They were just living their lives—just trying to survive as best they could in a world where you had to sell your most precious belongings just to scrape together enough food to eat. Surely, they didn’t deserve to be slaughtered mercilessly like this.
I can’t do this. I can’t take it anymore…
Somebody, please—just make it stop.
Put an end to this stupid war already.
What are we even trying to achieve here?
Is it really worth losing our homes? Our lives?
What’s the point of winning if the cost is this steep?
Can’t you see we’re only hurting ourselves in the end?
Japan, America, whoever—I don’t care. Just call it off, already.
This is madness, I tell you… Have we all gone completely insane?
“There’s something wrong with us… With Japan and America both…”
Just then, I heard a rumbling sound from one of the houses behind me, followed by the crackle and roar of billowing flames. I turned to look—and my jaw dropped.
The building was about to collapse right on top of me. I could tell.
I couldn’t move a muscle. Couldn’t possibly dodge out of the way in time.
All I could do was close my eyes and cover my head with my hands, curling up into a ball as debris from the burning wreckage rained down on top of me and pushed me into the ground. I heard the sound of the house’s main supports finally giving out—a sound so loud, it nearly ruptured my eardrums. I braced myself, gritting my teeth as I waited for the pain to be over, praying I wouldn’t be crushed to death.
Fortunately, I wasn’t—but once it was over and I tried to sit myself up again, I felt a searing pain and heat in my right leg. I looked down and saw that a burning pillar had fallen on top of it, pinning me to the ground. Not a moment later, a huge chunk of the house’s roof—somehow, it had still been standing—fell down right on top of that, and another jolt of immense pain ran through my entire body. I was now trapped in the rubble, unable to pull my leg out no matter how hard I tried.
As the flames whirled around me, it felt like I was being cooked alive.
Was this it? Would this be how I died? All alone in a place like this?
No… I’m not ready to die… Not yet…
Somebody, please… Help…
“…Somebody…”
Save me…
Covering my face with both hands, I prayed for a savior.
Please… It hurts… It burns… I can’t breathe… Help…
“Yuri!”
I heard someone calling my name—their resounding voice piercing through the roaring flames as it found its way to me, swift and sure.
“Yuri, where are you?!”
As my consciousness grew hazy, I slowly opened my eyes.
I couldn’t see anything but fire raging all around me.
But I would know that voice anywhere.
“Ah…”
I tried to cry out to him, but my throat was too dry, my voice too hoarse.
But I had to reach him somehow. Had to call his name.
“…ki…ra… Akira…”
I took a deep breath and tried again.
“…Akiraaaaa!”
I lifted my head up to the sky, so bright and blue this morning, now dyed black and red by the smoke and flames. And I called out as loud as I could.
“Akira… A-kira! Over here!”
The jet-black smoke billowed higher and higher.
The bright red flames stretched their grasping fingers skyward.
The raging heat distorted my vision, as if I were looking at a mirage.
But through the fire and smoke, I could see the faintest of silhouettes.
I strained my eyes and tried to make it out as it grew closer and closer.
Please, come quick… I’m scared… I don’t want to die alone…
“Yuri…!”
And there he was, pushing his way through the rubble to stand right before me. The very savior I’d been praying for—Akira, and none other.
“You idiot!” he shouted. “What are you doing here…?!”
With an uncharacteristically panicked look on his face, he knelt down and grabbed the burning pillar that had fallen on my leg. Luckily, he was wearing thick leather gloves—but it was still extremely hot. Still, he didn’t hesitate for a moment as he hoisted it up and onto his shoulder for leverage, before gritting his teeth and lifting it up to create enough space for me to quickly scoot out from under it. Seeing that I had dislodged myself, Akira let out a sigh of relief, then dropped the pillar back down onto the ground.
Behind me, I heard the crackling sound of some of the house’s few remaining support beams beginning to finally give way due to the flames. Akira reached down and grabbed me brusquely by the arm to drag me to safety.
“Akira, I don’t know what to say…” I said, burying my face in his chest as the smoke billowed around us. “Thank you…”
He put one hand on my chin and turned my face up to look at him. Up close, I could see that his face was covered in soot—and his expression was extremely stern.
“Why didn’t you flee to the river with the others?!” he shouted. “Why did you run straight into the heart of the fire?!”
“I…needed to deliver this to the mess hall…” I said, showing him the cloth bag I had been clinging to my chest for dear life.
“Idiot!” Akira shouted. “Your life is more important than some measly rice!”
It was the first time he’d ever raised his voice at me like this, and it was actually quite intimidating. He screwed up his face and squeezed me tighter in his arms, forcing my ear up against his chest. I could hear the rapid thump of his heart. He’d probably sprinted all the way here.
“But then…what were you doing here, Akira?” I asked.
“I’d just gotten to the mess hall when I heard the siren,” he said, laying his chin atop my head. “Tsuru-san was on the verge of tears, frantically telling me she’d just sent you out to run an errand…”
“…So you came looking for me?”