I'm very curious as to what they are saying. Seems like the admiral is trying cheer up / soothe Zuikaku, but knowing this artist's admiral, I'm not so sure...

Huh, not shitty admiral this time ?

I hope this is some elaborate setup for Shitty Admiral.

What? Can't he just show a bit of kindness once in a while?

This is the only instance in this pool where the shitty admiral is being the exact opposite of shitty.
Coincidentally, it's also the only page (thus far after 11 months) where his hat is nowhere in sight.

Or maybe he's just not particularly mean to Zuikaku. In her other appearance here, she pretty much brought her suffering on herself.

escav said:

This is the only instance in this pool where the shitty admiral is being the exact opposite of shitty.
Coincidentally, it's also the only page (thus far after 11 months) where his hat is nowhere in sight.

It's no coincidence. The hat is controlling him! Thus the dead eyes that the pool description mentions.

It's a trap!™