I'm sure I've ranted about how much I hate math before, but if I have, it's been awhile. It's due time for me to complain again. If you can't tell by how avidly I write, I'm a huge English nerd. Per stereotype, I also hate math. It's not that I'm particularly bad at it; I just have a strong distaste for it. I cannot seem to ever convince myself that any of it is worth any of my time. The only reason I do it at all is for the grade, but that's a pretty ineffective motivator if you ask me. It's the only subject in school that can regularly bring me to the brink of a breakdown. It's just so frustrating when I think I did something right, but it turns out all wrong! It's evil, I tell you! If satan be a thing, math be him!

Now that that's out of my system, I present the next chapter.

Clearly this room isn't meant for people to stay in. It's probably some kind of lounge they're closing off to keep me prisoner. I mean, there's a freaking vending machine! And a coffee machine, but I'm not too concerned about that.

I fish a couple yen coins from my pocket and buy myself melon bread to snack on, plopping down on the couch I suspect will double as my bed tonight. The window in here isn't nearly as large as in the other room. That combined with the faded light of twilight forces me to click on a nearby lamp. In the dim lighting, I sit in silence while I nibble on the bread. After a while, I fall sideways, laying down on the couch with the melon bread in my mouth. What exactly do they expect me to do in here? Eat myself to death? It's not like I have enough money to do that. And if I don't do that, I'm pretty sure boredom will kill me instead. I guess there's a T.V, but who knows where the remote is. Really, it's like they want me to frighten myself by leaving me to my imagination about what they could do to me.

Flipping onto my back, I chew contemplatively. Should I try to escape? But there's only one door and it's locked. I've got nothing to pick it with, either, and even if I did, I'd be met with a building full of doves on the other side. The window's a no go. Although I don't remember exactly what floor we're on, I'm almost certain jumping from this height would result in death. As far as I can see, there are no vents for me to crawl through like in those spy movies. Even if I did escape by some freak plan or luck, where would I go? Now Mami's place is off limits to me, too. I've got nowhere.

So...I should just stay here? But if I stay here, I won't only be confined by the investigators, but if I make one wrong move I could end up really being treated like a criminal! Not to mention this puts a stopper in my plans to find Hanako. So long as I'm here, I'm cut off from the ghoul world. I can't have that!

I curl onto my side, facing the couch. My mind wanders to Uta as I finish off my bread, and I let it. I haven't talked to him since that night, and I haven't allowed myself to dwell on him, either. My fingers touch my lips. Why did I kiss him? It's true that I was, to put it lightly, unstable that night. Still, I've never kissed anyone in my life! Of all things, why was that my reaction to killing someone? And it's not like I look at him romantically. Sure, he's attractive in a dark, strange way, but I can't say I ever thought of him like that. And yet….I enjoyed it. It's because of that kiss I was able to pull myself together at last. Of course my little break down right before certainly helped, but maybe more than me crying, it was his hand on my head that seemed to ground me. It must've just been because he was there. I'm sure I would've felt the same if it was Hanako comforting me, but….that doesn't explain the kiss.

It isn't because I like him. It can't be. That can't possibly be it….can it?

XX

Upon awakening, I shiver. That was….a dream. Uta and I were married, and if that isn't weird enough, that girl Chisa was our daughter. We went and picked her up from school and then ate her for dinner. She'd tasted like chicken.

The light flicks on and my eyes snap back shut against them, alarmed. Footsteps approach me, then stop. I freeze in hopes they'll believe me still asleep.

*Click*

The odd sound cracks open my eyes. A foot above me, a familiar face hovers with a camera held to her eye. "And with that, you first debt it payed."

"Chie?" I sit up, blinking hard in disbelief. "Why're you….?"

"I'm doing a job," she shrugs, back off and lowering her camera. "Someone wants you out of here, and as a human, I could come in without alerting anyone. Does that mean you're human, too? You couldn't possibly have gotten past those RC detectors otherwise. That must've been one hell of a nightmare you were having. You're as white as a ghost!" My mouth hangs open without a chance to respond as she goes on. "Anyway, let's get out of here before your guard wakes up. I'd prefer not getting caught."

With that, she turns on her heel and bobs towards the door. I follow after a second's hesitation. The first thing I notice is Urie sitting on the hallway floor with his head hung. He must be what she meant by 'guard'. I take extra care to soften my steps as we creep past him, although Chie doesn't pay him any mind. My eyes dart about as she leads me through the hallways, searching for doves, and yet there don't appear to be any.

"Where are they?" I mutter to the short woman in front of me.

"Who?"

"The doves!"

"Many of them are at home," she shrugs, her tone implying that this was obvious. "It's not even four a.m, after all. The one's here are either sleeping like the one outside your room, or busy with the cyber attack."

"Cyber attack?"

"You ask too much. I wasn't told everything." I seal my lips, tense. It's not like her voice was threatening or anything. It's just that I'm already on edge from sneaking around. You wouldn't think we have need to be cautious, though, considering how casually Chie pushes forward. She only stops when we come to a fire escape.

"I don't know how the cyber stuff works," she starts, "so I don't know if they're able to disarm the alarm that goes off when one of these doors open. Even if it's possible, there's no guarantee they did it. Either way, be ready to run the second I open this door."

"O-okay."

Before the two syllables are even fully out of my mouth, she's pushing it open. Sure enough, the alarm blares. The noise jolts me into motion and I'm out the door before Chie, my feet carrying me two steps at a time down the escape. Who knows how many floors we descend until we finally reach the dirt of the ground, but when we get there, I can say I've never felt so relieved to have my feet hit hard on the concrete.

"Don't just stand there," Chie urges, shoving me forward so she can descend the last step. "Come on, we've got someone to meet and investigators to lose."

In motion again, I finally ask, "Who is it we're meeting, exactly?" I would expect Uta, but how would he have figured out where I was so quickly? It hasn't even been a full night since I was taken in by the doves. Could Haise have…? No, he wouldn't know that Uta was the clown I've been seen with, so he couldn't have called him even with my phone. AH! My phone! Haise still has my phone! I groan. I'm probably not ever getting that back, now.

I nearly barrel into Chie when she skids to a stop. Before us, a young man with dark hair and a dark glare leans against the wall. Irritation flows off him in waves. Despite the intimidating aura around him, something about him reminds me of someone.

"Why am I doing this for a human?" he growls, eying me disapprovingly.

"Oh, so you really are human!" Chie tilts her head to look back at me.

"Who're you?" The words come out of my mouth before I can think that it might aggravate the guy farther. When it does cross my mind, I wince. He doesn't even acknowledge the question, though, pushing off the wall and stuffing his hands in his pockets. Then, he shoves a couple bills into Chie's hands.

"There, you're done," he tells her curtly. "As for you," he snaps at me, "you're coming with me. Hurry it up or I'll leave you behind to get caught again."

He begins walking away before I have a chance to ask any more. In fact, I barely have time to nod to Chie before I'm forced to stumble to follow so I don't lose sight of him. Despite the fact that he's walking, I have to practically run to keep his pace. Why is it that I keep being dragged along tonight?

"Excuse me," I call. "Can't you tell me what's going on? Or at least where we're going?"

He barks back, "Shut up!" Then he mumbles something to himself along the lines of asking why he had to run this errand. A minute later, though, he whirls to face me abruptly. "You're bleeding."

Halted, I stammer, "Y-yeah. My feet are injured. One of the sores probably opened up." All the injuries have scabbed over already, and I've gotten used to the dull aching pain they cause over the past few days. I'd figured they'd disappear soon, but if he's smelling blood, I guess I've still got a ways to go before my feet are perfectly usable again.

The guy throws his head, growling like a beast in frustration as he seems to lose himself in thought. While he thinks, I slip the foot that hurts more out of its shoe. Although I can't see any blood in the darkness, my finger does graze a small spot of wetness in the sock. I glance up at him. I doubt he has any bandages on him. Without much of a choice, I fit the foot back into its shoe and carefully balance most of my weight on the other leg. As a result, the ache in that foot increases tremendously.

As I'm doing this, he dials a number and calls someone. "I got her, but she's injured. Unless you want the hungry ones lusting after her, she should be stashed somewhere else. Where do you want her?" …. "No, it wasn't me! I've already eaten a few days ago! What reason do I have to attack her?" …. "You'd better be the best subordinate in all of the Tree in return for me doing this, you got that?"

I blink. In all of the… "Tree? You mean Aogiri Tree?"

He only bothers to glare at me out of the corner of his eye, continuing his conversation on the phone. "That'll work. As soon as I get there, she's purely your responsibility. If you're not there, I won't protect her from any lingering ghouls." He hangs up without saying good-bye.

"Are you a part of the Aogiri Tree?" I press. If he is, then…

He turns his back to me. "Are you coming or not?"

"I am! But-"

"If you're coming, then shut up. Be grateful I'd waste my time rescuing a human, of all things, from the doves."

Fighting against all the questions that surge to my lips, I just nod and trail after him obediently. Besides, it's likely the answer the question I just asked is yes, and if it is, then Hanako's most likely wherever he's taking me. Heck, she's probably the one that set up this rescue mission! The note she sent before was proof she's been watching me, so it would make sense if she already knew about my abduction.

I follow the mystery rescuer much more enthusiastically after coming to this conclusion. In doing so, I probably put too much pressure on my feet, because soon enough the guy in front of me stops again.

"Isn't there any way…" he trails off, clearly irked. Then, with a huff of surrender, he suddenly lifts me onto his back. Surprised, I let out a shriek that's cut short with a sharp look from him. Silenced, I simply try to position myself as lightly as I can and not shift about as he carries me hastily towards our destination.

The journey is anything but relaxing, his tension thickening the air I breathe and clogging my lungs the entire way. When he at last comes to a stop, he all but tosses me off his back. I barely manage to keep myself standing with the force he throws me with. Without waiting to see if I'm alright, he motions with his hand dismissively to the building we've stopped in front of. It's definitely old, but we appear to be in an ancient part of the city. It seems to be a ramshackle house from the Edo period, with moss and vines dominating the sloped roof. Evidently, no one's cared for it for a long time.

"That's it. Go in."

I pull my eyes away from the house to study the boy. "Um...thank you."

"Just don't get eaten if there're still some strangers in there. We use this house sometimes for people who need a few days to recover from grave injuries and don't have the fastest healing abilities. There usually aren't many, if any, people here, but if they are, just remember that injured ghouls need to eat more than healthy ones."

Again, I repeat, "Thank you."

"Just get inside already. If you're lucky, someone will have brought you something to help with your feet."

"Is that someone Hanako?"

He doesn't respond at first. Then,

"Why don't you go in and look?"

You know, this chapter wasn't all that fun to write, but it was fun to go back and read. I don't think I've ever had that happen before. Well, at least that should mean that you guys will likely enjoy it, too. I have to wonder if I was clear as to who the boy was. Yes, his description is a little vague, but can you blame Kiyoko? I mean, she's meeting him for the first time on a dark night when she has no idea what's going on. She probably isn't paying too close attention to the details other than his apparently hair-string temper. I think there should be enough hints, though, for you to figure out who it is. If you can't, well, his name will come up sometime soon. One last thing. Before the next chapter is posted I want to hear who you guys think it could be that organized all this. Do you guys think it's really Hanako?

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!