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

よんじゅうはち | forty eight

もののけ | kaiju | monster

48

[A lengthy chapter ahead]

Soshiro

OF COURSE, A GOSSIP IS A FORCE OF NATURE. Regardless of age or environment, it spreads like wildfire, infiltrating every corner and every mind. The Third Division base was no exception.

It's a good thing my Kiyomi is smart. She wore her motorcycle outfit, making it look like she had just arrived and decided to visit me first. Technically, she was with me since last night, but no one should know that. It would probably lead to nasty and inappropriate thoughts if people found out she had spent the night here.

Now, I have to deal with the relentless stares and the insistent curiosity of my comrades. Every time I walk through the hallways, it feels like I've become some sort of celebrity, with invisible paparazzi lurking around every corner, eager to catch a glimpse of me. It's as if they've forgotten that I am their Vice-Captain. Their whispers and pointed looks grate on my nerves, turning my normally composed demeanor into one simmering with barely contained irritation.

In response, I decided to remind them of their place and my authority. Since you have so much energy to gossip—I ordered them to run 200 laps nonstop. It wasn't just a punishment; it was a statement. My head pounded with a dull ache, a physical manifestation of my frustration, and my ears still rang with the incessant murmurs of their conversations.

"If you're going to ask me something, ask now," I snapped, my voice dripping with irritation. Kenji had been trailing behind me like a shadow, matching every turn I made, his presence a constant reminder of the questions swirling in his mind. His persistence was grating on my already frayed nerves, and I couldn't take it any longer. It felt like he had been on my heels for hours, though not even half the day had passed.

I stopped abruptly and turned to face him, my eyes narrowing. "Well? What is it, Sato? Spit it out already."

Before I could even react further, Kenji grabbed my hand and dragged me to a nearby empty training room. The door shut behind us with a resounding bang, and he turned to look at me, arms crossed, a skeptical expression on his face.

"What's even your problem!?" I snapped, frustration bubbling to the surface.

"So you and that woman are back together?" he asked, skepticism dripping from his words.

I sighed heavily, leaning against a nearby weight rack, its metallic surface cold against my back. "Well, you have eyes and you saw it earlier, didn't you?" I retorted, my tone laced with sarcasm.

He scoffed, his expression hardening. "So, you've been with her all this time and didn't tell me? I feel betrayed, you know," he said, sulking.

I didn't mean to hide it from him; it's just that there hadn't been a perfect time to bring it up. "Look, Kenji," I began, my voice serious and calm, "I didn't mean to hide it. We decided we wouldn't tell anyone yet. Although she managed to announce it in an unusual circumstance, I didn't mean to hide this from you, okay? Now don't sulk."