A/N: Sorry that these chapter are short. I thought mini-stories would describe it, but I should have said little moments. Oh well. I edited it. Read and review (I guess)!
It's Instinct
I've never been in a war before. I've never lived in a lifetime where our country was at war. There's the Cold War, but we, being Japan, didn't do anything for the duration of that. And, besides, all the tension was on China and the USSR. AND, above all that, I was only ten years old when it ended, so I didn't really know anything about it at all. So I'm really not at all familiar with the topic of war.
Yet the other day, I found myself engulfed in a conversation of war. The Iraq war, or the War on Terrorism that the US went insane about. Our government isn't too happy about that, but I never gave a damn about Politics anyway. I must've mentioned something, though, when Hatori and I were talking over the phone. I had been watching the news, and I mentioned what was going on in the US.
"They're thinking about drafting women," I said, taking a sip of my coffee. It was late at night, and I had work to be done. I needed to stay awake.
"Really?" Hatori asked, sounding interested. "Why would they do that?"
"Because of the whole equality for everyone thing," I explained. "They're saying that if women want equality like men, then they're going to be treated a little more like men. AKA: if it comes to it, they're going to draft women as well as men."
"Hm." I could almost hear Hatori frown. "I don't like it."
I shrugged. "I think it's equal. If I were to be drafted, I'd hold my head high and go do my duty."
Hatori sighed. I pictured him pinching the bridge of his nose. "I know you would..." For some reason, I found that comment extremely flattering. "But it still makes me uncomfortable."
"Why?" I asked, sounding a little too harsh. "Think we can't do just as good a job?"
I honestly thought I heard a chuckle. "No, no, nothing like that. I have no doubt in my mind that you would probably save my ass more times than I would save yours, Mayuko-chan."
I threw back my head and laughed. "Haa-san, what are you talking about? You're the doctor!"
"Yes... there's that. I was really hoping that he was smiling. "But think about it... I'm a doctor, working in a tent full of the wounded, dying, and dead all the time. I have no idea who's on the battlefield, or who's newly injured, or what's happening."
I was silent for a minute. "Good point. I have to admit that seeing women seriously wounded would do more damage rather than seeing a man..." I cleared my throat. "Sorry. I don't mean to sound sexist."
"No, you're right," Hatori said. "See... I think there would be a lot more wounded and dead if women were drafted. Because, number 1, women aren't as adapted to the front line as men are."
"Yep."
"Number two... you know how, when men are ordered to do something, they MUST do it? Without hesitation or anything?"
"Uh huh."
"Well... if I were ordered to retreat from an attack and I saw a random women lying injured on the ground, I'd hesitate. And I'm pretty sure that a lot of other men would hesitate also."
I stopped breathing for a second. "But why? We're just like you."
"It's instinct," Hatori replied easily. "Males have had it in their systems that a female needs to be protected. It's been that way since we were animals. Simple as that."
I couldn't say anything. "Hm."
"And besides," Hatori went on. "You're my friend." My heart skipped a beat. "Not only that, but you're the best friend of Kana." I had to keep myself from grabbing a knife and stabbing my sinking heart. "And it just wouldn't feel right, knowing that you were in constant danger... never knowing if you died in action or became a prisoner of war, or... something of that sort." I heard him clear his throat.
"Well..." I tried. "I guess if I was a nurse and you were a soldier, I'd be scared shitless about you too."
He laughed. Honest to god. By the sounds of it, he probably threw back his head too. I smiled, proud of myself. Well... I was proud and I just liked his laugh.
"I should go before Akito-san gets angry," Hatori said. "I'll talk to you later, ok, Mayuko-chan?"
"Uh huh," I said, yawning. "Good-night, Haa-san."
"... Good-night."
When I hung up the phone that night, I couldn't get his voice out of my head. He had said goodnight to me so softly... it was almost as if he was right beside me when he had said it.
Damn that man...
