Coby, a young Marine recruit, carries a secret he can't tell anyone: he's been in love with Luffy ever since the day Luffy saved him on Buggy's ship. Every day at the Marine base, Coby trains hard and tries not to think about it — but the feeling won't go away.
Things get complicated when a cool, popular senior officer named Arashi transfers to his base. Arashi sees right through Coby and says, 'You're in love with that pirate, aren't you?' Then he adds, 'I'm interested in you.' Suddenly Coby h
Ripples in the Wake — Coby's Secret - An Intruder, Two People Too Close, and a Terrifying Report
Gazing at the stars from the observation deck, Koby carried the weight of a sleepless night into Monday morning.
The words Arashi had spoken that night — *I want to see you get stronger* — lingered in his head even under the covers. He'd been happy. But it wasn't just happiness. Unable to sort through what he was actually feeling, the Monday morning bugle call had sounded.
Koby adjusted his glasses and rushed out of the Treno dormitory.
Ground Zero was alive with energy from the start of the day. The wind from the eastern sea blew strong, kicking up dust across the training grounds. As the apprentices began their warm-up exercises, the supervising petty officer clapped his hands.
"Starting this week, we begin preparation training for the joint exercises. We're raising the intensity,"
Everyone answered, "Yes, sir!" Koby's voice joined theirs. His spirit was high. The feel of his victory in the mock battle still lingered in his hands.
Then.
"Whoa! So this is the new base! It's huge!"
An oddly energetic voice burst into Ground Zero.
Everyone turned around.
Running through the main gate was a short-haired girl. Chestnut-colored hair swayed smoothly. Sharp green eyes swept across the grounds, and the corner of her mouth lifted in a grin. She was on the shorter side — maybe 158 centimeters. But the spring in her body, the sharpness of her movements — just standing there, you could tell: *this one's fast*.
"I'm Nicole, an apprentice transferred from the southern seas! Nice to meet you! Oh, and I want to pair up with someone strong. I really like strong people!"
All the apprentices stirred.
Introducing herself with "I like strong people." And "anyone here?" — what was that supposed to mean?
The petty officer gave a wry smile and started to say, "Then, to confirm Nicole's abilities since she's just transferred, let's have a mock battle—" when Nicole's eyes stopped on Koby.
"You! I heard you won in the last mock battle. Let's do it!"
Koby instinctively stepped back.
"Huh? Me? Um—"
"Begin."
It started without discussion.
Koby took his stance. He looked at his opponent's eyes. Nicole smiled. With that smile still on her face — she moved.
Fast.
His reaction couldn't keep up. His arm was grabbed. A leg sweep. His body floated through the air — and *thud*, he crashed onto his back in a cloud of dust.
Less than five seconds.
"Ahahaha, you had a proper stance! But your footwork was weak. You okay?"
A hand was offered. Nicole's hand. Koby's eyes went wide as he grabbed it. He was pulled to his feet.
"Th-thanks... you're really... strong..."
"But hey, you took a proper fall even while being thrown. That's guts. I like that kind of thing."
There wasn't a shred of hesitation in her. Koby didn't know what to say.
Arashi, standing with his arms crossed at the edge of the grounds, had watched the entire exchange. His narrow eyes grew even narrower.
---
That day at noon. The cafeteria "Camaleria."
Today's set meal was a fish stew caught from the harbor — Chef Motta's specialty. Koby carried his tray, looking for a seat.
"Koby, can I sit next to you?"
He didn't even need to turn around. Nicole had already placed her tray on his right and sat down. It was a done deal.
The moment Koby sat, a tray was quietly placed on his left.
It was Arashi.
Without a word, he pulled out his chair and sat down naturally, as if to say *this seat is mine*. Koby froze, chopsticks in hand.
"Um, does this stew have a lot of bones? In the southern seas, they usually remove them beforehand—"
"Oh, um, here it has... a... a bit more—"
"Yesterday's lecture notes are missing a page."
Arashi smoothly pulled Koby's lecture notebook toward himself. He flipped through the pages and began writing something in red pen.
"Oh, ah, I'm sorry—"
"Really? I'm bad at lectures too, but could you teach me?"
"Ask Koby."
"I'm not asking Koby, I'm asking you."
"Let's skip the pointless talk."
Nicole pouted. Koby, spoken to from both directions, never managed to touch his fish stew once.
By the time lunch ended and he stood to leave, his tray sat untouched, the stew completely cold.
From a distance, he could hear his fellow apprentices whispering.
"Koby's popular, huh?"
"They're both seriously fighting over him."
Koby pretended not to hear.
---
Tuesday afternoon. In the outdoor space beside the indoor training hall "Forte Building," Arashi was instructing Koby on his footwork.
"Your weight distribution is more stable than yesterday. Keep repeating like this."
"Yes—"
"Wait a second!"
With her voice, Nicole came running. Her chestnut hair swayed. She was breathing a little hard.
"I want to pair up with Koby too! If it's hand-to-hand combat, I can definitely teach better!"
"We made a promise."
Arashi pulled Koby's right arm.
"A promise between who and who? Koby gets to choose, so just ask him!"
Nicole pulled his left arm.
Koby, being pulled from both sides, started to say, "Um, my opinion too—" but was completely ignored. The other apprentices watched from a distance, whispering, "This is bad, they're totally fighting over him," "Poor Koby."
"What if... both of you... together...?"
Arashi and Nicole answered at the same time.
"That's not happening."
They'd answered in perfect unison. The two glanced at each other, then looked away.
Koby felt his strength drain away. He nearly collapsed right there.
*(Why do I have to choose...)*
Unable to find an answer, the self-training time ended. Arashi's cool face showed clear irritation — visible in a way it normally never was. Koby found himself unable to meet his eyes properly because of it.
As they walked back, Nicole whispered something to Koby.
"Hey, isn't that senpai scary?"
"Huh? I don't think so..."
"How not? He's glaring like that."
Koby had nothing to say.
Whether Arashi was "scary" or not — Koby didn't know. But he couldn't take his eyes off him. Whether that was from fear or something else entirely, Koby couldn't tell right now.
Feeling Nicole's warmth, Koby didn't answer. Couldn't answer.
---
Wednesday and Thursday, the same thing repeated.
In the cafeteria every time: Nicole on the right, Arashi on the left. Koby alone never managed a single bite of stew before lunch ended. Among the apprentices, a strange rumor began spreading — "The Battle for Koby's Sides." And of course, Koby was the last to hear about it.
"Huh? Me? What... battle...?"
The fellow apprentice who'd told him grinned and said, "That's why I said you're popular," then left. Koby stood alone in the hallway.
---
Thursday night. A full assembly was called.
The apprentices lined up in the plaza of the main building "Galda Hall." Evening assemblies after dinner were rare, so everyone was restless.
Colonel Seirain took the stage.
Koby saw her for the first time. A woman in her fifties with short, graying hair tied back. Her expression was stone-hard. He'd heard she cared for her subordinates, but her face now didn't carry that impression.
"We've received reports of the Straw Hat Pirates in the sea zone scheduled for joint exercises this Saturday. The Navy is entering alert status."
The plaza stirred.
The Straw Hat Pirates. Pirates. The kind with bounties even in the eastern seas. The apprentices exchanged glances.
Koby couldn't say anything.
His mind went completely white.
The Straw Hat Pirates. The name of their captain thundered in his chest. Luffy. He was near here. In the exercise zone.
He might see him.
The moment that thought surfaced, something cold crawled up from his feet. Not happiness. A longing so terrifying it was almost unbearable — and at the same time, Navy Regulation Article 17, the Pirate Suppression Law, demotion, discharge — those words struck his head simultaneously.
Koby was a Navy apprentice. Private contact with pirates was forbidden. If it was discovered, his dream would end. His dream of becoming an officer. Everything he'd done here for two years.
He understood it with his head. And yet — why did his chest ache like this?
Luffy's face floated up. That laugh. That innocent voice. Those eyes when he'd declared, "I'm going to be King of the Pirates."
Even after the briefing ended, Koby couldn't move.
As the apprentices dispersed, Koby stood at the edge of the plaza.
"Your face looks wrong."
He turned. Arashi was there. When he'd approached, Koby didn't know. Silver eyes looked straight at him.
Koby couldn't say anything. He had no idea what expression he was wearing. But Arashi read it all in a second.
"Don't think unnecessary things. You're Navy."
His voice was low. Cold. The tone of absolute statement pierced Koby's chest like a needle.
Arashi said only that and walked down the corridor.
Koby watched his back. He understood what those words meant. They were right. But he couldn't say *I understand* — because there was a part of him that didn't.
"Koby."
Nicole appeared from around the corner. She'd come back after hearing the briefing, and worry showed faintly on her face.
"Did something scary happen?"
"Huh? No, um—"
"You're shaking. Your hands."
Koby looked at his own hands. Sure enough, his fingertips trembled slightly.
Nicole wrapped both her hands around his. They were warm.
"I don't know the reason. But I'm here with you, so it's okay."
The warmth seeped through. He felt grateful. Truly grateful.
But the loudest voice inside Koby right now was — the longing for Luffy, and the wall crushing it down, and himself, unable to be honest with either.
Feeling Nicole's warmth, Koby gave no answer. Could give no answer.
The night sea wind swept across the plaza.
Two days until Saturday's exercises.
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