Chapter 17
No matter the season, cold drinks can help calm your mood. At least after what could have been a chaotic job search, the cold drink Beckman ordered for you came in handy.
After finishing a cold drink, your gaze sweeps over Beckman's lips, which are dangling a cigarette, and the memory of that brief, almost intimate, touch comes to mind.
"I'm so sorry about what happened just now..."
In response to your apology, Beckman took the cigarette from his mouth, waved at you, and gestured for you not to take it to heart.
"Don't take it to heart. But if you do it again, I won't stop you."
Realizing your own foolishness, you nodded to Beckman with a burning face, agreeing to his instructions.
From Beckman's perspective, you, who were just crying uncontrollably, are now looking down, avoiding his gaze. Seeing you like this, Beckman recalls the rare moment when you were full of life, glaring at him.
This made Beckman curious about when you would ever show such a lively expression again. Considering how much trouble it would cause him if you cried, Beckman felt he should try to distract you.
"We've already spent the flowers, how about we look at some clothes on the island? It seems you only have summer clothes, you'll freeze to death when we go to the island during winter."
An invitation that clearly explains the cause and effect leaves you with no reason to refuse. As Beckman said, once the flowers have been spent, worrying about how much... is pointless.
Perhaps Beckman had gained some understanding of you from what had just happened, because before you fell into a negative state again, a teasing male voice rang in your ear.
"If you feel guilty, I don't mind if you give me a few more kisses to make up for it."
Hearing Beckman's smiling voice, the lingering excitement is starting to rise again.
"...Please stop teasing me about what happened earlier."
Knowing you wouldn't be confused anymore, Beckman chuckled and, going along with your suggestion, skipped the topic.
"Okay, I won't tell anyone."
After Beckman paid, you left the restaurant where you were temporarily staying and headed towards the women's clothing store. Along the way, you passed many different kinds of shops and saw members of the Red-Haired Pirates. It was there that you encountered Hongo, who was supposed to be with Beckman.
"I knew you were going somewhere. Turns out you went back to see her."
As you were organizing your thoughts for Hongo's question, Beckman, who had relit his cigarette, looked at Hongo, who had a faint smile on his face, but did not directly answer Hongo's question.
"You didn't go drinking, which means you're free, right? Then she's yours to take care of."
Seemingly not expecting Hongo to refuse, Beckman walked over to Hongo, patted him on the shoulder, and added something unnecessary to Hongo's needs at a volume that only you and Hongo could hear.
"By the way, she's more formidable than you think, so you'd better keep a close eye on her."
Hongo, completely unaware of what had happened between you and Beckman, accepted Beckman's "task." You, who knew what Beckman was talking about, watched his retreating figure with an embarrassed and annoyed expression.
Beckman didn't tell anyone, but he didn't say he wouldn't mention it to you.
While you were sulking over Beckman's jokes about you, Hongo, who vaguely guessed that you and Beckman shared a secret, suppressed his displeasure and gave you a nice smile.
"I don't know what happened to you, but given the current situation, you have no choice but to stay with me. Is there any store you'd like to visit?"
You want to say you don't need to buy anything, but remembering Beckman's words, you also say you expressed your desire to buy winter clothes to Hongo.
Upon hearing this, Hongo glanced at you, seemingly lost in thought. In the blink of an eye, he made his decision.
"That's true, let's go buy some clothes."
-
To be honest, you still have some wariness towards Benxiang, but Benxiang doesn't care about that. Instead, he tells you some things you don't know.
He knows how to control the pace of a conversation and how to capture your attention. He can talk about things like how dandelions, which are common by the roadside, can reduce inflammation, and what kinds of wild herbs can be used as medicine in emergencies.
When you and Hongo arrived at the women's clothing store, you, having been drawn into Hongo's rhythm, had already taken several dresses of suitable length into the fitting room at his recommendation.
Looking at the dresses hanging on the hanger, you suddenly realize something's wrong. You need to buy winter clothes, not these dresses that you rarely wore before.
Realizing that Hongo had led you astray, you picked up the dress hanging to the side and walked out of the fitting room. Hongo, who was waiting for you outside, looked over after you pulled back the curtain.
Perhaps having already imagined you wearing a skirt, Hongo was momentarily taken aback when he saw you still in the clothes you came in. But within a second, Hongo's smile returned, and he asked why you had come out so quickly.
"Don't you like these? We can choose something else."
You remember clearly that when you came, you expressed that you only needed a few winter clothes in case of emergency and had no plans to buy any extra items.
But Hongo doesn't seem to understand your meaning. Or rather, Hongo has added his own ideas to your wishes, in an extremely gentle way that wouldn't be noticed unless you pay close attention.
Sure enough, no matter how mild-mannered Hongo appeared, he was essentially a powerful pirate with his own ideas. For a moment, you didn't know whether to breathe a sigh of relief that you had almost fallen for Hongo's trick, or to be angry that Hongo wanted to impose his will on you.
The chaotic emotions eventually turned into a helpless sigh. You know very well that angering Hongo will do you no good.
"I just want to buy a few winter clothes."
After you gently expressed your wishes to Hongo once again, Hongo, understanding the unspoken meaning in your words, stopped insisting that you buy extra summer clothes.
After buying your winter clothes, you prepare to return to your hotel and keep your distance from your hometown, but you underestimate your hometown's "kindness".
"Since you've come out shopping, is there anything else you'd like?"
You meant to say you didn't need anything else, but instead, you gently asked your hometown, and then followed the topic he was on, revealing the purpose behind his words.
"Asking what you want isn't quite right. To be precise, I want to buy you something."
Honjo's attitude changed drastically; he had been trying to impose his will on you, which silenced your suppressed anger. You didn't understand why Honjo was so insistent on buying you things.
"...Why did you buy me things?"
Faced with your question, Hongo expressed his thoughts hesitantly.
"I always feel like you're angry, or maybe sad?"
"When I think about things that make you angry or sad, I realize that I might be a part of it, and I want to do something about it."
"I'm not as good at charming women as Beckman, so this is the only way I can appease you. I apologize in advance if it made you uncomfortable."
As he finished speaking, a bitter smile crept onto Hongo's upturned lips. It was precisely this attitude of Hongo's that left you, already feeling conflicted, unsure of where to begin.
Was Hongo wrong to buy the things? Yes. But was he so wrong that he needed to apologize and try to appease you? The answer is no. Even so, Hongo softened his stance and tried to win your forgiveness.
This un-pirate-like style of apology makes you hesitate.
As the saying goes, you can't hit a smiling face. Since this fellow villager has done this, you really have no reason to stay angry. In fact, you're the one who spent his money, so why should you be angry?
Thinking this way, you extinguished the burning flame in your heart and gave Hongo a somewhat tired smile.
"If you can, buy me a hair tie."
The hair ties don't cost much, they're practical, and you can give them to other people on the ship after you're done using them, isn't that great?
Hongo looked momentarily surprised that you would make this suggestion, but then smiled and accepted your request.
"good."
On your way to buy hair ties, you and Hongo run into Rem, who should be with Shanks. Coincidentally, Rem is picking something out at a hair tie stall.
But do you remember that Lem never used a hair tie, even when eating? And even if she did use one, she wouldn't pick a bunch of styles that are obviously for women.
The answer to this question came when Lem realized that you and Hongo were stunned by his actions.
"It's not for me."
Considering that there are so few people on the ship who wear hair ties, you don't think Ryme's hair tie would appear on Beckman or any other pirate.
Knowing that he couldn't hide his thoughts no matter what he said, Lem sighed in despair and, under your and Hongo's gaze, put the hair tie back on the stall.
"If you were there, I wouldn't have to think about all this."
As Lem spoke, amidst the stall owner's shouts to attract passersby, he walked towards the direction where you and Hongo were. Perhaps someone had taught Lem, for he stopped some distance away from you and turned to look at the deserted side.
"I'm sorry about last night. I didn't know what to give you to make you feel better, so I thought of giving you something practical."
"It's okay if you don't like hair ties, I can still buy you flowers, jewelry, and clothes. As long as it's here, I can buy it for you."
During your several interactions, Lem didn't say much to you. Because of this, you were unsure how to react. Hongo, standing beside you, seemed about to say something, but after catching a glimpse of your reaction, he swallowed his words.
Not only Hongo, but also Lem, who had been comforted by the people on the ship, fell into a brief silence after speaking. Seeing that you hadn't given him an answer yet, Lem quietly added the crucial words.
So... don't be angry with me.
The way Rem apologizes to you like this doesn't seem like a pirate; it's more like a child who's just learned how to make friends.
After being apologized to by two pirates listed on the leaderboard for just a few minor incidents, you seem to have no reason to be angry with them. Even if you did, after going through this whole process, you've lost the energy to be angry.
While Hongo and Ryme paused to await your reply, you sighed after calming yourself down, looked at Ryme standing in front of you, and told him your thoughts.
"I won't be angry with you."
Getting angry with someone who wants something from you is not good for your survival in the Red-Haired Pirates in the long run.
Upon hearing this, Lyme's expression shifted, as if what you said were some profound truth. But you still need to refuse Lyme's gift; you don't want to make a foolish decision again because of unwanted gifts.
"So you don't need to buy me anything, really."
"If you absolutely have to do something, please help me with my things."
It's more comforting to do something right now than to receive a gift you may never need.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
