The Journalist

Part 20: Syrian Boy in Refugee Camp

"Khair?" Aoba frowned, "who is he? I mean ... Why do you want to find out about him?"

"I wanted to find out his story because there wasn't much information I got."

"How many Khair's names are there in this country. I don't know which Khair you mean."

"I heard he was one of the fighters from the rebel stronghold who died. I think, as journalists we need to make balanced news from all sides. All this time we've only focused on delivering events at the war site."

"Yes, right. You are a journalist. It is your job to convey information from all sides. But Ayano-san, this is too dangerous! Not necessarily your article will get away."

"Just calm. You just need to help me find out about that guy. Any other matter, it'll be my business."

Yes, what Aoba said was true. Every article that will be circulated by the media, still has to go through the editing process. Not infrequently our articles will cancel the release if the writing and facts are loaded too frontal. For that, I intend to create my own website that writes about my trip while in this country. At least through the website, I am more free to write what things happen while here. I want through my writing, the world will learn from the things that can create division and war as it does in this country.

Among the four of us, it was only me who was purely from the journalistic department. So is a cameraman, Eiji is a professional photographer and Aoba is a book editor turned journalist. However, we all work in the same media. Because I have good foreign language skills, I also concurrently as a reporter.

As a journalist, every word that will be delivered must be neutral and balanced. For that, I was challenged to create an article with various points of view that I found.

My knowledge of this war is only limited to the dissatisfaction of the people with the dictatorial government of this country that has been in power for decades. These people then formed a revolutionary movement against the authoritarian regime.

There were three camps who were trying to take advantage of this war. The first camp, the United States superpower with its image that wants to help the people revolutionize but in fact there are hidden interests, especially in the economic and political fields. The second group is Russia, which fully supports the Syrian government in defeating the rebels for the security of its country and its last stronghold, the Syrian government, an extremist group whose ambition is to unite the Middle East countries under his rule based on their ideology.

***

Not felt, dusk has been lying on the lap of the night. Me and my friends were busy setting up tents under the dark sky. Yes, we built a tent adjacent to the UN peacekeeping camp. Because we still have to cover the refugee camp tomorrow morning. Moreover, Yuna also remained in this area for a few days. As her boyfriend, I have to take care of her.

I rubbed my hands together, clearing the remnants of the soil in the palm while exhaling a tired breath.

"Ayano-san!"

I turned around when someone called me. In a dim light, I saw a gallant man in military uniform come walking towards me. As the man got closer, my eyes spontaneously enlarged. Of course I recognized him, he was my roommate during the training of the Japanese Self-Defense Force.

"Yoshizawa!" call me a cramped face.

"Ayano-san! I never thought I'd see you here."

"Yes, I was assigned to cover in this country. You yourself ...." I looked at it from top to bottom, then glanced at the people back there. There are several Japanese Self-Defense Forces that mingle with the military from various countries.

"As you can see, I and others are dispatched commander-in-chief to join the UN peacekeeping force."

A pair of my eyebrows went up. This is the first time since world war II that our country has sent its military forces to join under the banner of the United Nations.

"Let's! Kei!" Yuna's voice was heard.

Yuna came up to me while running small. As soon as we faced each other, his gaze turned to Yoshizawa who was standing next to me.

"You!" A shocked expression appeared on Yuna's face as soon as she saw Yoshizawa. "Why did you follow me here!" sit on that guy.

"Don't get me wrong! Your father sent me here. If you don't leave without your father's knowledge, the Japanese will never send troops here" Yoshizawa casually replied.

"You two know each other?" manywould be surprised. Because, during the training camp, I never told Yuna about Yoshizawa and I knew Yuna also did not know my friends who joined the Japanese Self-Defense Force. Never mind that, Yuna was never familiar with her father's men.

It seems like Yuna also gasped when she found out I recognized Yoshizawa.

"Sorry, I'll stay, yeah!" Yoshizawa left us both.

Me and Yuna glanced at each other for a moment.

"He ... my roommate when we were training," I said, dismissing the interwoven silence.

"Oh .. he ... the best soldier of the year who is close to father," Yuna explained stammeringly.

"Oh ...." I nodded to saru.

A few seconds passed without anyone making a sound between us. I saw Yuna looking cold. He held his hands together to form a fist. I turned back to him while pulling both of his hands to get into my jacket pocket. It made it look like he was hugging me from behind.

"Is it still cold?" I looked back, staring at his face.

Yuna shook her head slowly while holding back a smile. "But .. we can't be like this all night, right?"

I'm laughing a little. "Then bring my jacket!"

This place is indeed on a plateau so that the night air feels very cold. Moreover, winter will soon come in a country that was once known as the land of Sham.

When I was about to open the jacket on the body, Yuna instead took the veil of Ameena on my neck.

"E ... Yuna, it's not really a scarf, actually" I said a little stuttering.

Now he puts the veil on his head. "It seems to fit me. I always imagined wearing pashmina like Middle Eastern girls" she said.

"Yuna-chan, that's .. a. .. e ...." It's hard to say that he can't take Ameena's memories.

"I went back to my tent first. Don't forget to take your vitamins!" he ran while carrying the veil.

I could only scratch my head with a sour look.

***

Not felt, the night had been drowned by the sun that began to rise at the foot of the sky. I had been awake for two hours, even at the dawn of time had not shown its existence. I can't wait to cover the evacuation area. My hopes are great to find Ameena there. At least I have to look at it directly and make sure it's even once.

This morning, we were covering a refugee area for civilians. During the cover, my eyes kept watching every veiled woman that flashed by. Finished reporting, I took a walk around this refugee camp. My attention was instead distracted by the five-year-old boy who was sitting crouching alone.

I immediately opened my backpack, then took the camera. The boy's pose interested me in taking pictures of him. One shot doesn't feel enough. I went back to photographing him. This time, I gave myself a shot at a close enough distance. The boy looked in shock at me. He raised both of his hands just as I was photographing him.

I realized the boy was so frightened that he kept raising his hand while biting his lip. Apparently, he thought I was pointing a firearm at him. Yeah, I did use a telephoto lens so it looks like a shotgun. I hurriedly kept my camera, then approached towards him. He was still scared, but he didn't try to run.

I crouched down in front of him and reached into his pants pocket and showed him three pieces of candy. "Take ...."

The child with the pudgy cheek looked at me innocently and then took the candy from my hand.

"Syukron" he said with a small smile.

"Ayano-san!"

I immediately turned around when I heard Aoba's voice. The short-haired girl ran towards me with bawling breaths.

"We're all looking for you. You suddenly disappeared!"

"Sorry, I'm just interested in taking some pictures.

"I've been looking for a list of the names of refugees in this place" said Aoba, "unfortunately, there is no name Ameena in the list of female refugees."

I bowed for a moment. For some reason, I felt both sad and happy. Sad that Ameena's whereabouts are not yet known. On the other hand, it was happy that there was a possibility that he was in a safe place.

"I have also obtained information about Khair!" exciting Aoba.

"really?" I'll ask quickly, "Let's just talk there!" I asked Aoba to pull over because too many UN soldiers were passing by to guard.

As I was about to move, I felt a small pull on my jacket. I looked back quickly. It was that little boy who pulled the end of my jacket. He looked at me, as if he wouldn't let me go.

"Ayano-san, who's this cute kid?" ask Aoba who looks anxious.

"It looks like the son of one of the refugee victims" I replied. I crouched down in front of the boy, and pointed to a place not so far away, "I'll just go there. Just one second!" my word uses English.

Whether he understood it or not, he obviously just kept quiet while taking his hand off at the end of my jacket. Aoba and I pulled over to talk about Khair.

"What info do you get?" my many.

For some reason, my head turned to where it was before. I was shocked, the boy was no longer there. I looked left and right. I saw that the boy was taken by a woman wearing a maroon-red full-length dress. The boy was still looking at me. He then waved his hand while throwing a smile at me.

.

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author notes ⁇ ️️

So the originator of the civil war in Syria is actually similar to the event of reform in our country, yes. Where the people are fed up and dissatisfied with the regime that has been in power in their country for decades.

Then, about the boy who was photographed and then suddenly raised his hand because he thought he was shot, it was real in Syria. The photo of the boy went viral a few years ago in social media and received great empathy from the international public.

I'm kind of surprised that some readers still remember this Kei story in NN. Yes, I did write a chapter in NN that tells the love story of Kei in the Middle East. It even exists in the middle chapter of the NN novel. Which means, I've prepared this story from the end of 2021, Gays. So it is not the origin of the story in the brain continues directly I wrote without thinking how the plot in the future.

And I'm also kind of surprised this story can nyampe 20 chapters. The original intention was only 10 chapters, and only focused on the story of Kei and Ameena in the past. now it is already 20 chapters. you guys are asking to be widened 🤣. But this novel was not as long as my previous novels.

Thanks to all of you who supported this novel. All comments support, 5 star rating, tips and gift ads anyway I say thanks. Btw, I have no contrarian plans of this work on the N T platform, still think2 first. So, for gift points can love to novel SIN aja.here love vote only. if you want also yes....

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