The Masked Ghoul

The truth always comes forth

I didn't realise how late I had stayed at the shop until something caught my eye outside and I realised how dark it had gotten. It was Kaneki limping across the street. I ran downstairs to help him, he was covering his right eye and was covered in blood. "KANEKI!" I shouted while running toward him "what happened are you okay?!" He started crying "Yoshimura" he said trying to swallow his pain "I need Yoshimura".

I put his arm over my shoulder and helped him inside the shop. "Touka get Yoshimura!" I said panicking as we got through the door. I sat Kaneki down at one of the tables while Koma brought him a cup of coffee. Yoshimura came a few minutes later and took Kaneki upstairs. I stayed, it was obvious I was worried while taking to Koma and Irimi, "he will be alright, he's strong" Irimi said trying to comfort me "she's right, while it's true he's very sweet and gentle he has managed to survive on his own all these years" said Koma. "Did he get attacked by a ghoul? Perhaps the binge eater?".

They suddenly looked at each-other before Koma replied "No, the binge eater is dead, no need to worry!" "we wouldn't let kaneki die at the hands of a disgusting ghoul" said Irimi while smiling at me warmly, "not all ghouls are disgusting and evil" I replied. Both of them looked at me stunned "you don't think ghouls are disgusting and evil?" Asked Irimi "not at all, sure there is some that are evil but there is also some humans that are evil. We are not as different from ghouls as people think" I said. For some reason talking about my opinion on ghouls calmed me down.

Koma made me another cup of coffee and brought me a slice of cake "it's on the house" I smiled and thanked them both for their service and kindness. A while later Yoshimura came down and told me Kaneki was okay and he was in bed sleeping, I was filled with a sense of relief. I took the a final sip of my coffee, thanked them all again and headed home "thank you everyone! I'll see you all tomorrow".

The next day I didn't even eat breakfast and rushed to the shop to see Kaneki. "Good morning y/n, your here early" said Kaneki welcoming me with a warm smile. I ran to him and squeezed him tightly "I'm so glad you're okay" I said while tears started streaming down my face, "I'm sorry for worrying you, it won't happen again" he said in an apologetic tone, " you better not!" I replied then punched him in the arm "Ah! I deserved that" he said softly seeming a bit embarrassed.

There was no one else in the shop as I got there as soon at it opened so Kaneki had time to talk with me. "What happened to you?" I asked "I just got unlucky when picking up supplies for the shop. A group of punks cornered me and took the money I was given" he said embarrassed "who? Want me to beat them up? I'm a very good fighter" he chuckled at my response "no, no, it's fine! but if I ever run into them again I'll call you". "good." I said smugly.

A couple of days later I was walking home from the library when I decided to take a short cut. I was listening music when suddenly I tripped, before I could get back up I was pinned to the ground. "Hmmm you smell good" quickly I realised it was a ghoul, he turned me over licking his lips. "Wow, you're eyes are incredible" I said, for some reason instead of being scared I found myself fascinated, "huh? You do realise I'm about to kill you right?" Said the ghoul. He had a mask on that only revealed his mouth but you could see his eyes, it was very beautifully designed and looked like a fox. He released his kagune and cut my stomach open. I screamed in pain "there we go! NOW THIS IS GETTING FUN!" he said sounding psychotic.

Suddenly another ghoul appeared. It was him. It was the eyepatch! He ran towards the ghoul with the fox mask and took him down shouting "DON'T YOU EVER LAY YOUR HANDS ON Y/N AGAIN" I was shocked, how did he know my name? And why was he protecting me? After killing the fox ghoul he ran to me "looks like you're the one who needs back up" he said while picking me up. Before I could put the pieces together I lost consciousness.

I woke up in the hospital with Kaneki by my side and the news playing on the tv. "A ghoul was found late last night dead in the 20th ward, it looks like he was killed by a fellow ghoul, perhaps over a meal? A pedestrian walking by spotted a young girl laying injured near the scene and took her to hospital immediately. We are still waiting to hear on the condition of the girl and who the other ghoul at the scene was."

I started thinking about last night. "It was you wasn't it? You're the eyepatch" he looked at me nervously "what would make you think that?" He asked "he knew my name, he saved me. And he also said something similar to what we talked about a couple of days ago" he looked to the floor "would you be scared of me if I was the eyepatch?" He asked "why would I be scared? I don't care if you're a ghoul Kaneki... you saved me and even before that I had nothing against ghouls" he looked stunned yet relieved, then his body language and tone went very serious "I am the eyepatch ghoul".