A/N: Thank you for the reads, votes, and comments which brought this story into #1 in category Shigatsu Wa Kimi no Uso!

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January 29th, 2019. Osan Air Base, Pyeongtaek, ROK

"Emi, I'm sorry.. I should be the one who take that missile.." Kousei sobbed in front of Emi's grave in Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery. An attack on a formation of KPAF/PLAAF strike aircrafts with fighter escort over the Mount Paektu has gone wrong, with her F-15 was hit by a missile from a KPAF J-10 in a process and she was unable to eject. Even Kaori's passing years ago was somewhat less crushing for the pianist-turned-pilot.

Then, as he stood up, he felt an intense pain in his chest and collapsed in full view of the mourners, including his commanding officer, his parents and Emi's.

Knowing that he suddenly had a heart attack, they rushed him to the nearby hospital. Despite efforts to save him, including heart transplant, he died in the process.

He had lost a will to live a moment his Emi was killed.

"You are a true warrior, Arima Kousei.." Floating away, he can see the head surgeon paid his respect as he stared at Kousei's body.

It's a great loss for both the Japanese music world and the world of military aviation.

Another victim of "Broken Heart Syndrome", he was buried, with honor, beside his beloved Emi.

---

Kousei awaken inside his room in one of the base's bachelor officer quarters, 10 miles from the base, then he decided to wash his face for some calming effect, just as someone knocked his door.

"Okaeri" (come in) he replied.

"Watari?" The door opened revealing his male best friend and fellow pilot. The Japanese 2nd TFS which Watari is part of, are currently assigned to Osan along with the 4th, Kousei's squadron.

"Bad dreams, mate?" Both man are now sit atop Kousei's bed.

"Still the same thing"

Watari can only looked at Kousei's eyes in silence as he already knew what kind of dream Kousei is referring to.

"Maybe you should see your chaplain or the squadron shrink." Watari suggested.

"You know me too well, I'll do it for sure after my mission today. Thanks for the help!" Kousei smiled.

---

Another day, another combat air patrol. This time "Symphonia 1" is orbiting over Chongju, on the West Coast of North Korea, accompanied by an American flight of the same type to cover strike assets supporting Coalition's defense of the port city against Resistance Axis forces, this time led by Cuban 63rd Mechanized Division backed with North Korean tanks and artillery. For this mission, Kousei was assigned as the element leader with Capt. Kotori Minami as his wingman while Emi was in standby alert with Symphonia 2 in Osan, ready to be airborne.

"Black Rock to all planes, be advised, we have contacts bearing 080 heading west-northwest. Identified as Fulcrum-Fs. Second group, bearing 120 heading east-southeast, Flanker-C, currently being engaged by an allied flight. Angels 20, engage at will." said a Spanish-accented controller aboard a NATO E-3 Sentry AWACS assigned in the operation, escorted by a flight of French Rafales.

"Copy that Black Rock, intercepting enemy fighters." said the current Symphonia 1 flight leader, Major Nara "Kestrel" Konishi, celebrated his 32nd birthday two days ago, with current score of 7 kill.

Below, USMC F-35Bs leading a pack of strikers interdicting enemy movement and provide CAS for the embattled Coalition force inside Wonsan with majority from the American 5th Marine Regiment and South Korean 7th Marine Regiment.

"1-4 to lead, tracking multiple contacts, MiGs, closing towards the strike package. We must take them out immediately" Kotori reported.

"Roger that, on my mark launch the -4s" Nara ordered.

Seconds later, the Japanese obtained lock and eight AAM-4s went off from the F-15s, followed by an AMRAAM-ER (1) salvo from nearby American F-15s.

The formation of 16 MiG-35s which are about to attack the strike package are now facing 16 missiles each and used their AESA radar and ECM systems to jam the oncoming missiles, but in the end, eight were destroyed and two more heavily damaged, rendered it combat incapable.

"Cock 1-1 to Symphonia 1-1, form your planes with us as we're going close to those MiGs" said the American F-15 flight lead, from the 67th FS "Fighting Cocks", based on Kadena Air Base in Japan.

Before that, through, one American reported new contact, which turned out to be twelve North Korean-marked Su-30MK2 twin-seat multirole fighter-interceptors directly heading for the formation, already in range of their R-27 missiles. The combined formation immediately pumped chaffs, flares, and break off as missile warning sound blared on their cockpits. Using high-off boresight the Americans, had just regrouped fired their extended-range AMRAAMs in retaliation, destroyed seven Sukhois in total. The Japanese, trailing behind also formed up and using mid-course update from the AWACS fired their second salvo of AAM-4.

The Flankers, still disorganized from the American attack, weren't able to effectively counter the Japanese and the entire flight was virtually destroyed. One surviving Flanker attempts a kamikaze strike on the Coalition ground forces inside Wonsan, only to be shot down by a SAM battery.

The destruction of the Flankers were particularly satisfying for the Coalition as the unit has decimated two flights of American F-16s and Canadian Hornets which were the first to engage them.

AWACS Black Rock then vectored eight Hungarian Gripen Es deployed to reinforce the CAP, to engage the remaining MiGs.

As the American-Japanese formation, they remained on-station for possible new threat especially low flying attack aircraft and helicopters. The latter were soon revealed by another AWACS report. "Heads up we have new contact, identified as six Cuban Mi-24 Hinds heading towards our ground unit, intercept and destroy before they can release their missiles!"

The formation throttle-up, full military power and lowering their altitude into 5000 feet.

"I have a solid lock, Fox 2!" Kousei fired one of his AAM-5s which downed one Hind, and damaged another, forced it to abort the mission.

"Guns, guns, guns!" Kotori barked as she fired her M61 toward a Hind which side are facing her jet, destroyed the third attack helicopter.

The first element later executed their pass and dispatched the rest of the Hinds with AAM-5s.

"AWACS, this is Chollima flight, we're in position and ready to take over from here" A new four-ship formation of South Korean F-15C followed by Japanese Symphonia 2 has entered the city's airspace to further reinforce the air umbrella.

A timely arrival, as a Korean was soon called over the radio. "Be advised we have contact with Chinese J-10 and J-11s escorting JH-7s, engaging!" Kousei can saw the F-15s rolled into a dive to engage the Chinese reinforcements.

"Chollima 2-2, Fox two!" One J-10 exploded upon being hit by the South Korean's Sidewinder; the rest of the formation scattered off, some ended up encountering the American-Japanese formation in their effort.

"There's no escape, Fox two!" Cock 1-3, by the name of Capt. Henry "Blackfoot" McNamara, fired his own Sidewinder which caught a Flanker by surprise and the subsequent impact destroyed it's engine, forcing the pilot to bail out. It was his fifth kill, and another ace was born in the United States Air Force.

"Missile away!" Nara fired his AAM-4 towards a J-10 trying to escape from one of the South Korean F-15s, Unfortunately, the shot missed. The South Korean pursuer, on the other hand, finally dispatched the Firebird with his gun.

Meanwhile, a J-11 was being pursued by Emi in an upward helix, her intended prey's maneuver rendered her AAM-4 unusable as it was too close and out of the F-15's gunsight. She decided to use the AAM-5 but the Chinese managed to defeat it with flares. Then she used her plane's thrust-vectoring and lower the throttle to make tighter turns, and as she obtained a good aim, fired her Vulcan, shattered the Flanker's starboard side tail fin and part of the right wing, rendered it uncontrollable; the pilot punched out as his Russian-originated fighter went down and broke apart in mid air.

Upon saw their escorts went down, the four-ship JH-7 Flounder formation jettisoned their bombs and escaped into China, exposing their hot burner plume on their way. It bite them in the ass, as two out of four attackers were destroyed by Symphonia 2.

"All Symphonia 1 call-sign, mission completed, you're cleared to return to base"

Chongju was defended and remain in the Coalition's tight grip. A subsequent counteroffensive increased its holding of North Korea's west coast until 25 miles outside a city called Kusong, north of Chongju, which the Coalition had lost to the North Koreans four weeks ago.

Upon landing, Lt. Colonel Hamada rushed in and patted his shoulder. "Congratulations, Captain Arima Kousei! You have surpassed Hawkeye (2) record of kills. Oh, I can see Israelis will come to learn from us.. They are our friends anyway. I will recommend you for upgrade for your Order of the Rising Sun! I'm proud of your hard work! Not just Kousei, but you all!" He boomed.

"Well, Colonel, the Israelis had done their job well in making my jet an awesome piece of machinery. I mean, we should credit them too. Not just us and the Americans."

"You're right, Captain. Much respect to them. I agree." Hamada replied. Along with Japanese and American contractors, the F-15J Kai ++ upgrade program saw the involvement of Israeli defense companies as well.

A/N:

(1). An extended-range variant of AIM-120 AMRAAM with ESSM (Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile) rocket motor. In real life this variant are for ground-based launch only, but in this story Raytheon also managed to create the air-launched version of it.

Source: http://www.janes.com/article/75750/dubai-airshow-2017-raytheon-offering-new-amraam-er-for-nasams-type-applications

(2). A nickname of an Israeli ace fighter pilot in the 1960s-1970s by the name of Giora Epstein, due to his extraordinary eyesight, allegedly able to see aircraft at a distance of 24 miles (44 km), near three times a normal pilot. He has the highest number of kill for jet aces, 17 kills.