Albatross Sky_Season 2 ~JSDF Love Story~ [The Land] A married couple can become one, meaning they don't split into two, but become one whole; I believe that too. ②
If you haven't read Season 1, please read it from here first ↓
[The Land] A married couple can become one, meaning they don't split into two, but become one whole; I believe that too. Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh ②
At the time, although Japan's Zero fighter boasted the best aerial combat performance, its defensive capabilities were far too poor; it would burst into flames after being hit by just a single bullet, and the one-man-army pilots who had been active since the Sino-Japanese War were lost one after another.
Moreover, incredibly, they were told, 'Do not suffer the disgrace of being taken prisoner, and do not leave behind the stain of sin in death,' so if they were shot down, even if they were lucky enough to survive, they had to commit suicide with the pistol they carried.
As a result, the pilots were quickly filled with inexperienced student soldiers, who were mocked by the U.S. military as 'turkey shoots' and shot down one after another, which eventually led to the desperate 'Kamikaze Special Attack Corps'.
On the other hand, the U.S. military thickened the armor around the cockpits of their fighters to protect their valuable pilots. Therefore, there were many aces who, even if their aircraft were damaged, would escape, survive, and return to combat. The U.S., rich in both people and resources, implemented generous attrition countermeasures, while Japan, with few people and resources, treated both people and materials poorly. Under these circumstances, there was no way they could have won from the start.
'Got it?'
He peers into her eyes. Perhaps this is Toshio's true intention. Having the opportunity to train for survival against the veterans of the 'Nagato' fighter squadron is a rare chance. And even if they were to fly separately someday, if they share the common understanding of 'surviving,' the two of them can remain a married couple.
Precisely because the current world situation has become tense, they think about how they can continue to be together while protecting their country and their comrades. They are like a pair of birds who would lose the meaning of life if either one were missing.
'I understand.'
Yuhi hugs him again and kisses him on her own initiative.
'I will definitely come home alive every day. And every night, I'll have you dote on me, Toshio. Ah.'
She is pushed down onto the sofa with a thud.
'Wait, that's dangerous. Don't tease me, you're already too cute as it is.'
'Hehe, it's okay, right?'
She makes a sweet sound and looks up at him. She wants to look cute to the person she loves. She has become able to show gestures like this quite a bit.
'Of course. So, since you teased me, you're prepared, right?'
He brushes Yuhi's bangs aside.
'...Prepared?'
'From now until Sunday night, for two full days, we're going to do it non-stop except for training and meals.'
'Ugh, no way!?'
As Yuhi's eyes go wide, Toshio buries his face in her neck.
'It's true, my wife.'
'Geez, I'm going to break!'
It makes me happy to be wanted by him. Pretending to pout, Yuhi clung to him.
*
The selection period for With Warrior has begun. Although they were told to act as they usually do, it is only natural for everyone to feel the pressure. Even though they are the elite unit, some people end up unable to perform as well as usual because they are trying too hard.
That said, they are not just rivals competing for the title, but precious comrades who entrust their lives to each other in actual combat. A wonderful atmosphere had developed, with everyone generously offering advice and consulting with one another.
As for Yuhi, because her goal is to "survive together every day," which she decided on with Toshio, the tension has vanished, and she has been able to approach training in a relaxed state in a good way, which has led to a feeling of progress she has never had before.
“Yuhi-san, thank you for your hard work!”
“Misuzu-chan, thank you! This girl was perfect again today.”
When they got off the aircraft, they exchanged a fist bump with both hands.
“Your firing training seemed to be in top form. I heard Captain Katsuno (Arthur) and Vice-Captain Mizushima (Potter) talking about it.”
“Eh? What did they say?”
“I don't know the details, but I heard them both saying that Idea has grown a lot.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Although she feigned calmness, she was honestly happy to be recognized by those two. If possible, she wanted to show results with him and repay the favor of being allowed to fly as a married couple, but impatience is forbidden.
“Is your sweet married life with your beloved darling the reason for your success?”
“I-it’s not like that.”
Her face flushed at Misuzu’s teasing. It hit the mark, but she was nervous that her sharp friend might see through to the "other promise" she made with him.
Glancing at the aircraft next to them, she saw Toshio and Sakamoto talking with gestures.
“Sakamoto-kun, his vibe has changed, hasn't it?”
“Oh, you noticed?”
“Yeah. He seems much softer, right?”
“Right?”
Misuzu smiled happily. It seems things are going well.
“Tell me more about it next time.”
“Roger!”
Misuzu saluted playfully and then bounded up the ladder of her aircraft.
Yuhi took a breath and waited for him from a distance. Eventually, he patted Sakamoto on the shoulder and headed toward her.
“Sorry, kept you waiting.”
“No, it's fine. Was there something wrong with the plane?”
“No, I just asked for some subtle tuning.”
“I see, that's good.”
“More importantly, you were amazing in the firing training. I think you'll get good results, right?”
“Yeah. I feel like I've grasped a sense of it, or maybe my field of vision has widened.”
It was likely thanks to Toshio’s goal setting. By taking a step back from where she was always feeling pressured, she felt she was starting to see a different landscape than before.
“That’s good. I can’t afford to be complacent either.”
Seeing him so happy, Yuhi's spirits lifted as well. After taking off their gear in the locker room and entering the briefing room, they were the last two to arrive.
“Alright, I will now announce the interim results. I will announce the top three for each training exercise.”
Two weeks since the start of training. One cycle had just finished. Mizushima read out the tallied results from his hand.
“First, ACM. 1st place is Gaia with 25 points. 2nd place is Ash with 23 points. 3rd place, Nuts with 18 points.”
It was a reasonable result. Yuhi knew she hadn't scored high points because she had been focusing entirely on supporting Toshio.
“Next. For Scramble, 1st place is Gaia with 25 points. Also Ash with 25 points. 3rd place, Idea with 24 points.”
“Whoa,” voices rose. Having gained real combat experience since her time in Chitose, she had confidence in Scramble, but she hadn't expected such a high score.
“Next is bombing. 1st place is Gaia with 25 points. 2nd place is Ash with 24 points. 3rd place, Nuts with 22 points. Also Idea with 22 points.”
A murmur went through the room.
“What!?”
She hadn't thought she would break into the top ranks. And to be tied with Namekawa, a bombing specialist, at that.
“Finally, shooting. 1st place Gaia, 25 points. Also Idea, 25 points. 3rd place Ash, 23 points. Also Tida, 23 points.”
Cheers and applause erupted, and she instinctively covered her mouth. She couldn't believe it. She had felt good about it, but to be tied for first place with Toshio with a perfect score was unbelievable.
“We have only finished one cycle. Those whose names weren't called can still make a comeback. Organize your tasks and catch up. Those at the top, don't get complacent and keep working hard. That is all for With Warrior!”
The general debriefing ended, and they moved on to meetings for each squadron.
“You did it, Yuhi.”
“No, I still have a long way to go. Toshio, you got a perfect score in every event.”
“That's because you were focusing entirely on supporting me, Yuhi. Especially in ACM, you should have been able to get a high score.”
He was such a kind person, always lifting her spirits. But Yuhi knew better than anyone. She knew his greatness. Toshio had also been perfect in shooting, yet he still gave Sakamoto instructions for “subtle tuning.” She had just been satisfied with her own and her aircraft's condition and was having fun with Misuzu. This was the overwhelming difference between her and him.
“What do you want to do? If you want to win the title, Yuhi...”
Yuhi quietly shook her head.
“No. It's still too early for me. There are still things I need to do right now.”
Perhaps sensing something from her expression, Toshio smiled gently and nodded.
“...Understood. Then, I will go without reservation this time.”
“Yeah! I’ll support you with all my might!”
“Thank you. I’ll do my best.”
For now, while we are still able to fly together, I just want to burn every single move of his—the most talented pilot in Japan—into my eyes and mind. That was, without a doubt, my true feeling.
＊
One late autumn day, as the title race for the With Warrior reached its climax, Yuhi was ordered to fly as Toshio's wingman for the review flight at the Review Ceremony.
The Review Ceremony is a major event held annually on a rotating basis by the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces. The reviewing officer is the Prime Minister, the supreme commander of the Self-Defense Forces, and the purpose is to raise the awareness and morale of the personnel and to deepen the understanding and trust of the public.
This year it is the Ground Self-Defense Force's turn to conduct it, and the venue is the JGSDF Asaka Training Ground in Saitama Prefecture. Here, they will perform a low-altitude flypast while being watched by the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, and senior officers of the three Self-Defense Forces.
Usually, the unit commander Katsuno would serve as the lead pilot, but the Maritime Staff Office, wanting to promote the advancement of women and an open workplace for dual-income couples, singled the two of them out. Although, that itself was Katsuno's doing.
“Well, it’s like a wedding aisle for you two. Go and enjoy it.”
The unit commander said with a grin.
“Is it really okay to treat the solemn Review Ceremony like a private affair? That old man.”
Toshio muttered a complaint after getting off the aircraft.
“But in the end, it’s an order from the Maritime Staff Office, right? This is my first time doing a review flight, so I’m nervous.”
“It’s fine. It’s the same as a flypast at an air show. It requires second-by-second adjustments, but we aren't doing a level opener in time with an orchestra like the Blue Impulse.”
“Yeah. I’m with Toshio, so I feel safe.”
Yuhi smiled brightly and looked over the flight line.
JASDF Hyakuri Air Base in Ibaraki Prefecture. Various aircraft of the Air and Maritime Self-Defense Forces, both large and small, are gathering one after another to be reviewed.
The F-15 Eagles I used to be so familiar with are lined up too, which feels somewhat nostalgic. The aviation units to be reviewed were to gather here once and take off in order according to the schedule.
Just as the two of them started heading toward the waiting area,
“Yuhi! Toshio!”
A woman's voice called out from behind. I turned around and opened my eyes wide.
“Kimi!? No way, I can't believe it, in a place like this!”
“It really is Yuhi! I wanted to see you!”
It was Third Lieutenant Kirimi Tsuiki, a close friend who shared both joys and sorrows with me during our time as aviation students. Unlike me, she has a soft, gentle atmosphere and is very cute. She hasn't changed a bit since those days.
We held hands and rejoiced at our reunion.
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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