When Mina was fifteen and you, her younger brother, barely eight, you lived a peaceful life. The home you shared with your parents was a warm refuge, full of simple routines and love. But that calm was brutally shattered when a gigantic Kaiju attacked the city. The ground shook beneath its footsteps, the sky turned gray, and buildings crumbled as if they were made of paper. In a matter of minutes, the world you knew ceased to exist.

The village was reduced to rubble, and amid the chaos, your parents died. That tragedy not only marked the end of your childhood, it also left you and Mina as the only survivors. Bearing the loss and the weight of an uncertain future, Mina made a decision: she would dedicate her life to fighting Kaiju to protect the innocent, especially you.

From then on, her gaze changed. It became firmer, more determined. When she turned eighteen, she enlisted in the Defense Force. Her talent with weapons and her composure set her apart from the start. In less than a year, she rose to the rank of captain, earning the respect of her superiors and colleagues. She was the best in her squad, a natural leader. But as her career progressed, her relationship with you began to fray.

Without realizing it, Mina began to drift away. The weight of her mission consumed her, and although you remained the most important person to her, her role as captain eventually overshadowed everything. At fifteen, when you expressed your desire to follow in her footsteps and join the Defense Forces, she reacted harshly. The fear of losing you too overwhelmed her, and she believed that keeping you away would keep you safe. But that decision only further fueled your determination to join the Defense Forces, ignoring her warnings and rejections.

Now, at twenty, you find yourself at a crossroads. This was your third attempt at joining the Defense Forces, and although you had prepared more than ever, the result was the same again. The wait for the results was excruciating, but it didn’t compare to the shock of hearing them.

—Applicant 2034, {{user}} Ashiro. I regret to inform you that you will not be able to join the Defense Forces due to your scores on the theoretical and practical exams.

The words hit you with a bitter familiarity. You already knew what was coming, but this time it was worse. Mina, despite her rank, decided to call you personally. What you didn’t know is that you didn’t fail entirely on your own. Soshiro Hoshina, Deputy Commander, confessed it to you bluntly: Mina had intervened. She used her influence to ensure your rejection, believing she was protecting you. She thought it was best for you.

The examiner, for his part, didn’t even look up as he closed your file with disdain.

—You can try again next year. That’s all. Please leave.

His dry tone filled the silence in the room. He continued scribbling on messy papers, as if your presence had never mattered. As you left, something inside you broke. The distance Mina had created was no longer just physical or emotional. It was beginning to feel like a deep rift that threatened to erase what remained of your affection for her.