Bound by Fate (Soshito Hoshina)

CHAPTER 19

It had been a few days since Y/N last saw Soshiro Hoshina, and she had fallen back into her usual routine—reading her favorite novels, baking sweet treats, and keeping the apartment tidy. The apartment smelled of freshly baked cookies as she moved about, humming quietly to herself. Life felt calm, and the normalcy was a comfort. She didn't mind the quiet moments, especially after how eventful the past few weeks had been.

As she wiped down the counter, something strange happened. The ground beneath her feet trembled, causing the plates in the cabinets to rattle. Her heart skipped a beat. Was that... an earthquake?

She rushed to turn on the TV, her hands fumbling with the remote as she quickly switched to the news. Her breath caught in her throat as the screen lit up with a breaking news alert.

"There's been a Kaijuu attack in a nearby town," the news anchor said, her voice grave. "The attack is strong, and while the main threat is localized, surrounding areas have been affected by the tremors."

Y/N's stomach dropped. She was close to one of the affected areas. The words 'Kaijuu attack' always made her blood run cold, especially knowing Soshiro was often at the front lines.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her racing heart. "It's fine," she whispered to herself, her voice trembling slightly. "Everything will be fine. Soshiro's probably out there taking care of it."

She wrapped her arms around herself, pacing the living room. Just as she was about to turn off the TV, something startled her. There was a loud thud, followed by the sound of her window sliding open. Y/N's eyes widened, and she let out a loud scream.

"What the—?!" she shouted, spinning around.

There, standing in the middle of her living room, was Soshiro Hoshina. He had just climbed in through her window as if it were the most normal thing in the world. He was still in his uniform, his hair slightly tousled, and he looked just as calm as ever.

"Soshiro!" Y/N exclaimed, her heart pounding. "What are you doing?! You scared me!"

Soshiro raised an eyebrow, looking at her as if nothing was out of the ordinary. "I came to check on you. Are you okay?"

Y/N's frustration flared. "Couldn't you have used the door like a normal person? Why do you always have to make an entrance like that?!"

Soshiro didn't respond immediately. Instead, he took a step closer, his eyes scanning her from head to toe as if making sure she was unharmed. "Are you okay?" he asked again, his voice more insistent this time.

Y/N's anger softened a little as she saw the concern in his eyes. She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Yes, I'm fine," she said, her tone softer now. "The tremors scared me a bit, but nothing's damaged. I'm okay, Soshiro. Really."

He didn't seem entirely convinced, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek gently. His thumb brushed over her skin, and she felt her heart skip a beat at the unexpected tenderness. "I don't like leaving you alone when things like this happen," he said quietly.

Y/N's chest tightened. She could see the worry etched on his face, even though he tried to hide it behind his usual calm demeanor.

"I'm okay," she reassured him again, placing her hand over his. "But what about you? You should be out there fighting."

Soshiro shook his head. "The attack is close enough to this area. I don't want to risk anything. I want you to come with me to HQ for a while."

Y/N's eyes widened. "HQ? But I can't just—"

"I'm not asking, Y/N. I'm insisting," Soshiro said, his voice firm but still gentle. "I can't focus if I'm constantly worried about you here. It'll be safer if you stay with me."

She bit her lip, her mind racing. Staying at HQ didn't exactly sound comfortable. She imagined it would be full of soldiers and chaos, and she wasn't sure if she could handle the attention. "I don't think it's a good idea," she mumbled, trying to avoid his gaze.

Soshiro, however, wasn't having it. "You're coming with me, Y/N," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Go get your things. I'll wait."

Y/N sighed in defeat. She knew there was no use fighting him on this, especially when he was in protective mode. "Fine," she muttered, heading to her bedroom to grab her bag. "But I'm only doing this because you're being annoyingly persistent."

Soshiro smirked, leaning against the doorframe as he watched her. "I know."

When they arrived at HQ, Y/N couldn't help but feel awkward. As soon as they walked in, she noticed how everyone seemed to stare. Why are they all looking at me? She thought, feeling self-conscious. Her cheeks flushed, and she instinctively moved closer to Soshiro, trying to hide behind him as much as possible.

Soshiro glanced down at her, clearly amused by her behavior. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice teasing. "Shy now?"

Y/N glared up at him, her face still red. "Why are they all staring? Did you tell everyone about me or something?"

Before Soshiro could respond, a voice called out from across the room. "Well, well, if it isn't Soshiro Hoshina's famous girlfriend!"

Y/N turned toward the voice and saw Mina Ashiro, Soshiro's captain, striding over to them with a grin on her face. "I've heard a lot about you," Mina said, extending a hand to Y/N.

Y/N blinked in surprise, quickly taking her hand. "You have?"

Mina chuckled, glancing at Soshiro. "Oh, yes. Soshiro talks about you quite a bit."

Y/N's face turned even redder as she glared up at Soshiro. "You do?"

Soshiro shrugged, completely unfazed. "Maybe a little."

Y/N groaned, burying her face in her hands. "This is so embarrassing."

Mina laughed, patting Y/N on the shoulder. "Don't worry, you're practically a celebrity around here. It's nice to finally meet you."

Soshiro leaned down to whisper in Y/N's ear, "Told you you're famous."

Y/N shot him another glare. "You're the worst."

Soshiro just grinned, clearly enjoying how flustered she was. "Come on, I'll show you around. You can stay with me while we wait for everything to settle down."

Mina nodded in agreement. "You'll be safe here, Y/N. Don't worry. If anything happens, Soshiro's got your back."

Y/N sighed, feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on her. "Great," she muttered under her breath, still hiding behind Soshiro as they started walking.

As they made their way through HQ, Y/N couldn't help but notice how everyone seemed to treat Soshiro with a mixture of respect and admiration. It made sense—he was one of the best. But seeing him in this environment made her realize just how important he was to so many people. And here she was, trailing behind him like a shy shadow.

"Do they always stare at you like this?" Y/N asked in a hushed tone, her nerves getting the better of her.

Soshiro glanced over at her, his expression softening. "They're curious about you. That's all."

Y/N rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, I'd prefer it if they weren't."

Soshiro smirked, placing a hand on her back to guide her forward. "Just stick with me. I'll protect you from all the attention."

Y/N scoffed, though she couldn't help but smile at his words. "You're enjoying this way too much."

"Maybe I am," Soshiro teased, his hand lingering on the small of her back. "But I meant what I said. You're safe here with me."

Y/N sighed, glancing around at the unfamiliar faces as they passed by. Safe or not, this was going to be an interesting experience.