[Host...Don't you feel sorry for Ann?]

 

'Hmmm?'

 

[She carried the twin in her belly for nine months straight, and you told her to abandon them? What kind of father are you!? What kind of partner are you!?]

 

'Why are you mad at me!? I am also sad that I can't spend time with them, but this is for the best!'

 

[Bullshit....You don't want to bring them because you are insecure about your strength to protect them!]

 

'If you understand then-'

 

[Then get stronger, you idiot!]

 

'....'

 

This is the first time he sees the [System] being so angry at him. It usually just goes along with his idea or pokes fun at it. Maybe it was because the [System] had grown attached to him to the point where it knew how stupid his action was.

 

'I don't know...'

 

[You don't know what?]

 

'I don't know if I can be strong enough to protect them! I don't even know if I can be fast enough to reach them when they are in danger!'

 

It is frustrating. When Luke told Ann about his decision, he made her cry. He saw her cry like that for the first time since he first met her. He tried his best to convince himself that it was the right choice, but he was just running away from a father's responsibility.

 

[Host, reaping away the children from their mother should be considered a taboo. You know that, right?]

 

'I know....But am I strong enough [System]? Am I even strong enough to protect them?'

 

[No, but you need to remember it is not a father's job to protect his offspring, but the parent's job, which means it is your and Ann's responsibility to keep them safe.]

 

'Our responsibility? Heh, maybe I'm being such an idiot.'

 

[Of course, you are. If you aren't an idiot, you won't bring this kind of topic into your and Ann's conversation.]

 

(Outside the Bedroom - Makino's house)

 

After taking a bath, Luke becomes a bit nervous when he wants to knock on the wooden door in front of him. Ann had told him to leave the room after he told her about handing over his children in Dadan's care instead of bringing them to the sea.

 

[Just apologize to her.]

 

'It's not that easy when I think again bout it. I can't help but find myself to be a fucking piece of shit.'

 

[Well, you are a piece of shit.]

 

'Jeez, thanks...'  Luke can't help but cringe when he remembers what happened between him and Ann after he told her about that idea.

 

(Flashback - Makino's Bedroom)

 

"I don't want to bring them with us." Ann widened her eyes after hearing what Luke had just said.

 

"What did you just say? Stop kidding around, Luke. They need us."

 

"Calm down, Ann, and please listen to me."

 

"Listen to what!?" Ann was clearly pissed at his idea as she went from being lovey-dovey with Luke, not just a few seconds ago, to glaring at him with disgust.

 

"Leaving Rouge and Rachel to Dadan is better than bringing them with us. It will endanger their life." Luke is trying to reason with Ann, but she isn't buying this kind of thing.

 

"So after planting your seed in me and creating them. You just decided to throw our children away from your life!?" the babies besides her began to cry after they heard the loud voice coming from their mother.

 

"I didn't mean it like that! We can visit them at least three times a year!"

 

"Reaping the childhood away from them!? I misjudged you, Luke! I thought you were a decent man, but you are just a selfish man who only cares about himself and doesn't know how to treat his partner!"

 

"Like it or not, my decision is final." Luke goes out of the room, and before closing the door, he sees Ann weeping in her eyes and hears her weak voice calling for his name.

 

(End of Flashback)

 

What kind of man is he to make a woman who just gave birth to his children cry like that? Luke bit his lips angrily at his stupidity to the point where it started to bleed. Summoning all of his courage, he knocks on the wooden door.

 

*Knock*

 

*Knock*

 

*Knock*

 

[Remember, Host, don't do anything stupid.]

 

"Who's there?" He heard Ann's voice from the other side. It sounded a bit weaker than before. Seems like the babies have already stopped crying; the only reason why no one knows about their fight is that it happened when everyone was out.

 

"It's me..."

 

"........Go away. I don't want to see your face.." Ann weakly told him to scram. She still loves him more than anything else, but she also hates him for bringing up a stupid decision during their reunion.

 

"I'm sorry." He didn't dare enough to open the door. Instead, he sat down and leaned his back at the door.

 

"For what?"

 

"For trying to separate Rachel and Rouge from you... I didn't even think of your feeling when I made that decision." Luke looks up at the wooden ceilings of Makino's house. "You carry them for months with great care, and after months of me leaving you, I decided to come back and told you that abandoning them is better than bringing them with us. I'm sorry that I hurt you..."

 

"........" She didn't reply to what Luke was saying, but she paid attention by listening to him.

 

"You waited for me...For months and still loyal to me, and this is how I repaid your loyalty with. I'm such an idiot, aren't I?"

 

"......."

 

"I want them to stay here because I think I'm not strong enough to protect them from danger. I think it was a father's responsibility to protect his offspring, but I forgot that it was the parent's responsibility and not mine alone...You don't need to respond to me, but I just want to say that I'm okay with bringing them aboard with us." Luke stands up, dusting his pants before he can walk away.

 

"Come in...." Ann called upon him.

 

With a deep breath, Luke opened the door and walked inside. Ann is still on the bed resting, but his eyes are red due to the tears created by Luke's previous actions. She gives him a weak smile.

 

"You know Luke...I don't want to leave them on this island, not because I don't trust Dadan, but because I want to give them as much love as possible because I never ever got the love of my real parents."

 

These words make him remember that despite her being a relatively happy person, Ann is still an orphan who doesn't get her parents' love due to them being dead. One was executed by the Marines, while the other passed away after giving birth to her.

 

"It's pretty selfish that I want to chase my dream and keep my children safe simultaneously. But it is what I wanted to do. I want to spend time with them...with you."

 

"Ann...."

 

"You broke my heart Luke, but my feeling for you is too strong. I just want us four to travel together. Is it a wrong thing to ask for?"

 

"No, it isn't"

 

"Then let's travel together... I need you as much as our children need you."

 

"You forgive me?"

 

"Of course I do. After all, you are the only man I need in my life and the only man perfect to be my children's father." Luke can't help himself before rushing to her side and giving her a hug. He can't believe someone like her is in love with him. It feels like he was in a fictional love story...

 

"I love you, Ann..."

 

"I love you, too...."

 

[Ahhhhh, happy ending, better than before.]

 

(Foosha Village's Shore - Dawn Island)

 

A big Marine ship with the figurehead as a dog head. This ship parked exactly next to Luke's [Black Order], but it doesn't have a Pirate Flag, at least not yet. So the Marine assumed it was a mercenary ship instead of a pirate ship.

 

"Foosha Village...Ahhh, it's been years since I last been in this village. LUCY! ANN! YOUR GRANDPA IS BACK!"

 

Let's go another fucking cliffhanger...