May 1943
Relentless artillery fire pelted the streets of Shanghai , blasting through the mass of sandbags and wire set in a flimsy attempt to protect the citizens of the city from the horrors of the war raging around them . For the most part , Shanghai seemed at peace – a fashionable city ahead of its time filled with bustle and noise and an influx of foreign embassies . But then there were times like tonight when the harsh reality of war retreated from the shadows and hit the city at full force .
Kai ducked low as he skirted around an overturned casket . He gestured to the boy beside him , and the two opened fire . Zhang was Kai ’ s best friend . His only friend . They ’ d risen through the ranks together , both driven by an intense , burning hatred and a even more ferocious need for vengeance . Zhang was 15 when he lost his parents , an innocent student eager to be taught in the big schools of Shanghai . But everything changed when in the winter of 1937 , the Japanese Army , led by their insignia of the rising sun , rampaged the city of Nanjing , killing every man , woman and child that crossed their path , including Zhang ’ s parents , until the whole city was soon soaked in blood and teeming with empty streets . Zhang had then thrown away his dreams and future and dedicated himself to avenging his family and countrymen . Two years later , Kai joined him and over time , as they lay awake in the army base late at night , he would reminisce aloud how he ’ d been out all night partying when he should ’ ve been with his family the night of the attack . How he hadn ' t even had a chance to properly see them before it all happened . How he ’ d been a coward and a fool and ran away when he should ’ ve stepped out .
Black . Red . The colors flashed before his eyes as Kai felt more than saw Zhang ’ s falling figure . Once . Twice . Zhang ’ s body convulsed from where the bullets struck him . Kai snapped out of his stupor fast enough to catch Zhang before he made impact on the cold , hard floor . “ No .” Kai whispered . “ You promised . That we ' d stay together . Right to the very end .”
“ I ' m – sorry .” Zhang choked out .
“ No .” Kai repeated , louder this time . But it was too late .
Kai howled . He surged on in a blind frenzy , white-hot anger coursing through him . Once . Twice . He fired and fired . “ Stop . Please .” A quiet sob . Kai turned around . A boy of 14 knelt behind a ruckus of sandbags , his hands held high behind his head , almost drowning in his too- large uniform .
“ Please .” He managed again in broken Mandarin . Kai paused . He should just kill this boy . Get it over with . But he looked so small . So innocuous . So terrified .
“ I-didn ' t . Want to- “ the boy mimed shooting . “ But you were- shooting- me . So I- hit back .” Kai said nothing , eyes still pasted to Zhang ’ s limp body and the discarded gun next to the boy . “ Please .” The boy tried again , his thin voice breaking on the last word . Kai clenched his fist . The way the boy was pleading , it reminded him of when his brother wheedled himself out of beatings from his father .
Crack . The boy collapsed against Kai as a small hand-bomb detonated a few meters away from them . Kai cursed , picking himself up , and dragged the boy with him down a nearby alley . The boy was sweating profusely , large eyes tinged with fear . His name was Shiro , Kai learned through his tremulous attempts at explaining himself . He ’ d been forced to fight in the war when soldiers were running out . He ’ d been an aspiring artist before that and though he wanted no part in the war , he had to follow his general ’ s orders . It was imperative .
Kai shook his head , his mind a jumbled mess . All his life , the enemy had just been the enemy . They were faceless , ruthless creatures . They were the ones who ’ d murdered his family , and ripped apart his home . They were all the same- heartless , feral , inhumane . But what Shiro was showing him- that perhaps some of them were different . Perhaps not everything could be blamed on every single one of them . Perhaps under different circumstances some