So here's the deal. After I finish writing this story some time in the future, I'm thinking about taking a break from this website to focus on writing an actual original story. See, I have this thing on my list of things to do before I turn twenty (the only thing on that list), and that thing is to publish a book. If I want to do that, I should probably get to work. I've started this one fantasy book about an ice dragon named Cia, which I really like, but there're also two ideas I've yet to start on that I've been considering pursuing. There's one that's sort of a futuristic take on Alice in Wonderland, and another that's a supernatural story about paper dolls and a girl with a strange power. I know I'm not giving you much to go off of, but I'm curious. Do any of these stick out to you? I'd appreciate if you let me know.

Well, onto the story.

I hadn't been thinking about my feet when I'd promised to meet in two days, but I certainly am when Monday morning finally rolls around. When I insist that I have to go out, Mami offers me the softest shoes she owns, but I have to turn them down. She's at least half a foot size smaller than me, and I can't deal with that much pressure around my feet right now. Instead I throw on the one pair of tennis shoes I brought with me to this apartment and rush out of the building as fast as I can. Two nights ago, Haise agreed to pick me up a block from where I'm living at around six fifteen.

The cold of early morning does me little good, and my feet even worse. I arrive at the designated street corner five minutes before the appointed time, and am then stuck shivering in my sweatpants and jacket. The temperature bites at my injured limbs, and I'm unable to move to warm them because of the stabbing pain they gift me with when I walk. I'm so glad Haise's bringing a car!

After thoroughly freezing, a car eventually pulls over. I hesitate, tinted windows preventing me from seeing the occupants, until the front window rolls down to reveal a boy with hair both black and white. He smiles and nods to the back seat. I suck in a breath of the chilling morning air and whip open the door. The second I see the face of the passenger, I scramble into the back seat and slam the door behind me. Not even a second later I'm wrapped up in familiar arms.

"Thank goodness you're okay!" Mom weeps.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," I promise, returning her death grip. The car pulls away from the curb as we embrace. "What about you? Have they been treating you alright?"

"About as well as a prisoner can be treated. I'm glad I still get to see my wonderful students, at least! Now tell me. Have you been eating well? Do you have shelter over your head? And good heavens! What on earth are you wearing?"

I snicker. "I'm living well, I promise! The clothes...well, they were what's available."

"And your hair!"

"I'd be found pretty quick if I wandered around with blonde hair, wouldn't I?" I reason, tugging at a strand. "Normally I curl it, too. I didn't exactly have time for that this morning."

"Well then." Finally, she sits back, but her hands remain clenched on my shoulders. "Now that that's settled, I suppose I should ask about the ghoul investigator in the front seat."

I wilt. "Um...you see that's...a bit…"

"My name is Haise Sasaki," he introduces himself, glancing at us in the rearview mirror. "As for my connection to your daughter, you could say that I feel guilty for getting her involved with ghouls more than she already was."

At that, Mom glares at me. "You aren't getting yourself into any trouble, are you? With Ha-" I cover her mouth before she can say Hanako's name, eyes flicking pointedly at Haise before landing back on her to see if she understands. When she seems to, I lower my hands. She continues, "Without anyone to protect you, I'm not sure I'm alright with you meeting with ghouls."

"I can't find her if I don't," I state resolutely. "And besides, I've found someone else who's been sort of my...benefactor."

"You're talking about No Face, aren't you?" Haise interrupts from the front seat.

I purse my lips before responding, "Possibly."

"Didn't I tell you to ditch the clowns?"

"You did. I didn't." From where I sit, I can clearly see his hands tense around the steering wheel. "It isn't any of your business. I don't plan on telling a dove like you anymore than I have to, alright?"

"I'm trying to help you!"

"And I'll thank you for that! Without your help, who knows when I would have seen Mom again? But I can handle myself. Whether it's Aogiri Tree or the clowns, I'll figure something out, okay? At the moment, I'm pretty sure the only group I'm in danger from is the one you're a part of."

"Kiyoko, sweetie." Mom's gentle tone brings my attention back to her. She looks intently into my eyes. She always does this when she's afraid I'll lie. "Are you getting into something dangerous?"

My mouth gapes open, but my answer comes delayed as I think it over. Eventually, I nod. "Yes. It's dangerous."

"Why?"

"Because I want my best friend back." As I say those words, I shock myself. I...I didn't just kill to kill, did I? However selfish it may be, I pulled that trigger those three times with a reason. I pulled it out of fear. Fear that I would fall apart without Hanako. Fear that we would never see each other again.

And if ever there was a reason people killed throughout all of history, wasn't it fear?

Even if that doesn't make it alright, my chest lightens at the thought. Perhaps I'm not so monstrous after all.

Mom sighs, going in to hug me again. This time her embrace is much softer. "Try not to get yourself hurt." I nuzzle into the crook of her neck. Her skin smells the same as always: like flowery perfume. "And when you find that girl, give her a harsh scolding for worrying the both of us like this, okay?"

"Definitely," I mumble.

"Ms. Himura," Haise pipes up. "We've arrived at the school."

"Thank you for this, Haise," she bows her head. "I'm sure we've caused a fine young lad like you plenty of trouble, but I can't express gratitude enough for letting me see my daughter."

"Please, I'm only doing the decent thing. There's no need for you to thank me." I swear I catch his reflection turning red in the mirror. "Anyway, we can't linger for long. I need to hurry and drop your daughter off so I can return within the right time frame. It wouldn't be good if my colleagues found out about this detour."

"Of course." She kisses my forehead, squeezing my hands reassuringly. "Kiyoko, don't let me lose anymore people precious to me. Promise me."

"I promise."

"Good, I'll hold you to that. Don't expect to get any forgiveness from me if either of you go to the afterlife before me," she winks.

I grin, blinking back the tears. With a final squeeze of my hands, she slips out of the car. As soon as the door slams shut behind her, the tears spill over. I bite my cheek to resist the threatening sobs and stare out the window at her back. This'll probably be the last time we see each other for quite some time. Haise can't keep doing these things for me, and it's likely he'll probably stop wanting to after a while. Without him, I don't have any way to contact her.

"Is it okay if I drop you off where I picked you up?" Haise wonders.

"Yeah," I force out. My voice sounds gruff in my own ears.

"I actually almost drove past you when you were waiting. I didn't recognize you at all with that hair and those clothes. Your disguise is pretty foolproof, 'cause I definitely wouldn't have known it was you if we hadn't met multiple times before."

"Haise, shut up."

Maybe it's because he realizes I'm crying, but he listens. He doesn't say another word. My feet sting more than ever on the ride back, even though they're lifted safely off the floor of the car. When we pull up to the curb I'd first been waiting at, Haise starts, "I-"

"No," I stop him. "Whatever you're saying, I'll probably just disagree with it. I'm truly grateful, though. Really, I am. But look at you. You're a dove, but really... I tolerate you, but maybe it's because I pity you. You're missing most of the years of your life, right?"

He turns around in his seat, eyes wide. They aren't wide with surprise, although there's admittedly a pinch of it there. Instead, they're full of innocent curiosity. "How did you know that?"

"Because I know some of the people who knew you." That must be it, why I can stand to have him around despite my parting from Hanako being primarily his fault. He reminds me of Hanako, because Touka reminds me of me. She lost Kaneki, he's gone beyond her reach, and to her it feels like all she can do is look on. Maybe it also scares me, though, because he doesn't even remember her. But, "I think they'd be glad to know you're still such a kind person."

While he contemplates this, I exit the car and start back towards the apartment complex. My face I keep set in stone so I don't wince with every step. It seems I missed the traffic of workers coming out of the building on their way to their jobs, because the lobby is empty when I enter save for the woman behind the counter. I nod to her, and her to me, before I enter the elevator.

The first thing I do when I've reached the apartment is plop onto the couch and kick off my shoes. Next comes the socks, then the bandages. The wounds don't seem to have reopened, thankfully. I had begun thinking they had on the way back.

"You hungry?" Mami yawns, trudging out of her room. With the way her hair sticks out in every direction, it's obvious she's just woken up. She must have went back to sleep after I left.

"Shouldn't you have been getting ready for school?"

"That early? No way in hell." She picks up the phone and calls for room service. When she hangs up, she ambles into the kitchen to make herself tea. As she's heating up the water, she turns to me. "Oh, I've been forgetting!"

She grabs a white envelope sitting atop the microwave and walks over, holding it out for me to take. I do take it, and flip it over looking for a name. There's none. "What's this?"

"Apparently it was left for you at the front desk a few days ago. The girl told the clerk to give it to whoever was living with me, so it was given to me to give to you. I should've given it to right away, but then you came home with feet looking like that and it slipped my mind." Having said all she wanted to, she makes her way back to the boiling water to pour it. Confused, I tear open the seal and remove the folded paper inside. As I unfold it, I furrow my brow, growing ever more puzzled. There's no writing! It isn't until it's entirely opened that I find two thin words scrawled on the center of the paper.

stop it

After staring at it for a second, I drop the envelope and rummage about me for the school uniform I first came to this apartment in. Once I've found the skirt, I dig a crumpled ball out of its pocket. I smooth out the old note and set it on the coffee table next to the new letter.

I was right. The handwriting's the same.

I don't bother to hide the grin on my face as I realize it. This is from Hanako! This means she's been keeping tabs on me, doesn't it? How else would she know that I'm living with Mami? The 'stop it' must be referring to my involvement with ghouls. She must've begun hearing about me!

I chuckle. That idiot! She should have known that sending me this would only encourage me! Now I know I'm on the right track! If I continue doing what I'm doing, she'll have no choice but to see me again!

Pleased, I meticulously refold the paper to how it originally was and slide it back in the envelope for safe keeping. It's just a matter of time. I'm coming for you, Hanako, and soon. And when I find you, I'm not gonna let you off easy for taking off on me!

Yay Hanako! It's been awhile since we've heard from her, hasn't it? I miss writing about her. I''ve written about her a lot, to say the least. I mean, my other Tokyo Ghoul fanfiction is an alternate timeline with Hanako starring as the main character. And outside of what I've written on this site, I've not only written stand alone snippets revolving around her, but I've also drawn her countless times. I guess you could say she's one of the favorite characters I've written, if not my all time favorite. I also adore Kiyoko, of course. If I didn't, this story wouldn't exist! I look forward to continuing the story with her.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!