Rouge froze the instant Ezra's words left his mouth. Her whole body trembled as color drained from her face, replaced by a faint, sorrowful smile.
"So… you found out this quickly after all," she whispered bitterly.
The air in the small cottage grew heavy with despair, the weight of unspoken truth hanging between them like fog.
Ezra broke the silence first.
"Relax. I was joking," he said lightly, his tone casual enough to make her blink in confusion.
"W-what?" Rouge stammered, caught completely off guard. For a moment, she couldn't even process what he meant.
Ezra shrugged nonchalantly. "Like I said, I'm not here to arrest you. I just came to check on you or more accurately, the child you're carrying."
Rouge sighed helplessly. Even if he hadn't truly come to capture her, his words still struck deep. The fact that this young navy officer knew about her pregnancy something that should have been an absolute secret made her heart race with unease.
Who exactly was this man?
He seemed to know everything. About her. About Roger. Even about the unborn child she carried. His understanding went far beyond what any ordinary officer could possibly know.
It was unsettling. And yet, strangely… there was no malice in his voice.
At that realization, Rouge's shoulders slowly relaxed. She sat down across from him, her composure returning little by little.
There was no point pretending anymore. The game was up.
"See? Isn't that better?" Ezra said with a small smile. "I told you I wasn't here to hurt you."
He leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table. "So, tell me. Have you decided on a name for the baby?"
Rouge blinked, surprised by the sudden shift in topic. A gentle warmth replaced the fear in her eyes. "Not yet," she admitted softly. "I don't even know if it'll be a boy or a girl."
Ezra smiled knowingly. "Then let's call him Ace."
Rouge tilted her head. "Ace?"
"Yeah," Ezra said simply. "It means 'the best,' or 'the top.' I think it suits him."
Rouge lowered her gaze, whispering the name to herself. "Ace... like a winning card... I like it. It's a strong name." She looked up at him with a faint smile. "But what makes you so sure it's a boy?"
"Trust me," Ezra chuckled. "It'll definitely be a boy."
Because it has to be. It's Ace, after all.
Rouge couldn't help but laugh softly, the sound light and melodic. "Then I suppose I should thank you, Officer Ezra. For the name… and for not turning me in."
Ezra nodded with a faint, knowing smile. But his tone grew serious again. "Rouge, you know as well as I do… this child's future won't be easy."
Her expression faltered slightly, though she said nothing.
"If hypothetically he ever makes the wrong choice," Ezra continued, "then I'll be the one to bring him back myself."
Rouge stared at him, startled by the conviction in his voice. But then she laughed a soft, almost motherly laugh, tinged with both sadness and amusement.
"Haha... Officer Ezra, you really are something else." She smiled, radiant yet weary. "You're the most interesting man I've met in a long time. You could've turned me in, but you didn't. That alone... is more kindness than I ever expected."
She paused, her tone turning wistful. "As for the future... who can really predict such things?"
Ezra gazed at her for a moment, then nodded slowly. He understood what she meant. The future was uncertain. No one could say what awaited Ace or the world itself.
"Well then," he said at last, rising from his chair and stretching lazily, "I suppose this is goodbye, Miss Rouge."
Rouge blinked. "Leaving already? Won't you at least stay for dinner?"
Ezra rubbed his neck, chuckling awkwardly. "I appreciate it, but I'll pass. I've already caused you enough trouble for one day."
With a casual wave, he turned and stepped out the door.
Rouge watched his silhouette fade into the darkening streets, a gentle smile lingering on her lips.
"What an interesting man," she murmured softly. "Roger... if you were here, I think the two of you would've been good friends. Just like you and Garp once were."
Her gaze lingered on the horizon for a long moment before she quietly closed the door.
Meanwhile, back at the harbor, Tsuru paced impatiently on the deck of the warship.
"That idiot... where on earth did he go? It's already dark!" she muttered under her breath, crossing her arms.
Suddenly, a faint whoosh broke the air as Ezra reappeared beside her, landing effortlessly on the deck.
"Did I hear you calling me?" he said, smirking.
"Ahhh!" Tsuru nearly jumped out of her skin, spinning around. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"
When she saw it really was him, her shock quickly turned to annoyance. She puffed up her cheeks and glared. "You actually remembered to come back, huh?"
For some reason, Ezra felt like a husband being scolded for coming home late.
Tsuru seemed to realize it too. Her cheeks reddened instantly. "W-wait, that's not what I meant! I was just uh asking where you were, that's all!" She waved her hands frantically. "Don't get the wrong idea! I-I don't have any special feelings toward you!"
Ezra couldn't hold back a laugh. "Right, right, I get it. You don't like me. Got it."
Her blush deepened. "I—! That's not—!"
"Anyway," he interrupted gently, "how's the search going?"
Tsuru sighed, her irritation fading into frustration. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The townspeople seem to have vague memories of someone matching the description, but nothing concrete."
Ezra reached out and, almost without thinking, ruffled her hair. "Then don't stress about it. Things will work themselves out eventually."
Tsuru froze, her mind going completely blank.
He just... touched my hair?!
Her face burned hotter by the second as her thoughts spiraled into chaos.
Why didn't I stop him? Why didn't I move?! Oh no... does that mean... I actually like him?!
While her brain went into overdrive, Ezra was already walking away, heading into the cabin with a lazy wave.
"Get some rest, Tsuru," he called casually over his shoulder.
Tsuru stood rooted to the deck, flustered beyond belief.
"M-Miserable man!" she muttered under her breath, stomping her foot as the corners of her mouth twitched upward despite herself.