Chapter 41: A Quiet Day on Board
Hayato awoke to the dazzling morning sun. When he looked at the clock, it was already past 10 a.m. The other bed was empty. It seemed Josuke was already up. Light streaming in from the balcony brightly illuminated the entire room, and the gentle sound of waves could be heard.
Just as he was about to get out of bed, the room phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Morning. Finally awake, Hayato?”
When he answered the phone, it was Josuke’s voice he heard.
“I was thinking we could all have breakfast together, but it seems the Tetsumura Family and Riri have already finished.”
“I see, I overslept,” Hayato said, sounding a little apologetic. He usually woke up early, but the ship’s rocking had been so comfortable that he had fallen into a deep sleep.
“It’s a day off. It’s better to oversleep a little.”
Josuke’s supportive words. His voice had a leisurely tone mixed in. He must be relaxed too, Hayato thought.
“Has everyone already gone out exploring?”
“Yeah. The Tetsumura Family apparently went to the ship’s aquarium. Seika is still asleep, it seems. She looked pretty tired, and Riri said she tried calling out to her, but there was no sign of her waking up at all.”
“I see. Guess I’ll go for breakfast too.”
“I haven’t eaten breakfast yet either, so I’ll join you.”
Hayato met up with Josuke and headed to the breakfast restaurant. It was a little late for breakfast. There were other passengers who had apparently also overslept a bit, and Hayato decided to enjoy the luxurious buffet-style breakfast.
Securing a popular-looking seat with an ocean view, Hayato generously piled food onto his plate: fresh salad, fragrantly grilled meat, and seasonal fruits. At the omelet station, a chef cooked egg dishes right in front of him. The omelet he had made with cheese and mushrooms had a fluffy texture and was exquisite. Josuke also took a substantial amount, displaying his hearty appetite from the morning.
“As expected, the food quality is so high you wouldn’t think we’re on the sea,” Josuke said, spreading butter on his bread.
“Yeah. It’s delicious,” Hayato replied without stopping his meal.
“This is also well-made.”
There was the special atmosphere of being at sea, but the food tasted even better than that. He wasn’t usually particular about food, but he was genuinely impressed by the ambiance of the space and the high quality of the cuisine.
“Apparently, a dedicated barista brews it for us.”
“That’s quite authentic.”
As they were enjoying such special coffee, Riri appeared. She wore a refreshing white one-piece dress, giving a healthy impression. Her lightly swaying hair shone in the morning light. A small ribbon adorned her chest, giving her a different atmosphere from her usual uniform.
“Good morning,” Riri greeted Hayato cheerfully.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah, quite soundly,” Hayato replied with a smile. The moderate fatigue and the gentle rocking of the ship seemed to have provided him with good quality sleep.
“Well then, I have some plans,” Josuke suddenly said as he stood up.
“Hmm?”
“See you both later,” Josuke said and left briskly.
“Plans?” Riri tilted her head.
“Beats me?” Hayato shrugged.
Left alone, Hayato and Riri sat down on a lounge sofa and continued their conversation while gazing at the blue sea spreading outside the window.
“Are Tsuyoshi and the others at the aquarium they mentioned yesterday?” Hayato asked, curious about how they were doing.
“Yes, they are,” Riri replied with a smile.
“This morning, Riku and Aoi were really looking forward to it. They were very cute.” Riri’s eyes shone gently. She seemed to be enjoying her interactions with the children.
“At breakfast, Aoi said, ‘I want to see lots of fish!’ and Riku was excited, saying, ‘I wonder if we can see deep-sea creatures too.'”
“I see. That’s nice.” Hearing this, Hayato also smiled, imagining the children.
Engaged in such conversation, Hayato and Riri headed to the training gym located on the ship.
Upon opening the door, they found it abundantly equipped with machines and tools for muscle training. There were the latest running machines, weight machines, a free weight area, and even a yoga space. Several well-built men and women were already working up a sweat.
“It’s more professional than I thought,” Riri said, looking around impressed. The spacious area had large windows, designed so one could enjoy the sea view while training. Hayato also thought that was amazing.
“Yeah. It’s more than I expected too.”
After changing, the two silently began their training. Hayato never skipped training, both for his security job and to release the stress that built up if he didn’t exercise regularly. He handled the weights with practiced ease, concentrating on strengthening his muscles. Riri, her body toned from the badminton club, moved with no wasted motion.
Hayato suddenly felt gazes from those around him. His well-trained physique and Riri’s toned figure seemed to be attracting attention. In particular, several users were captivated by the beauty of Riri’s training form.
“Um. Are you two, by any chance, professional athletes?” a woman next to a treadmill asked them. She was a foreign woman in her mid-forties, who herself had a healthy physique.
“No, I’m still a student, and it’s because I’m in a school club,” Riri replied modestly.
“Is that so? For that, you have a very wonderful body. Badminton, perhaps?”
“Yes! How did you know?” Riri answered, looking a little surprised.
“I can tell by your movements. I was a player too when I was young,” the woman said with a smile.
“And what about him?”
“I’m not a professional athlete, but I use my body a lot for work,” Hayato explained, without going into detail about his job at the security company.
“I see. But your power is incredible, like nothing I’ve ever seen. I was very surprised.”
After that, their training continued to draw the interest of those around them, and they received various questions. Even the gym instructor showed interest in their movements, particularly asking Hayato about his abdominal training method, which he answered.
Lunchtime arrived, and they finished their training and returned to the lobby. There, Seika, who had finally woken up, appeared. She had a slightly dazed look, different from her usual calm demeanor.
“G’mooorning,” Seika greeted them with a soft voice, different from her usual.
“You slept soundly, didn’t you?” Riri smiled, looking at Seika’s state.
“Are you okay? You still look half-asleep,” Hayato asked with concern. Then.
“Maybe so,” Seika smiled, lightly running her fingers through her hair. There was a defenselessness in her gesture that she didn’t usually show.
“Perhaps it’s because I was able to forget about work and sleep properly for the first time in a while.”
“You usually can’t completely rest, thinking about research and various other things, right?” Riri showed her understanding. The vacation seemed to be having a good effect on her.
“That’s right.”
“So, Seika. Lunch?”
“I haven’t eaten yet.”
“Then, shall we go together?”
The three of them headed to the lunch restaurant. The atmosphere was different from last night’s Italian; today’s theme was Asian cuisine. There was a wide range of choices, including Chinese, Japanese, and Thai food.
The restaurant was located on the side of the ship, and its large windows offered a panoramic view of the sea. The tablecloths were a vibrant red and gold, emphasizing the Asian theme. Eastern works of art adorned the walls, and quiet ethnic music played.
“Seika, you often go on overseas business trips, right?” Hayato asked while placing some tempura on his plate. It looked freshly fried and hot, its appearance whetting his appetite. It looks delicious, he thought.
“Yes, quite often,” Seika replied, seeming to gradually wake up and regain her usual composure. She was choosing a balanced selection of dishes, mainly focusing on Chinese cuisine.
“Business trips are busy, and I rarely have time to rest properly. Spending time with friends like this is truly precious.”
“Seika was always devoted to her companions,” Hayato quietly stated his impression of Seika.
“That was true for everyone. We helped each other and were helped by each other,” Seika said with a gentle smile.
“Back then, each person fulfilled their role. That’s why it worked out.”
Riri also nodded and said, “It’s the same now, isn’t it? Everyone is living their lives to the fullest in their respective worlds.”
After lunch, the three of them decided to stroll around the ship again. On that floor, there was an area lined with various shops. Many high-priced items were on display, such as luxury brand clothing, watches, and jewelry. Shining display windows showcased diamond necklaces and bags from world-famous brands.
“So you can even shop like this on board a ship, huh?”
Hayato was a little surprised.
“Really, it’s hard to believe this is the inside of a ship. It’s like a small town.”
Riri also agreed. She was looking into an accessory shop’s display with interest.
“It’s designed so there’s no end to the fun on board, isn’t it? It’s enjoyable just looking around,” Seika said, sounding impressed.
“Ah, speaking of which…”
“Hm? What’s wrong, Seika?”
Seika glanced at her watch to check it. Hayato asked her what was wrong.
“It’s time for my reservation, so I’m going to meet up with Kaede-san and get a massage.”
“Okay, have fun.”
Riri saw her off with a smile.
“Let’s have dinner together too, okay?” Seika said, looking back.
“Right. Let’s all get together tonight,” Hayato nodded.
Alone together again, Hayato and Riri decided to go out onto the deck. The wind was gentle, and the vast blue sea stretched endlessly. The sunlight reflected off the water’s surface, sparkling brilliantly. White clouds dotted the sky, their shadows moving across the sea.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
The two sat on deck chairs, enjoying the scenery for a while. Riri wore a hat, avoiding the direct sunlight while fully savoring the beauty of the sea.
“Yeah, it’s beautiful,” Hayato also agreed. He felt as if his heart was being cleansed by the endless horizon where the sea and sky met.
A period of silence continued for a while. However, it wasn’t awkward; for the two of them, it was a comfortable quiet. A sense of reassurance from feeling each other’s presence without needing to exchange words.
“It’s strange, isn’t it?” Riri murmured. “To be able to spend time peacefully like this.”
“Yeah, you think so too, Riri?”
Hayato, too, often felt that this peaceful daily life was like a dream.
“Of course! In that world, we were always thinking about the next danger.” Riri’s eyes gazed into the distance. The wind rustled her hair. “Because I properly have both the memories of dying as Lilia, and the memories of being born and raised as Riri.”
She continued, gazing at the sea. Her words flowed quietly, as if in time with the movement of the waves.
“Sometimes, I wonder which one is the real me.”
Hayato was a little surprised by those words. To think she’d been harboring such thoughts. I wonder if the other companions feel the same way. Even so, there’s probably no need to think about it so deeply. That’s what I thought.
“Both are the real you, aren’t they?” Hayato said gently. In his eyes, there was a warmth that enveloped all of Riri, both her past and her present. “The Riri of the other world, and the Riri of this world, are both one and the same person with the same soul. That’s all there is to it.”
“Hayato… you don’t change, do you?” Riri smiled. “Hayato, you always accept everyone. You always help us.”
“You think so?”
“Yes. That’s why we want you to be happy too.”
“I am happy. Everyone’s helped me out so much, and I even get to go on a luxury cruise like this. It’s really fun.”
A genuine joy was visible on Hayato’s face.
“I’m so glad to hear that!” Riri’s smile shone, reflecting the light from the sea.
And then silence fell once more. An unspoken understanding flowed between them. The battles in a distant world, and the peaceful days in the modern era. Two completely different times, connected in a mysterious way.
The two smiled quietly at each other and gazed at the sea in silence, wishing that this peaceful time would continue on into the future.