Ch. 6: What He Fears
Surprised by the sudden violent rain and lightning strike, Rosso and I stopped talking.
We left the room, and the crew was running around in a flurry.
Rosso: “Lightning…”
His voice, almost so quiet I couldn’t hear, reached my ears and I looked at Rosso…
OO: “Rosso…? Are you alright!?”
Rosso’s face had gone ghastly pale and he was trembling slightly.
Rosso: “Y-yeah. No problem.”
OO: “But your face…”
At that time…
OO: “…!”
Rosso: “…!!”
An especially large crack of thunder echoed so loud it seemed as if it made the ship sway.
Rosso: “…”
Rosso, who had always been so cheerful and resolute, now stood clutching onto a pole of the ship, his face pale.
(Is Rosso afraid of the storm…?)
——————–
Rosso: “Some time ago…on a stormy night…the ship suffered heavy damage, and I lost a lot of friends here. It was a terrible storm. The rudder broke and the ship collided with the cliff.”
——————–
Rosso: “I’m…alright…”
But Rosso’s husky voice was drowned out by the roar of the thunder.
Ch. 7: A Trembling Hand
Both Rosso and I had gone completely pale at the onset of the violent rain.
Rosso: “…but if I don’t protect everyone…who will…?”
Rosso’s voice trembled as he spoke, as if reprimanding himself.
OO: “Don’t push yourself Rosso.”
Unable to stand it, I moved closer to his side.
Rosso: “It’s not a matter of pushing myself. I have to protect everyone…there’s no one else.”
He spoke in frustration as his trembling hand still tightly grasped the pole.
(Rosso…are you afraid of the lightning? Or is it…you’re afraid of losing someone again?)
OO: “Rosso, the ship is still holding together. And I’m here…it’ll be alright.”
Rosso: “…”
I gently placed my hand on his trembling one.
OO: “Please, let me do this…just a little while longer…until you’ve calmed down.”
Gently, I held his hand in both of mine.
Rosso: “OO…”
His eyes looked at me weakly.
My chest tightened as I took in his frightened eyes and his lips parted in fear.
Rosso: “OO…”
He called out my name as if searching for me, and I smiled.
OO: “Yes, I’m right here.”
Rosso: “Yeah…”
He turned his shallow eyes downward.
His face, always so strong and cheerful, seemed to be full of nothing but helplessness.
(Please, let this storm pass…)
I could do nothing more than continue to make that wish…
…
……
After a while…
Maybe my prayers were answered, but the storm passed and the sea gradually calmed.
(Thank goodness…)
While breathing a sigh of relief, I slowly loosened my grip on Rosso’s hand.
Rosso’s wouldn’t look me in the eyes.
Rosso: “Sorry…”
He said quietly.
OO: “Oh no…please don’t apologize.”
Rosso: “No… No matter what I do, the memories of that day won’t fade…and even now I’m afraid of lightning. I’m so pathetic…”
OO: “You’re not pathetic…”
As I searched for the right words to say, Rosso limply shook his head.
Rosso: “There was violent lightning, just like the storm just now, on the day I lost my comrades… In that dark and stormy weather I was so worked up… I killed them.”
OO: “Please…don’t say that.”
Without thinking, I firmly grasped his hand a second time.
OO: “…!”
As if in desperation, Rosso pulled me in tight.
As he held me like that, I heard him whispering words as if trying to cast a magic spell.
Rosso: “Forgive me…somehow, please forgive me…”
My chest felt like it was being crushed by him and the pain from my own heart.
Unable to endure it any longer, I tightly returned his embrace, as if in doing so I could protect him.
Even though I hadn’t realized it was a curse he had placed on himself.
Ch. 8: The Two of Us Like This Forever
Rosso’s past and the darkness of his heart…
I didn’t know what I could do to release him of the anguish that gnawed at his soul.
(What can I do to save Rosso…?)
As I continued to worry without getting an answer, before I realized it, more than a month had passed since I’d boarded the ship.
Rosso: “Ah, OO, here you are. The night breeze is cold. You should head back to your room.”
I heard Rosso’s voice as I gazed at the stars above the ship.
(That’s right, the sun has already set…)
I felt a vague sense of fear as it seemed I could no longer sense the passing of time.
OO: “You’re right. I’ll go back to my room.”
Rosso: “Yeah, good.”
Rosso gave a small smile.
I realized Rosso’s smile had changed in this short amount of time.
When we first met, it had been so bright and cheerful…
(Was it because of the storm…?)
Rosso: “OO? What’s wrong? Your face is damp.”
OO: “…!”
I had been thinking about it without realizing, and Rosso was suddenly peering into my face.
Rosso: “OO?”
OO: “Ah, no. It’s nothing.”
Rosso: “Really? Well, hurry back to your room.”
Rosso gently pushed my back to hurry me along, and I looked back at the sea surrounding the ship one more time.
…
……
A little while after that…the ship still gave no sign of making port.
We had secured provisions and some supplies at small islands, but we’d set off again as soon as it was finished.
(I’ve been wearing these same clothes since I boarded the ship…I’d like to go to a bigger town and buy some new things.)
Having made up my mind, I thought to go and ask Rosso.
Rosso: “OO? What’s wrong?”
OO: “Well, I have a favor to ask…”
Rosso: “What’re you being so formal for? We’re passed that at this point, right?”
Seeing Rosso’s bright smile, I felt relieved.
OO: “Well, actually…”
However…
Rosso’s expression turned grim as I finished making my request.
OO: “…Rosso…?”
It felt as if the room had suddenly grown colder.
Rosso: “If it’s shopping, I’ll do it. You said you wanted clothes?”
Rosso spoke with a low voice that sent a shiver up my spine, and he slowly walked around to the door and locked it.
(Eh?)
My mind couldn’t catch up as I tried to process what was happening.
OO: “Rosso…?”
Rosso turned to my back and…
OO: “…!”
He gently embraced me from behind and placed his lips near my ear.
An indescribable shiver crawled up my spine.
Rosso: “OO…you shouldn’t leave my side.”
OO: “Eh…?”
His arms were strong, and I couldn’t turn to look at him while he held his lips near my ear.
Rosso: “You can’t…leave me…”
Though his voice sounded as if he was on the verge of tears, his arms were so strong I knew I couldn’t escape.
Rosso: “OO, you alone will never leave my side, right…? And you won’t disappear…right?
OO: “Rosso…!?”
Rosso: “Hurry…and say yes.”
He continued to whisper in my ear, his husky voice tearing at my heart.
OO: “I…”
As I hesitated, the arms holding me grew tighter.
Rosso: “Come on…hurry. Say it, like before …”
——————–
Rosso: “OO…”
OO: “Yes, I’m right here.”
——————–
(Before…)
I felt my mind go numb and…
OO: “Yes…I won’t leave you.”
He nodded.
Rosso: “Fu…kuku…Right? Now I won’t be lonely. I’ve lost a lot of comrades but…because you’re here, I’m not alone…”
Rosso buried his face in the nape of my neck.
I felt the caress of his soft, gentle lips…
And I slowly closed my eyes as the sensation became irresistible.
(Is this alright…?)
(Is it wrong…like this…?)
Though I thought this, I couldn’t resist what Rosso was doing.
Before I realized, I placed my hand over Rosso’s hands as he held me.
Rosso: “You’re…already mine…”
As if hinting at something, he continued to whisper in my ear.
(What should I do, what’s the right thing…?)
Unable to think straight, I surrendered myself to him.
END