Tokyo, Imperial State of Japan

February 7th, 2025

Arima Kousei

Inside my small world, the never-ending saga of American and Chinese rivalry had little effect to me despite my dad's experience. Being married with my junior-high sweetheart and a stable job, what could be better?

In my opinion, I am the happiest man who ever exist in this uneasy world.

Kaori Miyazono, now Arima. She's my gold beacon on my side especially when I was at my lowest point; time when my mum was fighting cancer and how finances got affected as the result.

I was holding her hand with the grip that as much as if I let it go, she would disappear, while heading to the Ma Fille bakery that I am now calling home thanks to the fact that Kaori's brother Kenji who had decided to take control of their growing family business, I watched her while she moves ahead on the sidewalk. She's dancing to the beat of a tune only she can hear, and she's always done that, he thinks. Even when we had just met for the first time, she had been a whirlwind bringing color into my initially monochrome world and I had just trailed after her in awe. If she had been a tiger cub at fourteen, she is a grown-up tigress now.

"Onee-san, Uncle Kousei, How're your students doing today?"

"They are doing well. Hiroko-sensei is helpful as always, buddy." Ever since I taught Nagi that day, Kaori and I had found our true calling in the music world, as his mentor's small tutorial school had expanded into a larger entity which means more teachers were needed. A humble undertaking, but good use of our talents.

"How's the shop, Kenji?"

"Just look for yourself, Uncle." As he was saying, a group of salaryman arrived at the store for only one purpose.

If we were taking time off teaching, we were mostly helping with the store.

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It's bedtime. And a time for just the two of us.

"You know, Kousei. It's just six months already, and somehow... I don't believe we should try to have kids yet."

"You'll be ready, love. Just take your time." As my hands went on her glorious blonde hair, that sense of belonging went deep to my whole fiber. "Anyway... what we're going to do for Valentine?" When Kaori looks pensive, I gave her a fond look.

"If you say so, Kousei," she said, falling back and fitting herself into my side. I let my left arm fell around her shoulders easily. "What movie are you thinking about?"

We spent time tossing movie titles. And that's when Kenji came in.

"How about The Fault in Our Stars??" It was the second title the younger Miyazono forwarded to us.

"Ah, that's it! I am not watched it yet!" Her reply was instantaneously bright for me. "Thank you, Onii-chan!"

"I concur. We did not subscribe to a movie streaming service for nothing, you know that."

"That's right, love... Now, go to sleep."

Little I know that I am to be in a rude shock when I turned on the TV for the morning news the next day.

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---- NHK BREAKING NEWS - REFINERY EXPLOSION AND FIRE IN NORTHWEST CHINA ----

"It has been confirmed that in 23.30 local time, multiple explosions and fire broke out inside Alashankou Petrochemical Complex. According to the spokesperson of Aerospace Defense Force's Space Command Brigadier General Fujiwara Tokui, "The blaze was first detected by a Japanese satellite followed by an American one minute later."

Our correspondent in Beijing Rui Terakawa will give us the latest update of the story;

"...The Chinese government had confirmed 130 fatalities and up to 350 wounded, this number will surely be increased as firefighting efforts are still ongoing..."

"My God... oh my God."

"Earth to Kousei."

"That should put a big hole on their oil supply, for sure," I told Kaori while the screen showed footage from the firefighting effort. "I wonder what will happen next?"

"I don't know, Friend A. Right now... just focus for today, okay?"

"Onee-chan is right. Don't disappoint us! You can do it, Uncle. Bring your best to those kids, I remember how last year the winner of Maihou Competition was given a treat here."

"Ah, yeah. Hiromi Akesaka."

"His parents told me that you were the main reason for his achievement."

"Glad to know that."

Then I left the TV and head for the music room, where it also functioned as a study place for Kaori and I. The Steinway and Sons piano that had been there since my childhood greeted me as usual.

"Elohim essaim, I implore you."

A simple symphony, the one by Chopin and what I am currently teaching to a boy from Saitama, went off from the old but proud piano.

"Can I join?"

"Why you ask me that, Kaori? Come on! You can always listen to me anytime, just like when you play your violin."

And a red blush went visible on her pale face, the moment that I never got enough, and it makes her more beautiful.

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Ryota Watari

Tokyo

February 7th, 2025

The sadness from the Hong Kong's Tiananmen - a massacre in the said territory where thousands were killed protesting the reinforcement of the mainland Chinese imposed-National Security Law and those who were lucky mostly ended up in Taiwan and Japan - was not yet subsided. Then came the oil refinery blast in Mainland China.

What is going on here? was an understatement, especially knowing how many times the Chinese messed things up in places that are not theirs to began with. The much more urgent question to answer for us will be "What's next?"

"Watari, turn on the TV. A friend told me that the Prime Minister has an important announcement."

Tsubaki and I had lived together in this small but comfortable apartment in the southern part of Tokyo for the last four months. The screen went live directly from the Diet Building. We watched as Prime Minister Rui Nishikino, a physician and hospital manager which was also previously the Minister of Health, Labor, and Welfare prior to prime ministership, went on to address the nation.

".....With the power vested to me by the Constitution and assent from His Imperial Majesty the Emperor, the Commander-in-Chief, in light of an elevated threat to our security to the level we had never seen before since the 1999 War, I had ordered the Defense Ministry to recall up to 55.000 reserve personnel and auxiliaries across all branches of the Imperial Defense Forces and the Coast Guard for refresher training and drills...."

"I remembered two days ago I saw two people with Chinese passports; you know, the gym required ID and COVID vaccine certificate, and passport for foreigners to be shown. Got crew cut, things you mostly see in the Army. Nothing suspicious, Tsubaki."

After college, I landed a job as a gym trainer, thanks to a recommendation from my father who told me this; "Not every sportsperson can go professional," Especially in a post-COVID-19 world when job security is scarcer than ever, while Tsubaki had also realized that being professional was out from her reach and so she chose another path that I could expect as a fallback plan for her. Sports Education.

"Uh-huh," she nodded while drinking from the tea she made for both of us. "Then the next day the news came that the NSS have them in their custody followed by their names shown. Spying, they said."

"Good to know, two least spies to worry about. But, why don't you tell me before?"

"I don't want you to get hurt. Who knows they might..."

Then I pulled myself closer; eyes only inches from hers. "Don't ever say those words to me. Watari-kun. You know it better than other men in this world, that I won't afraid of threats like that."

"Sorry and thanks... Tsubaki."

We let things go that night, just like the whole world has only us as inhabitants, blissfully unaware what's the next move of the giant neighbor as they are dealing with their losses, and it's effect outside their land.

Best not to speculate too much right now.

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A/N: Hope you enjoy this chapter!