Chapter 84 - Eiji POV The Calm (pt1) (2/2)
”Not enough. You punched me in the stomach and ran off!” Sean childishly snapped back.
Eiji lowered his head.
Sean sighed. ”I'm not mad. I was scared I wouldn't see you again.”
”Why?”
Sean scoffed. ”Seriously Eiji. Am I even your friend?”
Eiji faced him with friendly smile. ”Idiot!”
He returned the finger flick gesture to Sean's forehead.
”Should we leave you faggots alone?” Kei wryly said from the other side of the room as he was moving the chabudai back in place after he had packed away his and Tyne's futons.
”What did I say about using that disgusting F word?!” Sean snapped back at Kei and tackled him to the ground.
Tyne stepped around their play fight to sit next to Eiji.
”I am glad to see you again. Sorry about...” Tyne sighed away the rest of his apology. ”How's the arm?”
Eiji inspected his forearm. He unwrapped the badge to take a look at the yellowing bruise. It was surprisingly healing fast. He suspected it was due to the medicine he had taken at the shrine.
”It's healing well.” Tyne noted with a tone of surprise. ”Who treated it?”
Eiji paused before explaining his sprints through the forest and moment at Bishamonten's shrine. Obviously not disclosing his vows, prayers and matters that were only between him and Okamisama. He gulped at the sudden drop of color from Tyne's cheeks.
”Japan's god of war?” Tyne's voice went weak.
”You know about Bishamonten?” Eiji asked, both surprised and impressed.
”Through my university lessons.” He nodded. ”One of the seven gods of luck.”
He faced Eiji, staring him square in the eye. ”O'Bishamonten's priest allowed you into the shrine?”
Eiji sense a tone of insistence to his words. Was he also asking for forgiveness?
”Yeah.”
Tyne sighed with relief. His hand fiddled about his pocket, but resurfaced empty.
”How much was the US willing to know about their enemy?” Eiji asked. An effort to change the subject.
”Not a lot. To be honest, my field was considered controversial because it was too focused on learning about other cultures.” Tyne chuckled. ”My professors were constantly fighting with the school board to keep it running.”
”I figure they don't they run it now.” Eiji suspected.
”There was a lot of talk about shutting down the program just before I enlisted. I'm glad I got the chance to be part of it before it happened.”
Tyne sighed. ”I suspect when the war is over, we'll all be wondering what we had been fighting.”
”Too busy rebuilding to think philosophical.” Eiji scoffed.
”True.” Tyne nodded his head.
Eiji changed the subject to ask about Ren. This caused the three men to face him with grim expressions.