To My Sunflower - Chapter 106

Sean and Tyne instinctively assumed their roles as doctors. Eiji followed their orders and watched the men tend to the fallen like machines.

He learned of the little girl’s name. She called herself Himari.

“Papa. You gave me that name silly.” She had said with a huff.

Eiji had responded with a weak smile and gentle pat on her head to soothe her pout.  He asked around the shrine for her true identity, but no one knew who she was. The priest had suspected that she was a visitor to the city.

“She’s probably an orphan now.” He had concluded of the girl’s demise with a weary sigh. “They’ll be lots more orphans now.”

So Eiji decided he’d continue to be her father for the time being. Fortunately, the girl found some normality through Tama’s company.  He was glad to see that Himari was good at making friends with other kids. She and Tama found themselves being entertainment for the visiting children.

Tyne and Sean constantly worked day and night. Patching up wounds the best they could with what they had.

They were given a private room at the shrine to share.  Their compensation for their tireless work.

Where one of the shrine’s problem was being addressed with wounded getting medical aid. Another wasn’t. Food was almost non existent. A lot of people’s conditions were taking a longer time for recover due to lack of sustenance and proper medical facilities.

Fortunately, Sean and Tyne were experienced in treating patients with a lot less. They were able to triage conditions for the highest recovery rate possible and readjust their practices to suit the environment.

Eiji’s mind lingered on another problem. Sean’s arm. The man was still fighting a mild fever. He had stepped into the doctor role under Sean’s instructions, but he was no match for the man’s skill and experience.

One night, Sean declared he couldn’t cope with the burning pain anymore.  No matter what he did to treat his arm, it kept burning like it did on the first day.

“I have to cut it off.”

“Are you sure?” Eiji asked as he stared at the open wounds on Sean’s forearm.

His own eyes gave him the answer. The arm’s skin was red-raw, blackened and oozing with pus. The imprint of his shirt was still showing on the surface of what was left of his skin.

“It’s going gangrene. We’ll most definitely need to amputate.” Tyne sighed.

“Do it.” Sean looked to Tyne with weepy eyes. His face was pasty and skin clammy with fever. “This piece of arm that couldn’t save Kei. I want it gone.”

His voice was drifting. Tyne checked his eyes for dilation.

“We don’t have much time.”

Eiji followed Tyne’s instructions for their makeshift operation on Sean’s arm. Working tirelessly throughout the night.

In the morning, Sean was able to recover some of his strength whilst functioning with one and half of an arm.

He ignored Tyne’s order to rest another day before returning to work. Eiji compensated for Sean’s lack as they continued to work to heal others. Sean was able to cope with some medicine that was purchased at black market prices. Tyne held on to the medicine to ensure Sean didn’t overdose.

A week had passed with their new routine. Sean was able to cope with his wound without regular medication. His amputated arm was still weepy with pus. So he kept it wrapped, unable to replace the bandages due to the shortage they had. The most he could do was keep the dressing dry.

On one of their routine days, they were confronted by a familiar face in an Imperial officer’s suit. He stood before Eiji who was attending to wounded on the tatami mats of the shrine’s large community building.

“So this is where the good doctor’s end up.”

Eiji faced the man that had killed Ren in cold blood. The American spy.

“What do you want?” Eiji almost spat his question to the man’s polished boots.

The man observed him for sometime. He glanced around the makeshift medical clinic that was reminiscent of a battle field infirmary.

“Good doctors. You’re wanted for duty.” The man called out across the room to get Tyne and Sean’s attention.

The room fell quiet. All eyes were on the Imperial officer.  Tyne closed his eyes to still his will. He finished bandaging the boy he had be attending. Then rose to face the officer.

“Can we step outside?” He calmly asked and received a nod of approval.

Tyne gave a look to Sean who was already headed towards them. Eiji rose to do the same but was ordered to stay by the officer.

“Not you.”

Eiji watched as the American’s made their exit.

“The Imperial Army wants the doctors?” The shrine’s priest came up to him.

“So it seems. A lot of soldiers might be wounded,” he said.

The priest nodded. Eiji resumed his duties, tending to wounds in place of the doctors with his best ability.

An hour had past when the officer left.  Tyne called Eiji and Sean back to their room, so they could have a private talk. Eiji listened with mixed feelings at Tyne’s decided course of action.

“The spy is going to set up a radio communication with the major.” Tyne shared his order to Eiji. “He wasn’t sure, but he has a strong reason to think another bomb might drop. Regardless of reasons, we need to be present.”

“You’re going to follow orders like a good solider.” Sean vehemently swallowed his spit at the thought.

“Like we have a choice. We’re US Marine’s, Sean.” Tyne reminded his peer.

“Corpsmen. Tyne.” Sean corrected his comrade. “Our job is to help people.”

“Wrong. Our job is to help US Marine soldiers, and follow the orders of our superiors.” Tyne answered back with a fact.

Sean gasped, exasperated. “Even if it meant another f’cking bomb on a civilian city? Cause that’s what we did here Tyne! WE DROPPED A FUCKING BOMB!”

Tears spilled from his eyes. “Kei’s dead. So many civilians, dead. Why? So we could win a war?”

“We still don’t know that. And we certainly don’t know if another bomb is going to drop. That spy could’ve heard wrong.”

“Bullshit, Tyne. You know in your heart, that somehow, we’re responsible. It’s just like us to do a second round for effect.”

“What are you going to do? You’re still soldiers for your country.” Eiji calmly entered the conversation with his question and fact.

“What’s there to do? We play the good solider and follow orders.” Sean come to his conclusion despite his detest for it.

Tyne’s next piece of information caused Eiji and Sean to go quiet.

“Eiji. According to our spy friend, my superiors plan to hand you over to your government as a double agent. They’ll deny all fact that you were from Iwo Jima and under POW protection.”

Eiji’s heart skipped a beat. His mind went blank. After all that he had gone through.

“They’ll make Eiji a scapegoat for Hiroshima.” Sean felt his anger swell within his heart.

“More or less. Our good spy was able to warn us of this much.”

“I won’t allow that.” Sean snapped. “I won’t!”

“No. You’ll obey your orders like a good soldier.” Tyne answered back.

Sean flew into livid rant. “No, I won’t! Tyne. Our actions took my f’cking arm! It took Kei…”

“WE’RE AT WAR! YOU’LL FOLLOW YOUR ORDERS!” Tyne snapped back. “Everyone dies eventually.”

Sean and Tyne held each other’s gaze in a stand off. Sean was the one to back down first.

“I want to find Ray. I have to find him.”

“You don’t think I don’t want to find Hinata?” Tyne’s voice was suddenly weak with tears. “To know if she was here. I can’t bear if she was… If I…”

“You didn’t kill her.” Eiji coolly stated “You’re both following orders. Take comfort in that.”

“I can’t. Kei’s dead. I can’t.” Sean’s voice quivered. “This is f’cked up.”

“Listen, Sean. We have one shot at making sure Eiji doesn’t suffer without facing a court martial. Another order and favor from our spy friend.”

He laid out his plan. Tyne and Eiji would head out that night to locate an informant for their new orders near Nagasaki.  Sean had to return to their spy friend for his call with the major.

They gathered Himari and Tama, and snuck out of their room whilst all others were sleeping. Eiji carried a sleeping Himari swaddled in a blanket. Tyne held Tama in her basket bag, who had her head poking out with curiosity.

They had crept across the courtyard when Tama mewed at the sight of a rat scampering across their path. Her crying woke Himari who made some noise in response.

“Who’s there?” They heard a man call out from within the shrine.

Eiji’s heart raced with panic as he ran out of the shrine area in a blind run with Tyne and Sean sprinting behind him.

They kept running towards the darker paths away from the city center, and in the direction of where they had parked the Blended Beauty.

By the luck, they had eventually found the car as the sun was breaking through the sky. By then Himari was wide awake and content to be carried in Eiji’s arms.

Eiji unlocked the door and made sure Himari and Tama were comfortable in the back seat.

“Don’t get dead,” Sean said as he stood before Tyne and Eiji. “Whatever happens. Make sure Eiji isn’t used as a scapegoat.”

“Here.” Tyne handed Sean some cash, medicine and the last of Kei’s cigarette’s he had retrieved from the glove box.

“I’m serious. Please don’t. Just…” Sean sighed. He smiled and gave Tyne a salute with his good arm. “Until we meet again.”

Tyne saluted in response then entered the front passenger seat.

“Your arm will be okay?” Eiji frowned at the man’s half arm still bundled up in a bandage and sling.

“Baka.” Sean finger flicked his forehead with his good arm. “See? I can still do that. I’ll be fine.”

Eiji nodded and assumed the driver’s seat. He started up the car and eased it out onto the road.

Sean watched them drive off before making his way back toward the city on foot.