In my memory, it was during the time when I've just joined the navy.

It was the morning I got off a ship and returned to the naval base for the first time in a while.

Taking advantage of that, our superior ordered us to run barefoot on the sport ground which became muddy from snow.

It was freezing to the point that I lost the feeling in my feet, but—

After we sat in circle in the kotatsu and toasted those rice cakes stolen from the mess,

throbbing pain on my feet became an irreplaceable memory to me.

I gradually rose through the ranks.

When I was in command of 3 platoons, I got married. She was a beautiful daughter of a big family named Hayase.

A short time later, my wife conceived a baby but died during confinement.

When she was with the baby, she saw that he bore the same mole with her. Just before she died, she asked me to name him "Junichi" and I did so.

The young Junichi behaved like a lovely kid, but I did not know how to show how much I love my son.

Almost like running away from him, I worked in the ship day and night.

And then one day—