I've written about the show and one character in particular in the person of Sgt. Aoi Futaba, who despite what far too many cis people in anime world mislabel as a crossdresser and misgender her, is undeniably a girl like us.
Aoi in the You're Under Arrest series realistically experiences the issues and emotions we go through as she lives her life and does her job as a Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department officer.
This photo I stumbled across of Miyuki and Ken's wedding gave me an idea for a short story based on Aoi and the You're Under Arrest characters..
Hope you enjoy it.
***
"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Nakajima!"
"Thank you, Chief," Ken and Miyuki said in unison as they sat at their bride and groom table in the redecorated Bokuto Station cafeteria where their wedding reception was being held.
"Took them long enough," said Natsumi.
So when are you and Shoji tying the knot, Christmas Cake?"
"I got your Christmas Cake, tramp"
"That's Mrs. Tramp to you, Natsumi." Miyuki said with a mischievous smirk on her face.
"Keep it up Miyuki and I'm taking my wedding gift back."
"That would make you look bad, Ms. Maid of Honor."
As everyone chuckled over the good natured ribbing best friends Miyuki and Natsumi were giving each other, Miyuki noticed Aoi sitting at one of the tables in her bridesmaid dress forlornly picking at her food and gazing at the other couples dancing. Ken noticed the concern etched on his bride's face when he asked, "What's wrong with Aoi?"
"Yeah, she was fine this morning before the ceremony," said Saori.
I think I know what might be bothering her, thought Miyuki.
"I'll find out," said Yoriko as she turned on her heel with the bridal bouquet in hand and walked in the direction of Aoi's table.
"Kenny, do you have your cell phone?"
"Yeah Miyuki. Why?" he asked as he pulled it out of his tuxedo jacket pocket and handed it over to his wife.
"I'll explain later," she said as she started dialing a number and watched Yoriko amble toward Aoi.. Moments later she was at Aoi's table and settling into a chair next to her. "You all right?"
"I'm fine,Yoriko."
"You don't look fine, Aoi. You look unhappy."
"Just thinking about something, that's all."
"About what?"
"About my chances of experiencing a day like this."
"Aww, it'll happen for you."
"More likely it'll happen for you since you caught the bouquet."
"I was just lucky as usual."
"Umm hmm. And who shoved me and two other girls out of the way so you could catch it?"
"Well, all's fair in love, war and catching bridal bouquets."
"I'll keep that in mind the next time one of your boyfriends is hitting on me."
Yoriko's eyes widened in shock before Aoi allowed a grin to spread across her face. .
"I'm kidding." Aoi said in an earnest tone. "You're my partner, I love you and you know I'd never disrespect you like that."
Yoriko nodded as they watched Miyuki and Kenny continue to accept congratulations from fellow officers and the reception attendees as Aoi sighed again..
"Miyuki made a beautiful bride today didn't she?"
"Yes she did. She looks so radiant."
"She should. She's been waiting for this day to happen for years."
After a few more sighs from Aoi and silent pauses to watch the happy couple, Yoriko finally decided she'd had enough and it was time to get busy with her mission of finding out what was bothering her patrol partner.
"So what's really bothering you Aoi?"
'What do you mean?"
"Ever since I sat down at this table, you been looking at the other couples, Miyuki and Kenny and sighing. They noticed how sad you looked."
"I didn't mean to worry her."
"Well, she is. She's concerned about you and so am I. So spill it. What's wrong?"
Aoi paused a few moments to gather her thoughts before she turned in her seat and faced Yoriko.
"This wedding has caused me to review my romantic life and notice it sucks."
"It sucks? You're the one that has handsome guys falling all over you every time we go out or on patrol," Yoriko said.
"Don't even go there, Miss I-Had-a-Middle Eastern-Prince-Falling-All-Over-Me."
"And I guess you forgot about.Go Kitakoji proposing to you."
"No, I haven't."
"What do you mean?"
"I've been thinking a lot about him this week."
"Really?" said Yoriko with a raised eyebrow.
"Umm hmm. We were a couple for about a year."
"Wait a minute. How did you pull that off and not have me or the media find out?"
"It wasn't easy. And neither was keeping you from finding out."
Yoriko chuckled as Aoi recounted the story. "Three years ago he asked me to meet him in Hong Kong for a movie he was shooting there."
"You went to Hong Kong, too?"
"Sure did."
'So what happened?"
"He sent me round trip first class tickets from Narita. When I arrived in Hong Kong I was picked up in a white limo and taken to one of the best hotels in town. When I arrived in my room there were several vases filled with my favorite red and white roses." Aoi said as she savored the memory.
Yoriko nodded as she continued. "There was also a heart shaped box of chocolate with a note from Go, and when I opened it a debit card was inside."
"What did the note say?"
"It was so sweet. Go mentioned how much he was looking forward to seeing me when he was finished shooting for the day. It also told me to use the card to go shopping and pick myself up something nice to wear for our date later that evening."
'Wow."
"I go into the bathroom to freshen up before I go shopping, and there's a basket with my favorite bubble bath, perfume and a dozen more red and white roses."
"Sounds like he went all out."
"Yeah, he did. And when he finally arrived it was a waste of time for me to get dressed that evening because we never left the hotel room."
"Why?"
"Neither one of us wanted to leave," said Aoi. "Although he really wanted to, he was tired from the shoot and I was tired from the travel day. So we just ordered room service, talked and caught up on what had transpired in our lives since we last saw each other."
"And?"
"And then he kissed me"
"'I knew it!" said Yoriko. "Get to the juicy part. What happened next?"
"We ended up going to bed with me wrapped up in his arms.".
"Aww, that's it?"
"Like I said, we were tired. He didn't have to shoot the next day, so we spent the day together."
"And?"
"And it was wonderful. When we got back to my room as soon as the door closed he gave me a kiss that just rocked me to my core." .
"See Aoi...you always get the good ones."
"Nothing happened further than us stripping down to underwear. I still hadn't had my surgery yet and I was still very insecure and shy about my body."
'You know Go loves you and doesn't care about you being a transwoman."
"I know, but at that time I hadn't gotten past that in my own mind. I had a hard time believing he really did love me for being the woman I am despite what was between my legs."
They observed Miyuki and Kenny taking their first dance as a couple before Aoi continued. "The weekend came to an end and I headed back to Japan. He invited me to come to his house two weeks later to talk, and it was that moment we decided to become a couple."
'Wow."
"He wanted to be honest and open about our relationship, and Sachiko and I wanted to keep it quiet out of concerns for his career.
"Who's Sachiko?"
"Go's publicist. I also wanted to keep it quiet to avoid a repeat of what happened with the two jealous fans at Bokuto Station"
"That must have been hard on you, Aoi"
"It was, but Go made sure we spent quality time together. He was there when I needed him to be, even when I had the surgery in Thailand."
"I don't remember him being there with you. I was at your bedside."
"Yes, you were Yoriko. But not for the two days you went to Pattaya and the beach."
"Oops..forgot about that."
"While I was with him he introduced me to several other trans women in Japan and from around Asia. Two of us became great friends."
She and Yoriko watched Miyuki hug Randy Hammond and his grandfather before she continued.
"I'll never forget one of the things Go said to me that weekend in Hong Kong."
"What was it?"
"It was just before we went to sleep. I could feel his manhood pressing against me, he was planting kisses along my neck and caressing my body. I felt so powerful and feminine until he reached his hand inside my panties and was about to touch me there."
"I tensed up and asked him to stop. He complied, but said before he stopped stroking down there,'The genitals between your legs does not determine whether you are a man or woman. What's between your ears and in your heart does."
"He's right about that, Aoi."
Yoriko and Aoi were mildly startled to see Miyuki standing there before she sat down to join them at their table. "I've said for years you were more feminine than all of us at Bokuto Station.and joked that you were the daughter my mother wanted."
They all laughed before Miyuki continued. "I wanted you as one of my bridesmaids and so did Kenny. You're one of our dearest friends, you're one of the girls and you played a major role along with Yoriko and Natsumi in making this day happen."
"That was sweet of you to say. You don't know how much I appreciate that."
"Kenny and I appreciate you agreeing to be part of our wedding. Now can you do me a favor?"
"What is it, Miyuki?"
"Can you put that beautiful smile back on your face for the rest of the reception?" asked Miyuki. "I won't be happy heading off to Hawaii for my honeymoon knowing that you were upset about whatever is bothering you."
"I think I can manage that for you."
"Good," Miyuki said as she hugged Aoi before getting up from her chair to head back to her table.
The DJ stopped the music a few moments later and handed the mic to Ken for him to say a few words.
"Umm, Miyuki and I thank all of you for coming to our wedding, to this reception and for all the well wishes and gifts we've received as we start a new chapter in our lives together."
"We were wondering when you were going to wise up and marry her," someone shouted as the crowd chuckled. Ken let the laughter at his expense subside before he continued.
"We would like our bridesmaids and groomsmen to come to the front of the room. We have gifts to thank them for participating in our special day."
It took a few minutes for them to make their way from their separate corners of the room to where Ken and Miyuki were standing and form the gender specific lines to receive their gifts. First all the groomsmen received theirs, then the bridesmaids were next. As Aoi approached and received hers, Miyuki was handed the microphone by Ken and she said "Aoi, wait a moment, we have another gift especially for you."
Aoi looked puzzled at first along with the other bridesmaids when she said that, and a low murmur went through the crowd speculating about what this gift could be.
"Aoi was one of the people along with Natsumi and Yoriko, responsible for getting me and Kenny to see how much we loved each other and belonged together.for the rest of our lives. Now it's time for us to return the favor."
Miyuki paused for dramatic effect before saying, "You can come in now."
Some of the women in the room began to shriek when Go walked in to the opposite entrance to the room dressed in a black tux carrying a single white and red roses along with a stylishly dressed Sachiko flanked by two bodyguards. Shock and then glee registered on Aoi's face as she spotted them, and she hugged both Sachiko and Go when they arrived at the spot near the DJ area where they were standing.
As Sachiko fished a small box out of her designer purse Go handed Aoi the two roses, smiled as he took the box from his publicist before dropping down to one knee.
"Aoi Futaba, I have loved you ever since the day I first laid eyes upon you many years ago. That love for you has only grown over time and will not go away despite the many obstacles that have been placed in both our paths."
The tears were starting to flow down Aoi's face as Go continued. "Aoi Futaba, I cannot waste another minute of my life not having you in it. Will you marry me?"
"Yes!" Aoi said with excited glee as Go arose, placed the engagement ring on her finger and kissed her as cameras flashed and people cheered .
When the excitement was over Yoriko nudged Aoi with her elbow to get her attention and then whispered into her ear, "Told you it would happen for you"
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