Chapter 12
Explaining would likely only make things go in a stranger direction; it's best to go along with Lyme's wishes for now. Seeing Lyme's expression, which seemed to be both complaining and resentful, you forced a smile and softly asked for Lyme's opinion.
"Perhaps you'd like to walk with me...?"
Lem didn't speak, but his tightly furrowed brows showed signs of relaxing, meaning the current plan was working. Reflecting on Lem's earlier words, you felt better about your earlier refusal of his invitation.
"Actually, I'm not sure if you'd like me to stay with you. After all, I'd probably be pretty bored compared to the other people on the ship."
The timely sea breeze caused strands of your casually tied hair to fall across your face, and the obstructed view made it impossible to see Lyme's expression.
Because it was the direction of your dominant hand, when you subconsciously tried to use your covered hand to lift the hair on the side of your face, your dry fingertips lifted the hair that was blocking your vision before you could, and thoughtfully tucked it behind your ear.
The simplest of actions and the instantaneous touch leave you bewildered. Don't misunderstand, it's the bewilderment that comes from being at a loss.
Lyme, whose complexion had clearly improved considerably, still picked up something casually, a stark contrast to your reaction.
"Aren't we supposed to keep going?"
Lyme's voice snapped your brain out of its daze. You instinctively took two steps back, made sure you were at a safe distance, and then chuckled awkwardly as you continued Lyme's conversation.
"Well, you're right. Let's look around some more then...!"
The same beach and the same pace, but your mood isn't as lighthearted as before. And lime, breaking this cheerful atmosphere, is walking beside you, keeping pace with your steps.
Even so, Rem's physique and aura still make you nervous, and unlike Hongo, he doesn't take the initiative to talk to you, which makes you unsure of where to start.
If there's anything to talk about right now... it's probably the seashell Lime gave you. Having finally found a way to start a conversation, you turn your head, glancing at Lime out of the corner of your eye, whose gaze follows your movement and lands on your face.
It's a "look" devoid of any emotion, which makes you feel relieved, and the words you've prepared in your mind can be spoken smoothly.
"The seashell you gave me last time was very pretty, I really liked it, thank you."
The scales in my heart, which had tipped because of your differential treatment, slowly rose again upon your thanks, returning to their original balance.
Lem wanted to tell you that he had been searching for this seashell for a long time, and he also wanted to tell you why he gave this seashell to you. All the words floating in his mind finally turned into short, somewhat indifferent sentences in your pupils where he saw his reflection.
"...You're welcome, I'm glad you like it."
As soon as he finished speaking, he regretted that his tone hadn't been gentle enough.
You don't know what Lyme is thinking when he turns his head away, but Lyme's reply shows that you found the right topic, and that Lyme doesn't dislike talking, he just doesn't know what to talk about with you.
Isn't that a coincidence? You also don't know what to talk to Lyme about. Fortunately, this awkward situation didn't last long, because something even more awkward was about to happen.
After disembarking, Shanks and his group emerged from the woods, carrying treasure chests, unfamiliar fruits, and animals they had just killed.
The group, who had been chatting and laughing, and you and Lyme, who were taken aback by their appearance, fell into an unusual silence. Yasopp, with his sharp eyes, noticed the shoes in Lyme's hand and was the first to break the awkward atmosphere.
"Lyme, what you have in your hand..."
Yasopp's words drew everyone's attention to Lyme's hand holding your shoes. Startled by the sudden turn of events, you quickly snatched the shoes from Lyme's hand and put them on with an embarrassed smile under the varied gazes of the group.
You can't bear to look at Lyme's expression. Putting yourself in Lyme's shoes and perspective, this kind of incident, which your friends will tease you about for a while afterward, couldn't be more awkward.
Following Yasopp was Shanks' knowing laugh.
"It's rare to see Lyme taking a quiet walk."
"Not only are there treasures today, but we can also have an extra meal! Let's have a feast!"
Shanks lightened the awkward atmosphere with just two sentences. Everyone with Shanks agreed with his suggestion, except for Beckman, who looked troubled and rubbed his forehead.
Meanwhile, Rem, who was standing next to you, was also pulled into the jubilant crowd by Shanks, who was shouting "Let's have a party!"
The realization that none of the excited pirates paid any attention to you, who was lagging behind them, made you breathe a sigh of relief.
You walk at the back of the bustling group, keeping a certain distance from the pirates gathered together.
-
Honjo returned shortly after you went back to the road, bringing with him many herbs and edible mushrooms.
Herbs and mushrooms are nothing more than roadside weeds in the eyes of pirates who can't live without meat. Hongo, who is being teased, is not angry. He just laughs and tells you that these people will ask him to save their lives with wild herbs when they are injured.
You, sitting silently to the side, know that this is how the villager introduced you to them, so naturally you won't refuse his good intentions and will smile and agree with his topic.
"Is that how it is?"
"Yeah, those guys only treat these things like treasures when they need them."
The conversation about handling mushrooms was brought up at the right moment, and hearty laughter traveled through the noisy background, reaching precisely where you and the hostel were.
"What you're saying is that I'm not one of them!"
Lu's words caused the gathered pirates to burst into laughter again, and you joined in the laughter.
When the banquet officially began, you sat by the grill, watching a group of people not far away drinking like water, playing drinking games, cards, and chatting. The scene was lively but also chaotic.
It is precisely in this chaotic scene that Hongo, who is walking towards you with a wooden sake cup, stands out even more.
"Among the herbs I found today, there are some that can help wounds heal quickly. I'll use them on you later."
While you were still pondering the purpose of Hongo's departure from the cheerful group, he revealed his intentions. His concern for the patient was so profound that you were speechless for a long time, finally able only to solemnly thank him under his gentle, smiling gaze.
"Thank you so much for taking care of me, Hongo."
When you thanked him, Hongo smiled and waved his hand, indicating that you shouldn't take it to heart.
"You're welcome. The sooner your wound heals, the more reliable help Lu and I will have."
"You know, those guys on the ship are extravagant and wasteful; you can't count on them for things that require patience."
As if to echo what Hongo said, not far away, the pirates who had formed a circle around the campfire overturned the barbecue that Lu had made. Immediately, someone screamed, followed by a scene of frantic grabbing of the barbecue and trying to salvage the situation.
Attracted by the commotion in the distance, you and Hongo smiled at the same time. When your eyes met again, you agreed to what Hongo had said.
"Okay, I will work hard after I recover."
You raise the wooden sake glass towards Hongo, but the unexpected turn of events causes Hongo's smile to freeze for a moment. You look at Hongo in confusion, while simultaneously moving the glass a few centimeters closer until a smile returns to the corners of Hongo's mouth.
"I'm counting on you, my reliable helper."
The sound of wooden sake glasses clinking rang out along with Hongo's reply.
-
After Hongo changed your bandages, he went back to shore to drink with Shanks and the others, while you went back to your room to take a shower and prepare for bed.
Perhaps it's because you've been on land for so long today that you feel sleepy more than when you're on a ship. Even though there are people on deck playing cards, your body is ready to fall asleep.
The tranquility that should have allowed for sleep was interrupted by a noise outside the door. It seemed to be two drunk sailors looking for their rooms, walking and speaking in a dialect you couldn't understand.
The sudden noise instantly banished any drowsiness from your mind. You sat up, leaning against the corner of the bed, clutching the blanket you hadn't covered yourself with because it was too hot. With the footsteps growing clearer and the rough male voices growing louder, your breathing quickened with their movements.
You are praying that the drunken crew won't be interested in your closed door, and that they will walk straight past your room as before.
Contrary to expectations, they not only noticed you, but also stopped in front of your door. You heard the sound of the wooden doorknob turning, followed by a gruff male voice complaining about the locked door.
"Who locked the door from the inside? Do grown men lock their doors when they sleep?"
"Yeah, who's afraid of being seen?"
The two people outside the door were still examining the wooden doorknob. They were probably drunk and had mixed up the room's layout. You just needed to tell them they were in the wrong place, and the earworm-like sound would disappear from your mind.
But the sudden fear makes it impossible for you to utter a single word; you can't even control your breathing.
As the man outside grew increasingly impatient, you noticed that the interior lock used to plug the door was loose. You were on high alert, so nervous that you could hear your heart pounding faster with the noise outside.
The body curled up in the blanket could not shrink any further, and the vision of the door staring at the lock inside the room became blurred by the rising water vapor. The wooden door that had given you psychological comfort since you boarded the ship was about to be broken.
Until a powerful male voice rang out in the corridor.
"Your room is not here."
It was Beckman's voice. Not only you, but the two crew members who had made the noise outside also recognized it. The wooden door, which was about to be broken open, returned to its original calm with Beckman's arrival.
"Ah, right...right, this isn't the second floor!"
"Oh no, it seems to be that woman's room—"
The crew members, realizing they had gone to the wrong room, apologized to you behind the door, even though they didn't know if you were inside.
You didn't make a sound until the crew member, relieved that you weren't in the room, left. You slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, your body still trembling with fear and unease.
A rhythmic knocking sounded after you exhaled, followed by Beckman's somewhat muffled male voice coming through the wooden door.
"I'm sorry, they meant no harm, they were just drunk."
Beckman knows you're inside. Perhaps it's Beckman's savior aura appearing at a crucial moment, but you temporarily forget that Beckman is also a pirate, manage to catch your breath, and respond to Beckman outside the door in a trembling voice.
"No, it's alright... I know. Thank you for your help, Mr. Beckman."
Beckman, standing outside the door, paused for a few seconds before accepting your thanks.
"You're welcome."
Perhaps considering the impact of what just happened on you, Beckman added a remark unrelated to the current topic.
"They'll all get off the boat to drink later, so you can sleep peacefully."
Before you could answer, Beckman left your room with steady footsteps, leaving you alone to calm the unease from what had just happened.
You didn't move immediately. Instead, you kept taking deep breaths before getting out of bed and putting the rickety door latch back in place.
After confirming that the latch wouldn't come loose, you returned to bed but lacked the strength to move.
You've almost forgotten that you're on a pirate ship full of men. Anyone, if they want, can open this wooden door that's practically useless to them.
As for what happens after they open it... perhaps the outcome will be the same as when they pry open a treasure chest.
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