บท 85: Reroute to Saka

"You're happy this morning." Tyne gave a different answer.

Kei was unable to hide his 'I got lucky' grin.

"Those two women gave you a night to remember, huh?" He chuckled.

"They were gifted beauties." Kei sighed dreamily.

"Are you sure they were women?" Sean tested for Kei's reaction and laughed when the man predictably delivered with his usual ranting.

Eiji felt relieved that they were reacting normally, and Tyne had placed his foot down on interacting further with those families.

Tama gave him a light rub on his elbow as she pawed Sean's lap and snuggled down to sleep.

Sean's face lapsed into a goofy grin at being in the back seat to pet the cat to sleep. When his head was bowed low and tilted to one side, Eiji saw many kiss marks all over and trailing down his neck.

"Hey, um, thanks for back there when Ricky was flirting with me," he whispered to Sean out of Kei's earshot.

"Nah. I wanted to relieve a load, and he was a willing participant. That's all there was too it." Sean nonchalantly brushed off.

"But I don't think I could've turned down his invitation without causing problems." Eiji sighed.

Sean understood what troubled Eiji's mind. He'd never tell him that was the reason he had jumped in. It wouldn't be fair on him.

The car became stuffy. Winding the window down had only let in more hot air.

Eiji removed his jacket. In doing so, felt the stiff crisp paper in his breast pocket. Ohno-sensei's letter. He wondered how far away his wife's address was.

He pulled it out and studied the address on the envelope with a frown.

"Hey, Kei, do you know where Saka village is in Koyaura?"

Kei frowned. "Why?"

"Is it in the region?" Eiji persisted.

"Koyaura is. I think. New place a few hundred miles out from where your folks are." Kei groaned with smirk. "Don't think you want to go there."

"Why?"

"By my memory of the bus depot maps. There's a military training base nearby."

"What's in Saka?" Tyne asked, with his head skewed around the front passenger seat.

"Ohno-sensei's wife. I have his letter for her." Eiji soberly answered.

Tyne frowned, perplexed.

"He was my school teacher and also a fellow prisoner back at Iwo Jima." Eiji further explained.

Tyne's frown eased with understanding.

"Okay." He nodded. "Kei, is it possible to reach that place?"

Kei grumbled and groaned. He checked the upcoming road sign almost hanging off its post. Taking a guess and, going by the photogenic memory of the map in his head, he eventually turned the car off the first pike towards roads that led to the coast and the Koyaura region.

It was evening by the time they had managed to find the village after a few stops and checks with passing locals. Fortunately, no one was hot on their trail or paying them particular attention. In fact, the area seemed a bit lax with patrols and security. Maybe it was because of its proximity to the training bases.

The thing that did draw attention was Kei's car. It kicked up sand and dirt to draw a stop near the bus depot. A few elderly locals whispered conclusions to each other, but no one was interested enough to approach the men ambling out of the car.

Tyne frowned at the sickly sight of some of the kids and elderly walking down the streets or working in the small dirt fields.

At the end of the road, towards the shore, was a modern tin warehouse building that had food crates stacked up high against its walls with the imperial military seal stamped on it. A lot of locals were moving in and out of the building to pack and carry out food goods that were army rations.

"I doubt the workers get much cut of the food." Sean soberly commented, based on the gaunt sight of the locals.

They made their way to the bus depot building to seek directions to the address on the letter. An elderly man collapsed to the road not far from them.

Sean and Tyne rushed to the scene to examine his condition. He was feverish with shortness in his breath and eyes glossing over. They suspected heart failure aided by the sweltering onset heat. It was aggravating his condition.

"Sir. We're going to loosen some of your clothing and carry you to shade," Tyne said to the man in his German accent.

Tyne lifted the man, who was light as a child, and carried him to the shade of two tall evergreen trees near the depot.

Eiji was able to procure some water from within the customer service counter of the depot.

"Otōsan!" A flustered woman rushed up to the wiry old man, who was breathing a lot better thanks to the treatment he was receiving.

The woman was slender and pretty with her hair in a bun and simplistic flowers on her drab grey and green kimono. She carried a distinct mole on the upper-right side of her lip.

Eiji frowned trying to recall where he had seen her before. He decided to take an educated guess.

"Ohno-san?"

The woman was taken aback by the stranger's use her name.

"I'm Takaki, Eiji. Your husband was my middle school teacher." Eiji bowed politely before her.

She paused, trying to think back. Her expression of shock cleared to one of knowing and surprise.

"Oh my! Let me look at you." She appraised Eiji. "So you are."

"Mizuki. What happened?" The elderly man whispered with a coarse voice.

"You passed out, again. These men helped you."

Mizuki offered the men tea back at her home, which wasn't far from the depot.

Tyne and Sean assisted her father back to the house.