"Shall we wait until we go back?"
Tears...
Tears flowed like a breached dam, unceasingly from Brook's dark eye sockets and nostrils. He wept, he laughed, and as he laughed, he shouted.
"Health, health is good, health is good."
"I've never been this happy before."
"It's good that I'm alive!"
Seeing Brook sobbing uncontrollably, everyone showed genuine smiles.
Happy for Brook, happy for Laboon, happy for this friendship that had waited for nearly 50 years.
Although the waiting period might have been a bit long, it was truly a friendship etched in their hearts!
Hoo~
Kōta walked to the ship's edge. A dilapidated piano flew out of the cabin and landed before him. Looking at the piano, a hint of memory flashed in his eyes, and then he lowered his head and blew.
The breath, from large to small, finally became a whirlwind, blowing away all the dust on the piano's surface, then sweeping it into the sky and into the sea.
Everyone looked at Kōta, their faces filled with confusion.
"Piano."
"A piano."
"Can Kōta still play the piano?"
Everyone looked at Guina. Guina shook her head, gazing at Kōta, a flicker of confusion in her eyes, but more so, concern.
At this moment, she felt on Kōta something akin to the homesickness she had felt when she first met him as a child.
Creak!
He opened the piano lid, and steel bars popped out automatically to support it.
He reached out and slowly stroked the black and white keys. The memories in his eyes grew even more intense.
He had no money as a child, and being in an orphanage, he couldn't possibly enroll in any interest classes. However, in the orphanage, the old matron's room had a very old piano.
He still remembered the marks of time on that piano, and he remembered the tunes the old matron played for them whenever they returned from school. He also remembered the old matron teaching him, hand by hand, the notes of the black and white keys.
So, he couldn't say he loved music dearly, but for the piano, his only toy in childhood, he had never let go.
Later, when he went to college, he even joined the university's piano club specifically for the piano.
Ding~
He sat down, stepped on the pedals, and tested the different keys.
"Hmm! Not bad."
Kōta nodded, a satisfied smile on his face.
This thing had been at sea for nearly 50 years, and it was still quite accurate. Brook must have maintained it frequently!
Just like his violin.
After all, these instruments were left behind by his companions; they were his only connection to those decades.
"Brook."
"Hm? What is it?"
Turning around, Kōta looked at Brook, who was gradually stopping his tears, and shouted, "Let's play a song! To celebrate finding you, and to celebrate you getting news of Laboon."
Brook wiped the tears from his face, looked deeply at Kōta, then opened his mouth and laughed heartily, "Okay!"
"Yohohoho~hoho~"
With that, he walked into the cabin and soon took out a black case.
Thump—!
It was placed on the round table where the coffee cups had been.
He first tightened the scarf around his neck, adjusted the hat on his head, put down his cane, slowly opened the case, and took out a violin. He then held the violin with his left hand, resting it on his shoulder, and turned to look at Kōta.
"Mr. Kōta, what shall we play?"
Everyone's eyes darted between Kōta and Brook, who, with his violin in hand, looked like a true gentleman and musician, were it not for his skeletal form.
Seeing that they were serious, everyone walked to the center of the deck, regardless of the dirt on the ground, and sat down, looking at the two of them with anticipation.
Seeing that the audience was ready, Kōta smiled slightly at Brook, "Play this piece freely! I'll be playing for Laboon."
As he spoke, he pressed the keys.
The first few seconds were a bit clumsy, but he gradually found his rhythm and became proficient.
Brook looked at Kōta, listening to the music. His vision seemed to return to decades ago, to the West Blue, to the entrance of the Grand Line, to Twin Cape.
He knew what he was going to sing.
Kōta's opening melody felt as if it were composed specifically for him and Laboon, giving him an incredibly familiar feeling.
It was as if it were already imprinted in his mind.
Strange.
How could it not be familiar?
This was one of Kōta's favorite songs from One Piece, besides the exclusive music for the Merry, "Dear Friends," and "Binks' Sake."
A very niche song that many people hadn't heard.
Titled "Yakusoku no Oka" (The Cape of Promises).
During college, he often went to the piano room alone to play it.
Brook looked up at the sky. Even though the sky was dim, it couldn't block his sight.
He placed the bow on the strings and, following Kōta's piano rhythm, drew the first note. Then, he opened his mouth and murmured softly, "Can your eyes also see the beautiful fireworks that shine in the night sky of Shinshu?"
"Laboon..."
Since it was music for Laboon, the lyrics should also be for Laboon. So, Brook, just as Kōta had imagined, began to sing his incredibly familiar song.
It was strange whether it was in his mind or if he had thought of it spontaneously after meeting Kōta.
"I have a dream that I cannot forget."
"That moment flashed before my eyes."
"There was a song I wanted to convey."
"Just reminiscing about past faces."
"Facing the hardships of the Grand Line, though we tried our best to overcome them, only the value of one life was left. Swearing to that starry sky, a promise made by a man must be kept!!!"
"I want to see your joyous face."
As he sang to this point, everyone could feel Brook's longing for Laboon, and their moods followed his song.
And Kōta, along with Brook, sang the laughter of this climax.
"Yohohoho, la la la la, la la la, la la la la Laboon."
"Even in death, there are people I want to meet."
Meeting Brook's gaze, they both smiled, seeing in each other's eyes the longing for their loved ones.
Brook missed Laboon and his deceased companions, while Kōta missed Fatty and the old matron.
The illusion on Lamp Island by Cartage had indeed affected Kōta. His occasional pensive expressions lately were proof of that.
Originally, this feeling of longing had faded over the years, with the company of his master Kōshirō, Guina, and the many friends at the dojo.
Especially as he grew older, it was difficult to long for everything on Earth if he didn't deliberately think about it.
However, Cartage's illusion had transported his spirit back to Earth, and it had also brought back his longing for Fatty and the old matron.
This was why he thought of so much after seeing Brook, thought of this song, and wanted to perform this song with Brook.
The singing continued.
As they listened, everyone joined in. In fact, everyone knew how to sing the climax of this song.
"Yohohoho, la la la la, la la la, la la la la Laboon."
"One day we will reunite at the promised strait."
...