Kiernan stumbled down the ship's narrow hallway, but he eventually found his cabin and entered.
It was a very small cabin with a bunk bed and a tiny porthole window.
Because of the amount of passengers, there weren't enough cabins for everyone, so those who were traveling alone would have to share a cabin with a stranger.
'I guess my roommate hasn't arrived yet,' he thought as he settled in.
He didn't bother emptying his backpack and instead just made himself comfortable in his bunk.
Since his roommate wasn't here yet, he took the top bunk for himself and lay down to rest.
However, he wasn't that sleepy, so he just stared out of the small porthole window at the vast expanse of ocean.
'Now that I think about it, I didn't travel by sea much back on Earth. I only used a plane to travel between countries.'
There were some thumping and thudding from the cabin next door, and then a loud crash, followed by someone cursing.
'Can't they get settled in quietly?' Kiernan groaned and rolled his eyes.
At that moment, he heard a key twist in the lock, and the door creaked open.
"Stop making such loud noise!" The person shouted to the loud couple in the next-door cabin. "Can't you see you're disturbing everyone on the ship?!"
After hearing the angry voice, the cabin next door turned eerily quiet, and the couple there didn't dare to make another noise.
Kiernan peeked down from his lofted bunk bed and saw his roommate enter the cabin.
To his surprise, it was the foreigner with the crazy spiky hair.
"Oh?" The person saw him and said. "You must be my roommate. Nice to meet'cha."
"Hey." Kiernan lay back down and said, "I took the top bunk; I hope you don't mind."
"I do mind. Let's throw a coin for it instead." The person said as he put his luggage down on the chair.
"Nah, I was here first, so it's mine." Kiernan said and put his arm under his head.
"Well, damn." The person scratched the back of his head. "My name's Julian; who are you?"
"Where are you from?" Julian asked as he got himself settled at the bottom bunk.
"No shit." Julian scoffed. "What city?"
"I'm not telling." Kiernan said with a yawn. "I don't trust you enough yet."
"What could I possibly do with that information?" Julian sat down on his bunk bed. "You're a careful fellow, aren't you?"
"It doesn't hurt to be one." Kiernan said. "Where are you from? I can tell that you're not from New Rakuya."
"Yeah, I originate from World Seas." Julian said. "I've been living in the sea for most of my life."
He then stood up and stretched his arms out, revealing a network of intricate tattoos covering his skin. It had fish scales and coral patterns intertwined with colorful sea creatures.
Once he stood up, a small wave crashed against the hull of the ship, but it made the ship wobble slightly, but Julian walked forward without losing his balance, picked up his luggage, and started unpacking without any worry at all.
"Nice balance." Kiernan said with a frown.
"Huh?" Julian raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "Sea Steps, heard of it?"
"Yeah, I have." Kiernan said. "So that's what you used."
"Everyone who has been living in the sea knows Sea Steps; it makes things so much easier."
"I see…" Kiernan said out loud, and then thought. 'Maybe I should learn it too.'
Julian took a pair of earbuds from his luggage, put them inside his ears, and then laid down on his bunk before blasting his ears with music.
Kiernan pulled out his phone and checked the ship's schedule—they were supposed to go through two islands before Nightingale.
'Tomorrow morning we should reach the first island—it's called Lighthouse Island, and then three days after that, we should reach Kiwi Island, and three days after that, Nightingale.
'So, it should take about a week to reach Nightingale.'
"Hey, where are you headed?" Kiernan asked.
He didn't receive an answer.
Kiernan peeked over the edge of the bed and looked down to the bottom bunk bed. He was Julian, scrolling his phone while blasting his ears with music.
He kept bobbing his head up and down alongside the music.
"Hey!" Kiernan shouted and waved his hand.
Julian removed his right earbud and asked. "What is it?"
"Where are you headed?" He asked.
"Wherever this ship takes me." Julian said with a carefree look.
"This ship's end destination is Nightingale." Kiernan said. "What will you do there?"
"Take another ship there, and head deeper into the World Seas."
"What is your ultimate destination then?"
"You ask lots of questions for someone who doesn't like to give answers himself." Julian looked at him with a frown.
"Hmm…" Kiernan lay back on the bunk bed. "Just curious, that's all."
"Ever heard of the Pirate Kingdom?" Julian asked as he propped himself up on his elbow.
"Not that I know of." Kiernan said. "Is that the real island name or…?"
"Who knows what its real island name is, but everyone knows it as Pirate Kingdom." Julian said.
"It's an island where the pirates are the ultimate leaders. It's where all pirates go to sell their slaves, drugs, weapons, and treasures they've found.
"It's a depraved place. From morning to night, the streets are filled with debauchery and chaos. To some, that place is paradise; to ordinary citizens, it's a place from nightmares."
"…" Kiernan stayed quiet.
"The Navy doesn't go anywhere near that place, so if you're kidnapped and sent there, you'll never leave." Julian said with a cold smile. "And that's exactly where I am going."
"You're a pirate?" Kiernan asked.
"Fuck no." Julian laughed. "Are you satisfied with my answers?"
"Well, take care then." Kiernan yawned and closed his eyes. "I am going to rest for a moment."
Julian raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You're taking what I said pretty well. You're not a very normal person, are you?"
"Depends what is normal." Kiernan said with eyes closed.
"That's right…" Julian said, nodding in agreement.