Albatross Sky_Season 2 ~JSDF Love Story~ [Part 8] Marriage is something you do when two people who can live alone still decide they want to be together. ①

If you haven't read Season 1, please start here ↓

[Part 8] Marriage is something you do when two people who can live alone still decide they want to be together. French fashion designer Coco Chanel ①

"I told you this would happen!"

His husband Toshio, standing beside him, covers his face and screams. It is a weekday afternoon in the captain's office.

"Well, don't say that. The Maritime Staff Office has found it more convenient for you two to be together now."

Captain Katsuno speaks while sitting deep in his chair, rocking back and forth. Outside the window, a P-1 patrol aircraft from the 3rd Air Wing takes off with a roar.

"I don't think an 'open workplace that supports dual-income couples' is the right way for the military to promote itself."

The superior officer and husband protests with a sullen expression.

"It's the times, it's the times. The US Air Force even developed maternity flight suits for female pilots, you know? Apparently, they can fly up to 28 weeks of pregnancy. Well, I think it's for bombers, not fighters."
"Yuhi will take maternity leave as soon as she gets pregnant!"

Toshio leans forward quickly to protect his wife. Yuhi herself was just thinking, 'Oh, 28 weeks is okay,' in a carefree manner.

Because of future plans, Toshio had already implicitly hinted to Katsuno that they would start trying for a baby once the wedding was over. However, that is not the issue here.

"Well, don't get so worked up. Do you hate it that much? An exclusive interview. I heard that Yuzu Nanase is going to be the interviewer."
"Huh?"

Yuhi is the one surprised by Katsuno's words. Even Yuhi, who has no interest in celebrities, knows the popular actress who is currently the talk of the town.

"I don't know who that is."

No, you do know her. She's the heroine of the movie we went to see together, I think to myself.

"Besides, if cameras enter our private lives, Yuhi's cuteness will be exposed on a national network. I don't want any weird pests swarming around her."

No, there's no way weird pests would swarm around her just because she's next to Yuzu Nanase! I scream in my head, but he is completely serious. I feel myself blushing more than him as he unconsciously gushes about me with all his might.

The couple's flight at the review ceremony caused quite a stir. The center of attention was Kuga, who had forgotten to return the salute and was clapping in delight, but the media jumped on the couple who caused it, and the Maritime Staff Office's public relations department, which struggles with recruitment more than the Ground or Air Self-Defense Forces, took the opportunity to promote them.

As a result, requests for interviews with the two have been non-stop, leading to this moment.

"Understood. I'll handle the Maritime Staff Office."
Katsuno says with a bitter smile, wrapping up the conversation.

"Thank you very much."

The two bow their heads in unison. I felt relieved for the time being. To be honest, I was relieved because this whole thing was weighing heavily on Yuhi, who is not good with crowds.

“Also, this is an order, but next week, the two of you will fly to Kadena. It’s a joint exercise with the U.S. Air Force. A large number of F-22s are coming from Hickam. We’ve been told to gather the best of the best from the Air Self-Defense Force and the Maritime Self-Defense Force. The duration is one week.”
“Understood.”

Toshio answered immediately. Being called one of the “best of the best” made his heart race, but a sudden question arose.

“Isn’t Ash going?”

It was Gyobu who had fought a desperate battle against Toshio in the With Warrior. Although Yuhi had slipped into third place, the points gap was quite large.

Katsuno sighed lightly at Yuhi’s question.

“It seems it overlaps with his daughter’s birthday. I was warned about it by my wife the other day in a way that made it clear.”

Oh, Hime-chan is turning one already.

Gyobu, who dotes on his daughter endlessly. Knowing him to be a strategist, he couldn’t refuse an order, so he must have made sure it reached Katsuno’s ears through the wives’ network in advance so that no plans would be made that would interfere with his daughter’s birthday.

“And, the Air Self-Defense Force is particularly enthusiastic this time. It seems they are even calling back Kawagoe from Ichigaya for this training.”

I reacted with a start at the name of my best friend’s crush. Even without that, he was one of the top pilots in the country, often mentioned alongside Toshio, and someone I had wanted to meet at least once.

“Major Kawagoe? I’m happy to be able to see him again after so long, but why go to such lengths...”
Toshio looked happy but tilted his head.

“The Air Self-Defense Force was also soundly defeated by them before. For the sake of their pride, it seems they can no longer afford to let him sit idle. Since they are also sending Fuwa from Naha, we’ll be able to see that duo together again for the first time in a while.”
“Yoshi-san too!? That brings back memories, I’ll be able to see him after so long. He’s still in Naha, then.”
“He’s going back and forth between the 204th and 304th. It seems that’s his own wish as well.”

First Lieutenant Yoshihiro Fuwa. A graduate of the Air Academy, his TAC name is Jackal. Although he lacks the flashiness of Kawagoe or Toshio, he is one of the Air Self-Defense Force’s proud, highly skilled Eagle drivers, known as the “Assassin” for racking up many kills in joint exercises with the U.S. Air Force.

“Toshio, do you know First Lieutenant Fuwa?”
“Know him? He was my element leader when I was first deployed for combat. He treated me very well.”
“Oh, I see.”

Another part of my husband’s past that I was able to learn. Each piece of that knowledge makes me happy.

The duo of Kawagoe and Fuwa was truly peerless, often called the natural enemies of the Aggressors. They had repeatedly turned down invitations from Katsuno, who was the commander of the Air Tactics Development Wing at the time, and remained the guardians on the front lines.

The opponent the Air Self-Defense Force was going to such lengths to reform that legendary duo to face. Thinking it couldn’t be, I asked Katsuno with trepidation.

“Commander. Could it be that our opponent this time is...”
“Yes, it’s that Amy.”

An electric shock ran through my body. First Lieutenant Amy Baker. At RIMPAC, she handled the air dominance fighter, the F-22 Raptor, as if it were an extension of her own limbs. She was amazing back then, but now, despite being a woman, she is the absolute ace of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces, referred to as both a “Tyrant” and “Her Majesty.”
And for Yuhi, she was an opponent of fate, a source of trauma that could not be forgotten.

“Yuhi.”

He looked at me with intense eyes.

“Yeah, I’m okay. I understand.”

Yuhi nodded and calmed her heart. It had been a year and a half since then. This was surely a good opportunity to find out how much she had grown.

＊

Kadena Air Base, located in Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture, is the largest United States Air Force hub in the Far East. It was once the Nakabaru Airfield of the Imperial Japanese Army, but it was seized by Allied forces during the Battle of Okinawa at the end of the Pacific War, and after repeated maintenance and expansion, it has reached its current state.

Lined up on the apron are the latest multi-role fighters, the F-15EX Eagle II, which are permanently deployed. While they look almost identical to the Air Self-Defense Force's F-15J, their interiors have been significantly updated with the latest technology, and it is no exaggeration to say they are completely different machines. Considering that the older F-15C was in operation until a few years ago, although the number of deployed aircraft has decreased from 48 to 36, their combat capability has improved significantly.

In addition to this, F-22s are temporarily deployed from the U.S. mainland on an irregular basis to keep surrounding countries in check.

In recent years, the U.S. has tended to reduce its overseas forces, but in the area around Japan, it has been steadily working to improve the quality of its forces to block China's expansion into the Pacific, which has now become its greatest potential adversary.

After getting off the aircraft, Yuhi began the task of opening the travel pod with Toshio and taking out their luggage for their stay. A travel pod is a container used when moving units by fighter jet. The F-15 and F-2 carry them like bombs, hanging them from the pylons on their wings, but since the F-35 is a stealth aircraft, it is designed to be set in the internal space of the fuselage where missiles are stored, rather than hanging them on the outside, so as not to react to radar.

Recently, they have often been transported by Osprey and rarely used them, so after struggling to get them out,
"Toshi!"
a voice called out from behind.

"Yoshi-san!"

As Toshio's eyes widened, he ran happily toward the owner of the voice. From his demeanor, it was immediately clear that the man with the gentle face was First Lieutenant Yoshihiro Fuwa, callsign Jackal.

"I heard about it, you seem to be doing great in the Maritime Self-Defense Force too. Have I been overtaken in the blink of an eye? Hahaha."

Fuwa laughed heartily and patted him on the shoulder.

"That's not true at all. Yoshi-san, you are my eternal mentor."
"You're as sweet as ever. By the way, did you really get married? Kenya and I were talking about how that invitation might actually be one of your usual pranks."
"That's impossible! It's the real deal! Hey, Yuhi! Can you come over here?"

She had been watching from a distance, but when he called her, she hurried over at a trot.

"Let me introduce you. This is my beloved wife, Yuhi. This is First Lieutenant Fuwa. My mentor."

Her ears grew hot at her husband's affectionate introduction.

"Nice to meet you, I am Lieutenant Junior Grade Yuhi Kadoma. I have heard rumors about you."

As she bowed, Fuwa broke into a wide smile and spread his arms wide.

"Oh!? Is that so! Nice to meet you. I'm First Lieutenant Yoshihiro Fuwa. Wait, where did he go? Oh, hey Kenya!! Toshi's wife is here!! It's real, it's real!"

When Fuwa shouted in a voice loud enough to rival the sound of a jet engine, Kawagoe, who had been under the F-15 doing pre-flight checks, noticed the call and headed toward them.

Fuwa's loud voice drew the attention of the pilots and maintenance crew, and she hung her head, her face turning bright red.

"It's been a long time! Major Kawagoe!"

Toshio salutes Lieutenant Colonel Kenya Kawagoe, also known as the Ultramarine Falcon. The way he treats Kawagoe is clearly different from how he treats his other seniors, filled with a sense of awe.

"It's been a while, Toshi. You've grown into a fine man. You're the strongest pilot in the JSDF now."

He looks so cute, shyly grinning with joy as his hair is ruffled.

"No, I'm still no match for you and Yoshi-san, Lieutenant Colonel Kawagoe. Oh, um, this is my beloved wife, Yuuhi."

I panic again as he suddenly introduces me.

"Oh, I've heard so much about you! I am Lieutenant Junior Grade Yuuhi Kadoma!"

He is a refreshingly handsome man with blue eyes. My best friend Kimi fell in love with these eyes.

"I'm Kawagoe, nice to meet you. I hear a lot about your achievements. They say you're the most promising young talent."
"N-no, that's not true. I'm just doing my best to keep up with Toshio."

I had intended to briefly mention Kimi if I met Kawagoe to make him aware of her, but the aura he exudes leaves me speechless.

Link

Next Story Albatross Sky_Season 2 ~JSDF Love Story~ [Part 8] Marriage is something you do when two people who could live alone still decide they want to be together. ② | Kyo

Previous Story Albatross Sky_Season 2 ~JSDF Love Story~ [Part 7] How foolish I was to say 'don't get married.' The most beautiful thing I have ever seen was an elderly couple walking arm in arm. ② | Kyo

Read from the beginning
Albatross Sky_Season 2 ~JSDF Love Story~ [Part 1] Love is an action. We were born with the power to love. Even so, we have to train it like a muscle. ① | Kyo