“Do you know everyone on the ship is only talking about you all?”

“Us?”

“Yes. It’s my job to guide guests, and everyone was clamoring to do it.”

Raki’s eyes sparkled as he scanned the group. His gaze lingered on Cahill.

“You’re really human, right?”

Saying so, Raki’s cheeks flushed as he examined Cahill’s face. His blue eyes had a dreamy, far-off look.

‘I remember thinking Cahill was a fairy when I first saw him.’

Despite her understanding of his fascination, Holly discreetly stepped in front of Cahill to block his view. As Cahill, who noticed her intent, had a pleased smile, Raki seemed lost in a daze as he caught sight of that smile.

“Why do you talk like that?”

As Raki fell silent, Adam bluntly voiced the question that had been on everyone’s mind, including Holly’s.

“I grew up on this ship, learning to speak from various people, which led to my unique way of talking.”

Raki seemed used to the question about his speech and answered nonchalantly.

“I can’t fathom how one ends up being taught so haphazardly, but I understand now.”

Adam seemed relieved to have his curiosity satisfied after hearing his explanation.

* * *

The group followed Raki down the stairs and through a narrow corridor. They were anxious not to bump into any suddenly opening doors.

“This is it.”

He opened a door further inside and stepped aside. Badin was the first to enter the room, where two bunk beds were placed. The passage between the beds was so narrow that they had to sidestep to get through.

“Meals are served in the communal area downstairs.”

Badin half-listened to Raki’s instructions, climbing to the upper bunk. The bed creaked under his weight.

“It won’t collapse, will it?”

Adam, still outside the door, asked anxiously.

“If it collapses, we’ll fix it, so don’t worry!”

When Raki reassured him with a nonchalant smile, Adam glanced at him, slightly annoyed.

“You go up too.”

Cahill, looking seriously at the beds, pointed to the remaining upper bunk.

“I’d prefer the lower one.”

Adam unexpectedly objected to Cahill’s suggestion, clearly worried about the bed’s sturdiness.

“I’ll go up since I’m lighter.”

Holly’s remark brightened Adam’s expression. However, Cahill, pretending not to hear, pulled her hand and made her sit on the lower bunk. In the end, Adam sighed deeply and slowly climbed to the upper bunk in resignation.

“You brought it upon yourself.”

Badin casually teased Adam with a languid voice. It was Adam, after all, who had insisted on joining the journey with the reluctant Cahill.

“Just rest easy until we arrive.”

Watching the bantering group, Raki quickly closed the door and disappeared. Holly listened at the door until his footsteps faded away, then turned to Cahill.

“I can’t share a bunk with you, top or bottom.”

He frowned at her words.

“It won’t feel cramped if we hug each other tightly.”

Saying so, he pulled her hand toward him in pleading. His beautiful, sad face made it difficult to refuse him. Moreover, the two had shared even tighter spaces before.

‘But this is different.’

The rickety bed seemed like it would collapse with just one person on it.

Holly shook her head, trying to firm her resolve. Looking obviously disappointed, Cahill clicked his tongue. He was clearly trying to use his charm to sway her decision. She glanced at him while not entirely annoyed and let go of his hand to lie on the bed.

“Try lying down.”

Cahill reluctantly followed her suggestion. Lying on her side, Holly reached her hand out of the bed, and he mirrored her action. Despite the narrow space, their hands met easily.

“How about sleeping like this?”

She whispered as if sharing a secret, tickling Cahill’s palm with her fingers.

“…I want to do it.”

He murmured gloomily. Holly smiled, knowing he would eventually comply with her suggestion.

* * *

The cramped room made even breathing feel suffocating, so, except for Badin, the group often stepped outside for fresh air.

Holly leaned against the ship, gazing at the distant sea.

“When will we reach land?”

She muttered with a bored expression. The ship was ceaselessly moving, but the scenery had been nothing but blue sea for days.

“I’m not sure, but we probably have a few more days ahead.”

Hearing Adam’s reply, she sighed with a bored look.

“I don’t think I’ll ever want to take a ship again.”

For Holly, who was used to a busy life of constant movement, the peaceful but idle life at sea was torture. At least she wasn’t seasick.

“Shall we go to the front? Maybe we can see land.”

Adam suggested, noticing her boredom.

“Should we?”

Encouraged by his idea, Holly quickly moved.

“Oh? There’s someone there.”

What Holly noticed was an elderly person extending a long, slender piece of wood out from the ship. The sight of sailors rowing, glued to the ship’s wall, was nothing new.

“What are they doing?”

Cahill, who usually kept to himself regardless of where he was, showed interest for once.

“Shall we take a look?”

Holly asked, and he immediately nodded.

“I’ll go ask the navigator about our schedule.”

Adam’s gaze followed the navigator who, typically immobile in the wheelhouse, had now come out, seemingly for a breath of fresh air.

Aiden went to speak with the navigator, leaving Cahill and Holly to approach the elderly person sitting at the stern. As they drew closer, they noticed the line attached to the stick the elder held dipped into the sea.

“Looks like he’s fishing.”

Holly recognized what the old man was doing and nodded. Cahill, unfamiliar with the concept, tilted his head in confusion.

“Fishing?”

At that moment, the elder’s body jerked forward and back repeatedly.

The line that had disappeared into the sea was now taut. Soon, a blue fish leaped above the water’s surface before plunging back into the depths.

“Just a bit more…!”

Holly found herself shouting, and her fists clenched tightly. Cahill watched her, perplexed by her sudden enthusiasm.

“Hi-ya!”

The elder, undisturbed by the unexpected cheer from the stranger, pulled the line with a loud grunt. Soon, the fishing line was completely aboard, and a fish flopped energetically on the deck.

“So, the fish was caught like that?”

Finally grasping the situation, Cahill couldn’t take his eyes off the fish. Holly flinched at his casual tone. However, the elder didn’t seem to mind. He looked proud under Cahill’s admiring gaze and bent down to collect the fish.

“Ahh, this one’s a failure too.”

Apparently, the caught fish wasn’t the species he was hoping for, as he showed a disappointed expression.

“It’s so big, and yet it’s a failure?”

Cahill frowned, looking at the fish larger than his foot.

“This one’s flesh is flaky and tasteless, not popular at all.”

The elder, not minding his intense interest, kindly explained.

“But how did you catch it?”

“You bait the line with something the fish like to lure them in.”

The elder removed the fish from the line and shook the empty line while explaining to Cahill.

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