Horned Devil Ghoul

03

Walking to him, I sat next to him bringing his favorite flowers, tulips. He never did like those other flowers, he liked basic ones.

"I met a new friend, his names Kaneki, Kaneki Ken. He attends my college and, he's half ghoul." I muttered hugging my legs close to my chest. "Otōsan, I wish you lived on with me, it's hard being alone, with no family." My voice cracked, I noticed a small note behind his grave and looked at it, it was his handwriting, a letter to me.

I opened the letter and read it.

Dear Karuka,

You are not alone, there is still one family member out there, forgive me, but the day you were born, she left me with you. I think it's time that you went off and found her.. your mother. I'm sure she'll remember you, only if you told her your surname, and there is also your protector, find them both and I'm sure that you'll be happy.
Live on, Defend, and Protect those who mean a lot to you.

Love,
Dad.

A mother? How do I find her? I got up and said my goodbye to his grave and ran back to where I was born, the place where I created memories with him.

Home.

-

I knocked on the door, hoping maybe someone lives here.

"Hello?" A woman opened the door.

Ghoul.

"H-Hi, I-I'm Karuka Ashimaki. M-My dad, well your ex-husband I suppose, he told me to find you." I muttered softly, she widen her eyes.

"So, Hashimoto sent you to find me huh?" She mumbled, I nodded, "He wanted me to tell you as well that he loved you, even if he was a monster, he loved you deep down in his warm heart." I told, she smiled and let me inside the house. Home, it still looks the same as it was back then.

"How is he?" She asked, I looked down.
"H-He's no longer with us.." I mumbled, I can hear her gasp.

"I-I'm sorry to hear, I'm sure he was a great man, and a great father." Her voice cracked. I looked at her. "Yeah, he was a great father and a great man, also a great protector." I mumbled.

"Okaasan, he died.. protecting you from ghoul investigators. Those investigators thought that you were still carrying me inside your womb." I saw right through her eyes, that her heart had shattered.

"I-I was wrong then.." She whispered, wrong? what does she mean?

"I left your father, for another man.. another ghoul, one stronger." I widen my eyes. "But like I said, I was wrong, he never did protect me, me and that ghoul, we were out last night and ghoul investigators came by us and said that he was wanted for a serial crime, they used me as bait, almost killing me, all he did was look at me and run away." I balled my hand tightening it.

"It doesn't matter who is stronger, it matters that they care, they love, they protect you, even if it cost their life. Okaasan, he did everything for you." I said wanting to cry, but she instead broke down crying. A gust of wind blew in from the window and a paper airplane flew in. For her. She unfolded the plane and read it, she began to bawl.

I got up. "It's getting late, and I have college to attend to later. I'll drop by sometimes, alright?" I hear a faint okay, and opened the door, but forgot something. I went and hugged her.

"He also, wanted me to protect you in his place." I whispered, I felt her hand place onto mine. So, this is what family feels like. It's warm.

-

"Hey! Karuka-chan!" I looked back and saw Hide, he ran up to me panting afterwards, was I that hard to get to from a distance?

"Wanna hang at Anteiku?" He smiled, I nodded. "That sounds fun." I spoke, he took my hand and began to drag me. "H-Hey! Hide!" I called out, he ignored me and continued running, but my face had turned red when I looked at our hands, he was holding my hand.

As we arrived to Anteiku, we saw Kaneki, he had a smile but it faded away. I wonder why, me and Hide took a seat and ordered coffee, obviously I had to eat human food, I'll have to go with the flow no matter how bad it is, I can't give myself away. I noticed a slip of paper underneath my cup, I looked at it.

Can we talk later? -Kaneki

I looked at him and nodded, Hide looked at me trying to get my attention. "E-Eh, gomenesai Hide! I was into thought for a moment." I smiled, he just shrugged.

"Ah! Gomenesai Karuka-chan! I have to go and study for a test tomorrow!" Hide bowed and left quickly, I headed upstairs and waited for Kaneki. Finally, I guess it was after his shift he came in and looked at me.

"Karuka-chan, I wanna know, what you thought about yesterday." He asked. "That is none of your business to know what I am thinking of, it doesn't concern you Kaneki. This is a waste of my time." I stood up and hand my hand wrapped around the door knob till I saw a hand slam against the door and felt a body really close to me.

"Karuka-chan, what are you hiding that makes you so mysterious..?" He muttered. "I have nothing to hide, and if I did, I still wouldn't tell you a thing." I growled, opening the door, I left the room and headed out of Anteiku.

Opening the umbrella, I started to walk as it poured down, why does he care, he's just a kid around my age that recently just turned into a ghoul. Wandering around, I smelt a familiar scent, heading towards it, I noticed Kaneki and Hinami. I placed my mask on and dropped in from the sky.

"The Horned Devil Ghoul!" One of the investigators called, the senior investigator laughed. "Oh what a great time to drop by! Did you say goodbye to your friend yet?" I glanced at Miss Ryouko as her body laid lifeless on the ground.

The smell from his quinque, Hinami-chan's father?! I clenched my teeth together, feeling that Hinami had to go through this the hard way, and for Miss Ryouko.

"Not talking I see, well, you won't talk anyways after you're dead!" The old investigator cackled, I caught his quinque with my hand and slammed him against the wall killing the other two investigators.

"Next time, I won't go so easy on you, Senior Investigator Mado." I mumbled disappearing into the sky.