The Journalist

Part 72: Maybe I'm the One Who Doesn't Understand Enough

Not at home, I took my motorcycle and drove it to the justice department office where my uncle served as minister. Matsumoto's uncle was my mother's sister. Compared to my strict father, he spoiled me more. This is because he has no sons. Therefore, I want to meet uncle and persuade him once again.

Arriving there, I was intercepted by security personnel for attempting to break in. I don't care and even make a fuss with those who try to get in my way.

"Let me in! I want to meet my uncle, Matsumoto-san," I shouted while freeing myself from their ambush.

"Please! It could be someone like you claiming to be the minister's nephew!" They didn't trust me just because they saw my slightly shabby appearance.

At the same time, the uncle came out of the elevator with his entourage. I was determined to call him even in the arrest of the officers. He gasped at me. The officers then let me go when my uncle approached me.

"Key, why did you come here?" tanyakanya.

"I want to talk to Uncle."

"Later. You don't seem healed yet. Come home when you're recovered! Uncle will attend the minister's meeting." After saying, uncle left me and walked out of the building with the troupe.

I'm trying to go after my uncle and say, "Uncle, please tell the Prime Minister to change the asylum policy. Japan is the only developed country that has refused asylum. Our country is so rich, why lose to small and poor countries that want to take refuge?"

"Japan has become the second largest contributor of humanitarian funds to the country. The Prime Minister makes the policy for a reason. There are still many state issues that must be prioritized before accepting immigrants. Moreover, we are focusing on overcoming the birth rate crisis," explained my uncle.

I again arrested my uncle when he was about to get into the car that had been prepared.

"At least give him one asylum! Help me save him! He's in danger there" I said with a plea.

Uncle looked at the staff around him with a sigh, then looked fixedly at me. "Key, stop making yourself look pathetic in people's eyes. Better consult a psychiatrist! The government has subsidized soldiers and journalists returning from war countries to mentally examine them."

Just like the doctor, uncle even thought I had a mental shock. Even though uncle had gotten into the car, I was still knocking on his window. In fact, my uncle could not help me at all when I had high hopes for him.

From the justice ministry building, I drove my motorcycle to my workplace. My appearance there made my fellow journalists surprised. They thought I was still in intensive care after surviving an extremist captive. Ignoring their questions, I asked all my colleagues back.

"Who is in charge of broadcasting information about the war in Syria? How is the country developing now?"

A senior journalist has me. "War is getting out of control. Not just government and rebel groups, but extremist groups as well. The country has no hope."

I was then called the chairman of the board. To the head of the board of directors, I declare that I am ready to serve and ask to be sent back to the country of Syria. I thought this was the only way I could save Ameena.

"No more journalists will be sent there. All three of your comrades will be repatriated within a few days."

I'm tumbled. "Why is that? Don't we need to cover the information directly there? I'm also willing to be placed back there even if I'm alone!" buggyu.

"You stupid or crazy? The loss of you at that time has made the whole of Japan in an uproar. Any news company in the country is now unwilling to take risks at the expense of its journalists. Only a freelance journalist would go there and be willing to deposit his life. Even if you want to leave, there are no more flights to the country!"

I got hit back. Is there no way for me to save Ameena?

"Oh, yes ...." The leader continued his speech. "Because you claim to be ready for duty, then from next month you will be a news anchor for the morning and evening programs. You're handsome and fluent in foreign languages. That task is perfect for you. But ...." He looked at my hair and said, "please blacken your hair! The average news audience of the parents, they'll be happy to see your hair like this."

I came out of the editor-in-chief's room with a withered face. Hoping to be re-assigned in that country, I just got a new assignment that I can't refuse. Yes, I should have been happily placed as a news anchor. That way, my career went up one level after being a reporter for two years.

Despite buying a new phone, I couldn't reach Kamal Malek. It's because I lost contact. I tried to find out information about him on the internet. It turns out, Kamal Malek became one of the journalists who had the status of missing. I don't know if he's also taken hostage by extremist groups. I don't know ....

For days I was tossed in the sea of Nestapa. Hunting for the latest news of the country became a mandatory thing that I did. I also tried to contact the Syrian embassy to find out Ameena's whereabouts and to seek legal help for her. Unfortunately, his status as a rebel sympathizer made his name not listed in the population. All my efforts to save Ameena failed. While the tragic news of women being held captive by extremist groups has frustrated me even more.

The nights I went through with self-cursing. I came home drunk. My body collapsed just as this foot stepped in. Seeing me like this, of course my father is getting windy. Mom tried to help me wake up. But I was too helpless to do so. My heart rate is weakening in pain. Stifling tightly.

"I .. couldn't save her! No one can help me save him!" I was whining while hitting the floor.

"You're not responsible for someone's safety. So, stop doing stupid things like this!" My father growls. "Send him to move into his apartment! He was no longer a teenager who had just known love! Absolutely disgraceful!" father's orders to my mother.

My mother held my cold hand. "Kei-chan, okaasan understands how you feel, but would that woman be happy to see you like this? Does he want you to torture yourself like this? Did you really understand it all this time?"

The current me, was unable to think of answering mother's sentence. However, I immediately recalled the meeting that took place between me and Ameena from beginning to end.

"You should thank him, if it wasn't for him pleading with our chairman, you wouldn't be breathing like now! In addition, our chairman also considered you to have saved him. We took her to fulfill the mandate of her late husband. Already, get down!"

When the war broke out in his village, he asked me to take Khalila away from the village even though he had to settle there.

"Bring Khalila now! Take her away with you! Get him away from this place!"

"Then, what about you?"

"I can't go with you guys ...."

"No! I won't leave either if you don't come with us!"

"Don't mind me! I can save myself!"

Feeling unfulfilled with his mandate, I intend to make up for that failure with my life. However, he intercepted me and let his hand get a knife thrust into my stomach.

"If you kill yourself, then you also kill the people who love you."

Then, when I wanted to stay with him and was willing to leave everything I had, he asked me to go home and continue my career.

"Why ... Why did you ask me to leave?"

"Because I want to keep seeing you as a journalist. I want you to help a lot of people's voices that the outside world can't hear. If you choose to be with us, then you will lose that profession. Besides ... Don't you feel like someone is waiting for you anxiously there? You were declared missing for taking me to a refugee camp and now it's like it's happening again. Think of the people who are waiting for you right now."

Being too stubborn, I just came to him again. However, he instead asked me to hide and confront the extremist group alone.

"Khai, hide here! We can't escape anymore! They carry weapons. It's easy for them to shoot us."

"Then what about you guys? Are you guys giving yourself up?!"

"If we are caught, the worst we will face is simply being taken to their place to be part of their supporters. But, if you get caught, they'll torture you and even kill you!"

Lastly, he almost never gave a definite answer when I asked him to come with me. However, that day he suddenly agreed to my request in the moments of our separation.

"What about her? You're gonna set him free, too, right?"

"This negotiation is just for you. Of course he will stay here with us. He's a resident of here anyway."

"Mina-chan, come with me to Japan! That's the only way you can get out of here! I'll talk to my uncle to help you get free. Please say, Yes! Please ...."

"Yes, I want to come with you, Khai."

"Wait a minute! After meeting my uncle I'll pick you up. I will definitely save you! We'll go to Japan together."

"Yes, I'll be waiting for you, Khai!"

Could it be ... was actually the answer he gave so that I would not change my mind to get out of that place? In fact, after receiving that answer, I stepped out leaving him without hesitation.

Flash back on my journey with him spinning like a roll film. A row of memories made me realize that he always put my safety above his. I, who didn't quite understand it, felt like he kept pushing me away from him. Everything he did was a form of sacrifice and care for me. Not only that, he often thought about the people around me when I even seemed to forget them.

Clear liquid then flowed in the corner of my eye. Stammering, I said to my mother, "I. Even ... If after that he won't come with me to Japan, it's okay. I ... just want .. to save him. That's all!"

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Btw, about Japan rejecting asylum and immigrants from Syria is true. So this is the policy made by the late prime minister (who was shot dead). The reason that year, indeed the birth rate in the country decreased dramatically. So the issue of Japan is less the birth rate, not recently yes, but it has been a long time