Marineford's leisure district was unusually quiet, warmed by the late afternoon sun as two future Admirals wandered down the street.
Kizaru and Akainu, dressed in casual civilian clothes, walked side by side without any real destination.
Kizaru wore a loose yellow shirt beneath a white hooded cap, brown tinted sunglasses resting lazily on his nose.
Akainu, in contrast, wore a red shirt stretched over a broad, muscular chest. The tattoo of rose petals on his left pectoral was partly visible beneath the fabric. His white Marine-issue cap was pulled low, adding to his intimidating aura. Compared to Akainu's stern, disciplined presence, Kizaru looked more like a drifting wanderer.
Peeling a banana with languid motions, Kizaru glanced at the stiff Sakazuki beside him and said,
"Sakazuki, we actually have a day off today. Can't you relax a little?"
Sakazuki adjusted the brim of his cap, voice low and firm.
"I still have several training sets left for today. I'll eat quickly, then return to training."
Kizaru shrugged, finished the banana in a few bites, and casually tossed the peel onto the ground.
Sakazuki frowned.
He bent down, picked up the peel, and held it in his palm. His hand turned crimson, thick smoke rising as heat radiated from his body. The peel crumbled into ash that drifted away on the wind.
"Borsalino, pay attention to your image. Some people already call you Yellow Monkey behind your back."
Kizaru chuckled lightly, pretending not to care, though a flash of golden light glinted across his lenses.
"That's rude, but expected. People always call us monsters anyway."
Placing his hands behind his head, he casually walked ahead.
A moment later, Sakazuki muttered,
"I already taught them a lesson."
Kizaru paused for a second, the corner of his mouth lifting.
"Oh? Sakazuki, you're too hot tempered. Did you use your ability?"
"No. They weren't worth it."
"True. If I don't use my Devil Fruit, I can't beat you."
"You still can't beat me even if you do."
Kizaru stopped talking, momentarily speechless. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and started whistling as the two continued walking until they stopped before a bustling barbecue restaurant.
A loud grumble echoed.
Kizaru slowly turned to Sakazuki.
"Sakazuki, did you hear something strange?"
Sakazuki's stern expression tightened.
The sound had clearly come from him.
Kizaru was teasing him. Again.
The food at the Marine Academy was decent, but he couldn't endure the same meals every day. He glanced at the advertisement showing juicy grilled meat and unconsciously clenched his teeth before turning away.
"Hey, hey, don't go. I really want barbecue today. Come on, Sakazuki. I'll treat."
Sakazuki stopped walking and glared at him. Just then, the rich smell of roasted meat drifted from inside the restaurant. His nose twitched.
"Alright. But don't eat too much. Zephyr Sensei said greasy food affects training."
Kizaru sighed and waved dismissively.
"Yes, yes. Come on then."
Inside the restaurant, tucked away in a corner booth, Lloyd sat with Ginny and Kuma around a small grill.
Ginny rested her chin on her hands, staring eagerly at the sizzling pork belly on the grill.
"Lloyd, how long until it's cooked? I'm starving."
Lloyd flicked her forehead lightly, his expression unreadable.
"You're not starving, you're impatient. Wait a little longer. Learn from Kuma and be patient."
Kuma scratched his head shyly.
"Lloyd, I'm actually a little hungry too."
Lloyd added more charcoal, his voice calm.
"Then I'll raise the heat. But don't blame me if it burns."
Ginny leaned against his arm, pouting dramatically.
"I'll never blame you, Lloyd. Even if it burns, I'll eat it all."
Lloyd gave a faint, almost invisible smile.
Just as he opened his mouth to speak, a lively voice echoed from the entrance.
"Cook, do you have seats? We'll take a large portion of beef, make sure it's both fatty and lean."
A deeper voice followed,
"And two bowls of plain rice."
"Sakazuki, you really love rice," Kizaru commented.
Hearing the name, Lloyd paused mid motion. He looked toward the entrance where a cheerful waiter hurried to greet the newcomers.
Led by the waiter, Kizaru and Sakazuki sat at the table directly beside Lloyd's group.
Kizaru slouched into his seat and stretched casually.
He noticed Lloyd looking in his direction.
"Young man," Kizaru said with a friendly grin, "you've been looking at me for a while. Do we know each other?"
Lloyd met his gaze without avoiding it.
"Forgive me. You have a presence that stands out. I simply noticed."
Sakazuki cleared his throat quietly, glancing at Kizaru.
Ignoring the remark about his "presence," Kizaru leaned forward with interest.
"You look unfamiliar. Are you new here?"
"Yes. We came to enlist in the Marines."
Kizaru immediately dragged his chair closer, chatting as if they were already acquaintances.
"What a coincidence. We may end up classmates. I'm Borsalino. That one over there is Sakazuki."
Lloyd looked toward Sakazuki.
Sakazuki gave a stiff nod, forcing a polite smile.
Lloyd introduced himself and the others calmly, then said,
"It's a pleasure to meet you. It seems you'll be our seniors."
Kizaru waved off the thought.
"Don't worry about seniority. At the Academy, we're misfits. People call us monsters. Most avoid us. You might end up wanting distance too."
"Oh? What makes you say that?" Lloyd asked, flipping the meat steadily.
"Interacting with you both feels… surprisingly comfortable."
Kizaru chuckled.
"We're called monsters, so we stick together."
Lloyd lowered his eyes slightly, voice soft yet cold beneath the surface.
"Is that so? Then perhaps we are the same kind of people."
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