Bound by Fate (Soshito Hoshina)

CHAPTER 6

Soshiro Hoshina couldn't shake the image of Y/N from his mind. It had been weeks since she cut ties with him, and her absence left a hollow ache inside him. He tried to focus on his responsibilities, his duty to the Defense Force, but Y/N's face always seemed to slip into his thoughts. She had started avoiding him, ignoring his calls, and even acting as if he didn't exist. It hurt more than he cared to admit.

"Why did she shut me out like that?" Soshiro thought to himself one evening as he cleaned his blade after fighting off a kaiju. He had grown close to her in their time together, and despite her coldness, he couldn't stop thinking about her. He watched from a distance as she hung out with her friends, pretending that everything was fine. But he knew better. There was something dark lurking behind her smiles, something she refused to share.

One day, as Soshiro walked past her university after work, he saw her. Y/N was leaving the campus, looking exhausted but trying to keep up a composed expression. He felt a flicker of hope that maybe this was his chance to talk to her. Maybe she would finally let him back in.

But his heart froze when he saw a man standing at the gate, waiting for her. The man was tall, with a menacing air about him. His eyes were fixed on Y/N with a sick, predatory smile. As Y/N approached, the man grabbed her arm roughly. Soshiro's body tensed immediately. Y/N winced, trying to pull her arm away, but the man only tightened his grip.

Soshiro's blood boiled. Without thinking, he started towards them, ready to step in. But before he could reach her, Aiko and Hana, Y/N's friends, blocked his path.

"Don't interfere, Soshiro," Aiko whispered urgently, her eyes full of concern.

"What are you talking about? Look at her, she's clearly in trouble!" Soshiro hissed, glaring past them at Y/N's stepbrother.

"That's her stepbrother," Hana explained, her voice low. "We've... noticed things. He's the reason for her bruises."

Soshiro's eyes widened. "Her stepbrother? What do you mean?"

Aiko looked around nervously, making sure no one was listening. "He... he's obsessed with her, Soshiro. It's not normal. We've overheard their conversations. He's controlling, rough with her. We've been worried about her, but Y/N won't talk to anyone about it."

Soshiro's fists clenched at his sides. The more he heard, the angrier he became. He watched as Y/N's stepbrother pulled her closer, whispering something in her ear. Y/N looked terrified, but she didn't resist. It was as if she had accepted the abuse, too scared or too broken to fight back anymore.

His heart ached seeing her like that, but for now, he couldn't make a move. He had to wait.

Days passed, and Soshiro couldn't stop thinking about Y/N. His frustration grew with every unanswered call. He wanted to protect her, to be there for her, but she was shutting everyone out. One evening, as he sat in his office, his phone buzzed. He looked down and saw Y/N's name flashing on the screen. His heart leaped into his throat.

"Y/N?" he answered, his voice hurried. But there was no reply. The call disconnected. He tried calling her back, but it went straight to voicemail. A deep sense of dread settled in his chest.

Without a second thought, Soshiro shot up from his desk and grabbed his jacket. He ran out of the office, informing Captain Mina Ashiro that he needed to leave urgently. She didn't ask questions, sensing the urgency in his tone, and let him go.

Soshiro arrived at Y/N's home, his pulse racing. As he approached the door, he heard shouting from inside.

"You're mine! You belong to me! No one else can take care of you like I do!" It was a man's voice, twisted and full of malice. Soshiro's heart pounded as he recognized the voice of Y/N's stepbrother.

"Please, stop!" Y/N's voice was broken, filled with desperation and fear. The sound of her crying shattered Soshiro's resolve to stay calm.

Without a second thought, Soshiro kicked down the door. The sight that greeted him made his blood run cold. Y/N was on the floor, bloodied and bruised, her stepbrother standing over her, pulling her hair roughly. The man's eyes were wild, his expression twisted into something monstrous.

"Get your hands off her!" Soshiro roared, rushing forward.

The stepbrother barely had time to react before Soshiro's fist connected with his face. The man staggered back, but Soshiro didn't stop. His fury consumed him as he punched him again, sending him crashing into the wall. The stepbrother collapsed, unconscious.

Soshiro turned to Y/N, his heart shattering at the sight of her. She was curled up on the floor, her body trembling with pain. Blood stained her clothes, and her eyes were filled with tears. She looked so small, so fragile in that moment.

"Y/N..." Soshiro knelt beside her, gently reaching out to touch her. "I'm here. You're safe now."

Y/N's lips quivered as she looked up at him, her eyes filled with both relief and sorrow. "Soshiro... please... don't hurt him anymore," she whispered weakly.

His heart clenched at her words. Even after everything, she was still trying to protect the man who had hurt her. "I won't," he promised softly, his voice thick with emotion. "But we need to get you to a hospital."

He carefully scooped her into his arms, trying not to hurt her any more than she already was. Y/N rested her head against his chest, her eyes fluttering shut from exhaustion and pain.

At the hospital, the doctors confirmed what Soshiro feared: Y/N had lost a lot of blood and had multiple broken bones. They immediately admitted her for emergency treatment.

Soshiro sat in the waiting room, his mind racing. He couldn't get the image of her bruised and broken body out of his head. He blamed himself for not being there sooner, for not doing more to help her before things had gotten this bad.

Hours later, the doctor came out, a tired but reassuring look on his face. "She's stable now. But she'll need plenty of rest. Her injuries are severe, and it's going to take time for her to heal, both physically and mentally."

Soshiro nodded, relief washing over him. He thanked the doctor and made his way to Y/N's room. As he entered, he saw her lying in bed, pale and weak but alive. He quietly sat down beside her, watching her breathe.

When Y/N finally woke up, her eyes fluttered open slowly. She glanced over at Soshiro, surprise flickering in her tired gaze.

"You're still here..." she murmured.

"I'm not going anywhere," Soshiro replied softly, leaning closer. "I'll be here for as long as you need me."

Tears welled up in Y/N's eyes, but this time, they weren't tears of fear or pain. For the first time in a long while, she felt safe. She reached out, her hand trembling as she grasped Soshiro's.

"Thank you..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Soshiro smiled softly, his heart fluttering as he squeezed her hand gently. "You don't need to thank me. I'm just glad you're okay."

In that moment, Soshiro vowed never to let her go again. He would protect her, no matter what. And maybe, just maybe, she would finally let him in.