Ch. 7: A Trembling Hand (MOON)
Both Rosso and I had gone completely pale at the onset of the violent rain.
Rosso: "…but if I don’t protect everyone…who will…?"
Rosso’s voice trembled as he spoke, as if reprimanding himself.
OO: "Don’t push yourself Rosso."
Unable to stand it, I moved closer to his side.
Rosso: "It’s not a matter of pushing myself. I have to protect everyone…there’s no one else."
He spoke in frustration as his trembling hand still tightly grasped the pole.
Rosso…are you afraid of the lightning? Or is it…you’re afraid of losing someone again?
OO: "Rosso, the ship is still holding together. And I’m here…it’ll be alright."
Rosso: "…"
I gently placed my hand on his trembling one.
OO: "Please, let me do this…just a little while longer…until you’ve calmed down."
Gently, I held his hand in both of mine.
Rosso: "OO…"
His eyes looked at me weakly.
My chest tightened as I took in his frightened eyes and his lips parted in fear.
Rosso: "OO…"
He called out my name as if searching for me, and I smiled.
OO: "Yes, I’m right here."
Rosso: "Yeah…"
He turned his shallow eyes downward.
His face, always so strong and cheerful, seemed to be full of nothing but helplessness.
Please, let this storm pass…
I could do nothing more than continue to make that wish…
…
……
After a while…
Maybe my prayers were answered, but the storm passed and the sea gradually calmed.
Thank goodness…
While breathing a sigh of relief, I slowly loosened my grip on Rosso’s hand.
Rosso’s wouldn’t look me in the eyes.
Rosso: "Sorry…"
He said quietly.
OO: "Oh no…please don’t apologize."
Rosso: "No… No matter what I do, the memories of that day won’t fade…and even now I’m afraid of lightning. I’m so pathetic…"
OO: "You’re not pathetic…"
As I searched for the right words to say, Rosso limply shook his head.
Rosso: "There was violent lightning, just like the storm just now, on the day I lost my comrades… In that dark and stormy weather I was so worked up… I killed them."
OO: "Please…don’t say that."
Without thinking, I firmly grasped his hand a second time.
OO: "…!"
As if in desperation, Rosso pulled me in tight.
As he held me like that, I heard him whispering words as if trying to cast a magic spell.
Rosso: "Forgive me…somehow, please forgive me…"
My chest felt like it was being crushed by him and the pain from my own heart.
Unable to endure it any longer, I tightly returned his embrace, as if in doing so I could protect him.
Even though I hadn’t realized it was a curse he had placed on himself.