Kuuga received an invitation from Sonoko Suzuki to join the Aphrodite cruise ship for a vacation with his friends. However, the ship's name, Aphrodite, carried an unsettling connection to a tragedy that occurred 15 years ago with a passenger ship na...
In the darkest of places, trapped inside what seemed like a container, lay a young man. It was Kuuga. He woke up, disoriented, and looked around, finding the surroundings pitch black. He stood up, confused.
Kuuga: Where am I?
He started walking, searching for something, and eventually found a screen, but it was too low for him to see clearly. Kuuga climbed up to get a better view, and then he noticed something. There was someone inside, lying on the ground. The person had golden eyes. Kuuga froze, realizing the person wore a straightjacket, and the sight startled him. He jumped back, gasping, and suddenly, he woke up with a start. Sweat covered his face as he panted heavily.
Kuuga: Hah... hah... hah...
Haibara: Kuuga...
Kuuga jolted in surprise, realizing he was sitting on a folding chair. Haibara sat beside him, looking concerned.
Kuuga: Argh!
Haibara: Are you having a nightmare?
Kuuga: Hah... hah... yeah... the worst one... Not even the worst.
Haibara: I see... Anywhere...
Suddenly, Haibara smacked Kuuga's arm lightly, making him wince.
Kuuga: Ouch! What?
Haibara: Just worried. Why can't you even relax?
Kuuga: You never know what's coming.
Haibara: Hmph.
Kuuga, now wearing his scarf and carrying his wooden cane, leaned back to relax. Haibara showed her annoyance, but it was clear she cared. At that moment, they both heard the sound of a ship's horn. The passenger ship, named Aphrodite, glided gracefully across the water as the warm glow of dusk bathed its polished surface in golden light.
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Here, the two sat together on folding chairs, quietly gazing at the setting sun as its warm hues painted the sky, marking the serene arrival of dusk. Kuuga and Haibara were observed the sunset in peaceful silence.
Kuuga: Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and beauty. They probably named the ship for its elegance. Sitting here, it feels like it fits—calm, graceful, like the goddess herself.
Kuuga smiled faintly, the sunset reflecting in his sunglasses, as Haibara glanced at him.
Haibara: Hmph... Romanticizing a ship? Still, it does have its charm.
Kuuga: Hmph, we've most likely been stared at by the ship named Aphrodite, the most beautiful in the world.
Suddenly, Haibara pinched Kuuga's cheek in annoyance.
Kuuga: Ouch! What!?
Haibara: That's unforgivable for bringing that up.
Kuuga rubbed his cheek where Haibara had pinched him, his eyes scanning the cruise ship around them.
Kuuga: It's surprising that Miss Suzuki Sonoko would bring us such a generous reward. But honestly, I'm not entirely comfortable with it.
Haibara shot him an annoyed look, tired of Kuuga's cryptic remarks.
Kuuga: However, there's just something about this ship. I can't shake the feeling that being aboard the Aphrodite comes with greater risks.
Haibara: Why is that?
Kuuga: The owner mentioned something about a ship from fifteen years ago, the St. Yashiro. It sank after a bomb exploded on deck while trying to avoid an iceberg. The captain went down with the ship, and no one survived.
Haibara: Sounds like an eerie coincidence... or a bad omen.
Kuuga: A bad omen, especially since we're riding on a ship owned by the Yashiro company.
Haibara: Hm... true. However—
Suddenly, Haibara pinched Kuuga's cheek in annoyance once again.
Haibara: Unless you came here just for bad omens.
Kuuga: Ouch, ouch, ouch!
Haibara let go and began walking away.
Haibara: Today's a good day for a vacation. You need to take a long break and let go of that sense of danger. Come on, it's almost dinner time. We need to get ready before everyone starts wondering where we are.
Kuuga: Hold on, wait for me! Why do you keep pinching me all the time? Ah, never mind.
Kuuga and Haibara stood up and returned to their room, preparing to dress for dinner. But Kuuga's mention of the past ship incident lingered, casting a sense of foreboding over them, as though misfortune awaited.
