Secret Meeting
Secret Meeting
Daniel was momentarily speechless, but he regained his composure as quickly as possible.
'My visit to Professor Meranto's residence with my adjutant to observe the Shinmyo Parade was strictly a matter of duty. Furthermore, I did not conceal it; I merely had no particular need to inform you.'
It was a sound argument.
Thinking rationally, there was not a single incorrect word, so one would accept it and move on. But from Frien's current perspective, those words sounded like nothing more than an excuse to escape the situation.
After all, human relationships were built on emotion, not reason.
'No need to inform, you say. That's too harsh. I've shown you my everything, Major General Daniel.'
'That was not by your choice, but strictly...'
'I believe I told you several times by my own choice as well. And each time, you coldly replied, 'I respect you, but I cannot move an army based on absurd talk of regression.''
Frien rose from her seat.
'I understand. Even putting myself in your shoes, you cannot plan operations based on unbelievable stories when the lives of countless soldiers depend on your decisions. I even like that cold, rational side of you, Major General Daniel.'
Taking light steps, Frien clasped her hands behind her back in front of Daniel.
'But this stings a little. From a general perspective, how could I possibly be happy seeing the man I like playing around with another woman? And even less so if that man is hiding that fact from me.'
Her face was close.
As Daniel let out a groan, Frien gave a thin smile.
'Hmm. Seeing that you aren't refuting me, it seems you do recognize you made a mistake. In that case, I'll give you a chance to make amends. What do you think I want right now?'
She was utterly arrogant, like a cat toying with a cornered mouse.
But the cat had no intention of eating the mouse.
She was merely observing with affectionate eyes how the mouse would escape this predicament.
Baffled, Daniel let out a laugh.
'It seems it would be best to spend some time alone with you. If you wish, we could even do so this evening...'
As if finding his answer lacking, Frien crossed her arms.
'That's a model answer. It is a model answer, but wouldn't it be better if you expressed yourself a bit more directly? I am a wounded woman right now. To soothe that wound, it would be better to use a slightly more... unconventional choice of words.'
It felt as if he could never win.
Daniel, at his wit's end, finally waved the white flag.
'Let us have a date this evening. In civilian clothes, like lovers.'
Frien looked a little surprised, not having expected him to say it so plainly.
But soon, she wore a satisfied smile.
'That is the correct answer.'
*
When late evening arrived, the two slipped out separately from City Hall and the Medical Unit, meeting at a plaza in the city.
Frien wore a neat dress that reached her knees and a pale brown cardigan, but claiming she was hiding her identity, she had donned sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat, which paradoxically made her stand out.
Daniel pointed this out, but Frien wasn't silent either.
She retorted that it was absurd for him to wear a suit when they had agreed to come in civilian clothes.
The two, bickering like that, had a simple meal near the plaza before taking a streetcar out to the suburbs.
No matter how much they disguised themselves, they figured they would be discovered if they stayed in a crowded place for too long.
Arriving in the suburbs, the two searched for a quiet, secluded place and found a hill with a good view and climbed it.
One bench, one streetlamp.
And an abandoned railing was all there was, but Frien was satisfied.
'No one! There's no one here!'
Frien, shouting as if she could finally breathe as she approached the railing, seemed somehow innocent and childlike.
Daniel let out a chuckle.
'Are you that happy?'
'Of course I'm happy! We couldn't even call each other by our names properly because we were watching out for people, right? I couldn't call Major General Daniel 'Major General Daniel'! Do you know how frustrating that was?'
Daniel, not sharing her enthusiasm, walked on.
'I think I rather enjoyed it, being able to spend a normal day.'
'You weren't frustrated even when you couldn't say my name?'
'It's not as if you vanish somewhere just because I can't say your name.'
It was a sound argument.
However, as we know, in conversations between men and women, presenting a sound argument sometimes tended to ruin the mood.
'...Major General Daniel, you seem to be rather insensitive when it comes to reading a woman's heart.'
'Hmm? Me?'
'Yes. But I think it might be a good thing. Otherwise, how many women would you have charmed by now?'
As Daniel hesitated, unable to grasp the intent of the question, Frien laughed softly and looked straight ahead.
Under the star-filled night sky, streetlamps flickered sparsely in the distance.
The lights, growing brighter towards the city center, seemed to trace the trajectory of life itself.
Riding on the wind, the laughter of children and the drunken shouts of adults could be heard faintly.
As they savored the tranquil atmosphere, Daniel approached her side and spoke quietly.
'...Is this really enough?'
Daniel had thought that Frien was jealous of the Shinmyo Parade and wanted him to do something impressive for her.
So he had come with a thick wallet, but what Frien asked for was something exceedingly close to 'ordinary'.
They had only eaten together at a shabby restaurant, watched an outdoor performance while waiting for the streetcar, and wandered around the suburbs looking for a place with a good view.
Yet now, a smile lingered on Frien's lips.
'This is enough. Because I am truly enjoying today.'
Daniel could not understand what it was about this ordinary day that brought Frien joy.
But for Frien, today was not an ordinary day at all.
Because doing anything with Daniel was a special experience and a wonderful thing for her.
'...To be honest, it still feels like a dream.'
Frien's eyes, which had been gazing at the city's nightscape, narrowed softly.
'When I was endlessly repeating the regression, I never imagined a future like this would come. I only thought I would be trapped in a terrible time forever.'
She spoke casually, but perhaps the memory still frightened her, for the hand gripping the railing trembled faintly.
Daniel casually laid his hand over hers, covering the back of it with his palm.
'Don't let yourself hurt any more over the past that's gone. We'll only move forward from now on. I'll make sure of it.'
The sincere consolation calmed her heart.
As her heart settled, a mischievous mood struck Frien, and she turned to look at Daniel.
'What was that? That remark just now? Are you saying you'll even take responsibility for me?'
It was a remark meant to tease Daniel.
Surely, upon hearing this, Daniel would be flustered and hesitate.
She found a little fun in watching him like that.
But the words that came from Daniel's mouth were beyond Frien's expectations.
'Of course I will take responsibility for you.'
The playfulness that had been on Frien's face disappeared.
'I resolved it on the day I shared memories with you. That no matter what happens, I will take responsibility for you.'
Daniel grasped Frien's hand tightly.
'Frien. You struggled to save me for more years than you have lived. I know how wretched and terrible the time you spent to save my life was.'
Frien had said that she had become accustomed to death through countless regressions.
That was half true and half false.
She may have grown accustomed to her own death, but when it came to Daniel Steiner's death, she remained the same as the first time to the very end.
Frien of the 1st cycle, and Frien of the hundreds of cycles, all burst into tears the moment they witnessed Daniel's death.
She wept, sobbed, blamed herself, despaired, and rose again repeatedly.
The depth of that emotion was so profound and tenacious that Daniel could hardly fathom it.
And yet the reason Frien pretended to be fine now was because she thought revealing her emotions would burden Daniel.
'...I will never forget the times you sacrificed for me. So I, too, will spend more years than I have lived for you. It doesn't matter what form that takes. I will live out my life as you wish.'
This was the only way to repay the grace he had received from Frien.
Daniel, who naturally turned to look at Frien, stopped short.
Because Frien was showing tears without a sound.
The moisture gathered in her clear eyes beaded up and flowed down.
'....'
Though Frien thought her emotions had been worn away through countless regressions, somehow, when she stood before this man, she simply could not control her own feelings.
'Heh...'
Human emotions had a flow rate.
Because a person's emotions change moment by moment depending on the situation, everyone tends to build several dams in their hearts.
They built them high and sturdy enough so they would not get angry when they felt anger, or cry when they felt sadness.
We like to package that as reason.
But if a current of water fierce enough to destroy the dams came crashing in, there was no longer anything to be done.
'....'
Frien's expression, which had been feigning composure, warped.
She could no longer wear a mask before the man who uniquely knew her pain, her blame, her anger, her mistakes, her regrets, and her sorrow.
But she did not let herself cry miserably.
Because she did not want to appear weak in front of Daniel.
The moment she tried to wipe her tears, Daniel's hand touched her cheek first.
It was a large, warm hand.
Savoring the touch of Daniel's hand silently wiping her tears, Frien slowly closed her eyes.
And then her lips moved quietly.
'Thank you.'
Her voice trembled a great deal, but Frien continued to speak.
'Today. Thanks to you, Major General Daniel...'
Lifting both hands to cradle the back of Daniel's hand, Frien smiled obliquely.
'I'm having the happiest day of my life.'