Chapter 6: Hardships
"Get up!" Haida's eyes slowly opened as exhaustion poured over him. Loud banging on the dorm room door.
"Come on, Haida. We need to get up!" The hyena looked over at his two roommates, a lion, and a duck. Both wore military physical training uniforms and picked up their other gear with great haste. Calling upon his strength, Haida rose up wearing the same PT uniform and followed the others.
Holding a bag with his ID, orders, a water bottle, and a notepad in his left arm, Haida stood at attention alongside a few dozen other cadets across a hallway. Moments later, the harsh sounds of army boots struck the floor and filled their ears. Two men and a woman in type III camouflage battle uniforms with officer insignias on the collars approached the young adults in PT gear.
A horse looked uncomfortable at the position of attention and moved a bit.
"I see you, cadet Inoue!"The tiger officer snarled as he came within inches of the young man's face. Haida tried to stare straight ahead but couldn't take his eyes off cadet Inoue who found himself grilled by the other officers.
The tiger officer now came for Haida, who tried to recover into the position of attention but was too late.
"Cadet Asami! As the oldest cadet in this platoon, I'd hoped you could follow basic instruction, such as remaining at attention!"
"Yes, sir, Major Maeda!" Haida forced out in the most respectful tone possible. Even without moving his eyes, Haida could see a subtle bit of satisfaction in the Major's expression.
"I'm honored to have the son of General Asami under me. Rest assured, I'll make sure you're properly taken care of." His sinister voice reminded Haida of Director Ton. For a moment, the hyena almost trembled in fear but soon hardened again when he remembered why he'd made this decision.
The next hour consisted of running, push-ups, and other calisthenic exercises designed to test their endurance. After a brief shower and breakfast of MREs, Haida spent the rest of his morning marching and in classrooms.
Haida jotted down notes as a Captain gave a lesson on army organization and leadership. After an hour of lecture, Haida found it harder to pay attention and glanced around at his fellow cadets. Most were in their early twenties, no older than twenty-three. Those closer to Haida's age or older were all prior-enlisted soldiers crossing over to the officer side.
Haida was the oldest cadet without any military experience, something his instructors made sure he remembered. Cadet Kondo, one of Haida's roommates, noticed him dazing off and motioned for him to focus. Haida nodded and did so.
"Retsuko. Retsuko." He muttered to himself as a form of motivation.
Retsuko similarly sat in their apartment, listening to her mother go on about motherhood. Much like Haida, her mind wasn't on the lecture, but her spouse.
"Haida." She muttered while holding her stomach. As much as Retsuko loved her mother, spending so much time alone with her was becoming unbearable. She longed for Haida to return from Army Officer Candidate School. However, only two weeks passed since he started, with almost three months to go.
Her nights were becoming almost sleepless without Haida's music or warm body beside hers. The days weren't much better. She could hardly go out anymore because of the pain in her feet. Luckily Gori and Washimi came to see her whenever they could.
During their visits, they performed safe yoga poses, which provided some comfort for Retsuko.
"Ahhhh." Retsuko sighed in relief after finishing a pose.
"Easy, Retsuko. Don't try anything too strenuous." Washimi said, stroking Retsuko's shoulder.
"Don't listen to her Retsuko. Yoga is good for an expecting mother." Goro added.
"It's just nice to get my mind off everything." Retsuko laid back and stared at the ceiling.
"I wonder how Haida's doing?"
"Just like a man to run off in your time of need." Washimi muttered cynically.
"Run off?! He joined the Ground Self-Defense Force to support his family! That's devotion!" Gori cried, her face almost turning red.
Haida's decision to ask his father for help was clearly one of desperation. His whole life, he wanted freedom from his family and their legacy as military officers, but he went back out of sincere devotion to her and their children.
However, it still didn't change the fact that she was alone with her mother. Without him there to draw her attention away, Retsuko endured her constant lectures alone. She almost wished to be back at work, dealing with Fenneko and the others.
"How are things back at the office?" Retsuko asked.
"Slow, the economic downturn hasn't done us any favors. I've had to lay off another two members of marketing. It's breaking my heart!" Gori teared up, thinking about the members she had to let go.
Retsuko's expression melted into shame. She'd spent so long pitying her situation without realizing the plight of others. All considering, she could be in a much worse spot. Although he was still in training, Haida still received payment, which helped cover their bills. So far, they hadn't encountered any hardships, and once Haida became an officer, it would get better, hopefully.
Haida endured more harsh shouts from Major Maeda and a few other instructors as he ran through the assault course back at the base. He'd run the course three times, and it only got a little easier. After finishing the course came the firing range, combatatives, and more classroom instruction.
"Come on, Asami! You wouldn't want to let your father down!" Maeda half-laughed as Haida climbed up a rope.
"Retsuko. Retsuko." He muttered to himself.
"Retsuko. Retsuko." He said while firing his rifle at the target downrange.
"Retsuko. Retsuko." He growled with each push-up he performed. Major Maeda saw the sheer determination in Haida's eyes with each hardship he put upon the hyena.
"Hmp, maybe there is a soldier in him after all." The officer thought to himself.
Back in the apartment, Retsuko listened on to another lecture from her mother. Her eyes spun like ceiling fans, and her body trembled from months of hearing her mother's voice nonstop.
"Retsuko, Retsuko, are you paying attention!?" Her mother scolded her but overreached. She saw her daughter's eyes glow blue with black lining around them.
"Rage."
"Pregnancy!" Retsuko roared.
"Every morning, I wake up to throw-up three times! Sore feet, a sore back, and a throbbing chest! My husband has abandoned me, and my mother won't stop lecturing me! Enough! Enough!" Retsuko's mother trembled after seeing and hearing her daughter in such a feral rage. She'd never heard a voice so dark and terrifying, but for it to come from her little girl?
"Retsuko." She gently asked while approaching her. Retsuko's aggression faded, and she began to tremble with a pale expression. She felt her mother's arms wrap tightly around her.
"I think that's enough for today. You look tired, how about some rest?" With tears in her eyes, Retsuko nodded. Her mother tucked in the sheets and kissed Retsuko's cheek. Only now did she see the toll taken on her daughter by everything.
"It's going to be alright, Retsuko. I promise."
Hours passed, and Retsuko stared at the ceiling as Haida did the same back in the dorm room. Both his roommates were fast asleep after a long and exhausting day. Haida felt just as tired but couldn't sleep. Retsuko lingered on his mind, and their children. Every day brought him closer to seeing her again and the babies being born.
Taking a deep breath, Haida sat up and clasped his hands together again.
"Please, let me remain strong for Retsuko and my children." He pleaded in a humble and almost desperate manner.
The weeks went by, and Haida focused only on Retsuko through every push-up, lecture, and exercise, until finally, graduation day came. Haida sat alongside the other in his platoon and each former cadet from the graduation class.
They all wore green service dress uniforms while a wolf Colonel gave a speech to the vast crowd gathered at the base auditorium.
"They have come from a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and walks of life. But now, each of them has proven their abilities as soldiers and leaders. It has been an honor and privilege, overseeing their training."
Haida ignored the Colonel's speech and glanced at Major Maeda, who sat with the other instructors. He glanced at Haida for a moment, and the hyena expected him almost to look upset. However, instead, he merely nodded with respect.
After a deep breath, Haida looked further into the audience and finally saw his parents. His mother almost shook with happiness while his father sat in his own uniform. A mixture of pride and satisfaction rested upon his face as he stared at Haida in an officer's uniform.
Haida's head lowered for a moment. Despite a lifetime of trying to be his own man, he'd now given his father exactly what he wanted. However, when Haida looked up again, he saw Retsuko in the crowd near his parents. She appeared a bit relieved but also exhausted from the pregnancy.
Haida tightened his fist and sat up straight. He wasn't doing this for his father or family's legacy, but Retsuko and his children.
"I'm so excited!" One of Haida's roommates almost cried.
"Ahh, yes. Quite exciting." Haida said nervously as he waited for his turn. However, it wasn't the Colonel who came to pin on his ranks, but his father.
Taking a deep breath, Haida stood up and stared his father down as he placed second lieutenant ranks on his uniform.
"I didn't do this for you." Haida muttered defiantly.
"Perhaps." General Asami finished placing the ranks on and stepped backward. It took every bit of strength Haida possessed, but he saluted his father, who saluted back. Moments later, a Sergeant stepped forward and saluted Haida, who, in turn, saluted back.
Finally, with the ceremony finished, Haida almost raced over to Retsuko.
"Retsuko!"
"Haida!" Haida managed to lift his wife up in his strong arms despite her newfound weight, feeling her tears against his neck.
"You're coming home now, right?"
"Yes, I am."
Haida tried to leave, when he noticed his father standing between them and the doorway.
"Not so fast, lieutenant."
Haida and Retsuko nervously glanced at his father, who's expression hardened.
"It just so happens, I have your duty assignment already selected."
"Ehhh!" Haida and Retsuko screamed with horrified expressions. Haida hoped he'd at least have a week or so, but of course his father would have something else in mind. General Asami slowly handed Haida a set of orders as he and Retsuko anxiously read it. However, their expressions changed drastically when they saw where and what he'd be doing.
"Finnance officer at the base here in Tokyo?" Haida's head shot back to his father who nodded.
"Eight to four every day. Perfect for a soon to be father, and close by as well." Haida never would have expected his father would make him a mere finance officer. For someone in their family, such a position would be considered beneath them. Of course, Haida's skills in accounting would be perfect for that job.
"There's something else." Haida's mother smiled full of love and passion when she handed her husband something gift wrapped. Haida's father then gave it to him and the hyena trembled when he instantly realized what it was.
"Father?"
"...We haven't always seen eye to eye, but three months ago, you abandoned your pride and personal desires for the sake of your family…. You're a stronger man than me."
Haida unwrapped the guitar and held it for a moment. However, Retsuko quickly took the instrument so Haida could embrace his father as he hadn't done in years.
"Thank you, father."