Even though Tatsuya had already mended any physical strain with Regrowth, the psychological lingering of the experience was another matter.
"Ugh, Tatsuya, you're way too intense... okay, fine, it was partly my fault too."
"I was also in the wrong," Tatsuya admitted stoically.
"Kindred spirits?" Yugen teased.
"It would seem so," Miyuki added with a giggle.
"You perennial lovebirds! You're the last people who should be talking!" Lina snapped back, her face turning beet red. Tatsuya placed a calming hand on her shoulder as Minami watched with a wry smile.
Under Yugen's lead, they arrived at the harbor where Sergeant Joseph "Joe" Higaki—whom they had met only the day before—stood waiting in front of a sleek cruiser.
"Yo, Yugen."
"Thanks for doing this, Joe."
"Um... Yugen-san? What exactly is going on?" Miyuki asked. Only Yugen, Tatsuya, and Joe knew their destination.
"We were going to fly," Yugen explained, "but Joe offered to take us by sea. Since we're in Okinawa, I thought we should take him up on the offer and see the sights from the water."
"Sergeant Joseph Higaki. I'll be acting as your escort today," Joe said, offering a crisp salute despite his civilian clothes. Compared to the street-thug persona he'd once projected, he had grown surprisingly charismatic. Even Tatsuya allowed a faint smile to touch his lips.
"It's less an 'escort' and more 'hospitality,'" Joe chuckled. "The higher-ups can't ignore the Yotsuba name, and in Yugen's case, he's the grandson of Gozo Kamizumi and the head of the Kagurazaka. Plus, your rank in the Defense Force carries a lot of weight."
"So you've heard about that too, Joe?"
"Mostly because we're friends. And... because of what happened five years ago."
Only a handful of people in the entire Defense Force knew that Yugen held the high-ranking post of Special Lieutenant General. A mere Sergeant like Joe wouldn't normally have access to such information, but their shared history during the Okinawan crisis had made him one of the few confidants. Joe mentioned that his promotion to Second Lieutenant was set for next month, coinciding with a transfer to the Kanto region—effectively "hush money" to keep him close to the capital.
"We don't intend to cause trouble unless someone starts it with us," Yugen said.
"I know that, but it's a soldier's nature to worry. Major Kazama put the idea in their heads, so I got stuck with guard duty."
The cruiser Joe had secured was a state-of-the-art vessel, usually reserved for inspections by high-ranking officers. Yugen gave Joe a flat, unimpressed look, realizing he had become the excuse for the rental.
"Ishigaki Island, just like you requested, right?" Joe asked.
"Yeah. Once we hit the island, I need you to show Tatsuya and the others around. I have a place I need to stop by."
"Ishigaki Island?" Miyuki said, surprised. She hadn't expected them to travel that far from the main island. While this was the location from the "original" timeline, Yugen had another objective he needed to fulfill.
"I didn't want to tell you too early and then have to cancel if the weather turned," Yugen said. "I didn't want to disappoint you."
Miyuki's expression softened into one of pure joy. "I'm so happy. Thank you."
The 400-kilometer trip from the main island to Ishigaki took about three hours. Being an officer-class cruiser, the journey was exceptionally comfortable. Upon arrival, Tatsuya, Lina, and Minami set off with Joe for a tour of the local sights. Yugen and Miyuki headed in a different direction in a rental car Yugen had arranged.
"Sorry, Miyuki. I wanted to take you to the tourist spots properly."
"Please, don't apologize. So, where are we going?"
"To see my other grandfather—Maito Mitsuya. He lives on this island. I thought we should pay our respects."
Maito Mitsuya was Yugen's biological paternal grandfather. Although he was the first head of the Ten Master Clans' Mitsuya family, he had retired into a quiet, secluded life. According to Yugen's father, Gen, Maito spent his days farming and running a private dōjō for Ryukyuan Karate and magic. Despite being ninety years old, the innate vitality of a mage had preserved a physique that defied his age.
"I could have gone alone, but I heard he was an acquaintance of the previous-previous head of the Yotsuba, Genzo Yotsuba. He said he wanted to see Genzo's granddaughter."
"I see. Since he is essentially my grandfather-in-law, I am more than happy to meet him," Miyuki said graciously.
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