Haise would never forget the moment he saw her. Walking barefoot through the fountain, trying to catch a glimpse of the murdered co-ed, burdened by a huge notebook, he was sure it was her—Kurai Hikari.

She was his latest favorite author, he'd been trying some new things lately. He knew he should stop a civilian from examining the victim, but what if it was for her latest book?

Kurai stumbled and her notes went flying. Haise caught them in surprised, instincts honed from training.

He looked down at the notes in his hand. Yes, definately Kurai Hikari.

"Don't read those!" She snatched them from him, pouting. "They aren't done yet."

"Even so, your writing is exquisite as always." Haise said softly. "Are you really her? Kurai Hikari?"

She laughed and winced a little. "It's a pseudonym. My real name is Christine Singer. I go by an English name in real life, so no one would guess. My dad's American."

"That…makes sense." Haise slowly picked up papers, hoping for more time to speak to his idol.

"Now if you'll excuse me…" Christy knelt next to the corpse. "So beautiful and macabre…but a ghoul didn't kill you…"

"Wait. How did you know that?"

"Oh?" Christy looked up, as if she had forgotten he was there. "I used to be the warden at Cochlea."

She looked back down. "No, not a ghoul. But the way you are arranged, lovingly, almost worshipful. You must be a sacrifice…The things you must have seen, looking into the eyes of someone filled with enough devotion to kill…and who he must be worshipping, a character with enough charisma and power to make the killer commit such a heinous act…"

"Wow…" breathed Haise. It was so amazing see her work up close like this, like a dream.

"Aw was I doing it again?" Christy stood, looking sheepish. "Talking to myself in bookspeak…sorry you had to see that. So! You know my name. What's yours, oh fan of mine?"

"H-Haise Sasaki."

"Well if you call me Christy, I'll call you Haise. Sound good?"

All he could do was nod.

"So Haise." Christy was scribbling madly in her notebook. "I need a favor."

"If I can have an autograph?" Haise said shyly.

"I'm gonna keep going on this case." Christy pointed to the body. "Could ya keep an eye on me? Like a bodyguard."

"Sure!" Haise said before he could stop himself. "I uh…mean I have to talk to my boss first. I'll call you."

"Right." Christy handed him a card, then she took out a piece of stationary, and signed it.

Haise took it and looked at it, excited. But the words startled him.

"To Ken Kaneki, who will always be my muse. Love Kurisuta Hikawa Watanabe."

He blinked several times, then the words shifted into:

"To Haise Sasaki, who will always be my muse, Love Kurai Hikari."

But what had he seen?