Once the ceremony was complete, all the tension surrounding the wedding disappeared at once and gave way to laughter and celebration.
Golden liquor overflowed from the topmost glass of the champagne tower, spilling gently down the crystal sides from one layer to the next.
Makino held the bottle while Shanks covered her hand with his own, the two of them steadying it together as the last thin stream poured into the final glass.
At last, the entire tower was filled.
Everyone quickly claimed a glass and joined in the drinking, laughter and conversation filling the venue.
Once the alcohol started flowing, the celebration only grew louder.
With Shanks and his crew around, there had never been any chance of this remaining an ordinary, restrained wedding reception.
If anything, the moment everyone clinked glasses, the ceremony had already begun its irreversible slide into a full-blown banquet.
The only reason things hadn't completely spiraled out of control was because everyone still remembered that this was Shanks' wedding and showed at least a little restraint.
Otherwise, these people would have kept going for three days and three nights without a second thought.
Before long, it was time to cut the cake.
Cain had eventually had enough of the noise.
He was happy for everyone, of course, but he still quietly escaped with a plate of cake and moved over beside Uta.
Mostly because Uta herself looked a little…
"Did you get the picture?"
Uta didn't answer.
Cain noticed something was wrong and glanced over.
She was staring miserably at the display on her camera, her whole face scrunched up in frustration.
"What happened?"
"Ah… nothing major."
Uta turned the camera toward him, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice.
"I originally wanted to photograph their kiss first, then have them do another pose."
"You know—the one where the groom picks the bride up and spins her around while she holds the bouquet and laughs."
Her voice gradually faded.
"But I only just realized something."
Cain followed her gaze toward the front of the stage.
Makino was gently wiping a smear of cream from the corner of Shanks' mouth.
His empty sleeve shifted slightly in the breeze before Makino naturally gathered it against herself with the arm she had linked through his.
"…Shanks can't really do that pose."
Uta's voice became quiet.
Cain reached over and gently rubbed her hair.
Then he took the camera from her.
"Then we won't take that picture."
"I'll paint it instead."
"We didn't have enough time to arrange a proper wedding photo shoot for Shanks and Big Sis Makino anyway."
"So I'll make them a painting."
Uta had personally seen how good Cain was at drawing.
Her disappointment vanished instantly.
"That's a great idea!"
She sprang to her feet and ran off.
"I'll get the paints!"
…
The celebration continued.
Warm greetings and booming laughter filled every corner of the venue.
People drank, chased each other around, joked, and sang until one song blended into the next.
It wasn't until evening began spreading across the sky that the wedding finally started winding down.
No matter how reluctant everyone was to stop, eventually it was time to say goodbye.
Beckman and the others prepared to leave as well, planning to take Buggy back toward the New World aboard the Red Force.
Shanks, however, had decided to remain in the East Blue for a while longer.
Exactly how long?
Even he didn't know.
With Beckman and the crew covering for him in the New World, neither the Marines nor the World Government were likely to realize anytime soon that Red-Haired Shanks—one of the Four Emperors who was supposedly somewhere in the New World—was still quietly staying in the East Blue.
Rayleigh and Shakky planned to travel with Crocus to Reverse Mountain and visit Laboon along the way.
Crocus had only recently learned that Brook of the Rumbar Pirates—
or rather, Brook of the Straw Hat Pirates now—
was still alive.
After all, Brook hadn't joined the Straw Hats until after Thriller Bark.
Not long afterward, Kuma had sent the crew flying across the world, and Brook had spent the following period performing publicly under the name Soul King.
Because of that, his true identity as the sole survivor of the Rumbar Pirates had never become widely known.
In the original timeline, the Marines wouldn't discover the truth until the Straw Hats reunited two years later.
But now that Crocus knew ahead of time, he could hardly wait to tell Laboon the good news himself.
And so Shanks and Makino stood together by the shore, waving goodbye alongside the villagers as Rayleigh, Beckman, and the others departed.
…
The sun was sinking beneath the horizon.
Warm orange-red light spilled across the coastline while waves rolled gently over the sand before quietly retreating again.
"No…"
Cain frowned at the canvas in front of him.
"Still not right."
He sat near the edge of the cliff with his easel propped up before him, scratching his head as he repeatedly studied the unfinished painting.
Something was missing.
He just couldn't figure out what.
"Cain?"
Uta's voice came from behind him.
"Why did you bring your easel all the way out here?"
"Still not finished?"
She followed the narrow path up the slope, her footsteps light over the loose stones.
When she reached him, she tilted her head and examined the canvas.
"I thought maybe the room was too stuffy."
Cain sighed.
"I figured some fresh air might help."
"But I don't know…"
"It still feels like there's something missing."
"Something I can't quite put my finger on."
"You can't rush a painting."
Uta smiled and sat down beside him.
"This is exactly when you shouldn't pressure yourself."
"Here."
"I've got something to show you."
She brought out the object she had been hiding behind her back.
Cain looked down.
"Huh?"
"What's that?"
"The bouquet Big Sis Makino threw after the wedding."
Uta smiled.
"I caught it."
Cain blinked.
"That…"
"I know what catching the bouquet means."
Uta gently drew the flowers back against her chest.
Her gaze settled on the petals.
The dying sunlight illuminated the side of her face, coating her features in soft gold.
"Big Sis Makino got married today."
"Chiffon's wedding is coming up in a few weeks too…"
She paused.
"And earlier, I started wondering what our wedding might be like someday."
Cain was quiet for a moment.
"I don't know."
"But I have a feeling neither of us is actually going to get much say in it."
He paused, then laughed as a thought came to him.
"I just hope Grandpa doesn't decide to hold the ceremony at Marine Headquarters."
"If he does, Shanks and Luffy might end up taking a detour through Impel Down."
Uta laughed.
"But before any of that—"
Cain looked at her.
"I still need to take you around the world."
"Of course."
Uta's eyes curved happily.
"We already agreed on the world tour."
Then her voice softened.
"But Cain…"
"Have you ever thought about what comes after that?"
"After the tour ends, what do we do?"
"I don't know."
Cain looked back toward the sunset.
"Up until now, I've mostly just taken things as they came."
"One problem leads to another, then another, and somehow that's how I ended up here."
Then he seemed to remember something.
"Oh, right."
"There is one thing."
"In two years…"
Cain thought about it.
"No, I guess it's closer to a year and a half now."
"The Sabaody Archipelago."
"Luffy's supposed to gather everyone there when the time comes."
For the briefest instant—
the bouquet in Uta's arms trembled.
A few petals shook.
Then everything went still again.
"You're going too?"
Her voice was extremely quiet.
So quiet it sounded as though she didn't want Cain to notice anything hidden beneath it.
Her expression darkened almost instantly.
It wasn't anger.
It was the cold, empty stillness left behind after all emotion had suddenly been drained away.
She deliberately lowered her head.
Her bangs slipped forward, casting shadows across her eyes.
The sunset illuminated half her face while the other half disappeared into darkness.
"Yeah."
Cain didn't notice anything yet.
"I'm still a member of the Straw Hat Pirates, after all."
He set down his brush and looked toward the distant sunset, his voice becoming more animated.
"Oh, and we'll definitely have to pass through Fish-Man Island."
"You've always wanted to visit Criminal's main store, right?"
"We never got the chance before because too many things kept happening, but this time we can actually take our time and look around."
"And remember that starfish we met on Sabaody?"
"He's the owner of Criminal."
"I'm sure he'll show you around properly. You'll have a great time."
"…Really?"
Almost instantly, the darkness in Uta's expression eased.
A satisfied smile slowly appeared on her lips.
Cain still remembered.
She really had wanted to go there.
She wanted to buy all kinds of beautiful clothes.
The thought made her genuinely happy.
"…Then I'm looking forward to it too."
She slowly loosened the fist she hadn't realized she was clenching.
It took real effort to keep her voice from sounding stiff.
But the moment she remembered Alabasta—
the others going off together on their adventure through the desert while she remained behind on the ship, never quite fitting in among them—
a cold sensation instantly seeped through her entire body.
'Is it going to become like that again?'
'Are they going to come between Cain and me again?'
Things were different now.
She knew that.
But that memory still clung to her like a shadow.
Uta repeated herself, her voice almost a whisper.
"…I'm really looking forward to it."
"Uta?"
Cain finally noticed something was off.
He turned toward her with immediate concern.
"What's wrong?"
Faced with the question, Uta hurriedly rearranged her expression.
"Ah? Nothing!"
Then, almost too quickly, she changed the subject.
"Oh, right!"
"The song I sang before Shanks' wedding actually has another half."
"I never finished it."
"Do you want to hear the rest?"
Cain stared at her.
"That transition was incredibly forced."
He paused.
"But yeah."
"I want to hear it."
"Mm."
Uta smiled.
"Then I'll start."
Why does that smile that never changes
Disappear beneath the crashing waves…
…
…I can believe, I can still believe
Let us live together beyond the continuation of that dream
As morning light shines on us once more
…
It was still the same cliff.
Still the same view.
Cain looked at Uta in front of him.
She was smiling so brightly that it almost seemed as though the sunset itself had stopped moving just to remain here with her.
Its final light reflected in that joyful smile.
Everything about her looked perfectly normal.
So Cain assumed he had simply been overthinking things.
But was that really true?
Of course not.
Without realizing it, Cain had already been pulled into Uta World.
In reality—
his body lay quietly in Uta's arms.
Compared with the peaceful warmth, comfort, and happiness of the world created by her music, the real world looked completely different.
The sun had already disappeared beneath the horizon.
The warm golden glow was gone, replaced by deep night.
Even the sea breeze, which had felt gentle and comforting before, had become cool and faintly cold.
Uta's expression was dark.
She silently held Cain's face in both hands.
Then slowly lowered her head.
"You're the continuation of my world."
"No one is allowed to…"
She never finished.
Uta leaned down and kissed him, wrapping her arms around him even more tightly.