Enjoy this chapter! Just like i did as well!

Chapter 6

It had rained a while ago. Tiny droplets of water stuck on the leaves outside the window. The same droplets came down stuck on the reflected window. The fogginess was reflected in all the windows of the staff room. Outside, the lights were seen just as blurry circles beaming in the background. The lights were partially making the room more agonic of what it was.

Sighing, Ken adjusted himself on the couch, both legs resting on it. He had a blanket covering almost all of his body. His face was so pale, that not even a corpse in its rotten core will compare. His body was as cold as ice cubes that were forgotten in the freezer. He had bags under his eyes that were swollen for crying too much. He didn't want to think anything. He didn't want to feel anything.

Ken was always like this. His mother had always told him that every time a piece of sad news appear on the news. He was so sensitive about it, he took the news very personally. If somebody died, he would feel the agony of the victim on their last breath. If somebody was murdered, he felt the necessity to cry for the family of the victim. He was a sensitive man, what can he say?

The door of the staff room opened, and Yoshimura walks inside. Having a big purple mug, with steaming pouring on the air. He approached Ken and handed the mug of coffee. At last, a chair that was a nearby table, he grabs it and put it in front of Kaneki. He sat down.

This man had an unusual aura surrounding him. If he could describe it, it almost feels like there are many secrets to this old man, but at the same time, he felt if it one day he could tell a secret, he knows this old man would never reveal it to anybody.

"Well… that girl told me what she told you. It is not your fault…"

He shed tears once again. No, it was his fault. That day that he met her for the last time. That night, that he felt so uneasy. He could have done something…. If there could be a way, to let him get back in time and accompany her to her house and change something. But deep down, Ken knew as well he couldn't do anything for her. He barely knew her and yet he felt so attached to her.

"I know it isn't my fault okay? But the last person who saw her alive was me, UGHHHH!"

His tears began pouring on his cheeks as they were sliding through his face and landing on his clothes that were already wet from earlier.

Yoshimura grabs a handkerchief from his pocket and passes it to him. Kaneki grabs it on and wipes his face. Yoshimura smile and pointed on to the window next to them.

"Kaneki" Yoshimura called his name to grab his attention, as Irimi told him how he was called.

"You know sometimes people want to do many things to protect who we loved, but like you know neither of us is perfect. We can't please all of the worlds in one go. You may think you're doing a good thing for somebody but at the same, you're damaging another one by the same "good deed" that you did, just like the rain".

Yoshimura stood up and wipe the fogginess of the window with another handkerchief he grabs from his pants.

"Some people might be offended by me wiping the fogginess of the window, because they wanted their scenario to be blurry of the outside world, and the other half might thank me because I wipe it because I show them, what the real scenario outside this window looks like."

The older man stares at him.

"Just like they are many abandoned pets on the street. Many kids want to take them home and begged their parents to take them. The kids think they are doing a good deed by taking the pet to their home but the parent tells their kids they can't have a pet. The kid would be sad and say "it's unfair". But what do they don't know it's that they can't afford to have a pet. Making good deeds or bad deeds would always have good and bad consequences, Kaneki …"

Yoshimura sat down and patted Kaneki's head.

"Even if you accompany her or knew something about where she lived. You will never know why she disappeared. Because if you think that only because you could accompany could have to change something, then you're having the same thought as many parent's thoughts when their kids go missing. Yes, you can be mad, but you can blame your past actions. What you need to do is move forward and try to think a way to look for her".

It was Friday

Kaneki went with makeup on to his work. To his defense, Kaneki woke up with red eyes and had massive black bags under his eyes. So when his mother saw him, she grabbed the concealer of Miza's makeup bag and put in on him. Not just that, she also put some foundation and powder.

He looks like a ghost.

"¡Oh hello Casper, good morning!" came Irimi's voice as she greeted him when he enters the staff room to change his outfit. Kaneki gritted his teeth and put on his uniform. Koma just stood there holding the door. "Eh, Irimi Kaneki is here? I can't see him". Irimi grabs a bag from her locker and opens it. "Do you want some more powder for your neck?"

Kaneki just sits down in a chair. Even if his thoughts were still unstable, he knew his comrades just wanted to lift his mood up. Even though they were mocking his paleness of today. They were still smiling at him.

It was 7:30 am already, and he needed to put the opening sign on the door. He excuses himself from his coworkers as they complimented his paleness. As he walks to the door, he sees the manager opening the door to a certain familiar group he knew.

"Welcome," said Yoshimura who had the same uniform as Kaneki. The group came in and Banjou and his group pass through the manager. "Hello" Banjou flushed at seeing him and bowed himself. Ken stared at him silently.

"It seems like my presence is not needed here" Yoshimura excuse himself and went to the second floor. "I just wanted to apologize-" but as Banjou was talking, his group came in front of him and inspected Ken. "Hey, is that makeup?" Ichi said. Sante who had his hand resting on his chin tilted him to the side. "Yes, you're right Ichi, he is wearing makeup!" Jiro started jumping beside her brothers.

"Can you teach me, Kaneki Kun?!"

"Oi c'mon guys stop teasing him. He looks very uncomfortable!" Banjou looks down to the floor and sat down on one chair beside the poetry area of the café. "You look way better without makeup Kaneki….."

Ken flushed.

As the morning passed Banjou told him the reason why he was looking for Rize is that she had taken some money he had. Apparently Banjou owns a Loan Store and Rize used to work with him and his group from time to time. So, he was just looking for her so she can pay what she took from him and apparently Banjou assumed she had disappeared because she hasn't shown her face in his store nor the places she frequents.

That actually calm Kaneki a little bit. So she is not missing, or dead. She just disappears for some money she owned. Kaneki asked him, how much she took and it was apparently 2 million yen. Kaneki almost chocked himself, he wanted to pay a little bit of her debt, in a way if he could see her once again. But paying 2 million yen for somebody? Nope. It's better to back away from that.

Banjou left with his group and thanked him for being so polite over his situation. Even despite putting aside the siblings constantly teasing him for wearing makeup that day.

Just after he went into the shop after he grabs his lunch he was greeted by Hide looking at the pictures on the stairway leading to the second floor.

"Well Hello Hide, long time no-"

"You're wearing makeup bro? I didn't knew you were into those things… then again putting a little blush on won't hurt you or is it a new makeup style you're trying on?" Hide slowly approach him while Ken just sighed and rubs his temples.

"Good day to you to Hide!"

Hide stare at Ken's pale face. His neck color didn't match his whitish face. Kaneki thought perhaps Hide would ask him why he was wearing makeup but he didn't want to worry him. Hide stare at him and widen his gaze. He reached for his backpack that he was carrying by his side and open it. He grabs a game box and handed it to him. Ken grab it and got surprised. He looks back at the game and Hide.

-The Shinri Game: Akuma no Kokoroji-

Ken wasn't that person who was really interested in games. He liked rather stick to Hide's side meanwhile he played. But there's was a game he had a particular his eyes on. Ever since he get the information on a Facebook psychological group. Yeah, Ken still uses Facebook. So what? Now putting that aside, he heard this game wasn't that popular because its theme was rather psychological thinking and not many people were that invested in it. So if there was something Kaneki liked it was psychological genre whether it was on books or movies. He consumed those things every day if he had the possibility. So two months ago, he had asked Hide if he knew somebody who had this game. And here it is, resting on hands. His very own psychological-mystery game.

Ken hugged the lights of Hide. "Thank you Hide!" Hide look at him and smiled patting Ken's hair. "Since you don't own a PS4 you know you have to play it on my house" Hide ruffles Ken's hair once again. Ken open the box to look inside. "Aww, of course, Hide!" Kaneki gave a big giant hug to Hide. He rested on his shoulders for a while. Hide as surprised as he was. Just hugged him back. "I really couldn't sleep at all yesterday but you always make my heart stop!" How do you do it?" Ken apart his face to gaze at Hide, whose face was smiling at him. The sunlight that was entering through the window of the café beam Hide's eyes and reveal his beautiful almond-honey eyes. Ken touch Hide's cheeks. "Today is on the house"

"What? It's tomorrow?" Ken almost lost balance while he was cleaning the dusty shelves of the romantic section of the café. Hide viscously gaze at Kaneki's back and right when he saw him, he adverted his gaze back to his phone. He takes a sip of his bubble tea and coughs.

"Y-yeah, her sign event is today around 3 pm is at the Daikanyama T site"

"What Daikanyama Tsutaya Books?! One of the most beautiful bookstore in Japan" Ken almost scream that sentence when three loud –ahem- where heard around the first level. Ken composed himself and blushed. "Anyway, when I get out of my shift! Um... we will go!" Ken was scratching his back.

It was 3 pm, and Ken was never this eager to get out of his shift. After all it was the "Takatsuki Sen" one of his favorite Japanese female writers. He had never gone to one of her signature events before because he was very busy with school. But that doesn't mean, he wasn't a big fan of her.

"Kaneki, don't come tomorrow"

"ehhhhhhh?!" Is he getting fired for the thing he said earlier?

Ken bowed. "I'm sorry, Yoshimura san! I never intended to-"

"Oh no Kaneki san, we are going to close tomorrow because I'm going to make some few remodeling, alright?"

He thought his soul was almost gone and put his hand on his chest. "Manager don't play with me like that". The older man just went away and chuckle to himself.

She was late. Ken thought as they arrived at the bookstore around 3:15 pm. This store was pretty near his workplace. So they didn't walk that much. There was a big line as he supposed. It was Takatsuki Sen after all. The event was going to be held in the "Anjin Library & Lounge" in the second level of the second building of Dainkanyama Tsutaya Books. Where he and Hide were located in the line, they can see perfectly the front desk were the author would be sitting.

Almost five minutes on waiting on the line. Hide excuse himself because he remembers he would be getting some information from someone for his new investigation. Ken was amused and ask him, but Hide still didn't want to reveal any information to him. He told Kaneki, that one day of this he would tell him. Well, fair game. If he can hide those things then he can also hide the existence of Rize, can he?

As Hide was walking down the stairs, he saw a familiar man walking upstairs but this time he wasn't wearing his uniform. He was wearing a black formal suit, red tie, and black shoes. He looks as Ken could describe it. FANCY. ELEGANT. He notices Ken and bowed at him. Apparently Amon was hired to secure the area. Ken nodded and wave him goodbye. Then he realized… if his job was to guard the place… then why isn't he wearing his uniform? That didn't make any sense to him.

A tall raven-haired man, wearing a big black coat enters the stage beside the table with a microphone in hand. "Hello guests, I'm Noro the official manager of Takatsuki sen. The author will arrive shortly please be prepared for the books she will be signing, also if you are bringing her gifts. Please give them to me, I will make sure to give to her. I will be in the back of the table. So with any hesitation, please welcome Takatsuki sen".

Everybody in the line started clapping. But she wasn't anywhere to be found. The man with the microphone started looking to his back. He turns his back to the line. "Ah, she is not here. Where could she be?"

Suddenly the person who was behind Kaneki in the line took their green coat and hat. Ken almost panicked. The person grabs Ken's shoulders and raises their other hand. "It is I, Takatsuki Sen! I AM HERE!" The people in line gasped. Ken heart was racing too fast. The woman, took her things and passed through the crowd and sat in the seat. The man clapped and handed her the microphone. "Hello, my individuals! Thank you for coming! Now then let's begin!"

Everybody clapped. Ken panicked. Why are they clapping?

"Why aren't they bothered that she was earlier here and didn't even bother to announce herself."

"She is like this. I remember last year, she put herself in a box. She made her fans wait for 30 minutes to reveal herself. It's actually a pretty common thing she does in her sign events." A voice from behind him came. He looks to his back and there was not only then Furuta smiling to him.

"Furuta, what?"

"Hello, Kaneki kun!"

"I didn't know you like her?"

Furuta nod and smiled. Ken just sweatdropped. When Furuta is around, he doesn't know how to act. He just accepts that Furuta is a bit weird and moves on with his life. A boy reaches for Furuta's back. "This was my spot man" Ken listen. "Either way Kaneki how's life?" Furuta ignore the boy. "Well, as usual. Work is normal and my family is there too, you?" The angry teenager just put his headphones back and clenched his fist. Ken stared behind Furuta's back. That boy is awfully familiar. "Is normal very normal" Furuta gained Ken's attention, and stare back at him. "I see"

When they were almost five people left for him to get his book signed. The author called the next one, and stare at him. She raised an eyebrow and click her teeth in annoyance.

Eh? That is odd. Is there something odd on him? Why did she stare at him like that? Right when Ken was deep in thought. The author grabs the microphone while she was signing the book. "You know guys? I think I can spoil you what can happen in my next book? Do you want some sneap of it?" The audience cheer on. "It's about a father not caring about their children, and the psychological trauma that can leave to their children" She giggles and puts the microphone aside. Furuta excuses himself and leaves. "Eh, you're going away?" Furuta nods and smiles. "Yes, I remember something I forgot." While Ken, look at the departing figure of Furuta. He almost thinks he saw Furuta mad. Right when he looked back to the person who gains the position of Furuta. He saw the teenager again. He reaches behind his memory. Where he had seen this boy. The boy with two moles under his eye was looking to his cellphone with his purple headphones. Ken gathered his courage and swing his hands in front of him. The boy looks at him. "So you have read all the books?" The kid takes his purple headphones. He chuckles to himself. "Not even a hello. How rude of you". He panics and blushes. The boy stares at him and looks down. "Yes I'm a fan of her, by the way, I believe we didn't even introduce ourselves better my name is Kukie Urie" Ken realizes. Yes! That's right this is the kid that was with his group of friends by the station the other day.

"Yes, my name is Kaneki Ken if you didn't remember it well".

"Umm, the young man I know that you're flirting an all but your turn is next. Leave your "lover boy" to the side and come to me. You came for me".

Ken gasped and flushed. Did the author just humiliate him and Urie in front of all these people? The woman has some nerves.

As Kaneki was existing his rather humiliating first signature event. He is actually considering, putting this author down on the list of favorite authors. He receives a notification post from Facebook.

- 69 people have liked your status -

"Huh?" Kaneki wondered. He hadn't signed in to this profile for almost a month yet along publish a status. He only had it because Hide urges him to do so. He went to that famous status and almost choke himself.

"I like big butts and I cannot lie"

He quickly deleted the status. He was hacked. That's the only explanation. But by who? He question Hide, but Hide rapidly reply he wasn't. He believes Hide because Hide also stopped using Facebook. He was more of a twitter kind of guy. Instantly a message on his inbox came in. He read the profile. "Gamer Girl". He clicked in the profile and there were no photos and their profile picture was from a Nintendo console.

-Why hello there-

-where you the one who put that-

-Yes… now be a good boy and hand me the sega game you got"

How did this person know he had a sega game? Perhaps is a stalker?

-Don't try to tell me you don't have it. Your friend tweeted he was handing it to you.

Oh that you mention it. Hide has a big following on tweeter. He is somebody who has joined in many communities around twitter. Hide had mentioned earlier, his tweet of handing his Sega game to him had received a lot of retweets and apparently he had tagged him on it.

-Now be a good boy and let us meet at the station at 9:00 am. I'll be wearing a big pink coat. If you don't follow my rules. I will be posting more embarrassing things and link your address.

-Okay, I will meet you.

-Okay, now don't tell anybody about this. I will be watching your internet history. Capisci?

-Yes

Now he had a headache. He rubs his fingers. He was humiliated by wearing makeup and by his favorite author by apparently flirting. But on top of that, he was also hacked. God. This day couldn't get more difficult for him. Kaneki rested his head on a table at the Starbucks café they had in the library. He thought to himself and decided just to hand over the game. He thought of giving this case to the police but I bet they will just laugh at him. He grabs his backpack.

¿Ah?

Where is his backpack? He just has the book the author sign. No. Don't tell me he leaves his backpack on his work. He had the game inside his backpack. Now he had to get the backpack. He watches the clock on his phone. It was at 4:30 pm. At least luck is on his side, the shop closes its door at 7:30 pm.

When Kaneki arrives at the café, he was welcome by Koma, who was giving some coffee to some people in the poetry section of the café. He told Koma, that he had left his backpack. Kaneki was given permission to enter the staff room. He just needed to be quiet because the manager had a guest inside his room.

The staff room was really spacious, on their left side they had the locker rooms for the employees. A big square table with chairs in the middle and also a big couch next to the lockers. On the right side, there was a small office for the manager, who had a door with a big window who was closed. Kaneki tried to make the smallest noises to grab his game. He opened the locker and grab his backpack. As he was exiting a big slam on a table was heard on the manager's office.

"Please don't go…"

"Ha, I don't have anything to say to you old man AND by the way, the reason why signing was near is that my stupid editor said my stupid fans were always requesting places in the central area of Tokyo. Is not because I wanted to fucking see you"

"Can you please just forgive me?"

"Ha forgive you? Why would I do that? Why don't you tell that to Mom? Huh, you are the reason why she died of stress! Leaving her behind, when you went around the globe, without any explanation!"

"I send money…"

"Oh yeah, the money that those damn loan sharks always took away every time they came. Because it seemed like somebody needed the money to build a stupid café!"

"Eto, this café was a dream that both of me and your mother dream for a long time ever since we resign from our jobs of being a journalist. So please try to understand that-"

"!No, fuck you!"

The girl exited the door when she saw Kaneki exiting the staff room he turns all white. "I didn't want to hear, I didn't hear anything!" Takatsuki just grabs him, while exiting the staff room. They both exited the café. She still drags him nearby the small parking lot the café had. She took him inside of her car. She sat down next to him since they were on the back of her car.

"I'm Eto that's my real name. I refused to be called my surname. It just makes me remember that old man, so only called me Eto".

Kaneki sighed, he closed his eyes and push himself apart from her. "Um... that's good to know." He didn't know how to act. The girl who was the same girl he admired as an author. It's the manager's daughter. No wonder every time Takatsuki illustrated dads in her stories, she always portrayed them as "abusive" "loners" guys.

"So... Are you going to question my connection to your boss?" Eto smirked and tilted her head to the side. "No" Kaneki firmly stare at her. "It is not my business to learn about my boss's personal life. He has a problem, so does everybody. But you know Eto".

Eto lifted her eyebrow, still looking amused at him.

"Your father once told me, that people aren't perfect and sometimes we make decisions that affect the good and bad side of the world. That we might think we are doing a good thing, but the other party is doing a bad thing. I had never been a father, and never raised a child before but..." He took a deep breath.

"Sometimes parents do things to keep us away from danger and the children don't get that. We just see the present but never see the future. I don't know the details of your family, but please try to listen to the whole story of your father. Because there is no more fool person than somebody trying to act clever with their hands covering their ears."

Eto stares at him and laughs. He gulped and grabs his backpack, and tries to leave the car when Eto grabs him. She pushes herself to Kaneki, she grabs his face. She moves directly to his face. He panics as he tries to get away from Eto's grip. She sticks her tongue and licks his face.

Kaneki with all his might, grab his strength and opened the door. He pushed Eto away and run away. Eto stares at him and touches her tongue.

"Oh yeah, I'm going to touch myself tonight!"

So all the places and games I mentioned in this story are real.
I always try to implement real things and places in my stories. So I hope you enjoy that!
Thank you as well for reading.