Chapter 12: Inch…

"But I still find solace

When you say

That you know how I feel

When it's wrong

And we ain't been right for years"

-"Circles" by EDEN

"Ayato, this was not what I meant when I said I wanted to see Onee-chan and her daughter," Hinami complained as she and Ayato were on top of a building. "I figured we would just go in there and talk like normal people do."

"You know very well that when it comes to me and my sister, we do not just talk," Ayato said with a hint of backlash. "If we talk, it will go to yelling. If we yell, then it will lead to fighting. And I should believe that my stupid sister does not want her 'human' life disrupted."

"But coming over at night to spy on them is not a good alternative either," Hinami acknowledged fiercely despite the time being almost midnight.

"Hey, I at least offered a chance for you," Ayato stated. It was dark, but he was sure that Hinami could see him bringing a finger up to her. "Either it's this or we go back."

Hinami tusked at Ayato's attempt at being demanding to her. Ayato didn't mean to be, but he knew that she didn't take it seriously. He would never try to pressure her too much. Even whenever they were together in their missions with Aogiri, he always made sure his frequent remarks to the other members was tender with Hinami. The only ones who noticed the hushed demands were Miyabi and Rishou. Then again, he could guess that Hinami could also sense a tension in his voice. Not like that was surprising.

It had been a month ever since Ayato and Hinami found out about Touka and her daughter. It still hadn't gotten to his mind that his sister was not just a mother, but that he was an uncle. Hinami could easily accept it, of course, as it was the only thing she could talk about with Ayato every time they were alone. It was all repetitive yet expected with how Hinami approached the topic. How excited to see that Touka had a daughter, how she really wanted to see her, how she wondered what kind of person her daughter was.

It made Ayato glad that she was able to think positive on that fact, especially considering that they were with Aogiri, one of the many reasons of destruction in Tokyo. [2] They recently had to be spies during a Ghoul Auction, to which that event was disrupted due to the doves. Despite that happening, he and Hinami both made it out okay with only a few bruises and Hinami only had Touka and her daughter on her mind. It really did relieve him that she still had some sort of alleviation as a feeling.

Especially when he didn't feel anything.

While Hinami was busy dotting and daydreaming about Touka and her daughter, Ayato was being hesitant about it. He didn't even know what he would do or say if he were to come face to face with his sister again. It had been four years for crying out loud! Keeping that long of a dysfunctional relationship must be a new record. Sometimes he would think about the other members' relationships, like Miyabi and her father or Rishou and his girlfriend, to see some comparisons. Then again there were two things wrong with that. One: that's their business. And two: comparing and contrasting would make him that much of a coward.

What is a coward?

Now, that's something that he couldn't answer. Not to mention, let him think if he was one.

After a month, ultimately, he finally agreed to let them both go to Touka's cafe to visit the two. Despite that, he didn't want to talk to Touka just yet. Even so, he did want to see his niece, face to face. One look at the brat's face wouldn't trigger him at all, so long as it wasn't his sister's. Hinami, however, did not appreciate Ayato's loophole for visiting. Even so, he knew that she wouldn't deny it since they were already there.

For it being the city of Tokyo, the environment should be brimming with lights. However, the 16th ward did not have much to offer. The ward was as quiet as the 20th ward, as far as he could remember. There weren't even that many street lights on (even the light of the moon wasn't helping him), not even letting Ayato see if there were any [3] wanderers. Because of the lack of human and ghoul life combined together, the 16th ward was almost dull.

While it was inessential, Ayato and Hinami were able to find the cafe :re in just a span amount of time. Even if it was not meant as a regular way of life for either a human or ghoul, being in Aogiri Tree did manage to keep those two prepared for certain situations in any variety.

"I really hope this is the right place," Hinami said warily as she looked over the edge of the building.

"It has to be, Hinami," Ayato assured callously. "All the research shouldn't go down for nothing for just trying to find the place."

Hinami curved her lips to the side. "Such big talk for somebody who is not offering to see his sister face to face."

Ayato clenched his fists, realizing that Hinami was not going to let this go.

"I told you things are different," he explained, practically shouting, making Hinami look back at him. "Can't you understand that?"

Hinami frowned, making Ayato feel weird. And almost regretful. He knew that he was not making a good decision towards the situation. "I do understand, Ayato. But sometimes, different can be boring once in awhile."

"Then what do you think I'm doing here?" Ayato huffed, stubbornness reaching at its finest. "It's already out of my area that I'm doing something like this. It's like I'm completely exposed."

"What are you talking about?" Hinami said in a hushed yet assuring tone. "From what I've heard from you these past years, wasn't this normal for you back when you were protecting Onee-chan?"

Ayato didn't say anything. He was too busy having a impingement of memories inside his head. Thoughts about all the times he had of Touka were almost depressing to look back on, considering the fact that he also wasn't there for most of them. Stubbornness was all part of his whist and deficient ego. He never had the chance or strength to be able to talk to her over at Anteiku, always looking from the sidelines. Even if he did come face to face with her, he couldn't even be honest, physically, verbally and mentally. All of the words he wanted to say were washed away with every attack he made against her. And now the wrong words were the ones making it said and done, creating too much of a strain.

Ayato shook his head, mooning over the past, before he walked closer to the edge, not even looking back at Hinami to give her a reply. [4] He could see two balconies, not that far down from the roof. The railings stook out with a good amount of ground for at least one person. They were not that far apart, so it would be easy to see change positions.

"Let's just get this over with," Ayato mumbled, almost stammering. He could sense Hinami wanting to say something else, but he quickly jumped over the edge.

Ayato landed on the railings, thankful that not that much sound came from its steel material. It did leave an impression aurally as he saw a figure in bed through the sliding glass doors moving slightly. He panicked for a second, but kept still as the figure went back to sleep.

Silence forbids you from using your tongue, Ayato reminded himself.

Ayato breathed in the cold, spring air as he clenched the rail. Using it as a support, he carefully placed his feet against the ground, letting his fingers slowly release the bars. His arms went back by his side, but he didn't have any need to go closer. Not yet. He was pacing himself in every way he could. It was not the right time for him to think too much on this task, but he did it anyway.

Finally, he took two quick strides towards the door. Each one had a creak that only made the nearby moths fly away, promising him a curve of his lip as a way of knowing that it wasn't enough to wake up the being.

For some reason, he wanted the person sleeping to be his sister. He wanted to see if she really did change based on what he had seen in the picture Torso took. Maybe he might actually see how much of a person she became. It might have been necessary, of course, since she had been a mother. He didn't know how exactly one would have to do in order to understand that kind of role, but then again, it's not his business. Even so, he wanted to see how much it changed her exactly.

Ayato stopped walking once he reached the doors. The cold air bounced back at him as his nose was near the glass, but that wasn't effective for him to have difficulty to see who was sleeping peacefully in bed.

And immediately, Ayato froze as he realized that he had come across Touka's daughter.

One month ago, Ayato wouldn't dare look upon any child, human or ghoul, that would not bring him some worth. Unlike Hinami, he was always the stoic type. But when he came upon the picture of Touka's daughter, not any emotion of his could even relate to what he had felt: shock. Enough shock that would almost make anyone around him go into a stupor. He tried so hard in forgetting that, but right now, it had all come back to him.

Ayato's hands went against the glass doors, his gloves protecting him from the extra frostbite, and his forehead was only an inch away from copying his hands' gesture. He was shivering, the sight of the child not even offering a single change of maintaining composure. He wasn't sure if Hinami was watching him, but he didn't even care about being watched. All he cared about was making sure he was the one who was watching.

Despite his almost-frigid stance, Ayato was able to pay attention to the close detail of the child. Her covers only hides up to her waist, letting her face be presented up front to the door. Her black hair was tied back into a loose braid and rested on her shoulder, already having loose strands coming from it. The moonlight and various streetlights were enough for him to see her round face. She may have the face of a child but she did indeed gain some looks from her mother. Of course, Ayato would know that. He had grown up with his older sister; it would be absolutely stupid of him to not remember what she looked liked as a child.

A face like that could take him back into his naive yet peaceful memories as a child easily.

Ayato felt the ground shake, but did not even bother to turn around. It was obvious that the reason for that noise was because of Hinami, making small steps toward him. It was a silent and quick approach, as he did not hear anything else afterwards that could be coherent in words. It was only the lull of the night to make up for what he could try and make up her reaction.

"Is that her?" Hinami finally asked, her voice not loud enough to match the sudden breeze.

"Mmm," Ayato muttered, his tilted head being the only way to count as a nod. It transitioned to a side glance, studying Hinami's glance towards the child. Compared to his own reaction, she looked much more pastoral. Not shocked, not appalled; pastoral. Her eyes were unwavering as she looked through the looking glass like Alice. Her forehead was pressed against the glass, starting to make Ayato wonder if she wanted to break it. Break it, as a way to let her have much ease to look at the child without a chance to ever be tainted again.

"She's beautiful," Hinami murmured and Ayato could've sworn that he saw her shudder. Not knowing what else to say, he looked back at the child.

A cold sensation started to seep into his skin, making him twitch briskly. He didn't know if he was numb from the external air or from the fact that he was still staring at his sister's child. It did not matter to him. Even when he should be concerned that this might be the most fixated and open he had ever been with his feelings, there was no point in thinking too hard about his actions. He was drawn to her; there's nothing more to say about that.

Yet at the same time, it shouted out everything that he didn't want to be heard.

Ayato's raised shoulders fell. The tensity transitioned to his hands as they curled into fists, trembling from the realization of what he was doing. It's not like he didn't know about his and Hinami's actions. It's the fact that he had almost forgot his limits for being here.

Shaking his head, Ayato took a hand away from the glass and placed it on Hinami's shoulder. Her head turning was quick, but she looked up at him with concern.

"We should head back," Ayato breathed a sigh, making Hinami raise an eyebrow with bemusement.

"But we just got here," Hinami tried to argue, her fingers scrunching up against the glass meanwhile.

"And that's enough for me," Ayato said, authoritative but calm. "I already told you that I wanted to see the kid, nothing more or less. We can go now."

Hinami's body grew tense as she then slipped her hands off the glass. Her eyes flicked at him, not far to being similar in concern. It could be somewhere in the line of frustration if Ayato were to guess, something that rarely ever occured with her. It almost scared him for a bit.

"Ayato," she began, "you don't know if this may be the only chance we can get to properly see her. Don't you want to try and not rush things for once?"

"Don't try and change my mind," Ayato scoffed. "I already told you. I have my limits, and there's no need for me to try and extend them. There's no point."

"You're still willing to stick with your little quirks, even when you know you shouldn't be?" Hinami had her head leaned closer to Ayato. Her lips were shaking from the cold and her eyes had an competent spiral of irritation. She tried to keep a front, Ayato knew this, an act that she has been trying so hard to keep up with ever since she joined Aogiri Tree. Then again, he didn't know if she was serious right now with her defense.

"So what if I still have my quirks?" He simply said, not knowing if that counted as an answer. "It's what kept me alive all this time. So what if I can't let it go?"

"Because you don't know what kind of actions you could do once you have the chance." Hinami had her voice rising.

"I am not having this fucking conversation with you tonight, Hinami," Ayato said nastily. He could feel the volume rising in his throat. It felt like his throat was a chimney, alit from a warm fire. "All I want to do is just go back home and forget this all happened."

Hinami grumbled, her eyebrows growing with irritation. "So that's what you're treating this now? Like some sort of event that you want to forget ever happened?"

"I know this happened. But I already told you this. This is just all a part of Touka's life now, and you and I know all too well that I don't do well in being a part of that lifestyle."

"You're talking as if we are actually going to talk to Onee-chan." Hinami crossed her arms. "Which I bet wouldn't even cause that much of a struggle if you would have agreed to go along with it."

Ayato tusked with anger, and he looked at Hinami's riled face, not even wondering if that was the highest it could go. Or if it could be the same as his own, currently.

"How many times do I have to fucking say this?!" Ayato spat. "I do not deserve to be in any part of this world! I'm fine with getting glimpses of shit like this, but thinking of overpassing it is where I draw the line, goddammit! I don't care if you think that I'm being fucking stubborn with my decisions, then you really don't understand me at all! Just why...Why are you trying so goddamn hard to make me think about stupid decisions, especially when it's involving a stupid, little-"

Quick taps.

It was a quiet sound. Quiet to hear when glass is breaking; when a writer is pacing herself as she taps her laptop at night from writer's block; when someone is walking alone at night after a long day at their job; when a leaking sink drops water and that is what is heard against the silver surrounding. Those were things that were never, not even in the least, observed by anyone. It imprints on their hearts, a rule that should never be broken.

Ayato, nevertheless, broke that rule easily as it made him stop. Hinami didn't even ask why he stopped, copying his wide eyes and strained ears. Her ears were much more vigorous than Ayato's, making him worry about her and what he had said to her. Almost. Concerning about Hinami was his second worried thought. The first was just too much for him to ignore, as he knew that there was no denying it.

Slowly, he and Hinami turned away from each other before quickly snapping themselves into a frozen state towards the glass door.

Towards the small silhouette of Touka's daughter looking at them.

Ayato cursed himself yet again when he saw the little toddler just beyond reach. He knew that suddenly losing his composure in tone like that would cause something. Anything involving his temper would never go unnoticed. Especially when one of the people experiencing that was a small child. They were more prone to noise than any ghoul with a stark sense of hearing. Before he was well known to the code of Aogiri Tree, hasty mistakes were done by his hands where children were current. It was a reminder, really, to show him what it meant if he made the wrong move.

It didn't scare him, back then. It did now.

Ayato wanted to make a quick glance back to Hinami, as if he could suddenly get her approval for leaving now. It would be what he wanted in the first place, but he treated that thought as their trump card. One look to her could easily assure him that she would agree. One look into her soul would assure him and they would run from that place without a single word. Silence does forbid you from using your tongue, after all.

The girl instantly, and unexpectedly, smiled at the two ghouls in the silence.

Ayato's eyelids lowered, but the fear was replaced with an equal amount of confusion. The child moved her arms to the door before opening it with grace. The cold wind cradled like she was still a baby, making her give a small shudder. That didn't make her stop in giving her gaze to Ayato. The sudden elation Ayato noticed in her eyes was brighter than the moon. It was easy for him to be lost in that much positivity already when he was known for negativity.

The girl's right hand went upwards to Ayato's direction, signaling him to take a step backwards. Why would a child so small compared to him suddenly give him so much sheepish actions?

"[5]...Yes to coconut," the girl finally said, her voice like a fairy.

"What?" He asked, his voice back to a whisper, shaking his head as if he didn't hear her.

"Say yes to coconut," the girl repeated, her voice clear as the wind.

Ayato tilted his head a bit with an extra heap of confusion. His eyes focused on the girl's hand and he realized that she was holding something out to him. He squinted his eyes at the object she held with a firm grip, the color of Doves highlighting the darkness surrounding them. A scent filled his nose, almost as if it was impolite in doing so, and the realization made him want to shake his head in dismay. Instead, he only snatched the object away from the girl, not breaking their eye contact.

"Is this soap?" Ayato asked bluntly, and quietly, with the bar of soap held between them. A snort filled the surrounding silence and Ayato looked back at Hinami with annoyance. A hand was covering her mouth, but he could still notice her wide smile.

"I don't curse often," the girl said, making Ayato look back to her. Her arms were behind her back and she could perfectly match the decency of a princess. "But my mommy tells me if I hear someone do, then I give them that," she pointed to the bar of soap, shaking due to Ayato's anger-filled hand, "and make sure they say 'yes to coconut'."

Little brat, Ayato thought, squeezing the bar of soap so hard that it should have split into two. Then again, there was irony in those childlike words. Touka was always known for cursing everything known to mankind. If the girl is telling him that her mom told her that cursing was wrong, then he the universe must be messing with him.

Ayato didn't know what kind of face he was making towards the girl, but he could feel the same discontent sculpt it in place. The girl started to look concerned, giving an anxious tilt of her head.

"Don't worry about him," Hinami intercepted, making the girl turn her head to her. Hinami's smile was still intact ever as her hand slid down her face. "You're not the first one to talk to him about that."

"How many times has people told him about that?" The girl asked, a slight skip in her feet as she took a step forward.

Hinami knelt down to the girl's level. "Enough to make soap his best friend."

The girl giggled softly. It rang in Ayato's ears like tiny bells. It wasn't enough to stop him from giving a more irritated stare than the prior.

"What are your names?" The girl asked, smiling sweetly as she looked back and forth to the two eldest ghouls.

Ayato clenched his jaw with indifference, along with a hint of bewilderment. He managed to change his demeanor into a solemn one, but that same question the girl made made the latter feeling almost want to detonate inside him.

Hinami bent her head more forward to make a better view for her perspective. "I'm Hinami. And what about you?"

"I'm Rui," the girl replied blithely, careful in not letting her voice overreach her. She may be a child, but Ayato had to admit that she was more tame than he was. And when Rui turned herself back to Ayato, he did not even release his jaw. "What about you, Mister?"

Ayato blinked idly, not matching the fast pace his thoughts were as they crossed one another. That hadn't happened before. It NEVER happened before. Not with a child, especially. But even his arrogant, little ass knew that this was not just any child. This was his niece. His sister's daughter. That thought repeated so many times in his head that that could almost resemble salt in the wound. But even if it was effective, it was not fatal. It didn't even refrain from him quirking his lips to the side with a fake roll of the eyes.

"Ayato." He finally replied, the words silky against his lips. It reached to Rui handily as her smile grew wider.

"In that case…" Rui started discreetly. She raised her tiny finger ever so stagnant and pointed it to Ayato and declared him, "Yato-kun," and twirled around and pointed to Hinami, "and Hina-chan."

What.

The Actual.

F-

The sight of Hinami giggling at that nickname made Ayato not even finish. Meanwhile, all the confusion and annoyance wellowing inside him had suddenly turn into the urge to throw up. What kind of reaction is he feeling tonight? It's like something of his was broken, making him not process everything all at once.

"You're not scared?" Hinami asked as she stood up, more of a wondrous thought than an anxious question. Rui hummed with a dazed tilt of her head. "How come you're not worried about people like us being near your room?"

Rui looked up to Hinami yet she didn't look at all intimidated. "I'm not scared of you." She looked back to Ayato. It's like she was a spinning top. "Or you, either. I like meeting new people."

"Haven't you ever heard of don't talk to strangers, though?" Ayato inquired nonchalantly. It brought him a sudden chill when he realized that he wasn't ignoring her.

"I have." Rui nodded, not really being devoted about it. "But I don't get it. Aren't strangers just friends you haven't met yet?"

Ayato had his eyes widened, the only thing he could do when he didn't know how to respond to that. It was something an adult would say. Rui was not an adult. It's like she could be in disguise, like a wolf in sheep's clothing. His fist tightened in both hands, uneven due to the soap still wedged in between his right. His eyes were weak staring down at the child's, shining with virtue. He could almost be blinded by that emphasized amount. That strong look in his eye had only been present for him for only four minutes. Four minutes and he could only conclude on one thing about this child.

The only thing that wasn't as big as her was her ignorance.

Rui then let out a long yawn, strong enough to brew unnecessary tears in her eyes. All Ayato could do was sigh at the child, sigh from the thought that he had just forgotten that she was still a toddler. She was mature for her age, but very young, nonetheless.

Hinami took small steps to Rui, kneeling down again to face her, even if Rui's eyes were squinted with exhaustion. "You should probably get back to bed, sweetie. We didn't mean to wake you up."

"I'm okay." Rui kept going like the wind. "I don't want to stop talking."

"But you need to sleep," Hinami argued, tucking in a strand of Rui's hair behind her ear. Her braid had finally come apart. "We don't want you to fall asleep on us."

"But I just met you," Rui said, her voice finally letting sleep touch it gradually. "If I leave now, you might end up like Moon Man."

Ayato didn't wonder what she was talking about. He didn't think about asking who this Moon Man was. That's the thing. He didn't wonder nor think. He only said something that he didn't realize would roam out of his mouth.

"We'll come back."

Hinami and Rui turned their heads to Ayato with separated reactions, one of tired happiness and the other of quiet surprise. He could feel his chest burning, his fists no longer held so hard.

"We'll be around here." Ayato started, his eyes starting to feel soft. "We can visit you, but only in the nighttime and when you're alone here. As long as you can keep quiet about this...about meeting us at all...then we can keep coming back here to see you."

Ayato knew he didn't say a lot, but it already made him dizzy. There was no time in thinking about what he had done as Rui had her signature glow in her eyes again.

"Really?" Rui beamed, her voice still calm yet coy, as if she thought Ayato's suggestion was a lie. "Do you promise?"

Ayato put his hand on the railing, as if he was ready to jump off of the balcony and . That would have seemed to be the most efficient thing to do for him. Again, while Ayato was known for being the most dominant in making sure that he left his decisions where they were, he was still rational. However, he never thought that he would change his mind and decisions, let alone let a toddler be an incentive for that. It's like everything was much more lucid: the same as rational, but brighter.

"Yeah, sure," he responded. It was short; it was flat; but it was enough to make Rui grin with content. Ayato was already feeling something heavy, but he was sure as hell that it wasn't just extra bogus. Hinami stood up with her hand grazing Rui's hair, doing this before giving an quick yet audacious smug to Ayato.

"Alright, then," Hinami evoked, nudging Rui back to her room. "We need to get going already. And you need to go back to bed."

Rui replied with another yawn before walking back inside with Hinami following foot. Ayato also took steps behind them, but couldn't even get past the entrance, despite the tempting welcome of the heating system of the building. In the end, the sight of Hinami tucking Rui into her bed was the closest thing to warm he could ever get for the night. For his life, maybe.

"Goodnight," Ayato heard Hinami say tenderly. "And, remember. This is our little secret, okay?"

Ayato could see Rui bob her head, her eyes jaded before they could close completely. Quietly, Hinami turned around and started walking out of the room. Ayato took steps back once she was near him and to make it easier for her as she had to close the glass door behind them. Hinami then turned around again, the turn pouring with spright, and greeted Ayato with a smile of the same correspondence.

"What?" Ayato fumed, as if that was his perfect chance to play pretend. To go back to how he originally was: stubborn and hesitant. Even when her smile was wide and her eyes narrowed with a lively aspect, he tried to deny it.

Hinami chuckled, almost as similar as Rui's. "Nothing. Just...glad that there are some limits that can be broken."

"I didn't plan that and you know it," Ayato argued silently, now being reminded about the now-asleep Rui. "I just told that little brat that to keep her quiet. And even if it was true, it won't change the fact that things are still the same between me and Touka and her family, and us visiting that girl won't change anything."

"Really?" Hinami asked sarcastically, narrowing her eyes down. "If that's it, then why are you still holding onto the soap Rui-chan gave you?"

Ayato was not aware of his actions, but the sudden realization made him squeeze his hand, the bar of soap still in its place. He could finally pay attention to the texture, all coarse due to the past crunches to it. There was no glance down towards the useless material, not like looking at it would make him come to a blunt awareness. The look on Hinami's face and the feeling of the object was all good to say, there they were.

Ayato shook his head gently, as if that would match well to erase Hinami's gentle comment. Why was he still holding onto it? What point was there in still holding it? It was not a warm gift, so why?

Why? Why? Why?

He knew he shouldn't think too hard on that. He knew that he could just forget it. That he could just throw it away and ignore the question. Go back to being as stubborn as the little kid he was four years ago. It was the easiest solution and dodge.

But he couldn't.

Even when he still clutched onto the soap when he could just drop it. Even when he could try and forget that spontaneous rendezvous with Touka's daughter. Even when Hinami told him that they should get back home, he could only hold onto that one word.

Why?

1. Another chapter that doesn't relate to Touka and Haise is what gets on my nerves. I'm pretty efficient when it comes to writing romance (most of the time), but I haven't brought up Ayato and Hinami in a while. Because of their involvement, trying to find a new song is another obstacle for me. However, I went through a long time favorite artist of mine, EDEN, and looked over his lyrics in hopes of finding similarities. This was the closest I could get with Ayato's situation and hesitation with meeting with Touka and Rui. The lyrics symbolize his first meeting Rui as baby steps.

2. Just in case things aren't clear, in this story, Hinami actually made it out with Ayato and Aogiri rather than getting captured by the CCG.

3. If any of you have listened to the Tokyo Ghoul OST, you can tell what I did here. ;)

4. I tried to look at the structure of :re with the help of the manga, but then I realized that it may be a tad different that what I originally thought in my mind. But anyway, for now, let's say that the shop is three stories high. The first is the cafe, the second is the little den/kitchen Yomo, Touka, and Rui have, and the third is where their rooms are. I also added in balconies for a more appealing design.

5. Yes to Coconut is a type of bar soap. If you have heard the punishment "washing your mouth out with soap", which I'm sure you do, then that is what Rui is trying to do to Ayato.

Jesus. Fucking. Christ am I a horrible person.

I apologize for the wait, everyone. I feel like this was the longest I've ever gone without offering an update to this story. All I can say for the one thing being responsible for the lack of writing for me was school, life, and a good amount of procrastination. But I am happy to say that I am back from school. I am BACK to writing and doing the one thing I love! I did want to publish one more chapter before the year ended. I even posted this on Christmas Eve, talk about perfect timing! However, I plan on doing the best I can to write as much as possible in my break from college. I might even let my beta try and remind me everyday about this, especially when they were the most patient with me. :P

Also, in other news...ehhhh...hehe...I know I mentioned before about bringing a little surprise in honor of the anniversary for this story(even if that already passed six months ago). However, because of certain events, that will have to be delayed for now. It will come eventually, but not anytime. I'm very sorry about that everyone, but I can say that it will come out eventually.

Anyway, I hope you all loved this chapter. I apologize if this is not up to standards since it's been a while since I could write, but I do hope you loved it. Again, please, if you want, comment, follow, favorite, or DM me whenever. And until the next chapter, BYE BYE! XD

OH, and Merry Christmas to you all! 3