Early the next morning, before dawn had fully broken, the town was already bustling. Batches of Navy soldiers marched in neat, winding columns toward the harbor.
Several warships were docked at the harbor. Since Loxi was responsible for preparing breakfast for the soldiers aboard his ship, he brought Bai Ina aboard early, before the Navy soldiers arrived.
"Ina, stay here for a while. Once I'm done, I'll take you to the cabin assigned to us!" Dressed as a chef, Loxi led Bai Ina to a corner of the kitchen and pointed to a chair belonging to him, the deputy head chef, indicating that he should wait there.
At that, a trace of warmth crossed Bai Ina's face. He pursed his lips and asked, "Is there... anything I can help with?"
"Ah?"
Loxi, who had been about to leave, froze for a moment. Then a delighted smile appeared on his face. Seeing Bai Ina like this, he knew that while what he had said yesterday had not pulled Bai Ina out of his slump, it had still affected him somewhat.
Because Bai Ina's tone at that moment was so much like when they had first met six years ago.
Just like that first sentence he had spoken when they met: "Can you bandage wounds?"
The Bai Ina who had first opened his heart to someone and tentatively tried to communicate with Loxi back then was so much like the Bai Ina of today... Even the tone and meaning of his words were so similar!
For Bai Ina, who had been silent for two years, this was already tremendous progress. So long as one took the first step, it meant change had begun, just like... six years ago.
Six years ago, he had gained Bai Ina's trust and pried open that door