The refreshing sea breeze and the vast, unending sunlight basked the steel ship as it sailed its way toward the distant archipelago of Hanyuun. On the deck, however, not everyone was enjoying the grand adventure.

  Kun was leaning over the railing, his face a pale shade of green as he threw up directly into the sea below.

  "Ump... I... I didn't know it would feel this bad, I was fine the first day, but then the next few…" he groaned, before retching once more. "Bleergh."

  "Gross," Lin said, rubbing his back with a mixture of pity and annoyance. "Remind me why I saved you again."

  "My... my cooking, I think," Kun managed to say, holding his mouth with one hand, his body still leaning heavily on the railing. "Ump."

  Lin let out a long, exasperated sigh. "I'm really regretting my decision."

  "What are you two doing?"

  Mila's calm, steady voice cut through Kun's misery. She walked over, completely unfazed by the rocking of the ship or the sound of Kun's suffering.

  "He got seasick," Lin explained, looking at the pale, deflated man in front of her.

  "Here. Eat this." Mila, without any ceremony, shoved a thin, leathery-looking strip of dried fruit into Kun's mouth.

  "Soo sour!" he yelped, jolting back from the railing. The intense, sharp taste was a shock to his system, but as he chewed, the nausea began to subside. "But... it does make me feel better. What is this?"

  "Dried sour desert mangoes," Mila said simply. "They have some property that wards off seasickness."

  "Is that actually true?" Lin asked, her hand opening as if she wanted to try some herself.

  Mila placed a strip on Lin's palm. "No idea. But it works for me, and I've been almost everywhere with Bob."

  "Hey, Mila," Kun said, his voice still a little weak. "Is Bob...?"

  "Still in his room, yeah," she replied, her expression unreadable. "But don't worry. He just... overeats."

  Kun, having finally regained some of his color, took another piece of the dried mango from Mila. "I see," he said, chewing thoughtfully. "The buffet was indeed overwhelming."

  "Bob is not like you, idiot," Lin said, smacking the back of Kun's head as she chewed on her own piece of mango. She then turned to the mercenary, her curiosity piqued. "Mila, you've been to Hanyuun before, right? What is it like?"

  "Hmmm, you want to know?" Mila asked, leaning against the railing, her gaze fixed on the horizon.

  "Please," Lin said, her own interest now genuine.

  "Well," Mila began, her voice a low, steady rumble, "I've been there a few times, but only to a few of the islands, accompanying Bob. It's hot, humid, tropical. Lots of beaches, lots of farms, and lots of weird-looking animals." She shivered, despite the warm sun. "And coconuts. So many coconuts."

  "Sounds like a tropical paradise," Kun said, his eyes lighting up. "The kind of place tourists would love."

  "Except tourists don't usually go to Hanyuun," Mila stated, her tone flat.

  "Why?" Kun asked, his cheerful expression faltering.

  "Idiot," Lin said with a sigh. "Have you never read the news?" She turned to him, her silver eyes sharp. "Hanyuun is in a state of constant civil war."

  Mila nodded. "Lin is correct. The place may be beautiful, but the state it's in is ugly. The thirteen clans have been at each other's throats for decades. Even I don’t know if there are still 13 at this point."

  "So... why are we going to a place that's so dangerous?" Kun asked, his earlier excitement now completely gone.

  "Merchants still need to do their business, despite the... less than desirable conditions," Mila explained. "And..."

  "...and with the civil war going on, we can hide and sneak into Hanyuun perfectly fine, right?" Lin finished, a small, strategic smile on her face as she looked at Mila.

  The mercenary's own lips curved into a grin of approval. "Yes," she confirmed. "That is the plan. Just hope nothing goes wrong. The island we're heading to, Biyuu Island, is relatively safe. It's pretty far from the main conflict area, so the effects won't be as noticeable. It should be a good place to lay low."

  "But... is that really okay?" Lin asked, her voice a little quieter now, her gaze shifting from Mila to the closed door of Bob's room. "Doing so much for us... we've only known each other for about two weeks."

  Mila's expression softened. "It's alright," she said, reaching out and gently putting a hand on Lin's head, her touch surprisingly warm. "Master... Bob already told you, right? It's just a simple gesture. You don't need to worry, Snow Flower."

  "Thank you, Mila," Lin said, a genuine, heartfelt warmth in her voice as she leaned into the touch and gave the taller woman a quick, grateful hug.

  Mila smiled, but for a split second, her eyes went distant, a flicker of a memory of a long gone past flashing in her mind.

  "Aww... thank you, Mila," Kun said, seeing the tender moment and completely misreading the room. He moved in, his arms open wide, ready to join the hug.

  Before he could get within a foot of her, Mila pointed the pommel of her greatsword directly at his chest, stopping him dead in his tracks.

  "You stay there," she said, her voice once again cold and flat.

  Kun froze, his arms still held up in a half-hug. "Why?" he asked, his voice a bewildered squeak.

  "Hohoho! What are you three talking about?"

  A booming voice, full of a familiar, forced cheerfulness, interrupted them. Bob emerged from his room, looking more jolly and shining than ever before.

  "Bob! You're alive!" Kun said, his relief genuine.

  "I just overate, young man, not dead," Bob said, giving a quick, almost imperceptible wink to Mila.

  Lin’s expression softened with concern. "How are you feeling, Bob? You seemed... down when we left Ruhong."

  "I just had an upset stomach, dear," Bob said with a wave of his hand. "No issue here, hohoho."

  "Master..." Mila whispered, a stern, pained look on her face.

  Bob quickly changed the subject, turning his attention to the two runaways. "Enough about me. Has Mila told you the plan for when we hit Hanyuun?"

  "Yes," Lin said, though her eyes were still studying him with a worried gaze. "She said you have a connection there that will help us hide, despite the civil war."

  "Hohoho, she's right!" Bob said, his voice returning to its full, booming volume as he playfully ruffled both of their hair. "So don't you two worry about a thing. I'll take care of everything. We should be arriving very soon, in fact."

  A loud horn blew from the ship's bridge, its sound echoing across the open water.

  "Hanyuun, Biyuu Island, ahead!" the ship's captain called out. "All passengers, prepare to disembark!"

  "Speak of the devil," Bob said, his cheerful demeanor instantly replaced by the efficient focus of a caravan leader. He turned to his men, who were already beginning to stir. "You heard the captain! Prepare to disembark! Make sure all of our supplies are accounted for!"

  "Can we help, Bob?" Kun asked, stepping forward, his earlier seasickness now completely gone.

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  "Sure, I guess," Bob said, looking him up and down. "Seeing as you're no longer half-dead, and this lady has stopped putting her dagger to my throat every five minutes." He gestured to the cargo bay. "More hands are always welcomed."

  "Alright, let's go, Lin," Kun said, already heading toward the cargo bay.

  "Wait, why are you dragging me into this?" Lin grumbled, but she followed him anyway.

  Bob just smiled, watching them leave. The two of them... they did remind him of his own children. Now you notice too, right, Mila? he thought, his smile fading slightly as he turned to the mercenary.

  "Yes," Mila said softly, her own expression unreadable. "But at the same time... they are not them, Master."

  "I know," Bob sighed, the weight of the past few weeks finally settling on his shoulders. "I'm sorry... for the slap. And my moment of weakness."

  "You don't need to apologize to me for that, Master," Mila replied, her voice quiet but firm. "That moment... it still haunts us, it seems."

  "Healing," Bob said, his gaze distant as he looked out at the approaching island. "It seems to need a longer time than I thought."

  With a final, gentle rocking, the ship came to a stop. The gangway was lowered with a loud thud, connecting the steel deck to the sandy shore of Biyuu Island. The tropical breeze, warm and humid and smelling of salt and unknown flowers, washed over them. In the distance, tall, almost impossibly slender coconut trees swayed gently.

  Before anyone else could move, two figures darted down the gangway, their eyes wide with a childlike wonder.

  "It's so beautiful," Lin said, her boots crunching on the soft, white sand.

  "Yeah," Kun added, completely speechless as he took in the foreign scenery before them.

  A few moments later, the sound of heavy hooves and creaking carriage wheels followed as Bob drove the main wagon, pulled by the majestic Tama, down onto the beach.

  "So," Bob asked, a warm, knowing smile on his face. "You two have really never been anywhere outside of Ruhong?"

  "Nope. No money for me," Kun said, not taking his eyes off a strange, colorful bird that had just landed on a nearby branch.

  "For me, it was because I was too busy," Lin added, a wistful look in her silver eyes. "I'm actually jealous that you can just travel freely, Bob."

  "Hohoho, you get used to seeing different sceneries when you travel as much as I do, dear" he replied. "Come on, you two, hop on. We're going to your new place first."

  Both Lin and Kun nodded, quietly climbing into the back of the wagon where Mila was already sitting, her arms crossed. As the caravan began to move inland, the two of them couldn't help but be mesmerized by the sights all around them. Beaches that seemed to stretch endlessly, wrapping around the island in a ribbon of white and blue. Tall coconut trees that looked almost impossible to harvest. And the exotic, foreign animals: two-tailed monkeys that chattered from the high branches, small, purple-furred rabbits that hopped through the undergrowth, and even amphibious fish that flopped from small tide pools back into the sea.

  Everything just screamed new to the two sheltered runaways.

  Eventually, the caravan entered a small village nestled in the center of the island. A busy local market, filled with the scents of roasting fish and exotic fruits, immediately welcomed them.

  "Hey, look! It's Bob!" a young kid shouted, and soon, a small crowd of villagers began to gather around the caravan.

  "Bob! Thanks for the harvesting tip last time!" a man called out.

  "Bob, the oil you sold me worked wonders on my aching back," an elderly woman added with a grateful smile.

  With every step Tama took, more and more people came by to say something to the giant merchant.

  "Bob is certainly famous," Kun commented from inside the wagon.

  "Master... he knows everyone," Mila said with a resigned sigh.

  "Men, stay here at the market!" Bob barked an order. "I'm going on a quick detour!"

  As the sun began to set, the main carriage came to a stop in front of a small, well-kept wooden house at the edge of the village.

  "Alright, you two, here we are," Bob said, hopping down from the driver's seat.

  With that, the group stepped down from the carriage and walked to the front door. Bob knocked three times. A moment later, the door slid open to reveal a young, perky man with a proud black pompadour. He was shirtless, a white bandage wrapped tightly around his stomach, and he wore a pair of wide-legged, pleated red trousers tied at the waist with a simple rope. His eyes were sharp, and a thin pipe hung loosely from his lips, a small wisp of smoke curling into the air.

  "Huh? Who're you?" the young man said with a sneer, his face getting uncomfortably close to Bob's.

  "It's me, Bob," the merchant said, unfazed. "Elder Miyagi was supposed to meet me here."

  "Huh? Bob?" The young man squinted, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of small, round glasses, which he perched on his nose. "Oh! It really is you, Bob!" His entire demeanor changed, the sneer replaced by a casual, friendly grin. "Don't ya recognize me?"

  "Is that you, young Isao?" Bob asked, his own face breaking into a wide smile. He immediately pulled the younger man into a bone-crushing hug. "Where is your grandfather, young man?"

  Isao, gasping for air, patted Bob's back. "Sorry, Bob," he said, his voice strained. "Gramps... he passed away a few days ago. I came here as his replacement."

  Bob's smile vanished, replaced by a deep, genuine sadness. "I am so sorry, young Isao. I didn't know."

  "It's okay, Bob-jii," Isao said, his own voice a little quieter. "It was sudden." He looked past the giant merchant at the two figures standing behind him. "So, are these two...?"

  "Yes," Bob said, his voice regaining some of its usual warmth. "Oh, where are my manners. This is Kun, and this is Lin, or supposed to be. They will be the ones staying here." He gestured to them. "And you two, this is Miyagi Isao, the grandson of the village elder. He'll help you adapt to the lifestyle here. Hohoho."

  "Uh, nice to meet you," Kun said with a small, awkward bow.

  "Nice to meet you," Lin added, her own bow more formal.

  "Sup, I'm Miyagi Isao, acting elder of Kumatou village," he declared, his palm stretched out in front of him in a casual, open gesture. "If you two need anythin', feel free to ask."

  Lin and Kun just laughed awkwardly at the foreign gesture.

  “Wait, what do you mean, 'supposed to be,' Bob?” Lin asked.

  “Oh, that, it’s…” Bob tried to explain.

  "Let me handle this, Bob-jii," Isao said, interrupting before the merchant could speak. He turned to the two runaways, his expression turning a little more serious. "You two are criminals. Bob-jii told gramps everything. So, to not draw attention, I want ya to give up your current names and give me new ones." He handed them a small piece of paper and a charcoal pencil. "Anything ya want. Even if this village owes a lot to Bob-jii, hiding wanted fugitives is still a massive risk, ya know? So, you two will have new identities here. Just pick somethin' quick. I ain't got all day."

  "Do we really have to do this now?" Kun asked, looking at the small piece of paper in his hand.

  "Done," Lin said, having already scribbled something down and handed her paper back to Isao.

  "Wha—so quick?" Kun startled. "What did you write?"

  "You'll know later," Lin said with a teasing smirk. She then took Kun's paper and pencil from his hand, quickly wrote something on it, and handed it to Isao as well.

  "So I don't get to choose?" Kun asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and resignation.

  "Nope," Lin replied, her smirk widening.

  "These two are really quirky, huh, Bob-jii?" Isao said with a chuckle. "Well, as long as they don't attract trouble, I don't mind." He handed a simple wooden key to Lin. "Here's your house key. You'll get your new identification cards soon." And with that, he turned and quickly left, disappearing back into the village.

  "Well, that was weird," Kun said, still a little stunned.

  "Hohoho, the Miyagi family is always like that," Bob explained with a wink. "They run like the wind, can't stay still for a second. But he's a good kid. Try to get along with him, you two."

  "We'll try, but no promises," Kun replied.

  A quiet, full silence settled over the group then, the last of the day's light fading from the sky. "So, this is it, you two," Bob said as he exhaled, his voice a little softer now. "It's time I leave you to your new life." He paused, a hopeful look in his eyes. "Any chance you want to become a permanent member of my crew?"

  Lin and Kun just shook their heads. "Sorry, Bob," Lin said, her voice full of a genuine, heartfelt regret. "We already owe you so much. The house, the travel, the clothes..." She glanced at their luggage. "And the pocket money. Oh, I know you slipped some in our bags."

  "Lin's right, Bob," Kun added, his own voice just as sincere. "You've already given us so much, even though we've barely known each other. We can't possibly ask you to risk your entire caravan with two wanted criminals on board. I still don't even know why you did all this for us."

  "Oh, kids," Bob said, his voice a low, gentle rumble. "I just wanted you two to be safe. That's all." He looked at them, his eyes full of a deep, paternal warmth. "And if you don't want to join, I guess I can't force you."

  Without a second thought, Lin and Kun stepped forward and wrapped their arms around the giant merchant. "Thanks, Bob," they said in unison. "For everything. Truly."

  Bob's cheerful facade finally broke. He let out a loud, ugly, unconditioned cry as he hugged them back, his massive arms squeezing them with a force that made their bones creak.

  "Master, no, don't—" Mila tried to stop him, but it was too late.

  "Ow, ow, ow," Kun gasped, his face turning a pale shade of blue.

  "Can't... breathe," Lin wheezed.

  Bob was still crying, his tears soaking their shoulders. "Oh, sorry about that," he sobbed. "Sometimes I can't contain my strength when I'm happy."

  He lunged forward for another hug, and in his emotional state, he unknowingly scooped up Mila who was standing nearby, wrapping his massive arms around all three of them.

  Some moments later, after Bob had finally calmed down, the four of them stood in the quiet twilight. "Lin, is he perhaps a Lord?" Kun whispered, his back aching.

  "Perhaps," she whispered back. "Especially with that strength. I think my spine is now permanently curved."

  "Well, sorry about that, kids," Bob said, wiping a tear from his eye. "Don't know what came over me. It's just been so long since I was hugged like that... like family."

  "No issues, Bob, hehe," Kun laughed awkwardly, making a mental note that Bob was, in fact, absurdly strong.

  On the side, Mila gently patted Lin's head. "Take care of yourself, Lin," she said, her voice surprisingly soft.

  "You called me Lin," she replied, a small, surprised smile on her face. "That's unusual. But I'll take it. Thank you, Mila, for everything." The two shared one last, quick hug.

  Mila and Bob began to walk back toward the market, leaving the two runaways to open the door to their new house. But then, Kun reacted to something.

  "Wait, Bob!" he shouted. "How come we didn't see any Jinlun guards on the way here? Was that you, too?"

  Bob just smiled, not even turning around. "Let's just say a wild goose is a very confused animal, young man. Enjoy your new life. We'll see each other again someday." And with that, a wave, and he disappeared into the growing darkness of the village.

  Kun just smiled. "Thank you, Bob," he whispered. "Thank you so much."

  The two runaways entered the small, simple house. They walked to the bedroom, sat down on the lone, clean bed, and without another word, fell into a deep, exhausted sleep. A new roof. A new life.