Bab 49: Corazón!
The Polar Tang cruised through the open sea, the underwater vessel's engines humming steadily as it cut through the water. Kikidori sat comfortably on one of the couches in the main room, his legs crossed in an almost too relaxed manner as he glanced over at Law, who was busy fiddling with the navigation charts.
"So, does this mean I'm a full-fledged Heart Pirate now?" Kikidori asked, the excitement clear in his voice.
Law looked up at him from behind the chart with an annoyed sigh. "I told you already, you're staying with us for two years. That doesn't make you an official Heart Pirate."
"But it does by pirate logic," Kikidori responded, leaning back dramatically. "See, you're my captain, so I'm a member of your crew. Simple as that."
"You're an idiot," Law muttered, shaking his head.
Kikidori grinned widely, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Can I at least call you Captain? Like, officially, even though I already do anyway?"
Law rubbed his forehead. "Fine. Call me Captain if it makes you happy. But only because you never stop asking."
"Yesss!" Kikidori cheered, jumping up from the couch and raising his arms in the air in victory. "Captain Law, baby!"
Law barely reacted, though he did let out a frustrated sigh.
"Now that that's settled, Captain," Kikidori began, settling down once again, his voice becoming oddly serious. "Can I ask you something personal?"
Law raised an eyebrow, his gaze sharpening as he turned his attention toward the younger boy. "What now?"
Kikidori hesitated for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully, before leaning in closer. "Who was Corazón?"
There was a pause. The air seemed to thicken, the light mood instantly evaporating as the weight of Kikidori's question hung between them. Law's eyes narrowed, his hand instinctively brushing against the scar on his chest as he stared into space for a moment, his usually unreadable expression faltering.
Kikidori immediately regretted asking the question. It was too blunt, too sudden. "I'm sorry," he muttered quickly, looking down at the floor.
But Law didn't seem angry. In fact, after a few moments, he spoke, his voice soft, as if he was still sorting through the thoughts that came with the question. "Corazón was… a lot of things to me. He was my brother." His words hung in the air, thick with emotion, though Law's face remained stoic. "A lot of people didn't know this, but Corazón was an important figure to the Heart Pirates. And to me. He… he saved me, in ways that no one else could."
Kikidori listened intently, his eyes wide, not daring to interrupt.
"I was once a part of the Donquixote family, forced into a life I didn't want," Law continued, his voice growing quieter as he spoke. "Corazón was the one who rescued me from that nightmare. He was the only one who ever showed me kindness, who ever truly cared for me. He risked everything to save me from a life of cruelty, from the twisted path I was walking. And he paid the price for it." His voice cracked just slightly, betraying the emotion that Law usually kept hidden.
Kikidori, his expression serious now, nodded slowly, understanding the weight of the story. "I didn't know… I didn't realize."
"Of course you didn't," Law muttered, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I don't expect you to understand." He paused again, as if gathering his thoughts. "But Corazón was a symbol of what it meant to care for someone. He didn't care about my past, about what I had been through. He cared about who I could become. And when he died… it was like losing a part of myself."
Kikidori remained silent, taking in every word. His own thoughts flickered back to his parents and the deep, unspoken pain that still clung to him. He understood, perhaps better than most, the feeling of loss and the complexity of those bonds that went beyond simple words.
"Was it worth it?" Kikidori asked, suddenly feeling like the question had been hanging in the air for a while.
Law gave him a sideways glance, his eyes sharp but not unkind. "What do you mean?"
"Was it worth everything Corazón did for you? The sacrifice? Did it make a difference in your life?" Kikidori pressed.
Law stared at him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, he nodded. "Yes. It was worth it. Because it made me who I am today." He stood up, walking toward the window, his gaze focused on the horizon. "I may not always show it, but Corazón's death… it changed me. It made me realize that there's more to life than revenge, more to life than the pain of the past. I became who I am because of his love and sacrifice."
Kikidori didn't say anything right away, his mind spinning as he processed everything. The idea of love, of loss, of sacrifice… it was something he couldn't fully understand, not yet. But he felt the weight of it now, deep in his chest.
"I see," Kikidori said quietly, breaking the silence.
Law turned back to face him, his usual scowl in place. "You'd better," he muttered. "But I'm not the one you should be asking about Corazón. You need to ask yourself about what kind of person you want to be, Kikidori. Just like Corazón did for me, you need to make your own path. Don't let your past define you. Let it guide you, but not control you."
Kikidori stood up, his body tense as he stared out at the open ocean through the sub's small windows. Law was right. There was something in his past that he needed to face, something that had been haunting him for years. But hearing Law talk about Corazón, about his own past and the person who saved him, made Kikidori realize that it wasn't too late. He could still change his future.
"Thanks, Captain," Kikidori said softly, his voice serious for once.
Law only nodded, his expression softening ever so slightly. "Don't make me regret this, Kikidori."
Kikidori flashed him a grin, the usual mischief in his eyes. "No promises."
End of Chapter 50
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone