Chapter 25 - The Date

It was the day. The long-awaited day.

When he finishes his shift, he rushes to his house to choose an outfit.

Let's be honest here, he had gone on dates with several people by now, but Takeomi was the first one who had the decency to ask for one. Of course, he deeply knows that this is just an informal way of asking for help.

At first, when Takeomi asked him out, he wanted to reject him, but soon after, Takeomi stated he knew this date wouldn't go anywhere. So, at least he could try was the last chance he could get with him.

When he heard that, he didn't have the heart to reject him. If it was him in the position of Takeomi, and Arima had told him that. His spirit will break into a million pieces. Honestly, teenagers nowadays are getting wiser and stronger in more ways than when he was in high school.

But even knowing that, Why does his heartbeat beat fast? Why is he getting nervous all of a sudden? Is it perhaps that maybe he deep down knows he needs to act more severe in the way he handles his love life or just rather than someone for the very first time, ask for his permission to love him?

All those blissful thoughts were plastered on his mind. As he arrives at his house, he greets all the people he encounters in his way. He meditates for a while on what to choose for the date he will have. After a bit, he decides on a black jacket with a formal beige shirt tucked inside, accompanied by some black jeans.

He walks down the stairs, touching his back and his front pockets, making sure he got everything in him. As he stepped down, he didn't even notice a flashing light coming from his right eye. He stops midway in the staircase and closes his right eye. He o, and he is immediately and looks where the flashing light comes from.

His mother was at the right end of the stairs, having her cellphone in front of her eyes. While she notices Kaneki is looking at her. She takes her cellphone out of her face and smiles at him. Hiroko puts a hand over her chest and says, "¡Oh my, how handsome!"

His gaze lowers down. He hides his face with a hand as he walks down to the first floor. He scratches the back of his neck. He moves his gaze to look at his mother and says, "Do you think this jacket compliments the outfit? Please be honest."

Hiroko tilts her head to the side while putting a hand under her chin and the other on the hips. Her eyes scan the whole outfit of her son. "Hmm…"

"So, it does look horrible...", Kaneki says.

"Why are you saying that? You look good." an upcoming voice to their right side came from. Both of them turn their gazes to look at Miza, who is coming with a glass of water. Miza smiles at Hiroko and says, "And you." Miza turns her gaze to look at Kaneki. He tenses his body while he looks at her. "Yes..?"

Here it comes. He can feel the monologue incoming from Miza. Right now, he knows that Miza will give him a big speech about not being confident enough, and he needs to love himself more and whatnot. I mean, he knows that he needs to be more confident in himself. Even Shachi tells him that. But even despite knowing that, he knows that there are days that he doesn't feel good about himself.

"Here, drink this water" Miza hands him a bottle of water. He flinched the moment the glass of water was approaching his face. He looks down, raising one eyebrow in Miza's direction. "Miza….?" he says.

"Huh… what?" Miza looks in between Hiroko and him. "Now, I can't offer you water?"

"Oh no, isn't that… it's just that... it was so out of the blue…". Kaneki says as he looks at Miza. Hiroko nods. She moves her head to the side, to look at Miza. "Yes, that was so out of the blue, Miza chan. I really thought you were going to lecture him., Hiroko says.

Kaneki nods in Miza's direction. "Well… ughh, just drink it.", Miza says. Kaneki shrugs his shoulders and proceeds to drink the water. Miza stares at him while he drinks the water. Kaneki raises an eyebrow at the worried gaze she gave him. Even though it worries him, the sudden action of Miza, he didn't want to draw attention to it and make his mother worried. So, he chose to let it slide.

When he is working his way to the front door, by putting his shoes on the genkan., Hiroko and Miza follow behind him. While he is turns the doorknob from his front door, he hears some giggles behind him. He turns his face slightly to face them.

"Please make sure to bring the details."

He rapidly turns his head and shut the door. Making both Miza and Hiroko startle at the rapid movements of Kaneki. They look at each other, with their eyes wide open, both of them slightly open. Miza's face was slowly turning into a frown. While the door clicks open and Kaneki's head picks over the tiny opening of the door. Both of the girls look in front of them again.

Kaneki's face was looking at his mother, pouting. "..." He looks down. "I'm sorry. It's just, you know, how much I hate being teased…." Hiroko shakes her head and quickly smiles. "It's okay son, I will see you later."

Kaneki walks down the destined location that Takeomi had chosen for the both of them to meet for the date. While he glances at his phone to check the messages, he has with Takeomi. He nods to himself while he scrolls up and down on his phone. He puts his cellphone away in his jacket's pocket while glancing up.

He spots Takeomi.

Oh no….

He spotted Takeomi.

Oh no….

He now regrets glancing up and searching for Takeomi's figure.

'Why of all the things he could wear to a date, and he chose to wear that….?' He thinks to himself. While he approaches Takeomi. Takeomi is in a full black tuxedo, hair tuck to the back, his left arm stands still beside his leg, and his right arm carrying a big bouquet.

He approaches Takeomi, with his heart sunken every second, he walks towards him.

"Takeomi kun, Hello."

Takeomi turns to faze him, and his eyes lit up, his mouth slowly turning into a small smile. Takeomi's cheeks were turning a little red while they stares at each other. Takeomi shakes his head and coughs a little. He bends down to greet him.

While he does the same, as to greet him.

"Kaneki san, nice seeing you. You look beautiful."

He almost had a mini panic attack right there.

This boy…

"You, also…" He says, "You also look handsome…." While he adjusts himself and properly looks at Takeomi.

"Thank you…" Takeomi says while he hands over the bouquet and hands it to him."For you." He smiles towards him and bows. He taps his shoes quickly. "Why are you doing that, Kaneki san'" Takeomi says, as he points at his shoes. "I'm so sorry, Takeomi, that I didn't bring you anything.."

"No need for that, your presence it. Yours a gift to me.…"

He lowers his head and raises his eyebrows.

This kid itself is going to kill me.

While his face was drop-down, he fixates to look at the bouquet. He notices that the bouquet had three circles of different colors of Camellia. The right-center had red Camellia, the middle one had yellow Camellia, and the last one had Yellow Camellia.

"Long-awaited love…." He looks up at Takeomi, who is looking directly at him. "That's what my love represents for you…" Takeomi. says while he has a firm and straight smile at him.

In the view of the distance of the park that's in front of a beautiful fancy outdoor restaurant. Some people were sitting down on the benches that face the restaurant and central park. They all wear big brown capes, alongside wearing a brown deerstalker and some newspaper hiding all of their faces.

One of them takes the newspaper out of their face, takes some binoculars, and puts it in their face. "Takeomi kun looks so handsome…". Saiko says.

Higemaru, who is beside her, puts away the newspaper and takes out his binoculars. He stares to the front and sighs. "They both look so good…"

Besides Higemaru, Mutsuki and Aura are violently shaking, their faces turning red with each second that passes by. While Shirazu was quietly reading the newspaper, unfazed about the current events happening in front of him. Shirazu is holding the rope tied to Mutsuki and Aura on the bench.

Both Takeomi and Kaneki were walking on the far left side of the park. The Squinx squad never missed a step. They both did. Ching Li is sitting on the opposite side of Saiko. She takes her eyes away from the front of her and looks to both of her sides. "Where's Kukie?" she quietly mutters. They are gathering the attention to stop looking to their front and look directly at her.

They all look to their sides, eyes wandering in all places their eyes can reach in the park.

"Gahh!" Higemaru exclaimed.

Everybody startles themselves by the sudden loud but calm voice of Higemaru. Higemaru points a finger in front of them. Their eyes follow the direction where Higemaru is pointing to. They all startle to see Takeomi and Kaneki approaching them. They all quickly took their newspaper and put it in front of them.

When Takeomi and Kaneki walk in front of them, both of them do not notice their presence. Just a raised eyebrow from Kaneki when he sees two figures sitting with a newspaper plaster in their face. But luckily for them, Kaneki continue talking and walking beside Takeomi. They all sighed when both of them are a little far away from them.

Of course, that sigh felt short. When all of them see a middle green bush following, both Takeomi and Kaneki. They all had their mouths open, eyes opening a little bit, still processing what was going on in front of them.

After a while the bush move again, some legs pop out, and some black pants, alongside some black shoes that are still following their very own target.

They all turn their faces to look at each other and all wonder, 'Of all of them, the one who looks the sanest in their group. Why did he turn out as the most idiotic of all of them?'

Kaneki looks at the table in front of him and gulps.

All that he sees screams fancy to the extreme. On the left side of him, there's a tiny spoon, right beside it, a medium knife that has some curve in the middle. Right beside it, there is a regular size knife. On the right side of him, they are three forks. On the right upper corner, there's a mini plate with a bit of a knife on it. In the top middle part of the table, there's another fork going to the left and a spoon facing the right. In the left upper corner, there are two oval crystal glasses.

He starts to shake while his eyes wander through all the things he has in front of him. Takeomi took a note of his odd behavior. "Do not worry, Kaneki san."

He looks at Takeomi, still feeling overwhelmed.

"I will teach you how to use all of this." Takeomi nods at him.

"Well… if you put it like that… thanks."

"After all, my family frequents this restaurant each Sunday."

He almost chokes in his saliva. "Your family, what?" he says, lowering his voice, causing the people around him to look at them. He notices this and lowers his head.

Takeomi nods at him. "Yes, indeed. My father knows the owner of this place. I heard from my dear mother. That they went to school together."

Kaneki didn't know what to say or what to do. He just lowers his face in defeat and mutters," What are the odds, ha?" He tiredly laughs.

Takeomi unfazed by his actions, just nods at his directions. "Yes, indeed."

He was speechless, to say the least. He thought that whole evening would be an awkward mess since Takeomi is quite stoic.

But he was wrong. Takeomi took the awkward situation and started making some good conversations with him. He even tried to lighten the mood with some jokes. They were terrible jokes. But at least he tried. He appreciates it.

While they are eating and talking., he begins to notice that on the far left side corner, there's a medium bush.

'Was that bush not in the central part of the park?', he thinks to himself.

While Takeomi is talking to him about his school and classmates, he took the opportunity to glance at the bush o time. He almost chokes in his water when he sees the bush going down, while with its body hides some black leather shoes.

Of course, Takeomi took the sudden emotion that he had. He follows his gaze and turns his head to his back. "What happens? Is someone following us?" That's the son of policemen for you. if he ever has any doubt about it.' He thinks to himself.

At the moment, he receives a notification sound from his cellphone. Takeomi looks back at him with the same stoic expression he has. He looks at Takeomi, and Takeomi looks back at him, and Takeomi nods at him. He awkwardly smiles at him and proceeds to check his cellphone.

'A text from Saiko,' he thinks.

This can't be good. If the content of this message is what he is thinking is better if he doesn't alarm, Takeomi with his expressions. He takes a deep breath and quickly opens it.

He regrets it.

KAN KAN, Kukie kun is going nuts… I'M SORRY! ｡ﾟヽ(ﾟ´Д｀)ﾉﾟ｡

He smiles to himself, closes his cellphone, and puts it away.

"Is everything okay? You seem to flinch when reading the message?", Takeomi says.

He touches his chin, closes his eyes, and smiles at Takeomi. "No, it's just a message from my mother telling me to enjoy my lunch."

"I see." Takeomi looks in front of him, figuring out something. His gaze looks to him again. "I don't know if it's wrong of myself telling you this, but may I ask why did you flinch?"

He continues smiling, rubbing a finger under his chin. With his free hand, he waves in Takeomi's direction. "Don't worry, Takeomi kun. Everything is fine. It is just I didn't expect any. Itmany unread messages."

Takeomi moves his index finger up and shakes it. "That's what Saiko chan said to me. That you barely respond to the messages.

Hahaha," he laughs, taking his hand from his chin and placing it in his legs. "Well…." he says and puts one hand over his head. "I'm more of face to face person. My best friend says that sometimes I behave like an old man."

"Nonsense, you're fine as you are."

"Takeomi, you're such a wonderful person."

"Tch…." a new and unfamiliar voice says. They both flinch. Takeomi turns his head to the back, and his eyes wandered his backside.

He grabs Takeomi's shoulders. Takeomi returns to his usual posture and looks back at him. "Hey Takeomi, didn't you mention, you wanted to be a police officer, like your dad, right?"

Takeomi flinches, and his eyes wander to his left and right side. His confuse expression walks in his face but to a stoic one. Takeomi nods and says. "Yes indeed, but not in the same way."

"Fukcing pretentious bastard." The same voice behind Takeomi says.

"I apologize if I sound rude, but I think I hear Kukie's voice just now. Do you hear it as well?"

"What voice? I didn't hear anything…."

Takeomi's eyes widen a little while he hears his statement. He shakes his head, looks at the table, and sighs. ''I'm sorry, or that…."

".It's okay. Continue what you were saying earlier."

Takeomi nods and adjusts his tuxedo jacket, and looks directly at him. "Like I was saying. In a way, I believe that people choose their path."

"Hmm..", he says.

"For example, when you decide to be something is because some had influenced you, right?"

He nods in Takeomi's direction.

"I told myself many times that the reason why I wanted to become a police officer for the matter was because of my father. But now, I feel like it was for a pleasant life. Like, dating a man, I never knew I could do this since I saw my mother and father. And for many times, I thought to myself that was the norm…."

He continues to look at Takeomi.

"But it seems that was just what I was seeing, but that doesn't mean that's the norm. So, when I tried to ask you out, Kaneki san. I wanted to know if this lifestyle is for me. But it seems like I also want to date girls… but I also like the company of men like you…."

"Bisexual," the bush's voice says, soon after scoffing.

"What…." Takeomi says while he turns his head to the side.

"Bisexual is a person who is attracted to more than one gender, Takeomi san. But let's not worry about that right now. Continue."

"I see. I need to do some extensive research on that. Either way, continuing on the main issue I told you… I believe all my life that I needed to do something but someone convinces me otherwise…."

"That's great, Takeomi! You don't need to be what your parents want you to be."

"Is not that. I think you got it wrong…."

"Oh…."

"I want to be a police officer like my dad, but not in the same way as him."

He raises his eyebrow and lowers his head while looking at him.

"It's more I want to be that, just for myself. I don't want to please or remember anyone, just myself. It sounds selfish, but I want to do that. You know, recently I have been going with a friend who wants to beat me."

His eyes wander to the side, and he quickly looks at Takeomi while raising one eyebrow.

"I'm fully dedicated at what am I. But whenever I tell him, he needs to do it for himself, he gets angry… At first, I didn't get why he was angry but then Itou san reminded me, that some people's objectives in life are to surpass people, and that's fine, as long as you take care of yourself and don't do it in a harmful way. That's a reason why I admire Kukie."

"Huh," the bush's voice says.

Takeomi shakes his head and quickly glances at his back. He returns his glance to look at him.

"He just doesn't want to be an investigator, but he also wants to defeat me. I don't have more objectives than my career. I feel bad." Takeomi's expression turns into a heavyweight gaze".

He glances at Takeomi and puts a hand over Takeomi's shoulder.

"It's okay that you feel bad. Just look at me ,Takeomi, I'm a grown adult who doesn't know what to study. Right now I'm just working in the coffee shop, and that's just that".

"I'm sorry if I'm rude towards you, but didn't you stated you are working for your mother's sake?"

"Yes, but my mother told me I didn't have to."

"Yes, but that was your decision. Your mother didn't tell you to do it."

"Well, yes, you're right about that."

"That's what I'm referring to. Doing things just because you wanted to do it. Doing things from your own heart, not for anyone."

"How do you come to that conclusion?"

"A friend of my father told me he wanted to be a singer. He loved the carefree lifestyle he saw some of the singers he watched, But then he also realized how much life changed the perspective he used to see. He changed his mind. In his heart, he thought he had changed his career just because of his family, but then he realized that even though his family changed this career. He made his heart like the profession he chose, not because of his family or his environment, but because he wanted to help the same people, just like him."

Takeomi nods. While looking at the table, he smiles to himself and says. "Arima san sure is a great person. I look up to him."

He flinches and raises both of his eyebrows to look at him. "You know him?"

"Why are you acting so surprised? I thought you knew I was talking about him." Takeomi

"Well…. " He trails his gaze wandering on the table and looks in Takeomi's direction again. "Of all the people we both knew. I will never have guessed it was Arima."

"That's true. Then my theory is correct. He does talk these things with you."

"Why do you think that?"

"Arima has mentioned how sometimes he sees himself in yourself."

"He does…?"

"You didn't know?"

"No… I didn't…."

"That's surprising…."

"Well…" He looks down and rubs his hands together under the table. "if you say so, Takeomi."

As soon as he finished that line, the bush behind them rose from the ground. He jumps from his seat and widens his gaze. Takeomi flinches and quickly looks back. His eyes get a bit more prominent. He sees a big bush, arms, and legs sticking from the bush costume.

The bush stood there, in front of them. People around them begin to notice the commotion behind them. They look their way, some of them gasp and wonder, 'what's going on…?'

The bush just gave them cough and walk away. The bush jumps from the fence that the restaurant has to walk away from them.

While the bush is walking away, someone exclaimed, "What was that?"

Takeomi returns to look at him, his eyes wandering a little bit. It seems he was processing what had just happened in front of him, but soon after, he shakes his head and grabs the cut of steak he has left in his fork. "Anyway, this steak is good." Takeomi grabs a bite of the cut steak he had and swallows. Takeomi looks back at him. "Don't you agree, Kaneki San?"

He still had his eyes widen with the sudden actions and events that just had happened between seconds before him.

The Squinx squad was now behind some benches in front of the restaurant. Some of them were on their knees looking through the binoculars. Some of them just lay on the grass. Saiko is laying in the grass, playing with Mutsuki's hair, still tied down. Notices how Ching Li raises one eyebrow. Ching Li and Higemaru both look down at their other friends and wave their hands towards them. Saiko widens her eyes and quickly gets up to see what is happening. Shirazu did the same, leaving Mutsuki and Aura on the ground. Both now were struggling to get back up.

Now in their direction, the bush in front of Takeomi and Kaneki is walking towards them. Saiko manages to stand up and opens both of her arms in the order of the bush. The bush with legs and arms sticking out walks to the side, avoiding Saiko completely.

Saiko gasped, while the other just snicker. Saiko taps her shoes and runs towards the bush. She hugs the bush from the back. The bush, in response, is struggling to leave Saiko's grasp. Shirazu walks to them and takes the hat from the person. The person in question took away the mask with leaves glued to it.

"Had fun stalking him?" Shirazu says.

"You are dense man, kukie senpai," Ching Li says.

"All of you shut up!" Kukie shouts.

"In all honesty. I didn't know that Takeomi admired you, Kukie senpai." Higemaru says.

"I think neither Kukie knew about this…." Shirazu says.

They stood quiet for a moment.

"So…" Saiki says. Everybody looks at her.

"Where are you stalking Takeomi or Kan Kan?"

All of the group starts nodding except for Kukie. Eyes wandering around. Wondering the same thing Saiko said. In unison, they all look at him.

Kukie stood there, quietly looking at them.

"Are you going to kiss Takeomi, now?" Saiko says while she winks in Kukie's direction.

Some of them try to snicker or hide their laughs. Kukie stood quiet. He closes his eyes for a moment. The others just stay there wondering, 'what will happen.'

At that exact moment, Kukie opens his eyes and glares in Saiko's direction. Saiko took the opportunity to run. Kukie chase after her, while the other just stood there in shock. Ching Li quickly shakes her head and runs after Saiko.

At the end of the supposedly 'date.' Takeomi thank him for spending his lunch and evening with him. So, as he promised, he gave him the UV lights in a box.

He thought that Takeomi will give him some used UV lights. He did not expect new's ones, presented in a beautiful arrangement, with some box of chocolates.

Takeomi even took the opportunity to buy two plates of food for both his mother and Miza.

Even when he stated he didn't have to. Takeomi just shook his head and said, "I always want to give the best impression towards the family of my crushes."

He was amazed….

Perplexed, to say the least.

That from his mouth escaped. "Your future partner will be so lucky…."

And he thought that would be the end of it. But this boy amazed him again and replied to him.

"Whenever I'm with a person. I consider the lucky person is me. Especially since the people I fell in love with are the kindest person, I will ever meet."

When he woke up the next day, he quickly got up and shut down the curtains of his room. He went to the box hidden in his closet and took the UV lights, and turned them on. He proceeded to light up the window, and to his shock, he found some hands-on his window frame.

He gulps, but even when his heart is beating fast. He proceeds to shine his room with the unique lights. Some footprints are leading to his bed.

He started feeling anxious. The repulsion inside him is beginning to kick on his stomach. He wants to vomit so bad. The fact that the person came inside his room and watch him sleep. It is odd, so horrendous. He felt so helpless. He wants to cry, but soon he shakes his head, and even with fear on his mind, he proceeds to continue the investigation of his room because it is better to know and fear the unknown than to pretend that the mystery doesn't exist.

He shines the light on the floor leading to other parts of his room. The UV lights reveal the footprints are in his closet and his bathroom.

He goes to disconnect the UV lights and puts them in his bed.

His body shivers, but he quickly slaps himself in both of his cheeks.

Okay, it's decided.

He is going to buy a camera for protection purposes.

Note:

Hello there, I'm back. I know I took some time to come back. It's almost the end of the year, but hey, at least I'm continuing it. Don't worry. I will continue this beautiful story.

I'm in a better place, mentally.

The striking red camellia (Tsubaki) historically symbolized a noble death among Japanese warriors and samurai. It also represents love. A white camellia means waiting, while yellow camellia conveys longing.2