A/N: First thing first, this chapter will have no action. Instead the heroes are taking their R&R (Rest and Relaxation) 

Second, I recently saw a Youtube video about Christmas in Japan, and for this story, Christmas is a public holiday, unlike the real life which is not the case. Source video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fuLVCg_OBE

Third, some part of this story is heavily inspired from "Adopted" a Kousei x Emi YLIA fanfiction. And finally, this picture above is from Pixiv. I can imagine this is Kousei and Emi's performance in this chapter but with Kousei got no glass!

https://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=67605173&fbclid=IwAR2xnGog8f651m2JNhxd1CvE9r5riGX-Y5mwoKgw0zoeWN8RbWyY35rVQuY

...

"I miss Tokyo" Kousei said as several pilots and airmen, including him and Emi, arrived on Yokota Air Base after a two-hour flight aboard a chartered All Nippon Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

It's December, so Christmas related items and events are everywhere. 

As Kousei and Emi boarded a train heading for Tokyo, blended with general passengers, both pilots, wearing their Class B winter uniform, realized that due to the war, security aboard trains and around stations are significantly tightened. Notable number of security guards inside the rail cars and the station area have handguns and one or two guards even carrying HK416 assault rifles. Armed police and military police, many also with rifles, along with bomb-sniffing dogs, patrolled both inside and outside stations. Vending machines, instant photo-booths, toilets, and pay phones are inspected more throughly to avoid suspicious items including explosives to be stored. Usage of baggage lockers are restricted "until unspecified time".

Such heavy measures are not baseless, as during the last six months twelve separate attempts of sabotage and terror attacks in the nation's railways and other modes has been detected and foiled; mostly by North Korean agents or domestic extreme left group opposed to the war. One of the plots are particularly worrying;  sarin attacks on Tokyo Metro subway, which if carried on, will be a repeat of the 1995 incident.

Inside the railcar, Kousei felt his phone vibrated and he opened it. 

"Kaori's father (Miyazono Yoshiyuki)? What he wants for me?" He reads the LINE message.

Good day, Kousei. and happy holiday. We missed you a lot here in Totsuhara, and our town are proud to have people like you serving with honor. Don't forget to stop at Ma Fille, as we had special 40% discount of all products in support of our troops. Including you. Bring your girlfriend with you! Your best friend also had called me before and said they will come visit us too. Have a nice day!

---

"Shinjuku-eki.. Shinjuku-eki" (Shinjuku Station) the PA inside the train announced its arrival to the final destination, Shinjuku Station, in Tokyo.

20 minutes later, after a change of train they arrived in Totsuhara Station and began their journey home. On their way, they saw up to three gaisensha (Japanese sound trucks/van), blaring pro-military slogans such as "Guntai o Shien" which was translated from classic American military slogan "Support our Troops". Other citizens expressed their support by waving Japanese and other Coalition member-state flags from sidewalks, houses, apartments, flats, cars, etc.

On the other hand, opposition groups, especially the Communists, countered the "show of patriotism" by deploying sound trucks on their own with anti-war slogans.

"Let's stop by Miyazono's shop, shall we?" Kousei asked, as a Communist gaisensha passed in opposite direction with a bus they are currently on board, propagating their anti-war view. "Sure!" she asked, as she is reading current news on her phone.

Upon arriving at Ma Fille, they saw both Watari, Tsubaki, and a brown-haired man in his 20s, all in uniform already inside the shop. Kousei can recognize the latter as an F-22 Raptor pilot from his patch.

"Welcome to Ma Fille!" said Miyazono Ryouko, wife of Yoshuki and late Kaori's mother.

"Welcome back, Kousei, Emi, Tsubaki, and Watari!" Yoshiyuki greeted.

Then. "Excuse me, am I late?" Takeshi Aiza, not in uniform as his Army unit has been relieved a week before and withdrawn to Japan for refitting, arrived.

He soon snapped to attention.

"At ease, we're off duty here and not your immediate superior." Kousei said. Out of five, Takeshi is the only one who isn't a commissioned officer.

"Sensei!" Nagi crashed into Kousei, hugging him.

"How's your school?" Kousei asked. She also attended Okutsu just like Kousei, Emi, and Takeshi back in the day.

"Great, I won Tokyo Autumn Competition last November!" she exclaimed. Takeshi grinned.

Kousei patted his student's head. Emi glared at him. 

"Everyone, please have a seat" Ryouko said. Ma Fille is not just a bakery; it also a cafe with seats. Their cakes are soon brought in by the previous brown-haired man, no longer wearing his uniform.

"Sorry, can I ask something?"

"Sure"

 "Are you that F-22 pilot?" Watari asked the man.

"Yes, I am"

As they are eating, the man later explained. "My name is Miyazono Nakata. I'm Kaori's elder brother."

All inside gasped as the pilot revealed his identity. He further proven his word by showing photos of him and the Miyazono family in his cellphone, and another when he visits Kaori's grave.

"I was adopted by the Miyazonos after my parents were killed in the Kobe earthquake, in 1995 (he was born in 1992). If only Kaori survived the surgery back then she might directly introduce me to you all, as when the news come I am still in advanced training for fighter pilots." Nakata continues, reminiscing about his deceased adopted sister.

"I'm not understand music at all, but I know and understand why people likes you, Arima Kousei. I saw Kaori in you. When we buried her back then, many people talk about you or your friends. Before you came in the cemetery, some of my friends from the training squadron joined Dad and Mum to pay respect to her, and then I went to a bar with them to drown out our collective sorrow. After some time. I began to look for a man named Arima Kousei."

"Out of curiosity, I looked around the net, and saw your performance videos especially in that competition, and later, as you are serving in the Air Force like me, your duet in Ulsan and Osan with your girl, and with that former school idol. No wonder why high command shielded you somewhat from journalists. And not unlike me, you fly in memory of her. I looked forward for another mission with you, and your friends here after this." Nakata closed his explanation.

They pondered in silence as they continue eating. "How can we don't know Kaori has a brother?" 

---

For almost a week, he had playing his own piano every day, especially Christmas songs, for the first time since the war began and uploaded the video of his playing to YouTube, with almost twenty-thousand likes worldwide. 

People had even giving him a moniker of "Flying Pianist" with Emi also shared the same nickname.

"Even with your medals you are still the same Kousei I know" Seto Hiroko remarked in one of their special practice session four days before Christmas, arranged in light of Kousei's obligatory military service, which will be his main focus for the next two years, according to the contract of service every Japanese conscripts must sign prior to the start of their training. 

In fact, Kousei know that his status as an "Ace", despite his age (in fact, several military publications has claimed him to be the youngest man ever obtained fighter ace status in combat, at 18 years, 5 months, and 127 day)  will also render his time of service in the military significantly longer, the same in case of Emi. 

The next day, he went to Towa Hall for a final rehearsal, as he and Emi, collectively called the "Duumvirate" due to their close bonds, had decided to make their "comeback" by playing in a Christmas special charity concert sponsored by the city (special ward) government and several big box sponsors including Mitsubishi and Fujitsu. 

Seto and Ochiai, the mentors which are closer to each other as Kousei and Emi, watched the duo play on stage, along with the latter's former mentors in Okutsu, Mr. Oded Rosen, an Israeli pianist living in Japan. 

"Bravo!" Rosen said as the couple finished playing their scheduled song in the concert "Deck the Halls". He smirked and said inside "Even the Japanese military know they are together, so they are assigned into the same squadron and as the result, they shot down a lot of Commies. My missions are still a success..." He reminisced his time as a conscript in the Israeli Army, in which he saw combat in the Yom Kippur War, before starting his musical career and his first visit to Japan, which makes him grow in love with the country, resulted of him to move there in 1984. In Okutsu, he gained reputation as a match-maker, creating several pianist couples that loved each other and become successful performer and families. One of them are Takeshi Aiza's parents: Inouye and Mai Aiza, maiden name Ogata.  

---

December 21st. It's the day of the concert.

Along with Kousei and Emi's duet, Takeshi also will play in a separate performance with a cellist named Mikoto Kawaguchi.

"Let's go?" asked Kousei. 

Emi smiled and both have their hands over the keys.

They began to play the classical Christmas song "Deck the Halls". The stage lit up, the audiences were astonished upon they saw the "Duumvirate" has returned on stage after months on deployment.

Takeshi, awaiting his turn, barely able to hold his tears as the couple played.

The song meaning, which are to decorate the room for Christmas with appropriate things for the season, but if anyone think deeper, it also mean everybody must decorate their heart with appropriate (good) things. 

A family watching the performance, felt that the song wants them to reconcile as part of "decking the halls" as the father and the mother in the family was often fighting each other to the point of divorce.

Another, by the name of Eli Ayase feel it wants her to never forget her days as an idol, and to decorate her live with happiness especially as she has also drafted and joined the Army, and saw combat as an infantry officer with the 4th Division (same unit as Takeshi).

The Miyazonos, watched the concert via live-streaming inside their house, are once again reminded of their deceased daughter, and for Captain Nakata, a sister.

As the audience honored both pilot-pianists with a standing ovation, Kousei executed his next move, which was soon revealed upon the conclusion of the concert. He went to Emi's house instead of him for a good talk with Emi's parents about some topic which next day turned to be..

"Otanjoubi Omedetou, Emi Igawa!"

It was a very delightful surprise as on December 22nd, she turned 19.

Her parents, along with Kousei's and the Miyazonos, had prepared the party along with Tsubaki, Watari, Takeshi, Nagi and several of the couple's friends in school and fellow pilots incl. Col. Hamada, their Commanding Officer.

Kousei soon give his girlfriend a gift; a picture of theirs with the entire 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron "Symphonia".

The ensuing joyous party and cake eatings saw the Colonel finally knows that Emi and Kousei are couple and permit them with one condition, to remain professional on duty and no indecent contacts.

"I hope they will always together and stay happy." Kotori Igawa said to her husband as the guest began to leave the party.

At Kousei's house minutes later, "I can guarantee he will be able to cope with his increasing duties with her in his side" Takahiko said to Yumi as Kousei went back to his bed.

Meanwhile, Risa and Nana Arima, Kousei's half-sisters, prayed in their shared room before sleeping. "Lord Jesus, We give thanks to You for Your protection of this nation as we are facing this hard times. As we are praying for protection in our sleep, along with our parents's health, please keep our brothers Kousei safe in his duty as a pilot and Daigo in his job. In Your name we pray. Amen." 

A/N: Hope you like this! Vote and comment! 

What do you think about the revelation about the Miyazono family has an adopted son which also a fighter pilot (professional one, not conscript)?