IN typical fashion, I rested my elbow on the desk, and my chin on my hand, my pointer here, my thumb there, and I watched the trees and hills pass by. I wondered about what I wore; another layer was probably in order. I sat back, crossing my arms, and closed my eyes. My eyelids were weighted this day; I sighed and shook my head, and leaned back. I could very well keep them open and watch for that mountain to appear in the distance.
I could close them, and keep quiet.
I could recognize the sound of the record spinning on the player, the white noise broken by the first few notes of piano.
Minegumo opened the door and set something down on the table. I opened my eyes and turned towards her; my back was to the door. "I've brought some tea, Admiral," she said. Tea. I've never liked tea, I've drunk coffee since I was twelve. "What is that you're playing, Admiral? It sounds so quiet..."
"Intimate, as well. If I had a favorite record..." I leaned my head forward, stood up, and walked over to her. She stood by the table where she'd set the clay bottle filled with tea. She grabbed two cups and poured some of the tea — it was a green color — into them.
My first Valentine's Day since becoming the Admiral of this base, one year ago... I have more to say about some minor details than the events of that day, but I only tell you because today feels like that day, for one minor detail, the weather, cold, a bit dreary...
"Here you are, Admiral." She smiled warmly and handed me a cup of tea.
"Thank you, Minegumo." I took it in both hands, which were cold and near-numb, and the warm clay imparted some much-needed heat into my palms.
"Thank you for all your hard work, Admiral. It really means a lot. To everyone."
"I haven't accomplished all that much... I brought you to the base, and... yeah... that's it..."
"I'm really grateful that you did, Admiral. I was able to meet Murasame again... it had been so long."
"Mm-hmm..." I sipped the tea. It tasted as I expected it would — "natural", and not for me.
"How is it?"
"Warm. Thank you, again, Minegumo."
"Of course, Admiral." She hummed softly, and sipped her own tea.
"And about bringing you home from that battlefield... I had my doubts about this job, but meeting you... that made me very happy. Now to some, I think, it would be so trivial, a footnote in the story... but not to me."
"Admiral..." She smiled brightly at me. "I'm really happy, too."
"That makes me happy." I finished the tea and set the cup down. "Gosh, it's so cold... I'll have another cup of tea, at least."
"Of course!" She took my cup, poured more tea into it, and handed it back to me.
I like silence, I get on great with silence. — Mark Hollis, 1988.