I wake to the sound of Brook's violin cutting through the cold morning air. Again. The familiar ache in my chest returns with the memory of yesterday's disaster—the confession, Sanji's inadequate response, my hasty retreat. Crap, double crap, triple super crap.

I drag myself from my workshop where I apparently fell asleep at my desk again. The thought of facing Sanji makes my stomach twist, but avoiding him would only make the crew more suspicious. I smooth my hair back into its bun, wipe the sleep from my eyes, and steel myself for another awkward encounter.

The deck is already dusted with snow, and Brook continues his serenade near the railing. "Good morning, my dear!" he calls as I pass.

I manage a half-hearted wave, my attention fixed on the galley door. That's where it happened—where everything fell apart. Taking a deep breath, I push open the door and find Sanji at the counter, his back to me as he works on something in a metal bowl.

He tenses slightly when he hears me enter. Here we go again.

"Er, what...what are we eating?" I ask, my voice betraying my nervousness.

Sanji freezes. The bowl crashes onto the counter, sending what looks like perfectly whipped cream splattering everywhere.

"NOT THIS SHIT AGAIN!" he screams, spinning around with eyes blazing. "I CAN'T DO THIS TODAY!"

I step back, startled by his outburst. This isn't the avoidance I expected. Before I can respond, Luffy's voice comes from the doorway.

"What's not this again?" our captain asks, his usual grin on his face.

Sanji's shoulders slump. "Nothing," he mutters, lighting a cigarette with trembling hands.

I lock eyes with him, confusion and hurt warring inside me. "Sanji...what's going on? You've been acting strange since yesterday."

He stares at me, smoke curling from his lips. "Yesterday? Usopp, that wasn't yesterday. This has been happening for days. Weeks maybe."

My brow furrows. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm stuck in a loop," he says, voice breaking. "Reliving this day over and over. The day after I..."

He trails off, but I know what he means. The day after he broke my heart.

Luffy looks between us, suddenly serious. "Sanji said no to you? Why would he do that? He likes you."

My eyes widen. "What?"

Sanji's face turns bright red. "Luffy!"

But it's too late. The truth hangs in the air between us, and suddenly everything makes sense—the strange behavior, the moments of closeness followed by distance, the look of绝望 in his eyes.

Sanji runs a hand through his hair, avoiding my gaze. "I'm sorry, Usopp. I didn't mean it. Any of it."

The galley falls silent. Outside, the snow begins to fall harder, as if the weather itself is holding its breath. This is the moment everything changes—if I let it.

"So what do we do now?" I ask, my voice barely audible above the storm building outside.