Sailing Against the Gale

After I finished patching up Daichi’s bruises and cuts, he hurried to leave my room, warily glancing around as he did. On instinct, I stepped in front of the door to block his way. I couldn’t let him leave—not yet. We hadn’t had a proper conversation, and there was so much I didn’t know about life on the base. Daichi might have the answers I needed.

“I’m sorry, but I really shouldn’t be here,” Daichi said, his eyes darting nervously from wall to wall. What was he so worried about?

“There are no cameras inside the bedrooms,” I reassured him, although I wasn’t entirely sure myself. “For privacy purposes. Bluefort can listen, but it can’t record what happens in here for the same reason. Privacy in our personal space is one thing the military guarantees, and I trust they’ll keep their word. You’re safe here. You can relax.”

Daichi looked like he could finally breathe. How long had he been waiting to hear those words? He followed me to my bed and sat down. I chose Hideo’s instead, silently hoping he wouldn’t notice when he returned from his leave.

I swallowed my guilt and asked, “Has this been happening for a while?”

He nodded, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. “It’s fine. Nothing I can’t handle.”

“But it’s not right. This shouldn’t happen right under their noses. Your brother—” I blurted out, wincing as I realized I had said too much. It was too late. He had already heard me mention Daiki.

Daichi’s excited grin hit me like a punch to the gut. “So you do know my brother! Have you met him? I haven’t heard from him in so long. I wonder how he’s doing now.”

A fierce debate raged within me. What was the right thing to do? Should I tell him the truth? Or shield him a white lie? His life here was already unbearable enough. Did he really need to know that his brother had abandoned him and was now rotting in a prison cell?

The image of yesterday’s visit to the cemetery flickered in my mind. Juri had been the one telling me about the passing of Yuna’s parents. I had wished I had heard it from Yuna herself instead. Now, as the one who had arrested Daiki, the responsibility fell on me. No matter how bitter the truth was, Daichi deserved to know. I wouldn’t want someone else to feel what I had felt.

“I don’t know how to tell you this in a nicer way.” I inhaled deeply to steel myself. “Your brother deserted. I’m a Drifter Captor.” I studied his expression, observing the way his face fell as he processed the words. He pieced it together without needing me to spell it out. “I had to do it.”

“Oh, right. You’re a Drifter Captor,” Daichi repeated, his voice so quiet it was almost inaudible. “How lucky.”

I remained silent. Nothing I could say would change the fact.

“Must be nice.” He started counting with his bruised fingers. “Going out of the base so often. Private training with fellow Drifter Captors. Never having to share space with senior soldiers.”

Clenching my fists at my sides, I kept my mouth shut. He needed to vent, I reasoned. The least I could do was listen.

“While we’re stuck in this vicious cycle of violence, you get to take a walk in the park or something.” Envy seeped through his words. He took a moment to compose himself. “Am I even allowed to visit my brother in his cell? Or is that forbidden, too?”

“I can help request permission.” Honestly, I had no idea how military prison visitation worked. As a relatively new member of the Military Police Department, I was still learning the ropes. But I had to give him something to hold on to. He needed it.

“Thank you for everything,” Daichi said, a slight smile on his face. He looked far calmer now, and I was glad to have eased at least one of his worries. “I should probably get going before someone in my division starts looking for me.”

“Take care of yourself. You can always call me if you need anything.”

I wished I could say this to everyone who went through what Daichi had, and how I wished I had someone who said this to me.

***

During lunch break, Enma sent a message through my ID watch, notifying me of an incoming call from outside the base and asking me to go to the phone room after finishing my meal. I left everything behind and headed straight there. My appetite vanished as anxiety took its place. I couldn’t shake the possibility that the call might be from someone important. Maybe Juri, or even Yuna.

The phone room contained dozens of enclosed cubicles, each with a single chair and table. The walls were LED screens, similar to those in the barracks. Even though they promised privacy, each cubicle had a camera installed, and all calls from outside were heavily monitored. Soldiers were required to answer their calls here.

I stepped into my designated cubicle. The screens flickered to life, displaying the name Himei Juri. My heart pounded against my ribcage, and anticipation kept me on the edge of my seat. Was this about the memory card? Had the decryption been completed? What was on it?

“Juri,” I said, holding back my excitement so it wouldn’t show. They were listening to this conversation. I couldn’t let them catch on that this was something they should know.

Since it was very unlikely that I would be taking leave anytime soon, Juri and I had agreed yesterday to communicate through calls. We had both known that our conversations would be monitored, so we had decided to speak in code. I had voiced my concerns to her, admitting that I might struggle to understand, since I wasn’t exactly the sharpest. But Juri had waved me off.

Using my brain wasn’t my forte. However, I had no other choice.

“Have you eaten lunch, Sou?” Juri asked, her voice echoing through the cubicle.

“Yes, but I couldn’t finish it. Your cooking yesterday was more delicious. How about you? Have you had lunch?” I hoped she caught the emphasis on finish and yesterday. If she did, she would know I was referring to the memory card.

“Unfortunately, not. I haven’t finished cooking because my friend made a surprise visit earlier. But he gave me a nice gift, so I can forgive him for delaying my lunch.”

I deciphered her message in my head. The decryption wasn’t complete yet, but she had gotten something else in return. A new lead? Or perhaps some information about Yuna?

“Nice. What kind of gift? Don’t tell me it’s a red rose—I already gave one to you yesterday.”

The red rose referred to Yuna’s pendant. While it might seem a bit obvious, it should be something that only both of us, aside from Yuna herself, would understand.

Juri feigned a surprised gasp. “How did you know? It’s beautiful, don’t you think? I wonder if there are any red roses inside the base. Who knows, if you walk around and search, you might find some.”

My brain felt like it was short-circuiting after listening to Juri and decoding the hidden message in her words. My hands grew clammy as it dawned on me. It couldn’t be what I was thinking. I must be wrong. But what if I wasn’t?

“Oh, my water is boiling. I need to go. Talk to you later.” Juri must have noticed my distress and tried to take control of the situation by ending the call first, so that they would stop monitoring us.

I was still shaken when I stood up and left the phone room. My legs felt like lead, each step heavier than the last. I hadn’t even considered the possibility before, but now that Juri had mentioned it, everything clicked into place. It seemed entirely possible. Why hadn’t I thought of it sooner?

Yuna might be somewhere inside the base.