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“Yes, we’re trying to piece together his story He was one of the highest-ranking Japanese prisoners of war in Australia and New Zealand But we’re having a difficult ti captured or during his imprisonment All we have about his stay in the camp was the account of his illness, and later his death, from the camp physician’s records There are no real details”

“I am afraid there is not much I can tell you about his time before the war He was already in the service when I was born in 1939 and was gone n or another I only have the vaguest memories of him”

“But surely you looked into his life as you grew up?”

Chiyoko shook her head “After the war, there was no realitself as it rebuilt, with no interest in revisiting the past I did spend a little tie, but it was like chasing ghosts There were no records left—alo on”

“Did he have any siblings? Anyone he was close to?”

“Yes A sister” Chiyoko sed hard before continuing “She raised s she could tell me about my father were that he was a very brave, honorablehis duty and that he had been a scholar and a fine husband tothe war”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Remi said in a soft voice

“It is still hard to talk about even after all these years I was six The Allies boularly, but in the final days of the war there was a huge firebohborhoods” Chiyoko stopped and drew a ragged breath “She was caught in the fires I was lucky She wasn’t”

“It must have been terrible,” Remi said

“Nothing I say can describe it Miles of Tokyo burned to ashes Over a million lost their homes, and it’s said that over a hundred thousand civilians died My mother one of them” When Chiyoko looked Remi directly in the eyes, they were moist, the pain still fresh “It was a vision of hell I’ll never forget Nobody ent through it could”

“I’mI’m so sorry, Chiyoko,” Remi whispered

“It was a long tirateful to have lived, and that there has never been another war like it I grew up and lived in a time of relative peace and prosperity A rebirth of Japan as a world power, but without the need to conquer militarily A better time, I think”

Remi sat silently for several raphs? Letters?”

“Most were lost in the fires Although I do have soed I’ man” Chiyoko hesitated “Would you like to see them?”

“That would be wonderful,” Reave Remi a hopeful look She returned severala cardboard box Sam leapt to his feet and approached her