Albatross Sky_Season 2 ~JSDF Love Story~ [Part 9] There is no relationship, bond, or companion as lovely, friendly, and charming as a good marriage. ①

If you have not read Season 1, please read it from here first ↓

[Part 9] There is no relationship, bond, or companion as lovely, friendly, and charming as a good marriage. German Theologian Martin Luther ①

It was a strange feeling.

Right now, Yuhi is hovering in her beloved aircraft above the school. In the schoolyard below, a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force CH-47JA Chinook transport helicopter is busy boarding students, faculty, staff, and guardians.

As if to protect the evacuees, several JGSDF personnel are standing guard around the perimeter with rifles at the ready, and Yuhi, too, occasionally banks her aircraft as if to keep a watchful eye on the surroundings.

'From Headquarters to all units. Incoming report from the reconnaissance team. An armed group is approaching ten kilometers to the west. All ground and air support units, maintain strict vigilance.'
'This is Narashino 04. We have secured three of the missing Japanese nationals. We are heading to the Japanese school now. Requesting support.'
'Incoming report from the embassy. It appears five Japanese nationals are left behind at a commercial facility two kilometers to the northeast. Proceed to recover them immediately.'

Tense radio communications fly back and forth incessantly.

Yuhi's mission is to intimidate the armed group attempting to interfere with the rescue operation. A short distance away, Toshio's Lightning is also hovering and standing guard.

Although, in the schoolyard below, the students looking up at the aircraft are waving their hands excitedly with smiles on their faces, and Yuhi, following Toshio's lead, secretly waves back.
Around the school, many local people have gathered, looking up at the hovering Lightning, wondering what is going on.

Southeast Asia, Kingdom of Thailand. Cobra Gold is a multilateral military exercise held annually, centered on the Royal Thai Armed Forces and the U.S. military. The Self-Defense Forces have also participated every year since 2005, and in recent years, particular effort has been put into non-combatant evacuation operations (NEO) through the integrated operation of the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces.

This year, because the 'Nagato's' Southeast Asia goodwill voyage happened to coincide with this exercise, it was decided that they would participate in this non-combatant evacuation training.

The setting is the Japanese school in Si Racha District, Chonburi Province, a seaside town. Located about 100 kilometers southeast of Bangkok, this town, which was once a small fishing village, has developed rapidly in recent years, thanks in part to the benefits of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) policy strongly promoted by the Thai government. The population has reached approximately 250,000, of which about 6,000 are Japanese residents, mainly expatriates from Japanese companies deployed in the surrounding industrial parks and their families, as well as people running various service businesses such as restaurants and real estate agencies for them.

Around the Japanese school, there are residential areas for Japanese people and shopping centers, with fields spreading out beyond that, and a highway running nearby. It is a training environment that would be unthinkable in Japan.

After boarding the Japanese evacuees, the Chinook is scheduled to deliver them to the U-Tapao Air Base, a joint military-civilian facility about 60 kilometers to the south, and the mission will be complete once it has been escorted all the way there.

In reality, there is no way a Lightning would be hovering in such a situation to intimidate an armed group.

If there were guerrillas hiding nearby with man-portable air-defense systems, it would just be easy prey. In reality, one would provide bombing support based on requests from ground units while conducting combat air patrols overhead.

Therefore, this is strictly part of a flashy demonstration. It was meant to show the stance and presence of the Self-Defense Forces to armed guerrilla forces around the world who might target Japanese nationals, signaling that Japan will show no mercy if anything happens.

On the ground, the boarding operation seems to be nearing its end. As I watch the operation carefully, a white-haired man, presumably a faculty member, who was guiding the students and protecting them at the rear along with the JGSDF personnel, looks up at us and waves.

That is...!

'Dad!?'
'What!? Seriously!?'

Toshio lets out a voice of surprise.

"No mistake about it! Daaad!!"

Though he shouldn't have been able to hear her, she shouted at the top of her lungs and waved back.

"Romeo 03 to Zeke 06, 10. Recovery complete. We are withdrawing now."
"This is Zeke 06, roger that. We will provide cover for the withdrawal along with Zeke 10."

Toshio responds to the communication from the Chinook.

Oh no... I wonder if they heard that just now.

Yuhi tightened her resolve, thinking that was bad, disengaged the hovering autopilot, and gripped the control stick again.

*

"I never expected to meet you in a place like this."
"Yes, we were surprised too."

A Thai restaurant by the sea at dusk. After that, Yuhi, who had been able to meet her father Kazuhiro at U-Tapao Airfield, had promised to have dinner together today, the day they went ashore. It was an open-air terrace with a relaxed atmosphere, and the beach was filled with coconut trees, making it a place overflowing with tropical charm.

"Sorry for calling you all the way out to Si Racha."

It was a little over an hour's drive from the Sattahip Naval Base, where the "Nagato" was docked. On the way, they had stopped by Pattaya, famous as a tourist destination, before arriving here.

Still, though.

Kazuhiro was dressed casually in a polo shirt, shorts, and sandals. Her mother, Mariko, wasn't quite as casual, but she was wearing a sleeveless top. In all her life, Yuhi had no memory of her parents ever dressing like this.

"No, thank you instead. For arranging the car and even booking the accommodation. It was a really nice room."

At 1,500 baht a night for a room with a king-size double bed, it was an exceptional price. Unlike the Japanese pricing system, it was per room, not per person. It was a new hotel, and the room was spacious, clean, and well-equipped with amenities.

"Did you two go sightseeing in Pattaya during the day?"
"Yes. We saw the Sanctuary and walked along Pattaya Beach. There were a lot of Westerners."

Pattaya originally began when the U.S. military, stationed at U-Tapao Airfield as a base during the Vietnam War, developed what was then a nearby fishing village into a resort for soldiers to rest.

"If you were on leave tomorrow, I would have recommended staying in Pattaya. Walking through Walking Street at night is also a good learning experience."
"Walking Street?"

Yuhi tilts her head.

"It's Pattaya's largest, so-called entertainment district. People gather from all over the world in search of pleasure and desire."

To think that her strict father would recommend sightseeing in a nightlife district.

It was a melting pot of cultures, and the energy was incredible. It's an atmosphere you rarely get to experience in Japan.

His mother, Mariko, also speaks happily. Her parents' demeanor has clearly changed from when they were in Japan.

Unfortunately, I have to return to the ship by tomorrow evening, so I will take you up on that next time. Next time, I will bring Yuhi with me to visit you privately.

Toshio declines with a smile.

Indeed, that might be for the best.

Kazuhiro nods while crossing his arms. His gestures haven't changed, but his expression is somewhat softer. Soon, beer and dishes were brought out one after another. The waitress standing next to the table puts ice in the glasses before pouring the beer.

Huh? You put ice in beer?
Yes. This is common in Thailand. It prevents you from getting a bad hangover, and it's just right for this climate. Lately, I actually feel a bit strange if there's no ice in it.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do, I suppose.

The four of them toast while laughing. This is Yuhi's first time having Thai food. She had an image of it being spicy, but perhaps because Kazuhiro was thoughtful, the seafood-based dishes aren't spicy and are very delicious.

This is really delicious. What is this dish called?
It's Poo Pad Pong Curry. 'Poo' means crab, 'pad' means stir-fry, and 'pong' means powder. By the way, fried rice is called 'khao pad'. 'Khao' means rice. If you want to eat crab fried rice, just say 'khao pad poo' and it will be served. Thai dish names are composed of the ingredients and the cooking method, so if you remember that, you can order anywhere in Thailand.

As expected of a teacher, Mariko explains it very clearly. Toshio seems very interested and is asking Mariko various things about the Thai language. As she was watching them with a smile,

Oh, it's about the right time now.

Kazuhiro mutters and gives Yuhi a look. When she turns around, the sun is just about to set beyond the horizon.

Wow! Hey, hey, Toshio, look, look! It's amazing, look. The sunset is so beautiful.

A stunningly beautiful tropical sunset. They must have planned an early dinner because they wanted to show this to them.

This is amazing... Yuhi, you look so beautiful and cute illuminated by the sunset, too.

Because he can say things like that so easily even in front of her parents, she still has to look down with her face bright red.

Alright, let me take a picture of you two with the sunset in the background.

Urged by Kazuhiro, the two of them pose with their cheeks pressed together. Afterward, they call the waiter to take a photo including her parents, and then they immediately send the photos taken on their respective smartphones to each other via social media.

It's lovely. Looking at this, you two look like you're on your honeymoon.

When Mariko mutters this while looking at the photo, Kazuhiro nods in agreement.

"How is it? Now that the wedding is over, have you settled down a bit?"
"I wanted to settle down, but right after the ceremony, we had this sea training."

Yuhi replied with a wry smile. That's right. It hasn't even been a week since the wedding, and we've been at sea for a month already. There's no time to settle down. During the voyage, it's the usual rigorous training, and since we're living apart at night, I can't even soak in the sweet afterglow. The days we go ashore in between are my precious time to be healed by him.


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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