To My Sunflower

Eiji, Kei, Sean, Tyne and Tama stepped into a boisterous party time, excited by the heady aroma of sake lingering about the air.

The inn was a large minka opening for many to gather. With small square tables risen on ankle high platforms with green floor cushions to ensure patrons were seated comfortably off the floor. The tables formed a causal row to one side of the room where most of the noisy partying was going on. The other area held the serving bar, bar chairs and stage for performances. Although it was empty.

Tama skirted around the low tables, avoiding spills of cheap sake that were being sloshed about from small cups held in heavy hands of flushed face men, who were more than enjoying their clock-off time with hearty drink and conversation.

No one noticed her, as he skilfully dodged the legs of women in modest grey kimonos (with sleeves held back by ties), who hurried about the large room to refill jugs, cups or serve food to the customers.

Kei saw her find a quiet and private spot in a pocket shelf behind the bar. She was soon curled up asleep in her safe spot.

Eiji sighed happily at the modest green kimono Saito-san, the local priest, had loaned him to wear. He was tired at having to wear western suits all the time. A kimono was a decent attire for a j.a.panese man. It seemed it was the case for Sean and Tyne as well.  They wore similar coloured kimonos with hems that dangled close to the straps of their getas. Another loan from the local shrine, which Mizuki had also organized for them.

"I envy you Eiji. To wear kimonos with your partner would"ve been nice." Sean sighed with a dreamy thought of himself and his Ray strolling down a street in matching kimonos.

"Yeah." Eiji sighed, indulging in a thought of himself and Hinata strolling through a summer festival in matching yukatas. 

The men stopped themselves from slipping further into nostalgia as they headed to the table where Saito-san and a few older men were seated. 

They definitely left a favourable impression for the women workers as they pa.s.sed them. Not seeing the shared feverish whispers behind dainty hand gestures or smiles and nods of approval.

Nana wasn"t immune to their impression as well when she entered the inn to share a drink at the bar. She shuffled onto the stool next to Ren.

The serving woman gave her a few austere glances as they served her without saying a word. It seemed her position ensured the other women zipped their lips around her.

Especially since she was still wearing her nurse uniform beneath her light blue cardigan. Although her hat was removed to reveal her silk brown hair held back from her forehead in a tight bun. It revealed a young, delicate and soft beauty.

In Tyne"s mind, she presented the perfect image of an admirable civilian. A fact he wanted to confirm.

"Officer. Suzuki-san." Tyne cordially greeted the couple when he caught Nana"s eyes on him.

"Weber-sensei. I haven"t seen you here before." Nana casually noted.

"Saito-san invited us to dinner." Tyne gestured to the bald middle aged man who was entertaining Eiji, Sean and Kei at the low table at the back corner.

He grinned at the men"s kiddish goading to the sight of Nana with him.

Ren groaned. "Those old men need to work more shifts."

"Oh, I don"t know. It seems they"re the fond of the idea that Nana and I are close." Tyne raised his sake cup in a cheer gesture to the men, who roared with hearty cheers to do his best.

"Right. Well, let me not intrude," Ren said, seizing the perfect opportunity to escape any romantic moments between nurse and doctor.

He joined Eiji"s side at the table, and began a discussion and drinking match. 

"What do you think?" Tyne teased her as he a.s.sumed Ren"s old seat before the bar.

"About what?" Nana frowned as she sipped her tea that was served to her.

"What those men are thinking about us?" He continued his casual flirt to charm her.

"They need to work more shifts." She grumbled Ren"s words, downing her tea in one go.

"Tell me about yourself Suzuki-san. We"ve worked together for three weeks."

"Four." Nana corrected Tyne.

"Four. I don"t know now much about you." Tyne"s charming smile wasn"t working well on her.

"Why? We work professionally. Isn"t that enough?" Nana"s frown deepened.

"Chemistry between working partners is important."

"What do you want Weber-sensei?" She sighed.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.

"To know you better." He persisted. "Of course, I won"t force you. You can turn away if you don"t feel anything for me. I"ll be heartbroken, but I"ll understand."

Tyne"s smile turned into a pout and puppy-dog expression that made Nana relax her frown and ease into a comfortable expression and position on the stool.

Their conversation became topics of business and other meaningless trivia. It was enough data for Tyne to arrive to a conclusion of her.

Eiji was able to learn more about Nana from Ren and Saito-san.

Nana became their nurse when their last doctor was lost to the air raids. She had been recommended by Ren"s superior from another town. This superior held connections with the navy and secret police, so she was well received by the mayor and authorities.

However, it was a reason a lot of women avoided her or held careful interactions. The mention of secret police connections somehow made them nervous.

The men, on the other hand, held her with high respect and pa.s.sed flirts to win her admiration. Ren had been called in a few times to dissuade unwanted drunken attention. It was how he became good friends with her.

Kei learned from Saito-san that the air raids that attacked the village were an unusual in pattern. As they typically headed for Kure or further south. It was the first time their village suffered direct fire, which made the local authorities nervous. They were concerned that their knowledge of their naval training base might have been revealed. When they heard of another attack closer towards Kure, and following the typical pattern. The navy had concluded that the attack on Saka was random sweep.

Meanwhile, Sean had left the group, where Eiji and Kei sat, to share trivial chit-chat with some of the drunken locals at the table near them.

No one was keen to share knowledge of the war with Sean for obvious reasons. A lot of locals were extremely polite to the j.a.pan-friendly Europeans, but were unwilling to be open and sharing about their country"s politics.  He was able to piece together enough t.i.tbits from gossip around him to realize that the village was a cesspool of air strike information, despite being without a neighbourhood watch.

Since their arrival to Saka, Sean was able to learn that the imperial navy training base had predicted another air strike to happen on Hiroshima city within the coming months. The navy had also feared that another might occur somewhere south in a place called the Kyushu Islands.  Hearing pieces t.i.tbits to confirm the facts gave him a sick feeling in his stomach. He was able to play off his nausea as drunkenness.

The men continued their pleasant conversations before excuses themselves when the drinking began to enter the uncontrollable stage. They had gathered the information they needed, which wasn"t encouraging.

That night, they redressed into their suits. Tyne left brief and cordial goodbye notes on the doctor"s desk. Eiji placed Tama in her wicker bag. The four men quietly crept into the Blended Beauty.

Kei drove them out of town before dawn could crack through the night sky, and anyone was the wiser.

They held their silence as the sight of Saka village disappeared beyond their view of the rear vision mirror and back window. 

No one saw the black sedan stealthily tail their route towards the north.