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

ななじゅうきゅう | seventy nine

もののけ | kaiju | monster

79

[A lengthy chapter ahead]

Soshiro

I GRIPPED HER PALE HAND TIGHTLY, feeling the coldness of her skin seep through my fingers, but I didn't care. I stayed beside her, every fucking moment feeling like the world was on pause, holding my breath, waiting for her to wake up. She was still unconscious, we're inside the bedroom of her office and thank God, at least this part of the base hadn't been destroyed.

I had my IV bag hooked up, fluids dripping through my veins, but it felt like nothing compared to the weight on my chest, the fear of losing her, of losing the baby.

I should've been resting. The doctors told me to stay in bed, but I couldn't. I just couldn't. I wasn't leaving her side. Not after everything. Not after what we'd been through. I didn't trust anyone else to be here with her, not after all that motherfucker Kazuya put us through. No way in hell would I leave her alone to deal with any more of that shit. Not when she was like this.

And the baby... Jesus Christ, the baby. I still couldn't shake the fear, but I was fucking relieved that they told me both of them—Kiyomi and the baby—were safe. The doctors were stunned by Kiyomi's strength. They told me it was a miracle, given how close she came to losing the baby.

My woman—Kiyomi—was the strongest fucking person I knew.

No one else could've fought like she did, especially after everything she'd been through. The pain, the exhaustion, the stress, and still, she kept going, kept holding on.

But God, it was so close. Too damn close. I can't even fucking describe the fear that ran through me when she said she was in pain. When we were on that island, alone, the chance of losing the baby was right there, so real. I couldn't handle the thought of it. I don't know how I kept it together, but somehow, I did, and thank fuck, Gen came through. That bastard, as much as I hated his smug face, he came with the rescue team.

If it wasn't for him, if it wasn't for that last-minute miracle... I don't even want to think about it. My heart couldn't take it. I couldn't live with the idea of losing them both, not when they were my fucking world. But right now, all that mattered was that they were okay. Kiyomi was alive, the baby was safe, and I was gonna make damn sure I was right here when she woke up.

A soft knock echoed through the room. I didn't bother to look up, too fucking focused on Kiyomi, on making sure she was breathing, on keeping her hand in mine like it was the only thing tethering me to reality right now. "Come in," I muttered, barely giving a damn. The door creaked open, and Gen stepped in, closing it with a soft click behind him.

"Still no signs," he said, his voice flat, and I could hear the frustration behind the words, even if he was trying to hide it. "Even in the south area of the ocean around the base... even checking the island you guys were on, in case he slipped through the shore with those big waves. Nothing. No signs of that fucker."

I didn't say a word, just tightened my grip on Kiyomi's hand a little, the anger boiling under my skin, threatening to spill over. My blood was already fucking on fire, and hearing his name again only made the rage burn brighter.