21 Chi and Jin

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I—suddenly, Tōkō Jin. I mean, how did you even get into my room..."

"I asked your squad leader!"

I'd exchanged contact information during the recent drill.

I never thought it would be useful so soon.

The day after the cargo bombardment.

Jin located Chi's hotel room and arrived immediately after his shift ended, lodging a protest.

"Isn't this a breach of personal information?"

"Don't lecture me about personal data when you're the one who stalked your way to a gift bombardment!"

"Right. What about those carefully chosen gifts. I'm sure Mio-chan would've loved them..."

"I returned them all—idiot!"

Returning that many packages required immense effort.

"What?! You actually returned them all? It was a pain to order them in the first place!"

Returning them was the harder part! Think about limits—limits, for heaven’s sake!

As a result, Jin was sleep-deprived.

That was why, in today’s simulation battle, Kou was shot down twice within seconds of the start—pure retaliation.

“Listen. As a parent, you can’t just hand out that many gifts to your daughter like that! Are you some doting grandmother spoiling her first grandchild?”

“I’m not that old!”

“I know you’re seventeen! You should be more careful with your money!”

If one were to force a familial relation, it would be aunt, not grandmother.

“Still, if you insist on pushing forward, I have an idea.”

“…What?”

“This.”

He displayed an address in front of Chi. Her expression changed instantly.

“You—how dare you contact Mother! That’s cowardly!”

“I don’t want to contact her over something so pathetic either!”

Two years ago, the funeral of Rei.

The one who called him a son-in-law, even though they had never met face to face.

The contact information handed over with the words, “Please reach out if anything comes up.”

The one to whom Jin had committed unfilial neglect, not contacting him once in the past two years.

The one he had intended to report his recovery to, somehow.

“You’re the one who messed up the order—what do you expect me to do about it?!”

“I don’t know!”

A shouting match in the hotel hallway.

People peering out from their rooms, curious.

“Damn it. Wait downstairs in the lounge. I’ll be right there.”

She withdrew her face and returned to the room.

The location was already secured. No escape.

Waiting in the hotel’s first-floor lounge for several minutes.

Chi descended, now in civilian clothes.

“Let’s talk properly this time. You went to such lengths—using such despicable tactics—to make me listen. You—”

There’s malice in your wording, but you’re right. You’re underage, after all. It’s only natural I’d contact your parents if trouble arises.

What exactly is the problem with that?

Go look up stalking court cases, seriously. It’s more than just a problem. Not recognizing it as a problem—that’s the real issue.

Chi and Jin are alike. Jin fumes, lifting himself off the shelf to ask who even came up with such nonsense.

Even he wouldn’t go this far.

First, those mountains of gifts are simply inconvenient. Took effort just to accept them.

And to get inside the house, for that matter.

The Third Fleet’s surveillance system is advanced. Theft of packages is fully traceable. So packages are left at the doorstep when no one’s home.

Still, that quantity. Even if Jin were inside, he’d still be forced to accept them repeatedly—no matter how much it would strain him.

“That’s a manifestation of my feelings. How deeply I care for Mio. Expressing it through objects is crude… but…”

“Second. The choice is a little off. That’s a dress you wanted me to wear, right?”

“Isn’t it cute?”

“Probably suits you—but don’t be so careless, idiot! Honestly, it’s creepy.”

Clothing suited to the seasons.

Honestly, it’s unsettling that it fits so well. I don’t even know your size.

“Third! Would Mio actually be happy with a gift from someone she barely knows?”

“W-what…?”

“Let me make this clear. In Mio’s eyes, your favorability is at rock bottom.”

Among those Mio welcomes instantly and warmly, Chi is the exception—she dislikes her intensely.

She developed such a strong aversion after answering “my sister” when asked who slapped her—enough to hate all sisters.

The one who hurt her beloved onii-san.

That alone was already an extreme negative start. The path back to zero was distant.

Adding to it, loitering around in suspicious attire was another negative.

Mio did not equate the two in her mind, but if they ever connected, it would be disastrous.

"Idiotic..."

"You're the idiot."

Jin felt a headache forming as he looked at the cousin who had nearly become his sister.

The problem was obvious from this vantage point—wasting motion. It was infuriating that he recognized it so clearly.

"...We should start with an apology letter. The gift comes after that."

"Shōgo Jin... You..."

"If you sincerely apologize, she’s kind-hearted. She’ll surely forgive."

It would be simpler if he just stayed depressed like this.

Yet even here, Jin thought. If the situation were reversed, and he were the one rejected by Mio. Even if told it had nothing to do with the order, that would still be a shock.

"Thank you..."

"Stop worrying. Write a proper apology letter."

"An apology letter... Wait, an apology letter?"

Jin laughed, amused at his own sluggishness.

"That's right, an apology letter! 'Sorry, Mr. Mio!' That's what you write! Mio will surely ask, 'Daddy, should I forgive him?' That means it's up to me whether she forgives him or not!"

"Shōgo Jin! You—!"

"Hahahaha! Now then. Once you've understood, get writing. A letter so moving, I might just forgive you on the spot!"

Jin was slightly sleep-deprived, his mood unbalanced. And Chi mirrored his energy, escalating without restraint.

He was kicked out for disturbing other guests.

"Damn it. You’re the one who got me kicked out too. I liked that hotel."

"If you were out in one go, that means you’ve caused trouble before, haven’t you?"

"Like hell I have! It’s your fault, Tohgo Jin!"

"Stop calling me by my full name, it’s annoying..."

Chi grumbled, blaming Jin.

Jin turned away from her, already heading home.

"Hey. Where do you think you're going?"

"Where? Back home, obviously."

"Wait—don’t be ridiculous! Who do you think got us kicked out of the hotel?"

"At least it’s not just my fault."

Chi, who had been making noise alongside him, undoubtedly bore part of the responsibility.

Just as surely, Jin did too.

"You also bear part of the responsibility, so carrying your luggage to a new hotel isn’t too much—wait..."

Chi suddenly rummaged through her luggage, as if noticing something.

"...You're playing around, so I'm going back?"

"Wait."

The command came short. There was no reason to listen, but no reason to ignore either.

After a few seconds, she decided she should have just ignored it and left.

"...ID's lost."

"You two sisters are always like this...!"

Why would you so easily drop something so important?

"What, what should we do?"

"First, reissue it. The office is closed, so go tomorrow morning. Stay at the embassy in the meantime."

"Stop being ridiculous! We're representatives of the Second Fleet! We can't possibly rely on the embassy for something this trivial!"

"Then act like a representative. If not, find somewhere else to stay—perhaps one of the other team members' hotels."

"If I stay with another team member, I'll be mocked about this for a whole year!"

"Whatever."

Something about the way he spoke just now made Jin feel he understood Chi’s position within the unit. Probably because she was the youngest, she was being treated with indulgence.

Regardless, before Chi could say anything troublesome, Jin turned and left without so much as a farewell, already walking away.

His wrist was seized with a vice-like grip.

"Hey, let go. You'll break my bones."

"I just remembered something a sister once told me. She said you stayed at her place when she lost her ID."

"Shin. You actually told him that?"

"Stay."

"Is that how you ask someone for a favor?"

"You were kicked out of the hotel because of me. The ID loss wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you!"

The bones strained, screaming in protest.

"Staying at my place won't help, you know I hate you."

"Mio’s here. That’s enough."

I’ll take the risk, but you won’t even look me in the face.

No matter.

Regrettable, but my answer is no.

He tries to pull away, but the grip does not release. Arm aches.

You really want this? I still have one last option.

What are you planning?

I’ll pretend to be the woman you’re about to abandon right here. The Third Fleet’s ace’s womanizing scandal. Front-page news in tomorrow’s sports paper.

You’re not serious…!

The worst part is half of it’s true. A full self-destruct, but Chi, who’ll return to the Second Fleet eventually, will take less damage.

Simple math, Eastwood Jin. Keep me here until ID reissue, maintain peace. Or become the trash who molested a minor and abandoned her right here.

No future thinking. Not at all. Yet, somehow, it’s disturbingly like him.