Atomic Enigma

The weather in Kyoto was cloudy but dry. More than 80 years have passed since atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki—an unquestionable tragedy. On August 6—the day the atomic fire consumed Hiroshima, but in the year 2026—an event occurred that set off a chain of events leading a group of Japanese teenagers to the truth.

The news blared from every speaker: the prime minister had laid flowers on the grave of an American pilot who had participated in the bombings of Japan. A heavy silence hung over the “Jimmu” café, where the three friends had gathered.

Hiroo clenched his fists; his white hair seemed to stand on end. His years of ninja training were making themselves felt—he was always ready for battle, even if the enemy was history.

“I can’t believe it,” he growled, taking a sip of tea. “Are we honoring those who destroyed our cities?”

Sato adjusted his glasses; his dark hair fell across his forehead. The light from the lamp reflected off his T-shirt, which bore a bright star.

“It’s more complicated than it seems, Hiroo. War is…”

“That’s what we need to understand,” Roan broke in, a tall, tanned blond in a T-shirt featuring a samurai. His reputation at school as a quick-witted country boy wasn’t a coincidence. From his earliest childhood, Roan had been known as someone capable of helping his friends both with words and in a fight.

The guys exchanged glances. They needed the truth, but where could they find it?

For a long time, they tried to find information online, but all they could find (Sato was more used to searching in the library than on the Internet, while Roan and Hiroo relied more on forums where all sorts of theories were posted. As Roan liked to say in such cases, “This guy’s on synthetic drugs,” implying that the person was rambling) were stories claiming that the bomb had been dropped by the USSR, or that it was a joint operation, or even completely fantastical theories without any evidence—like the idea that the bomb was of extraterrestrial origin and the Americans had simply taken credit for the achievement.

In the end, Hiroo simply said that they’d be searching like this for the rest of their lives. Then Roan suggested calling three girls whom their friends knew well—Momiji, Ayu, and Yumi.

“Hello, Yumi? Hi, we need your help,” said Sato, adjusting his glasses. “We need you to bring Momiji and Aya with you. Yes, it’s important. Yeah, we saw the news—it’s terrible. We want to figure out what’s going on, too. Does Momiji want to punch people in the face? No, that’s not necessary yet. We need information; I’ll explain everything when you get there. Yeah, we’re meeting at the school library—we’ll start our search from there. ”

Sato hung up the phone and looked at Roan and Hiroo. It was time to gather information.

“Momiji, Ayu, Yumi!” Hiroo called out as the three of them entered the school library. “We need your help.”

Momiji, with hair the color of a deep blue night, wearing a dark sleeveless top and shorts with countless pockets, smirked:

“Your history squabbles again? You know I’d rather break someone’s jaw than find a book.”

“That’s exactly why you’ll be looking up information on nuclear projects,” Sato smiled. “Your fighting skills will come in handy in the archives.”

Ayu, a fifteen-year-old nicknamed “the detective,” adjusted her white T-shirt and narrowed her eyes slyly.

“I can pry information out of any conversation. Give me a day.”

Yumi, a calm seventeen-year-old girl in light clothing, smiled gently:

“We’ll gather everything we can. What about you?”

“We’ll dig into our family history,” Roan replied. “Our roots might know more than the textbooks.”

Just then, Ikumi burst into the library—a typical “gyaru” with pink hair, wearing a T-shirt printed with an American bomber. She was a mutual friend of Momiji’s, who had once saved her from some petty thugs trying to snatch her purse. She always acted bold and defiant, but had practically no way of defending herself and constantly found herself caught up in all sorts of situations.

“I’m with you!” she exclaimed. “My boyfriend served at the base; he has access to some materials.”

“Ikumi, you’re right on time as always,” Yumi shook her head. “But let’s not jump to any radical conclusions.”

“No promises!” she snorted.

During the search, only various textbooks from the Shōwa period to the present-day Reiwa period were found.

The Shōwa-period textbooks stated: “In August 1945, new types of bombs belonging to the enemy were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Many people died. The war ended with a surrender.” Not a word about the aircraft’s origin. Just “the enemy.” No names, no aircraft models. As if the bombs had simply fallen from the sky on their own.

“Nonsense, utter nonsense,” Sato said quietly, afraid that his words might provoke an argument.

Sato opened the Heisei textbook (1992):

“It goes into more detail here. ’The United States of America used atomic weapons against peaceful cities. About 140,000 people died in Hiroshima and 70,000 in Nagasaki. This was driven by the U.S.’s desire to demonstrate its power and hasten Japan’s surrender.” He shook his head. “It already assigns blame, but without discussing alternatives. It’s harsh criticism, but the facts are incomplete.”

Roan picked up a modern Reiwa-era textbook (2022):

“And here…” “The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were carried out by the U.S. Air Force as part of the conclusion of World War II. Debates over their military necessity continue to this day. The civilian casualties became the foundation of Japan’s postwar pacifism. Studying this tragedy teaches us responsibility for peace.” — He set the textbook aside.

“It’s like a vicious circle,” Hiroo said. He began to think hard about what they should do. At that moment, the word “mom” kept running through his mind, and it dawned on him—their relatives were the ones who would provide them with the most reliable information.

- “Why are we wasting time on old books?” he asked Roan and Sato. “We can delve into our family history and find out what happened practically firsthand.”

“Yes, Hiroo’s right,” said Ayu.

“It’s definitely better than gathering dust here!” said Momiji.

“It’ll be more interesting at Roan’s place,” said Yumi.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here,” said Ikumi, clearly annoyed.