Author note: Warm welcome to my readers and all those who stumbled upon this story, this is my take on Arima/OC because I can't seem to find any stories about him on this site, even though he is arguably the most mysterious character in Tokyo Ghoulverse. This story takes place two years after Tokyo Ghoul Jack, Arima is 18 and my OC is 16. It will be a slow start so please bear with me. Initially it will stick to canon so there will be familiar names and faces but will then diverge in future chapters so it is best to assume that it is an AU. Please do leave comments, feedback or criticisms. Thanks for reading.
CHAPTER ONE
"Wake up!"
"Come on now, wake up! You will be late for school." Nahoko Sasaki growls as she feels cold hands try to pry her out of her warm bed, her hands are tightly clutched to the bedsheets. Not today, she simply refuses to leave her haven, her little sanctuary so she curls up into a ball and digs deeper into her bed.
"Nahoko this is the last time, DO NOT MAKE ME GET THE BUCKET!" Her mother shouts, she could hear the exasperation in her voice and finally decides to not test her luck. Grudgingly she opens her eyelids, her fingers unclench the duvet and she miserably sits up while rubbing her eyes.
"Ah! I'm awake, don't get the bucket…."
"Good, now get ready my little duck. I'm off to work, breakfast is on the table," Nahoko glowers at her mother as she gingerly pinches her nose, no silly little nicknames or affection is going to change anything. It is too late she thinks bitterly. Grumpily she pulls away from her mother and gets out of bed.
Mother and daughter fights had now become a daily routine in ther household.
Slight crestfallen but knowing that pressing matters would be futile her mother redirects her attention towards her messy room, on her way out the door she grabs pieces of dirty clothing from the floor, shaking her head while muttering under her breath 'when will this girl learn,' Nahoko watches her leave with slight resentment, she knows that she shouldn't be too hard on her mother, things have been difficult enough with her father losing his job and her mother taking on the role as a breadwinner but she just wishes for things to be the way they used to be, no fights, no arguments over money and divorce threats.
After emitting a soft sigh from her lips Nahoko finally enters the small bathroom she shared with her younger brother.
"Argh! What's that smell," immediately she pinches her nose, trying her best not gag, her left hand waves in front of her in hopes to clear out the smell, a quick scan of the room and her eyes fall on dirty laundry. What an earth was that boy up to? Whatever, too tired to feed her curiosity she shuts the basket with more force than necessary and opens the tiny window. Immediately she is greeted with chirping of birds and a light breeze, for a second she is lost at the beauty of the sight. Leaning on her elbow she wishes more than anything to just stare out the window all day and not think about her problems, oh how she wishes to just be lost and left in peace.
A loud thumping noise brings Nahoko back to reality, frowning she tries to identify the source of the noise, when the doorknob of the bathroom door twists she realises it must have been her annoying brother knocking on the door to get her to hurry up. When she doesn't respond to his continuous knocking he resorts to using his most irritating weapon.
"HEY PIG! HURRY UP, WE ARE RUNNING LATE FOR SCHOOL!"
"AH! I'M COMING SHORTY, SO SHUTUP AND LET ME GET READY!" Nahoko shouts back, with yet another sigh she turns to the mirror, she looks at her reflection and then smiles, frowns, smiles—a daily routine. Finally she pinches her cheeks so that her lips remain smiling, she giggles at the action and instantly her sour mood becomes a bit lighter.
"That's the spirit girl, keep on fighting!"
With a more positive outlook she turns on the shower and disappears behind the curtain.
Oh God she is late!
After taking forever in the shower and even longer getting ready she finally reaches the Academy at half past nine. Ever so cautiously she makes her way into the building, the entire reception is empty apart from an elderly security guard.
"Ah Nahoko-chan, how are you today? Late again I see." Nahoko laughs nervously while Fugaku Yamaguchi takes in her wild appearance with slightly amusement, despite seeing her everyday her unusual taste in fashion never failed to surprise him. Underneath her checked red and black skirt she wore vivid red tights, red sneakers to match, her wrists are littered with colourful bead bracelets, wristbands ranging from 'fight poverty' to 'Greenpeace' and to top off her unusual appearance was a large Hello kitty hairband that held her thick bushy hair into a bun.
"I have your favourite today Yamaguchi-san," she rifles through her bag and pulls out a packet of dango, "tan nah!" she says, as if she had just pulled off a complicated magic trick. The old man shakes his head while a smile plays on his lips.
"You spoil me Nahoko-chan, now off to your classes. I bet those teachers of yours is not too happy with you being late all the time." Her eyes instantly widen in alarm as if she just realised the predicament despite being late ninety percent of the time, so after mumbling enthusiastically 'have a nice day Yamaguichi-san' and a bright smile she dashes down the hall.
What a peculiar girl thinks Fugaku Yamaguchi as he digs into the bag of dango but one thing was sure in the midst of vulnerable, battle-hardened, ambitious and even ruthless children of the CCG junior academy she stood out like a sore thumb and a part of him worried about her future. He simply did not see any CCG investigator ability within the girl. He wondered what would happen when the big bosses up in headquarters caught whiff of this girl and decided she was too much of a liability.
As the delicious sweet aroma tickled his senses his mouth watered in anticipation, biting into the yellow flesh of the dango he tries hard to forget about the future, for now it is best to remain ignorant because this girl meant too much to him and when the time came regarding her future he feared that he would have no power to help her.
Suddenly the dango just didn't taste as good anymore.
Nahoko makes her way to her classes at a gradual pace, dragging the soles of her shoes against the floor. As she approaches the door she looks through the small window with slight anxiousness.
Her classmates are already seated, attention focused on what the teacher was saying, if she was really careful maybe she could get to her seat without her teacher noticing, ever so quietly she attempts to open the door but no sooner she had placed one foot through the door every single head turned in her direction.
"You are late Sasaki! Now what excuses do you have this time? Pray, tell I'm desperate to know."
Nahoko gives another one of her awkward laughs before looking at the rest of class, trying her best to not look small, insignificant and bright as an apple while the cool piercing gaze of the teacher continues to belittle her.
After a few minutes of silence the teacher sighs and then barks at her to return to her desk.
Great! Did she really think that she would get away with it, especially with Lady Hitler dictating the class, wincing and trying her best to not look at anyone else she slinks to her desk in the back of the room. Finally, unable to take it anymore she snarls at the boy in front of her
"Hey stop staring, do you want me to take out your eyes! DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE ME!" The boy instantly turns his head, cheeks red from embarrassment. Huffing Nahoko takes her seat but as usual she has done it again.
"SASAKI HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO NOT DISRUPT THE CLASS!"
Far too many to count, mumbles Nahoko under her breath.
"I would really like to concentrate on the lesson," says Karin Taka, academic extraordinaire, teacher's pet and school bully. Yes, even the CCG academy fell into the cliché of hierarchy and status quo.
Which meant that as soon as those words left Karin's mouth the rest of the class instantly turned their attention back to the front of the classroom. The snide smirk of Karin irks Nahoko further, it is obvious what she is planning on doing but Nahoko is not going to fall for the bait, she is much smarter than that or so she hoped because right this minute her blood is boiling, anger waiting to lash out at anyone.
"Right, as would we all but this continuous tardiness is unacceptable, for punishment Nahoko you have afterschool cleaning duty for a month…" A month? Did she say a month? Instantly all fury towards Karin she had a minute ago erases in a second.
"Ah…."
"No excuses Sasaki! Perhaps this will teach you to be on time from now on," realising that protesting any further is futile Nahoko lowers herself back onto her seat in defeat. Cleaning duty for a month! Life officially sucked, she had plans afterschool not to mention her part-time job, how will she explain to Mr Nagachika that she will be making to work late for a month, she creased her forehead in worry, chewing her lips, a nervous habit that she thought she had stopped a long time ago when she started her teenage years.
Deciding to not tempt any further Nahoko finally focuses her on the lesson, but with her attention span that meant only five minutes into the lesson and her eyes had already drifted towards the window, she hated being indoors. This is how a caged animal must feel like. The grounds of their academy is the only thing that attracted Nahoko about the school, during the summer she would sit outside and have her lunch, basking in the warmth of the sun. Even on a cold winter day something about the crisp cold wind against her cheeks sent a shiver of excitement, she wanted to do nothing more but run outside.
"Sasaki are you paying attention?" Her name and accusation feels like a bullet from the lips of that woman, reluctantly she shifts her gaze to the front of the class, trying not to show her creeping blush. To her astonishment alonside her teacher stood a boy, when did he get here? Inwardly cursing her lack of attention span Nahoko tries to focus. The boy who looked around her age had the most deadpan expression she had ever seen in her life, apart from that he looked almost normal with thick black hair and glasses. He stood tall and slim next to their teacher. How strange, when did he get here? Nahoko tries to remember if she had ever seen this boy before, was he a new student? And what an earth was up with that expression? Thoughts raced through her mind.
"…we are lucky to be graced with the presence of CCG's youngest investigator Kishou Arima, his footsteps you will all one day follow… some better than others…" her eyes lingers on Nahoko while Nahoko resists the urge to roll her eyes before deciding to drown out the rest, her interest lost again as the identity of the mysterious figure is finally revealed.
She like any other student at the Academy had heard the tall tales of Kishou Arima, genius, prodigy, who had killed thirty ghouls on his own. A feat many investigators twice his age could only dream about. Luckily Nahoko had no such feelings of envy or awe, in fact she had no ambitions in becoming an investigator. The only reason she is sitting here is because this was the only school her parents could afford to send her without worrying about her being murdered, which considering what she was being trained for in the future was ironic at best, Her face resting on her palm she slyly turns to her best friend in hopes to say something cheeky until she saw her expression.
For the first time in her life Mei Haruka is staring at the front with her undivided attention, a look which is usually present on Karin. Cheeks flushed and not once did she bat an eyelid, her transfixed gaze made Nahoko smile cheekily, looks like she would be teasing her a lot later.
"Sasaki.." instantly her face whips back to her teacher. "You will be in charge of showing Arima-san around the academy this afternoon, a personal request and honour from Director Washuu." Her tone is clear, do not under any circumstances embarrass the academy, not that she would, rumour has it that this academy is the worst performing one out of all the others in the different wards.
Nahoko gulped, the atmosphere in the room instantly changed. Almost immediately she is subjected to dagger like expressions even Mei's sweet face held a tint of jealousy. It is obvious what is going through their minds, how could the worst student be given the honour to show the prodigy around? A soft sigh then she nods grimly, it seems that her problems have just got a whole lot more worse.
"Gosh, you are so lucky Hoko-chan, you get to spend the afternoon with Arima-san and did you see Taka's face?" giggled Mei, Nahoko shrugs her shoulders miserably.
"What's so great about it, this just means I have more work to do not to mention a month of cleaning duty….ergh, life is so unfair." Pushing her food tray aside she places her head against the table, wishing that the cold surface is a pillow and that she could just go to sleep.
"Don't you sleep properly at night Hoko-chan?"
"Do you think I can with my mum screaming threats of divorce….ohhh….my head hurts…I just need some sleep." While Nahoko buries her head deeper into her folded arms Mei clicks her tongue sympathetically, then they are enveloped in silence.
"We should go out for lunch, you know there is this new burger place, what do you say Hoko-chan?"
"Yeah, sounds good…anyway I need to go, I have to show the Shinigami around," grumbles Nahoko.
Lucky mouths Mei.
Nahoko rolls her eyes.
"This is the grand hall…"
"I see."
Nahoko stands awkwardly to the side, for the first time in her life she is lost for words, usually she always had something or other to say but with Arima she felt horribly self-conscious. No matter what she said Kishou Arima's replies were blunt, his expression held disinterest and for the last half an hour he acted as if she didn't even exist.
Usually Nahoko had no problem dealing with individuals like him, if they didn't have the audacity to give her the time of day neither would she. Unfortunately this time she is stuck, a part of her wished nothing more than to just leave while the rather small logical voice at the back of her brain reminded her that this time she couldn't mess up.
" And…that concludes the tour. I don't have anything else to show you."
"You didn't have anything to show me at the beginning, even though you have been at this school for nearly six years it is clear that you don't know the surroundings very well. I'm surprised that the student with the lowest grades has been given this responsibility."
At first Nahoko thought she didn't hear him well, it isn't until her brain finally registers what he had just said did her temper once again rise normally she isn't one to get angry quickly but this is it, after a hellish week she has finally had enough. Her fingers instantly grabs his collar, her face is flushed with rage and eyes narrowed into his.
"HOW DARE YOU? I WASTED MY PRECIOUS TIME SHOWING YOU AROUND AND THIS IS THE THANKS I GET! I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TREAT ME LIKE THIS, TAKE IT BACK! I SAID TAKE IT BACK!"
If Arima is surprised by her behaviour his face didn't betray his inner thoughts, calmly he pulls her fingers away from his collar and without another word he walks away.
"HEY! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING?" Pulling off her shoe she throws it at him, as if he had been expecting it he swerves slightly to the right, he then tilts his face so that his eyes bore into hers and perhaps it is the light playing tricks on her but she could almost make out a soft smirk playing on the edge of his lips.
"Just as I suspected you really are a foolish girl. "