that he was one of the first to disembark, still sitting on the deck. Even through his glasses, you could feel his gaze on you.
You're unsure if Rem wants to talk to you, but he seems oblivious to the fact that his gaze feels like a tangible threat to you. Just as you're about to overbreathe at Rem's presence, Hongo steps in front of you, blocking Rem's gaze from falling on you.
Aren't you leaving?
The timing of Bengo's appearance eased your tension, and you responded to his invitation with a smile.
"Okay, let's go now."
Everyone says that going uphill is easier than going downhill. The same principle applies to walking on that gangplank connecting the ship's side and the land. You walk very carefully, afraid that you might slip and cause trouble for the people walking in front of you.
Compared to Shanks and his crew who were jumping around so much that the springboard seemed like it could crack at any moment, your snail-like speed is an insult to their speed.
Perhaps noticing this, the person who was walking behind you slowed down. Even if you didn't see their reaction, you could sense them stepping onto the plank and then turning back as if they remembered something.
Hongo, who was walking in front of you, probably wanted to help you, but seeing how you were carefully making your way forward while focusing on the planks under your feet, he turned away so as not to disturb you.
Even if no one blames you, the moment you step onto land, you can't help but feel guilty for wasting the time of the crew who jumped off the ship after just a few steps.
Only Lym, walking behind you, knew that the other crew members, who had been watching you carefully walk across the gangplank just as he had, all wore expressions of astonishment. If he weren't afraid you'd be angry, Lym would have actually wanted to help you.
Seeing Hongo walking on the diving board when he could have jumped down directly, and seeing that Hongo was actually paying close attention to him despite his seemingly nonchalant attitude, Rem gave up on the idea.
It's very simple. If this method were feasible, Hongo, who has been with you the longest recently, would have already helped. Hongo's lack of action clearly indicates that he has some concerns.
Speaking of Hongo, Rem immediately thought of the scene on the deck just now, where you and Hongo were talking to each other as if no one else was around, amidst the laughter of the others.
He was the one who gave you the gift, so why are you and Hongo so close?
Thinking about this, Rem, who had intentionally set off at a different time than Shanks and the others, became a little angry, but he didn't know what was making him angry.
But seeing how scared you were but still tried to appear calm as you walked down the ramp, Lyme, who could jump right off, followed you down the ramp.
-
Shanks and his crew, who had set off earlier, had disappeared. On the shore, besides you who were coming down later, were the resident crew members from Lu and the kitchen, who were preparing dinner.
Because you had received help from Lu before, when you saw Lu and the others busy, you instinctively went over to ask if they needed any assistance. Lu responded with a hearty laugh.
"You rarely come down from the island, go and have some fun."
"Besides, your hands are still wrapped up, aren't they? If they get wet, Hongo will probably come after me."
When Lu finished speaking, Hongo, who was standing behind you at a certain distance, laughed.
Although Hongo didn't say anything, his laughter made your face feel a little hot, though you couldn't quite put your finger on why.
"Lyme, come and help."
Lu's voice draws your attention to Lyme, who is also standing there. His already unapproachable expression becomes even more awkward because Lu called for his help. Even so, Lyme joins Lu's dinner party.
The only path that could help didn't require your assistance, so you wandered around not far from them, too afraid to venture into the dense forest. The only thing that made you feel uneasy was the village, which you hadn't yet left since disembarking.
You don't think that someone like Hongo, who you usually get along with, is the type who's afraid of unknown islands. Someone who can hang out with Shanks and the others and even get a bounty on their head must at least have a strong curiosity about the unknown.
The only thing that could keep your fellow villagers following you around is a doctor's excessive concern for their patients' professional ethics, right?
After figuring out why Hongo stayed, you turned to look at him, who was keeping a certain distance from you. When your eyes met, Hongo gave you a "what's wrong?" look.
"Um, I'll be fine on my own, I won't get my hands on it."
You point to your hand, which is no longer as tightly wrapped as it was at the beginning, and try to persuade him with the local medical skills.
"Hongo likes adventure too, right? Don't worry about me, I won't go far."
Seeing that Honjo was still standing there because of what you said, you pointed to a group of people not far away who were cooking and chatting happily under the direction of the road, and once again expressed to Honjo that you would be fine.
"Lu and the others are still there, I'll be fine."
Seeing your insistence, Honjang gave up his idea of following you and agreed to your request.
"I understand. Be careful."
After you smiled back at Hongo, he turned and walked into the dense forest, leaving you to wander alone not far from them.
With no one else around, you can relax a bit. The feeling of walking on sand through your shoes is unpleasant, so you take them off and casually pull up your trousers, which just reach your ankles, to prevent them from getting dirty from seawater or sand. After doing this, you hold your shoes in your uninjured hand and feel the texture of the sand barefoot.
Watching your footprints appear on the white sand is a fun experience. Even if the action itself doesn't bring much meaning, you'll still feel satisfied enjoying a moment of tranquility.
Isn't it wonderful to feel free to not have to think about where you're going or worry about where you are?
You stopped in your tracks when you heard Lyme's voice.
"If you keep walking, you'll get lost."
A cool male voice made you turn around. You didn't know when Lem had arrived, but Lem's words made you realize the distance between yourself and Lu and the others—a distance that they wouldn't be able to reach you in time if danger struck.
Lyme, who should be on the other side of the road, is standing behind you, which means he was the first to notice that you had walked away.
Responding to Lem's reminder, you thanked Lem while carrying your shoes.
"Sorry, I got a little carried away. Thank you, otherwise I wouldn't know where I went."
As you spoke, you hurriedly put down the shoe you were holding. Even faster than you was Lime, who bent down and picked up the shoe.
This surprises you, because Lyme doesn't seem like the type to do something like this. But that's not the case; he not only did it, but also gestured for you to keep going.
"Didn't you want to leave? They'll be busy with the road for a while, and dinner won't be ready for some time."
You understand the logic, but Lyme's perfectly normal gesture of picking up your shoes makes you wonder about your relationship. Most importantly, you don't want to cause trouble for others.
"but--"
You try to get Lyme to give you back your shoes, but he raises an eyebrow and his words, tinged with subtle emotion, leave you rooted to the spot.
"Does it have to be from the same hometown?"
Do you think Lem must have misunderstood something? Otherwise, why would he ask such a question that you can't answer?
-
Pirates who are used to switching between the ocean and land rarely have any interest in the beach, so it's normal for Ryme to pay some attention to you walking barefoot on the sand, right?
Compared to the big men on the boat, no one is as careful as you. Whether it's the way you control your steps when you step off the gangplank, or your current behavior of focusing on landing on the beach and leaving footprints in the fine white sand, Lyme can't understand it.
You're clearly afraid of pirates and don't like the sea. So it's normal for him, who likes the sea and is a pirate, to pay close attention to your behavior, right?
For him, the slender ankles, the fair and smooth calves that should have been covered by trousers, and the footprints whose length could be measured at a glance, all captivated Lyme's heart.
Recalling how barely you made a sound walking on the springboard, Lem figured that even if you stepped on him, your strength wouldn't pose any threat to him.
Not just him, anyone on the ship could stop your attack, even if you never showed any intention to attack anyone.
He had intended to spare some energy for you, but Lu's voice made him realize that he was no longer part of the dinner preparation team.
"Lyme, if you really want to follow them, don't scare them."
Besides Lu, other people were saying similar things, but none of them were what he wanted to hear, because you had gone far away.
According to Lu, whether he helps or not is unimportant. So it's normal for him to follow you and prevent you from encountering danger, right?
You are an ordinary person through and through, even less vigilant than the average person. You could ask any resident on the island to tell you they've been followed the whole way.
But you didn't. You kept looking at your footprints and walking forward, the shoes you were carrying in your hands swaying with the frequency of your steps.
Perhaps you were too engrossed in something that was utterly boring to him, and by the time he realized it, he was already stepping in your footprints. Without him even trying, your footprints were trampled underfoot, leaving no trace.
Lyme is pretty sure he doesn't have any weird fetishes, but that very fact makes him want to come up to you and measure the length of your foot and the width of your ankle with his own hands.
If he did that, would you panic and then accept it, just like that night in the kitchen? No, you might be furious at his actions, and you might even step on him with your foot, leaving your mark on him.
This is unreasonable; no pirate or man would want to be treated like this by the weaker party. But if that person were you, Rem might be able to accept it.
Just imagining that scene made his gums salivate, the kind of saliva that only appears when one is hungry. He knew this was abnormal. And what was causing him to become abnormal was you, walking ahead of him without any awareness.
So when he realized you were about to walk out of their sight, he called you back.
Sure enough, you were startled by him again. Apologize and thank him, then quickly put down the shoes you were holding.
He has no interest in frightening you, nor does he intend to embarrass you. It's just that your reaction now is far more touching than he usually sees; at least he can see your emotions.
So he bent down, picked up a shoe that showed the length of your foot, and, to your astonishment, revealed his desire to continue walking with you.
"Didn't you want to leave? They'll be busy with the road for a while, and dinner won't be ready for some time."
He felt that what he said made a lot of sense; rather than letting you go back to sitting stiffly, it would be better to continue taking a relaxed walk like this.
But you didn't understand what he meant, and you even refused his offer to go with you.
For some reason, he thought of Hongo, who had been with you since before you even arrived on the island. He had no other thoughts about his companion whom he had spent every day with, but when you hesitated and said "but," Rem still thought of Hongo.
If it were Honjo offering to stay with you, you would definitely agree, right?
Just thinking about this made Lem, who had given a gift but received no response and who only wanted to stop Lem from being angry, feel angry for the first time.
He's angry at his own inability to express himself, angry at your differences, and perhaps even angry at his hometown.
This is unreasonable. After repeating the sentence to himself again, Lem still blurted out the words he couldn't control his emotions.
"Does it have to be from the same hometown?"
Even though Hongo is just like him, he's a pirate who can take your life at any time.
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