Dialogue. Original. Arc? Yes.

Seven. Time. Inconsistent. Long? Why. Bastard! Die! Live? Cry. Bodies. Run! Stop. No. Feel. Dark outside... yes, alone. Always alone...

"Kaneki-kun."

Who? The Manger... "Yes?"

He, even through the hardships of life, continued to look stern. "Touka-chan will be okay," he said. "She should stay in bed for a week if she wants to heal faster, so I'm giving her shift to our new employee Roma."

A week? Her wounds weren't that bad were they... no, she's been eating Yoriko's food, and thus she can't heal properly. Touka-chan... idiot. Wait, that means... no, I won't let that happen. I refuse.

I recently started to re-attend Kamii University. I don't have an excuse to skip, but I suppose I could come after.

Touka-chan is studying to get into a good school. If she misses out for a week, especially during this time, it could affect her future. Not just her future, her life, her personality- people, ghouls and humans, are fragile that way. I cannot allow Touka-chan to fail! I must compensate for what I have done! I am the reason this happened to her... I need to help her any way I can... because she isn't my friend, she's something like a family members. Everyone here is, but I owe the most to this girl. She's kept me sane, I might say. When I was about to go crazy of hungry, she helped me, even though she didn't want to; she's helped me stay me. Even though she hated me at first, look at how we get along now- just fine. I will not let her fail! I will not fail her! She can't fail me!

"Yoshimura-san!" I called out. I bowed in the most polite and respectable manner I could. "Allow me to help Touka-chan while she's out of school!"

I couldn't see his face or his reaction. I could only hear his and my soft breathing. "You don't need permission to help someone in need, Kaneki-kun," he responded. I looked up to his smile. "Anteiku may not help with personal problems, but that cannot stop our individuals from acting alone to help others in need."

The Manager uses a loophole? I see... I see.

"Thank you for the wisdom, sir."

"Wisdom? It's merely life."

That's ironic.

I headed upstairs to see Touka-chan without hesitation, almost as if my body was forcing me to head in her direction. As I seemingly shot past the Manager, I could feel a warm aura come off of him. I don't understand why when this was, a little while ago when the others were here, a state of peril. But maybe that too is "life." Remembering the sadness in life to find the happiness that is in the sadness. Here, the happiness is that our poster girl is alive.

Here's the door. I knocked. No one responded. Should I just go in? I knocked once more to make sure. Once again, there was no response.

Carefully, I opened the door as to make sure to not make any sound. I took of my shoes at the entrance and walked to Touka-chan who was lying on a bed.

Peaceful- her eyes closed; the soft breathing sound; gentle muscle contractions of the lungs and diaphragm; a body that sat still in repose and a mental state of probable equanimity.

There was a chair in the other room where she studied, so I grabbed it and slowly set it down as to make sure to not make any noise. Sitting in it was hard without a book. Normally, I'd wait while reading and letting my mind escape the ferocity that is life and its cruelty, in this case, my friend's pain- that's what held me back. My book isn't as important as this girl. Sure I have to pass the time somehow, but it's not like I brought a book with me...

Maybe pain was a little too much of a descriptive word. For Touka-chan, it was more of a challenge. She didn't seem to be in any discomfort, but I'm certain that she was on the inside. For all I know, her emotions are beating up her psyche for not being able to beat that bastard "chef" and Tsukiyama. I don't know what it is she thinks, I can only guess what she thinks

This girl never stops confusing me. Usually while I'm working, she'll scrutinize and complain to me through whispers and mumbles to make sure the customers aren't distressed, and then now just looking at here makes all that go away. It's as if she were a pure maiden; sleeping soundly as if she had never done anything wrong... she will be the death of me.

In a fight, she could get hurt, and in that fight I would protect her should she start losing. I would put myself in harm's way to try and at least feel what it is she's going through... to try and save her. Being the devil she is, she'd criticize me for doing something idiotic, but I can't let the Touka-chan I know die... she can hit me all she wants, but she and the others, I would to everything for.

I see... Hide... so this is...

Thank you, Touka. Remember when you forced me to eat? When I thought about regretting it for the rest of my life? Maybe it isn't so bad... I can see the white carnations in this field of flowers, Touka.

[BLACK SCENE]

Praise your god, me.