"Kaneki!" Kuri called. She ran to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Kaneki! Is it really you!? Kaneki!?"

"Kuri," Kaneki says. "I'm here for you…but look at me…at this body.."

Kuri stared at him and whispered. "So?"

"What is it..." Kuri thought. "He's not like the Kaneki of before. Stronger. Bigger."

"This is Dr Kano's work." Hide said. "Why did you let him do this to you Kaneki."

Kaneki turned away. "I was dying."

"We'll help you!" said Kuri.

"Don't," said Kaneki.

"What?"

"It's too much for you," said Kaneki

"But! We've been fighting until now!" said Kuri. "We're fighting too!"

"Until now it's been different! The form I'm taking, the things I have to do! It's something you can't do. Not you guys. Never you."

"But...!" Hide said. "We can't even help you?"

"Hide," Kaneki said. "Protect her."

Kuri stared at him.

"Don't look like that, Kuri," he said. "I didn't want to confuse you."I have special powers you don't have. Leave things to me."

"Wait," said Hide. "Don't you see what Kano's up to? What he's trying to do with your body? There's more to this Kaneki! You can't go back!"

"Hide." Kaneki said.

"The powers you have," Hide said. "How are you getting them. What are you eating?!"

Kaneki looked at Kuri, then at Hide, and didn't answer. He fled into the night.

"KANEKI!" Kuri screamed and fell to her knees.

xxx

Later: Hide read the newspaper to Kuri.

"'Members of the college have gone missing. They are looking for the responsible party. Dead bodies were found in the botanical garden. The garden has been closed, and the land development has been stopped.'"

"What next?" Kuri thought. "Kaneki and Kano What do they want to do? What could his true form become!?"

"So the mad scientist is causing an uproar again," said Hide.

"Hide, do you know who he really is?" Kuri asked..

"He was a world-famous scholar of genetic engineering and ghoul biology. Seven, eight years ago. But he was probably too quick to announce his research, and he was banished by the CCG.."

Hide sat reading.

"Wherever I searched," he said, "there was no data on Professor Kano's past. Finally I found something."

"Life's work: 'One Eyed Ghouls'?" Kuri said.

"He continually repeated his genetic experiments on ghouls and humans, and was outcast by the CCG. He put his experimental know-how out for sale, and it was bought up by the Infinity district. Two years later, there was a fire while the buildings were under construction. Ken Kaneki—Critical condition.

"After that, all life vanished from the professor's face."

Xxx

"Kuri," Hide called. "The movie's starting!"

"Kaneki really hasn't come," thought Kuri. "I've already waited nearly an hour. What's wrong?"

"You go on ahead," she said to Hide. "I'll call Kaneki." She went to a phone. "Nobody's answering... Maybe... he's fallen down again, and can't contact me..." She walked to the Research Labs, still in denial.

"It's so cold here..." she thought. "All those dark clouds..."

xxx

""How does using your kagune feel?" Kano asked.

"Fine, doctor," Kaneki said. "I'm getting used to it."

"They're a new development of RC cells," said Kano. "The assimilation is complete in your body. Soon you won't have any more accidents."

"Thanks, that's great." Kaneki said distractedly as he got up. Fight or no, he wasn't missing his date with Kuri.

"I have to hurry," thought Kaneki. "Kuri might have already gone home. I'm really late." He lifted his kagune and stretched it slowly as he began to eat the flesh Kano provided.

Kuri stared in through the window. Their eyes met.

"Kuri!?" Kaneki called.

"I'm sorry!" Kuri cried. "I... Er... I barged in here..." She turned and ran away.

"Kuri!" Kaneki grabbed her chest and dropped to his knees. "A fit... Again..."

He closed his eyes, remembering

Xxx

Kaneki running from his attacking girlfriend Rizé. Her mouth gaping open dripping with drool.

And then the bars falling and killing her. He looked up and saw Kano there.

"Are you alright, Young Man?"

Waking up in the hospital.

"Good morning, Kaneki," said Kano. "You're awake? How are you feeling?"

His new kagune stretched around him and his kakugan blazed.

"Am I..a ghoul?"

Xxx

"I didn't want people to know the secret of my body that predates and feeds on humans. I was all by myself. Kano only cared about his research. I thought I was going to die all alone." Kaneki thought. "I finally made a friend. No, it was more than that. Until she saw my body like this. She accepted me at first, but seeing me like this…I couldn't blame her. How is there any use in living? Is there a point to my life...?" He held his head. "My forehead... hurts! Like it's on fire!"