Albatross Sky ~JSDF Love Story~ [Episode 7] Enduring patiently is a man's training. ④

[Episode 7] Enduring patiently is a man's training. Once again, Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet, Isoroku Yamamoto ④

A day in December when people are bustling about. Today is the long-awaited Christmas Eve.

After finishing the final duties of the year, I dressed up more than usual and waited for my superior, who is more than a friend but less than a lover.

Reuniting with him for the first time in about two weeks. What I realized once again was that his presence had grown even larger than I had thought. The time I spent suffering because I couldn't see him is almost over.

I gently touch the pendant around my neck.

"Isn't there no need to force yourself to suppress your romantic feelings? You can still help each other grow even after you become lovers."

That's what Misuzu said to encourage me. She's right. I was afraid of knowing what lies "beyond" with him, so I used my "dreams" as an excuse to run away. Even though I love him so much, I justified my own cowardice in not being able to take the step forward by calling it "ambition."

That's why I came here with the determination to take our relationship one step further today. Even though I don't know much, I prepared myself thoroughly just in case that happens.

People passing by in front of Yuuhi all glance at her, and she feels a tinge of anxiety, wondering if she tried too hard. It is precisely because Yuuhi, who has applied her "winning makeup," possesses beauty that could be mistaken for an actress, but since she is unaware of this herself, it cannot be helped.

Though she feels like giving up, the smile of the man who always tells her she is "cute" comes to mind, and she reconsiders, thinking that as long as he is happy, that is all that matters. Still.

Why did we decide to meet here?

For some reason, the place he designated for our meeting was the ticket gate at Tokyo Station, far from Atsugi Base. Since it's Friday and Christmas Eve, it's quite crowded. I'm a little worried about whether we'll be able to find each other.

I wonder if he's here yet... I can't wait to see him. It's time for him to arrive. As I nervously look for him on the other side of the ticket gate,

"Yuuhi!"

I heard a voice calling my name. A voice I'm so familiar with that I couldn't possibly mistake it, even in the crowd. When I turned around, I saw Toshio walking toward me, waving his hand.

"Toshio!"

The moment I recognized him, I naturally started running toward him. Although Yuuhi was about to jump into his arms, she came to her senses at the last second and tried to hit the brakes in a panic, but she ended up being held firmly by Toshio, who had also run up to her.

"W-wait, Toshio!"
"Yuuhi... I missed you..."

He hugs me tightly. I'm flustered by the lover mode right from the start, but his warmth and scent are so comforting and dear that before I knew it, I had wrapped my arms around his back too.

"Ah~, you really are cute. I've been suffering from a Yuuhi deficiency for these past two weeks."

Toshio gently let go of Yuhi and placed his fingers on her cheeks.

“Geez, in a place like this...”
“Haha. When I thought about you waiting for me at the station, Tetsuro Yamashina's Christmas song wouldn't stop playing in my head.”
“What’s that? Tetsuro Yamashina wouldn't make me come, would he?”
“It’s not the lyrics. Don’t you know it? The NR Cinderella Express commercial. From when we were kids.”
“I don’t know it. I wasn’t really allowed to watch much TV when I was a kid.”
“I see. It’s about lovers who are apart going to see each other on the Shinkansen on Christmas Eve. I’ve been longing for that ever since I saw the video on MyTube when I was in middle school.”
“Don’t tell me... is that why you chose Tokyo Station as the meeting spot?”
“Yeah.”
“Then Shin-Yokohama would have been fine!”
“No, no, it’s all about the atmosphere, right? The Cinderella Express has to be at Tokyo Station.”
“Geez. If it were Shin-Yokohama, we could have met thirty minutes earlier.”

Saying that, she turned away with a pout, acting sulky. It was a cutesy gesture she would never normally do. She was aware that her excitement was peaking at reuniting with him after two weeks.

“That just now...”
“I wanted to see you as soon as possible, Toshio. Is that bad?”
“No... I’m happy.”

Toshio stroked Yuhi’s head, looking genuinely happy. It was his usual gentle hand.

Yes, I can do it, today of all days. Because I’m so happy and full of joy.

“By the way, Toshio, what about your luggage?”
“Oh, there was a regular flight heading to Atsugi just then, so I asked them to take it.”
“...You should have just taken that and gone home!”
“That’s why I said it’s the Cinderella Express.”

Toshio laughed as he gave Yuhi’s cheeks a sweet, playful pinch.

“Fnya~, sthop it~”

Yuhi’s feelings were only rising from the physical affection with the boyfriend she hadn't seen in so long.

*

Toshio had made a reservation at a high-end French restaurant on the upper floors of a luxury hotel in the city center, with a panoramic view of the night scenery. Usually, he would accommodate Yuhi’s wishes and they would go to cheap, casual izakayas, but he had insisted that for today, at least, they should do this, so she followed him despite her hesitation.

The setting looked down over the night view of the big city, with delicious wine and food. And across the candlelight, the person she loved was smiling gently with his handsome face.

It was like a fairy tale. She felt as if her stubborn shell had been completely peeled away. Could this be the work of Christmas Eve magic?

“You’re still wearing it, that pendant.”
“Yeah. Because it’s my precious treasure...”

She held it tightly. Even when things were hard or painful, she had been able to get through it because of this. That’s why.“Today, I also prepared a present for you, Toshio.”

Yuhi took a cutely wrapped gift out of her bag and handed it to him with a pounding heart.
“Huh? This is for me?”“Yeah. Go ahead and open it.”He carefully peeled off the sticker and opened the wrapping. What appeared was a navy blue scarf.“Don’t tell me this is... did you knit this, Yuhi?”“Y-yeah. It was all I could think of. ...Is it too much?”

Toshio stared at the scarf with a look of surprise, but soon he wiped his eyes and looked down.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so incredibly happy..."
"W-wait. Oh no, don't cry."
"Ah, I can't help it. This is the happiest gift I've ever received in my life. Yuhi, you must be exhausted from training every day, yet you did this..."

Toshio wraps it around his neck while his eyes turn bright red.

"It's wonderful, this scarf. It's so soft and so warm. Thank you so much."

He presses the scarf against his cheek lovingly, confirming its warmth. Yuhi never imagined he would be this happy. Her own eyes grow hot, and she bites her tongue to hold back tears.

After that, following the gift from him and finishing their meal, the two headed straight to the bar on the top floor, where they naturally leaned into each other without either one initiating it. Before they knew it, the clock was about to strike twelve.

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