"So then…"
Ginny crossed her arms tightly, her fingers digging into her own skin.
"What exactly did you come here for?"
Realizing resistance was pointless, she dragged Kuma down onto a wooden chair and sat heavily beside him.
Her almond-shaped eyes locked onto Gern, as if she wanted to burn holes straight through him.
"Didn't I already say it?"
Gern lounged lazily against a chair by the window, sunlight casting shadows across his sharp profile.
"I came to see a doctor."
As he spoke, his gaze casually drifted toward Kuma.
"Ginny," Kuma said gently, placing a calming hand on the girl's tense shoulder.
"Mr. Gern really did come to see a doctor at first. I was just about to help remove his pain—"
"Big Kuma!"
Ginny spun around sharply, even her hair trembling with anger.
"This guy—no, this man—he's a Marine! A Marine!"
She rushed toward Gern, her slender finger nearly poking his nose.
"He admitted it himself!"
Seeing her agitation, Kuma scratched the back of his head and gave his usual simple smile.
"I know. You just said that. He admitted it."
"Then Big Kuma, you—"
"Mr. Gern doesn't intend to arrest us."
Kuma's gaze met Gern's steadily, his voice calm to an almost unbelievable degree.
"And… his eyes are gentle."
"Gentle?!"
Ginny whipped her head around and stared suspiciously into Gern's eyes.
Gentle?!
She couldn't see that at all!
What she did see, however, was an unmistakable look of intent toward her future man—practically overflowing!
Don't ask why.
A woman's powerful sixth sense was blaring alarms in her head.
"Hey! Marine!"
Ginny retreated back to Kuma's side in a single step, clinging to his arm like a food-guarding cat.
"What exactly are you plotting?!"
"You don't have to call me 'Marine.' I have a name."
Gern rubbed his temples.
"It's Gern."
"I don't care what your name is!"
Ginny shouted, burying her face into Kuma's arm.
"Hmph! All I can see in your eyes is desire—for Big Kuma!"
"Hey! You can't just say things like that, idiot!"
Gern instantly stood up to protest.
Though, admittedly, he did have ulterior motives.
The Devil Fruit was already out of the question—but Kuma's value as a force was non-negotiable.
For a moment, Gern and Ginny glared daggers at each other, while Kuma stood helplessly between them, looking from one to the other like a lost giant puppy.
"Enough!"
Ginny suddenly leaned out from behind Kuma.
"Just be honest! What do you really want?!"
"I want Kuma to join the Marines."
Gern paused, his eyes sharpening.
"No—more accurately, I want him to join my camp."
The words hit like a pause button.
Even Ginny's breathing stopped.
"That's impossible!"
She instinctively clutched Kuma's clothes tightly.
"Big Kuma is a Buccaneer—and just like me…"
Her voice dropped.
"…a slave."
"The World Government would never allow it! You're lying to him!"
"Mr. Gern,"
Kuma gently covered Ginny's trembling hand.
"I don't intend to join the Marines."
As he spoke, he subtly stepped closer to Gern—and his paw-shaped hand lightly brushed against Gern's arm.
In an instant, a faint pink glow flashed.
Several tiny red paw-shaped bubbles floated out of Gern's body.
"Mr. Gern,"
Kuma looked at the cherry-sized bubble in his palm.
"Your pain… is very small."
Such a faint amount of pain didn't even require effort to bear.
Gern stared at the bubble for a moment, then laughed softly.
"Yes… because my true pain is far heavier than that."
"There's still pain?" Kuma asked, startled.
"You just said you have 'no intention of joining the Marines.'"
Gern sighed dramatically.
"That caused me a great deal of pain."
Ginny: "..."
"Mr. Gern really likes joking…"
Outside the church, on the grass.
Gern and Kuma stood side by side, while Ginny watched from a nearby window, glaring.
"You're happy, aren't you, Kuma?"
Gern smiled faintly.
He already knew Kuma would reject him.
After all, this period in Sorbet Kingdom was the happiest time of Kuma's life.
"Yes, Mr. Gern."
Kuma nodded instinctively.
"With Ginny here, I'm very happy. I don't want to leave. So… I refuse."
This was the "home" he had reclaimed.
"You answered me so directly."
Gern shrugged.
"Aren't you afraid I'd force the issue?"
"You wouldn't," Kuma replied calmly.
"From the moment I saw you, I knew you weren't that kind of person."
"Being that kind will bind you for life," Gern said quietly.
Kuma didn't reply.
He simply lowered his head, his hand tightening slightly.
Gern glanced toward the window—where Ginny was still glaring viciously—and asked again.
But this time, it was plural.
"If one day, you could freely go anywhere…"
"Where would you want to go?"
Kuma looked up, hesitating.
"I…"
After a moment, he spoke softly.
"I'd like to see the other side of the sea."
"The other side?"
"Yes."
Kuma nodded.
"I've heard there are countries there where people don't suffer."
From the window, Ginny burst out laughing.
"Idiot Big Kuma! There's no such place in the world!"
Gern laughed.
Kuma laughed too.
But in that smile was a heavy, familiar gentleness Gern knew all too well.
No one could bear the script written for this boy's life.
After a moment of silence, Gern reached out and placed a hand on Kuma's shoulder.
"Kuma."
"Yes?"
"If one day… someone told you that by sacrificing yourself, the people you love would no longer suffer…"
"Would you agree?"
The air froze.
Kuma's pupils contracted slightly.
Ginny's expression instantly turned sharp.
"Hey! You bastard Marine—!"
Gern ignored her and looked only at Kuma.
"If… it were Ginny."
Kuma was silent for a long time.
Then he smiled gently.
"I would."
"I would accept any fate."
"Big Kuma?!"
Ginny rushed out of the church, staring at him in disbelief.
Gern closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Just as expected.
He had known the answer all along.
"Take this."
Gern pulled out a miniature Den Den Mushi and handed it to Kuma.
"This is…?" Kuma looked confused.
"If one day you lose something truly important,"
Gern's gaze shifted briefly to Ginny,
"and you're powerless to do anything about it—use this to contact me."
"But—"
"No buts."
Gern waved his hand and turned to leave.
"That's your payment for removing my pain."
"But Mr. Gern," Kuma raised his voice,
"That's not the same. I want to know—what will the real price be?"
"Well…"
Gern frowned theatrically.
"When that time comes, don't refuse me again."
"And one more thing."
He stopped and turned back.
"You've got the most free Devil Fruit in the world—
don't let yourself be so easily bound, you idiot!!"
Gern left.
Kuma stood there, watching the direction he disappeared, quietly putting the Den Den Mushi away.
"He's gone?!"
Ginny hopped over excitedly.
"Yes."
Kuma nodded, then smiled as he watched Ginny sticking her tongue out in the distance.
"If possible," he said softly,
"I hope I never have to contact you, Mr. Gern."
"Because right now…"
"I'm truly—
truly happy."
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