A Secret | AC - TG

An Eventful Night • 01

I arrive at my new apartment unlocking the door and switching the lights on. The current room had already been furnished with a small sofa, coffee table and a television.

The manager went through all this effort just for me? The room was connected to the kitchen that had a simple bench and kitchen essentials. Then there were to other rooms. A bedroom and a bathroom.

I sigh and place a satchel I had been carrying around my neck onto the coffee table. I wanted some fresh air.

I took a blank paged book out and a pencil and eraser. I left the apartment and looked up at the sky.

It was night, other ghouls would be out right now although there should be an incredibly decreased amount now that I'm out of Tokyo. I would be able to defend myself anyway..

I hop down over the balcony onto the ground checking nobody saw my shortcut.

Good I'm safe. I sigh heading to a park on the outskirts of Tokyo. I'm going to miss Tokyo.

I sit down on a log that surrounds a playground and look at the city. It's so pretty at night. I take my sketchbook out and start drawing the city in front of me.

Once I was done with the sketch I turn to the next page not wanting to work anymore on it. Instead I draw a portrait of a girl, she has dark hair and her eyes were holes. Her lips were cracked and I added flies coming out of her mouth and eyes.

As I continued drawing out the sketch I suddenly felt hot breath blowing onto my neck.

"Whatchu drawin'?" A boy's voice asked me. I turned my head to see a white haired boy looking over my shoulder at my sketchbook.

He had stitches in the shape of an X all over his skin. I stared at it amazed. The boy picked up my sketchbook out of my hands and looked at the girl then the page before and compared the scenery drawing to the city.

He looks back down at me to see me watching him with my mouth wide open.
"Are those real? Real stitches?" I ask pointing to the stitches going down his arm and neck.

"Mhmm!" He nods grinning at me.
"Can I.. can I touch one?" I ask nervously, he might not be comfortable with a stranger just touching his stitches. Wouldn't that be weird for you?

"Uh, sure." He says scratching the back of his neck. I look at his arm and trace the stitches spiralling down his arm to his finger. I stare amazed.

"So what's your name?" He asks leaning over to get to my height.
"Namu." I say taking my sketchbook out of his hands and closing it.

"That's a cool name! I'm Juuzou Suzuya!" He says jumping around me.
"Suzuya.. Why do I recognise that name?" I mumble. Juuzou smiles at me and crouches down in front of me.

"Do you want one?" He says, I look up at him confused. "One of these." He says pointing at the stitches on his lip.

"I'm not so sure." I say. I wasn't sure a needle would be able to pierce my skin. Juuzou pouts before looking up at the stars.

"I like your stitches." I say still staring at him at awe.

"Well if you want one let me know!" He says jumping up, "I'm going to go now, bye-bye!" He says waving then running off.

-=+=-

I reach my apartment to see a boy standing there. It wasn't Juuzou, this boy was younger with dark brown hair and he seemed to look a lot like.. My cousin?

"Natame!" I shout sprinting up to him. He turned to look at me and in his arms was his little sister sleeping. Natame looked upset, and nervous.

"Namu.. Please help." He says in a small tone, his voice cracking mid-sentence. It was as if he was on the verge of tears.

"What happened? Why are you here?" I ask unlocking the door and inviting him in.

He sits on the sofa cradling the six year old in his arms. I shut the door behind me and locked it again and sat across from him on the floor.

"The doves got mum. She told us to run away and find you, the old man at Anteiku gave me your address." He says looking at me.

The doves got my Aunty? She's dead? This must be so hard on Natame and Keriku.. I sigh and look at the siblings.

"Let's put Keriku to bed so we don't wake her, okay?" I say referring to his younger sister.

He nods and I lead him to my bedroom, he tucked her into my bed and kissed her fore-head. We both left the room shutting the door quietly and sat down on the sofa together.

It was silent for a while before I decided to start a conversation.
"So, when you said the doves got your mother.. Did they, kill her?" I asked.

He didn't answer so I looked to my side at him and he began shaking. He nodded his head frantically before tears begin to water from his face.

I wrap my arm around him and pull him into a hug, he began to wail and cry and cling onto me. I comforted him for a few hours until he finally stopped crying and went to bed sleeping next to his sister.

That night I slept on the sofa.