ARIA - Die Geschichten von der Front

Chapter 2: Fated Meeting (Tiel Zwei)

The next day, Akemi finished packing her luggage. She was going to leave for Normandy to find her father. The letter she received yesterday was from no one other than him. Her father told her that he was in Normandy to continue his research after returning from Hamburg and that he was okay. He also said that he had asked Charles to pick her up the next morning.

After she packed everything, she opened the doorknob but stopped when she forgot something. The young girl walked back to her table and opened the drawer, revealing a Kaiken dagger and a pistol, the Nambu Type 94, gifts from her father to protect herself. She never thought she is going to use them but however, France nowadays was not a safe place anymore.

After she retrieved them and placed them on her pockets, Akemi left the house with her luggage. "Ittekimasu!" She said, to no one particularly. She then sat on the terrace's stairs, waiting for someone.

After minutes of waiting, the person she was waiting for arrived with an early Volkswagen car. It was none other than Charles himself, a boy who has an unrequited love for her. She was quite surprised he is willing to drive her to Normandy despite has been rejected by her.

The young boy parked his car in front of the house before disembarked it. "Good morning," He said as he raised his Fedora and smiled thinly.

"Ah, g-g-good morning...Charles," Akemi replied while bowing, her face was suddenly filled with embarrassment.

Charles understood why she became like that but he only kept that in mind. He quietly shoved her luggage into the car's back compartment. He then opened a door for her. "Come on, hop in."

"U-um!" Akemi nodded shyly as she embarked the car. Charles then entered the car by the driver door before start speeding the vehicle.

Along the way, both of them stay silent. Charles tried to converse with her by commenting on the beautiful scenery and the clear, sunny day and asked her some little questions. But however, Akemi still not eager to talk and stared blankly on the windows. He just sighed and decided to ask her. "Are you okay? You're spacing out."

Akemi snapped out from her deep thought and twirled her finger. "Uh...um, etto..."

"It's okay you can just say it to me. I won't tell a soul, I promise," He said without turning his gaze from the road. "If it's because of me...I'm really sorry..."

"N-no, it's okay...actually I'm also thinking about my father. It's been a long time I've met him. I want to talk with him and told him a lot of things..." With a melancholic smile, she began to recalled her times with she spend with her beloved father.

"Don't worry you will meet him very soon," He gave her a serene smile. However, that smile was faked. "I know he's going to be alright," that's a lie too. Charles knew that Dr. Hoshino has been forcefully recruited by the Nazi to build some kind of weapons. He didn't know the project's exact name or what the doctor created but he bet it was one of their experimental Wunderwaffe. He still didn't expect the doctor who always worked to creates good things become the Pandora's box padlock.

"C-charles...Thank you!" She said with cheerful smile.

Regained his sense, the boy replied. "Don't be silly, that's what friend used to, right?" Well, his job is to protect the key to keep the Pandora's box from being opened.

When they passed through the woods, he noticed something behind the tree line. After confirmed what he saw, the boy shouted on top of his lungs. "HOSHINO, GET DOWN!"

Automatic gunfire pierced the car's glass. Fortunately, both the driver and the passenger ducked down thus avoiding the bullets. However, Charles lost control of the vehicle. "Kyaaaa!" Akemi screamed as the car rolled over to the left and turned upside down.