A Ghouls Cry | Kaneki Ken

|Chapter 33|

Turning around, Sasaki made his way from Rima's room and into his, flopping onto his back on his bed. Looking out his window, Sasaki began to think of how his life would be if he never met Rima. If he wasn't the one assigned to catch the blue eyed, dirty blonde haired half ghoul.

Would he still be as happy as he is right at this moment, knowing the girl who he knew he would spend the rest of his life with was just a few feet away?

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"Shirazu, have you seen Rima yet?"Sasaki asked as he walked down the stairs into the kitchen fixing his tie, and making sure his hair wasn't sticking up anywhere.

Shirazu, who was lounging in the chair in the dining room shrugged,"Last time I saw her was when she and Mutsuki were talking about some new movie that was fixing to come out, but she got a phone call and walked out onto the balcony..."Shirazu sighed deeply after having to explain such a long sentence.

Sasaki froze in the middle of tightening his tie. Rima was outside. Alone. Anybody could attack her or kidnap her and they wouldn't even know. Forgetting about fixing his tie, Sasaki spun around on his heels and made a beeline straight for the balcony, not bothering to answers Shirazu's questions about where he was going and what he was doing.

Flinging open the balcony doors, Sasaki ran out full sped onto the the medium sized concrete overhang... and right into a freaked out Rima, just barely catching her before she was flung over the railing. Sasaki must have sacred Rima so much that she couldn't move away in time.

"H-Haise-kun?.."Rima muttered as she looked around Sasaki's arm that was tightly wound around her waist, to the place by their feet.

"I-I'm s-sorry! I thought t-that you had gotten h-hurt or k-kidnapped!"Sasaki tried to explained, letting his arms retract from around her waist.

"Its okay Haise-kun. You don't have to apologise."Rima said with a smile as she leaned down and started to pick up the pieces of something that looked like it had broken. As Sasaki stared at it more, he realised it was a phone. The same phone that he had given to her to keep in touch if anything were to keep them apart.

Now Sasaki really felt bad...

Sasaki quickly bent down and started to pick up the pieces with her,"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to break your phone.."He mumbled quietly.

Rima laughed,"It just a phone. It's replaceable."

"But still. I should have been more careful. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, but the real question is, are you? You came running out here pretty fast. Is something wrong?"Rima asked.

Sasaki chuckled nervously,"Shirazu said that you were outside on the phone and I kind of freaked out. I thought that maybe someone might try and hurt you while you were alone..."

This time is was Rima's turn to laugh. She looked at Sasaki gently,"Oh sorry. I wasn't thinking. I was just talking to Touka-chan."Rima explained standing up, Sasaki following suit.

"The girl from the Cafe? She has your number?"

Rima nodded,"Mhmm. I hope that was alright. I really like Touka-chan, so I thought I would to get to know her better."

"I'm glad your making friends. Well, out of the CCG, at least. Haha."Sasaki teased.

Rima smiled,"Yeah, it's nice to have friends again... it feels like my life is almost complete again."Rima's voice suddenly took a turn for the bad, her mood instantly turning cloudy."Haise-kun?..."

"Yeah?"

"What defines a friend to you?"

Sasaki was a little confused by her question, but answered any,"Hmm, what to me defines a friend?... um, I guess someone who would always be there for you when you need them the most. Some who you could laugh with about anything, and who wouldn't judge you and accept you for who you are."

Rima smile lightly as she looked over the balcony railing,"Isn't it funny how small the line is that defines friends from lovers?"She asked rhetorically, and Sasaki felt his ears get hot,"You know, I agree with you on what you said but I also think there's another thing that defines a friend.."

"And what is that?"

Rima turned to Sasaki with a serious expression,"A true friend is also someone who would risk and put everything on the line just to help you, no matter if it hurts them or pummeled them into pieces. A true friend is someone that you don't even have to call a friend. They know what they mean to you by just the way you act. All you have to do is look at them and they could understand everything about you.... they're someone you yourself would do anything to protect because you're to selfish to let the one who knows you inside out, be taken away by another..."Rima suddenly trailed off, looking at Sasaki.

Sasaki looked at Rima with wide eyes. It shocked him to hear her speak about something so serious and deep. It was like a total contrast to how she usually was. But Sasaki had to keep remembering something.

The Rima that stands before him was the Rima who isn't herself - in terms of memory wise. She could have been a completely different person then she is right now.

Sasaki returned his eyes to normal as he looked at her,"Yeah. I guess thats true too."Sasaki agreed. He then watched with careful eyes as Rima walked closer until she was just inches away, a serious look in her eyes.

"Haise-kun..."

"Y-yes?"Sasaki gulped. He almost couldn't take the way Rima was looking at him. It was so intense and heart pounding for him.

"I considered you someone I would call a true friend. You saved me from something that I could never undo if I had gone through with it, and constantly support me through this hard time in my life. That is something that I could never repay you for..."Rima said,"... but I will try. I will protect you from everything I can... even if it's myself... Because without you, I might as well be dead..."Rima declared, then softened her gaze significantly,"... so do you accept my friendship?"

Sasaki was utterly confused. Rima could change her mood so quickly and it kind of scared him. But also intrigued him. He wondered what side of Rima was the real Rima. From his visions, Rima was a cheerful girl, like nothing could stop her... buuuuut, maybe that was a front.

It didn't matter though. Rima was Rima to Sasaki. It wasn't like he was mister perfect himself - being with the whole voice that talks to him and everything - so he had no right to judge Rima. He would accept her no matter what.

Sasaki smiled down at the half ghoul,"I would always..."He replied, running a gentle hand through her hair. It felt so soft..

Rima smiled brightly, it almost looked like she was sparkling,"Ahh~ That's great! I feel like this is a big step in our relationship!~"She exclaimed wrapping her arms around Sasaki's shoulders for a second then running back inside.

Rima left Sasaki dumbfounded with cheeks red and hot. Though he wouldn't admit it, he loved how Rima could keep him on his toes, never letting him know what she was going to do.

As Sasaki shook his hand and turned to follow him, a thought struck him.

What did Rima mean by 'I will protect you from everything I can... even if it's myself '?