Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4-7 2019 | Page 198

The soft prelude lingered dreamily among the full-toned chords and scampered over the high bits. The
notes drifted through the dark pit, across the shadow-covered jungle, into the ears of the distant Japanese
rocket trooper. As the harmonica came to a stop, my heart was immediately tightened.
Suddenly, a melodious Shamisen stringed music, mixed with the gentle breeze, gently dawdled into my ears.
Lending an ear, the same “Short Song Style” seemed to be far away, intangible, yet close. I shed the most
sincere tears, letting the string of notes slid gently across my heart.
“Bright is the moon's sparkle; Will there be a time it can be grasped? Thoughts of you from deep inside,
never settle never cease.”
A figure came to me from the darkness of the distance. He was wearing a silver cuirass, and kabuto helm
showed his symbol. He carried a Shamisen with his left hand and held a Shamisen with his right. Gradually,
the face portrayed a clear outline. Without the faceplate, I saw the man turned out to be Asuka.
Under the dazzling stars, on the ferocious battlefield, the hands of the two enemies were tightly held
together. Asuka’s eyes were full of torture from memories, yet he still believed in the power of music. We
talked about our family, mourned the homeland, and faces of the loved ones that we might never be able to
see again.
He wiped the tears with his sleeves. "My friend, I am going to help you get back to your fleet, stay strong!"
Then I threw my arms around his neck and limped the way back.
Back in base camp, all soldiers showed their unsettling emotions at me, and horrifying unpleasant looks at
Asuka. I tried to get back on my fee, stood firmly and delivered a speech,
“The flowers seem close when you see from the high pavilion, but they will wound a traveler’s heart. Why?
There are much suffering in hundreds and thousands places. The colours of spring will not stop coming
between heaven and earth. The floating clouds are also ever changing from ancient times to today.
However, are borders which our leaders have drawn on the map powerful enough to build the borders of
prejudice into our minds, alienating us from each other?
The answer is a yes, as long as we make the change ourselves, stop the fight, care about the power we have
towards others, and teach our next generation without bias.
Why don't we start at this very moment, making this world a better place by creating peace and compassion?
My friend Asuka here has dispelled the dust of evil and hate from his heart, making his choice to show his
compassion.
By this way can you only be able to look at our children's eyes with the feeling of pride for the world we
have built for them.”
After simple medical treatment, I accompanied Asuka to the Japanese tent on the opposite side. While the
reactions and expressions inside the tent were more or less the same, I delivered the same speech and urged a
truce for both sides. "I have done all I can to help." I thought. The remaining will be left for the fate to
decide.
On the next day, a peace treaty was signed by both sides. It lasted for a peace for four years.
"You have won for yourself a place in history as some of the first great explorers." said Asuka.
It was not the fleet, the battlefield, or the exhaustion that I had explored, but as I believed, the true value of
mankind.
"The moon outshines the sparse stars; the crows fly to the south. Circling the tree three times; on what
branch can they find rest?"