Prologue: A river will flow
These days are all the same. I wish they were different. Personally, I would embrace even the slightest change. I'm always being compared to my brother, Saburou. Or my mother Harumi, an Associate special class ghoul investigator. Or even my own dear father, Hikaru, A special class investigator. And I hate it. Why must I be compared to them? I'm my own person with my own personality. I can do things on my own, without parental help or a brother. There's a river dividing us in difference. I don't really have a hatred for ghouls like my family does. Moreso, I just don't care. But my brother, he hates ghouls with a passion. Ever since that day with Kinshi, he's hated Ghouls with a passion.
"That will be all for today class, tomorrow is your test over the mechanics of the Quinque, do not forget to study for tomorrow." My father spoke. "Bow. Dismissed."
My brother and I sat at our seats as the CCG's trainee investigator's class emptied.
"The twentieth ward is just too peaceful, huh? Hanashi-sensei?" A girl had asked my father.
"Ah, Haru, I suppose. Well, that makes Nerima-I mean the twentieth ward the perfect place to make rookie investigators. Heh, it's odd talking to you, you have the same name as my wife. Sort of." My father responded.
"Look at her, sucking up to dad like that, like always." My brother, Saburou said with a tinge of jealousy.
I closed my right eye, tilted my head right, and looked at him. "Oh~. Someone's jealous." I said cheekily.
"I'm not, Shirou! It's just that…She's hogging up a Special Class Ghoul Investigator! Yeah, that's it!" Saburou retorted.
"Saburou, Shirou! Are you two ready? I'll have to swing by old man Yoshitoki-san before we go, okay? I wanted to discuss the 'Wasp' case once more with him."
Wasp, one of the very few ghouls with two kagune. A very dangerous one, which was defeated and imprisoned in 'Cochlea' by my mother and father. It had a 'bikaku' kagune and an 'Ukaku'. The kagune is the predatory organ of the 'Ghouls' which is used to kill their pray; humans.
"Sure, we'll be in the car, father." I said, holding up his car keys from my pants pocket.
"When did you-?" Saburou and father asked, dumbfounded.
"We're the sons of top-ranking ghoul investigators. Do you doubt my skills on the field?" I said, walking past him towards the entrance of the room. "C'mon Saburou." And so my brother followed me. "Those two…Really are inseparable." I heard father say as he went the opposite direction.
Saburou and I walked, cracking jokes like us sixteen year olds normally do. I noticed his black hair had grown a little longer. Maybe we're in due of a haircut? Saburou had made a joke about a nose and a foot and I chuckled with my eyes clothes. In an instant, I felt as if I crashed into a wall. I fell on my butt and opened my eyes. It was Special Class Arima.
"Oh! I'm sorry, Shirou-kun." He said robotically. It was like he was devoid of emotion.
"It was my fault, Arima-san." I responded.
"No, it was mine, I should've known that you were in front of me." Arima said.
"Not this again…" I heard Saburou say.
"It was my fault! What type of fool walks through the Commission of Counter Ghoul with their eyes closed?" I retorted.
"It was mine. I was distracted and tired from an underground stakeout."
"Just agree to disagree, you two. This feels like a recurring gag and this time, it's not funny." Saburou said and walked off.
"I wish he wouldn't talk to his superiors like that…Sorry about him." I said apologetically.
"Ah, that's okay. This is the third time we have bumped into each other like this." Was…that emotion from Arima-san? "Oh yes, have you seen Hikaru—I mean your father?"
"He was going to discuss he, mother, and your case…What bug was it…Wasp? Yes, that. With the bureau director."
"Yoshitoki-san. I see. He must be paying a visit to the twentieth ward. Alright, I will go and see them." He began to walk off.
"Ah, Arima-san, catch." I threw the car keys to him. "Could you please give that to my father? Seeing you being here means it'll take a little longer. I think Saburou and I can walk from here."
"Okay. As you know, since you two do not have 'Quinques', you must avoid conflicts with ghouls. Be safe." Huh, never knew Arima-san could care. Nevertheless, I walked off, scratching my black hair. I noticed my bangs covered my right eye more than my left. I really am due for a haircut.
I walked through the RC blood scanners and exited the CCG Building. It was a cold day for October. I could see Saburou waiting by the car. "We're walking, Saburou." I said.
"What?! Why?" He shouted.
"Arima-san and father's gonna take a while, I bet. We'd just be sitting in there, waiting. The house is a twenty-minute walk from here. It's not that much."
"I guess you're right." And we took our leave.
As we walked through the streets of Nerima, Tokyo, a strange bitterness filled me. Again, all of these sights are the usual: annoying bystanders, noisy cars, the same things I've seen every day for sixteen years. Secretly, I'm jealous of people who can live their lives apathetically. Even I'm jealous of my twin brother, Saburou. Right down to our names, him being 'Third son' and me being 'Fourth son'. I'm always second best to him. He and I have the pressure of being the children of prestigious and talented ghoul investigators but he does not feel anything. Maybe it's because he's talented as Special Class Arima-san when he was his age. Well, talented as being an overstatement. Me, I have 'talent' as well. Despite all that, I feel as though I am not cut out for being a high ranking ghoul investigator. I'd rather be one of those low ranking, gun wielding bureau investigators. However, maybe with a classic sword Quinque or something that fits me.
"Hey, think we should get a bite over at this coffee shop?" Saburou asked.
"Sure, but we're nearly home. Couldn't we eat there?" I said.
"Awnnn, but there's this cute waitress girl there…" Saburou said with a hint of sadness.
"Fine. Wait, aren't you the oldest brother?"
"Oh, yeah. Let's go in!" He commanded.
Anteiku; Antique. Why would one name a coffee shop Anteiku? And from an English word too? Sounds a little cliché if you asked me.
Saburou and I took our seats near the entrance. "Ahh. You smell that? The beautiful aroma of coffee." He said playing around with his hair.
"Hey, do you think ghouls could make their kagune into hair or something?" He asked.
"Why would they even…?" I asked before my eyes catching a blonde haired blue eye girl across from us.
"Dude, she's looking at us. Think I should…?" I guess that's a trait of ours, we don't even finish our sentences.
"Hold on, the waitress is coming." I urged.
A black haired girl came over and spoke to us. According to her name tag, her name is Touka. I wonder what that means. "What will you be having tonight?" She asked. Her voice felt a little masked to me. "Uh, I think I'll be having you…Touka-chan." Saburou said, winking.
"Cut that out, that's sexual harassment." I said sternly. Touka-san laughed awkwardly.
"I'll be having a decaf. Actually, we'll both have decaf since we have school tomorrow."
"Is that all?" She asked. For a split second, her eyes lingered to the blonde girl but then went back to ours.
"Yeah, that'll be everything, Touka-channn." Saburou smiled. Touka then smiled awkwardly and walked away.
"Shirou, that foreigner's still looking." Saburou might have sensed something or he's being an idiot per usual.
"We're ghoul investigators in training, humans aren't an issue." I said as I left the table.
"Ah, wait!" He said.
"Hey, I don't want to be rude but you've been staring at us for a while now. Did we do something to offend you?" Wow, she's really pretty. Were all foreigners this attractive?
"No…It's just that you two are twins. It's rare to see twins. They say it's good luck to see them together." She said as she seductively put a strawberry in her mouth.
Am I being seduced?
"Ah well. Sorry for bothering you." I stood up and bowed before turning.
"Hey, wait a second! Could we maybe…talk again sometime?" She asked.
I think I'm being seduced.
"Hmm? Need my number?" I pulled my phone out.
"Oh, I don't have a phone. I come here often though. Maybe you could come back?" She asked.
"Sure, I don't live far from here." I stuck my hand out for a handshake. She shook it. "So what's your name?" I asked.
"Miya Shirogami. Yours?"
"Shirou Hanashi." Her eyes seemed to twitch when I said 'Hanashi'. "See you around, Shirogami-san." And I walked off.
"Dude, tell me your secrets!" My brother urged.
"No."
After I paid, we left the coffee shop and walked home. We passed by what seemed to be a couple on their way home. She was very beautiful, though I wonder what she's doing with a weak looking guy like him. When we arrived home, we heard a loud crash that sounded maybe a block or two away from us. It sounded like steel or something metallic.
"An accident?" My mother, Harumi asked us. She must've left the CCG early ahead of father.
"It's a possibility." Saburou said while throwing his body on the couch.
"Hey, Shirou. That girl at that coffee shop, I don't know what it is with me but I think there's something off about her. Something that I don't like about her. Like she gives off a bad vibe or something."
"Heh, you're just jealous, Arima-junior."
In hindsight, maybe I should have accepted my brother's warning after all.
After school, I visited Anteiku again, and Miya was there. I sat down and gave a greeting. She gave a greeting as well and took a sip of her coffee.
Damn, what do people say in this sort of situation?
"So how was your day?" I asked.
"Boring. It feels like I've got no life these days." She said while running her fingers through her hair.
"Haha...right. Boring, huh? Don't pretty girls like you go out to mixers or karaoke?"
"Nah, I don't really like social interactions with humans."
That sent a slight chill to my spine for some reason.
I laughed nervously.
"May I take your order, sir?" Touka-chan said, standing over me. "I'm okay. I'm here just to talk with Miya-san before I go over to the CCG."
Oops, didn't that quinque maniac tell me not to reveal my CCG relations?
"Alright." I felt as though she looked like she was going to sweat.
"CCG? Are you a ghoul investigator or something?" Miya-san asked.
"Kinda. Both my parents are, so I guess I'm up next." I responded. Why am I letting something important like that spill to a stranger?
"Sounds stressful. Wanna go to a restaurant or something to take a load off."
Is she asking me out on a date? She couldn't be...
"And yes, I'm asking you out on a date." She said, winking her left eye.
"I guess I can't say no, can I?" I said sarcastically.
"I'd kill you if you say no." She said.
"Fine. How about that western restaurant...What was it called. Ah, I forget."
And so we spent hours talking. Discussing out futures, and dreams. Pointless dialogue, forgettable dialogue. And yet I felt strongly intrigued by this woman, all the while slightly threatened. Strangely enough, she had the slight scent of blood. Very slight, masked underneath of the scent of the shop. Maybe, her period? My phone was ringing but I ignored it. We kept talking, and I was allured by her blue eyes. I noticed the sun had set. Damn, I completely missed ghoul countermeasures training. She felt worth it though.
"Well, I think it's getting late, Shirou-san...Um, may I ask you of a favor?" She asked sweetly.
I shook my head a yes.
"Could you walk me home? Since you're somewhat of a ghoul investigator, I thought you could make me feel safe. I know you know about the ghoul attacks in the area recently." She looked a little despondent.
"Sure. Let's go." I said as I picked up my bookbag.
We walked down multiple streets. She mentioned a 'Nishiki' character and laughed. I began to make puns based off of that name. She laughed and giggled. Eventually we got to a dark street. "Well, my house is further down that way so..." She said.
"Okay, well, see you another time then, huh?" I said.
"Yeah." She said. I turned around to leave. She suddenly ran from behind and hugged me. "Wha-What are you doing?" I asked.
"I wanted to ask you something, Shirou-san." She said, licking her pink lips.
"What is it, Shirogami-san?"
"Do you CCG investigators taste any different then regular humans?"
Miya Shirogami's sclera turned black, her irises; red.
She...is a ghoul.
This is my new story, Brothers. To be honest, I am not satisfied with this chapter and may even redo it. I know this chapter is full of dialogue, but next chapter, I promise it won't be as much. Like I said, I am not satisfied with this chapter and start over. I want opinions, so please review. Thanks!