Chapitre 56: Under The Moonlight
The stars hung like scattered jewels across the night sky, and the Thousand Sunny gently rocked with the ocean's rhythm. It was quiet, peaceful—an almost magical atmosphere. Luffy, in his infinite wisdom, had once again assigned Kikidori and Ere'ana to night duty.
What Kikidori and Ere'ana didn't know was that the *entire* crew was spying on them, hidden behind crates, masts, and barrels, eavesdropping on their every word.
"Why are we even doing this?" Nami whispered, crouched behind a barrel.
"I'm just curious," Luffy grinned from his hiding spot in the crow's nest. "I wanna see what they do when they're alone!"
"I want to see if he says something stupid again," Sanji muttered, adjusting his position behind the kitchen door.
"They're not kids, you know," Robin said calmly, though she too had joined in, sipping her tea as she leaned against the mast.
Zoro yawned, lying flat on the deck, barely hidden but too uninterested to care. "This better be worth it."
Meanwhile, Kikidori and Ere'ana were seated on the upper deck, the moonlight casting a soft glow over them. Kikidori leaned back on his elbows, staring up at the sky.
"Man, the stars are really bright tonight," he said, his tone unusually calm for someone so goofy.
Ere'ana sat cross-legged beside him, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. "Yeah, they are… You're surprisingly quiet tonight, Kikidori. What's up?"
Kikidori shrugged. "I was just thinking…"
"About?"
"...How weird it is that you're actually willing to spend time with me," he said with a lopsided grin. "You could've just ditched me."
Ere'ana sighed. "You're annoying, but you're not that bad."
Kikidori sat up and looked at her. "Aw, thanks! That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me!"
Ere'ana rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "Don't let it get to your head, noodle king."
From behind their hiding spots, the crew strained to hear every word.
"What are they saying now?" Luffy whispered.
"Shh!" Nami hissed, glaring at him.
Back on the deck, Kikidori rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Hey, Ere'ana…"
"Yeah?" she asked, tilting her head.
"I, uh…" Kikidori hesitated, looking down at his hands. "I think you're… kinda cool. And, you know… I like having you around."
Ere'ana blinked, caught off guard. "Kikidori, are you… okay? Did you hit your head again?"
He laughed awkwardly. "No, I'm serious! I mean, you're smart, and you're strong, and you always know what to do. It's… nice."
Ere'ana's cheeks turned pink, and she quickly looked away. "Well… thanks, I guess."
"Wait, are you blushing?" Kikidori teased, leaning closer.
"No, I'm not!" she snapped, shoving him lightly.
But Kikidori just grinned. "You totally are!"
"Shut up, Kikidori!"
Their playful banter softened into a quiet moment as they both gazed out at the sea. The silence between them was comfortable, filled with the sound of the waves and the occasional creak of the Sunny.
Then, without thinking, Kikidori turned to Ere'ana and said, "You know, you're kind of… pretty, too."
Ere'ana froze, her face burning. "W-What?"
"I mean, you are!" Kikidori said, scratching his head. "I just thought you should know."
Ere'ana stared at him, her heart racing. For once, Kikidori wasn't joking or being goofy. He was… sincere.
And before she could talk herself out of it, Ere'ana leaned forward and kissed him.
From their hiding spots, the crew collectively gasped.
"They're kissing!" Luffy whispered loudly.
"Shut up, Luffy!" Nami hissed, her face red as she watched.
"Yohohoho! Young love!" Brook chuckled.
Sanji's cigarette fell from his lips. "WHAT?!"
"Keep it down, you idiots!" Zoro growled, though even he raised an eyebrow at the scene.
Kikidori's eyes widened in shock, but he quickly recovered, kissing her back. It was brief, sweet, and when they pulled away, both of them were blushing furiously.
"Uh…" Kikidori rubbed the back of his neck, laughing nervously. "That was… unexpected."
Ere'ana buried her face in her hands. "Oh, shut up, noodle king."
"I think I like night duty now," Kikidori said with a grin.
From the shadows, Luffy grinned ear to ear. "That was amazing!"
"Luffy, if you say one word to them about this, I swear—" Nami began, but it was too late.
"Oi, Kikidori! Ere'ana! We saw that!" Luffy called out, standing up from the crow's nest.
The two froze, their faces turning pale as the entire crew revealed themselves, grinning like fools.
"YOU WERE SPYING ON US?!" Ere'ana shouted, her face redder than ever.
"Of course we were!" Luffy said, laughing. "You guys are hilarious!"
Kikidori groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I can't believe this…"
Robin smiled knowingly. "Well, at least we know what happens when they're alone."
End of Chapter 57
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone