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The life of the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force is one where you can’t completely be at ease.
You always have to have some part of you prepared for anything, to start the next mission.
The soldiers of the Defense Force live and breathe their job in this way, training day in and day out to ensure they are capable of neutralizing Kaiju as quickly as possible— with as little damage as possible.
Sometimes that’s easier said than done.
To be completely honest, it might as well be impossible.
Everyone wants to become a Captain of some Division somewhere in Japan for the admiration and the status, but one thing they never anticipate is just how document heavy such a position can be.
Every time the Third Division deals with Kaiju, Ashiro Mina is buried in paperwork.
She doesn’t like it, mind you, but she causes paperwork to herself, basically.
Her power output with her weapons is something that causes catastrophe for Kaiju—
And oftentimes, the surrounding buildings.
Unfortunately.
She’s gotten used to the heavy paper load after how many years she’s been working in the Defense Force, and sometimes Okonogi even helps her to keep her company.
So when she hears the door to her office opening, she expects it to be Okonogi.
Ten or so minutes ago, Okonogi had left to make them some coffee, after all.
That’s why, Mina is a bit surprised to hear a completely different voice.
“Captain.”
Mina lowers her papers and turns, her gaze meeting that of her right hand man.
His gaze looked serious.
Why was he here? Hoshina hated paperwork...
“Hoshina. Did something happen?”
Hoshina shakes his head, “No. When you’re finished documenting the conclusion of our mission, there’s something I’d like to speak with you about.”
Mina’s brows raise slightly.
Hoshina, her Vice Captain, was a notably stubborn, hard-headed person who preferred dealing with things himself as much as possible— at least when it came to things off the battlefield. He understood his position while fighting Kaiju, and he took pride in what he did.
Mina couldn’t ask for a better person to be by her side.
This being said, he saw himself as a person that existed to help her and offer his assistance, but he rarely allowed it the other way around.
It was difficult to convince him to rely on other people...
“Is it something urgent? I can set the report aside—”
“Not particularly. I won’t get in the way of your work, Captain, but whenever you’re finished, please contact me.”
“R-Right...”
With a polite nod of his head, Hoshina turns and leaves her office.
Mina can’t help but stare at the door in confusion as she fiddles with the papers in her hands.
Just what was so important that it’d make Hoshina act so out of character?
She’d have to quickly finish up her report so they could talk about it.
Mina doesn’t bring up Hoshina’s strange request to Okonogi.
She considered it, but considering the fact that Okonogi knew Hoshina more intimately than Mina did, a part of Mina worried that it might have worried the other girl.
So, once their papers were finished and everything was properly filed away, Mina contacted Hoshina just as he requested.
He very simply requested that she join him in Training Room Three for a talk.
Again, very strange...
This was getting more and more peculiar.
Sparring was out of the question because Mina couldn’t touch a single blade without endangering everyone around her, including herself, and there were more confidential ways to talk to one another if it was business related.
She mulls over it the entire walk to the location in question, and it’s only once she stops right outside the door that’s cracked open does she realize what this implies:
It’s personal.
Hoshina Soushiro is seeking out Mina’s company for something that’s on his mind.
If only she had realized earlier, she would’ve had more time to prepare herself... she could have mulled over what has gone on lately that could have possibly caused his strange behavior—
She was a failure as a Captain. She should apologize for not being attentive enough to her most trusted soldier!
Steeling herself to express her apologies, Mina slides open the door and steps inside to close it behind her.
As expected, Hoshina is standing there, finishing off one slice through the air before turning to her.
He looks... tense.
“Hoshina,” Mina greets, “Sorry to keep you waiting all day.”
Hoshina tilts his head, offering that kind smile he always does to her, “You’re the last person in this base that should apologize, Captain. I know more than anyone how hard you work.”
“... Even so, I—”
I want to say sorry, are the words she intends to say, but Hoshina, surprisingly, cuts her off.
“That aside, there’s somethin’ very important I wanted to ask you.”
“Y... Yes, you did say that. What would you like to know?”
Hoshina slowly sets his training swords onto the floor before stepping towards Mina.
He stops in front of her with a serious expression, then takes her hand with both of his.
... Huh?
The next moment, he’s on his knees in front of her and bowing his head with the genuine desperation of a man kneeling before a shrine.
Huh??
“Captain... please, for the love of God, tell me what the hell it takes to get your childhood friend to pick up on the fact that I’m actively tryin’ to hit on him.”
HUH?!
Mina doesn’t know how to respond.
All she can do at that moment is to instinctively say incredulously, “Excuse me?”
Hoshina looks up at her, genuinely pleading, “I knew Kafka was oblivious, but I didn’t think he was this bad. I’m runnin’ out of options— you’re the last one before I snap and lose my mind.”
“I— H-Hoshina, at least stand up first...!! This is embarrassing!”
“You’ll help me?”
“I will! Just stand up! Please!”
Hoshina does after some insistent tugging from Mina, and she sighs in exhaustion while rubbing at her forehead.
“Of all the things for you to ask my help for, I never expected it would be in regards to Kafka-kun...”
Then again, for the longest time, Mina had resigned to never being able to fight by his side. That he was here now... she was happy beyond belief, even if she couldn’t express this in its entirety, lest she be accused of showing favoritism.
The Anti-Kaiju force was as male dominated as any other government job. Mina knew she was at a disadvantage even with how much she was admired, as well as the fact there were plenty of people who would have loved to take her place.
Hoshina folds his arms, one of his feet tapping impatiently.
“I’ve tried bein’ as subtle as possible. I've brought him coffee, shared drinks with him, complimented him, spent extra time with him after hours every time he asked— I pointedly tell him that I'm only this nice to him. Despite all of that, he's still not respondin’. Is he just not interested? If that were the case, I'd rather he just tell me straight.”
Ah jeez...
It's like high school all over again.
Mina can't help but let out a small laugh.
Somehow, she didn't realize she missed the silly, mundane, yet soothing problems that often follow Kafka.
“I don't think Kafka-kun is ignoring your advances, Hoshina.”
Hoshina makes a face. If Mina didn't know any better, she'd say he was pouting.
“Then what is he doin’? He can't be that oblivious.”
“But he is.”
...
...
...
“... Really?”
Mina’s expression is completely solid as she affirms, “Yes. I've had multiple other girls ask me for advice about him when I was in high school because he kept missing every single hint they were giving.”
Now, Hoshina looks somewhere between defeat and disbelief.
“This being said, what you should do is obvious, Hoshina.”
Her vice captain blinks, “Is it?”
“Yes. The most effective way to get Kafka-kun to realize your intention is to say it so bluntly even a child could understand— or do it physically.”
Unsurprisingly, the options don't appeal to the famed distant and mysterious Hoshina.
But those are the best options to approach Hibino Kafka in terms of romance.
“... And you're positive those options will work?”
Mina nods.
Hoshina sighs, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Then, he lifts a hand to run it through his hair and scratch at the back of his head.
“Alright. I was expectin' somethin' a little more, but I guess I should've expected it somehow... I'll keep it in mind. Thank you for... humorin’ me, Captain.”
That brings a smile to Mina’s face, “You don't ask for help with personal things very often, after all. Knowing I'm helpful this time when it's about someone I know well makes me happy— it means I'll undoubtedly be helpful to you for once. You're always helping me, after all.”
Now, Hoshina turns his head away with a smile, “Well, you're my Captain, after all— it's my job to help you.”
“A captain should be able to care for their crew and offer advice when it's helpful too, though.”
Before Hoshina can argue her further about their devotion to their positions, though, Mina reaches out to pat Hoshina on the shoulder.
It makes him pause, staring at her incredulously.
“I'm sure Kafka-kun will hear and respond to your feelings, Hoshina. I believe in you.”
There's a split second where she can feel Hoshina's muscles tense under her fingers, and his cheeks flush red before he bows his head to hide the fact with his bangs.
“Thanks. I'll... tell you how it goes.”
“Sounds good.”
...
...
...
Not that he needs to.
It doesn't take a genius to figure out with Hoshina's pent up frustration at the level it is, he'll opt for the physical option instead.
That's why, when Mina gets a frantic call from Okonogi the next morning saying, “V-Vice Captain Hoshina kissed Hibino Kafka in front of the entire squad!” —
Well, she's not surprised at all.
Knowing Kafka, he might very well try to approach her next and ask how to properly impress her vice captain.
He's kind of shit out of luck in that regard, though... but this is Kafka. He'll figure it out.