Chapter 48 — Broken Heart and the Past — Part 2
Sonia and Mari looked at Hancock, who was lying on the ground clutching her chest. Her breathing was uneven, her face was flushed deep red, and her body temperature was rising rapidly.
"Wh-what should we do?" Sonia rushed forward, and as gently as she could, she tried to move Hancock onto her bed.
"E-Elder Gloriosa! I will go and bring her here." Mari said as she rushed off to bring the only woman who might be able to help them.
"Si-sister, you have to stay strong. You can't leave us yet." Sonia's eyes were wet as tears slid down her cheeks.
Hancock was breathing heavily. 'Kai-sama…' she muttered inwardly as her eyes became hazy. Just then, the mark of flaming wings glowed on Hancock's heart. A warm, rich aura of life surged through Hancock's blood, and her breathing began to calm down.
'Yo, and who might you be, beautiful sister?' The voice echoed in Hancock's mind.
"Kai…?" she whispered instinctively. Her face regained its natural glow as memories played back. The voice of Sonia faded away, and the Empress's chamber vanished.
Hancock stood on the 13th Grove of Sabaody Archipelago. "This…?" Hancock's eyes widened.
She turned and walked hurriedly toward a specific direction. Then she saw a boy barely nine years old sitting on a root of a mangrove, polishing his sword.
Moonlight shone down on him as his raven-black hair moved with his every motion. "Kai…" The words escaped her mouth before she could stop them.
A bright smile appeared on her face. How could she forget this memory? The boy who saved her from a life of nightmares. The night she had talked with him.
Kai, who was polishing his sword, chuckled. "Well, why not come and sit here, beautiful sister?" He turned toward Hancock with a smile.
Hancock froze, looking at the boy smiling at her. "I-I…!" Before she could reply, a girl around twelve walked right through her as if Hancock were nothing more than an illusion.
Hancock looked at her hand and then at the girl who had passed through her like she was some kind of illusion. "Th-this… What's happening? Is she a ghost? How did she…?" Hancock stopped as she clearly looked at the girl.
"Th-that's…? Isn't that me?" Hancock muttered as she saw herself walking toward Kai.
Hancock was awkward and embarrassed. She had been feeling as if everything that was happening—the escape from the auction, arriving at the bar, everything—felt like a dream to her. She couldn't sleep, so she decided to take a small walk. But then she saw Kai.
"No need to be so shy, Hancock." Kai said as he sheathed Akatsuki back into its scabbard and looked at Hancock.
Hancock sat down and looked at the moon. "It's a beautiful night." She muttered while looking up. Kai also turned his head upward.
"Yeah, it is." He replied casually.
Hancock fell silent, and so did Kai. As the silence stretched on for a few minutes, Hancock finally looked at Kai.
"Hey, Kai, can I ask you something?"
Kai nodded. "Sure, go ahead. I will answer if it's not too troublesome." He said casually.
Hancock looked at him with suspicious eyes. "How do you know my name? I remember when we met in the auction house. You called me Hancock when we didn't even know each other. How do you know my name? Why did you save me and my sisters?"
Hancock wasn't an idiot. Because of the heat of the moment and seeing a hope for freedom, she had subconsciously ignored this. But after eating and calming down, she realised something was not right.
Why did Kai know she was from Kuja? Why did he come straight for her and free her? Why did he tell her to go to Shakky's bar? It was too detailed to be a coincidence. It was as if Kai had known everything.
Kai froze as Hancock's words fell on his ears.
'Damn! Why did I mess up something so obvious?' he cursed himself inwardly as cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
"Emm, well, you see…" Kai looked around nervously. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Hancock looked at him suspiciously.
Kai grew even more nervous because of Hancock's glare, silently demanding that he tell her the truth.
'Should I make up a story…? Sigh, forget it. It's better to tell the truth than lie a thousand times.' Kai thought with an inward sigh.
Kai finally sighed. "Well, fine. You see, I was waiting for you there because I knew you would be captured and sold as a slave."
Hancock furrowed her brow. "How?" She didn't understand how he knew she would be captured. She didn't even know him. Why would he risk so much to save some random girl like her?
Kai wanted to change the subject, but looking at Hancock, he knew that was just wishful thinking. Kai turned and looked at the moon.
The question that had been bothering him surfaced in his heart once again. Was this still the world of the manga? The people here had dreams, wills, and personalities.
After staying with Yamato, he had started feeling guilty. Was it really right to treat them like some fictional characters?
"Hancock, will you believe me if I said I know the future?" Kai asked.
Hancock, still thinking, snapped back to reality.
"Future?" She asked to confirm.
Kai nodded. "Yeah. A future where you all had different lives. But now, because of me, your lives have changed."
"I used the knowledge of the future to stop you from being sold to the Celestial Dragons. Of course, it wasn't out of pure righteousness. I hoped you would develop feelings for me if I saved you." Kai said as he looked at the sky.
Hah… how pathetic, right?
Yeah, this was him. Even with Yamato, he had used the moment she was isolated from everyone to his advantage.
"Ce-Celestial Dragon?" Hancock's eyes widened as chills ran down her spine. Kai nodded. At least he didn't regret saving those three from years of torture.
"Then why did you save us? Even if you know the future, I don't understand why you saved us?" Hancock asked.
As for him lying, there was no need for Kai to lie. And as for knowing the future, she didn't know what to say.
Kai smiled. "It's complicated to explain. You can just think that I fell in love with you. Or at least, I believe so."
Hancock blinked. "Love? Like the lovesickness?" She asked.
Kai nodded. "Well, not on that level. Now I even doubt if it was actual love in the first place."
'Or was it just lust? What is the difference between love and lust? What are my true feelings and my true self?'
Hancock stared at him. Kai, meanwhile, sat there thinking about what he actually felt for Hancock and Yamato.
Was it love? But if it was, he should have loved only one of them. Was it lust? But he genuinely wanted to see them smile and be happy.
'What do I feel for them?' He asked the question in his heart, but he had no answer. Was it even love? Was it affection? Was it the will to sacrifice everything for the one you love?
Hancock stayed silent as she looked at Kai thinking.
A smile appeared on Hancock's face as she looked at Kai and herself talking.
"Stupid Kai, worrying about those things." She muttered softly.
"But unlike you, I know my feelings. I wanna stay with you because I like you." She added as she continued watching the memory.