A Day in Tokyo
Ludwig, Italy, and I will depart from Japan tomorrow morning. I couldn't help but feel relieved. There hasn't been a day that went by without fighting the urge to glance over my shoulder for an officer pointing a gun at me or a Japanese soldier leading a banzai charge.
My eating habits had caused some weight loss and I was constantly battling fatigue. The green tea Japan often served did little to calm my nerves. The closest thing I had to peace was when I wrote in my diary. I often wrote in a different language on each page, switching from German, English, Italian, and French. I had taken French while in High School but somehow I could speak and write in Italian. My grandfather had only taught me a few words and phrases but nothing more. The lack of sense in how I could understand a language I never learned baffles me. It was as if meeting Italy triggered something within me when I met him and somehow I could understand his native tongue.
Japan had approached Ludwig and I as we did paperwork that he had given us this morning while Italy was God knows where.
"Germany-San, some of my comrades would like to have a meeting with you and Italy-Kun before you leave tomorrow." He had said.
"Of course, Japan." Ludwig replied. "Vhen is the meeting?"
Japan stated that it would take place at the fifteenth hour. 3:00 pm. Thank you, Japan. I think I just felt my heart skip. In two hours I will be in a room full of Japanese men hellbent on expanding their empire. During this time period, women could only be housewives or concubines. How would they react to a western girl attending the meeting? I could imagine the outrage or disapproved looks on me when I entered with Ludwig, Italy and Japan.
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The ride through Tokyo temporarily replaced my anxiety with amazement. I had only seen pictures of modern Tokyo but the scenery I am seeing now outranks those ugly modern buildings. The constructions were modern but with beautiful Japanese décor and the gardens! I saw many cherry trees but they wouldn't be in bloom until spring. I saw some wisteria trees, ornamental grasses, bamboo, chrysanthemums, peonies, a variety of flowers.
The wonder vanished when the driver parked in front of a tall building. Japan paid the driver and told us to follow him. We were led to an elevator and went to the seventh floor. I stayed behind Ludwig the entire time. Until we arrived at the room where the meeting was taking place. There were two men seated at a table. One appeared to be in his mid-thirties, wearing a blue suit. The other was younger and wearing beige.
"Konnichiwa Yamaguchi-San, Saito-San." Japan greeted, bowing. "These are Mr. Germany and Italy. This woman here is the assistant of Germany, Miss Miriam Toller."
The two men, Yamaguchi and Saito bowed respectively.
"It is a pleasure to meet the personifications of our allied nations." The older man, Saito, smiled pleasantly before turning to me. "And Miss Toller, welcome to Japan."
"Thank you, sir." I said, forcing a polite smile.
"Please, have a seat." The man in beige, Yamaguchi, gestured to our chairs.
As we took our seats I grabbed the journal I used for meetings in Germany out of my purse and readied a pen to take notes. The meeting was mainly about how an alliance between Germany, Italy, and Japan would benefit their country and what it could do to prosper their empire. I simply played my part as an assistant throughout the meeting.
And Japan...my GOD...why does he keep looking at me?! Ever since Ludwig and I had been here, I could feel his eyes on me all the time! Even when he was facing another direction. I couldn't wait for tomorrow so I could go home.
Home? I thought to myself. The sword of sorrow pierced me at the thought of a single word. How long have I been living away from my family now?
Almost a month. I concluded. What were they doing? They must have been devastated to find me missing. I couldn't even imagine the look on my mother's face. The face I inherited. A heart shaped face, high forehead, and wavy hair. I had my father's nose, more thin than my mother's. I also had his hair and eye color.
Both my parents aged really well. Barely any wrinkles at all for hygiene was important in my family. My father, Silas Toller, always slicked back his hair before going to work and made sure he was clean shaven. He was a nutritionist at a healthcare establishment while my mother, Cecilia, was an astronomy teacher at Stonehill College.
How would they react to me working with the enemies of my grandfathers who are both World War II veterans? My paternal grandfather, Dale Toller, was in the army and participated in the invasion of Normandy on D-Day. He had battled against the Germans for the liberation of France. My maternal grandfather, Albert Laguardia, was a member of the United States Marine Corps in the Pacific Theatre. He had fought against the Japanese in Peleliu and Okinawa.
What irony. I thought. A direct descendent of American veterans is working with their soon to be enemy to stay alive.
What I thought of next made my stomach feel like a hollow pit. What will I do when my country gets involved in the war?