"Remind me again why I'm helping you sneak off the ship?" Minho complained, dragging a box on the main deck. He groaned and pushed with all his might. Sweat dripped off his brow and his back. "You need to lay off the Maple candies," he muttered. "OW!" he yelped as he felt Hoshiko stab her pen into the top of the box into his hand. "Rude."

"Don't call me fat, then," Hoshiko grumbled, shifting in the box. "And keep quiet. If the Captain deems you insane, you'll be transferred and I'll be left alone to suffer!" she snapped, popping a hand out of the box to gesture for him to get a move on. Her legs were beginning to cramp up and the air in the box was stuffy. She bit back a grunt as the box was roughly pushed once more.

Minho was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily by the time he managed to get to the village. Once out of sight, Hoshiko stepped out of the box, putting on a face mask and pulling her hood up to keep her face hidden. She didn't need to be caught by a fellow marine and reported back to Hornbull. She gave Minho a thumbs up. "You did great, Minho!" she gave him a hug as well, grimacing at the sweat.

"Thanks," Minho drawled, shaking his body. "I'm sweaty and gross now. You owe me for this. I demand compensation." He followed her into town, ranting about what he wanted. Hoshiko laughed and let his words go in one ear and out the other. He thanked whoever was listening that it was spring and not winter. Winter in the North Blue islands was brutal.

"You are in charge of getting the medical supplies." Hoshiko handed the list to Minho, giving him a stern look. "Don't get distracted by anything! I mean it, Minho!" Hoshiko shook a finger in his face, smirking. She gave Minho a pouch of extra berries. "Here. Get what you want. It's on me."

Minho's face lit up and he hugged Hoshiko. "Thank you, Iko! I love you!" he laughed joyfully. "You can count on me. I won't get distracted and I will get everything on the list." He gave Hoshiko one last bone-crushing hug and dashed off with the list in hand.

Hoshiko fondly watched Minho dash off, slipping on the mud. She didn't bother to contain her laugh. "Oh, Minho, never change," she shook her head and entered the book store. She smiled to herself and looked at some of the Sora, Warrior of the Sea comics and other fantasy novels. She grabbed a couple comics she didn't have in her collection and grabbed the fantasy novel based on a demigod of the sea.

After paying for her books, she moved to the clothing store to buy a couple extra outfits and then buy the hoodie Minho had been eyeing on the last island. Hoshiko cursed out whoever decided to make clothes, a basic life necessity, so expensive. She mourned her paycheck and gathered up her clothes and books. Now, the hard part of sneaking back aboard the ship. Minho met up with her by the docks, the doctor duo hiding in an alley.

"How are we going to get you back aboard?" Minho stage whispered to Hoshiko, ducking back into the alley. He looked down at the boxes full of medical supplies, books, and clothes. "I can carry this aboard, but I don't think you have any room to hide in there."

Hoshiko laughed, covering her mouth. "That's why you will be causing a distraction my dear Minho." She smirked and pulled him to the side, explaining the plan. Minho sighed defeatedly and threw his dignity to the wind. Hoshiko was more important. Besides, messing with marines was his favorite pastime.

—

"And just what the hell was that stunt, Lieutenant Choi!?" Hornbull shouted, eyes narrowed as he stood in front of Minho. "Why did you dress up as a woman and start screaming at Watchman Jules for abandoning you and I quote 'your beloved baby Killian'?" The Captain of the ship looked furious.

Hoshiko stifled her laugh with the palm of her hand. Minho's performance allowed her to sneak back on the ship unnoticed. She had cried from her laughter. Minho looked Hornbull in the eye. "How dare you assume I'd dress up as a woman, Sir? That was a distant cousin, Juliana. Her baby Killian is a lovely boy that Jules left behind to be a marine," Minho said with the most serious expression he could manage.

Hoshiko bit her palm to keep from laughing. Tears were welling in her eyes. Hornbull's face contorted in rage, his face redder than a tomato. Both Minho and Hoshiko swore they saw smoke coming out of his ears. "I have had it!" Hornbull shouted, spit flying. "You both are barred from going on land during any breaks for the next couple months! You're rations will also be cut in half for the week!"

Hoshiko scowled and glared at the Captain while Minho grit his teeth. "Yes, Sir," he saluted the Captain. The two of them waited for Hornbull to storm off before they both muttered, "Take a long walk off a short pier."

"Sorry about him," Hoshiko apologized to Minho, opening the box of her books and clothes. "I know he's a jerk, so I got you this while we were in town." She held up the hoodie and Minho jumped for joy.

"Iko, I love you!" he cheered, grabbing her in a tight hug before snatching the hoodie and putting it on over his uniform. The corpsman snuggled up in his hoodie, smiling happily. "You're the best. I'd happily do anything for you."

Hoshiko smiled softly and ruffled Minho's hair. "Come on. We have stuff to put away." The duo got to work on reorganizing the sick bay and the medical supplies. Hoshiko added her books to her evergrowing collection. Her outfits were stuffed in with her marine uniforms, hidden behind them of course in case Hornbull snooped around for contraband.

"Doctors!" Officer Yue stood at the door, saluting the two. "We have orders to get to Flevance to put an end to an uprising. You two will be on standby in case anyone is injured and in need of a doctor. Hoshiko, you are on field medic duty once we arrive." She dipped her head and left the two doctors alone.

"Flevance?" Minho looked confused.

"Uprising?" Hoshiko felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. "That doesn't sound right..."