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

ごじゅうご | fifty five

もののけ | kaiju | monster

55

[A lengthy chapter ahead]

Soshiro

A HEARTY LAUGH ESCAPED MY LIPS, filling the room with warmth. She shouldn't feel embarrassed saying these things to me—after everything we've been through, there's nothing she should hesitate to share. "You should have told me sooner, baby," I murmured, my voice soft and teasing as I picked up the comb from her hand. I began to brush her long, blonde hair, each stroke deliberate and gentle, letting the strands slip through my fingers like silk. The embarrassment was evident on her face, a delicate flush coloring her cheeks as she avoided my gaze. I could see the way she hesitated, the way she struggled to find the right words.

"It's embarrassing, Soshiro..." she finally managed, her voice carrying that familiar cold edge she used when trying to mask her vulnerability. It only made me laugh harder, a warm, affectionate sound that echoed between us. She was trying so hard to maintain her composure, to keep that icy exterior intact, but I could see right through her. The truth was she didn't have a place to stay—despite all the money and power she possessed.

And now, shyly, hesitantly, she was asking if she could stay at my apartment until we found a home together.

"We really should get going to see the recommended apartments and penthouses lined up for us," she added quickly, trying to shift the focus away from her vulnerable confession. "I hate hotels," she continued, a slight frown creasing her brow. "I'm not going to stay there, and you know how creepy hotels can be here in Japan with all those secret cameras."

She had a good point, and I couldn't help but admire her practicality. My Kiyomi is just too smart... I thought to myself, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. But her discomfort was still there, lingering in the air between us, and I knew I had to reassure her.

"But you shouldn't be embarrassed by asking me, Kiyomi," I said, my tone gentle as I continued brushing her hair, letting the golden strands flow smoothly through the comb. "I was going to offer you that anyway because I know you don't have any place to stay right now. You couldn't even go to your office yet." My tone grew more confident as I spoke, trying to make her see that this was the natural choice. "My home is the better option, baby."

She didn't respond right away, her gaze drifting away from mine to stare into the mirror in front of us. I could see the light shades of pink coloring her cheeks, her eyes avoiding mine as she tried to process what I had said. I followed her gaze to the nape of her neck, noticing how red it had become. The sight only made my heart swell with affection. She was so incredibly cute when she was flustered like this, so different from the composed, powerful woman the world saw.

"Hey," I said softly, leaning in closer to catch her eyes in the mirror. "You know you don't have to be embarrassed with me, right? We're in this together, and I want you to feel at home with me. Wherever we are, it's our space."

Her voice, laced with uncertainty, cut through the silence as she asked, "You're not going to mind at all?" The question hung in the air, carrying with it the weight of her insecurities and doubts. I paused, my hand halting in its gentle strokes through her hair. Slowly, I set the comb down.