Kaiouki (Tale of the Sea King): Appearance of the inescapable love polygon
Gorrammit, for once, I was hoping I'd be able to escape the freaking love polygon since this series isn't about romance, and even then, the romance is so pale it's almost invisible. No such thing! Freek, I know Mitasha has been smiling along side Maia since forever at Fan and everyone else, and Mitasha is the gentle girl so she's been getting along with people well, but I didn't see this coming. Me, the one who sees romance in every stray word and gesture! Maybe I've just been too idealistic. Freek! This whole thing has been the most drama I've ever seen in Kaiouki, probably more than all the earlier volumes put together.
As it turned out, Mitasha has feelings for Fan, but he knows that Sinta loves her, so he asked her to embrace him and speak with him to truly break him from the control spell the bad guys put on him. Mitasha did it, but cried. I'm not sure if it's because of the fact that Fan asked her to do such a thing, or because she is sad to see the empty shell Sinta had become. Probably a mix of both. Sinta broke out of the trance thanks to Mitasha and hugged her, asking her why she was crying. Sinta wondered if it were a dream, and Fan interrupted and hit him, saying that it wasn't. After making sure that Sinta had returned to normal, Fan asked Mitasha to take the poor guy down below and put him to bed, and thanked her. She gave him sad looks as she went.
When she was out of sight, and Maia and Sanoo followed the pair, Nik confronted Fan and commented that he was cruel for using Mitasha like that, making her cry. Maia caught the conversation and stopped to listen. Fan asked if Nik had a better way to do it, and Nik had to concede that there was no other way. Nik didn't drop the issue but pressed on to ask what Fan would do if it were Maia whom Sinta liked; would he do the same thing? Maia waited for the answer tensely.
Fan: "I already told you..."
Nik: "I'm listening."
Fan: "Now is not the time to answer that question."
Nik: "Don't try to change the subject. I'm not wrong."
Fan and big guy: "..."
Nik (sigh and rub head): "Fine. At least you like a girl right now, so you cast Sinta aside. That's all." [I'm not really sure what this means; it's a literal translation]
Maia turned and ran away downstairs, but collided with Sinta, who was coming up from below. Sinta said that he forgot his swords (he dropped them when he came out of the trance to embrace Mitasha). The conversation was still going on, meanwhile. Sinta noticed.
Fan: "Isn't that fine?"
Nik: "What can you say about 'fine or not fine' anymore at this time?"
Nik: "If the Shadow Men [or Ghost Men, or Evil Men, etc.] are working together with Luonatia, then later this will happen again."
Sinta looked surprised.
Nik: "In other words, Sinta is a rabbit in tiger skin."
Fan: "Did you hear that?"
Nik noticed Sinta standing there.
Nik: (I said something wrong... again, didn't I?) "Do you know what 'rabbit in tiger skin' mean?"
Sinta (seems calm): "I don't understand, because right now I'm not entirely awake."
After that Sinta got his swords back. Maia ran down into the cabin, threw herself on bed and pulled the curtain around it until only the back of her head is shown. Mitasha asked where Sinta was, and Maia answered curtly that he was up there. Mitasha looks at Maia and then down sadly, saying she was sorry. Maia asked why she was saying sorry. Mitasha said that since the Shadow Men were involved, her father Anahami who used to be their leader was probably involved, too, in the destruction of Ontana (Maia's homeland and country; she's their princess, the only person left from that country).
Maia said that even if her parents were alive, the people of Ontana wouldn't revive. She added bitterly that she was a selfish person, and if Anahami was really involved, she would never forgive Mitasha. Even as she was saying that, she was thinking why was she saying these ugly things? Mitasha is Mitasha and not Anahami. Why was she like this? Why did she have to carry these burdens her whole life?
Mitasha cried and repeated her apology. Maia was staring regretfully at the wall and telling herself that the person who should apologize should be herself. Sinta came down in that moment and asked Mitasha why she was crying. Scene change. Yada yada yada Fan met up with Kanatsu Sheiron (fierce looking man all the way from the first volume who is now the leader and King who's been conquering most of the east) and strategist Yalu to talk, etc.
Here comes the hard part. Sinta mumbled to himself about the saying "rabbit pretending to be a tiger" from earlier, wondering what it meant as he sat next to Mitasha. She thought he was talking about her and berated herself aloud that she has been relying on other's pity too much. Sinta interrupted, saying that he was talking about himself. He said that it seemed he had become useless.
Mitasha looked at him and suddenly said, could he bring her to Luonatia? Would he agree to help her? Sinta was surprised. Mitasha continued that if her father Anahami was really the one who destroyed Ontana, she wanted to find out and make sure. What she'd do then she didn't know, but if she stayed here then nothing would be cleared. Would Sinta help her? Sinta sat up and told her, "No matter where it is, you only need to ask, and I will bring to there." She smiled at him. He added to himself (?), "After that, there will be a day when I'll become a Shadow Man from an apprentice. When that is passed, I will become the strongest man in the world to protect you."
The crew found out that they left and told Fan. Maia was stricken with guilt and said that it was all her fault. Fan rubbed her head and told her that no, it was his fault, she shouldn't feel responsible. Maia continued to blame herself. Sanoo comforted her. Fan told Jien (resident number one archer) to shoot a message toward the leaving pair. Sinta caught it and read the letter, frowned and shoved it to Mitasha, saying that the big bro (what he calls Fan) is really detestable. Mitasha read it. It said, "At any time, if there is any problem, come find me." She cried, and Sinta asked if she wanted to return since there was still time. She said no. She had to go because these were Fan's parting words.
To herself, she thought, "Everything can be passed, everything can be forgotten, except for one thing... Forever, this Mitasha will always remember." She held the letter to her chest, smiling with tears in her eyes. Sinta looked at her. He said silently when he glanced away, "Good bye, big brother."
Mitasha had these last words to say: "You are right. If there is any problem I will come to find you. If there isn't any problem, when we meet again... we may be... enemies."
Fan, not smiling for once, thought as he watched them go: "The ocean is vast... The only wish I have in life is to always have a smile and happiness for each other when we meet again."
Yada yada yada more strategic planning between Yalu and Kanatsu, with Fan interjecting occasionally to keep Kanatsu's temper down. Fan then left to go. Next is Sariu (Kanatsu's littler sister, looks just like him, again all the way from the first volume, and who has an obvious thing for Fan) on horseback riding hard toward where Kanatsu and Yalu were. She noted the Shadow ship with a big smile, and hurried to Kanatsu. She congratulated him, and was introduced to Yalu Leonis. She looked around and asked where Fan was. Kanatsu replied that she was one step too late; he just left the dock.
Sariu: "Why? I was a bit too late. Damn!"
Kanatsu: "You won't be able to marry him, you know. Besides..."
Sariu (blush, embarrassed): "Brother!"
Kanatsu: "I also have never thought about marrying you off to the ocean."
Sariu (still red): "..."
Kanatsu (looks over to Yalu): "If I'm to give your hand, it would be to this Yalu, rather."
Yalu: "Eh..."
Kanatsu (deadpan): "It's a joke."
Yalu (smile): "That's fine. Just wait until I want to, even though you don't agree, I will still marry her."
Kanatsu: "Huh!"
Yalu (poker face): "Just joking for fun."
Kanatsu (raises eyebrows skeptically): "..."
Yalu (smirk): "..."
Sariu (really embarrassed): "That's too much for a joke! Honestly..."
Oh, oh, that last part is to die for! Best. ever! It really makes up for the whole sad and bittersweet thing between the Square of Sinta, Mitasha, Fan, Maia. Oh, the drama, the drama! Thank you, Yalu for the most awesome "joke!" It cheered me right up. Darn, I spent a lot of time on this, although I should have been sleeping. It's okay. Kaiouki is worth it!