Chapter 14
When the Red-Haired Pirates' ship sails towards the next island, the stitches on your hands, which have been treated with Hongo's special herbal medicine, can be removed. The first thing you should do after removing the stitches is to replace the lock Beckman gave you, and then go to the kitchen to help prepare lunch.
Lu was surprised to see you in the kitchen, but when you extended your hand without the bandage, the words of polite refusal to help you were cut short.
"If only those guys had your drive."
Faced with Lu's seemingly complimentary praise, you smiled awkwardly and dared not answer. The crew members in the kitchen, who were responsible for odd jobs, were different. They all expressed their opinions based on what Lu said.
Crew member A: "This is praising one while belittling the other!"
Crew Member B: "As long as we put our hearts into it during the battle, that's all that matters!"
Crew member C: "Are we also part of your flirting?"
Seeing that the crew member in charge of odd jobs in the kitchen was talking more and more outrageously, Lu, who was holding a spoon, scooped up crew member C with a spoon, followed by crew member C's cry of pain.
"You have the energy to talk so much nonsense, have you finished your work?"
Just moments ago, you were jokingly telling Lu and your crew to fall silent. For a moment, the only sounds in the kitchen were the chopping of vegetables and the running water of washing things. It wasn't until Lu chuckled and started talking to you that the overly quiet atmosphere returned to its original liveliness.
"They're joking, don't take it seriously."
Crew member C, who had been teasing Lu, rubbed the spot where he had been hit and repeated Lu's words with an embarrassed laugh: "Yeah, I was just kidding, don't take it seriously!"
In fact, whether they were joking or not makes little difference to you. This is their territory; what right do you, an outsider, have to condemn or complain?
In this situation, all you need to do is smile and forgive: "I know, it's okay."
After the little incident, the topic in the kitchen changed. Though it was called a change of topic, in reality, they could only talk about treasures, food and drink, and women. At first, you couldn't adapt to these topics, and you still can't now, but once you realize where you are, the topics and situations you couldn't adapt to no longer seem to be problems.
A group of people familiar with the procedures worked very efficiently, and before long, lunch was ready for everyone on board. Not only the crew who cooked, but also the crew members who were already starving were sitting in their familiar spots, banging on their plates and saying they were hungry. Some couldn't even wait for the food to be served and ran to the kitchen window to say they were starving.
The process of plating food was routine, and his hands were constantly busy dealing with the crew members who came to the kitchen to urge him to have lunch.
"Are you never not hungry?"
The crew member urging Lu to bring lunch grinned, agreeing with what Lu had said. You, who had witnessed the whole thing, dared not speak, but instead helped Lu by carrying plates and serving him food. After all the dishes were served, you heard the pirates in the mess hall praising Lu's cooking and Lu's readily agreed.
Hearing the familiar conversation outside the cafeteria, you felt relieved after volunteering to stay in the kitchen to clean the stoves and used utensils. They were all chatting, which meant no one would notice your presence.
But you forgot that there are always exceptions.
"Even though the stitches have been removed, you're going back to the kitchen to help so soon. Your hands will tear up from being too hardworking."
You look towards the source of the sound and see Hongo resting his hand on the windowsill, looking at you with a helpless expression.
"Even if you're in a hurry to help, shouldn't you come to me for help, Miss Reliable Helper?"
Hongo's feigned resentment made you chuckle: "I understand. I'll go help out at the infirmary after I've finished dealing with things in the kitchen."
That wasn't what he meant at all. Hongo sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation.
"You really are... You know, that's not what I meant."
"Even if you want to do something, you still need to eat, at least at the same time as us, right?"
The case is solved. Hongo came looking for you because you weren't eating in the cafeteria. You wanted to say you'd eat after washing your utensils, but Hongo, having gotten to know you better over this period, spoke his mind before you could.
"Come eat with us occasionally."
Clearly, this is the real reason why Honjō came to see you. He knew you were intentionally avoiding the time and place of your meals with them, which is why he cleaned the kitchen utensils while they were eating.
Lu and the crew members in charge of kitchen chores knew your habits, and they didn't say anything about it, but they would set aside a separate meal for you when they finished cooking.
Hongo's change from his previous attitude of traveling alone with you suggests that he or someone else has a problem with it. Whether it's a good or bad opinion... you'd never know. But Hongo's arrival serves as a reminder to you, who are trying to minimize your presence: being alone attracts more attention.
Realizing what had happened, you carefully put down the cleaned kitchen utensils, composed yourself, and gave a helpless smile to Honjo's gaze.
"That's true."
-
Perhaps everyone on the ship was so engrossed in Lu's culinary skills that no one paid much attention to you sitting in the corner eating, except for Hongo, who had called you out to eat and was now sitting to your left, serving as your dining companion.
"You've been on the ship for so long, and I still don't seem to know what you like."
Upon hearing this, Hongo stopped what he was doing, his gaze seemingly drifting to your face as he moved. You didn't quite understand why Hongo had suddenly asked these questions, so you turned to face him with a puzzled expression. His smile faltered for a moment, followed by a half-hearted explanation.
"You'll have to help me later, so I'll give you a gift beforehand so I can 'exploit' you better."
When he mentioned the key words, Hongo deliberately emphasized them to indicate that he was joking. You naturally understood that Hongo was actually trying to build a good relationship with you.
As for why a pirate ship's doctor would want to be on good terms with you, you don't quite understand. You'll eventually disembark, so there's not much point in trying to build a good relationship with you.
Of course, that's just your opinion. From a long-term perspective, the benefits of Benxiang being happy to befriend you outweigh the drawbacks, so there's no reason not to go along with Benxiang's wishes. Your answer, however, cannot be a tangible item; if Benxiang can't provide one, both of you will be in an awkward situation.
"Anything is possible as long as it's done with sincerity."
Upon hearing this, Hongo's expression faltered slightly. You wondered if it was just your imagination, but it seemed like the other people in the cafeteria were talking quieter. That illusion vanished when Hongo gave you a helpless smile in response to your reply.
"That's really unfair, that answer."
You weren't quite sure what the local dialect meant by "foul," and you wouldn't ask. What surprised you more was that, during a brief silence in your conversation, Lem pulled out the chair directly opposite you and sat down.
Not only you, but Hongo, who was chatting with you just a second ago, was also surprised by Rem's sitting down. In an instant, Hongo resumed his slight smile and started talking to Rem, who didn't seem to want to talk much.
Why don't you go eat at the boss's table?
Hongo's words are puzzling. So, Rem, who's sitting across from you, is usually Shanks's dining partner? Then why isn't Rem at Shanks' table and is sitting here instead?
Of course, the whole boat belongs to them, and you have no right to tell them where they sit. It's just that not being able to tell what Lyme is thinking or what his emotions are makes you feel a little uneasy, sitting right in front of him. Even when you meet Lyme's sunglasses-wearing eyes, all you can do is offer a polite smile in return.
Ultimately, you just wanted to finish your meal and leave the cafeteria as soon as possible. Why was Rem looking at you instead of Hongo, who was talking to him? Perhaps he read your thoughts from your expression. Rem looked away from you, returned to his plate, and answered Hongo's question without looking up.
"Aren't you the same?"
A single sentence leaves you unsure what expression to make, but you're pretty sure you heard someone gasp, and it wasn't someone at your table.
Faced with Lem's self-defeating answer, Hongo calmly replied, "Doctors take care of patients, so it's always right to be more understanding. Don't you agree?"
When he got to the second half of the sentence, Hongo looked at you, and you subconsciously nodded in agreement, which earned you a rather gratified look from Hongo...?
While you're wondering whether to eat first or change the subject, an unexpected person walks over and sits across from you.
"What are you chatting about that's so fun? Count me in!"
It was Shanks. His kind smile and warm tone instantly dispelled the awkward atmosphere. At least Rem and Hongo stopped talking about their previous topic and naturally steered the conversation towards Shanks.
"Didn't you finish eating?"
This is Hongo seeing that Shanks has neither a bowl nor food in front of him. Rem, sitting next to Shanks, didn't respond to the topic, but his words were almost identical to Hongo's.
"What's so fun about it?"
Shanks' eyes widened at Hongo and Rem's question, his expression saying "How could you do this?", and he dismissed their doubts with a single sentence.
"Hey, what are you saying? Can't we chat if we're not eating? And if you're unhappy, why are you all sitting here?"
"So let's chat about whatever comes up, add me on the list, it sounds like a lot of fun!"
Even someone as inexperienced as you as you are with Shanks knows this is sophistry. But what Shanks said did have an effect, because Rem and Hongo's attention was no longer on you, but rather on their helpless expressions because of Shanks' presence, and the topic changed to something they could both understand.
Having barely recovered from the bewildering atmosphere, you quickly finished your lunch while they chatted, and left before they brought up the topic of you again.
"I'll finish eating, then you can continue your conversation."
Amidst the three people's different reactions, you picked up your empty plate and got up to leave your seat. Shanks, who was the first to react, even jokingly asked you why you didn't eat more.
"Lu is a very good cook, he will be very happy if you eat more."
You agree with Shanks's words, but the unfamiliar environment and strange atmosphere make it a place you can't stay for long. And compared to theirs, finishing the food available is already the maximum your stomach can hold.
Fortunately, the person who was mentioned not far away looked over and picked up Shanks's words from a distance.
"Don't worry about the boss! Just make sure you're full!"
Then, when Shanks pretended to be hurt and said, "What are you saying? I was just concerned about her," everyone in the cafeteria laughed at Shanks' words. Amidst the uneven laughter, there were a few sarcastic remarks. You took this opportunity to escape the scene and go to the kitchen to wash your dishes.
Sure enough, you should avoid them. If you eat in that kind of atmosphere a few more times, you'll most likely develop stomach problems.
-
Although it was supposed to be helping out, the locals didn't ask you to do anything. They even taught you some emergency procedures when you were bored and wanted to clean the infirmary. As the leisurely afternoon was about to end, the ship suddenly rocked, and a commotion arose on the deck.
Because of what happened last time, your body was in a state of stress and you couldn't move. It was only when Hongo kept calling your name that you came back to your senses from the blank state of your mind.
"I'm fine. Are there enemies again?"
Still reeling from the shock, you grasped the outstretched hand of Hongo, who gently soothed you.
"There are no enemies, it must be a problem with the airflow. I'll go out and take a look. You stay here, you'll be fine."
"Don't worry, nothing will happen."
When Hongo repeated the second half of his sentence, you, having barely calmed down, released his arm. Hongo, now free, didn't leave; only after confirming your condition had improved did he leave the infirmary.
You don't know what's going on outside, you can only tell from the noise on the deck that the Red-Haired Pirates are busy, interspersed with a few words of dialect that you can't understand, which sound like swear words.
Without warning, the boat tilted again, and this time, without anyone to catch you, you fell hard. Luckily, you were facing a soft bed, not a wooden floor.
Even so, with your face on the bed, you still bit your tongue, and the stinging sensation brought back the long-lost taste of rust. Perhaps you're not suited to being at sea, which is why you bit your tongue again after your hand healed.
When the ship calmed down, the first thing Hongo saw when he returned was you covering your face. I don't know what made Hongo laugh, but he suppressed his laughter and walked over to you, trying to find your wound.
"Did you bump your face?"
Because your tongue still hurts a little, you shook your head and denied Hongo's question. Only after the stinging sensation on the tip of your tongue subsided a bit did you answer Hongo's question.
"I accidentally bit my tongue, but it's nothing."
Upon hearing this, Hongo frowned slightly and reached out to press down on your shoulder.
"This could be a big deal or a small deal. Open your mouth and let me see."
When you first see Hongo in a serious state, you freeze in place, wanting to politely decline his kindness, but your body uncontrollably obeys his commands.
Honjo observed very carefully. Perhaps fearing you wouldn't cooperate, his rough, dry fingertips served as a fulcrum against your chin, while his thumb landed at the corner of your mouth, giving you the feeling that if he sensed you were about to close your lips, his thumb at the corner of your mouth could pry them open at any moment.
You know Hongo is a doctor, but he's also a pirate, and a woman. Given the distance and position... isn't this too dangerous? Even the atmosphere in the room and Hongo himself become dangerous as you feel uneasy.
Instinctively, you want to escape, until the person who was closely observing you laughed, and the hand that was holding you loosened with a relieved laugh, and the tense atmosphere that had given you a headache disappeared.
"Fortunately, it was just a minor cut."
"Yes, yes, I'm so glad you're alright..."
You chuckled awkwardly as you continued Hongo's words, gradually distancing yourself from him. Noticing your subtle movement, Hongo didn't say anything, but thoughtfully went to the bookshelf in the infirmary and picked up the book you had mentioned before leaving.
Looking at Hongo, who had his back to you, you breathed a sigh of relief, unaware that from Hongo's perspective, your every move was crystal clear.
-
Compared to the others on the ship, Hongo considered himself not a warm-hearted person, and even a bit cold. But there are always exceptions, and you were his exception.
When you're surrounded by men on a ship, your vulnerability and insecurity become especially apparent. This manifests in the subconscious mask of a smile you wear when interacting with them, the readiness to flee at any moment due to their actions, and the deliberate choice to travel during off-peak hours to minimize your presence.
No one expects you to keep pace with them, nor do they require you to keep pace with them.
But he seems unable to do that; he wants you to be closer to him. You are the only "patient" on this ship who needs his care. After all, you are so fragile; if he doesn't keep a close eye on you, you could fall into the sea or be injured by enemy stray bullets.
But you're afraid of the people on the ship and avoid everyone else. So who can help you when something happens to you? Looking at the entire Red-Haired Pirates, isn't he the only one you can truly trust for now?
So he tried to understand your preferences, but underestimated your wariness of them.
"Anything is possible as long as it's done with sincerity."
The simplest of pleasantries and smiles left Hongo feeling somewhat helpless, and at the same time, a little annoyed. This so-called "trust," like your gentle mask, made him no different from anyone else on the ship to you.
Realizing all this, Hongo can't be angry with you because you need his care. See, you're already overwhelmed just from having a few more limes at the dinner table. What if something even worse happens to you than last time if he doesn't keep an eye on you?
After you leave the cafeteria, Shanks says that he and Rem scared you.
"While I don't mind you making friends, at least don't scare people away, right?"
These are Shanks's original words. Indeed, Hongo realized he had been a bit too hasty; he shouldn't have rashly pulled you into the crowd, especially into a pirate group that you should keep your distance from.
Encountering turbulence is a daily occurrence for them at sea. Aside from newcomers who might be unsure what to do, almost no one gets injured by turbulence, except for you. You bit your tongue after only being away for a short while.
That's why he said you need him to take care of you.
However, the patient who needed his care was unaware of this and even tried to escape when he was about to check on you. Therefore, he restricted your movements in advance.
Sure enough, you were afraid of him too. When he didn't give you a chance to escape, your body trembled with unease. Perhaps it was because you had seen so many beings of the same or even larger size that everything about you seemed particularly pitiful.
The tongue looked wonderful to the touch, the skin smooth and warm, and the unconscious little movements as you nervously searched for a hiding place. But I digress. He should have been looking at your bitten tongue, not at your wary reaction to his approach; that wasn't his intention.
Fortunately, you only bit a small wound and it wasn't serious, but his proximity still made you uneasy. To ease your anxiety about wanting to escape his reach, he went to the bookshelf and picked out a book that might interest you, and you breathed a sigh of relief after he left.
Perhaps it was because he cared too much about everything about you, but the fingertips that still felt the touch of your skin were slightly warm. Thinking of how he could touch your lips with just a slight deviation, he despised the thought of using his position to touch you.
But he had to admit that, more than trivial morality, he wanted to indulge himself and let himself feel everything about you with his fingertips, palms, and even your lips, which were a little rough and dry to you.
Only if he knows everything about you can he take better care of you, right?
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