I walked away as I stared at everyone with pride. It was then I remembered that he who laughed last, laughed better and longer.
Now, where was the guy that provoked me?
"Damn! He isn't here anymore." I muttered with clenched fists.
But, I didn't seem to care about it too much, because I was happy that I made it through.
Wait! Come to think of it, I didn't write anything. And I was sure others too didn't. Except some rare beings. Speaking about rare beings, where's Shinsui?
I've checked the whole area but, I couldn't find him still.
"Hmmn, how in the world did I pass the test?" I thought, as I was now trying to crack a code I had built by myself.
Or Could it be?! Because, I'm the general's.... Well, not like I gave a damn!
"Fushi!" A voice called my name, it sounded like that of a female.
Was it the warrant officer two?
I let out a sigh, as I finally sighted the person that called my name out. It was my dad cute looking sister. In other words, my aunt.
"Fushi!" She called out again as she approached.
"Tssch, you're embarrassing me!" I muttered in a way that she didn't hear me.
She jumped slightly, and landed with both hands on my shoulder.
"So you passed huh?" She said with alacrity.
Even though she was a general, I was still surprised that she was already aware of me passing the test.
As I was still trying to regain balance, I decided to ask:
"I'm sorry, how did you?....."
But, before I completed my statement, she interrupts.
"Oh! If you failed then it's not bad, I just decided to go with the flow." She was now smiling and rubbing the back of her head comically.
So she wasn't aware that I had passed, she was just guessing?!
"I made it!" I whispered with a dissatisfied look.
"Oh That's nice!" She said, as she rubbed her hands on my cheek.
"Aw cmon, don't stare at me with that sad face, I wasn't aware because, I went on an important mission." She tried to clarify herself. "You know I'll always care for you."
Still trying to convince me, she tickles me. At first I didn't move but later on, it was so hard to resist and in no time I started laughing.
"Hey stop! People are watching!" I said in an embarrassed manner.
"So?" She spoke like she didn't seem to care, as she increased the intensity of the tickling to the extent that I was almost crying.
"Just say I am sorry for doubting you." She said as she giggled silently.
Eh! How did I?...
Oh! girls pfffttt. Trying to prove they're innocent, and boys are the guilty ones. Well all boys will just have to play along.
"I'm sorry for doubting you."
I said while I raised my hands in defeat.
"I'm sorry I couldn't hear you, repeat those words.." She said sarcastically.
"What?! I am serious.'' I yelled. I let out a deep sigh as she stopped tickling me.
"I'm sorry aunt." I said in sincerity, as I massaged my forehead gently with my hands.
"Apologies accepted." She said as she stretched her hand to me, as I was already sitting on the floor. I held her hands and it felt so soft even for a general.
"What a drag!" I mumbled in embarrassment.
When last did I laugh loud like this? It's been months or years probably. I was a big time loner, I smiled as I thought about the word 'loner.'
"What? Why are you smiling?" Hinata asked comically as she laughed gently. "Don't think I like you, don't get the wrong idea, you're not my type." She said teasingly.
"What! I wasn't thinking about that I was...." As I tried to defend myself, she interrupted again.
"I know, I'm just to beautiful for your eyes to behold." She said with another teasing smile.
"Arrrgghhh!" I screamed inwardly, with my face now heated up, and red in embarrassment. "That's not what I was thinking about." I sulked as I folded my arms.
"I know silly, I was just teasing you." She said as she used her fingertips to poke my forehead.
But honesty, Even though she was my aunt, she was to beautiful to be a general.
"Let's go for a walk, these people's stare is somewhat creepy." She said with pouted lips.
"But I thought you are the general here, you're the one that is creepy to every... Whoooa!." I was dragged by the hand, as she ran a few meters forward.
"Now let our real chat begin." She said with a serious look.
Real what now?
Oh! The exams! Huff, why does it have to be now.
She sat on a very short concrete fence, and pulled me down slightly, to sit down.
"Say Aunt?"
"Yeah, anything?" She asked.
"It's concerning the exam right?" I said while rubbing my left arm with the other.
"Yeah!" She sighed while she adjusted her sitting posture. I stared at the floor, my mood was now back to it's normal self. Maybe I should tell her that I didn't do anything in the written aspect.
As I wanted to open my mouth to talk, she finally speaks.
"It's about your dad, we're so sorry he couldn't congratulate you. He is current away due to an important mission." She said warmly.
"That's all?" A disgusted expression was portrayed on my face, as I gripped my knees firmly.
"He was told to battle some certain rebels that..." As she was talking, I got up in anger. Although my facial expression was docile, I was already burning with wrath inside of me.
"Fushi!" She called me back to order. In which I sat down to listen to her.
Since I met her, I had a lot of respect for her. Even than my very own father. She always talked to me, tried different ways to cheer me up whenever I'm down. But, my father....
"Listen!" She said to call my attention, before she resumes talking. "Even though he's faulty in some areas, that doesn't mean he doesn't care for his only son that he has but, he just have some things to do that are very important."
Important? Important that mum had to be gunned down in my presence, that my sis and brother had to be killed? And I had to be tortured? I can't even remember their faces!
As if she was reading my mind She said:
"If your dad wasn't here, then you'll have been dead by now."
"I would have preferred that." I said blankly.
"Eh?" General Hinata was short of words.
"I would have preferred that, if my other siblings were alive and I died instead." I finished my sentence.
At least in my own point of view, I was the least needed. I barely had talents, neither did I have any ambitions. My siblings were the direct opposite. Why does it have to be me?
"I meant all of you would have been dead. No! all of us, the whole of sangotaro." She said passionately.
"What?" I mumbled.
"Yeah!" She said as she nodded in affirmation.
"I'm sorry." I said with sincerity.
Already understanding me, she moved closer to me and touched me.
"Always be positive." She said in a serious manner. Then in a lighted hearted manner, she teases me again. "Pfft! Just like his father."
"What? I'll not take that sitting down!" I uttered with a smile.
"Then get your on your lazy feet." She said as she laughed, and teased me the more.
_*_
After minutes of keeping me company, she took her leave and I was finally alone again.
"Well, I'm already in the army." I thought, as I stared ed at both of my palms.
But, why do I have to be the only one who survives?