"I'LL be in charge of the official business today," Commandant Teste declared, adjusting her hat and smiling and nodding at me. "It's now 7 AM. Amiral, would you like breakfast?"

There's a transition missing in there somewhere... "That would be nice."

"All right, I'll be right back!" She was as good as her word. "Have a freshly baked croissant and café. I wonder if wine would have been better... ah, well. Bon appétit!"

"Oh, thanks." So that's what I ate and drank. "Thanks again, Commandant Teste. I was probably just going to toast some bread, to be honest..."

"Toast? Is that what you usually eat for breakfast here, Amiral?"

"Yeah. I mean, I can steam rice, make some instant miso soup, cut vegetables, all that, but I'm not really a cook. Usually Mamiya prepares food for me... but, yeah, I usually just... eat toast." I sighed. "Sometimes I feel weird about bothering Mamiya for breakfast."

"Well, I'll have you get accustomed to croissants and coffee every day. Of course, I can change it up. There's always pain au chocolat, baguettes with butter, fruits on the side..."

"... all right, then..." I shrugged and continued to study the map of the Philippines.

"IT'S now 11 AM. What do you want for lunch? Shall I get it ready for you?"

"I was just going to make some instant ramen today, Commandant Teste."

"Instant ramen?" She tilted her head. "That won't do, Admiral! You should really eat something more filling, you know? That sounds boring. Don't tell me you eat that every day, too."

"That, or just a bowl of rice..."

"Non, Amiral, let me make something for you today! We can start you off with a salad... perhaps a pork chop with some seasonal vegetables on the side, some fromage Cabécou..."

"No thank you," I stated, standing up. "Just some ramen for me will be fine..."

"Amiral, you're not serious?" Commandant Teste glanced at me... worriedly, I'd put it. "Please, sit, let me make so—"

"My days, Commandant Teste, just let me be!" I huffed and walked out of the room, right past her. "Amiral!" I heard as I went off, towards the kitchen where I could heat up some hot water and pour it over some ramen in a cup, no problem at all. Is that really how she's going to be? I wondered as I made my lunch. I stared at the noodles softening up in the hot water and sighed. I like this stuff, really, but... it does get boring after a while... maybe if I weren't such an idiot, and I knew how to cook! It seems like everyone else here can. Jintsū...

... right, Jintsū...

"OH, Jintsū." I looked up from my cup of ramen as she entered the office. "How are you this afternoon?"

"Not particularly happy, Admiral. You hurt Commandant Teste's feelings, you know. I don't even know how you could react that—wait, no, I do. You're just so out of it, Admiral."

There she goes again, that Jintsū... her words are like knives, some times! "Yeah, I guess you're right... gosh, why did I have to be so rude to her?"

"I really don't know, Admiral. I really don't know." She crossed her arms and shook her head. "But you don't seem to make an effort to change."

"... I don't even have a response for that. You're right." How honest I could be. I rested my head on my cheek, my elbow on the table, and sighed. "Well, what is she up to right now?"

"She's just standing by the sea right now... she wasn't crying or anything, but I don't know, it really sounded like she was upset."

"Did she seem mad?"

"Mad? I wouldn't say that..."

"Should I try apologizing?"

"There are many things you can try, Admiral, but apologizing is something you have to do. Trying isn't enough. ... I should get going. It's almost time for our exercises." With that, Jintsū exited the room. "See you," I managed, before she stepped out. I shook my head.

LATER, around 6 PM, I saw Commandant Teste sitting on a bench facing the ocean. The sun was just setting. She noticed me as I approached, but turned away and watched the sun instead. I stood nearby and looked over at her. "I'm sorry about earlier. I overreacted, and all... I should have just let you cook for me. But I guess I'm just too... I don't know, proud? Like I said, it's weird having others cook for me. It just doesn't feel right."

"I understand," she replied, looking down and twiddling her thumbs.

"If you want to cook for me, then you can," I offered, shrugging.

"Non, merci."

"Really, if you want to, you can."

"I don't, Amiral." She turned and looked at the floor beneath her.

"EVERY night, we try to change a little bit the show because, the more we change the things, the more we can exchange some feelings with the people." – Jean-Benoît Dunckel, 1998.