Haise didn't believe for a second that a ghoul like the Gourmet was suddenly human. If that was possible the CCG would have told him, would have returned him to humanity.

Or would they?!

He looked at himself in the mirror. Remembering again his power, his strength—something he couldn't quite control. But still, the CCG used him as a weapon.

It was something he wanted to ask Christy. According to her file, she had once been a weapon for the CCG herself. So why did she leave? What could be so important that it stopped her from protecting everyone?

Haise sighed. For now, he would have to be satisfied with the answer to Gourmet's little mystery.

He entered the manor.

Xxx

Christy was having great fun.

She was hanging with her friends, and maybe, just maybe, a certain someone was waking up.

She looked at the book again. Truly a failure of literature. She wondered if Haise had read it. Or if he could even stomach one sentence. She sure couldn't.

She winked at her sister. "How goes it in the world of class and fine dining?"

Rachel laughed. "Deliciously."

The two watched as Tsukiyama greeted Haise and took him into his library.

They clinked glasses.

Xxx

"I do hope you enjoy my party." Gourmet signed Rachel's book with a flourish, handing it to Haise. "You know, as a fellow Ghoul."

Haise blinked at him. Why was he admitting it so freely? Was this a trick?

"Don't go spinning out on me now, dear Kaneki." Gourmet smiled. That name again. Why? "I had her write this book for you. I thought you'd laugh when you read it. We wrote it horribly on purpose. It's…a kind of literary joke, don't you think?"

"Books aren't jokes." Haise said lamely.

"Don't be like that." Gourmet smiled at him. "I did find it difficult to convince Kuri—sorry, Christy—that I was a changed man." He leaned closer. "Because come on, with her delicious sister there, it was all I could do not to drool uncontrollably." He smiled again. "But…you know, don't you? What it's like when there's someone you cant take your eye off of?"

Gourmet gave him a long, longing look.

"You're going to eat Christy's sister…" Haise breathed.

Gourmet gave him a predatory smile. "And you can't stop me."

"I'll just tell them!"

Back in his face, Gourmet smiled. "Who are they going to believe, the victim…" he sliced into himself with his kagune. "Or the attacker." He screamed.

Everyone ran into the room.

"Stay away from me Haise! I cannot believe you would be so crass as to attack a man in his own home?!"

Haise took a step back, shocked. "I-I didn't…"

But the blood was somehow on his hands, making him doubt even himself.

"I don't under…"

The last thing he remembered was falling into Christy's arms.