The stack of meteorology books piled in the corner made Luffy want to puke.
Especially when Nami said she'd read them several times and even memorized them.
He worshiped her.
Even with Nami's condensed notes, Luffy's eyes blurred as he suffered through them.
Hard to remember.
It felt like stuffing words into his head—no effect, only torture.
"The key to memorizing while reading is to read and take notes at the same time," Nami said.
"Huh?" Luffy didn't react at first.
"Louder. If you're going to learn, start with the basics."
Teaching someone all the way through—Nami comforted herself like that, but when she looked at Luffy, it was like seeing her past self.
"Nami, studying is tough. You have to keep at it."
"That's why you choose something you like, or there's no motivation—it just feels dull."
"Can't remember? Haha, makes you sleepy, right? I was the same in the Marine school, so I just became combat personnel."
"So pretty! Are these charts drawn by Nami? You'll definitely become an excellent navigator."
Bell-mère, I didn't become a Marine navigator. I became the pirate you hated most.
"Remember the soundings and contour lines. The most important parts of a chart are aids to navigation and marking terrain and facilities." Nami propped her chin and looked at Luffy. "What's your goal for learning navigation? Just boredom?"
"No, it's to become Pirate King!"
Luffy clenched his fist.
Nami curled her lip.
With the best navigator right here, what did Luffy need to do?
Wait… Nami's thoughts stirred.
She was sensitive to this sort of thing, especially now.
"Why do you suddenly want to learn navigation?"
She stopped explaining and folded her arms. "Are you worried about something?"
"Wor… worried?" Luffy looked up, baffled.
Nami gave a laugh that didn't reach her eyes. "You're scared I'll run, and there'll be no one to guide you idiots across the sea, so you're cramming at the last minute, right?"
"No way. Crewmates are for trusting. Nami, you're my acknowledged crewmate."
Luffy smiled. "The navigator of the Straw Hats."
"What do you mean 'our'? Who said I'd definitely be yours?" Nami's heart jumped, her throat dry.
That's why she hated getting tied to anyone.
Just like Karina.
Nami was destined to walk alone. Anyone tied to her would suffer.
She couldn't understand Luffy's brain. They hadn't known each other long, yet he trusted her this much? He didn't even object when she kept the treasure in the storeroom. Was he really a pirate?
Nami stared at Luffy for a moment.
If it were him, could he drive Arlong's lot out?
Her voice dropped. "Easy to say. Pirate crews split all the time. What makes you so sure I'll stay? What if I never planned to stay forever from the start? What if I have a reason I have to leave?"
"A reason you have to leave?"
Luffy frowned, his rubbery face scrunching up.
With his straight-line way of thinking, he couldn't grasp what she meant.
But finally, study time was over.
"Why would there be that kind of reason? If there is, say it and we'll solve it. Crewmates are for helping each other," Luffy said seriously, standing.
"You can help me…"
Just then—creak. Luffy had bumped the desk earlier; the cloth draped over it slipped, exposing a corner.
A wooden frame lay face-down beneath.
"Huh? What's this?"
Luffy's attention shifted instantly.
He'd always thought the covered frame in Nami's room looked out of place.
Before Nami could react, his hand moved on its own and flipped it over.
In the photo were three beaming faces.
A little Nami with two short pigtails and round cheeks.
Beside her, a slightly older girl with short blue hair.
Between them, arms held tight by both girls, stood a woman in a Marine uniform, warm and radiant, grinning wide.
Luffy hadn't reacted yet.
Nami snatched the frame.
Then Luffy saw all the color drain from her face.
"Nami, what's wrong?"
Even dense as he was, Luffy could feel she was angry. He fumbled, and just then that deadly voice sounded again.
One hour of sleep, one minute to eat—how much halftime could there be?
Nami's body gave an uncontrollable tremor. She bit her lower lip hard enough to taste a faint trace of blood.
"Get out."
"Hey, Nami…"
Luffy was startled by her sudden intensity and took a step back on reflex.
"Sorry. I'm not in the mood to teach. Let me be alone."
Nami took a deep breath and slammed the frame face-down again.
Luffy scratched his head, utterly lost.
Were women really that hard to understand?
He was confused, but he knew Nami definitely had something going on.
Time, time!
Bang.
The door slammed behind him, making the bulkhead hum.
"Nami! We're crewmates…"
Inside the room, Nami leaned against the cold door and slid slowly to the floor.
Whatever was said afterward, she didn't hear it.
The only place she could cry was her own room… and clearly, this wasn't it.
On deck, Usopp was fiddling with the cannon, aiming at the endless sea.
He heard a sound and looked back.
"Thrown out only now, that late?" Usopp lowered the sight. "What happened?"
"Nami's in a bad mood." The death-knell voice rang in Luffy's ear; he had no time to chat.
Before, he'd still had the time and spirit to play with Usopp—
like sticking chopsticks up their noses and dancing with a dustpan.
But the study slot with Usopp clashed with Nami's.
Now Luffy thought about developing his Devil Fruit.
The Gum-Gum Fruit could spin off all kinds of wacky moves: slingshot, whip, battle axe, rocket.
Anything Luffy could think of, he thought of.
What else?
He asked casually, "Usopp, why did you become a pirate? What do you want to do?"
Hands on hips, Usopp chuckled.
"I'm going to become a brave warrior of the sea! Then head to the land of giants and see the strongest race in the world."
Giants?
Luffy's eyes lit up.
Right. He lowered his gaze to his fist.