"Kaneki…"
Touka reached the end of the street, panting, now only a few feet from the young half ghoul.
"Kaneki, I-"
She was hushed abruptly as Kaneki raised his hand to yield her.
"Don't."
He avoided her eyes and instead stared down at the black ground below them.
"You can't stop me."
He dropped his hand to his side, turning away from her. He was determined to join Aogiri, no matter what. He wouldn't allow anyone else he cared about to die. He'd been weak before, but not anymore. No, now he was strong, and he would get stronger. He would be so strong that no one would be able to stand in his way. No one would ever hurt those he loved again.
But Touka didn't want him to go. She wanted him to stay with her. She wanted him to stay at Anteiku and continue to make dumb mistakes. She wanted him to keep being a dork and reading books and meeting new friends and smiling that smile that had always made her happier than anything else. She wanted the old Kaneki back. He would never be so reckless, never break her heart like he was now. The old Kaneki would never abandon her.
"Kaneki, please."
Tears sprang up out of nowhere, sliding down her cheeks as a sob escaped her lips.
"Please don't leave."
She was crying in front of him, completely helpless, but she didn't care. Nothing mattered to her if he was gone.
"Please… Don't leave me."
Suddenly, Kaneki was right there, his arms around the young girl's waist, embracing her tightly. His sincere whisper instantly calmed her.
"I would never."
Her sobs lessened, and as he pulled away and fled into the darkness of the night, Touka knew that he was doing what he had to do to keep her and everyone else safe. He would be back. And when he returned, she would tell him what she'd been too afraid to admit even to herself.
She would tell him for sure.