AN: We have reached the point where I am trying to write my best. I've gotten to chapter 10, and because of my non-updating nature, this is excellent. I haven't gotten to this chapter in any of my good stories...chapter 10 everyone.

Cheers...

Also.

We can go home now, Hide.

We can go home ;-;

YOU AREN'T DEAD OKAYYYYY ;-;-;-;-;-;

Juuzou

Juuzou cried out in pain as he was struck by that woman ghoul's crowbar again. He looked around at all the other human children, who were dead.

Not dead outside, but non-living on the inside. All older than him by a few years, they had lost every single shard of hope that could have been given to them through their hearts. Their eyes held nothing in them, just a shell of what they once were.

Every time he looked at them, he thought how he hadn't lost hope of escaping this hellhole yet. And the years ahead? Well, he could be outside.

He was never let out unless during early morning or midnight. Even then, there was always a collar on his neck, a leash tugging at his throat. He whined when he was dragged back to that cage, with its metal bars and cold steel floor that was called his bed every night. He longed for the warmth of someone at night, because that steel floor was cold and bare, and he had no blanket ever wrapped around him.

And the blood that poured out of his wounds never ended, crying out in agony every night, it never stopped. That woman ghoul said his name was Rei. Rei-chan. But wasn't he a boy? Soon, he was swept up in gowns and jewelry. Dresses and long hair...he was a girl, because the ghoul said so. But Rei was a boy. So why? Well, he couldn't say anything about it. So he just didn't talk about it...and focused on the good-boy points that made him happy.

Thinking about it nowadays, as a Ghoul Investigator...he thought about those points as happy, but it wasn't. Did he care? No.

Maybe he did.

He did.

No he didn't. Why would he care?

Why were they a happy thing?

He tried shrugging it off and smiling, but instead he ended up on the floor, curled up into a ball, sobbing.

Nande? Why? He thought.

Why?

Kazumi

At the Hospital, After Saying Sorry

I looked down at the floor. There were ghoul bites on my shoulder, my arm, my collarbone, and thighs. Every time I looked at them, I was mortified. The way he tried to eat me was terrifying.

"Tch, Kazumi." I heard Juuzou say.

"What? I'm just thinking," I said harshly. "Did you kill that ghoul?"

"Yes. He tried to eat me!" Juuzou complained.

"Well...how about I treat you to ice cream sometime?" I asked.

His eyes widened and he smiled. "Yay!"

I thoughtfully licked the spoon. The sweet taste of vanilla swirled around my tongue.

"Arigatou gozaimasu! Thank you very much!" Juuzou said happily.

"It's-it's on me," I smiled. "Do you like sweets?"

"Yes! I love them! Candy, cakes, ice cream, donuts, every thing of that thing...!" He grinned at me.

"That's good. What do you like to do in your free time? I like drawing," I made conversation.

"Um...well, I like stitching myself," He smiled.

"Oh. So you don't feel pain?" I asked.

"No," He said.

"That's nice. I'd like to not be able to feel physical pain. It hurts, " I stated.

"Well, I used to be able to feel it," He said. "But I don't feel it anymore, so."

"Ha, yeah," I tried to smile. My wounds were beginning to heal.

Juuzou smiled at me. "You're weird."

"I know," I said.

"But it's okay. You're good at killing ghouls!" He giggled.

He wasn't bad at all.

Not at all.

So, it was a short chapter. I hope you liked, and feedback is always appreciated. See you next time, guys!