I ran as soon as I heard, ran as though life would be over, ran hoping that it was just a lie, or ran hoping that I'd still make it.

I can hear my own footsteps as they rapidly threaded on the wooden stairs of Sunny. I gasped for air, not because I was already getting exhausted of the tremendous speed I was exhibiting, rather because my mind was in a state of unstableness. I was hoping.

I can see the door. I slammed it open and in a split second I was inside the room. I saw my crew standing in her room, among the maps she had drawn. They were silent, their faces… I had no time to observe. As soon as I slammed open the door, everyone looked at me, then one by one, slowly turned their eyes away from me. Only Chopper had the courage to stay still and tell me with his crying eyes and sobbing voice,

"Luffy, she left."

With those words of Chopper, I felt all my muscles stood still, my breath became silent, as though I had not experience fatigue from running. Then I started hearing Chopper cry, cry like he always do, cry like a baby abandoned by her mother, cry aloud that my heart was awakened and made me realize what just happened.

Pressing my fist hard against my chest, I started to run again, run until I reached the deck, and under the clear, blue sky filled with cirrus clouds, I shouted,

"NAAAAAMMMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

It wasn't really a suitable atmosphere for these kinds of situation. The sun was shining bright and the waves of the sea were at peace, fresh breeze met our faces and busy people's voices can be heard over the port.

It wasn't really a suitable atmosphere for grief.

The sun had set and nighttime arrived. I thought it was the only day that Sunny became silent with the crew on board.

I lie down the figurehead of Sunny on the bowsprit, body facing the dark waters of the sea, face directed at the unending horizon ahead of me.

Suddenly, I heard someone coming towards me.

"Luffy, why don't we go and find her? We might still be able to convince her to come back."

I stayed still, as if I did not hear Chopper's plea.

"Luffy! Why aren't you doing anything?! Let us go and find her."

"It was her decision to leave."

"And you're just gonna let her walk away?! You're the captain of this ship. You must be able to do something."

I started hearing Chopper's crying voice again, but I did not allow another word to escape from my lips.

"BAKA-LUFFY!!"

After meeting disappointment with me, Chopper ran back inside, crying, crying like he always do, crying like a baby abandoned by her mother, crying aloud, again.

Not long enough after being alone again, another stood behind me, but I know that this time it was my first-mate, though he said nothing.

"She won't be coming back, will she?" I asked Zoro as I continued to stare at the endless horizon.

There was a gap between my question and his answer; nevertheless, I already knew what his response would be, and it would not change a thing.

"No."