After Sandy and the others returned from the forest's water source, Robin finally came back to her senses from that moment of fear.
Only then did she realize—when had her hand become intertwined with Sandy's?
She turned her head slightly to steal a glance at him, and their eyes met. Robin's heart skipped a beat, her face flushed, and she quickly looked away.
That unfamiliar feeling in her chest—she hadn't felt anything like it in more than twenty years of running from the World Government.
Sandy also noticed her flustered expression. What's with that look? he thought. Did she just get... an electric shock?
No way.
An awkward silence spread between them, the kind of silence that buzzed faintly with unspoken tension.
But of course, Chopper, still clutching the water bucket, chose that exact moment to break the mood. "Sandy! Should we bring this water back to the ship?"
That voice shattered the peace of the evening—and the fragile connection between Sandy and Robin.
Robin quickly and quietly slipped her hand out of his, stepping a little farther away.
As her faint, sweet scent drifted away, Sandy's expression darkened.
"Ahem." He cleared his throat and grumbled, "If we don't put it on the ship, should we just leave it here for the sun to dry up?"
"Hehehe..." Robin saw his frustration, rolled her eyes, and smiled playfully. "Let's go back together, Doctor Chopper."
"D-Doctor... Chopper?"
Chopper froze like lightning had struck him. His pupils shrank. "Say that again!"
Robin blinked, confused. "Doctor Chopper?"
Chopper's eyes sparkled. "One more time, please! Just the last part!"
"Doctor Chopper?" Robin repeated gently.
Chopper's heart practically exploded. He flung his arms to the sides dramatically, his voice trembling, "Y-you idiot, Robin! Even if you say that about me, I won't be happy! You idiot!"
He tossed the water bucket into the air mid-performance—thankfully, Sandy caught it before it could spill.
Looking at Chopper's over-the-top reaction, Sandy had to fight the urge to take off his slipper and smack some sense into him.
This troublemaker!! So damn annoying!!
One bucket of water wasn't nearly enough. After Sandy placed it on the ship, Robin asked, "Is that going to be enough?"
Sandy chuckled. "Did you forget what kind of ability user I am? I already stored enough fresh water earlier."
"Oh, that's good then."
Robin returned to her chair and resumed reading.
Sandy groaned. "Seriously, Robin? You're still reading? Look at that beach! The sand's shining gold under the sunlight—how can you ignore that?"
Robin glanced up, and even Chopper noticed it now. The golden light over the waves was stunning.
Chopper immediately jumped off the ship, laughing as he rolled happily in the sand.
"Hehehe... Chopper is so cute," Robin said softly.
Sandy muttered, "He's cute, my ass."
Robin just smiled faintly. She understood exactly what he meant—but for once, she didn't know how to respond.
A moment later, Sandy stepped closer to her. Robin's body instantly stiffened.
"S-Sandy, you..." she began, her voice trembling slightly.
Without a word, Sandy slipped his arms gently around her waist from behind. "There's so much beauty in life," he whispered near her ear. "Maybe it's time you start living differently."
Robin's eyes softened.
After a pause, she murmured, "Sandy... before, my life was nothing but running. Every day, I had to watch my back, just to survive. I never imagined I'd get to live like this."
Sandy smiled and held her hand tighter. "Back in my hometown, a sage once said: Life is like a fleeting shadow—it passes in an instant. If that's true, then we should live doing what we want. Everything else is just noise."
Robin shook her head. "You don't understand the power of the World Government..."
Sandy interrupted her calmly. "When we set sail as pirates, we already became their enemies. If the World Government is really that powerful, why haven't they caught you yet? I'm telling you, those who chase dreams must keep moving forward—no matter what."
Robin didn't respond, but her lips curved slightly.
Later, the two joined Chopper on the beach.
Compared to before, Robin's face was brighter, her smile lighter—no longer weighed down by that quiet sorrow that always surrounded her.
"Hehehe! Cien Fleur—Seis Fleur!" Robin laughed playfully, sprouting six arms from the ground and pinning Sandy's limbs. "Sandy, do you admit your mistake?"
Sandy, trapped, didn't reply. Instead, he raised an eyebrow and grinned. Tch tch tch... 36F?
Seeing his teasing expression, Robin's face went crimson—but before she could retort, a loud rustle came from the forest. She instantly composed herself, expression calm once more.
Sandy blinked in awe. Women really are born actors. They can switch moods faster than a lightning bolt.
From the forest exit, a familiar irritated voice echoed: "What the hell is wrong with this forest?! It's like a damn maze! Why can't I find the way out?!"
It was Zoro.
They watched as he confidently walked in one direction—only to turn ninety degrees and head straight back into the woods.
Sandy sighed. "Unbelievable. The Straw Hat Pirates really are full of geniuses."
Chopper tilted his head. "Sandy, what's Zoro doing?"
"With a face full of black lines," Sandy muttered, "Ever since Little Garden, his sense of direction's been getting worse. You're a doctor, right? Can this disease be cured?"
"Zoro! Where the hell are you going?!" Sandy shouted.
Hearing his voice, Zoro finally turned the right way and emerged from the forest.
"How about it?" Zoro grinned proudly. "I brought back plenty of fruit!"
He dropped a massive pile of fruit in front of Sandy.
Sandy smirked. "You're really something, Lord of Lost Directions."
Moments later, Zoro lunged at him, and the two started chasing each other across the beach.
By the time the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates returned from the forest, night had fallen.
At the bonfire, Nami crossed her arms and glared at Luffy and Usopp. "What did you two do all afternoon? I told you to collect ingredients, and you came back empty-handed!"
Luffy opened his mouth to explain, but Sandy spoke first. "You asked Luffy to collect ingredients? Whether raw or cooked, he probably ate everything along the way."
"Oi!" Luffy pouted. "Don't talk nonsense! I didn't eat everything..."
Judging by his expression, everyone knew he absolutely had.
Usopp, desperate to save face, jumped in. "You guys don't understand! I experienced the Great Usopp Adventure in the forest! There was a monster the size of a mountain—"
No one even blinked.
Nami sighed and turned to Zoro. "At least you're reliable. You brought enough fruit for us to last several days!"
Sanji immediately perked up. "Nami-swan~! I can do it too!"
Zoro smirked proudly—until Nami smiled sweetly and said, "Then, Zoro, I'll trouble you to collect even more tomorrow, okay?"
"Pfft—!" Zoro spat out his drink. Is Nami a devil?!
Before he could argue, Nami stuck out her tongue playfully. "I'm kidding."
Zoro blinked, unsure whether to laugh or cry. Had he just been played?
For a moment, his face turned red from embarrassment...
(Don't ask—the story's still ongoing!)
…
Author's Note:
The fanfic One Piece: My Flirtatious System Adventure is first half completed.
The entire story has been uploaded on Patreon as a dedicated collection:
📚 One Piece (Chapters 1–362)
The second half will be released in 10–15 days, which means the fully completed fanfic will soon be available to read—so join Patreon now!
Carefully organized into multiple posts, with several chapters per post for smooth and easy binge reading.
🔗 patreon.com/Shadow_demon_007
Thank you all for your continuous support and love for this journey 💙