Song
Recently the Commander had been humming the same song over and over again, Zuikaku observed. Be it at work, in the mess hall, or even when she passed him by chance, she would hear that song.
It was getting annoying, not because of the tune, which she'd admit was quite ear-catching despite sounding rather old-fashioned. What annoyed her was the curiosity eating away at her—she would really, really like to know the title.
"Well, just ask the Commander directly!" or something along those lines was the suggestion some of her peers gave her—with an expression that says, duh, why don't you think of that, no less.
In truth, she already did.
"Oh, curious, are you? I suppose I could tell you, but I think I'd rather not…"
Of course, the Commander only saw her genuine question as an opportunity to mess with her. But still, it did motivate her to get back at him by finding the answer herself.
A few days passed after that, and she was still looking for it. While it did not disrupt her work at all, it still gave way to a troubled expression that her sister took notice of.
"…So, no luck so far?"
"Ughh, nope. Maybe I should just drop it—but still, ugh…!"
Shoukaku covered her mouth with her sleeve for a discreet giggle. Stubborn as ever, whether it's about trying to beat the Grey Ghost or just guessing a song.
"Hey, Shoukaku-nee, you heard it a few times, too, right? Maybe you can tell me?"
Shoukaku frowned and pursed her lips. Her sister was looking in her direction with such expectant eyes; she did not know the answer, but at least she could suggest something…
"I do, but I don't think I know the answer to that. However, since the Commander is proud of being from Kansai, maybe it's just a local tune? Of course, it is also possible it's just an old song. Probably enka; or kayokyoku."
Right, old songs, Zuikaku realized. The Commander has many old man's tastes, so it's not surprising if it's true. But that also means she cannot really draw from her knowledge; she only knows modern pop. She figured she could not ask anyone something like, "Hey, do you know any Kansai songs?" either; that probably would only result in her looking like a fool.
"Well, I'm not going to stop you from thinking about it, but don't let it get to you, okay?" Shoukaku said before she left. It sounded like a suggestion, but her tone left no room for argument—so Zuikaku simply gave her a nod and once more pressed her forehead against the table after that.
"You looked a little out of it," the Commander commented when Zuikaku reported for duty the following day.
That's your fault, she thought bitterly. "Sorry, Commander," instead of voicing the unpleasant thought, she apologized with the sincerest tone she could manage.
"You know, I read that humming a song is good for stress relief; maybe you should give it a try," he continued, and Zuikaku fought the urge to roll her eyes.
"…Maybe some other time…"
Despite the noncommittal reply, the Commander smiled anyway.
"Well then, let's get to work."
As Zuikaku expected, not even ten minutes into his paperwork, the Commander started humming the very same song that had been haunting her.
Without realizing it, she began humming along.
"…Well, I never thought you would do that. Honestly, I'm surprised."
When she heard the Commander's remarks, the carrier stopped immediately, blushed darkly, and set her pen down with probably more force than necessary.
"…With all due respect, Commander, it's your fault. Seriously. I only asked you what it's called, and you dodged the question. I'm swallowing my pride here, so just tell me already, geez!"
When Zuikaku's brief yet furious rant was over, the Commander was left momentarily speechless, but not for long.
"Just so you know, I'm sorry about that. I never thought you would be that curious over some baseball tune."
"Baseball…?"
"I was quite a fanatic back then. Naturally, I'd always root for Hanshin Tigers; they have the best cheering song, you know? I often cannot help but ramble when the Tigers were brought up."
"Oh," Zuikaku muttered as she realized something. "So…I guess you didn't tell me before…because you don't want to ramble?"
"Hey, you are just going to get bored, I know. I mean, I like talking about them, but I draw the line when it comes to conversing with someone who probably doesn't share your interest, you know?"
Zuikaku let out an amused snort before resting her chin on both hands.
"It's only morning, and we still have time. Since you already told me this, maybe you might as well continue," she said, smiling.
"…Is that a challenge? Very well. You see, they..."
After one crash course on Hanshin Tigers and returning to paperwork later, Zuikaku found herself humming the tune again.
Only this time, she had no reason to object. It was, after all, a good stress relief indeed.
Onsen
"Gods, it's finally done," Zuikaku exclaimed while she held back the urge to slam her pen into the table and tried her hardest to avoid looking at the mountain of (thankfully finished) paperwork in front of her; the last she needed right now was for her headache to get worse. For whatever reason, in the previous few days, she and the Commander had been swamped with nothing but documents.
"Good job," the Commander said; only his voice was heard—he was hidden behind an equally high stack of paper. "Why don't you take a rest?"
"Yeah. That would be a good idea," Zuikaku got up and stretched; she was about to check on the Commander when Shoukaku entered the room. The elder crane sister looked over the piles of paper, and her expression turned sympathetic.
"…What is this, office work from hell?" she inquired, getting a tired, self-pitying laugh from Zuikaku.
"Don't remind me of it. I don't want to get a nightmare of me being eaten by papers," the carrier answered, actually already imagining it right now.
"And Commander, are you okay there?" Shoukaku turned her attention toward the Commander's desk.
"Yeah. I guess," came the reply from behind the papers. Shoukaku could not help but frown at how lethargic the usually lively Commander sounded.
"Oh dear…this calls for some rest and relaxation. I have an idea. Why don't you try the onsen Atago mentioned a while back?" she suggested. Ever since her first visit to that place, the cruiser has spoken highly of it every chance she gets.
"Me? And the Commander?" upon hearing that, Zuikaku blushed.
"Well, if he wants to."
"…I might need that," the Commander spoke again, only this time he already revealed himself, being messier than Shoukaku had expected.
"Uh, err, well, Shoukaku–nee, you'll come with us, right?" Zuikaku asked, though, to Shoukaku, it was more of a desperate plea than a simple request.
Being the good sister she is, Shoukaku said yes.
"Aaah~mm, gotta admit, baths are an excellent way to relax," declared an increasingly flushed Zuikaku; it didn't even take long for her tiredness to gradually go away after she took a soak. How mighty hot springs are, she thought.
"Yes, yes, it is," Shoukaku replied as her sister let out a contented sigh, smiling not only because she was proven right once again—but because Zuikaku was happy.
"It's a bit quiet, though," Zuikaku continued. At that time, there were only two of them in the women's section.
"Well, no problem about it, right? The calm will help you relax more," Shoukaku replied.
"Ah, um, thank you for taking me here, though, Shoukaku–nee. And thank you for accompanying me."
"Ah, no problem. I take it you are worried something ridiculous will happen when a woman goes with a man to the hot spring, don't you? It's a typical romantic comedy setup, after all."
"Wha—no! It's just, uh, I don't feel like leaving you behind, that's all!"
Shoukaku giggled at her sister's reaction. If she wasn't in denial, she indeed wouldn't wave both hands frantically as she did. However, she carefully picked her words and removed any hint of teasing; they were there to relax, after all.
"Oh, I see. I appreciate that. Thank you, Zuikaku."
"…Uh, did you hear that? Sounds like something's happening in the men's section…" Zuikaku's abrupt change of subject prompted Shoukaku to look at the direction of the barrier separating both sections. She did hear some noise, but they were too faint for her to comprehend.
"Hmm, you are right…I wonder…"
"Wow. Whatever it is, I hope it's nothing bad."
"Worried about the Commander, huh?" Shoukaku leaned back and watched the trees sway.
"Huh? Well…I guess, only a little? It's natural for a subordinate, right?" Zuikaku replied with the most neutral tone she could manage.
"Oh yes, yes, it is."
When they walked out of the bath, the sisters saw the Commander sitting alone, drinking from a can of beer. Zuikaku noticed that, like them, he was wearing a kimono which only served to strengthen his old man image.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until they approached him and immediately noticed one black eye on his face.
"Before you ask, I'm alright," the Commander flashed them a grin when he saw the worried look on the two carriers' faces—it was more pronounced on Zuikaku—and pressed the cold can onto the injury.
"…May I ask what happened?" Shoukaku inquired before Zuikaku could do so.
"…You know, when I got to the bath, there's only one guy there, who was clearly drunk—no idea how he managed to get admitted. Long story short, he only rambled at first, so I simply ignored him, but then he decided that it would be a good idea to peep into the women's bath. Remember how the bamboo walls are not particularly tall? Anyone determined could scale it. Anyway, naturally, I tried to stop him, and he punched me hard right in the eye. Hence, this black eye."
"So, um…what happened to him, then?"
Now it was Zuikaku who asked, and she noticed how the Commander seemed pretty pleased with himself as he replied.
"I punched him back, and he blacked out almost instantly. I have no idea whether it was because of the punch or the alcohol. Either way, he's probably still there. Serves him right for trying to peek at my subordinates. Especially my secretary."
Zuikaku was unsure whether the heat on the sides of her face was a leftover from the bath or something else.
"Thank you then, Commander," Shoukaku offered her gratitude with a slight bow and gently elbowed Zuikaku to remind her to do the same, which she promptly did.
"Ah…yes. Thank you, Commander."
"Well, it was nothing, really. Thanks to that incident, I'm feeling a little younger," the Commander stood up. "And because of that, I'm hungry. I'm going to get some food—onsen tamago sounds like a good idea…would you guys like to come along?"
"Oh, I'm not hungry. Maybe Zuikaku could go with you, though," Shoukaku replied; Zuikaku could have sworn her sister smiled deviously as she said those words; the smile was gone as quickly as it came, but she could not really forget it.
And as soon as she was about to decline, her stomach just had to grumble.
"She's hungry, all right. Come on, let's eat."
With a feeling of defeat she's sure she will not forget anytime soon, Zuikaku followed the Commander to the café.
Stars
"Ugh, this is taking forever…" Zuikaku moaned as she, along with Shoukaku and a crowd of townspeople, traveled the winding path leading to the hilltop, a twisting and turning road with seemingly no end in sight.
"You can complain now, but once we get there, you wouldn't regret it," with a laugh, Shoukaku answered. Zuikaku had only expressed a mild interest in the event before, but she went along anyway, probably more because she didn't want to feel left out; pretty much everyone else was going.
"Aren't we only going stargazing, though?"
"Oh, trust me," Shoukaku returned her attention to the road ahead.
When they had finally reached their destination, Shoukaku knew she was right when she overheard her sister gasping. Even without looking, she could imagine Zuikaku's expression—wide-eyed admiration at the starlit sky, something her sister must've shared with the murmuring crowd.
Looking up, Shoukaku wasn't surprised. The starry heavens were indeed magnificent—and it's about to get even more so, maybe in less than an hour.
"Whoa…I never knew they could look this pretty…" Zuikaku couldn't look away even if she wanted to; her hand reached upward as though she was trying to touch or even grasp one.
"I'm glad you could see them," Shoukaku spoke, "but stargazing is not the only thing we are here for."
Though it wasn't Shoukaku's intention, Zuikaku shifted her gaze to her, frowning.
"Right. Something the Commander called…the Per…um, Per—"
"Perseids," Shoukaku finished for her sister.
"Oh yeah. That. What is that anyway?" Zuikaku wondered what it was and then why it must be some hard foreign words.
"Why don't you go find and ask him that yourself?" Shoukaku suggested.
"Good idea. I was thinking of that, actually," replied Zuikaku. The enthusiastic reply wasn't something Shoukaku had anticipated because she was only joking. In her momentary distraction, she failed to hear Zuikaku saying goodbye; when she had already realized it, Zuikaku had slipped away.
Sighing, Shoukaku braced herself to go through the crowd, which in such a short time had already grown.
Shoukaku silently thanked the gods that it didn't take much trouble to find Zuikaku. She noted that it apparently didn't take long for her sister to find the Commander either; they were talking when she arrived. Just nearby stood Takao and Atago and several crewmembers, each busy with themselves.
"Ah, Shoukaku-nee," Zuikaku noticed her sister and waved. She was in a good mood, Shoukaku noticed.
"Commander, Zuikaku," Shoukaku offered both a nod.
"Unlike your sister here, you don't seem to be excited. Seen everything, I reckon?" the Commander commented after returning the gesture.
Zuikaku snorted when she heard that, while her sister only smiled; as usual, though, she could not really tell what was behind it.
"Even if I am, I assure you that I'm looking forward to it," Shoukaku insisted. "Perhaps I should ask the same question to you, Commander. You don't seem to be…excited."
"Haha. Maybe…I'm the one who has seen everything. Well, excuse me, girls. Got something to do. Don't wander too far, yes? Especially you, Zuikaku."
"Geez, I told you I'm not a child!" Zuikaku shot back; the Commander simply laughed and walked away.
Their conversation went like usual, but Zuikaku couldn't help but think something was odd, but she could not really tell why or how. She'd only realized it when Shoukaku asked the question.
And looking at her sister, who was solemn for some reason, Zuikaku thought she must have been thinking the same thing.
As the night went on, the people were getting even more anxious. They murmured among one another, and the ship girls present were no exception.
"…Come on, come on," Zuikaku mumbled. Now that she was aware of why people gathered there, she was swept in the excitement, too; her earlier concerns were left forgotten. Shoukaku was more subdued, but she nevertheless kept her eyes to the skies.
"There! Over there!" someone cried out, and all heads turned in that direction. A streak of light can be seen flashing through the sky, and everyone cheered raucously. It was quickly followed by countless others, and the cheer only seemed to grow along with them.
"Pretty romantic, isn't it? Perhaps you can make a wish," Shoukaku remarked. Zuikaku rolled her eyes at that.
"Eh, I told you I'm not a child," Zuikaku replied, shrugging.
"A pity. I've already made one," Shoukaku giggled. The words were met with a blank stare.
"…Really," Zuikaku mumbled. It's less a question and more of an expression of doubt.
"Yes. I'm not telling you, though," Shoukaku turned back to the meteor shower. It didn't look like it'll stop anytime soon.
"Fine, I'm going to make one, or even two, and I'm not telling you either!" Zuikaku stuck her tongue out.
"I'm fine with that, but make it count," Shoukaku replied. Zuikaku saw her knowing smile, and in a rare moment of clarity, she caught on to what her sister had wanted to say.
The shower lasted for about an hour. Zuikaku thought it was a little short, but everyone else was satisfied, and she could not complain about it.
When she and Shoukaku met with the Commander again, he was with the others.
"Hello, you two. We didn't get to talk before, huh? Did you girls make a wish?" Atago was the first to notice the pair.
"We do," the two replied in unison.
"Oh, that's great. Times like these are perfect for wish-making. Even if they don't come true, just having something to wish for feels great."
"Mutsuki wished for candies! Lots of it!" the little destroyer chimed in. The Commander chuckled. "Okay, noted," he said; it got Mutsuki, and even Kisaragi, cheering.
"The Commander, though, as always, didn't make any," Atago continued, shaking her head, her lips forming a pout. " Onee-san is starting to worry."
"Nah, I'm good," the Commander laughed it off. "No need for a wish."
"Hmm, I wonder…"
Zuikaku flinched at the smile Atago passed her.
"This proved to be an exciting event, but it's getting late, and most of us are on duty tomorrow," Takao, who had been silent, said. The Commander acknowledged it with a nod.
"Alright, everyone. The show's over, dismissed."
With that, everyone dispersed.
Seeing that the Commander stayed, though, Zuikaku paused. Shoukaku raised an eyebrow, but she noticed the Commander as well and decided to continue walking.
"Commander, are you not going?" Zuikaku inquired; she now recalled their conversation earlier, and suddenly the air felt awkward.
"Oh, I'm just going to admire the sight for a bit. Why are you not going back, though?"
"I—I'm just worried about you."
"Worried about me? That's flattering. But I'm alright, you know?"
"No, that's not it…You know, I—"
The Commander, his smile faltering a little, went to Zuikaku.
"…I'm alright," he repeated.
There's no helping it, Zuikaku realized. She put on her best smile.
"If you say so."
"Oh, look, another shooting star. Hey! A bit late, you!" Looking up, the Commander noticed a lone meteor passing through. Zuikaku only saw bits of it; it was too fast.
"That was your last chance to make a wish this year," she said; again, the Commander only laughed.
Zuikaku doesn't notice the Commander glancing in her direction as she's still looking up. His smile was tender.
"I told you, I'm good."
Break
The Commander and Zuikaku stared blankly at the empty plate and then at an apologetic Shoukaku.
"Terribly sorry. If only I knew the commission team would be returning today, I would've made more," she bowed. That both were so enthusiastic about taking a break when they heard she had made tempura caused her quite a guilt, especially when she saw how tired they looked right now. The Commander, though, wasn't as affected as Zuikaku, and not before long, he broke into his typical smile.
"Well, I suppose it's okay. They must be exhausted, too. Right, Zuikaku?" the Commander said when he noticed that Zuikaku had not snapped out of her daze. She didn't reply, still fixated on what she's been looking forward to, but was cruelly taken away.
"Tempura…" she feebly mumbled. Her eyes were seemingly close to tearing up.
Seeing that, the Commander held back a laugh as an idea crossed his mind.
"Well, well. I will not let someone else eating our snack ruin our break. I've just remembered I got a package from home. Let me get it. You two just take a seat."
"Very well, but what are you planning to bring here, Commander?" Shoukaku inquired while leading her still-dazed sister to the table.
"Snacks from Osaka," the Commander replied; the pride in his voice and grin did not go unnoticed by Shoukaku. "Some of them will be weird, so prepare yourselves."
Shoukaku smiled back.
"I'll be looking forward to them."
It didn't take long for the Commander to return with a large box, the size of which was entirely unexpected for Shoukaku. And judging from the thud when the Commander placed it on the table, she was sure the box was packed to the brim.
"Let's see…the usual…takoyaki jagariko, takoyaki chips…" uttered the Commander as he pulled out packs upon packs of Takoyaki-flavored snacks from the box.
"Whoa…" Zuikaku, no longer dazed, watched in awe; she had never seen most of them before. Shoukaku was just as interested, though, as usual, she kept them tempered, and it's not readily evident.
"Looks good, I've to admit," she commented.
"People of Osaka are crazy about their takoyaki; I'll have you know," the Commander said, then frowned as he stumbled upon bottles of red-colored soda.
"What's the matter? Those are just strawberry-flavored sodas, right?" Zuikaku craned her neck forward; the drink seemed normal for her, and the brand was a famous one from the States; there was no way there could be something wrong with them.
She regretted asking when the Commander passed her a sly smile.
"Well, no. But I'll let you find out what it truly is by yourself," the Commander placed two bottles before the sisters, who then looked at each other. Shoukaku decided she would be the first to try.
She only took one gulp before putting the bottle down.
"It's…unique," she said. Zuikaku noticed her hand twitching, and suddenly she felt apprehensive.
In the end, her curiosity won out, yet when the smell of the drink entered her nose, she remembered that curiosity often results in regret. The smell wasn't of strawberry at all, but something else she could not put a finger on despite it being somewhat familiar. Whatever it was, though, she found it awful.
Still, she wanted to keep her pride, so she braced herself and took a gulp.
Zuikaku was surprised to find the taste to be not as awful as the smell indicated, and she didn't need to force herself to swallow it. Yet, she also decided she wouldn't be finishing the bottle—the taste was too peculiar for her.
"So, how's your first experience with the red bean flavor? I don't like them myself," The Commander remarked.
"I don't think I would either," Zuikaku grumbled and moved the bottle away from sight. It looked even more unappealing now, especially after she saw the Commander's amusement.
"It seems whoever's sending you the package is playing a joke," Shoukaku piped in.
"My sister? Yeah, her sense of humor is rather bizarre. She's also a cheapskate, and I'm sure she bought all these from Don Quijote. I miss those convenience stores, though…" the Commander replied, looking outside the window. His longing sigh, uncharacteristic as it was, can be heard clearly.
"Ah, but Osakans are an interesting bunch, are they?" Zuikaku smiled as she glanced outside as well, while Shoukaku nodded. The Commander responded with a snort.
"Haha, I guess I should be flattered," he said as he turned back to the box. There's still much to unpack, even though they certainly couldn't finish all of them. Still, he knew he would like to see its contents sprawled over the table. He soon went back into rummaging through the box, occasionally making a quip over what he found.
Resting her chin on both hands, Zuikaku continued to smile as she watched.