He was 5 foot eleven, medium build, curly black hair. He had penetrating eyes
made more pronounced by thick glasses. He had a soldier's bearing. He spoke so
low, almost whispering but people heard him. When he spoke, nobody dared to
interrupt him, not even officers of higher rank. He was a Sakai, descendant of
the Sakai samurai family. And he had curly hair. Major Hisayoshi Sakai of the
Japanese Imperial Army was a samurai and he was a samurai with curly hair. All
of Japan knew of the temper of curly haired men. All of Japan knew of curly
haired samurais.
Denitsu had curly black hair, was five foot ten, and had penetrating eyes.
Tall for fifteen, and tall for a Japanese, he could not be denied. He had the
genes of the samurai, no matter that his name was Watanabe.
"Sir, I am Denitsu Watanabe from Ariake, Kishima District, Island of Kyushu. My
mother, Fumiko Watanabe, after she died, gave me your name and address."
Denitsu, bowed his torso at the hip twenty degrees towards the older man but
continued to look at him straight in the eye and immediately resumed a straight
body posture, not waiting for an acknowledgement. The major peered at him over
the rim of his thick black-rimmed spectacles. There was an uncomfortable
silence, as subordinates and clerks scurried away from what they knew was going
to be an explosive encounter. This brazen young man dared to bow to the major
like that? He dared to speak in that tone? Everyone cringed at the thought of
what was inevitable as the major got up from his seat, and walked around his
desk toward the younger man. His movements were slow but they had the same
sinewy grace of a cougar idly licking his paw before the kill.
Major Sakai looked deeply into Denitsu's eyes and saw himself.
"Show me the paper.", he finally said in his whispered monotone. He had
instructed his lover to give his name to the child only in an emergency. Dying
would be considered an emergency.
Denitsu gave the paper to him. Major Sakai gently unfolded the paper, looked at
it briefly, and gave it back to the boy. "What do you want?" still in a
monotone.
"Sir, I want to be a soldier and I want to serve my emperor."
"Ah, yes. Of course. Come, walk with me to the park.", the samurai said gently
to the samurai.
Asaka in Central Japan was where they had the Imperial Japanese Military
Academy Preparatory School. The park east of the academy was still pink and
white with cherry blossoms. Spring of 1931 was colder than usual and some
people still wore their winter clothes. Denitsu was cold but did not show it.
He was anxious and he did not show it either. Neither mentioned paternity. The
major asked how his mother had died and he told him of what he thought. The
major was quiet for a while. The conversation then turned formal in a casual
manner, both of them trying to avoid appearing human. But somehow, after about
an hour, the major knew everything about him. He knew nothing about the major.
Major Hisayoshi Sakai informed him that the country was looking for young men
like him. It was expanding the military because of threats not only from
around the region but also from the superpowers from the other side of the
Pacific. The military had also started clamping down on the unpatriotic
opposition which was a small minority but which had been vocal about their
subversive opinions, speaking against the military brass, complaining about
the gradual but obvious military expansion and showing a subtle but unhealthy
attitude to the emperor. Major Sakai's face turned red and his voice went up a
decibel as he explained the scenario to the young man.
"Sir, what is your present assignment, if I may ask?"
"I am the head of the perfecture intelligence branch of the Kempetai, our
Military Police."
"If you have no objections, I shall join the military. Perhaps, if I'm good
enough, I can join the Kempetai. Can I be assured of your endorsement?"
Major Sakai was glowing with pride How he wanted to put his hand on the young
man's shoulder.
Major Sakai nor Denitsu Watanabe could not predict that the Kempetai would be
responsible for the arrest and disappearance of 40,000 Japanese citizens
between 1931 and 1937. By 1942 the Kempetai was the most dreaded branch of the
Japanese military force. By the end of the war, the Kempetai shall have been
responsible for the torture and slaughter of millions of men, women and
children in Asia.
By 1944, Captain Denitsu Watanabe had began hating his job, hating the
Kempetai, hating the emperor, and hating the Filipinos. Except Pilar. Homely
Pilar. He always found satisfaction in their trysts and a quiet comfort in her
arms. He called her Oka-san.
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