Summoning Our Country - NHS Kai

Chapter 1.5: Hakkōitten

Note: This is rose. The next chapter does not have a definite release window, but it is being written. Have a rose ✿

As of April 22, 2022, this chapter has been rewritten.

・・・

Somewhere in Tokyo, Japan, 3:30

"Ngh..."

Five more minutes, he thought as he rolled around in his cool, comfortable bed while subconsciously motioning his hands to start groping around for the blanket that had evaded him while his body lay bare to the elements. Finally, his hands felt the soft fabric of the blanket and reflexively pulled it up for it to extend its warm embrace over his body. All of this while the annoying chime of the telephone had been ringing for the past few minutes, disturbing the somber atmosphere of the dark, cold bedroom. It wasn't unusual, but then five more minutes spent in rest wouldn't hurt, he tried to convince himself. However, the unending ting-a-ling of the telephone had already pulled him beyond his state of slumber and at this point, he was only trying to go back. Feeling the futility and at long last resigning to his fate, the man shed off his blanket and motioned his body to get up.

"Goddammit, what time is it?!"

Despite his sleepy, flakey eyes, he got a good look at the red digits reflecting menacingly off the clock next to his bedpost.

"Fuck! It's half-past three! What the hell do they need?!"

Entertaining his sleepy thoughts as he reached for the phone next to the clock, the man tried to wipe off the drowsiness from his eyes. Bringing the phone to his ear, he fixed his tone to its usual formality.

"This is Ambassador Woods speaking."

A familiar, feminine voice greeted him from beyond the unnatural replication synthesized through the receiver.

"Ambassador! I've been trying to reach you!"

"Colette? Why did you call this early? Is it an emergency?"

His formality loosened as soon as he recognized his secretary's voice.

"My apologies, Ambassador, but I'm still at the embassy tidying things up..."

Woods pinched the bridge of his nose as he recalled how industrious his secretary was and how much he felt she was being inconvenienced.

"Yes, and?"

"The embassy staff burning the midnight oil reported to me that they couldn't contact Washington, Hawaii, Guam, nor any of the other embassies in other countries like South Korea or the Philippines!"

Woods's narrow, sleepy eyes widened in confusion, his first thoughts immediately going to how this might have happened.

"Did you try checking the lines? Maybe they're down?"

"We've checked, Ambassador. Moreover, none of us could reach our friends and relatives overseas, not even those back home. We've already received a call from the USFJ checking if we could contact CONUS since they too couldn't!"

Hearing the last line, Woods finally snapped from his drowsiness. He couldn't recall an announcement for communications downtime this widespread. Either way, parts of their communication apparatus were beyond the Japanese's control, so they likely had little part in what had happened. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, so he decided to gather more information on the matter.

"Alright. I'll be down there in several minutes."

Lacking sleep due to a sudden call, the day had already begun in a disagreeable fashion. Putting the phone back, he spent a full minute in place, massaging his face in preparation for the possibly work-filled day that was to come. Then, he felt a light tugging force pulling his pajamas backward before a soft voice came from behind.