A simple meal was served.
It looked like canned food that had been heated up. The stew looked as if it had already been digested. Biscuits were as dry as a parched swamp. Then there was the coffee with the oil settled in it. They were all good enough for me.
Since I and she were the only ones at dinner, we talked about harmless topics. She told me that my bangs were a little long and suggested to me that I should have them trimmed. I thought that it was a good idea. So, I asked to borrow her scissors. She started cracking up for some reason. Then she suddenly stopped laughing and said that she would love to cut it for me. But, she told me that she should not do so.
“Why not?” I asked.
“Because the day after I gave him a haircut, he was shot down.” As she said this, she tried to smile just with her mouth. The area under her eye twitched once. She put one hand on her cheek and faked the twitch by looking down.
“The fact that you cut his hair had nothing to do with the result,” I said.
“Sure.”
“To worry about such things is not very characteristic of a scientist.”
“You’re right.”
“We tend to look for good luck, but it usually has nothing to do with anything,” I spoke. I might have been in a relatively good mood. “For example, the way we tie our shoes on the day we fly, or the pendant we wear only on the day we go on a mission.”
“Who are you talking about?”
“Well, whom that might be? But, everyone has such rules. Most of the time, without exception, it works, but there’s one last time when it doesn’t work. And that’s the only time it doesn’t work.”
“True.” She nodded. “Come to think of it, you were talking about someone called the Teacher at the hospital. Why is that person called the Teacher? A nickname? Or, some kind of lucky charm?”
“Code name.”
“Ah, in short, you pilots use such names during the flight, correct?”
“Yes. The Teacher was a genius of the fighter pilot. Everyone knew him. He was the legendary ace pilot.”
“Have you met him?”
“Well.” I closed my eyes. “I’m not sure.”
A dark place.
Red light.
Where is this?
It got brighter in an instant.
The blue sky spread out.
An image of an aircraft in front to the left.
It’s of tractor configuration.
It was approaching me while banking, with its wings tilted.
I was already diving, and was pitching upward from below.
The opponent passed by me overhead.
To the backside.
I turned around.
The one shook the wings. Is it a greeting?
Then, it climbed up.
I hurriedly lifted the nose of the aircraft to make it pitch upward.
I sank into the seat and looked at the one.
The aircraft that was supposed to be climbing had already disappeared.
I searched for it.
Rolling over, and flying inverted. It’s toward the ground.
Behind me.
When did it get there, before I realized it?
Did it stall the aircraft?
It did not look like it was flying that slowly.
It was closing in on me.
Very fast.
I saw a black marking on its cowling.
A black cat.
I evaded to the left.
I deflected the flaps downward.
Not good.
I can’t make it.
I opened my eyes.
The breathing that had stopped returned. My body was almost quivering. My teeth chattered even though it was not cold. Formidable. It was a terrifying presence. I wondered why it was frightening.
“You’re tired, aren’t you?” She said gently.
That’s right. I was conversing with her. What were we talking about?
I was also feeling the aftermath of something horrible.
A shuddering sensation down my spine ...
I wondered what it was.
It faded away and disappeared.
All the sensations were disappearing.
“Do you want to get some sleep? In another three hours or so, Hayase will be here. He’s going to examine you again.”
“Oh, you mean the hypnosis?”
“Don’t worry. It’s a medical treatment. You know, you will get better.”
I wanted to get some fresh air. The air here was heavy, like mud. I could not tell if it was because of the dampness or the stagnation of the air. Or maybe it was just dark, I could not tell. I could barely sense the smell of oil in the hangar. It smelled more like something else, something artificial and complicated.
I noticed that I was having a headache.
I was sure that they would object to my going out there. They had to work so hard to hide the aircraft in the leaves.
I told her I wanted to take a rest, and she led me to a room. We walked up the stairway, made the return trip through the tunnel, and entered a room, which was near the room in which I saw the bearded man. It was a small room with a bunk bed. The only light source was a single stained fluorescent lamp.
“Do you think you can sleep here?” She asked.
“Yes.” I nodded.
There was a new blanket on the bed. That was enough for me. She told me that I had better keep the lights on. She watched me lie down on the bed and then left the room.
The sound of footsteps faded away and it became quiet.
I felt a little calmed down.
I had a feeling that things were going in a different direction than I had expected. I had not cast suspicion on her before, but I was beginning to think slightly that she was deceiving me. I was also having a small speculation that she was trying to use me.
What I mean by “small” is that it’s not a big deal either way.
I kept my eyes open for a while.
The fluorescent light was humming faintly.
I looked at the stains and the cracks on the walls, then the tarnish of the door’s metal fittings, and so on, while lying on my side. If I close my eyes, will I be able to see the sky again? Or, if I keep my eyes open, will Suito Kusanagi come in from that door? Which do I desire? That was what I imagined.
Today, more than anything, I was happy to be able to get on an aircraft for the first time in a long time. I really enjoyed it. I want to do that again. I thought I’d run out of fuel, but it looks like there’s at least a fuel tank here.
“After all, there is Sanka here,” I uttered.
Sanka? Sanka ... Sanka. Sanka! Right, it is the name of that aircraft. It is called Sanka. I am recalling that. It’s a beautiful aircraft. Very light. Pusher configuration, with the engine and the propeller mounted on the tail. It was an innovative design and revolutionary for a fighter aircraft. The high efficiency that stems from the pusher configuration is typically utilized for the size reduction of the main wings, which would result in better acceleration at high velocity. However, Sanka intentionally avoids decreasing the wing size. As a result, it is lighter and has better turning performances. It is agile and has an excellent climbing ability.
I had always piloted that aircraft model.
Right, always.
Have I piloted it from the beginning? Have I ever piloted another plane? I could not recall that.
Anyway, I love that aircraft.
More than anyone.
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