Albatross Sky ~Self-Defense Force Love Story~ [Episode 7] Enduring patiently is a man's training. ②

[Episode 7] Enduring patiently is a man's training. Once again, Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet, Isoroku Yamamoto ②

Toshio took her to the largest hospital in the area along the prefectural road. While waiting for their turn, he kept holding her shoulders so Yuhi wouldn't get cold, and her heart palpitations wouldn't stop.
When the nurse said, "You have a kind husband," she couldn't even tell if this fever was really coming from an illness anymore.

As expected, the diagnosis was influenza, and Yuhi was prescribed an inhalant that would bring her fever down in a day. Toshio called the unit to confirm, but since he was told she was prohibited from coming to work for three days even after the fever went down, she had no choice but to rest quietly.

Returning home, she inhaled the medicine according to the instructions and crawled into bed.

"You must be tired, get some sleep."

At Yuhi's earnest request, he was wearing a large mask, but she could still recognize the kind gaze that hadn't changed since the day they met.

Toshio, are you going home already? I don't want you to, I want you to stay by my side.

Overcome with emotion, she ended up grabbing his sleeve.

"Yuhi?"
"...Are you leaving?"

She had blurted it out unconsciously, and suddenly came to her senses.

Idiot! What are you saying!? You'll give Toshio your cold!

However, he smiled softly and patted Yuhi's head.

"It's okay, I'll stay by your side the whole time."

Even though she knew she shouldn't, she felt relieved by his words. Feeling the comfort of his hand's warmth, Yuhi eventually fell asleep.

*

As her blurry vision slowly began to focus, Toshio was looking down at her with concern. The setting sun was shining in through the window.

"Toshio..."

Even though he was by her side, a terrible feeling of loneliness welled up inside her.

"Are you okay? You were tossing and turning in your sleep..."

When she touched her face, her cheeks were wet. It seemed she had been crying.

"I think... I was having a dream."
"Hmm?"
"A dream from a long time ago."

Yuhi slowly sat up on the bed. Perhaps the medicine was working, as she felt her fever had gone down significantly.

"Toshio, you asked me before, didn't you? Why I became a fighter pilot."
"Oh, was that during our first voyage?"

She nodded silently.

"At that time, your reason for becoming a pilot was so cool that... I was too embarrassed to say anything."

Toshio took off his mask, sat on the bed, and gazed at the sunset as if watching over her.

"You see... I ran away. From my parents."

As she began to speak with her head bowed, the back of his hand gently stroked Yuuhi's cheek.

"It's okay, you know? Don't push yourself if it's painful."
"No, I want you to listen. I want you to hear it, Toshio."

Yuuhi slowly shook her head, took Toshio's hand, and gently wrapped it in both of hers.

"...My parents are middle school teachers, but they are what you call anti-war teachers, and they absolutely hate the Self-Defense Forces. That's why, the moment I became an aviation student, I was disowned."

Yuuhi's parents were die-hard members of a certain teachers' union who wouldn't even stand for the singing of Kimigayo. Due to their strict educational policy, she wasn't allowed to watch TV, let alone read manga or play games, and her curfew was set at five o'clock on days other than those when she had gymnastics club or ballet lessons.

The rebellion against such parents began in middle school. When her parents found out that the parent of a close friend was a Self-Defense Force member, they were furious and forced Yuuhi to stop seeing her. To make matters worse, they conspired with fellow teachers to give that friend a low internal assessment score, ensuring she couldn't go to the same high school as Yuuhi.

Yuuhi only found out about this after entering high school. Her friend told her not to worry about it, but Yuuhi was so shocked that she couldn't go to school for a while, and out of rebellion against her parents, she became interested in the Self-Defense Forces and started researching them.

She decided to become a pilot in the autumn of her second year of high school. At the air festival at Tsuiki Air Base in Fukuoka, which she visited in secret, Yuuhi was instantly captivated by the dynamic flight demonstration of the F-15J Eagle fighter jet.

A wild eagle soaring straight up into the sky.

Perhaps the excitement she felt at that time was a thirst for freedom.

Fortunately, the aviation student exam was held at Hofu Kita Base in the same Yamaguchi Prefecture, so she managed to take the exam without her parents finding out.

Naturally gifted with athletic ability and top-class grades at a preparatory school, Yuuhi passed with flying colors, but it wasn't something she could keep hidden forever. As expected, a scene ensued when her parents found out, and Yuuhi ran away from home.

Although she had been working part-time, she was still a high school girl who had grown up under her parents' protection and didn't know her way around. There was no way she had anywhere to go. The ones who saved her were that best friend from middle school and her family, whom Yuuhi's parents had harassed.

The Self-Defense Force couple didn't show any sign of annoyance; not only did they let Yuuhi live in their official residence until she joined the aviation student program, but they also covered her high school tuition.

Once, the Self-Defense Force couple tried to persuade her to reconcile and accompanied her to meet her parents, but instead of thanking them, her parents insulted the Self-Defense Forces and even threatened to sue them for kidnapping a minor. Yuuhi cried herself to sleep for three days and nights out of frustration, shame, and guilt.

Since then, she has never met her parents again.

"You know, the name Yuuhi was given to me with the wish that I would lower the Rising Sun flag."
"...Did your parents tell you that, Yuuhi?"

She shook her head.

"But I understand. Watching how those people act..."

His hand rested gently on her head.

"That must have been hard for you, Yuuhi."

He said nothing more. He just stroked her head as if to comfort her. The kindness in his hand made her tear ducts loosen. Why is it that I can never hold back my tears in front of him?

I had desperately gritted my teeth, determined never to use a woman's tears as a weapon, yet ever since we first met, I have shown him my pathetic side time and time again.

Perhaps, no, surely, this must be love.

Sniffling, she looked up at the ceiling to calm her heart. Seeing this, Toshio stood up from the bed with a relieved expression and patted Yuuhi's head.

"Aren't you hungry? I made some porridge."
"Eh? You made it for me, Toshio?"
"Well, yeah. It's nowhere near as good as your cooking, though."
"...Thank you, I'll eat it."
"All right. I'll go heat it up now."

Toshio began preparing it while humming. She stared blankly at his broad back. The melancholy of waking up was gone; just having him by her side filled her with a sense of security.

"Here you go, it's ready."
"Wow... this thick sauce, it's authentic."
"Hehe, it's my mom's secret recipe. Can you sit up?"
"Mm..."

He supported her back as she sat up.

"Alright, here. Say ah."
"Ah, I-I can eat it myself."
"It's fine, just say ah."
"O-okay..."

She opened her mouth timidly, her face turning bright red.

This is... no matter how you look at it, we're like a couple! She took a bite, and a rich flavor, unlike any porridge she had ever tasted, spread through her mouth.

"...It's delicious. Toshio, it's delicious!"
"Seriously? Yes!"

He laughed happily. His expression made her heart tighten.

"My mom said she learned this from a Chinese lady who lived in the neighborhood and was a good friend of hers back in the day. It has chopped century egg in the sauce. Oh, the century egg is made in Japan, by the way."

Her heart raced as Toshio spoke with a proud smile.

I really do... love Toshio... I love him so much...

Her chest tightened, and as tears began to spill, Yuuhi covered her eyes with the backs of her hands like a child.

Link

Next Episode Albatross Sky ~Self-Defense Force Love Story~ [Episode 7] Enduring patiently is a man's training. (3) | Kyo

Previous Episode Albatross Sky ~Self-Defense Force Love Story~ [Episode 7] Enduring patiently is a man's training. (1) | Kyo

Read from the beginning
Albatross Sky ~Self-Defense Force Love Story~ [Episode 1] It is important for a commander to be optimistic first (1) | Kyo