The Baratie was originally a restaurant run by pirates. The earlier conflict had quickly subsided, with the chefs continuing to flip their woks and the waiters weaving through the tables with trays in hand.
Ryan had Patty bring over a new table of dishes—lobster tails, fried shrimp, and seafood chowder steaming hot and covering the table. The aroma soon overpowered the faint scent of blood. The blonde woman picked up her glass of red wine, slender fingers gently swirling the stem, the crimson liquid spiraling inside.
Her peripheral gaze swept across the room. The diners who had dared to point and whisper about Fullbody earlier were now burying themselves in their plates, yet couldn't resist stealing glances her way, even chewing more quietly.
"They all seem quite afraid of you," the blonde beauty said with a laugh, her tone lilting upward as if discussing something amusing.
"Perhaps they don't know my background. People tend to be more cautious about the unknown," Ryan mumbled through a mouthful of half-chewed lobster, chuckling softly. "What's your name, beautiful lady?"
"Miya," she replied, setting down her glass and looking up at Ryan with curiosity. "And you?"
"Ryan," he answered succinctly, pushing a plate of perfectly cooked scallops toward her white porcelain dish. "Try this, it's just right."
"Ryan... is that just a name?" Miya speared a scallop and lifted it to her mouth, her eyes growing even more inquisitive as she looked at him. "Someone like you doesn't seem like an ordinary diner."
Ryan was busy with a grilled lobster and paused at her words. He tore off the shell of a claw, stuffing the tender white meat into his mouth. "Then what kind of person do you think I should be?"
"Hard to say," Miya swirled her glass again, the wine tracing ambiguous arcs against the sides. "But definitely not ordinary."
"What I am doesn't matter," Ryan smiled without elaborating, picking up his knife to slice into the steak on his plate. He pushed half of the cut steak toward her. "Try this first. It gets greasy when it cools."
"But I'm still curious. You must have some destination," Miya cut a small piece and ate it, looking up as she chewed. "Or... some goal, right? You can't just be wandering aimlessly."
"Why not?" Ryan raised an eyebrow. "There are so many paths in this world, the sea is so vast. Going wherever the road takes you isn't so bad, is it?"
He set down his knife and fork, taking a sip from his glass. "If you must assign me an identity, consider me a traveler."
"Traveler?" Miya repeated the word, her gaze falling on the sword at Ryan's waist. She chuckled lightly. "A traveler with a sword?"
"The road isn't always clear," Ryan patted the Wind Splitter at his hip, the scabbard thudding dully against his belt. He grinned. "You should know, Miss Miya, carrying a blade saves trouble."
Miya swirled her glass, her curiosity growing stronger. Just as she was about to press further, a boisterous voice suddenly erupted from the restaurant entrance: "Ryan?! What are you doing here!"
Both turned to see a long-nosed man peering inside on tiptoe, dressed in a green vest and shorts, exuding a loud, clever energy—it was Usopp.
Usopp's eyes locked onto Ryan's table, widening instantly. He rushed over quickly. "Ryan, what are you doing here all of a sudden?"
Ryan raised an eyebrow, his gaze extending past Usopp's shoulder. At the doorway stood a green-haired swordsman, the three swords at his waist swaying slightly—it was Zoro. Beside the green-haired man, Nami stood sideways, clearly trying to pretend she didn't know anyone.
"Come join us for a meal," Ryan said succinctly, his eyes sweeping over the three of them as he quickly assessed the situation.
Only then did Usopp notice Miya sitting across from Ryan. His eyes widened further, and his voice suddenly rose: "You—you're eating with another woman? What about Kaya?!"
"Just having a meal with a friend," Ryan replied calmly, slicing into his steak. His gaze settled on Usopp. "What brings you here? And how did you end up with them?"
Even without "Captain" Kuro in the picture, Usopp had still managed to join up with the Straw Hat Kid!
"It's a long story!" Usopp gestured animatedly. "Not long after you left the village, I decided to set out on my own adventure, and I happened to run into them!"
He pointed at Zoro and Nami behind him. "I wanted to become a pirate anyway, so I joined their crew. Kaya even gave us a ship and asked me to say hello if I ever ran into you!"
At the mention of Kaya, Ryan's hand paused briefly as he cut his steak.
He thought of the girl who always wore a white dress, reading storybooks in the garden, her innocence as clear as morning dew. A faint, involuntary smile touched the corners of his lips.
Those had truly been rare days, untouched by bloodshed.
"You know each other?" Zoro asked, crossing his arms as he stepped closer. His gaze drifted past Ryan's shoulder, settling on the Wind Splitter scabbard at his waist. Beneath his green hair, his eyes held a scrutinizing glint, his fingers unconsciously tracing the hilt of his own sword.
"Yeah! We're friends!" Usopp chimed in, thumping his chest proudly. "Ryan's really strong!"
Ignoring Zoro's scrutiny, Ryan turned his attention to Nami. She seemed unable to keep up the act any longer and turned around, her face deliberately cold. "What a coincidence."
"What are you doing out here? And with them, no less," Ryan said, lifting his wine glass, his tone betraying no emotion.
Usopp was one thing, but Nami… Was this fate?
Nami's brow furrowed, inwardly cursing him for bringing up such a sore subject. Outwardly, she responded stiffly, "What I do is none of your business."
"Huh? You two know each other too?" Usopp's eyes widened as he looked back and forth between Nami and Ryan, curiosity written all over his face.
"We've met a few times. Not close," Nami said quickly, waving a hand dismissively, as though even mentioning it was a bother.
"Not close?"
Ryan raised an eyebrow, amused by Nami's tense profile. They had haggled over prices in the Orange Grove of Cocoyasi Village, each fully aware of the other's background. How could they not be close?
He could guess what was on her mind—the deal involving Nojiko was a chapter she'd rather forget.
As for why Nami had ended up with this group, it was likely her usual opportunistic self at work, just as in the original story: a "chance" encounter with the Straw Hat Kid, teaming up for the sake of her "dream."
Zoro withdrew his gaze from the scabbard, arms still crossed, and remained silent. Usopp continued chattering away until Nami grabbed his arm. "Enough talking! Let's go eat!"
The three of them noisily made their way to a corner table.
The restaurant fell back into silence. Only then did Miya pick up her wine glass, her fingertips lightly tracing the rim as she turned it, her gaze fixed on Ryan with a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Mr. Ryan's story seems quite fascinating," she said.
"Are you that interested in me, Miss Miya?" Ryan looked up at her.
"Women," Miya chuckled, her blue eyes glinting mischievously under the light, "are always a little weak against mysterious things."
Ryan set down his knife and fork, wiping the corner of his mouth with a napkin. "It's too crowded here to talk freely. How about finding a quieter place to properly discuss my 'story'?"
Miya's fingers paused on the glass, the red wine tracing a faint arc along the rim. She lifted her gaze to Ryan, her eyes drifting from his open collar down to his well-defined collarbone, where the lines of muscle beneath hinted at hidden strength.
They were both adults; some things didn't need to be spelled out. She understood perfectly well the undisguised aggression in the man's eyes.
Miya gently swirled her glass, the wine reflecting a fleeting smile in her eyes before she nodded gracefully, her voice carrying just the right amount of indulgence. "Alright."
Ryan chuckled softly, paid the bill, and stood up, casually picking up the windbreaker draped over the back of his chair. As he passed Zoro's table, he didn't even glance their way.
Each of them had their own path, and they were never meant to walk together.
As for the Straw Hat Kid who hadn't shown his face yet, he had little interest in him either.
Miya followed behind Ryan, the red hem of her dress sweeping across the floor, leaving a faint trail of perfume. As they passed through the wooden door of the restaurant, the wind chimes jingled once more, as if providing an accompaniment to their unfinished conversation.
The sea breeze on the deck was much stronger than inside the restaurant, whipping at their clothes with the distinct salty dampness of the ocean.
Miya smoothed her wind-tousled hair and watched Ryan's back, suddenly feeling that this impromptu companionship might turn out to be more interesting than she had anticipated.
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