Fujihara Akahana
(Sin Louise)
MY arms were wrapped around my knees as I'm on the floor of this vintage looking room that looks like it's from a vintage movie. I'm just sitting on the ground, not minding the coldness of the wooden floor. I'm looking directly at myself, eye to eye, in front of a body sized mirror that's attached to this vintage cabinet that is full of vintage clothing I don't even like.
So this would be my life now? No hell or heaven, just living yet again.
I'm scrutinizing the woman in front of me, the body that I have. From those hours that I spent looking at this woman, I still cannot grasp that what I'm seeing is the current being of my existence. It's very far from my actual features and I felt like I have lost myself entirely.
" So you're that old man's daughter, I see." I talked to 'my' reflection and scoffed. I glanced at the mirror once again, unsure on how to love this reflection as much as I loved the reflection of my original face.
I stood up and this is the first time that I don't have anything to do in mind. I looked around the room and started to open each cabinet to search for money or gold, any relevant possessions. But all that is in this room is either books, notebooks, Japanese things and those vintage things that I don't even know how to use.
I looked down on my body as I'm wearing this white kimono robe that the peasants handed to me. I grabbed the clothes I'm wearing last night and sighed.
Why is she wearing these clothes?
I opened the cabinet once again and ransacked the whole thing, searching for any clothes that could fit me. I decided to open the bottom part of the cabinet's drawer and there I saw this box with Japanese patterns. I removed the cover by kicking it and I saw a western looking clothes that appeared to be kept hidden.
" Looks like someone's doing dirty things." I commented and checked the clothes. I nodded and closed the box and decided to get out of the room.
I looked around and the dark atmosphere of this vintage house is getting into me. There's no air conditioner but the surroundings are surprisingly cold. It was only lit up by those lamps hanging on the wall and that huge chandelier in the middle that served as the main source of light. The floor and stairs are covered with this Victorian styled carpet and the walls were just dark woods with paintings.
" Reminds me of those vintage hotels in Germany" I commented and decided to search for Fujihara. As I'm walking around, I noticed that the peasants in his house were now active, doing their chores while there were men in uniform roaming around the house in their respective areas.
I ignored their weird glances and decided to wander around the staircase that's connected to the first floor. There's long windows and I blinked for a while to make sure that what I'm seeing outside was not an illusion. I tilted my head to recall a memory of that one day trip in Japan.
" Meiji Mura?" I asked myself, recalling Detlev's long explanation on why we should stay in that place and just book hotels instead of being exposed in Nishihara.
I decided to disregard my observation and continued to search for Fujihara. I reached the first floor and there's this huge door that's near to the main entrance. I decided to open it and the sight of a Victorian kitchen welcomed me.
I spotted Fujihara, sitting at the main chair while talking to someone. I decided to enter the kitchen and my eyes went to that man sitting at the chair on the left. My eyebrows furrowed for a while as I'm trying to recognize the man.
Yeah, that Japanese Tanimura soldier last night.
They're talking in Japanese, seemingly discussing some military matters, especially that both were in uniform. As I walked further, both of them glanced at me and Fujihara's face turned into a grimace.
" What?" I raised my eyebrows. I ignored the odd change of their serious conversation and decided to be straight to the point. " Tell me if you're done discussing with him, we have more to discuss. Also, give me some money."
Fujihara's face went blank while intently looking at me. He huffed before glancing at the side. " Cover yourself, Akahana." He firmly ordered, which made me look down on my body. I'm not even naked, I'm all robed!
" What should I cover, my ankles?" I asked sarcastically, making him sigh out of irritance. He gestured for me to get out using his hands, making me more confused but he kept on gesturing his hands while giving me that glare.
I scoffed and glanced at the Tanimura guy he's talking to. He has sharp features and he's wearing the same uniform. I scrutinized him for a while, wondering why he's sitting firmly and his eyes were on the side as if he's a robot. He's not even moving.
I observed them for a while and the silence was getting awkward.
Right, I don't even know where I am, what are these two talking about, and who the heck I am.
I turned around and got out of the kitchen. I gave these maids my 'what?' look when they all gave me those awkward, bothered glances.
I crossed my arms and decided to just wait outside the kitchen, my feet repeatedly fidgeting while waiting for their discussion to end. I'm overall irritated and I immediately gazed at the kitchen's door when it finally opened. The Tanimura guy got out with his service cap in the middle of his arms and body.
He glanced at me and it looks like he's trying to see right through me because of the incident last night. His expression didn't change and he ignored me by proceeding to walk out of the house. I observed the way he's walking and how his walk alone signified he's a high-ranked one.
" People in power." I commented while watching him exit the house. " Still the same self-assertion."
I looked at the floor as there's this silent hint in my intuition.
That guy is not just a military soldier or what, I know there's more.
I nodded at myself because of that thought. For years of doing what I'm doing, let's just say I gained the skill to decipher if a person is a prey or a predator. That guy out there is more than a predator.
The door opened again and Fujihara immediately gave me a side glance before walking upstairs. I followed him while my head was turned as I'm still looking at the door where that guy left. That presence is not a normal one, something is really sinister about him.
I know how to sniff the f*ck out of people.
I focused on Fujihara, still thinking about the questions I wanted to ask. As we reached the second floor, he turned to the left, walking towards the room at the very end of the dark hall. He opened the door and I followed him. I peaked at the room first and it looked like it's an office. There's this Japanese flag hanging on the wall and that dark wooden desk in front of it.
He sat at the black wooden chair and leaned his elbow on the table before intertwining his fingers. I crossed my arms and walked towards him. I stopped in front of his desk and looked down on him.
" So what am I supposed to do?" I asked. He opened the drawer of the desk to get that folder and placed it in front of me.
" That's the details of my daughter. Keep the information in mind and play the role. Never let anyone question your identity and don't act like how you acted earlier." He firmly instructed me so I opened the folder.
His blank look became much more serious as he's observing me. " If you continue to speak in English or other languages, you'll get yourself killed. German is acceptable, but never speak other languages."
" I never heard that speaking in English could get a person killed, English is the main language all around the world." I responded sarcastically while reading what's in the folder. The other texts are in Japanese so I'm just flipping through the pages.
" You have all that time to find out where you are and in which timeline." He commented so I raised my eyebrow.
" Let's just say, I spent my time looking at myself instead of looking for information. It's more efficient to just ask you." I returned my gaze to him, feigning a slight smirk despite my desperation for instructions.
He grabbed the small calendar on his desk and flipped it to show me what's in front. It's all in Japanese so I decided to look at it closer. It's all written in Kanji but there's furigana at the top. I decided to read the characters written in Hiragana and somehow understood some of it since it's just the basics.
" So it's December?" I asked while still looking at the calendar. I glanced at him and returned my gaze at the calendar when he nodded. I glanced at the numerical equivalent of the year and my smirk faded while looking at the calendar.
" December…1944." I've read what's written. I glanced at him with widened eyes , not wanting to accept what I just saw. " So you're telling me, I'm in Japan and there's world war two?"
He nodded so I tossed the calendar to the side and touched my jaw out of disbelief! " There's these nuclear bombs sent to Japan in world war two right? So that's my punishment? To get nuked!?"
He did not gave a response that I combed my hair using my fingers and paced in front of him, thinking about the implications I'm about to face. I glanced at him again, now willing to negotiate.
" Can I just f*cking switch bodies because you know that America will win! You see, I know this is a punishment but—"
" The Imperial Japanese Army will kill you first before you can even get a taste of nuclear weapons." He cut me off with that firm statement. " You have to remember that my daughter is a rebel, and the best thing you can do is to avoid that man earlier so you'll be able to follow your role instead of being hanged as a traitor. At the moment, they have no concrete evidence that you're a rebel Journalist so find a way to learn what you have to do and cut out all evidences." He firmly stated before standing up. He grabbed something from the drawer and dropped it on top of the desk.
" Do what you have to do in order to get in touch with reality, but do not engage with other people, especially those in uniform." He glared at me. " You can get yourself killed but it won't matter, there will always be a replacement. I suggest that you sustain yourself to keep the life that you have."
He walked away and before he could even reach the door, I followed him, feeling irritated with his commanding attitude as if he's not a mere museum owner in the present.
" Hey, old man, I'm not done yet." I smirked at him before blocking the door with both my hands behind me. " So it's either I'll get nuked or hanged?"
" You can get shot if you speak like that." He responded which made me lose my temper even more.
He grabbed my shoulders and moved me aside. He gave me a side glance before snapping my forehead!
" What you have to do at the moment is to learn and adjust. Don't get in trouble and do what you want as long as you'll learn. You're my daughter and that's your identity in this timeline." His last instruction before leaving the room. I remained where I am, dumbfounded by everything.
I turned my head to look at the object he dropped on his desk and realized it's a red cloth with money inside. I have no choice but to get the money and sniff it to forget about my confusion and frustration.
Right…It's up to me if I'll keep this life or let someone else replace this role for me.
Whatever's happening is just what it was, I don't have to question it. I just need to do what I am told, or leave this place and own this life.
I stared at the Japanese flag while lost in my thoughts.
This is my punishment and letting it go means I'm just setting myself to much worse punishment. So I might as well go with the flow and allow things to happen.
After all, I already died. This is just redemption.
I looked at the money and nodded my head.
" It will pass." I whispered to myself. I glanced at the drawer behind the chair of the desk and saw a Katana stand on top of it. I grabbed the katana before leaving the room.