The Angels Of The Battlefield

Chapter 7: Even When Blood Spills

"I promise that I'll do my best to come back home!"

Elise was still in tears, but she finally conceded by nodding weakly. Her face was so utterly defeated as she looked at Mike dejectedly.

Mike's heart shattered at that moment. Truly, he suffers from a chronic case of sister complex.

He looked behind Elise, there, his Grandpa, who served during WW2, smiled at him.

"Go on son, kick-ass, and make sure to get your ass back home. I'll take care of your little sister." The old man tells him. Mike respected him, for he is a part of the greatest generation, who fought for freedom. Perhaps, the bright side of this deployment, is he'll get to be like him. A hero in a way. Still, doubt lingered in his heart, for this war doesn't seem as black and white as the second world war.

Mike simply nodded with a fake smile, just to appear that he was fine, and perhaps placate his sister.

When he turned to the door, he immediately felt someone hug him again.

It's Elise again.

"Please...come back home." She muttered weakly.

"I'll do my best, I promise."

She would eventually break off from her goodbye hug.

Turning around again, he would finally close the door of their home, one last time...

Light.

That was what Mike saw as he opened his eyes widely. Above him, two birds passed his vision.

Please don't shit at me. His mind thought, as the birds slightly hovered above him. But eventually, they fucked off.

Looks like Lady Luck is still at my side! He immediately sat up giddily even if it was just a small smile from fate.

He looked over the covered part of the foxhole, where Hifumi and Serika slept. Hifumi looked...fine? She had a slightly smiling face as she hugged that cute bag she always carried around.

Mike smiled, Hifumi has always reminded him of his little sister back home. He remembers the promise he gave her on that fateful day.

It was quite an unfair promise really, even the one he gave to Hifumi was just unfair. Mike always lived on the principle that promises are sacred, and must be followed no matter what.

Unfortunately, the promise he made was unfair. He promised to do his best to survive/make everyone go home, not that he will survive and everyone will go home.

And he will do his best, he always did, and he always will. But, even when one does his best, it may fail.

But even if he fails...he would have still followed and fulfilled his promise.

As if that small consolation would be enough not to break a girl's heart.

I fucked up, didn't I? Mike thought.

He looked at Hifumi with a pained expression. It seems that his promise has worked at reassuring and calming her down.

But deep down, he knows that soon, it will all fall apart.

He just dug her a deeper grave, all for a reckless act of trying to reassure and calm her down.

He buried his face in his hands in shame.

You dumbass, moron, idiot, insensitive ape. You did this to yourself. You fucked up, you lying, shameful man. Fuck this war, fuck this draft, fuck everything. I don't want to die, I want to go home dammit! Why am I even here? What even is happening to me? Am I losing it? Why? Why? Why? Dammit why?!