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

Chapter 8

The soft hum of the air conditioning was the only sound that filled the office of Captain Mina Ashiro of the 3rd Division. The room was minimalist, with a few personal mementos scattered around—a framed photo of her unit, a small bonsai tree that sat on the edge of her desk, and a well-worn tactical manual resting near a stack of reports. The sunlight streaming in through the large windows bathed the room in a gentle warmth, contrasting with the cold, hard reality that Mina faced every day as a Defense Force captain.

Mina sat at her desk, her eyes scanning over the endless lines of data and battle reports. She was used to this—balancing the bureaucratic weight of command with the brutal, life-or-death decisions she had to make in the field. Paperwork was necessary, but it always felt like it tethered her to the mundane while her mind yearned for the action of the battlefield.

Across from her, Soshiro Hoshina, her trusted vice-captain, leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. His eyes were narrowed in thought as he looked down at the latest report in his hands. His twin swords, his trademark weapons, hung loosely at his sides, as they always did—even in moments of supposed peace.

“You know, Captain,” Soshiro said, breaking the silence. “It looks like someone’s getting close to catching up with you.”

Mina looked up from her papers, her brows furrowing slightly. “Catching up?” She raised an eyebrow, her voice neutral but with a hint of curiosity.

Soshiro smirked, pushing off the wall and stepping closer to her desk. “Your little brother, Miguel. His Kaiju kill count is rising fast. If he keeps going at this rate, it won’t be long before he’s on par with you.”

The mention of Miguel’s name caused an involuntary flicker of emotion in Mina’s chest. She masked it quickly, as she always did. For years, she had built her reputation as one of the most formidable officers in the Defense Force. Her kill count, her leadership, her tactical mind—it was all hard-earned. But her younger brother’s rapid rise through the ranks had become impossible to ignore.

“How close is he?” Mina asked, keeping her voice steady as she returned her focus to the reports in front of her.

Soshiro glanced down at the sheet in his hand, his expression thoughtful. “He’s still about thirty kills behind you, but considering how active the 1st Division has been lately… he might close that gap within a few months.”

Mina sat back in her chair, tapping her fingers lightly against the desk. Thirty Kaiju kills wasn’t a small number, but it wasn’t insurmountable, especially for someone as talented as Miguel. A part of her was proud—Miguel had grown into a capable warrior. But another part of her, one that she rarely allowed herself to acknowledge, felt a pang of something deeper. Was it unease? Concern? She wasn’t sure.

Soshiro, perceptive as always, studied her closely. “It’s not like you to get rattled by something like this. Miguel’s your brother, after all. It’s only natural he’d want to prove himself, right?”

Mina sighed softly, leaning back in her chair. “It’s not that I’m rattled, Soshiro. It’s just… complicated.”

Soshiro tilted his head, his smirk fading as his tone became more serious. “Complicated how?”

Mina hesitated for a moment before responding. “Miguel’s always been driven, even as a kid. But this isn’t just about proving himself anymore. He’s trying to surpass me, and I can see the weight he’s carrying because of it. I worry that he’s pushing himself too hard—fighting not for the sake of the mission, but because he feels like he has something to prove.”

Soshiro nodded slowly, understanding the unspoken tension between the Ashiro siblings. “You’re worried he’s going to burn out.”

Mina closed her eyes for a moment, her mind wandering back to the days when Miguel was just a boy, full of ambition and fire. He had always been competitive, always striving to be better. But somewhere along the way, that drive had become something more—a need to outshine his sister, the legendary Captain Mina Ashiro. She had seen it in his eyes during their last encounter in the hallway at Defense Force Headquarters. The way he avoided her gaze, the tightness in his expression—it was clear that he was struggling with his own expectations.