Chapter 62: The Past of the Tangerine Grove, a Heavy History
The wind blew gently through the trees, carrying the faint, sweet scent of tangerines unique to the island.
"Waaaah..."
Nami's crying gradually subsided, leaving only intermittent sobs.
As reason returned to her mind, Nami suddenly realized something—
She was currently clinging to Tatsuya like a wronged little girl, refusing to let go, with her entire face buried in the man's chest.
And around them...
Luffy was picking his nose while looking at the sky, Zoro was holding his swords with an amused expression, and Sanji was biting a handkerchief, weeping tears of blood with a face full of jealousy;
Usopp, Johnny, and Yosaku were staring with wide eyes, as if they were watching some juicy gossip unfold.
Then she saw her sister Nojiko, whose eyes were crinkled into slits from smiling...
"Kyaah!!!"
Nami's face instantly turned bright red, like a ripe tomato.
As if she had received an electric shock, she suddenly pushed Tatsuya away and scrambled back several steps in a panic.
Covering her burning cheeks with both hands, she shouted incoherently:
"You... you guys! What are you looking at! Forget it! Forget everything right now!!"
"Oh my, how heartless, Miss Navigator."
Tatsuya wasn't annoyed after being pushed away; he just looked down with a smile at the conspicuous wet patch on his chest.
He looked up, his black eyes smiling at the mortified Nami, and teased:
"You were crying so hard just now that you got my clothes all wet..."
"The cleaning fee plus the mental compensation fee—I'm adding those to the tab."
"You... you money-grubbing bastard!!"
Nami instantly flew into a rage from embarrassment.
The slight sense of romance and emotion from a moment ago vanished instantly.
She stomped forward, raised her foot, and unceremoniously stomped hard on Tatsuya's instep, even grinding her heel into it twice.
"Go to hell! You High-interest Red-eyed Demon!!"
"Hiss..." Tatsuya took an exaggerated breath of cold air.
Watching the interaction between the two, which was like that of bickering lovers, the originally heavy and oppressive atmosphere actually lightened quite a bit in that moment.
"Hehehe..."
Nojiko, who had been standing by, couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle at the scene.
She looked at Nami, who was still angry but had a spark in her eyes, and felt immensely relieved.
How long had it been?
Ever since that nightmarish day eight years ago, Nami had never shown such vivid, genuine emotions again.
"Alright, everyone."
Nojiko stepped forward and smiled as she extended an invitation to the group:
"This isn't the place to talk. If you don't mind, why don't we go sit at my house?"
She glanced at the awkward Nami, then looked seriously at Luffy and the others:
"I think there are some things, regarding the heavy truth Nami has carried for these eight years... that you have a right to know."
...
Nojiko's house was located on the edge of the Tangerine Grove, a cozy little wooden cabin.
Everyone sat around the small living room as Nojiko brought out tea for them.
However, just as Nojiko took a deep breath and prepared to recount that heavy past.
"Creeeak—"
Luffy suddenly pressed down on the Straw Hat on his head and stood up from his chair.
Without looking at anyone, he turned directly and walked toward the door.
"Luffy? Where are you going?" Usopp asked in confusion. "Nojiko is about to tell us about Nami's past."
"I'm not listening."
Luffy stopped in his tracks, his back to the group, his voice plain yet carrying a note of seriousness:
"I'm not interested in her past."
With that, he pushed open the door and walked out, leaving the group with a nonchalant silhouette.
"That guy..." A smile tugged at the corner of Zoro's mouth as he crossed his arms again. "Well, that's just how Luffy is."
"I'm not interested in hearing sad stories either." Sanji lit a cigarette, but he didn't leave, instead sitting quietly in the corner.
Tatsuya held his teacup, leaning against the wall with a calm gaze.
Outside.
Luffy wandered aimlessly through the Village.
He walked up to a mound with a pinwheel stuck in it, which Mr. Genzo had placed there to make Nami happy.
"Oh! This pinwheel spins so fast!"
Luffy curiously reached out, wanting to make it spin even faster, but he used too much force. With a "snap," one of the pinwheel's blades broke right off.
"Hey!! What are you doing, Straw Hat?!!"
An angry roar came from nearby.
The scarred Constable Genzo, wearing his Pinwheel Hat, happened to be passing by. He was so angry at the sight that his mustache twitched:
"That was for Nami... You bastard! Stop right there!"
"Ah! Sorry, old man! I didn't mean to!" Luffy stuck out his tongue and took off running.
...
Inside the house.
Nojiko's voice was low and sorrowful as she slowly told the story of courage, sacrifice, and a promise.
About Bell-mère, the mother who was poor but deeply loved her two daughters, and who calmly met her death before Arlong to protect them.
About Arlong's tyranny and that desperate agreement—if she could collect one hundred million Berries, she could buy the Village and buy back everyone's freedom.
"For these eight years... for the sake of that promise, Nami joined the pirate crew of her mother's killer and became a thief who specialized in stealing from pirates..."
Nojiko's voice choked up slightly:
"She bore the misunderstandings and insults of the entire Village, desperately struggling alone at sea... all just to save up that one hundred million Berries."
After the story was finished, the room fell into silence.
"Waaaah... it's too pitiful! Big Sis Nami is too great!"
Johnny and Yosaku were already reduced to tears, hugging each other and weeping uncontrollably.
Usopp was also streaming tears and snot, his fists clenched as he cursed through gritted teeth:
"That Arlong... is a complete beast! Unforgivable! I'll definitely shoot through his fish-head with my slingshot!"
In the corner, Sanji kept his head down, his bangs obscuring his eyes.
Only the flickering tip of his cigarette betrayed the turmoil in his heart.
Zoro still had his eyes closed, but his sharp killing intent seemed to make the surrounding temperature drop several degrees.
And on the other side of the room.
As the protagonist of the story, Nami was currently holding the fat Crow, Clay, as if trying to hide her emotions this way.
"Gah... Gah-gah!!"
Clay struggled frantically in her arms; Nami had stuffed a huge tangerine into its beak, making it choke until its eyes rolled back.
"Eat it, this tangerine is very sweet."
Nami kept her head down, mechanically peeling the tangerine skin, her voice very soft. "As long as... as long as I gather the last bit of money, it'll be enough for one hundred million."
"Arlong may be a bastard, but he gave me his word. Once the money is enough, everyone will be free."
"Heh."
An abrupt, cold laugh broke the tragic atmosphere.
Tatsuya set down his teacup, his black eyes looking coldly at Nami as he mercilessly threw a bucket of cold water on her:
"Nami, you're a smart Navigator, but when it comes to judging people... you are incredibly naive."
"Do you really think a pirate would keep a promise that has zero benefit for himself?"
Nami's hand peeling the tangerine suddenly froze.
She looked up, her face pale as she retorted:
"Of course! Arlong may be a pirate, but he values Monetary contracts! He's kept his word for all these eight years..."
"No."
Tatsuya interrupted her, his eyes as deep as a pool:
"For a greedy beast, nothing is more important than a 'Cash cow'."
He stood up straight and walked step by step to Nami, looking down at her:
"You have a world-class Chart-drawing talent. To Arlong, who wants to dominate the East Sea and even the Grand Line, you are the most important tool in his hands."
"If I were Arlong..."
"I would never let you go, much less let you buy the Village."
"Instead, I would wait until the moment you were about to save enough money and finally saw hope, then I would personally crush that hope into pieces."
"I would make you feel utter despair, forcing you to continue drawing maps for me for the rest of your life."
"That is what a greedy Fishman pirate would do."
"Thud."
The tangerine in Nami's hand fell to the floor and rolled to Tatsuya's feet.
These words were like a poisoned thorn, stabbing ruthlessly into the softest and most fearful place in her heart.
In truth... had she not harbored such worries herself?
It was just that for these eight years, that promise had been the only motivation keeping her alive.
She didn't dare to doubt it, nor could she.
"No... it won't happen..."
Nami stood up tremblingly, her eyes filled with panic:
"Arlong wouldn't do that... the money... my money is still there!"
"I have to go look!"
She seemed to be trying to convince Tatsuya, but even more so, she was trying to convince herself.
Nami suddenly pushed the door open, clinging to that last shred of hope as she sprinted toward the depths of the Tangerine Grove, where the one hundred million Berries were buried.
Tatsuya watched her panicked silhouette but didn't stop her.
He bent down to pick up the tangerine from the ground, peeled a segment, and popped it into his mouth.
"Hmm? It's actually quite sweet."
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