"Jinbei! Join my crew!"
Jinbei stood, struck dumb, for just a moment. The smile on her face burned, and the happiness rolling off of her was overwhelming. The last time he saw Luka, she was a mess of a girl still recovering, but now...
Now, it was as if she was completely healed.
"I cannot, Luka-kun," Jinbei replied apologetically. The rolling happiness slowed for just a moment, and her smile faltered. Though it was brief, the change in atmosphere was apparent. "I have some... business to attend to first."
"Aw," she complained. Her smile fell into a frown. She crossed her arms and pouted, giving him a look. "Please?"
"No," he repeated, more firmly than the first time. "Like I said."
"You're no fun."
"Luka-kun, my business is important." She huffed.
"I don't want you anyway."
"You're the one who asked me to join!"
"Well, whenever your business is done, catch up with me, okay?" She smiled at him, and the happiness started rolling off her again. Her smile wasn't the burning grin of earlier, but a mature smile he'd expect more of some of her other crewmembers. It looked foreign to see it on her face, despite being nearly twenty years old.
"It's a deal."
There were a great many promises Jinbei would eventually come to regret, but this was one he would cherish for a long, long time.