Symphony in the Sky: Forever Flying!

A Force For Good (Spoiler)

This chapter is using the point of view of Yoshiyuki Miyazono. He and his wife lost their daughter, but for sake of her, they definitely don't hate Kousei at all..

...

Our adopted son Nakata, serving in the Jietai as one of it's pilot, flying an F-22, was the one who first gave us a hint about the intensifying of the long crisis in Korea. But we never expected to went out of control.

North Koreans tried to hit us with their missiles, and failed. Then at the same time, the hypothetical scenario that news media often referred to, becoming a reality, with drills of air raid and the entire SDF on the full alert, things that honestly never crossed in our mind before as we continue our lives both when Kaori was still with us, and after she left us.

Military vehicles patrolling the street, sons and daughters of neighbors left and right were leaving for service upon the announcement of conscription.. and I also saw more and more Westerners as well, with NATO countries joining what people called the "Coalition of the Willing"

We are at war, not because of our own making, and nothing we can do. 

I once participated in a public opinion survey by the national TV about the Jieitai. Remilitarization is a no-no, but I know that we are not alone and in our engagement in the international community, and Jieitai also should be involved, as well.

However, the most surprising about this is when Takahiko told us that Arima Kousei also went to the draft along with his friends. And his girlfriend as well! I remember that they had just bought themselves caneles two days before things started to unravel here. Then Nakata called us that he is now in Korea assisting the Southerners. 

So, we are praying everyday for their safety, and I can feel that in case of Arima Kousei, he fought with Kaori in his heart. 

I remember that I once gave him a LINE message.

"Remember her as you fight to protect our country."

However, as the war continues, our government gave us another surprise. The so called remilitarization has finally executed with the renaming of the Self-Defense Force into a National Military Force (Koku-Gun). Still, life and business goes on, and I believe that it might be the best for us, as I think that one day, in defending our country, we should less reliant on the Americans while still their ally. 

Back to Kousei, as he and his friends along with Nakata had their deployment, I can only pray. But we also show a tangible support by flying the Hinomaru in front of our shop, also a show of "Burning North Korean flag"

"On behalf of people of Japan, there will be no mercy for Kim and his family until seventh generation!"  I vowed in front of the shop's fireplace, with Ryouko filmed what I am doing, throwing a North Korean flag into the fireplace.

When they went home for the first time at that December, especially Kousei, which is basically like our own son, we need to show them what we feel, and so we gave our forces discounts. Kousei and his friends in the force are among them. Then Christmas concert came.

We're still amazed on how much Kaori changed Kousei's life as he's playing with Emi on the moment. His playing is still colorful despite the horror of war he has seen. I remember when Takahiko told us about his parting word to Kousei when he went to the boot camp.

"Fight not because of hate, but for sake of love of people you left behind."

That's definitely the answer of what I have seen of Kousei. Still joyful, still happy, but also tougher just like all military man and women I have seen. 

Eighteen years old and a fighter ace.

It's a very remarkable achievement that I doubt can be replicated. A prodigy in piano turned to be prodigious pilots.

He's making our military the Force for Good. I can see.

And months later, the accursed threat was finally ended by the death of Kim and the fall of entire system like a house of cards. We can finally live in peace. They are the Force for Good, for the country, and for the people of Japan but most importantly, their families. 

Kaori, your memory will never be forgotten.