" NIGHTHAWK " genji shimada.

[04] basic training.

Kawaihae, Hawaii
2055

KAILANI NEVER QUITE GRASPED the concept of love. She knew of it; she had seen it every day in her home between her parents and on the movies that played on the hologram, but she was convinced that she herself would never be able to feel true love. Perhaps it was because she was only eleven years old. She wasn't focused on boys or any kind of relationship for that matter. She spent her free time reading about the sky and the stars and the galaxy, the vast endless space that surrounded their earth.

For the longest time, she knew that she had her brother Kuo to agree with her negative thoughts on love.

That was, until he turned sixteen, and he began to show evident interest in females all over their little village.

Kailani was disgusted, astounded that her brother, who was once so disgusted by girls as though they carried the new plague, was suddenly so dumbfounded by them.

One day, young Kailani decided to confront her brother on his sudden change of heart. She knocked on the door to his bedroom, shuffling her feet back and forth while she waited for an answer. At first, she wondered if he had even heard her, considering soft music could be heard through the thin walls, but a moment later, her brother called for her to come in. She slowly pushed the door open, staring at her brother through the crack with wide eyes.

"What is it, little one?" He asked, setting down a pen and paper and looking at his younger sister inquisitively. Kuo Mahi'ai was evidently fond of his curious sibling. He wasn't ashamed to admit just how close the two of them were; he loved her, and he would do anything in the universe to protect her from the cruelty of their world.

"What're you doing?" Kailani questioned, plopping down on the bed beside her brother. She leaned her head on his shoulder, peering down at the paper he held in his hands. It seemed to be a letter of sorts, Kuo's messy handwriting covering the white sheet. It was made out to someone named Nohea. "Who's Nohea?"

Normally, Kuo would scold Kailani for snooping; however, he had been wanting someone to talk to, and he knew that out of everyone he knew, his little sister would be the most understanding of his feelings. "She's... she's a girl that I go to school with," he answered her, his cheeks flushing a light pink color.

His new crush? Kailani thought to herself, giggling a bit at the sight of her brother being so flustered. She was still disgusted by the thought of love, though seeing Kuo like this sure was amusing, so she didn't mind it.

"Is that a love letter?" Kailani wriggled her eyebrows, giggling happily as Kuo shoved her off his shoulder gently.

He rolled his eyes, though nodded. "I'm too shy to talk to her in person, so I'm putting this letter in her locker tomorrow and hopefully she'll meet me after school to talk," he explained, skin growing more red by the second. The mere thought of talking to the pretty girl made his heart race and his insides twist nervously. "Kai, you cannot tell mother or father."

"Why not?" Kailani wasn't planning on snitching to her parents, she never was one to do such a thing, though she was still curious as to why her brother was so adamant on hiding this from them.

"Because... she's an omnic, Kai," Kuo said with a sigh, setting the letter onto the mattress beside him as he ran a hand through his dark hair. "They would never let me see her if they knew."

"Oh..." Kailani did not know what else to say. She worried for her brother. She saw nothing wrong with him having a crush on an omnic, though she was well aware of the hatred that her parents felt towards the entire race.