Chapter 24: Consequences Of Actions

Kouta took a deep breath and revealed something that froze Jim. "Your wrong, the current year is 2010. And if I guessed correctly, the Vietnam War you fought, already ended 35 years ago."

".....Eh?"

The uncomfortable silence that follow was deafening, no one speak as each too shock for what Kouta said. When Jim finally had the words sink in, he was shock but beyond all - furious, furious that Kouta was playing a cruel prank on him.

Jim got up and grabbed Kouta in the collar and shook him furiously. "HOIII! ARE YOU FUCKIN WITH ME RIGHT NOW FATSO, IF SO THIS AIN'T FUCKING FUNNY!!"

"N-no! I'm not lying, the Vietnam War already ended 35 years ago." Kouta stayed firm to what he said, much to Jims boiling anger as he picked up his Colt M1911A1 holstered at his side and threatened Kouta with it, scaring the others as well. "Oh really?!! Would you bet your life on it?"

"C-cutie kun..... that's a bit...." Shizuka tried to put some sense to Jim but Jim right now is not in his right of mind. While Saeko tightened the grip on her shinai, unsure of what to do.

"Stay out of this Shizuka! Now fatso, I'll say that again, would you bet your life on it?" Jim said while cocking the hammer, proving how serious Jim about it and not playing around.

A threat that the gun enthusiast understood. "Hieee!! I'm really telling the truth!" He fished out his phone and quickly searched in google when the Vietnam War ended. "Here! See this, is this enough proof to you? Please don't shoot."

He presented it to Jim making his eyes go wide, but Jim was only half believing because he don't know what was the function of a phone is, so he barked back in tone full of suspicion. "What's this huh? Some kind of black box? How can I know what this shit is saying true?!"

"That thing is what you call a cellphone." Saya interrupted. "And what Hirano said is true, even if I am not well versed in things like this but as a genius, I read an article about the Vietnam War in the past and how it ended."

"..." 

Jim was silent. He was dumbfounded as the realization sink in that he was, in fact, 35 years in the future.

"You see the phone right? I' am sure that their was no such things as phone in 1960s, that proof is enough your far of in the future." Saya continued, finally nailing the coffin of truth to Jim.

After a few moments of Jim holding Koutas collar, he finally calmed down, making Kouta sigh in relief and slowly dissipated the tense atmosphere that build up. The others also visibly calm down as Jim shakily sat down and asked another question but in subdued tone. 

"In the Ia Drang..... my squad, what happened to them? Can that black box search it up." Jim said with exhaustion, probably on the verge of his world crumbling down.

"T-theirs no need to search it up because I already studied and read about the Vietnam War from how it started to how it ended." Kouta who visibly calm down, replied.

"Out with it."

"Right, In November 14, 1965, the 1st Battalion 7th Regiment that was commanded by Lt. Colonel Hal Moore was unknowingly led to an NVA Division base camp. The initial battle lasted for five days straight resulting to the first major battle between North Vietnamese Army(NVA) and the United States happened." Kouta said, filling up more of the information that Jim don't know and informing the others as well.

He continued. "The initial battle caused heavy casualties on both side with the U.S. losing 234 dead men and 242 wounded, and North Vietnamese deaths totaled an estimated 1,800–2,000."

The others gasp at the total amount of life lost just from those five days while Jim just listen intently.

"Due to Lieutenant Herrick confessing his carelessness that led thirty men to an ambush famously known as the cutoff platoon, he was then court martialed and charged with several military case such as Dereliction of Duty, Conduct Unbecoming an Officer, Manslaughter or Criminal Negligence that discharged him from military duty and the court giving him 32 years of imprisonment. But few days later on, he hang himself due to guilt and shame with a last letter saying,

'I met a real soldier, brave and bold, fearless and courageous, man among men, and I was none.'" 

Kouta stop, giving Jim to process to what he said. While Jim said. "Glad that nigger honored his words, for that I can respect him for it."

(A/N: Yeaaa, Jim got the N word pass.)

 Kouta just sweat dropped. "While the cutoff platoon was believed to be already lost by the Headquarters because it was separated from the main force deep in the enemies territory 2 days straight, with the 2nd day in the morning endangered to be wipeout, Corporal Jackson made a daring approach. He insisted to hold the raging wave of NVA forces as he buy time for the 9 other remaining men to run. He did splendidly as he hold them off enough time for the remaining men to LZ X-ray but it cost him his life."

Kouta said with an unhidden admiration to the man before him and continued. "For the valor and bravery, he was then awarded the highest Medal of Honor a soldier can have."

"T-that's amazing Cutie kun!" Shizuka said, trying to cheer up Jim with Saeko adding, "That's right Jimmy san, your a hero." But it quickly dampened with what Jim replied.

"Theirs nothing amazing about it Shizuka. Yeah, I may have participated in the war because I dreamed glory, but I realized later on that it did only bring me a brief contentment and the priced for the glory I dreamed much was the death of my friends, theirs nothing glorious about it. While me being a hero? I will never be one as I only did it out of selfishness." Jim replied. "Now continue to what happened to my mates."

"Right." Kouta nodded. "Due to excessive blood loss, Tom Miller, died before he reached the base camp."

"Tom died huh..." Jim muttered as his eyes flashed with sadness.

"While Private Bob, Private Bungum, Sergeant Savage, and the wounded Private Mack Harrison survived and finished the 13 month deployment." Kouta paused for a moment. "But due to not founding your body at the site, it was speculated to be that your still alive, that led to Private Mack to request for extended deployment for a few more months to look for Corporal Jackson with the belief his still alive, but he later on died to a Viet Cong ambush during their patrol."

"T-THAT FOOL!" Jim slammed his fist at the table, he speak with gnashed teeth as silent tears slid down his face. "H-he could have survive but still looked for me! I-I'm sorry..... I'm sorry for not coming back man."

Jim mourned for a few minutes, nobody said anything as they looked at the man who lost his friend in sadness. As Jim finally recollected himself, he asked his final question. "M-my family... what happened to them?"

Kouta stopped, he paled visibly but answered nothingless. "They mourned for you, but just after a few days of your 'death', the younger sibling of Corporal Jackson was hit by a speeding truck, killing her." This froze Jim, his tears intensified as his world crumble down, but Kouta was merciless as he continued. "Due to the loss of her two children, Mrs. Jackson committed suicide that broke Mr. Jackson that died soon after due to severe depression."

No one said anything, each too shock to take in from what Kouta said, more so for Jim who was constantly shedding tears. They can feel it, his sadness is suffocating that gave them trouble to breath. 

A few seconds later, he laughed.

"heehhehwhaahahah

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHAAHHAHHAHAAH

BwahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHHHAHAHAHAHAhAhAhAHAHAHAHA."

This broke him.

"I'm sorry Ma, Pops, I'm sorry for following my selfish wish." Jim said as his hair started losing color as it turned ash white making the others now terrified and worried at the same time.

"C-cutie kun are you okay?" Shizuka asked with worry but Jim treated the question as a gust wind.

"I'm sorry for being an unfilial son." His light brown skin slowly turned pale.

"J-jimmy!"

His previously red eyes lost its color and was replaced by grey eyes, if someone just give a glance at his eyes, he or she can already tell that is the eyes of someone who lost everything.

"And sorry if big brother broke his promise, Emi." Jim said with a broken voice.

"Ahhhh, all of that for glory?" Jim said as he pointed his pistol at his temple that greatly horrified the others. "Stupid Jim, theirs nothing to live for anymore."

"J-JIMMY, NOO!" Shizuka shouted as she rushed to Jim to take the gun out of him but she was too late as he squeeze the trigger.

*Bang!*

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A/N: Hey people whose reading this, am I too cruel for doing this? 

Didn't regret it tho.....

And lil bit of support would be much appreciated.