"Onee-chan! Look!"
Upon hearing her nickname emerge from the vocals of a small boy, Rize can't help but gander down at the six-year-old clutching her pinky in a little fist. The suddenly excited child points a small index finger towards a building. It's a neatly bricked structure with little tables scattered on the outside. A welcome sign is sat in front of the entrance, giving the place a friendly look to it.
"That's the coffee place!"
There's a perceptible natural movement of warm air that breezes his cobalt hood rearwards and sends it flapping on his back, the profile of the stripling unveiled; a young face with muted lips upturned in a buoyant smile, escorted by a medical patch crossed over one eye.
Rize let out a pent-up sigh at her little brother's excitement. "Ken-kun, it's too hot for that sort of drink."
The little Kaneki nods, a fragile palm lifting the flap of a little satchel slung across his shoulder. It disappears into the brown leather pocket for a moment before rescinding with a geometrical object in hand.
"I don't want a drink, Onee-chan. I want to read my new book there! I brought it just in case!"
The lavender-haired girl purses her coral lips. She had told Kaneki before they left that this was only a small walk throughout the park to get some fresh air. They were currently on their home, and luckily the little boy hadn't asked to go into the coffee shop like always. Until now. It was as if something drew him to the building.
Yet, the young woman couldn't say no to him. She, too, enjoyed reading. And anyways, it was about time to tell him the news.
"We'll go in, but only for a bit."
A golden bell rings twice once the red door to the café opens, motioning that a new customer had arrived. Rize appears tugging the little boy inside with her, and he's suddenly grown quite shy to the abundance of people sitting in the booths around. A rush of cool oxygen from the AC greets them with their first steps into the fancily decorated bistro.
The welcoming scent of vanilla and coffee wafts through the air, immediately calling Kaneki's small legs to come take a rest. A metallic table reflects sunlight from the window onto it's silver surface, almost blinding the kid for a second. He sits into a chair with a light grunt, Rize sitting in the vacant seat opposite. The sun has heated the blue stool and it feels comforting.
It almost feels as if the little Kaneki was surrounded by mountains of plastic and paper bags which held the contents of guilt ridden peoples' shopping; not really surrounded, but there were quite a few on a lot of people's tables.
Then a waitress appears. She teeters over in a mini skirt and a top that leaves nothing to the imagination. Her heels are so impractical for someone who will be on their feet all day, but she knows they make her legs look nice.
Rize takes solace in the fact that this clown of a girl's feet will be aching later, trying to hide the frown upon her face at the woman's appearance. The lady pulls a pencil from behind her ear and goes through the routine questions she asks every customer that visits the café.
While such goes on, Kaneki watches out the window as birds swoop in from every direction and onto the pavement, hoping for a stray crumb to feast on. The sidewalk is covered with squabbling, pecking pigeons. They fight over the smallest speck of what may, or may not even be food. Children run at them, squealing with pleasure as they scramble off into the air, leaving their treasure behind.
The noise from the traffic on the other side of the glass invades his thoughts. Lorries making deliveries, clattering and banging as the drivers empty their cargo without a care. The streets of Tokyo seem to be getting busier by the minute. The café in comparison seems calm.
The two patiently sit and wait for their orders, even if the adolescent had told his sister earlier that he didn't want anything. They spend their time in silence, wavering in and out of conversation between patrons.
Guess Rize-san changed her mind about not requesting anything, because the waitress comes back with a tray in hand; a coffee is set in front of Rize while a dixie cup filled to the brim of whipped cream clinks before Kaneki.
The boy ignores the fluff filled paper cup in front of him, opening the book and setting it on the table. He flips through the pages aimlessly. Really, he liked spending this time with his sister. Olive eyes glancing up to the purple-haired girl, he finds her looking out the window. She hasn't touched her hot beverage, the steam curling from a hole in the lid.
Rize feels the curious eyes staring at her and turns to connect gazes.
The boy's breath catches in his throat at being caught staring. He bashfully bows his head in a feeble attempt to pretend he was reading the set of kanji before him. His bijou tennis shoes wave in the air below the table nervously.
"Kaneki-kun."
He quickly lifts his chin up towards her. She's leaning against the coffee table now, chin propped thoughtfully in her hand. A smile of tranquility is upon her features; it was obvious that Rize was as fond of this place as much as him.
"Uh!" The artificial half-ghoul replies enthusiastically, obviously glad that his sister hadn't brought up his staring.
"You like this place, right?"
The eye-patched boy nods.
"How would you like to stay here for the summer?" Rize looks to the pale being, questioning.
The inquiry sends the young boy's heart racing with adrenaline, renewed vigor sending a bright smile revving on his countenance. "Really?!"
"Mhmm. I'm going to be busy with some work, you're going to be staying here with a close relative. He owns the shop, even. Very nice man. His name's Yoshimura. You're going to have a lot of fun over the summer."
Kaneki could barely contain himself. He jumps up from his seat, the book clattering to the floor noisily. He waddles over to Rize, throwing his arms around her in a happy embrace.
"Thank you, Onee-chan! I can hardly wait!"
(13 years later)
Kaneki's jaw clenched and he forced his attention back to the sheet of letters before him. He picked up the yellow stick of graphite, clutching it.
World history.
Write.
Don't think.
Don't.
Don't you dare, Kaneki Ken.
The pencil blundered and he bit his lip, forcibly drawing the eraser over the page and swiping the thin strips of pink off of the paper with the cuff of his jacket.
Jeez.
For the past thirteen years his mind had trailed back to the start. Sitting in the chairs of Anteiku with Rize, watching the birds through crystalline glass and sipping from paper cups.
He vaguely remembers sitting on the couch with his knees drawn to his chest, sobbing into his pants. Yoshimura had stood behind him, a hand on the trembling boy's shoulder.
The words still echo in his brain.
A ghoul's body had been found in the 11th ward this morning by the CCG at approximately 7:02 AM. The victim was a slender girl with long lavender hair and an hourglass figure. As a ghoul blending into human society, she wears a normal attire fit for a young woman. We'll update on the matter later. Stay safe.
Kaneki hated her for leaving him here alone. He hated being alone.
Especially with all the secrets he were discovering every day.
The only things that remained left to uncover was the murder of Rize-san and hidden secrets of himself.
Was he a monster?
How was he different from other people?
Was what he ate as a child not what other people did?
The constant things he were uncovering each day made him flinch, unable to sleep.
Plagued his dreams.
"Whoever killed Rize, Kaneki, may come for you. Be prepared."
Yoshimura had enlighted the boy of such, what, how many years ago?
And they bothered the underdog corners of his brain like an itch wanting to be scratched.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Why him?