“Tell me Matsuda, how are you liking your rank?” 

    “It’s satisfactory.” His answer.

    “But, you want more.” Lips smirked slightly and fingers lifted a cup of wine to his mouth. 

    “Greedy bastard.” 

    “You have to admit, Matsuda is one of the best officers on our team.” The group of men agreed and chuckled as they talked of his accomplishments. 

    “I heard of how you destroyed the enemy at Bairoko. Some of the men of your platoon are alive today because of you.” The compliment came from his Captain, forcing him to place the cup back on his saucer and bow his head in reverence.

    “I am not worthy of your praise, Sir.” The older man, his Superior, sat at the head of the table stroking his mustache. 

    “Rumor has it that you’re the son of Yukio Matsuda. Is it true?” He bowed his head lower. 

    “Yes, sir. Yukio Matsuda is my father.” A satisfied grumble from the man made his heart thump against his chest. 

    “Very good. The greatness of the father has passed to the son. You give him honor with your service.”

    “I am deeply humbled, sir.” Lifting his head, he sat straight and rigid once more, hands reaching for his tea. 

    “Perhaps you are sullied by your rank.” Lifting his eyes to the shrewd ones of the aging man, he paused his hand. 

    “Sir?”

    “A man, blessed with good looks and brains, connected to the great and good God of our Land, surely rank of the second lieutenant is measly compared to the more esteemed rank of first.”

    “I am pleased with whichever rank you see fit to give me, sir.” He didn’t argue that and lunch continued on pleasantly. 

    “I have also heard that you have in your possession a rare woman of sorts.” 

    “Yes. A Negro woman from America.” 

    “Interesting. The Negro is a prime subject Nakakawa has shared with me. Many promoted soldiers wanted to be awarded it but your reputation was one I couldn’t ignore.”  He showed no outward emotion to the comment and continued eating. 

    “I wish to see all of the generosity given by our Great Emperor.” 

    “Sir!” He and the other soldiers stood and at his standing, saluted him. The doors to the elegant dining hall opened and in filed the women. All different in appearance, size, and stature, they were made to stand in a single-file line, the five or six of them. Captain Onada advanced upon them like a calculated predator, hands neatly folded behind him. Lifting to take the white face of one of the captured Lithuanian whores, he examined her, making her open her mouth and smile. To the Burmese, Chinese and Korean one he did the same.

     When he got to Beatrice, however, he did something different. He lifted a hand to her hair, feeling the texture of it. Taking hold of her face, he rubbed her skin as if to see if her color would come off. When the pretty golden brown did not, he made a sound of surprise. She stood stiff, her eyes looking down. He poked and pinched her lips, making her yank her face away from him. Chuckling, he glanced back at him, who had not broken attention. 

    “Feisty one, hm?” He didn’t answer. 

    “I wonder how you punish her.” Dropping a hand, he groped her, making her shout. Covering her chest with her arms, she turned her body away from him, eyes now insolent and enraged. 

    “How did you come by this one Matsuda?” He asked, grabbing her arm. Yanking her back to face him, he ran his tongue across his smiling teeth. 

    “She was a performer in Shanghai’s entertainment district.”

    “Is that so? She certainly has the body for it.” A hand fondled her backside, bringing a few choice words from her. Deciding he was done playing with her, he stepped back from her and turned to face him. 

    “At ease.” At once, he relaxed, feet slightly apart and arms behind his back. 

    “I asked you here for an important reason, Matsuda.” 

    “That is, sir?”

    “I want to give you another promotion.” The other officers kept their eyes straight ahead but no doubt they’d be talking about it amongst themselves later. 

    “I am not worthy, sir.” 

    “I’ll determine that. Not you.” Turning lusty eyes back towards the Negro whore, he smirked to himself. Knowing Matsuda, he wouldn’t have anything or anyone humiliate him. She appeared well put together and clean. Out of all of them, she looked the best. Her dress perfectly pleated and showed no signs of wrinkle. Though she wore no hose, her skin appeared healthy. Even her thick coarse hair had somehow managed to be pulled up into an appropriate style. It fascinated him to look at it. 

    “Approach.” The man wasted no time in doing so and soon he stood behind him, ready for the next command. Standing off to the side, he and the other commanding officers and personnel all gathered around. Now, the woman looked justifiably uneasy and it made him want to laugh. How fearful these little mice were. 

    “To receive rank as First Lieutenant, you must do this one thing.” 

    “Sir,” His voice was confident and sure, unwavering. 

    “Draw your weapon and aim at the woman.” He withdrew the gun from his holster. At that, her terrified eyes turned to look at him. She looked as if she wanted to say something but fear wouldn’t allow her. How curious that now all of a sudden she was mute. Lifting the weapon, he aimed it at her, hand, arm, fingers steady. 

    “Take off safety.” He ordered and the click confirmed its completion. She’d begun to visibly shake, her small hands clenched into fists. Her eyes had started to grow teary. 

    “If I ordered you to shoot her, would you?” 

    “With no hesitation, sir.” Several of the upper echelons chuckled. 

    “She means that little to you, Matsuda? This…Negro of yours?” 

    “The victory of our Great Nation is the most important to me. All other matters mean nothing.” 

    “Then, should I let these good sirs have their own taste of her? I imagine she does please you well.” He didn’t speak but then he didn’t have to. His tightened jaw said enough. 

    “Stand down and withdraw your weapon.” He did so and resumed at ease. 

    “Very good. I am glad to see a real soldier in my midst. Others are only here by way of favors from their fathers.”Turning to the Korean servant standing by the door, he ordered him to take the women away and he did so swiftly. Resuming his seat, his eyes gleamed proudly as he took the young man in sight. 

    “Congratulations. You’ve just been promoted to First Lieutenant.” 

*** 

    The ride back was thick with tension, a tight coil of unreleased emotions. They sat in the back seat, her body completely turned away from him. She stared out of the window the entire time. Pulling into the camp’s long extended drive, the air changed into something sinister and dark. When the driver stopped in front of his block, he waited patiently until they both had gotten out before heading on his way. Still, silence clung to their throats as they entered the building. All hell broke loose once they were safely behind the thick heavy door to his quarters. 

    She hadn’t said a word as she turned, violently slapping him across the face. The force of it set the entire half of his face on fire and he lifted furious eyes upward as she panted, her own filled with tears. Turning on her foot, she began to walk away from him but he grabbed her, yanking her back towards him roughly. 

    “How dare you…” He breathed, his voice full of gruff fury. 

    “How dare I? How dare YOU.” She shouted, pushing against him. 

    “You tried to kill me….you really…tried…to kill me…” She gasped, now the tears letting loose down her cheeks. 

    “If I wanted to, I would have pulled the trigger.”

    “And why didn’t you? Why didn’t you shoot me Ichiro?” 

    “Calm yourself and stop crying. You’re going to piss me off.” He said, shoving her away from him, making her fall slightly against her bed. 

    “You’re a pitiful piece of shit. You know that?” She hissed, lifting herself to stand up. 

    “Beatrice,” Said in warning but she didn’t heed it.  

    “What the hell did you bring me here for huh? At least out there, those maggots are honest about what they want. If they want to fuck, they fuck. If they want to kill, rape and beat, they do. And then there’s you. You don’t know what you want.” He had reached for a cigarette but paused his hand. 

    “You don’t know whether you want to hate me or love me. Right? Did your daddy brainwash you that much you can’t even make decisions for yourself?” He turned and grabbed her by the neck, smashing her back against the wall. 

    “Shut your mouth.” He seethed, anger making his voice throaty and harsh. She dug nails into his forearm as he choked her, finding relief as he let go of her throat and gripped her jaw tightly. 

    “If you speak about him again, I will cut the tongue out of your mouth. Do you understand?” Breathing hard through flared nostrils, she for once stayed silent. Letting go of her, he went back to his cigarette and brought it to his mouth. Striking a match, he inhaled the nicotine almost immediately, dark intense eyes lifting to her watery enraged ones. 

    “Takahashi was right. I should have fucked you in that dressing room.” He said, blowing white cloudy smoke in front of him, misting his face for a moment. 

    “It would have put me out of my fucking misery.” She was breathing so hard it sounded like she was gasping.

    “If you’re going to stay here, we have some rules to establish.” He took another inhale before speaking again.

    “Rule number one: don’t talk about my father. If you do again, I will kill you.” She stayed silent as he continued, 

    “Rule number two: show me respect when you talk to me. I’m not your friend. Rule number three: when I tell you to be quiet, listen.” 

    “Rule number four, continue to walk around evading the truth.” She shot back, eyes defiant. He continued to take long almost thoughtful drags on the now dying tobacco stick before snuffing it out. 

    “Your ego won’t let you admit what we both know.”

    “And that is?”

    “You fell in love with me two years ago.” To her surprise, he began to laugh, a sound she’d never heard before. Soft at first, soon a loud humored guffaw. Were it not a serious moment, she might have even joined him. He approached her again, making her stiffen up against the wall. But he didn’t make a move to touch or grab her. Lifting his hands above her head, he trapped her inside of his arms, eyes humored still. 

    “Is that what you’re calling it, Bea? Love?” 

    “Yes. That’s what it’s called.” Her breath hastened as he pressed his nose against her, softly inhaling her. 

    “In another life, perhaps. But not now. Not here.” He spoke, voice now quiet, his breath warm against her cheek. 

    “War has no place for love. What keeps you and I alive is blood and death. That’s what allows us to breathe another day.” Her heart threatened to come out of her chest as he pulled away from her, his hands and arms following. 

    “I make no apologies for what happened today. Now, you know where this ‘love’ of ours stands.” Grabbing his hat and placing it upon his head, he left her suddenly, allowing her to finally crumple to the floor and weep uncontrollably.