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

じゅうなな | seventeen

もののけ | kaiju | monster

17

Soshiro

I KNEW SHE WAS FURIOUS. The way she looked at me back there—those eyes, normally so composed, had flashed with a heat I'd never seen before. I had never made her mad before, never had the courage or the will to push her to that point. But now, all the confidence that had driven me to challenge her in the meeting room had drained away, leaving me hollow and uncertain.

Leaning against the railings, I let the cool afternoon air brush against my face, hoping it would soothe the turmoil inside me. I closed my eyes, running a hand down my face and through my hair, trying to ground myself. The voices in my head clashed—one side screaming, Why did you do that? while the other insisted, She deserved it.

"Yeah, she deserves it," I muttered under my breath, the memory of past grievances resurfacing. "After all she did back then..." My sigh was heavy, laden with frustration and regret. Despite my attempts to rationalize my actions, an uncomfortable guilt gnawed at me. Why did I feel so bad about it? I shouldn't. I shouldn't feel this way...

"Fuck, I hate this feeling," I cursed softly, gripping the railing tighter. The afternoon breeze brushed against my skin.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted my spiraling thoughts. "Hoshina."

I turned to see Ashiro standing a few feet away. Her face was stoic as usual, but I could see the concern beneath her cold exterior. Her voice, typically firm, had a softer edge to it. I braced myself for the scolding I was sure was coming. What I did back there had been reckless, challenging a high-ranking officer like that. But instead, her words took me by surprise.

"Thank you."

I blinked, puzzled. "For what? What I did there was utterly risky, not to mention rude and ridiculous."

Ashiro sighed, a small, almost imperceptible smile playing at the corners of her lips. She stepped closer, leaning against the railing beside me and gazing out into the vast expanse beyond the base. We're at the rooftop of the main base. "You know, what I like about this main base is the view. It's nothing short of beautiful compared to the other division buildings."

I followed her gaze, trying to see what she saw. The sprawling landscape stretched out before us, a stark contrast to the tension and chaos we faced daily. It was a moment of tranquility that seemed almost out of place.

"Honestly, that was seriously a reckless move," she continued, her voice steady. "The Lieutenant is not someone to be taken lightly. To be honest, I could take on the General Director—he's more bearable. But the Lieutenant? I'd rather face a deathly Kaiju than be in her bad graces. But I'm thanking you because I felt the same way. I'm also territorial. Kaiju No. 8 is in my territory, which means it's ours for the Third Division to deal with. It's our problem, and it's our responsibility to handle it."

I didn't respond to Ashiro's attempts to make me feel better. Her words barely registered as I stood there, consumed by an unusual gnawing feeling inside me. I kept replaying that moment in my mind—the look Kiyomi Shinomiya gave me. I was used to her cold demeanor, her indifference, but that look... it was different. It was a look of anger, almost as if it were hate.