Chapter 69: Volleyball match
~~~~o~~~O~~~o~~~~
Emi woke up slowly, her eyelids fluttering under the dim, bluish light of the room. She frowned, still groggy, before feeling different sheets against her skin.
And then it hit her like a shock—Law's bed.
The memories of the previous night washed over her in waves. Her cheeks burned. Just thinking about it made her want to disappear under the covers. Never in a million years had she imagined feeling so much in one single night.
He had been both gentle and firm.
His hands—precise yet untamed—had traced every curve of her body with frustrating expertise. He had never hesitated, never faltered, guiding her every move with a natural confidence that had left her trembling beneath him.
She turned her head, searching for his presence, but the space beside her was empty. A lump formed in her throat. She sat up, clutching the blanket tightly around herself.
Her chest tightened slightly. Why had she expected anything different? Of course, he wasn't going to say "good morning." Of course, he wasn't going to be sitting on the edge of the bed with that slightly mocking smirk he sometimes had. Because they weren't that kind of couple. Hell, they weren't even a couple.
She sighed, letting herself fall back onto the mattress.
She needed to get a grip. She knew exactly what she was getting into. No expectations, no promises, no—
A dull noise cut off her thoughts. A door clicking shut. Her head snapped up.
The bathroom door had just closed. Law was stepping out, a towel draped around his neck, beads of water still trailing down his skin. He was wearing nothing but black pants, his bare chest displaying those all-too-familiar tattoos.
Emi froze, her brain refusing to process what she was seeing. A strange wave of relief washed over her when she realized he was here, but she barely had time to acknowledge it.
He glanced at her, completely unfazed, grabbed a shirt from a nearby chair, and started buttoning it up like this was just any other morning.
"You're awake," he said casually.
Wrapped in the blanket like a panicked caterpillar, Emi opened her mouth to respond, but no sound came out. Her face turned even redder.
Okay, act normal. Don't panic. Just play it cool.
"Uh, yeah." She cleared her throat and forced a wobbly smile. "Slept well?"
Law, already focused on adjusting his sleeves, raised an eyebrow at her. "Yeah."
She nodded rapidly, not knowing what else to say.
He finished getting dressed with his usual calm, completely ignoring the way her burning gaze was locked onto him.
"You planning to stay there all morning?" he asked, grabbing his hat from the dresser.
She blinked. "Huh?"
"In my bed," he clarified.
Her face went even redder as her mind scrambled.
"I—I was just thinking! It's comfortable, that's all!" she blurted out, quickly sitting up—still wrapped in the blanket—only to nearly trip as she tried to climb out.
She looked up at him, already embarrassed beyond belief, but it got even worse when she caught the glint of amusement in his eyes.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice laced with fake concern. "Already tired from walking?" Then, lower, almost teasing, he added, "Or is it because of last night?"
Her eyes went wide, her entire face turning crimson.
"W-What?!" she spluttered. "That's not it! I mean… I think? No—I mean, that's definitely not it!"
Law arched a brow, clearly enjoying her distress.
That was the last straw. That damn smirk of his never left his face. Emi grabbed the first thing within reach—a pillow—and threw it at him.
Law, still annoyingly composed, caught it effortlessly. But he didn't dodge the second one she flung right after, probably because he was too busy trying to hide a smirk.
She almost let out a triumphant laugh—but it died in her throat when she noticed the way he was looking at her. That unreadable stare she both hated and loved.
A weird silence settled between them. Emi quickly looked away, fidgeting with the edge of the blanket.
"…I'm gonna go get dressed," she announced abruptly before darting into the bathroom, leaving Law alone in the room.
As soon as she shut the door behind her, she slid down against it, burying her face in her hands.
Holy crap. What the hell am I supposed to do now?!
On the other side of the door, Law shook his head slightly, the faintest hint of a smirk on his lips.
He calmly set the pillow back on the bed and went back to his business. Normally, he'd be annoyed if someone used his bathroom without asking—especially someone as accident-prone as her.
But with Emi… it was different.
.~~~~
Emi sighed in relief as she stepped out of the bathroom, feeling fresh and re-energized after a good shower. Law's quarters were empty now—he must have gone off to handle his captain duties. At least I won't have to deal with his remarks again… she thought, feeling both relieved and slightly disappointed.
She quickly got dressed and, moving as quietly as a shadow, slipped out of the cabin.
Don't run into anyone, don't run into anyone… she mentally chanted with every step.
Miraculously, she made it to her own cabin without crossing paths with a single crew member. Considering how crowded the submarine had become, that was a small miracle. She silently thanked her lucky stars before quickly drying her hair.
Just then, her stomach growled loudly. Right… breakfast. Deciding not to delay any longer, she headed for the kitchen.
Upon entering, she spotted Kin'emon and Kanjuro seated at a table, deep in discussion about the origins of green tea. She gave them a small wave in greeting.
Nearby, Bepo was engaged in conversation with Penguin and Ikkaku. They greeted her with a smile, and she returned the gesture as she took a seat. Stay calm, Emi. Everything is normal, she reminded herself.
"So, what's the debate about this morning?" she asked casually, peeling an orange.
"Penguin insists that the best way to fix a broken Den Den Mushi is to shake it," Ikkaku said, rolling her eyes.
Penguin crossed his arms defensively. "Hey, it worked once!"
"Yeah, and you nearly gave it a concussion," Bepo pointed out, ears twitching.
Emi chuckled, popping a slice of orange into her mouth. "Well, at least it's still alive."
As the conversation carried on, Bepo suddenly lifted his head, his sensitive nose twitching. His ears perked up, and he narrowed his eyes at Emi.
"Emi…" he started, sounding curious.
She turned to him, mid-peel. "Hm?"
"You smell like ca—"
Before he could finish, Emi grabbed a piece of bread from the table and shoved it straight into his mouth with deadly precision.
Oh. My. God.
Was he about to say captain?!
What was wrong with these Minks and their stupidly sharp noses?!
"Do not finish that sentence," she hissed, eyes flashing.
Bepo gulped down the bread with difficulty, raising his hands in surrender.
"I… I'm sorry," he mumbled, stepping back slightly.
Of course, Penguin, who hadn't missed a thing, raised an eyebrow, looking amused.
"Wait… what was he about to say?" he asked, a mischievous grin forming.
Emi felt her face heat up instantly, her cheeks burning like fire.
"That I smell, uh… like chamomile!" she blurted, grasping for the first excuse that came to mind.
Before Penguin could call her out on the obvious lie, Ikkaku suddenly shot to her feet.
"Oh! I forgot to show you my new bandana collection!" she announced, grabbing Emi's arm.
Penguin squinted. "Since when do you care about fashion?"
"Since always! You just don't pay attention!" Ikkaku shot back before dragging Emi out of the kitchen.
Once in the hallway, she slowed her pace, a knowing smirk on her lips.
"So, the captain has good taste in soap, huh?" she teased, her voice dripping with mischief.
Emi froze.
Oh no.
No, no, no.
"I… He… I don't know what you're talking about."
Ikkaku raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
"Emi…"
She stopped walking and turned slightly toward her, that smirk stretching into something even more dangerous.
"Where do you usually sleep?"
A knot formed in Emi's stomach.
Shit.
She really wished she didn't understand what Ikkaku was implying, but the way her friend was looking at her—way too smug, way too sure of herself—confirmed the worst.
She knew.
And not just a vague suspicion.
Emi immediately averted her gaze, scrambling for an escape.
"Uh… I don't know… Maybe I just wanted to try a different bed? You know, switch things up a little… change of scenery and all…" she attempted, desperation leaking into her voice.
Ikkaku burst out laughing, shaking her head.
"Haaaan, Emi… Seriously?!"
She clapped a hand on Emi's shoulder, her grin practically glowing with mischief.
"It was bound to happen at some point, huh?"
Emi's face burned even hotter.
"What are you even talking about?! Nothing happened! Nothing at all!" she insisted—way too forcefully.
Ikkaku just stared at her, silent, her smirk never faltering.
A long, excruciating pause followed.
Then, she simply shrugged and started walking again.
"You know, Bepo's got an incredible sense of smell… He picks up things the rest of us can't."
She glanced back at Emi, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Just be more careful next time."
Emi opened her mouth to protest, but nothing came out.
She could only watch as Ikkaku walked off, whistling happily to herself, looking way too pleased.
And Emi?
She just stood there, completely and utterly mortified.
~~~~o~~~O~~~o~~~~
Tension filled the Polar Tang's training room. A makeshift net had been set up, wooden crates marked the boundaries, and some random ball—no one knew where it came from—was now their official volleyball.
Sachi and Penguin had suggested a volleyball match as a form of "training," though Emi was pretty sure it was just an excuse to have fun. Not that she complained—she wanted to play too, to take her mind off things.
But there was one major issue: how to form the teams?
To avoid any arguments (or cheating, given the people involved), Franky pulled out a handful of wooden sticks, each marked with red on one side and blue on the other.
"Whoever draws a red stick will be on the same team, and whoever gets blue will be on the other team."
Everyone nodded. Sounded fair… in theory.
But in the middle of the group, Usopp was already sweating bullets. His eyes darted nervously to Zoro, who was casually stretching, completely unbothered.
Because let's be honest—Zoro playing sports was like watching a possessed demon. He played with an intensity that was downright terrifying. If Usopp ended up on the opposing team, he was doomed. DOOMED.
Clenching his fists, he shut his eyes tight.
Lord of the Seas, Gods of Courage, Merciful Fate—I beg you… put me with Zoro. I want to be on the monster's side, not against him!
One by one, the players picked their sticks.
Emi looked at hers and sighed in relief. Red.
She glanced at Zoro and saw he had a red stick too.
Thank god.
The teams slowly took shape.
And then… it was Usopp's turn. Hands trembling, he reached out and carefully pulled a stick. He opened one eye…
…Then the other…
His blood ran cold.
Blue.
He blinked, hoping it was an illusion.
Nope. Still blue.
Slowly, like a marionette with cut strings, he lifted his head and turned toward the other team.
Zoro smirked—way too confidently—his red stick casually twirling between his fingers.
Usopp felt his soul leave his body.
"…NOOOOO."
Franky raised his arms.
"SUUUUPER! Teams are set! On one side: Penguin, Ikkaku, Hakugan, Kinemon, Emi, and Zoro. On the other: Sachi, Bepo, Jean Bart, Kanjuro, Robin, and Usopp."
Usopp lifted a trembling hand, seconds away from collapsing.
"I suggest an immediate redraw."
Franky shook his head.
"Nope. A draw is a draw."
"BUT—THAT'S NOT FAIR! I WANTED TO BE WITH ZORO, NOT AGAINST HIM!"
Zoro raised an eyebrow, amused.
"You scared?"
Usopp spun around, pointing a shaky finger at him.
"YES, I'M SCARED! OF COURSE, I'M SCARED! YOU'RE A DAMN DEMON ON THE COURT!"
Emi, who hadn't dared to say it out loud, silently nodded in agreement.
Zoro just shrugged.
"Then just play better."
Usopp collapsed to his knees.
"I'm doomed…"
Penguin leaned toward him with a sly grin.
"But Usopp, look on the bright side."
"…There's a bright side?!"
"Yeah. When Zoro crushes you with a spike, it'll make a great headline for the ship's newsletter."
Emi nodded, her expression entirely too innocent.
"'Usopp: Volleyball Hero or Inevitable Sacrifice?'"
Usopp groaned, burying his face in his hands.
"I'm cursed."
And just like that, before the game had even started, Usopp was already having an existential crisis.
Of course, the worst was yet to come.
Because one question still remained: who would serve first?
Zoro and Kanjuro stood face-to-face at the center of the court, arms crossed, silently challenging each other.
"I propose we settle this with a sword duel!" Kanjuro declared, drawing his massive brush-sword.
Zoro, equally serious, replied,
"…Works for me."
"The honor of a samurai is not to be taken lightly!" Kanjuro added dramatically.
Everyone else sighed.
That's when Franky stepped in.
"Why make things complicated when we can keep it simple?!"
He pulled a massive metal coin from his chest and spun it between his fingers.
"We're doing this the old-fashioned way—heads or tails!"
The two competitors exchanged looks.
Kanjuro nodded. "Very well. I choose heads!"
Zoro shrugged. "Tails."
With a dramatic flair worthy of an Olympic referee, Franky tossed the coin high into the air. Everyone held their breath as it spun rapidly before landing—right on Usopp's back.
"ARGH!"
He rolled onto the ground, clutching his back, but no one paid him any attention. Franky knelt down to check the result.
A heavy silence filled the room.
Then, standing up with theatrical flair, he declared:
"TAILS!"
Zoro smirked, satisfied. "Perfect."
Meanwhile, Kanjuro dropped to his knees, utterly crushed.
"By all the gods… I have failed as a samurai…"
Kinemon placed a solemn hand on his shoulder.
"…Yes."
Laughter erupted throughout the room as Zoro stepped forward to take the ball. He glanced at Usopp, who was still sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain.
"Hey. You ready?"
Usopp shot up, eyes wide in terror.
"NO, I'M NOT READY!"
Too late. The match had begun.
Emi took her position on the court like the others, adjusting her ponytail and warming up her wrists.
"Alright, let's get one thing straight—we're going to crush them," declared Penguin, full of confidence.
From the other side of the net, Sachi raised an eyebrow.
"Overconfidence is a dangerous thing, you know."
Bepo, the most enthusiastic of them all, bounced excitedly, clapping his paws together.
"We'll do our best, right, Sachi?"
"Obviously! We'll show them who rules this submarine!"
Then, the whistle blew.
Zoro took the first serve, smashing the ball with impressive force—straight toward Usopp.
"Gaaah! It's coming for me!"
He attempted a desperate reception, but the ball ricocheted off his nose and crashed onto the floor.
"OUT!" Franky announced.
"WHY ME?!" Usopp wailed.
Robin, amused, patted his shoulder.
"You'll do better next time."
The match had barely started, but the intensity was already through the roof.
Emi stood in position on her team's side, glancing toward Zoro, who was waiting, arms crossed, his face unreadable. Every time he prepared to hit the ball, his aura became almost… demonic.
"Thank god he's on our team… I wouldn't want to be on the other side. That guy can be seriously terrifying sometimes."
The game continued, the score neck and neck. 9-9.
Penguin served the ball with force, and—just as expected—it shot straight toward Usopp.
"OH NO, NOT AGAIN!"
He squeezed his eyes shut in panic, but the ball smacked off his nose and bounced straight into Jean Bart.
"Out!" Franky called.
Jean Bart, exasperated, turned to Usopp.
"Can you stop receiving the ball with your face, or is this some kind of secret technique you're trying to invent?"
"I'M DOING MY BEST, OKAY?!" Usopp shot back, already at his limit. Then, throwing his arms in the air, he added, "And why is it ALWAYS me getting hit?!"
Bepo tilted his head, thoughtful.
"Hmm… Statistically speaking, you're the most vulnerable player."
Usopp's eyes widened.
"Vulnerable?!"
Penguin shrugged, all innocence.
"Well, yeah. You panic the fastest."
"THAT'S NOT A VALID REASON!"
Sachi burst out laughing.
"Don't worry, Usopp! You can be our human shield!"
Usopp struck a dramatic pose.
"I REFUSE to be a human shield! I'm an elite sniper! A fearless warrior of the sea!"
He spun toward Franky, who was watching the chaos with amusement.
"FRANKY! Swap with me! I'm begging you, take my place!"
Franky raised an eyebrow.
"…I'm the referee."
"But you could be the referee who plays! That's a thing, right?!"
"…No."
Usopp groaned, clutching his head.
"This is a conspiracy… They're out to get me…"
The game continued with growing tension. Everyone was on high alert.
At one point, Ikkaku delivered a powerful spike, sending the ball hurtling across the court at insane speed. Sachi dove in a desperate attempt to save it… but it barely skimmed past his fingers before hitting the ground with a loud thud.
"Yes! That's a point for us!" Emi cheered, high-fiving Ikkaku with a wide grin.
But just as the team began celebrating, the ball suddenly came flying back into their court, as if it had been catapulted.
Franky blew his whistle and declared in an official tone:
"Point for the other team!"
Ikkaku, Zoro, and Emi froze, their victory instantly crumbling.
"Huh?! What?!" Emi choked out, outraged.
"Wait, WHAT?!" Zoro growled, arms crossed.
"EXPLANATION. NOW." Ikkaku demanded, pointing an accusing finger at Franky.
Unbothered, Franky gestured toward the ground. They all followed his gaze… and horror struck as they spotted a single hand sticking up from the floor, right where the ball should have landed.
Silence.
Slowly, everyone turned toward Robin, who smiled back with an innocent, almost angelic look.
Sachi's eyes widened.
"That's… honestly kind of genius."
Robin, still sweetly smiling, gave a small shrug.
"Oh? I was just playing to my strengths."
Penguin exploded.
"THAT'S CHEATING! IT'S LITERALLY A HAND COMING OUT OF THE FLOOR!"
Hakugan added, "Yeah, if we're summoning hands out of nowhere, we might as well give Zoro swords and let him slice the ball!"
Zoro grinned, clearly amused.
"Oh, good idea."
Emi shook her head, exasperated.
"No, bad idea. We said volleyball, not massacre…"
Franky took a moment to think.
"Hm…"
Everyone waited for the verdict.
Robin remained completely unbothered, her serene smile never wavering.
Finally, Franky raised his arm.
"Point accepted."
"WHAT?!" Ikkaku, Penguin, and Emi yelled at the same time.
Robin's smile grew ever so slightly.
"The referee has spoken."
And so, the game continued, descending further into chaos.
The intensity ramped up, and everyone was on high alert, waiting for whatever ridiculous stunt would come next.
But no one was prepared for what happened next.
Just as Emi was about to serve, Kanjuro suddenly had a brilliant idea.
With a mischievous grin, he whipped out his giant brush and, with one swift stroke, painted a thick black line in the air.
In an instant, a massive fish-shaped net emerged from the ground, floating in front of the actual net like an impenetrable wall.
Silence.
Everyone stared at Kanjuro's "masterpiece".
The grotesque-looking fish had lifeless eyes and a slightly open mouth, as if it were in the middle of an existential crisis, contemplating the meaning of its own existence.
Franky tilted his head slightly.
"…What exactly is that supposed to be?"
Kanjuro puffed out his chest proudly.
"An artistic net, obviously."
On the other side of the court, Emi was outraged.
"WHAT—THAT'S CHEATING!"
"Not at all," Kanjuro replied, solemnly. "I'm simply enhancing the game experience."
"THAT'S A WALL, NOT A NET!"
Zoro, arms crossed, remained indifferent.
"I have to admit… it's pretty clever."
Penguin, hands on his hips, shook his head.
"I'm all for competitive play, but this is straight-up artistic fraud."
Sachi burst out laughing.
"I think it's genius! Now we just have to aim even higher to get the ball over!"
Emi groaned, beyond frustrated.
"Franky, do something!"
The referee raised his hands to settle the dispute.
"New rule: NO Devil Fruit abilities allowed."
Kanjuro let out a dramatic sigh as his fish slowly faded into nothingness.
"Ah… Art is never truly appreciated in its time…"
Robin smiled, amused.
"A shame."
"Not a shame at all!" Emi huffed, arms crossed.
And with the new rule in place, the game resumed.
But then—having miraculously survived all previous disasters—Usopp suddenly found his confidence again.
Gripping his slingshot with a determined look, he smirked.
"This time, I'm going to prove my worth… and deliver a LEGENDARY serve!"
Everyone stopped and stared at him.
"…Why do you have your slingshot?" Hakugan asked warily.
Usopp didn't answer.
With a dramatic flourish, he placed the ball into his giant slingshot, took a deep breath, and fired.
The ball whistled through the air…
…and for some mysterious reason, it suddenly caught fire.
"WAIT, WHY DID IT CATCH FIRE?!" Emi screamed.
"I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT LOOKS COOL!" Usopp shouted back, eyes sparkling with excitement.
Everyone watched in horror as the flaming ball hurtled straight toward Penguin.
The Heart Pirate's eyes widened in panic.
"AAAAAH, IT'S COMING FOR ME!"
Emi and Ikkaku dove out of the way to avoid impact, while Robin calmly observed the impending disaster.
Suddenly, in a bold and heroic move, Kinemon… dodged at the last second.
BANG!
The ball exploded against the wall.
Silence.
Everyone turned to stare at the scorched mark left by the projectile.
Then, slowly, all eyes shifted to Usopp.
The sniper coughed awkwardly.
"…Okay, maybe I slightly overdid it."
Franky let out a deep sigh before announcing in a monotone voice:
"New rule: NO using weapons to serve."
Usopp immediately protested.
"BUT THAT'S NOT FAIR! IT'S PART OF MY SNIPING TALENT!"
"You just set the wall on fire."
"DETAILS!"
Emi dragged a hand down her face, exhausted.
"This is just going to keep getting worse, isn't it…"
The chaos had barely settled when, somehow, a new ball was found. Franky dusted it off dramatically before tossing it in the air.
"Alright, let's get back to it! No more explosions, no more fires—just a good ol' volleyball match!"
Everyone hesitated for a moment, half-expecting another disaster to unfold. But when nothing immediately caught fire or exploded, they cautiously took their positions.
Penguin spun the ball in his hands, eyeing Usopp. "Alright, let's try this again. And maybe this time, Usopp, don't try to commit arson mid-match."
"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"
"Yeah, yeah. Sure."
With that, Penguin tossed the ball into the air and served.
The match resumed.
And—shockingly—it actually started to look like a real game. No weapons. No Devil Fruits. No blatant acts of sabotage. Just pure, fast-paced volleyball.
Ikkaku set the ball perfectly to Emi, who spiked it past Sachi with a triumphant grin.
Robin countered the next serve with a graceful save, sending it flying toward Jean Bart, who launched it back with impressive force.
Zoro and Kin'emon dove at the same time for a save, nearly colliding mid-air but somehow keeping the ball in play.
Before they knew it, the score was 23-24 in favor of the red team.
One more point, and they would win.
Jean Bart launched a powerful serve. The ball blazed past the net—only for Zoro to leap and spike it back with brutal force.
Bepo dove and managed to save it with an expert paw flick.
Robin set up a perfect pass to Usopp, who closed his eyes as he hit the ball… sending it straight into the back wall.
"OUT! WE WON!" Penguin cheered, jumping up in victory.
Emi threw her arms up in triumph, while Ikkaku playfully teased the losing team.
Usopp, meanwhile, had collapsed to his knees, looking traumatized.
"I… I think my soul just left my body…"
"Good game, everyone!" Bepo said cheerfully, patting Usopp's head in an attempt to comfort him.
Zoro crossed his arms, looking satisfied.
"Haven't had this much fun in a while."
Emi chuckled at the completely devastated expression on Sachi's face.
"Don't worry, Sachi, we'll give you guys a rematch… in a few years."
"NEVER!" Sachi shouted.
Then, suddenly—
Footsteps echoed from the doorway.
A dead silence fell over the room. Law had just entered. And he looked… utterly speechless.
His eyes slowly scanned the room, analyzing the wreckage with something between disbelief and resignation.
Massive holes had been smashed into the walls and floor—thanks to Zoro's ultra-violent spikes. Burn marks and charred ceilings were visible, courtesy of Usopp's hellfire serve. Training equipment was scattered, some of it completely destroyed.
A total disaster.
Law dragged a hand down his face, as if hoping this scene of apocalyptic destruction would disappear.
"…What the hell am I looking at?" he finally asked, his voice slow and measured.
A heavy silence followed.
Then—at the exact same time—everyone pointed fingers at someone else.
"IT'S ZORO'S FAULT!" Usopp accused.
"NO WAY, USOPP SET THE BALL ON FIRE!" Sachi countered.
"AND ROBIN USED HER DEVIL FRUIT MID-MATCH!" Penguin shouted.
"KANJURO DREW A WEIRD NET!" Emi added.
Kanjuro raised his hands, offended.
"I was merely enhancing the game's artistic experience!"
Law closed his eyes briefly, inhaling deeply in an effort to remain calm.
He was about to snap at them all—
But then… he realized something. Sachi and Penguin were already cleaning up the mess. And they were doing it without him even telling them to.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Don't worry, Captain, we'll take care of the repairs," Sachi said, already picking up scorched pieces of wood.
Penguin nodded, offering a tired grin.
"Yeah, this is our precious submarine, after all."
Franky stepped forward, flexing dramatically.
"SUUUUPER! Need a hand? It's been a while since I worked on a submarine!"
Sachi and Penguin exchanged a thrilled look before throwing their arms up.
"OH HELL YEAH, THAT'S SUUUUPER!"
Law, meanwhile, pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated.
He cast one last glance at the wrecked training room, sighing—only to find himself locking eyes with Emi.
She was already looking at him.
A brief pause. A sort of… suspended moment where neither of them moved.
Then, without a word, Law gave her the faintest nod. A simple, subtle gesture—but crystal clear.
Come with me.
Emi blinked, surprised, but—before she could even think about it—her legs were already moving.
Without looking back at the chaos they were leaving behind, she followed him out of the training room.
And then… she felt heat creep up her cheeks. Why was she blushing?! This was just Law. Just a silent request. Just… nothing.
Get it together, Emi. She inhaled deeply, trying to steady her racing heart.
Law, walking ahead, hands casually tucked into his pockets, looked completely unbothered—like nothing had happened.
But Emi wasn't fooled.
He had that barely-there smirk at the corner of his lips.
~~~~o~~~O~~~o~~~~
Thank you for reading this chapter! I had so much fun writing the volleyball match, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! See you next time!