Kuri sighed as she pulled up to work. "Do I have to?"
Kaneki chuckled. "How else are you going to pay for gas? You really don't have any other options."
Kuri shrugged. "We could live in the forest. That's an option."
Kaneki went rigid. "No, its not."
Kuri quickly backpedaled. "Hey, I'm s—"
Suddenly Rachel entered the car. "Hey where have you been? And who's this?"
"This is Kaneki Ken. He works at the bookstore. Ken, this is Raye."
Kaneki gave a weak wave.
"That still doesn't explain why he's in your car, Kuri." Rachel said, then shook her head. "That's not why I came. It's Hinami. She saw a ghoul!"
Kuri felt, rather than saw, Kaneki lean forward.
"Was it wearing a mask?" He asked in his soft, serious voice.
"No it just had a bag over its head and blood up it's arms!" Rachel said. "That's why it was so weeeeird, yknow! It was on Hinami's front porch, and she found claw marks in the door! It was totally trying to eat them!"
"Maybe it had the wrong house." Kuri said softly.
"Well it was trying to eat somebody."
Kaneki stiffened in the backseat.
"So what about this guy?" Raye gestured. "Is he tryin to get a bite, if ya know what I mean?"
Kuri shuddered at the horrible analogy. "No, its…he's…
"Her boyfriend." Kaneki said swiftly.
She gave him a look.
"Well it's true isn't it?" He challenged.
"Yes." Kuri grumbled.
"Cmon Kuri. We. Need. To. Talk."
Kuri shot Kaneki an apologetic look as she allowed herself to be dragged off by her coworker.
Xxx
Later, Kuri was arranging some different items when she was approached by that woman. Akira Mado.
Usually quite serious and hard working, but ever since her boyfriend had disappeared, she had turned hard and cold.
"We need to talk." Akira was blocking her way.
This was about the ghouls. Akira's boyfriend was a ghoul.
"I'm busy right now." Kuri quickly tried to act busy.
"This takes precedence."
"What do you want, Akira?" Kuri groaned.
"A private conversation."
Kuri finally relented, going out behind the building.
Akira lit a cigarette and took a long drag before saying. "My boyfriend. Amon. I saw him while I was running this morning."
Kuri stared in shock. Oh no. "Your boyfriend."
"I spoke to him. He's alive."
Kuri was thrown. But Kaneki always said ghouls were savage, they couldn't communicate with humans; except for Yoshimura.
"There was something…wrong…with him." Akira continued. "He had a lot of blood on him, but he looked totally fine. He told me he never died. Then he started gnashing his teeth, and was about to make his escape when I stopped him. He hissed at me, and I asked him what happened to him. He said you knew—he said your name, Kuri."
"Me?" Kuri choked out.
The ghouls. That day when she saw them eating. It had been Amon—but apparantly they didn't finish him off.
Akira approached threateningly. "I know you and Hinami are way into these Ghouls. So tell me about them. Tell me what's happening to my boyfriend!"
Kuri was silent for a long moment. Then she whispered, every word the truth. "I can't help you. I love the ghouls, I wish I knew more about them. But I don't know enough to help Amon. I wish I did."
"I know you know more than you are telling me." Akira said. "I want to save him! You can help me!"
Kuri shook her head. "I can't help anyone."
As she walked away, she heard Akira sob.