Albatross Sky_Season 2 ~JSDF Love Story~ [Part 5] Digression: Friendship is a Cupid without wings. ④

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[Part 5] Digression: Friendship is a Cupid without wings. George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron ④

She wiped her tears away vigorously with her sleeve, then looked up at the sky while sniffling.

“And then... I’m sorry about that day. That was my brother... Lieutenant Kadoma’s plan.”
“...Huh?”
“He said that someone like Petty Officer Sakamoto wouldn’t come to me even if I waited, so if I liked him, I should go for it myself. He told me to create a fait accompli quickly. So that day, I gathered all my courage and forcefully invited you, who were drunk, to a hotel.”

Right. I actually remembered, albeit vaguely, that she had invited me on the way home. But I had convinced myself that it was just a memory I had conveniently rewritten while drunk.

“Are you... disillusioned?”

I shook my head vigorously at her as she smiled sadly while shedding tears.

“How could I ever be disillusioned! It’s me who should be sorry for not noticing anything! I thought you were angry at me back then. And you’ve been so cold to me all day today, too.”

Misuzu looked puzzled.

“Eh? I wasn’t angry at you, you know?”

She closed the distance between us smoothly, her eyes glistening.

“I thought that because I had gone too far, you must have hated me. I felt like I was going to cry whenever I saw you, Sakamoto-san, so I tried my best to endure it.”

...So that was it. Thinking back on her behavior, it finally made sense. Since my starting point was always the negative thought that I wasn't good enough, my perception of everything had been completely inverted. I felt like I finally understood why Kamizuki told me to 'look at her like a normal girl.'

“So... from today on, we’re a couple, right?”
“O-of course!”
“...Yay.”

Misuzu gently wiped her tears with her finger and gave me her first smile of the day.

She was unbearably cute. No, too cute. Is this really okay? Someone like me being her boyfriend... She tilted her head and looked up at me. She wasn't just breaking my personal space; she was incredibly close. What should I do in a situation like this? I thought of my super-handsome superior officer.

I suppose hugging her would be the correct answer, but my heart was already racing at breakneck speed, so that was too high a hurdle for me. Just as I tried to fight the strange gravity and put my arm around her back,

“What are you two doing?”

I turned around at the voice to see Kuwano glaring at us with a terrifying expression. We had positioned ourselves so we wouldn't be seen from the street, though. Misuzu turned to face Kuwano as he stomped toward us.

“Petty Officer Kuwano, I’m sorry. We’ve decided to start dating. So, could you please leave us alone now?”

Misuzu glares sharply at Kuwano.

“Huh!? You’re kidding, right? What is this about?”
“Th-that’s exactly what it is!”

Sakamoto stepped forward as if to shield Misuzu. His body moved on its own, regardless of his own will.

“T-Taniguchi is my girlfriend starting today! So please, stop bothering her!”

His legs were shaking. His opponent was a superior officer. He was also physically imposing. If a fight broke out, he would definitely have no chance of winning. But this wasn't about logic. He just wanted to protect her.

Kuwano was looking at him in surprise.

“Is that true, Taniguchi? You aren't just teasing me, are you...”
“Kou-san!”

Misuzu jumped out in front of Kuwano and turned back to look at Sakamoto.

Huh?

He couldn't understand what had just happened. A sensation he was experiencing for the first time in his life. Was this... a kiss!?

Her arms were wrapped around his neck, and she pulled his body in tight. To keep from falling, he wrapped his arms around her back and held her. He couldn't believe it. That something like this could happen to him.

Before long, Misuzu pulled away slightly, smiled at Sakamoto, and then turned back to face Kuwano.

“Do you understand now? I’m serious. So, don't get in our way.”

He stared at Misuzu in a daze, but eventually let out a deep sigh and,

“Alright, I lose,”
he said, shaking his head and raising both hands.

“I won't lay a finger on her ever again. But listen, Sakamoto. If you ever do anything to make Taniguchi cry, I’ll beat you half to death. Remember that.”

Kuwano threatened him. But he wasn't the same person he had been a moment ago.

“I won't make her cry! Never! I will make her happy!”

Perhaps overwhelmed by his tone, Kuwano’s eyes widened for a moment, but then he gave Sakamoto a firm pat on the shoulder and walked away.

“Thank you for protecting me, Kou-san. I love you.”

She hugged him from behind. He could hear her sobbing. He wanted to gain the strength to keep protecting her. At that moment, Sakamoto swore it in his heart---

...Wataru!

Called, I snapped back to reality. In my hands was a framed portrait from our wedding.

I've been calling you for ages.
Sorry, sorry, I was just remembering the old days.
Why are you looking at the wedding photo?
Yeah. I don't know, I just happened to be looking at it.
Geez. We have to go soon or you'll be late for the morning assembly, right?
Oh, is it that time already?

Sakamoto gently returned the portrait to the top of the sideboard.

Well then, I'm counting on you for everything at home.
Yeah. I can only say 'do your best' to you... but, do your best.
Yeah. I'll do my best and come back with a healthy baby boy.

Starting today, Misuzu would be returning to her parents' home for a month to give birth. Sakamoto gently stroked her full-term belly.

Are you sure about this? At the very least, I should be the one to take you to your parents' house... People around me are asking if I shouldn't take some time off, too.

Today, her parents were going to drive all the way from far away to pick her up.

It's fine. My parents love to take care of things, so they don't mind. Well, their real target is Mirei, though. Right, don't you love Grandpa and Grandma?

Clutching her stuffed animal, their beloved daughter nodded firmly. Sakamoto lifted Mirei up and rubbed his cheek against hers.

Come on now, it wouldn't look good for the crew chief of the leader's aircraft to be late on the day a new unit is launched, would it?

Yes, starting today, the 'Nagato' Fighter Squadron here in Atsugi, following the planned expansion of aircraft and pilots, would become the 'Nagato' Fighter Air Group, with two fighter squadrons reorganized under its command. The ones appointed as the glorious squadron commanders were Commander Taichi Gyobu, who had returned from a personnel rotation with the 'Mutsu', and Commander Toshio Kadoma, who had returned from the Joint Staff Office in Ichigaya.

It's nostalgic, isn't it? To have everyone together like this again. Yuhi-san was so happy, saying 'I can fly with Toshio again'.

Lieutenant Yuhi Kadoma, the commander's wife and an absolute ace pilot, had been at Atsugi all this time, despite stints in base public relations and other roles.

That person is truly amazing. Even though she was used to it with her second child, she flew brilliantly without even feeling the gap after her maternity leave. The young pilots she easily shot down were turning pale.

Hmph, his wife sniffed proudly.

That's only natural. After all, the Witch of the Northern Sky is the person I admire.
That's true. But now they call her the 'Medusa of the Southern Seas', don't they?
The person herself hates that, so please stop calling her that.
It was the US military guys who came up with that. Not me.

Laughing, he put Mirei down, picked up his backpack, and headed to the entrance. Misuzu took Mirei's hand and followed to see him off.

Misuzu-san.
Yes? Wataru.

We settled on how to call each other relatively soon after we started dating. As for Misuzu, she went from 'Petty Officer Sakamoto' to 'Wataru-san' almost immediately, then to 'Wataru-kun', and within a month, just 'Wataru'.
On the other hand, for some reason, I went from 'Taniguchi' to 'Taniguchi-san' after that day, and was immediately scolded for being too formal, so I changed it to 'Misuzu-san'.

I am fully aware that I am completely henpecked. But, it feels incredibly comfortable.

“I’m really glad I could marry you. Thank you.”
“Wataru...”

A kiss as he leaves.

“I’m so happy right now.”
“Me too. With you here, Mirei here, and Kota about to be born. There is nothing happier than this.”
“It’s not over yet. We’ll have a third child too. So, do your best and earn plenty.”

I open my eyes wide at my adorable wife, who is smiling mischievously.

“Really? Hahaha, alright. Daddy will do his best. Right, Mirei?”

Sakamoto gently stroked his beloved daughter’s head and opened the front door.

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Next Story Albatross Sky_Season 2 ~JSDF Love Story~ [Part 6] A married couple can become one; that is to say, they do not split into two, but become one whole. I believe that too. ① | Kyo

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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