I wrote this in like, four hours. I don't usually write in hours. I usually take days to write a single chapter. I'm sorry if there are any mistakes. Enjoy!
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS, KANEKI?!" Touka's voice was loud, mixed with pure rage and slight bewilderment. Her facial expression, however, was deadly. Very deadly.
Out of all things her boyfriend could have done, this was not what she expected.
In front of her eyes stood her boyfriend, Kaneki Ken, wearing a black and white tuxedo, with a ribbon bow tie around his neck. He was already a handsome guy to begin with, but with the formal wedding outfit, she would've stared a bit longer if it wasn't for the familiar man wearing the exact same thing beside him. Both of them standing in front of the priest.
It was worse when she recognized that man. Nagachika Hideyoshi. Her friend. And her boyfriend's best friend. Best fucking friend.
She felt like she finally understood the main character's feelings in the manga that she had been reading – where the main character's boyfriend was cheating on her with her best friend. It wasn't the same situation as hers, but almost similar. Whatever. She shouldn't give a damn about manga right now.
"T–T–Touka–chan…?" Kaneki stuttered, occasionally glancing at Hide. "W–what are you doing here?"
"Answer my damn question, you jerk!"
"I–" He seemed lost for words, he wasn't expecting her to even come here in the first place.
"We just – you were just with me this morning and 4 hours later you're marrying Hide?! ARE YOU FOR REAL, KANEKI?!"
Hide just smacked his forehead, he was staring at his feet, trying his best not to laugh at the hilarious situation. At least – it was hilarious to him until she started to speak again.
"How could you, Hide? You were the one who set us together!" The blonde shivered. Uh–oh. Trouble's brewing for him too.
"Don't drag Hide into this. I was the one who accepted his proposal."
"You – WHAT?"
"I said–"
"We love each other." Hide interrupted. His gaze flickered between the priest and his best friend, giving hints.
"We – we do!" Kaneki gulped before continuing. "I just realized that Hide is the one for me. He – he was willing to sacrifice his life for me. He was always there, he never left me. He loves me, and I love him."
There was a deafening silence for a few seconds before Touka let out a long, exasperated laugh. Then she glared at him – sharply, menacingly that it sent shivers to his spine.
"I was the one who was there for you in these four years. Don't you remember, Kaneki? Every time you were injured fighting those ghou–"
"I DO!" He shouted, panting slightly afterwards.
Hide's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets as he turned to stare at his best friend in disbelief. Silence echoed across the church hall for a few awkward seconds.
"What?" Touka's voice croaked, weakly.
"I do. I accept Nagachika Hideyoshi as my husband." He wasn't replying to her, he was speaking to the priest now.
Hide's eyes just turned wider, even though they were already wide enough from his earlier 'I do' burst.
'Oi, are you kidding me?' His expression trying to convey those words, but Kaneki just stared at his best friend with a determined gaze.
"Kaneki." She started to sound desperate. "Tell me this isn't real. Tell me it's just a joke. I – we–"
"It's real, Touka–chan." His hand unconsciously brushed his chin. Hide felt like giving up the moment he saw the familiar gesture. His best friend had just given it away! He let out an inaudible sigh, disappointed with the terrible acting skill. "I'm marrying Hide. I'm… I'm sorry. Please… Please understand. Touka–chan." His eyes staring straight into hers, begging for her to understand. But she was too heartbroken to see the truth behind his eyes. Or his fingers on his chin.
Her knees felt weak, her heart shattered into a million pieces. All her hopes, all his promises, they were gone in just a few seconds. Tears brimming in her eyes, threatening to spill over.
She felt so stupid, standing at the entrance, interrupting the marriage ceremony when it was obvious that her boyfriend didn't choose her. He chose his best friend instead. She felt like an idiot. Useless. Heartbroken. She took a deep breath, composing herself, trying her best not to break in front of him, in front of all of the audience.
Audience.
She glanced around. All the audience was male. Her nose started to pick up a familiar scent.
Ah. Finally, she understood.
How stupid she was. So, so stupid.
"I – I wish you happiness, you son of a bitch!" She left the church – stomping heavily, and both the grooms released the breath they didn't know they had been collectively holding.
The priest cleared his throat and both of them straightened their postures, staring at the altar in front of them.
"Do you, Nagachika Hideyoshi–"
"Wait, I haven't finished!" Kaneki cut off the priest's question.
In a way, Hide felt relieved that Touka interrupted them earlier. Because they were running out of time. He took a glimpse at the entrance, still nothing. 'What took them so damn long to arrive?' Kaneki followed his eyes, he was thinking the exact same thing as him.
'Make this long, Kaneki.' He nodded, understood what his friend was trying to tell him through his expression.
"I accept Hide. For the worst and the best. He was… always there for me. Supporting me. Giving me, uh – endless support. And endless love as well. And endless, um – support." He cursed under his breath, realized that he had been spouting nonsense and said the word 'support' for three times now.
"It's true that Touka was always by my side. But Hide, he… he did the things to make me happy without my knowledge. He did everything in secret. He endangered his life for me. As if his life was for me. For my sake. When we were younger, he… he made sure I never felt lonely. Even when my mom–" he paused. Hide looked at him, biting his lower lip. His best friend was speaking genuinely from his heart. "He made sure everything was alright. And I trust him. And here I am. Standing here, beside him. I'm very grateful to have him in my life. You're a great friend, Hide. I love you." His eyes softened. Hide believed it was real. It had to be real. He loved his best friend too. Not in a romantic way but similar to what the half–ghoul felt. Hearing the words from his heart moved him deeply. Knowing that all of his efforts were acknowledged by him – not that he mind if he didn't – but he did.
He held back the urge to hug him.
"I love you too, bro." His eyes widened in realization at his own words. "I mean – my love." Sighs of relief escaped their lips.
The priest just raised his eyebrow, but he didn't seem to suspect anything yet at the moment.
"Do you, Nagachika Hideyoshi, take Kaneki Ken to be your wedded husband, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him, for as long as you both shall live?"
Kaneki was truly glad that the priest chose a long vow for them.
"Well, uh..." Hide scratched the back of his neck.
Kaneki glared at his best friend, his eyes threatening the blond male. 'Don't you dare say I do!'
Hide gulped, and started to chatter about anything that came to his mind. At least, he thought he was chattering.
"There's nothing much to say but… I don't think I have any reasons to make you happy. I love you, it's as simple as that. You were in pain, Kaneki. You kept everything to your own. You never shared any of them. I just wanted you to share them with me. But you never did. So I decided to support you in every way I can. If I can't support you openly, then I will do it from the sidelines. I did not regret my injury–" A gasp was heard from the half–ghoul, his body started to tremble. Hide placed his hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.
"This injury saved your–" He stopped when he realized that he might have given Kaneki's identity away.
"Anyways, don't feel sorry about it. I'm glad to be in your life. From when we were kids, studying in the same school, then we went to the same university, until now, working at the same company. When you were trying to hit on Rize back then, I just knew that she's not the one for you. I knew that you will end up marrying Touka – I mean, me. You will end up marrying me. I'm – I'm glad." He inhaled a deep breath, trying to drag the time a little bit longer.
A quiet sob was heard from the half–ghoul.
"As for your question, Father, I…" 'Don't you dare!' Kaneki's eyes were shooting daggers – but they didn't seem threatening because of the tears. Hide just laughed at the sight. But he stopped as he heard Arima's voice on the small intercom that was plugged in his ear – barely visible to the public's eyes.
"I'm sorry. I do love you but I don't want to stand here to be your husband. I want to be your man of honor, witnessing you marrying Touka." Kaneki wasn't given a chance to respond as suddenly the church door opened, and several CCG investigators with their quinques started to activate and blasted across the church hall.
'Finally!'
Kagune emerged from Kaneki's back, aiming to strike the priest but the older ghoul managed to dodge with his own kagune.
"Hide!" Amon threw the suitcase to Hide, then the blond guy activated his quinque and started to fight the priest alongside his best friend.
It was a bloody scene. The whole church was filled with blood as CCG eradicated all ghouls who attended the ceremony.
"Touka–chan!" Kaneki dashed home as fast as he could. He really hoped she caught his hints earlier. She was his whole life, and he couldn't bear the thought of her leaving him. Fear crept into his mind, and he tried his best to shove it away. 'Touka–chan won't ever leave me.' He kept repeating the words to himself like a mantra.
When he opened their apartment door, she was lying on the couch, reading the manga she left off this morning before he went to the church.
"Yo." She greeted him. Her eyes still fixated on the panels.
"Y–yo." He replied, panting heavily. Sweat soaked his tuxedo, and his heart pounded loudly from the running. He was surprised at her nonchalant behavior. So she did get his hints, after all. Thank God. He exhaled a heavy sigh, relief displayed on his face.
He walked to the couch, but as soon as he sat on it, there was a sharp pain on his cheek.
She had slapped him across the face.
"Next time – if you have a mission like that, just inform me first! You idiot! I thought you were marrying Hide for real!" She kept on punching his chest, it wasn't that hurt, she didn't punch him to beat him up but he could feel the frustration in her strikes.
"Touka – I'm – I'm sorry. It was meant to be confidential."
"Confidential, my ass! Uta knew about it."
"What?" He was surprised by the information.
"See?" She showed him her phone screen. It was a picture of him and Hide in the church earlier. The caption was, "Seems like something interesting is going to happen. Oh but Yomo said not to come."
"He sent me this. Of course I would come and see for myself. You – idiot! Why didn't – you – tell me!" The punches from earlier continued, and when she felt like it was enough, she buried her face in his chest.
He wrapped his arms around hers, she was quivering. He had really made her angry, hadn't he?
"I'm sorry… The ghouls were all hardcore gays who founded this group. The priest was their leader. They had been attacking other churches that perform normal ghoul marriage so we had to eliminate them. But we couldn't disrupt someone's wedding, so… The plan was to act as if Hide and I were getting married."
She knew about it. When she returned to their apartment, she gave Yomo a call. And her uncle explained everything to her. Yomo wasn't a member of the group, but Uta was. He dragged Yomo along to see Touka's reaction but Yomo realized that CCG will arrive, so they left the church before any of them being slaughtered by the investigators – or quinques.
"I picked up their scents. I mean – the audience's. They were all male. I knew something was wrong. I'm sorry for not realizing it earlier, Kaneki." She looked up, her eyes staring deep into his. "But still – it was too much. Even though it was an act – I just – it hurts–" she couldn't continue as his lips pressed against hers, and she gasped before closing her eyes, responding to his action. His hands went up to her jaw, deepening the kiss, trying his best to soothe her.
Pulling away, his cheeks started to turn red as he stood up from the couch.
"I bought this last week." He took out a small box from his pocket, then – unexpectedly, he bent on one knee in front of her. She gasped as she stared speechlessly at the velvet box. "It has always been you, Touka–chan. Please, forgive me."
Slowly, very slowly, he opened the box, and Touka felt like her heart could burst from the vast emotions churning inside her.
"Will you marry me?"
