Author's Note:
Based on an idea that a friend of mine once foretold. (you know who you are, kaneki)
Spelling mistakes and grammar mistakes are a no-no, so state your opinions with a review, if you may please.
帰りかたをわすれた あの子は
帰ること自体 わすれてしまっている
そうやってまた、死にたがるのね
高槻泉 / 拝啓カフカより
Haise closed his eyes, letting those deep words soak within the deepest darkest depths of his mind, understanding the meaning behind what the author wrote. He let his fingers trace the said words with such care and tranquil silence.
'That child who has forgotten how to go home, is forgetting that they can go home, and doing that, they yearn for death again, aren't they?'
His pale mouth whispered the words, slowly and silently as ever. After a few more seconds of engraving, he opened his eyes to read much further into his favorite novel, "Dear Kafka"
"Rank 1 Investigator, Haise Sasaki?" A knock could be heard from the door of Haise Sasaki's room, startling the mere presence inside. The door opened and his assistant Tohsaka Sera went in, closing the door behind her.
"Ah, yes?" Haise composed himself, looked up from his book, and then nodded as a greeting. "Ah! Sera, good morning to you." Haise grinned like the cheeky guy he is. Sera seemed to appreciate the boy's high spirits as she nodded in return, "Good morning to you too."
The boy placed a bookmark on the page he stopped at, laid the book on the table then stood up, "Is there something that I could help you with?" Haise questioned, his face determined. Sera slowly shook her head, "Actually, Arima is calling for you. He said that you weren't answering his calls. It's urgent."
Haise slowly paled, eyes widening each second and Sera chuckled at that, "Don't worry, he wasn't angry nor anything negative. He just wants you."
The black and white haired boy analyzed the said statement, his left finger reaching out to scratch his left cheek and a goofy smile twitched up the corners of his lips, "That… sounded so wrong Sera-chan." He muttered slowly, contemplating on whether it was the right thing to say to escape the situation.
Sera sighed, "Whether you say it that way, nor formally, he still wants you. He's your 'papa' after all."
Haise's composure weakened at the mention of the name-calling, but then accepted his fate. "I'll just lend him a book, which may calm him down just in case. He's ruthless and he releases his anger from our spars." He walked to his 5-story bookcase and picked out a book from his Takatsuki Sen Collection, 'The Hanged Man's Macguffin'
"Ah, yes. He seems to have an interest in Takatsuki sen's works." Sera walked over to peek at the book cover, "The Hanged Man's Macguffin? Isn't that too dark?" she contemplated over the investigator's decision.
Haise chuckled and nodded his head in agreement, "I didn't know that you read, Sera. And yes, it's too dark. But the prisoner's stories are interesting aren't they? It brings out their faults and their good sides at the same time, which makes you ponder on whether you'd feel bad for them or blame them."
Sera silently agreed and then stepped back, "If you say so… You should be on your way now. Sir Arima is waiting." Haise didn't even look at her as he dashed away in a quick motion.
Sera's eyes widened at the opened door and she barely missed the millisecond of a white coat trailing behind Haise. She brushed a strand of hair back as she took a deep breath and let it out heavily.
Going over her boss' room, she arranged the finished paperwork on Haise's desk and made a look-out at the whole office. She eyed the abandoned book on the coffee-table and went over to check it out. There was a bookmarked page and it looked new, she noted to herself to not touch the bookmarked page.
But the bookmark aside, her curiosity peeked at the cover of the book, 'Dear Kafka' by Takatsuki Sen. "Ah, is this a new book? I haven't seen this before…"
She flipped the page to the bookmarked page, reading aloud (a habit of hers) a line from the said book:
"That child who has forgotten how to go home, is forgetting that they can go home, and doing that, they yearn for death again, aren't they?"
Haise dodged a kick to his side and tumbled backwards, dodging yet another blow from the Senior Investigator. Arima pushed back his glasses as he blocked a fist on his way.
"Haise, did you understand the operation?" Arima caught another fist from Haise to his hold, tightening it and securing the boy in place.
"It's just a ghoul clean-up operation right? It's more than understood." Haise stepped sidewards and spun his whole body, bringing his caught arm with him and forcefully removing the grip from Arima. He skipped his step and ran to Arima's direction, spun his hips and brought a roundhouse kick to Arima's head.
Arima's quick reaction brought his hand up to the flying kick and caught it, "Your last operation was barely called off as a 'success'. It seems as if you've been slacking off lately." He threw Haise off of him. His eyes locked on a weak but open spot, he spun and shot his leg up, roundhouse kicking Haise to the stomach.
"This time, I want you to work with a partner from either the ward or from one of the suspended ghouls from Cochlea. Though a ghoul partner might be risky."
Haise coughed gravely, and crashed against the wall. Arima took the time to run at Haise, grab a fountain from his chest pocket, un-cap it, then directed it at Haise's right eye.
"I give up!" Haise said quickly before Arima's fountain pen could stab his eye out. The pen stopped its forward motion once said declaration happened. Arima withdrew his hand and stood up, brushing invisible dust away from his coat. Haise released a deep breath as he did the same, but one of his arms rubbing his tummy to probably rub the pain away.
"I will suspend you from the Quinx squad for now, since you have to get back on your feet and improve some more. I wouldn't want them to be taught by a stressed adult. I know that you'd understand and this is for you Haise."
Haise nodded in understanding and tried to balance himself in standing up, ignoring the pain and using the wall as support, yet he slipped and fell almost immediately.
"See? You've drastically diminished the improvement that you've shown before. Your roundhouse kick was off and you could barely stand after I countered it." Arima pushed his glasses up and glanced at Haise with worry. "Did something happen?"
Haise waved his hand and laughed, "Nothing's wrong! I'm fine, Dad. But I find it unsurprisingly funny that Mom observed and asked the same exact thing." His laughs turned to a sweet smile as he appreciated the worry.
Arima tilted his head, "Mom? Dad?" He could barely recall someone whom were parents to Haise.
Haise perked up, "Didn't you remember? You're my Dad, and Akira is my Mom."
"Oh?" Arima thought about it, not really approving but not really disapproving either. Haise lowered his gaze and whispered.
"…In this make-believe family I have…"
Sera opened the door at her boss' arrival, her eyes widening at the bruised body of Haise. A light one at his face and one big bruise shown under his unbuttoned dress shirt, exactly at the stomach.
"Ah, Sera. Could you please hand me the first-aid kit?" Haise requested with a throaty voice. Sera quickly bowed and went out to accomplish said request. The investigator went in and sat down at the leather couch with a weary sigh, massaging his forehead to get rid of the stress there.
Sera returned almost immediately and handed the first-aid kit to the injured one. "Looks like Sir Arima was rough once more." She stepped out of his way and leaned herself on the wall, crossing her arms.
"And once again, that sounded too wrong, Sera." Haise smiled tiredly, then waved his hand gesturing her to come and listen. "Sera, could you make a list of possible partners for the next operation?"
Sera nodded and smirked, "I already had, as per Sir Arima's request."
"Well then, shoot me some." Haise's appreciative tone present, he smiled at his convenient assistant. He reached out for the first-aid kit and took out some cotton, ointment, and bandages. Sera hummed and shoved a hand inside her skirt pocket, then took out a folded piece of paper. She analyzed a few and spoke out their names.
"Naki, an imprisoned ghoul currently residing at the CCG's Ghoul Detention Center."
Haise thought for a moment, then replied, "Isn't that the one who has that weird bromance love with the deceased Yakumo Oomori (Jason)?" He asked as he dabbed the ointment above his bruised skin, wincing at the slight muscle pain it developed.
Sera nodded, "He is an S Rated ghoul. The guards say that he's cooperating with them much more easily now than before when his boss, Jason, died." Haise made a face and shook his head.
"No no no. I don't want to be someone who babysits him. I've seen Naki in action, and S rated ghoul or not, I don't think I'll be able to like him that easily." He waved his hand in gesture for a continuation, also grabbing the bandages and unrolling a decent amount.
"Well, there is always Akira Madou."
"I'd love to, but I've seen her schedule twice. She's packed this month."
Sera glared at the investigator, questioning his picky demeanor. "Then how about this one. He looks like he'd get along with you just fine."
Haise looked up, pausing the bandage wrap on his tummy area, "Who?"
"Nagachika Hideyoshi, a Rank 2 investigator who was just new." Sera looked up, hoping that Haise would accept the given man. Haise again thought for a moment, contemplating on whether a lower class would be helpful or not. Though that Rank 2 did achieve his rank in a short period of time, he might be strong.
"He seems… decent enough. Try contacting him since I need him later at 3 p.m. Include the terms and conditions to the conversation then ask him his time to let us meet up later." Haise finalized, cutting off the end of the bandage and patting his bandaged stomach in satisfaction, then buttoning up his dress-shirt.
"Understood, Sir Haise Sasaki."
End Notes:
I'll perform a magic trick. See that little review button below? Click it and write what you think about this.
Done? Then next chapter we go~