Half a month slipped by like the wind through the Orange Grove, silent and unnoticed.
The afternoon sun filtered through the dense foliage, casting dappled spots of light that fell upon the two figures with a lazy warmth.
Nami's arms were tightly wrapped around Ryan's neck, her orange hair damp with sweat. A few strands clung to her flushed cheeks while the rest fluttered with her rapid breaths.
Fine beads of sweat covered her forehead, trickling down her jawline and dripping onto Ryan's collar, leaving small dark stains.
"You... when are you leaving, you bastard?" Nami bit her lower lip, her voice trembling slightly. Her heart was in turmoil—part anger, part a flustered panic she refused to acknowledge.
Ryan looked down at her, a teasing smile curling his lips. "What? Can't bear to see me go?"
"Tch!" Nami scoffed inwardly, her cheeks growing even redder. She stubbornly lifted her chin to glare at him. "D-don't flatter yourself! I wish you'd disappear from my sight right now and never set foot in Cocoyasi Village again!"
"Little Nami," Ryan deliberately drew out his words, the amusement in his eyes deepening. "After all we've been through, you're going to be this heartless?"
"What relationship?! I have no relationship with a bastard like you!" Nami nearly shouted.
She had thought he would leave after three to five days at most, but who could have guessed that half a month would pass with him not only still here, but seemingly settled in without any intention of leaving?
The thought made her anger flare. She pointed at Ryan's nose and scolded, "You were inhuman when you bullied Nojiko, and now you're doing these filthy things to me... What do you take us sisters for? Your playthings to trample on as you please?!"
Ryan raised an eyebrow, his fingers lightly tracing the soft flesh at her waist. She flinched away like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her waist arching gracefully. "Nojiko is your older sister, right?" he asked leisurely.
"So what?!" Nami was baffled by his sudden question.
"They say a younger sister-in-law is half a wife to her brother-in-law," Ryan leaned close to her ear, his warm breath making her earlobes burn. "This isn't much different."
"You... you shameless bastard!"
Understanding dawned on Nami, and she burned with humiliation and fury. Her hand shot up to slap him...
In her rage, she lowered her head and bit down hard on Ryan's exposed shoulder, her teeth grinding as if she wanted to release all the grievances and shame of the past half month into that bite.
"Mmm..." Her teeth met solid muscle as if biting into stone. Not only did it not break skin, it didn't even leave a mark. Ryan didn't even flinch, merely looking down at her as she vented like a bristling kitten.
"Enough! Are you trying to kill me?!" Nami released him, glaring furiously. The taste of sweat from his collar lingered on her lips, and the tip of her nose was slightly red.
Ryan found her clawing, defensive demeanor amusing.
Unlike Nojiko's gentle compliance, Nami was like a wild rose with thorns—even in surrender, she carried a defiant energy. This completely different feeling struck him as particularly refreshing.
These two sisters were truly fascinating, making him somewhat reluctant to leave.
With a flicker in his gaze, Ryan suddenly extended an invitation, "I plan to travel the world. Would you like to come along?"
"With you?" Nami looked as if she had heard the most ridiculous joke in the world, rolling her eyes immediately. Her face was plastered with an expression that screamed, "Are you out of your mind?" The disdain in her tone was almost palpable. "Who would want to wander around with a beast like you? I still want to live a few more years."
She did have a dream of traveling the world to complete her world map, but if she were to journey with this scoundrel, she might as well kiss her life goodbye.
Just imagining being worn to the bone by him every day sent shivers down her spine.
"That much disdain?" Ryan chuckled at her merciless rejection, his fingers gently pinching her flushed earlobe as the smile on his lips deepened.
"What else?" Nami slapped his hand away, fuming. "Being with you is pure suffering. Whoever wants to go can go!"
"Alright, don't be angry." Ryan raised his hand to ruffle her messy orange hair, his tone unusually soothing. "It won't be long now. Just wait a little more, and I'll be gone soon."
Nami was about to ask, "How soon is soon?" when her lips were abruptly sealed.
She instinctively tried to bite him, but the feeble resistance only seemed to add a touch of lingering warmth to the sweltering afternoon.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, enveloping their entwined figures in a shifting play of light and shadow, while even the breeze grew thick and heavy.
...
Genzo stood at the foot of the doorstep, his brow tightly furrowed, with a man in a Marines uniform trailing behind him. The uniform jacket was unbuttoned, and the man's slender frame resembled a wilted reed under the sun. His round eyes, peeking out from beneath his cap, darted around the house like a curious field mouse.
It was Captain Nezumi.
"Is this the place?" he squeaked, his voice raspy as if scraped by sandpaper, his eyes gleaming with greed as they swept over the wooden cabin. "Did Arlong and his Fish-Man crew used to come here often?"
"Captain, this is a villager's home," Genzo's voice deepened as he took half a step forward, blocking the man's line of sight.
The wooden door creaked open, and Nojiko stood at the entrance, her blue hair neatly tied back with a cloth band. A flicker of wariness crossed her blue-gray eyes as she took in the scene in the yard. "Mr. Genzo, what's going on?"
Genzo glanced back at Nojiko, his expression strained as he lowered his voice. "The Marines... they say they're here to find someone. They're looking for Nami."
Nojiko's heart sank instantly. She understood immediately—many villagers knew about Nami's past dealings with pirate crews, though they had tacitly agreed never to mention it.
Now that the Marines had shown up, it was unlikely to be for anything good.
"Nami isn't here," she declared, stepping forward to block the doorway, her tone calm yet resolute.
"Not here?" Captain Nezumi sneered, sheathing his saber with a sharp click. "No matter. We can wait." He waved a hand at the Marines behind him, his eyes glinting with avarice. "Since we've got nothing better to do, let the boys check the Orange Grove out back. Who knows? They might stumble upon some 'treasures.'"
"Captain!" Genzo hurriedly stepped in to intervene. "This is against regulations!"
"Rules?" Captain Nezumi shoved him aside, his thin face full of contempt. "In these waters, my rules are the rules!"
He shot a meaningful glance at his subordinates. "Search the place! Especially that Orange Grove—be thorough!"
Several Marines immediately drew their swords and prepared to charge into the Orange Grove.
"What do you think you're doing!" A clear, angry shout came from the direction of the orchard.
Everyone turned to look. Nami had just jumped out from behind an orange tree, her short orange hair fluffing up in the sunlight, the pinwheel tattoo on her left shoulder flashing with her movement.
She hurried into the yard, blocking the Marines' path, her eyes wary. "Breaking into private property in broad daylight—is this how the Marines operate?"
Captain Nezumi's beady eyes swept over her as he took two steps forward, his voice shrill. "You're that thief named Nami, aren't you?"
He deliberately drew out his words. "According to our investigation, you've been sailing with pirate ships all these years and have stolen quite a lot of treasure. Where is it all hidden?"
Suddenly raising his voice, his bony finger pointed straight at Nami. "All that stolen property must now be confiscated by the government!"
Nami froze abruptly, her orange pupils contracting sharply.