Oomi
A gunshot rang out, overlapping with Oze-san’s words.
I’d never heard a real one before, but somehow I knew.That was the sound of a gun.
We exchanged glances. The first to stand was Aochi-san.
“You stay here.”
“No way.”
In the end, all three of us bolted out of the dining hall at once.
“That came from outside, right?”
“Yeah.”
I followed behind Aochi-san and Oze-san as they headed calmly toward the deck, though I could feel my heart pounding faster.But this wasn’t fear.It was that kind of excitement you get right before something wonderful happens.
We climbed the narrow staircase that led to the deck, and the cold air felt sharp and refreshing as it ran through my windpipe.If food changes your body, then air changes your mind.
At the top, just as we expected, we saw the Harvester standing there.In his hands was a gun—or, wait… was that really a gun?
Both Aochi-san and Oze-san had the same thought. Their faces said it all: they had no idea where to even start asking questions.
Oze-san, being the older one, spoke up first—slowly.
“…What the hell are you doing?”
All that time spent thinking, and that’s what he came up with?
“Hm?”The Harvester looked at us, tilting his head like he didn’t understand the question.
Guess it’s on me to take this seriously.
“What did you shoot at?”
He answered like it was nothing.Like it should’ve been obvious.
“A bird. What else would I shoot?”
“You… tried to kill it?”
“Missed. But I scared it off, so it’s fine.”
I was relieved.Birds scared me, but I never wanted them to be killed.Still… I couldn’t tell how the other two would take that.
“Cut it out! What did that bird ever do to you?”
“If you kill it, I won’t be able to catch it!”
They shouted at the same time.The Harvester raised one hand, like “yeah yeah,” with that same blank expression.He probably wasn’t even listening.
A sharp wind cut through the deck—the kind you only get on clear winter days—and the Harvester’s silver hair fluttered in it.
“Is that really a gun you’re holding?”
“Yeah. For shooting birds only.”
He said it so matter-of-factly, but it still bugged me.
“…It doesn’t really look like a gun, though.”
“No? It’s the only one I’ve got.”
I stared at it.It was entirely dull silver in color, but the shape was all wrong.Honestly, it looked more like a bow.Like the kind that half-human centaur archer from astrology might carry.
“Did you make it yourself?”
He didn’t answer.Just gave a crooked grin.
“You and I’ve met before, haven’t we?”
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I wanted to be the one to tell the others.But of course, this guy wasn’t just creepy—he was petty too.
“…So you really are Gulliver, huh?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Seriously? He’s never even read Gulliver’s Travels?What’s the point of being old if you’ve got no basic education?
“Then why were you lying in that alley?How did you die?Wait, how did you come back to life?”
“That’s a lot of questions.What about you—why’d you leave me there?”
Oze-san stepped in, cutting through our exchange.
“Hold on. You two know each other?”
The sea breeze caught his long bangs, and for a second, his striking eyes came into view.He should really cut those bangs shorter.
“I was waiting for him to remember.We’re not ‘acquainted,’ no.I was dying, and this heartless brat saw me and walked away. That’s all.”
Wait a second—Now it sounds like I’m the bad guy here.Wasn’t he dead?Has he been holding a grudge all this time and come back for revenge?
What if I was the real target all along?What if that bizarre gun was just for show, and I’m the one he's aiming for?
“Are you alive or dead?”
Oze-san asked it straight, no hesitation.The kind of question no one ever asks—especially not out loud.
“I’m alive.Geez, you’re all so damn rude.But hey, wanna hear something even more surprising?”
“Spit it out already.”
Oze-san never loses that calm edge—even when he’s pissed.
“This ship isn’t the one you were supposed to board.”
Now we were seated around a table in the warm recreation room, our faces serious like we were in some kind of emergency meeting.
What the Harvester had told us was shocking, sure.But honestly? I’d sort of expected it.So I was the first to recover.
If anything, I was more worried about Aochi-san, who still hadn’t.
“It’s not your fault, Aochi-san.”
“Yeah. We all boarded this ship on our own. Don’t blame yourself.”
No matter how much we tried to reassure him, Aochi-san’s expression remained dark.
After the Harvester dropped the bombshell about us being on the wrong ship, we looked around, but the land that had once been under our feet was gone—completely out of sight.It was like it had never existed.
No point in saying “let us off” or “take us back.”By the time we realized, the ship had already taken us too far to turn back.
Now all I could think about was:Where exactly is this ship going?And why did he let us on board?
I worked up the nerve to ask him.And, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, he just said:
“I’ll explain soon.Wait for me in the recreation room—it's cold out here.”
Then he said he’d come by after putting his gun away, and disappeared off the deck.
He looked completely out of place among us, but something about the way he spoke—calm, rational—made me want to obey.
I glanced at the old but well-maintained clock in the room.10:37.
It had been about two hours since we left shore.I wondered—just where were we now?
A heavy door banged shut.When I looked up, the Harvester was already walking toward the table.
He moved faster than any of us, even though he looked much older.
Before he could sit down, I asked:
“Where are we going?”
The Harvester looked over at me and laughed.
“You’re more impatient than you look.”
He seemed a bit kinder toward me than the others.Not that I wanted to be his favorite or anything.Still, if he was willing to talk, I’d take it.Right now, information was everything.
“Don’t worry.We’re heading to your hometown.We’ll be there by morning.”
Relieved, I let out a slow breath and shifted in my seat.
“There won’t be any danger, right?”
“That depends on you.Just don’t get in my way.”
Good.That meant things would turn out okay.All we had to do was stay out of his business.
“…Like hell we will.”
Of all people, it had to be Aochi-san who butted in.
I shot him a look—please, don’t say something stupid—but he didn’t even glance at me.He was too wrapped up in guilt over being the first to board without checking properly.
“You’re hiding something.And you said you failed to kill that bird.Next time, you plan to finish the job, don’t you?I won’t let that happen.”
His voice was shaking.Don’t force yourself, Aochi-san…
“I will kill it.When it needs to be killed.”
The Harvester’s tone was calm—but unshakable.
“You’ve all got the wrong idea about that bird.”
“Hey—!”
Aochi-san started to rise.I kicked him hard under the table.
So much for being ‘the polite one.’There goes my one redeeming trait.
Aochi-san’s head disappeared beneath the table in stunned silence.
Ignoring him, Oze-san stepped in to keep things on track.
“…Fine. We won’t get in your way.But at least tell us why you let us board this ship.”
Nice, Oze-san.I silently cheered for him.Maybe in ten years I could be that composed, too.
“It’s his fault,” the Harvester said, pointing at Aochi-san.
No, please. Don’t.
“Eh…?”Aochi-san whimpered, still rubbing his shin.
“You boarded first, didn’t you?”
“So now you’re saying we all just climbed aboard on our own?You could’ve stopped us.”
Oze-san jumped in immediately.He’s always ready with a comeback.Unlike me—my mouth’s always two steps behind my brain.
“I expected you, so I let you on.But anyway—Don’t you think something’s off?”
Finally, Aochi-san looked up.He was clearly trying to act tougher than he felt.
“Of course it is.For me, that flock of birds showing up two days ago was the good kind of strange.Getting on your boat was the bad kind.”
“You’ve got an attitude, huh?If you don’t want to hear it, fine.”
The Harvester started to rise from his seat.
“Wait—he’s just… upset.He likes birds.And when you aimed that weird gun at one, it scared him.”
“That gun’s the only thing that can kill it.Like I said—you’re all misunderstanding the bird.”
He turned to Aochi.
“You’re Aochi, right?The bird you saw and the one I’m after—They’re not the same.”
At that, Oze-san cut in—like he’d been waiting for confirmation.
“So there’s more than one kind of bird.”