It was all in a heartbeat, I'd been turned into one of them...One of the ghouls.
"Ne, Izumi," I turned to Hide, as he stared at me with a blank look. His yellowish hair looked as if he had just woken up, and his regular headphones were around his neck as always.
"What do you want, Hide?" I sighed, placing the book back onto the shelf. The school library wasn't as quiet as I thought, there were students studying alright, but some where just chit chatting along the way.
Hide stretched his arms and adujsted himself as he leant on the bookshelf. He was scrolling through his phone, as if he was reading a long text.
"Why do you keep avoiding the boy?"
"The boy?" I peered up, "Who?"
He shrugged, "Oh I don't know, my best bud Kaneki? Aside from you, of course."
I tucked my hair behind my ear, it was a habit of mine. "I'm not avoiding. I'm simply not ever meeting him because you-" I pressed a finger on his chest, "-make it seem as if your setting something up. I don't know what it is, but I'm not liking it."
"Eh? But Izumi-"
"I don't want to hear it, Hide. Now you going to him or am I going to have to drag you with me?"I crossed my arms over my chest and he just puffed.
"Fine, I'll go."
I nodded with approval and turned on my heels but before I could move, I felt a hand grip the back of my leather black hood.
"But Izumi, just be...just be safe out there," he whispered. My eyes twitched as I paused, not saying a word. But once he let go I simply nodded and started to walk.
What's up with him today, I wonder.
The next thing I new, I was walking down the street. I hadn't known where I was headed, but I definatly didn't want to go home... There was no one at home anyway, my cousin had been busy. He had the money to help me, he says he's quite rich anyway. I wasn't really related to him but somehow, he'd gotten into my family life.
Not that I remember what an actual family was..
I turned a corner and headed into a gaming store, where I surprisingly found Nishiki- wait...what was he doing here?
"Nishiki.." I muttered, staring as he sat on one of the chairs and started to play this random copy-wannabe-mario-vampirish game. I don't know what in hell it was.
"Oh, Izumi-san," he greeted, not even sparing a glance towards me.
"Nevermind.." I said as I walked away to see any more of the games down the isle, after reading about some story-plots for quite awhile, I looked back to see if Nishiki was still there.
"Ah, he's gone."
I peered down at my watch and realized it had been more than enough hours and it was already late.
"No wonder he's already gone."
By the time I got out, the streetlamps were flickering and the wind hit me like an icicle and all of a sudden, I didn't feel safe anymore.
I ran.
My feet shoes clamped loudly against the floor, but I still ran. I was fast, too but-
"O-one eyed?" I heard a man stutter.
I froze, and slowly crawled against the closest wall. I could hear heavy breathing, yet it sounded as if the person but a jar on his mouth or something.
"P-please don't kill me!" I heard the man yell, and then I heard a sort of snake.
Snake?
I couldn't stand it anymore, I had nothing to do with this but if I don't see what was happening, how could I live with myself. Curiosity filled me as I peeked down the dead end of the dumpsters.
A man was cowering in fear, his back against the brick walls and the bins surrounded them both.
My eyes widened as I saw the one standing in front of him. I didn't know what he was, but there were legs..arms..coming out of his back. The monster took a step forward, and I then realized the innocent man wasn't that as I thought. He too...was a monster. There was at least one tail from the other's back.
What am I doing? This shouldn't feel normal, I should be calling the police like a normal person! I was about to fling out my phone until they caught my eye again. What was I saying? They aren't just monsters, they're ghouls! Ghouls...the word sounded weird to me.
Soon the dark haired ghoul moved forward, and I knew where this was leading to.
He wasn't in for small talk,
he was in for the kill.
MONTHS LATER-
I woke with a start, my face was beading with sweat and my hands shaking uncontrollably. I've been like this for days, waking up every morning with the same fright, the same killing nightmare. I was just lying down, but my vision was moving unsteadily like an unstable camera. I sat up, thinking it would do any better. Instead, I saw the dark spots, dancing around my view as if flames were flickering. It took me awhile to notice that what I was seeing was black and white. Puddles of black on my wooden floor, and dark stains on the walls.
Black and white...like films.
Yet it faded...
"Must have been the effect of my imagination." I murmured.
I took a quick shower and changed into a fresh new pair of clothes. I tied up my dark violet hair into a high ponytail and shoved on my gloves and combat boots.
"It's probably time I get out of this fun-house." I sighed.
I had missed school since the day after I'd been in the library with Hide.. since that day I had seen everything.
And I didn't do anything about it.
Anyway, I wonder what Hide was doing now. Come to think of it, I've never gone out to the coffee store he was always talking about. The one with Kaneki and stuff, that boy was way over-the-top for him. I'm starting to think he has a thing for the nerd with glasses. What was so cool about him anyway?
My phone had been on airplane mode for the whole time and I hadn't realized.
I pulled on some earphones and started to head towards the cafe, Anteiku.
I opened the door slowly, hearing a cute little chime of a bell and a welcoming sound of the waiters and waitresses. "Welcome!" I stared around. It seemed like a small, cozy and innocent cafe. It was well neat and clean too. Very different from where I come around..
I realized I had been in a trance to long. I looked at the counter tops where all the coffee was and stared. "Nishiki-kun?"
"Oh, it's been a long time." He stated bluntly. He was wearing a waiters attire too. "Izumi?!"
I looked right to see my well, guy bff staring wide eyed at me. I chuckled nervously and put a hand at the back of my head, "H-hi." I muttered.
In seconds he was up and tackled me around the neck, "I couldn't get contact through you and I don't know where you live and you have no friends so how am I supposed to know and you never respond to my texts!" He spat.
"Mine neither!" Nishiki added.
I shook my head, "G-gomen, I've been having stress lately so I needed a break.."
"A break?" He asked, I nodded. "A break?! It has been months Iz! Months!"
I quickly sat in front of him and smiled, trying to play a poker face. "Oh..has it?"
He literally face-palmed.
"Oh, Hide and Nishiki! You know this pretty young lady?" A woman asked. I looked up to find her pretty dark silk hair tied up and her waitress dress fit nicely on her.
She seemed really nice and welcoming, but there was something about her..
"Oh um yeah, this is Kaya." He said, gesturing to her. "Kaya this is Izumi Kyoko." He adressed. The lady took out her hand I shook it. "Nice meeting you," she said. I smiled, "Yeah..."
"She's like Touka," another voice said. Which was another one of the waiters that had this curly top hair.
I looked at Hide questioningly and he just rolled his eyes, "Go order, the moneys on me." He said with a cheeky grin.
Soon after I had a long talk with Hide about school and games, I finally glanced down at my watch.
"I'm sorry, I gotta go now." I muttered.
"Eh? But Kaneki isn't here yet." He pressed.
"Even more the reason," I grumbled. "Anyway, thanks a lot."
"No problem, but try to go to school okay? Even if your top of the class!"
"I'll try," With that I stood and flexed my fingers in my gloves.
Just as I turned, the familiar chime of the cafe door rang and it opened. There stood a boy, with shimmering dark hair and an eye-patch.
"Ah Kaneki! You're here!" My eyes widened, "This is-"
and I was out.
I jogged down the stairs and out onto the streets towards my house.
Back at Anteiku
"She seemed pretty cool," Kaya mused as she set down the last cup.
Kaneki was still standing, staring at the girl who ran out the store without a glance, just a glance of her gloves and violet hair.
"Who...was that?" he asked.
"That was her." Hide smirked with pride. "Who?"
Hide slung an arm around his shoulder, "Izumi, my second version of you."