Yasopp turned toward Banchina, jabbing a thumb at himself.
"Branchina, do I really not look like a master marksman?"
But Banchina frowned, waving both hands rapidly.
"Wait, wait, wait. I'm confused, what exactly is happening here?"
Shanks crossed his arms. "Branchina-chan, You're Yasopp's wife?"
Banchina nodded. "Yes, I am."
Sterling squinted at her, eyebrows lifting. "No way. There's no way this guy managed to marry someone as beautiful as you."
"Oi!" Yasopp barked. "Don't say stuff like that in front of me so brazenly!"
Banchina chuckled softly. "Thank you for the compliment." She then continued, "I don't like the idea of us talking from so far away. Why don't you three come to the village so we can talk properly?"
Shanks brightened instantly. "That's a great idea. And I'm pretty hungry as well. I hope there's a good restaurant here."
Banchina smiled warmly. "There's no need to go eat at a restaurant you know. I've just finished cooking. Maybe you'd like to eat with us?"
Yasopp snapped his head toward her. "You're done!? Why didn't you tell me!?"
A vein popped on Banchina's forehead.
"Why do you think I came up here in the first place!?"
Yasopp scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Right… of course."
Shanks leaned closer, pointing at Sterling with his thumb. "Branchina-chan, trust me, I'd love nothing more than to have lunch with you two. But are you sure there's enough? My friend here is quite the eater."
Sterling's eye twitched. "Oi, Shanks! Stop trying to make it sound like I'm some devourer of the seas!"
Shanks shrugged. "Well, that's because you are."
Banchina chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm sure there's more than enough."
Shanks grinned. "Well then, we won't be kind."
They then proceeded to dock the boat and climbed the north slope, eventually reaching the edge of the small village where Yasopp and Banchina waited.
The moment Sterling set foot on the island, Yasopp walked straight up to him with the smuggest smile imaginable. He looked him up and down dramatically and said:
"You're quite short for a big mouth."
Sterling's eye twitched. "Don't let being just an inch taller than me make you overconfident."
Yasopp waved dismissively. "It doesn't matter if it's an inch, half an inch, or less than half an inch. You're short."
Sterling exploded. "I'm not! I'm perfectly above average in terms of height!"
Banchina slapped her hands onto her hips. "Yasopp! Don't be rude to the guests!"
"But Branchina, they started it!" Yasopp protested.
"It doesn't matter who started it. They are guests. Show some hospitality."
Shanks stretched his arms behind his head. "I don't care about their little scuffle, I'm hungry and I want me some food."
And he immediately sprinted toward the village.
Yasopp shouted after him, "You don't even know where my house is!"
"I'll figure it out!" Shanks yelled without slowing down.
Sterling cursed and bolted after him. "Shit! If Shanks gets there first he'll finish everything!"
Yasopp threw his arms in the air. "You two don't know where my house is! Where exactly are you planning to go!?"
He dashed after them.
Only two people remained standing at the shore: Benn Beckman and Banchina.
Banchina sighed, brushing hair from her face.
"You must be the normal one of the two."
Benn chuckled. "I don't know what 'normal' would mean in that context."
Banchina laughed. "You must have a hard time keeping them in check."
Benn smirked. "You must have a hard time keeping your husband in check as well."
Banchina crossed her arms with a tired smile.
"You have no idea."
And the two walked leisurely toward the house, calm in contrast to the chaos ahead of them.
---
Back at Yasopp and Branchina's house, the aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air. Four men were seated around the dining table, plates in front of them. Three of those men were currently testing Branchina's patience to the absolute limit.
Shanks, Sterling, and Yasopp were banging their utensils against the table in unison, chanting with gleeful enthusiasm:
"We want food! We want food! We want food!"
Their faces were lit with the biggest, most infectious smiles, as if this childish display was the most fun they had ever had in their lives.
Benn Beckman, on the other hand, remained completely composed. He simply watched, a small, knowing smile playing at the corner of his lips.
Branchina, visibly irritated, stomped over and slammed down a steaming pot of freshly prepared food onto the table. The clang made all three men jump and choke in fear.
"Branchina-chan, are you okay?" Sterling asked nervously, his eyes wide.
Branchina fixed them with a deadly stare, voice sharp as a blade.
"I swear to God," she said, "if I hear that dumb chant one more time, I'll wring all your necks and hang them on the drying line."
Her expression left no doubt: she was not joking.
All three swallowed hard. Shanks tried to soften the tension, his hands raised defensively.
"Branchina-chan, don't suddenly say such scary things with that face! People might think you actually mean it."
Branchina's eyes narrowed. "Does it look like I'm joking?"
Shanks and Sterling glanced at Yasopp for confirmation. He merely sighed, his calm demeanor a quiet warning.
"We should probably stop," he said.
Tactically, Shanks and Sterling obeyed, realizing Yasopp clearly understood Branchina better than they ever could. They decided not to anger her further.
When Branchina saw them sitting like obedient little boys, silence enveloping them, she allowed herself a small smile.
"Ah, silence," she murmured, glancing at Benn Beckman. "Don't you just love it?"
Benn chuckled lightly. "Indeed. Noise twenty-four hours a day can drive a person mad."
Shanks, Sterling, and Yasopp all stared at him in mock betrayal.
Branchina shook her head and began dishing the food, starting with Sterling at the far end of the table. By the time she reached Benn Beckman, Sterling suddenly shouted:
"I'm done! Seconds, please!"
Branchina froze, eyes wide. Both she and Yasopp stared at him as if he were some strange alien.
"There's no way," Branchina whispered under her breath.
Shanks sighed. "I told you, Branchina-chan, but you didn't listen."
Sterling tilted his head, confused. "What? I don't understand."
Yasopp leaned forward slightly. "Sterling, you can't tell me you don't see the problem here."
Sterling blinked. "I… I don't. I'm confused."
Branchina exhaled, shaking her head. "Don't mind it. It's a good thing I made enough."
She returned to Sterling's plate, piling a larger portion this time.
"Oh, and by the way," she added casually, "you guys came here looking specifically for Yasopp. Is there a reason why?"
Shanks, in the middle of taking a bite, paused and swallowed.
"It's because I want to recruit him into my crew," he said calmly.
Both Branchina and Yasopp froze, eyes widening in simultaneous shock.
"Huh!?" they exclaimed, in perfect unison.