もののけ | monster | soshiro hoshina (Kaiju No. 8) (COMPLETE)

じゅう | ten

もののけ | kaiju | monster

10

THE TOKYO MALL CRISIS
(PART 3)

Soshiro

IT HAD TO BE KIYOMI. Every detail he described fit her perfectly—the kindness, the courage, the willingness to risk everything to protect someone else. That was Kiyomi. She would do something like that, without hesitation, even if it meant putting herself in harm's way. But still, I needed to confirm it. My mind clung to the hope that maybe, just maybe, there was some mistake. Yet, deep down, my heart knew the truth. It was her. It had to be her.

I looked at the boy, his eyes still red from crying, his small body trembling slightly. He had been through so much, seen things no child should ever have to see. I needed to keep him safe, to protect him, just as Kiyomi would have wanted.

"Hey," I said softly, trying to keep my voice steady. "Can you tell me a bit more about what happened? About the oneesan?"

He looked up at me, his big eyes filled with a mixture of fear and hope. "She... she had long hair, green eyes," he began, his voice barely above a whisper. "She was really kind. She told me to stay hidden, that she would protect me. Even when she was hurt, she smiled at me and told me it would be okay."

I swallowed hard, my throat tight. It was her. Every word confirmed it. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. I had to be strong. For Kiyomi.

"You're very brave, kid," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "Kiyomi... the oneesan... she's my girlfriend. She's always been like that, always putting others first, and I need to find her."

The kid had finally calmed down, his sobs subsiding into quiet sniffles. He looked up at me with wide, tear-filled eyes, his small body still trembling slightly.

"Is my mommy really not going to wake up anymore?" he asked, his voice trembling.

I felt a sharp pang of guilt. Telling such a harsh truth to an innocent child seemed unbearably cruel, but I knew I couldn't lie to him. I crouched down to his level, trying to find the right words.

"I'm sorry, little bud," I said softly, my voice heavy with sorrow. "She can't come with us anymore. But I promise you, I will keep you safe. Your mommy would want that. I promise her I will take care of you."

The boy nodded slowly, tears still streaming down his face. The weight of the situation was clearly too much for him to fully understand, but he was trying to be brave.

"Now, can you tell me what's your name?" I asked him gently.

"Kenji," he replied shortly. "Now Kenji," I continued gently, "can you help me find the pretty oneesan you told me about?"

He looked up at me with those big, trusting eyes and nodded again. "Okay, Oniichan."

I gave him a reassuring smile, even though my heart was aching. "Alright, we'll find her. But first, we need to make sure you're safe. Let's get out of here, okay?"