Yes! I'm still her little brother || Kaiju no. 8

Chapter 1

At the Defense Force Headquarters, the atmosphere was tense. General Isao Shinomiya had issued a summons to every captain from various divisions, and the entire building buzzed with anticipation. Standing beside Captain Gen Narumi of the 1st Division, Miguel Ashiro could feel the weight of the upcoming meeting, though his mind was elsewhere.

Miguel, at 20, had carved his own path within the Defense Force, but not without the shadow of his sister, Mina Ashiro, hanging over him. She was a legendary captain of the 3rd Division, known for her deadly precision in battle. And despite their shared surname, Miguel had always felt left behind—overshadowed. While Mina excelled in the 3rd Division, Miguel had chosen to distance himself from her, joining Gen Narumi’s 1st Division, a decision that came with its own set of challenges. But under Narumi's tutelage, Miguel had become one of his most trusted subordinates. The tension between him and his sister, however, only grew.

“Hey, Miguel,” Narumi said, adjusting his ever-present gaming headset, “You look a little stiff today. You’re not worried about facing the old man Shinomiya, are you?” Narumi’s laid-back demeanor belied his sharp instincts and deadly skill in combat. He could sense Miguel’s unease.

Miguel shook his head. “No, it’s not that, Captain,” he muttered. His hand rested lightly on the hilt of his sword, a habit he’d developed when feeling tense. “It’s just…well, I’d rather not run into certain people today.”

Narumi chuckled, clearly understanding the subtext. “You mean your sister, Mina? Come on, it’s not like she’s that scary.” He nudged Miguel playfully.

“She’s not scary. She’s just…too perfect,” Miguel replied, his voice tightening. “I don’t want to talk to her. Not here, not anywhere.”

Narumi gave him a sidelong glance, but said nothing further. He knew better than to prod too much into Miguel’s personal life. Instead, they continued walking through the expansive hallways of the headquarters.

Just then, from around a corner, two figures appeared. One was unmistakable: Mina Ashiro, tall, elegant, and commanding as ever. Beside her was the calm and collected Vice-Captain of the 3rd Division, Soshiro Hoshina. The two were deep in conversation but paused as they saw Narumi and Miguel approach.

Miguel's heart tightened. He locked eyes with Mina for the briefest of moments before quickly looking away, the bitterness inside him rising. His jaw clenched, and his pace quickened as if determined to avoid any kind of interaction.

“Miguel,” Mina called out, her voice steady and controlled, the voice of a seasoned captain, yet with a hint of personal concern buried beneath the professionalism. “Are you going to pretend you didn’t see me?”

Miguel didn’t stop walking. “I’m here for business, not personal matters,” he responded coldly, not even glancing back at her.

Narumi, sensing the tension, smirked lightly but kept walking, acting like he didn’t notice the emotional weight between the siblings. Hoshina, standing next to Mina, gave her a questioning look but remained silent, knowing better than to interfere in family matters.

Mina’s expression faltered for a split second, a rare moment of vulnerability in her otherwise composed demeanor. She had always tried to reach out to Miguel, but he had shut her out ever since he chose to join the 1st Division. The weight of unspoken words hung heavily between them.

“I see,” Mina finally said, her voice now colder, matching Miguel’s tone. “Good luck in the meeting, then.”

Miguel didn’t respond, his back still turned as he disappeared around the corner with Narumi. He could feel his sister’s gaze burning into him, but he refused to turn back. His relationship with Mina had been fractured for so long that he no longer knew how to bridge the gap—or if he even wanted to.

As they moved further down the hallway, Narumi finally spoke up, his tone unusually serious. “You know, ignoring her won’t solve anything.”

Miguel stopped walking for a moment, his fist tightening. “It’s not that simple, Captain. She’s always been the perfect one. The one everyone looks up to. There’s no room for me when she’s around.”

Narumi tilted his head slightly. “Maybe. But fighting alone isn’t always the answer. You’re strong, Miguel, but don’t forget that even the strongest warriors need allies. Even if that ally is your sister.”

Miguel didn’t reply, but Narumi’s words lingered. He’d joined the 1st Division to forge his own path, away from Mina’s shadow, yet no matter how far he ran, she always seemed to be there—either in the back of his mind or in moments like these, standing right in front of him.

As they finally arrived at the meeting room, the doors loomed large and imposing before them. Miguel knew what was at stake inside—important discussions about the Kaiju threat, decisions that could change the fate of humanity. Yet, despite the looming danger outside, the battle inside him, the one with his sister, felt just as overwhelming.

He took a deep breath and pushed open the door.