One Piece: Adopting Akainu at the beginning, adopted son Barrett

Chapter 57 Memories worth keeping

One cannot dwell in sadness all the time.

Just like failure is always behind success, silently watching you working hard.

Don't give up, it will give you the motivation to get infinitely closer to success.

Don't give up, it will push you towards success step by step.

Sad things also followed the laughter, and they kept shaking their heads.

I hope you will have a better tomorrow.

Instead of staying in the dissipated yesterday.

It is not the day when my emotions are tangled and my thoughts are spinning in circles.

Barrett took in all the joys and sorrows, then followed the crowd towards the central area.

Suddenly, he turned around and saw Lulu walking in the opposite direction of the crowd. She was sitting on the edge of Cloud Island, talking endlessly next to the huge warship.

"Give."

Barrett left the crowd and walked up behind her. He took out the broken pocket watch from his arms and handed it to her, saying:

"It's something worth keeping for you."

"Thank you, but I don't need it anymore. He can always be with me now. I'll give you this pocket watch. If you don't need it, please bury it under the soil of that flower."

Lulu smiled, tears rolling down her face, her throat still choked, her voice still forced with joy.

After that, she turned her head and thought for a moment before continuing to talk to her lover.

Barrett listened quietly. Although the girl had said this not long ago, she kept repeating it over and over again, never getting tired of it, and would review it whenever she forgot.

Looking at the broken pocket watch in his hand, Barrett put it away and walked back towards the crowd.

This is the third person who gave him a "gift". He will not forget it and will only keep it well.

Because this is something worth keeping.

.........

At night, after eight o'clock.

The birthday party was held in the school grounds, which was large and spacious with many long tables and chairs, and almost all members came.

Countless delicious dishes were brought out from the cafeteria. Everyone, wearing their usual casual clothes, stopped what they were doing, relaxed in the quiet and peaceful space, and chatted with friends.

A huge custom-made bomb-shaped cake was placed on the only round table, surrounded by Mona's close family members.

Father, mother, aunt, grandfather, second brother, two younger brothers and a younger sister, Sakaski and Barrett.

But there were still two bad guys missing, which made Mona a little sad, and she decided to use the "Sad Ghost" to tease them severely in the future!
There is no birthday song in One Piece, or in other words, most people’s birthdays are just celebrated with a sumptuous dinner or a gift, or they may not even have a birthday at all.

Ross did not invite musicians to play music in a high-profile manner. This was the Nasdaq family's own banquet and there was no need to be too formal.

As Mona blew out the candles, everyone enjoyed their dinner and the cheerful conversations echoed in the school field.

Barrett ate the cake that was too sweet for him, felt the atmosphere around him, and tasted the joy of being together for the first time.

Suddenly, he felt his shoulders pause, and Mona had sat on his broad shoulders without him knowing.

"Hey, Barrett, today is my birthday. As a good friend, do you have a gift for Mona~"

Mona's playful childish voice made Barrett a little embarrassed. Gift? What is that?
Birthday? Really?
But when he thought of every little thing between him and Mona, Barrett's calm expression showed embarrassment.

The few times he and Mona interacted were when the other was out playing or on her way home. Whenever they met during these two time periods, he would come over to chat.

She always has so much to say, teaching Barrett some things he needs to pay attention to like an adult, and then letting the "Happy Ghost" wash away the sorrow from him.

Unconsciously, they seemed to have gotten used to this way of getting along with each other. Occasionally, when they took a break, Mona would even sit on his shoulders and use him like a "pony".

She took herself to the residential area to buy things, went to the pier to see if there were any new things, looked at the scorching sun and the sunset, and then they went home.

The wealthy Miss Mona would just treat us directly.

There are many things preserved in Barrett's house, and except for the stack of Baileys, all of them were given by Mona.

However, it seems that he has not given Mona anything worth keeping, that is, a gift.

Barrett was silent, trying to think of what he could give Mona and what she would like.

But after being in a daze for a long time, he could only lower his head with a lost look on his face, not daring to look at Mona's cute face full of expectation.

He, except for memories and things worth keeping.

Nothing left...

"Hehehe, I don't know you. It's okay, it's okay. Miss Mona is kind and generous. Let it go this time, but next time you must prepare in advance! Otherwise, Mona will be angry!"

Mona swung her legs, then playfully drew a line on Barrett's face with her cake-soaked finger:
"You owe me a gift. If you can't satisfy Mona, I'll ignore you again in the future."

Listening to Mona's final long chord, Barrett felt for the first time what "fear" meant.

He could clearly look calmly at a 30-meter-long shark or other sea king, but he was still afraid.

He was afraid that Mona would never talk to him again, as if an important memory had been taken away from him and a part of his emotion was missing.

"Sorry, sorry! What Mona said was a bit harsh, Barrett, please don't be sad!"

Barrett's emotions were evident in his words. He had no way of disguising himself and everything was written on his face.

Naturally, his appearance scared Mona, who wanted to tease her good friend. She cherished her friend very much, so she immediately comforted him.

"tick"

Barrett himself didn't even notice that tears were running down his face and dripping onto the ground with a crisp sound.

He shook his head to show Mona that he was fine.

But Mona didn't believe it. Barrett had already started crying! He looked so pitiful and wronged!
I feel the same way. It is obvious that as long as I notify Barrett in advance, he will prepare a gift for me no matter what. Even if he doesn't know how to prepare it, he will ask someone familiar with him.

However, because of his own thoughts, Barrett, a good friend he had made with great difficulty, was made sad by him!

As a friend, this is not right.

Not far away, Ross and Sakaski stopped talking and watched the two people silently, one trying to hold back his expression while the other was anxiously comforting them.

Ross didn't know why his heart tightened, but Sakaski smiled from the bottom of his heart.

It has always been his regret that he could not always accompany his lovely little sister Mona. Now he is very happy that someone can replace him.

Nearby, Mona's biological mother was holding Nasdaq Walter with an aunt's smile on her face, while her two sisters beside her were whispering and joking.

The only two old men present nodded and pointed at Barrett, but no one knew what they were saying.

(End of this chapter)