Author's Notes: And... the K-ON! 1944 project is now in motion! I some extra free time in the near future and I've gotten some more inspiration for this story, so updates will come more regularly than before. Sorry for the long delay, but here is Chapter 2!

K-ON! 1944

Chapter 2

Manila, the capital of the Japanese-occupied Philippine Islands, was a city of contradictions. Facades of wealth and grandeur stood side by side with poverty and discontent. Stunning homes of the rich and influential stood at the sides of the main streets while shanties ranging from passable homes to makeshift wooden structures, oftentimes without much of a roof to provide shelter for its inhabitants were not too far away.

Aside from that, Japanese influence was made clear by the Japanese flags that hung from flagpoles and the ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy docked in Manila bay while American influences can be found if one knows where to look. Radio sets and speakerphones in the city were mostly of American design. M1917 Enfield rifles captured from the defeated Philippine Commonwealth and American troops were the primary armament of the Japanese internal security forces. Then, even dispensers of Coca-Cola still sat in the basements of some retail stores.

This city was the first glimpse of the Philippines the Light Music Club would have that early summer of 1944. The men and women of the Second Philippine Republic and the liaisons of the Japanese government assigned to the Philippines tried their best to show the girls only the good attributes of the city, but the more somber reality of the city that had been called the 'Pearl of the Orient' was too hard to ignore.

On the balcony of their room in the Manila Hotel, the girls of Hokago Tea Time looked out to the city with mixed feelings.

"Manila was oftentimes compared to Tokyo back in the day…" Mio Akiyama, sighed as she looked, "The good parts of town live up to that comparison, I'll admit… but there's more to this city than just that, it seems."

From the Manila Hotel, the girls saw the contradictions they had gotten glimpses of in broad daylight. They saw wealth and poverty with forced obedience and a desire for freedom.

"Hey, Riichan…" Yui Hirasawa said, turning to the band leader, "We're here to help these people out, aren't we? That's why our troops are here, right?"

Ritsu's reply to Yui's question was a simple shrug. Frankly, she didn't know how to respond to her query.

"I don't know, Yui." Ritsu then said, shaking her head, "We're here as musicians, so those things don't really concern us. Surely, the Japanese government has the interests of the Filipino people in mind…"

As she said this, the unmistakable sound of gunfire was heard in the distance, followed by panic. A thief had been caught puncturing sacks of rice and stealing the grains at a store in town and had been caught by the kempeitai, the Japanese military police. It didn't take much to assume that the thief was executed on the spot.

The girls of the band knew nothing of the details of the event and Ritsu's companions were shocked. Ritsu on the other hand kept her cool. Shaking her head, she knew looking out of the balcony wouldn't be as beneficial to the group as she thought it would have been anymore.

"Let's just rest up for now." Ritsu said, dragging the girls out of the balcony and into their room, "We have a dinner reception here in the hotel later tonight."

"Riichan!" Yui gasped, "But… but… a man was just shot outside!"

"Yeah!" Tsumugi Kotobuki added, sharing Yui's concern "Are we really going to be alright?"

"Girls… we all knew when we agreed to come here that things won't always be peaceful." Ritsu said, trying to calm down her comrades, "We're in the Second World War and hardships and violence are widespread. Our job here is to help people to forget about that, to raise their spirits… alleviate the pain and suffering even for just a little while."

Ritsu's reminder restored some of the girls' resolve. The band leader was glad to have brought back her companions' good spirits, but she knew all too well that the job they had at hand wouldn't be an easy one. On top of that, Ritsu had her doubts about the conduct of the Japanese military in the Philippines and was well aware that the military and the Light Music Club may not necessarily share matching ideals.

"Still, Ritsu-senpai…" Azusa Nakano, the youngest of the group said, "If we're going to push through with this assignment, we're going to need some protection."

True enough, despite their being in the Philippines for official business, they had not been provided with an armed escort by the Japanese government. Ritsu understood that no amount of goodwill would prevent a bullet or grenade from causing harm to the members of the club.

"Should we ask Sawa-chan to arrange something with the Army?" Yui asked the band leader

"Nah, we won't have to." Ritsu said, taking a notebook then finding a page with a phone number on it, "We need someone we can trust… and I think I know just who might fit the bill."

"Heicho*!" Satoshi Tainaka, a member of the kempeitai cried at a security checkpoint in the Tondo district of Manila, "Why the hell did you do that!"

Satoshi flailed his arms around in protest, demanding an answer from his commanding officer. The officer on the other hand had been actively ignoring the ittohei's* complaints. The other military policemen watched Satoshi's angry demands and chuckled at his naïveté and soft-heartedness. Satoshi was the one who had apprehended the rice thief earlier on while the officer was the one responsible for shooting the thief point blank with a pistol.

"Wasn't it obvious, Satoshi?" The officer groaned, losing his patience with Satoshi "He was stealing – you do know what thieves deserve right?"

"A chance to have himself heard out, at the very least?" Satoshi suggested, "He was begging for his life and… and… you just shot him before he could say anything else!"

The cries of the thief of 'wag po! Wag po! Patawarin ninyo ako!'', asking the officer to spare his life still rang in Satoshi's ears and the image of the poor man's blood and flesh splattering to the asphalt road wouldn't give him any peace.

"You're too soft, Tainaka-kun…" The officer then said with a smirk, "That's why things around here are getting rougher – we ought to show these monkeys who's boss. Ain't that right, boys?"

The military policemen of the checkpoint vociferously agreed and Satoshi was at a loss.

"They're people too, you know." Satoshi said weakly.

"So you're asking me to treat every one of these monkeys with respect? Boy, if you don't like my rules, then maybe I should apply you for a transfer to a different unit." The officer threatened, "Maybe I'll have you sent off to the Pacific Ocean to confront McArthur himself! Let's see how much respect the American dogs will give you!"

Disappointed, Satoshi shook his head and quietly returned to his post. He knew no good would come out of talking with the officer any further.

"Oy, I'm going to go get a bite to eat at the cafeteria." The officer then said, "We can leave Mr. Idealistic here to watch for all of us, huh?"

"Wait… wait!" Satoshi complained, "Dinner rations won't be…"

It was too late – his squad had abandoned him there at the checkpoint. Doing his best to avoid cursing out at the top of his lungs, he took a deep breath then manned the checkpoint shed.

"I hope this war ends soon." Satoshi mumbled, holding on to his worn-out M1917 rifle tightly, "I don't think I can stand another year with these idiots."

As he said this, the telephone in the checkpoint shed rang. The lone kempeitai member picked up the phone grudgingly, and rudely asked who it was.

"Hey hey…" the voice at the other end of the line laughed, "You really shouldn't' be talking to your sister like that, you know."

"R… Ritsu?" Satoshi asked in disbelief, "Big sis! How are you? It's been a while since we last talked… uh… are you on long-distance?"

"I'm doing great, little brother." Ritsu said, happy to hear her brother's voice, "And no, I'm calling from the Manila Hotel."

Amazed, Satoshi peeked out of the shed and looked towards the luxurious building in the distance.

"Hah, seriously?" Satoshi laughed, "Did you win a trip or something? Or are you just fond of touring countries Emperor Hirohito just captured?"

"Actually, I'm here on a sort of peacekeeping mission." Ritsu explained, "The Hokago Tea Time is with me too."

"Is that so…" Satoshi said, "Well, I'm on a peacekeeping mission too… though our run as been anything but peaceful. God, I hate my job."

"Well then, little bro, I have a little proposal for you." Ritsu then suggested, "Would you like to be assigned as our armed escort?"

"I'd love to, but it sounds impossible to do." Satoshi sighed, "I'm still under the command of a jerk-wad officer and all…"

"It'll be no big deal." Ritsu reassured confidently, "We have the backing of the President of the Second Philippine Republic! That transfer is as good as done!"

"No way…" Satoshi gasped in disbelief, "That's… amazing!"

"I know right?" Ritsu said proudly, "Well then, are you willing to protect your onee-chan and her band?"

"Gladly!" Satoshi replied enthusiastically, "Sign me up sis. The sooner, the better!"

To Be Continued

Extra Notes

Heicho* - Lance Corporal

Ittohei* - Private 1st Class