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

さんじゅうに | thirty two

もののけ | kaiju | monster

32

[A lengthy chapter ahead]

Soshiro

TAPPING MY FOOD RELENTLESSLY ON THE FLOOR, I leaned against the wall just outside the Lieutenant's office. My eyes were fixed on the door, willing it to open. Time had become meaningless; I had already missed half of the meeting, but I couldn't bring myself to care. Nothing mattered now except Kiyomi. Her face, her pain—it occupied every corner of my mind.

My hands still trembling slightly as I recalled the moment I had to use that large, sharp needle on her. The image haunted me, making me feel like I had hurt her.

I felt like I had betrayed her, hurt her in a way I never wanted to.

I knew Kiyomi hated needles—they were her worst nightmare. She could face anything else with courage, but needles reduced her to a vulnerable state that pained me to witness.

After Kiyomi had calmed down and slipped into unconsciousness, I had been at a loss. My first instinct was to get help, so I immediately contacted Akira, her trusted Vice-Captain.

The base had been in slight turmoil since the news spread that Kiyomi had another episode. The seriousness of the situation was clear, and the whispers of the other officers didn't help. Some had even suggested that she should retire and focus on her treatment, despite there being no definitive cure for her condition.

The way they gossiped about Kiyomi—our Lieutenant—infuriated me. This was deeply personal, something they had no right to discuss so carelessly.

If I were in a state where I could think straight, I would have done something to put them in their place for talking behind their Lieutenant's back. But right now, my mind is a storm of emotions, and I can't think rationally. They should be thankful I'm in this state; otherwise, I'm not sure what I would do to them.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door opened with a clicking sound of the handle. It swung wide, revealing Akira. I quickly straightened my form, trying to mask the tension that had settled in my muscles. Her expression seemed relaxed, a stark contrast to my own anxious demeanor.

"The drug is exceptionally strong," she began, her tone matter-of-fact. "It's meant to knock her out for at least two days, maybe more. Right now she's unconscious because of its potency."

I stayed silent, absorbing the information. I felt clueless, out of my depth. "She seemed feverish when I touched her back then. Is that normal?" I asked, recalling the moment her body temperature had spiked, causing me to panic and contact Akira.

"That's a side effect of the drug you administered to her," Akira explained calmly. "Not severe. There's a basin of cold water beside her bed. I've already nursed the Lieutenant, but that will last for at least a day."

Her calmness was unnerving. She had always been composed in such situations, but for me, it was the first time, and I could feel cold sweat breaking out across my skin. "When she regains consciousness, she'll be disoriented at first, but let her be. She'll come back to her senses in about thirty minutes or so. Someone should be at her side when she wakes up; sometimes the Lieutenant would accidentally hurts herself."