Despite being a ghoul, Akira had fully recovered, and so he could not avoid a thing that he had been avoiding for the last few days.

Going to University.

For he could actually avoid people while out and about, but at Uni, he would be packed together with a bunch of humans, and he still getting used to the fact that everyone around smelled like various dishes to his nose.

It fucking sucked.

But Makoto had gotten enough of his hesitation and uncertainty and just dragged him to University so that he could attend the classes and actually get his political degree because in her words. "If you want to change things for Ghouls, this is the direction you should go."

Akira couldn't help but smile after that and he was pretty sure that he had fallen in love with her all over again.

"Akira, it seems that you didn't die after all; great to see you," One of Akira's new university friends said as he saw Akira and Makato walk together.

"Hey Hide, and you too, Kaneki," Akira greeted the two friends. Hideyoshi Nagachika and Ken Kaneki were two of his fellow students; while they weren't on the on the road to politics like him here at Kamii University, they did share a few classes and so had become study buddies. "Yeah, rumors of my demise have been greatly been exaggerated."

"I heard you were attacked by a ghoul," Kaneki said the shy and reserved boy but sounding very grateful that he was okay, well as okay as Akira could be.

"I was," He answered. "But I am now fully recovered."

"Though this lazy egg tried to keep putting classes off, but that is just going to end up with him falling behind," Makoto said as she took a dig at his stubbornness. It really showed that his friends had more faith in him than he currently did at the moment. As Kaneki smelled funnily enough like coffee, while Hide was a shimmering roast, but Akria forced that down.

He was in control.

Not these new instincts.

"You are a lucky man to have someone like Nijima-Senpai as your girlfriend," Hide 'despaired' with fake jealousy.

"Well, if you had any actual charisma, you would have a girlfriend, too," Akira shot back. Though that was just a joke, Hide was actually very charismatic, though it was the kind that made friends and got single dates, not long-term romantic relationships.

"That is true," Kaneki added, a smile on his face.

"Help, I would like to report a homicide," Hide joked as he grasped his chest and let out a gasp of air as he fell down to his knees dramatically.

"Okay, enough fun, you three; you all have classes," Makoto chided them as Hide got back up on his feet.

"We hear you Nijima-Senpai, come Kaneki, Akira, we have to the worst enemy of all the English." Hide said, and Akira couldn't help but laugh.

He had been worried about nothing.

He was in control.

Not the Ghoul, as it were.

Xxx

"Yeah, worried about nothing," Akira said to himself as his classes for the day were over, and he was going back home to LeBlanc. Makoto still had a few things to do so he was on his own for a little bit.

So Akira decided to go and visit one of his confidants as he had to go through Shinjuku to get back. And also to see if the person who was currently walking behind him needed to go to the same place or was stalking him.

Haven't had that happen in a while; the police had long since given up on trying to nail him as Joker, so they weren't stalking him anymore.

And speaking of the police, he should also try and ask his fellow Wildcard about the CCG, as Akira knew that both Yu and Naoto were in Tokyo at the moment.

As thanks to Sae's encounter with the 'Doves' as they were apparently nicknamed, had put them in Akira's untrustworthy category, killing ghouls like Rize was a thing that needed to be done, but killing a child?

In what was apparently murderous glee? Unacceptable.

Akira looked at a familiar street corner where, once upon a time, a Fortune Teller would sit and read the future of all those who offered Yen in exchange.

Though now Chihaya Mifune had moved on from that table at the street corner as she now traveled across Japan helping people with her fortune using her fortune telling to assist and alleviate misery, having become a bit of Holy Figure that now actually provided the good fortune that she had once told the fake Holy Stones she had been forced to sell provided.

Akira was, of course, still in regular contact with her, calling and messaging her at least once a week.

Honestly, in hindsight, her suddenly pulling the Hunger during their last talk before Akira had been Ghoul'd was now a very obvious and on-the-nose warning sign.

But hindsight was 20/20, and so Akira moved on, going to the Bar that was not very far from Chihaya's old spot.

Akira entered Crossroads the Bar, where he had once worked part-time so as to earn a bit of extra cash and also get info on targets.

"Well, if it isn't Akira-kun, I haven't seen you in a while," Lala said; she saw him enter, and with a quick look, he could see that she was currently alone, though Ohya's bag was visible on the seat so was here at least. "Though I did hear about you getting hospitalized, sorry I wasn't able to send a gift."

"It's fine, Lala. Are things going okay?" Akira asked.

"Things are going swell though…" She trailed off.

"What is it?"

"I didn't pay it no mind until recently, so few that it never really bothered me as a person, but after your accident-" Lala was cut off by a familiar voice.

"Ghouls have gotten a lot more active over the past month than they have in years, Akira-chan," Ohya said as she exited the bathroom, the punk reporter looking as stylish as ever.

"Hey, Ohya," Akira greeted her, still using her last name, as the woman hated being called by her first name.

"Hey Akira, you're looking fine from having gotten impaled," Chiyo responded. "So, University Boy, I am guessing you are here to talk to me about Ghouls?"

"How did you figure?" Akira asked.

"You got attacked by one, and you are not one to let sleeping dogs lie; you got pulled into a grand new side of reality, so you would obviously be interested," Ohya responded.

"I am," Akira admitted, though not because of the attack. "I need your help, Ohya."

"Oh, you're not one usually to ask for help; what do you need?" Ohya asked as she took a seat in their usual booth, Akira joining her.

"I need you to investigate two people for me," Akira said. "Oracle knows how to hack, but if things are not on the net."

"The little gremlin can't find shit," Ohya commented.

"Yeah."

"So, who do you need me to investigate?" Ohya asked, now very much interested.

"One is Rize Kameshiro," Akira stated.

Ohya blinked at that. "Wait isn't she the Ghoul that attacked you?"

"Yes." He answered.

"Why?"

"Because of the second person I want you to investigate, Akihiro Kanou, the surgeon who operated and used Rize's organs to do so," Akira explained.

"Wait, he put a fucking ghoul's organs inside of you?" Ohya asked in shock. "Shouldn't that cause like a severe organ rejection or something?"

"If reality worked like it should, but instead, it caused this," Akira said as his left eye turned into the singular Kakugan that he possessed.

Which clearly shocked Ohya as she looked with wide eyes, he heard glass break behind the counter as Lala had clearly seen it too.

But it was fine.

Akira trusted both of them.

"What kind of mad Victor Frankenstein mad science did he do to you," Ohya said; the reporter was in complete shock.

"Don't know, but now I have to deal with it."

"Does that mean you?" Ohya asked.

"Yeah," Akira admitted.

And at that, Akira found Ohya's arms around him as she hugged him.

"Why, why does shit keep happening to you?" Ohya cried into his shoulder, the woman clearly having not let go of the feelings that she held for him even after two years.

"It's okay, Ohya," Akira said as the woman pulled back.

"It's fucking not okay, Akira, this shit needs to be fixed, or else the CCG is going to be after you. Fuck!" She cursed. "Now I understand why you want me to look into them."

"Yeah, especially Kanou, as he seemingly went underground after my operation and has not been seen since I was discharged," Akira said.

"Then count me in, I am going to find the fucker, and for Rize, I guess you want to know more about your G-Mom?" Ohya joked, clearly trying to clear the air after that rather disturbing revelation.

"Urgh, don't call her that, I already had that thought once, and I hate it, but yeah," Akira admitted.

"Heh, but before I do that, Lala, some drinks, please, because I need copious amounts of alcohol pronto," Ohya said.

"I think I need that, too," Lala said. "Akira, I've said it before, but you are always welcome at Crossroads no matter what."

"Thanks, Lala," Akira replied. "Well, I am going to be going, though. Ohya, now that has happened, I sadly can't drink with you when I turn twenty-one."

"…FUCK!" The woman shouted after a second several dreams probably destroyed in an instant.

"Well, see you."

With that, Akira exited Crossroad.

And as he walked the person who had been following still did.

And with that, he began walking down alleyways until.

"Huh?" His stalker said in confusion, having lost him. "Where did he go? Can't even smell-"

Akira cut her off as he appeared from the Shadow he was hiding in and locked her arm behind her back pushing her against the wall. "I knew that voice sounded familiar; hey Touka-chan, what are you following me for?" Akira asked the barista as the hood of the hoodie-wearing Ghoul was pulled down, her face pouting at having been managed to be caught like this, so he quickly let go of her.

She turned around to look at him.

"How."

"How what?"

"How do the people around you not hate you for being a Ghoul?" She asked with a slightly heated voice. And Akira was happy they were far from other people at the moment.

"Is that all? You could have just approached me like a normal person," Akira responded.

"Because I wanted to see, I have seen other Ghouls hide their nature, befriend humans, then get rejected, then it was revealed. So what makes you so different?" She asked.

"It's because of our bonds, but you heard from the old man, didn't you? That I am an artificial Ghoul?" Akira asked.

"I did," Touka responded.

"So I used to be human; there was no need to hide. Would it have been different if I had been born a ghoul? Maybe, but that is an entirely different reality; so sorry, Touka, I don't have a proper answer to your question," Akira explained, which caused Touka to sigh. "People are complicated; some can handle a lie, and some can't."

"I knew there isn't a magic trick to get humans and ghouls to get along, but…"

"You had to hope."

"I had to hope."

"Well, is there anything else I can help you with?" Akira asked.

"You help me? No, but I can help you. You don't know much about Ghoul Culture and society, do you?" Touka asked.

"None," Akira admitted.

"Well, I guess I have to teach you so you don't make things worse for us one-eye," Touka said. "But it's not gonna come free, as you said, you used to be human, so…"

"So?" Akira asked.

"So, do you think you could help me try and fit in better? I actually go to a high school, and I would like to fit in better." Touka admitted.

"Sure think Touka," Akira responded.

"Well, you already gave me some answers, and since we are in Shinjuku, let's go and get you a mask."

"A mask?" Akira asked.

"What else is going to hide you from the Doves?" Touka asked. "Follow me, coffee boy."

Xxx

A/N: If you like this or any other of my stories, you can donate to my SubscribeStar. Adult /StreamingViking or my Pa Tre on at pa tre on. com (slash)StreamingViking776 and read commissioned stories and chapters before they are released publicly and where you can participate in polls, that determine which story is written next or determine things in them for only 3$ a month or for 10 and up see character at work for the stories. Pa tre on money goes towards more artwork