The cries of the gulls are barely audible over the murmur of the crowd.

For Hiromi Higuruma, standing among many others near the first-class railing, it is difficult to comprehend.

The dark-haired lawyer looks down with an almost expressionless face at the people pressed together on the pier below. The atmosphere is lively, even up here on deck. There is a sense of departure, some cheer, a feeling of progress and innovation. Indeed, the RMS Titanic is a marvel of shipbuilding. Hence the name; it appears colossal among all the other vessels.

Yet Hiromi is not excited, at least not in that euphoric manner. Departure is something different, and as he observes the people around him, he feels only confirmation.

He will finally leave all of this behind. If all goes according to plan, and there is little reason to doubt it, he will set foot on American soil in about seven days.

America, the land of new beginnings, he tells himself. There he will establish something new. There he will found a law office and stand for justice.

The criminal defense lawyer has no inkling of what fate aboard this ocean liner will have in store for him.

As Hiromi lets his gaze wander, he decides to make his way to his cabin. It is not only the throng on deck or the noise; it is Southampton, it is England. He does not wish to watch it recede; Hiromi intends to leave it behind and not look back.

He turns away, a slight headache already beginning, and a glance at his pocket watch reveals that several hours remain before dinner. As he proceeds into the ship’s interior, he considers whether to stop briefly at the onboard library or retire directly to his cabin.

Lost in thought, he fails to notice the person wandering in the corridor. A collision is unavoidable, and both stumble a few steps backward.

Hiromi straightens himself and inclines his head slightly. „I beg your pardon,” he says in a calm, measured tone. „It seems the passage here is narrower than expected. Are you seeking your cabin as well?”