Stars and Counting [Kaneki X Reader]

☆9☆

I didn't know where I was going. I only moved forward towards the outside night, with nothing but the piercing frost triggering my bottom jaw to tremor in bitter chilliness.

That's when the thought hit me.

Hoping to myself, I dashed all the way to a familiar place I haven't visited since after the previous year ended.

I panted as I halt in my tracks at the very entrance and peered through the window realizing the back light was still on. The front door was locked and so was the back one.

I crotched down to the doorknob's height, removed my hairpin from my hair, and immediately went to work on picking the lock, wriggling the front door several times.

*click!

I stood up and back away when recognizing I've been caught. The door opened revealing a tall, older-aged man. Mr. Yoshimura.

"S-Sorry, Sir!" I apologized. "If you don't mind, I'm a friend of—"

"—A friend of Touka, and girlfriend of Kaneki," he interrupted in a friendly tone. "I understand."

I sighed in relief and he allowed me inside the dimly lit room. I followed him towards the entrance of the back door until, he stopped.

I took that as caution and took a step back when he turned to face me. "What's the matter, Sir?" I asked.

He hesitated. "... Please, allow me to warn you; there are too many things in this world you need to be aware of especially your surroundings... I want you to be always cautious when you're upstairs here. Do you promise, Miss Y/N?"

I gave him a weird look until, the thought came to me. I understood what was going on.

"I promise, Sir," I muttered, and he continued walking forwards up the stairs in silence.

I followed him down a short hallway and we walked past a series of numbered doors, but one having the word Touka.

"Here you are, Miss. Touka should be still awake."

"Thank-you, Sir," I bowed, and Mr. Yoshimura casually ambles away from sight.

I knocked on the door twice and I caught a clear, solemn voice call out, "It's open!"

My grip tightened on the doorknob and I cautiously stepped inside to discover Touka sitting at her desk, finishing her homework while listening to music.

"Y/N?" she asked, appalled. "What are you doing here?"

I shut the door behind me and walked towards her. "I just, um, wanted to talk."

Her eyes widened, and she slammed her textbook close, sweeping her headphones off her head. "Talk? About what?"

I paused. "You see I had a quarrel with Kaneki and I thought I should come to you about it."

She crossed her arms, giving me an earnest look. "What did the idiot do this time?"

I looked down, fidgeting with my charm bracelet. It's been glued to my wrist ever since I first bought it, and I wasn't planning on letting it go.
"Actually, the idiot who started everything was me..." I muttered in absolute shame.

It turned silent for a moment before I caught a glance of a sliding chair Touka offered me. I looked up to meet her glare.

"Sit," she firmly instructed, and I immediately obeyed as I plumped myself in the seat beside her desk. I looked away avoiding eye contact from how tense she made the situation.

Oh man, I thought. I think I hit a nerve. She's not gonna like me after this. Maybe coming to her wasn't such a good id—

"—Tell me all about it then," she interrupted, grinning. "From the very, very beginning."