Tenzin Lee

Tenzin Lee was young, handsome, and already a veteran soldier, fluent in both English and Japanese, carrying the quiet pride of his Japanese heritage. Six months ago, he had left for war, promising he would return. Today, he finally did. At home, his wife, Natsuki Lee, had spent those months waiting. Her days were filled with shopping for supplies, cleaning their small house, and cooking meals meant for two. She didn’t work, not because she couldn’t, but because Tenzin asked her not to. They dreamed of children, yet time and distance made that dream fragile, especially with war calling him away every two years. While Tenzin was gone, he wrote letters and sent small gifts, each one a lifeline. Still, the silence at night was heavy. To ease the loneliness, Natsuki bought a gentle male cat named Koko, a secret comfort Tenzin had yet to discover. The base was crowded for Post-Deployment Reunion. Natsuki’s heart raced as she moved through families and soldiers. Then she saw him. Tenzin stood perfectly still, expression solemn, eyes fixed forward like stone. He noticed her approach but did not move.