Oze
When I stepped out onto the deck, the sea that had still looked like morning just a while ago was already glittering like it was noon, its waves swaying under the full light.
I was honestly glad Aochi had come back to his senses—but at the same time, I kept thinking I could still leave him behind if I wanted to. The conflict churned inside me, sounding like waves crashing against the hull of the ship.
Facing the ocean, we stood side by side, Oomi in the middle.
Oomi’s jacket puffed out in the wind, and the way he clutched it to his chest made him look cold—but his expression was so warm, it felt like even the wind would turn into spring just for him.
I’d only ever seen him looking gloomy at the office, so this was a pleasant surprise.
Beyond him, Aochi looked like his usual self again. Healthy color in his face, eyes full of life, like even in winter he'd managed to stay sunburned.
Suddenly, that dried-up voice of the man who looked like a corpse came back to me.Where the hell did that guy go?
“By this time tomorrow, we’ll be back in our hometown. What do you say the three of us have breakfast together before we part ways? Hopefully we can find a place that’s open.”
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Oomi, who I’d always thought of as shy, was oddly proactive. Maybe this triangular ship had the power to make people honest.
I felt someone’s gaze and looked up toward the bridge. There was a motionless figure. I squinted, but the glare off the windows made it hard to see.
I took a cautious step back, trying to get a better look. That was—
“It’s dangerous. Looks like it might be slippery here.”
Oomi called out to me. I hadn’t been paying attention to my footing at all.
“Ah, yeah, you’re right. You’ve been the most reliable one ever since we boarded this thing. You’re ten years younger than me, but honestly, it’s reassuring.”
Maybe he wasn’t used to being praised—he immediately looked down and started rubbing his shoes together, fidgeting meaninglessly. I don’t have any siblings myself, but maybe this kind of thing is why Aochi, who has a younger brother, can’t leave him alone.
“I’m usually pretty talkative, but it takes me a while to get close to people.”
“Oh come on, it’s taken you way too long. How many years have we worked in the same department? You still act all distant.”
Aochi gave us a wry smile and chimed in. He probably meant it as a joke, but Oomi answered in a serious voice.
“I didn’t want to show any weakness around you, Aochi-san, so I kept my guard up.”
“What, showing weakness makes you a target? That’s harsh. Aochi must be a real jerk then.”
I was just teasing, but Oomi fell silent, looking uncomfortable. Aochi, too, had a pained expression.What’s with these two? Can I really get a grip on who they are in this not-even-a-day-long trip?
“Hey, want to grab something light in the cafeteria? We’ll be departing soon. I’m so hungry I feel like I might get seasick.”
At that moment, a shadow passed over the deck. A bird? I looked up, startled.
“Good… It’s a waterfowl. I’m glad it wasn’t eaten by that bird.”
Oomi’s voice, filled with genuine relief, wasn’t scattered by the sea breeze—it rose upward.
In reply came the plaintive, almost desperate cry of a bird.It sounded like a ship’s whistle.Maybe this ship had already begun to move.