Part 2 to asphyxia
--
Even though Kaneki is already long done with painting Touka and moved on to doing other arts, she continued going over and even stayed the night sometimes. She often accompanied him whenever he went somewhere to get inspiration and he didn't feel as bored and lonely as before. When she's with him, he feels himself slowly but surely reverting to how he used to be 5 years ago, being kind, caring and cheerful again. She changed his whole perspective from negative to positive and that has shown in his works, where the blacks and whites of every art slowly changed into bright colors like orange, yellow and red.
In a short span of 7 months, she became such an important person in his life.
--
Ever since he released the painting of Touka to the public, there have been many clients contacting his manager to purchase it and they ended up selling it at 20 million to a person named Takatsuki Sen. But the response was so huge that Kaneki got invited to have a 3-day exhibition in Hokkaido, using the sold Touka painting and some of his other works which were also sold at a pretty good price. He was also to be present at the venue for an interview, which he accepted.
The exhibition opens tomorrow, but he would have to take the plane this afternoon at 3pm so he can reach there early and have one night's rest.
--
Pulling the blankets away, Kaneki reached for his clothes that were all over the floor and put them on before hearing a rustling of the sheets behind him and he turned to see his girlfriend staring at him with a pout on her pink lips. "What time are you leaving for the airport?"
He smiled, moving to brush away the hair from her eyes. "In about 2 hours or so."
"Then why are you putting on your clothes so early? Stay with me a little longer." Touka whined, arms embracing his waist and burying her face into his back.
Squeezing her hands, he grinned because she rarely whines, saying that it isn't a nice thing to do, but he sometimes wishes that she would do it more often because he found it extremely cute that she's being clingy to him. It makes him feel wanted and loved.
"I have to pack my luggage and change, Touka." He replied as he got to his feet and she pulled him back to sit on the bed.
"Kennnnn. Do it later. I want your warmth..."
Kaneki sighed, the smile still evident on his face and he laid back down on the side to take her in his arms. "Alright alright. Anything for my queen."
Touka grinned and inhaled his heady body smell that she loved.
--
She still had a pout on her lips when she saw him off at the doorstep and he cupped her cheeks to kiss her. "I'll be back as soon as the exhibition ends, I promise. But in return, can you promise me that you'll watch my interview tomorrow morning at 9?"
Nodding, she gave him one last hug and released him. "Okay. I'll be waiting for you to come home."
--
The next day, Touka turned on the television, switched to the art channel and saw Kaneki on the screen with a bunch of microphones in front of him. He had his hair pushed back and wore a black tuxedo.
"Congratulations on having a full-house on the first day of your exhibition, Kaneki-san! This has been a topic among young girls and we would like to know the inspiration behind your most famous piece this year! Do enlighten us about it!" The reporter positioned the microphone below his mouth and he smiled.
"Thank you very much. I am very humbled that many have come to see my artworks at this exhibition and am very thankful for those who have purchased them. The name of that painting is 'Lover' and it is actually a picture of my current girlfriend. This is something I've never shared with the world before but I once was cheated on. 5 years after that, I met my current girlfriend one day in her shop and she was the one who pulled me out of the despair and misery I was drowning in. She is my only beloved in this world and that inspired me to name it 'Lover'." He then turned to face the camera at the front, as if he was talking directly to her through the screen. "And I love her with all my heart."
At the end of his touching speech, tears slipped down her cheeks and she covered her mouth to stifle her sobs. You idiot. Why the public confession? Despite calling him an idiot and stupid, she still felt incredibly happy.
--
After the interview is over, Kaneki quickly went to a corner and whipped out his phone to dial Touka. She picked up after a few rings and he smiled. "Hey, did you manage to see the interview?"
He could hear her sobs over the phone and got worried when she didn't reply. "T-Touka?"
"YOU IDIOT!!!"
Everyone in the exhibition hall turned to him and he bowed to them as an apology.
"Jeez, you really drive me crazy sometimes. Why did you do that over the public forecast? It's all your fault that I'm crying now. But, thank you. I love you too, Ken."
He smiled. "I can't wait to see you soon. I miss you already."
"Me too."
—
In those days that he was separated from her, he missed her so dearly and decided that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life away from her.
—
The day which Kaneki is expected to return happened to be his birthday and having known that, Touka prepared a birthday surprise for him.
"Touka, I'm home! Where are you?"
When he heard a sound from his bedroom, his heart started thumping wildly in his chest. What is this feeling of dejavu? Will the same thing happen all over again? The cheating, the lies, the pain. His hand tightened around the doorknob and he swallowed. That's right. Touka would never cheat on me. She promised me.
He turned the doorknob to see his girlfriend holding a cake in her hands and staring at him. Her lips turned into a frown upon meeting his eyes and she sighed. "Ah... you saw... I was planning to surprise you but you're back way too early."
"W-what is this about?" His heart gradually went back to its normal beating rate when he saw that it was just her in the room.
"Don't tell me you forgot that your birthday is today? I heard from your manager and decided to celebrate it with you." She answered, placing the cake gently on the table, careful not to drop it.
Tears brimmed in his eyes and he struggled to prevent more from escaping. He dropped everything that he was holding to the floor and tackled her with a tight hug. "I'm sorry for doubting you. I thought—I thought that you were cheating on me."
Though taken aback by his sudden hug at first, she eased into it and wrapped her arms around him. "I told you, didn't I? That I will never do that to you. But I'm sorry for reminding you of that. I should've placed the cake at the dining table. It's not much of a surprise but do you like it? If you don't, I suppose I can try other—"
She gasped when he captured her lips swiftly between his and pulled back hesitantly to smile at her. "I do. I really do like it. Thank you."
Cupping his cheeks and leaning in to steal a kiss, she returned the smile as his hands squeezed her waist. "Welcome home, Ken."
—
It's been a few weeks since the exhibition and things are slowly settling down again. Now that Touka's identity is exposed, she starts getting more customers at her shop, fortunately, and unfortunately for her. She's happy that there's more business, but she's also upset about being so tired that she ends up sleeping soon after meeting Kaneki at his house. Although he said he didn't mind, she still didn't feel happy about not being able to spend time with him like before.
It's been 9 months since he started dating Touka and though he is happy with her, there is just one part of him that's still suffocating. It's as if he is trapped and suffering. He supposes that to get rid of this feeling, he has to let go of Asuka and that cheating incident. But till this day, he is still furious and hurt about what happened and he can't find it in himself to forgive her.
—
Touka decided to cook dinner for the two of them one day and is running late from buying the groceries. Kaneki decided to wait for her in the living room and turned on the television to watch. Not long after, the doorbell rang and he quickly went to answer it, only to be disappointed that it was Asuka standing there, not Touka. "Hey. It's been a while."
He narrowed his eyes and moved to close the door but she pushed on it. "P-please just hear what I have to say! It'll only take 10 minutes!"
"I have nothing to say to you. Not after how you treated me like trash. Go home, Asuka. I don't want to see you or hear your voice ever again." He said coldly, putting more strength in closing the door but she remained persistent and continue pushing against it.
"I want to apologize!"
He stopped, hesitated and opened the door to let her in. His eyes fixed cold and hard at her and he tapped his foot. "Go on. Let's hear what you have to say."
She shivered. What happened to him? He wasn't like this when we were dating. He's scary...
"About 5 years ago, I am very sorry. Ever since then, I've reflected on it and realized that it was horrible of me to do that. And I was too scared to see you again to say this until now. After seeing you on television talking about your girlfriend, I managed to gather the courage to come here. I hope you'll forgive me and...please believe me when I say that I still love you. I—I want to get back together with you, Ken."
"First things first, I do not forgive you. Secondly, I have no intention of getting back with a cheater because they never change. Now get out of my house. I won't see you to the door."
Asuka grabbed his arm and pleaded with him. "Please have mercy on me! My mother is dying and my father owes so many debts! I—I need your help!"
"So the real reason you came here is just to borrow money from me? Fat chance. I'll never lend you money. Now get out!" Kaneki shouted and when she refused to budge, he grabbed her and started pulling her to the door.
"Please don't do this to me! I still love you, I—"
"Ken? What's wrong?"
The two stared at Touka who was standing at the door holding a bunch of plastic bags in her hands. "Hey darling, you're back. Don't worry, Asuka is just leaving." Kaneki flashed a forced smile but in his heart, he was seething in anger. How dare she come back, pretending to be sorry and pitiful just to get money from him? Even if he dies, he'll never do it.
Touka's eyes narrowed as she stared at the lady in front of her up and down. "So you're Asuka, that bitch huh?"
Asuka yanked her hand away from his grip and placed them on her hips. "Who are you calling a bitch, you little money slut?! Don't think I don't know you're dating him because of his money. You don't really love him, you just want his money! That's all he has going for him anyway—" Asuka ranted, but her eyes went wide when Touka slapped her face.
"How dare you say that he only has that going for him? I'll have you know he's extremely caring, kind, handsome and great in bed! Oh, I guess you wouldn't know that because you were too busy screwing other guys! So fuck off and get out of this house, you bitch!" Touka spat, pushed Asuka out of the house and slammed the door.
She took deep breaths to regain the air she used to shout at that woman and then turned to Kaneki who had his face drained of every energy he had and she placed the groceries down to go to hug him. "Ken, it's over. It's all over. It's okay now. I'm here."
Kaneki's arms encircled her and he buried his face in her shoulder to cry. The breath that he has been holding in for a long time is finally released and he doesn't feel suffocated anymore. His suffocation finally ended and for once, he can properly breathe again.
—
Touka laid her head against Kaneki's chest and listened to the da-dum da-dum of his heart.
"..You were very cool earlier on. When you told Asuka off and forced her to leave. I'm really happy you stood up for me and yourself. Thank you." He commented, running his fingers through her hair and she pulled back to look at his smiling face.
"Is that so? I thought that was normal. I was angry at what she did to you and how she even said that the only good thing about you is money. She doesn't know the real you. The caring, the kind, the humble you. I'm also really insulted that she said you were ugly because you are definitely very handsome. But that isn't why I fell for you, you know that right? And you're welcome." She grinned.
"Of course I do. I didn't fall for your looks either. But I admit that I was stunned when I first saw you. You still look beautiful." He pressed a kiss to her forehead and she giggled, hitting his chest gently.
"So cheesy. Hey, Ken?"
"Hm?"
"I wasn't lying about you being great in bed. It's the truth."
Kaneki can't help a blush from forming on his cheeks and he pulled her close by the waist to nuzzle his nose against hers. I love her. I love her so much.
"I love you."
His eyes widened when he heard it not from his mouth, but from Touka's and he stared down at her as she flashed him a smile and repeated it. "I love you, Ken."
Hearing someone actually say that directly to him and mean it from the bottom of their heart just makes him so touched and he can't help but let tears flow down his cheeks. "I love you too, Touka."
He gave her a tight hug before releasing her and leaving bed to get something from his drawer. The female frowned at the loss of his warmth and watched as he fished for something in there. "What's so important that you have to get out of bed to find for? Come back to bed, Kennnn."
He smirked. She's completely used to whining now. He supposes it's his influence.
"Wait, it's very important. Give me one minute. I swear I put it somewhere."
Touka continued watching him from the back and pouted. "Hurry up!"
This is weird. Where did I put the box? Where? It was still with me when I bought it in Hokkaido... ah found it!
"Coming!" He grabbed the box, went back and made her sit up in bed. Clearing his throat, he threw away all of the insecurities he had about this and went for it. "Kirishima Touka."
"Why are you looking so serious? What's wrong?"
"I have been thinking about us. You have changed me in ways that I could never have imagined you would and I am very happy to have you by my side. I want to share my happiness and sadness together with you now and forever. I want to continue living with you, have children with you and grow old with you. I promise that I will make you happy only if you give me a chance to. Will you marry me?" He opened the velvet red box to reveal a huge diamond ring inside and she gasped at the shining ring.
"Ken I—I don't know what to say..."
"Say yes?" He suggested with a sheepish smile.
"Of course. A million times yes. Why would you ever think I'd say no?" She joked, but she had tears streaming down her cheeks and he took the ring out of the box to slide it through her finger but she pulled her hand back, preventing him from doing so. He looked at her with a frown. She knows that look, he's asking why.
"Yes I will marry you but I can't accept that ring. It was expensive, wasn't it? I told you I didn't need any expensive stuff, just simple ones would do. I don't want you spending unnecessary extra money for me. Get that ring changed to a cheaper one."
Kaneki pouted. "Ehh... but this is an engagement ring! It's meant to be expensive and nice! It's only 30k, Touka!"
"Only 30k? That's hella expensive! I don't know if you're crazy or what but 30k for a commoner is extremely expensive. Change it to a 5k one at least. If not, I won't marry you." She demanded and folded her arms.
The male sighed and wrapped his arms around her. "I really can't win against you. Promise me you'll say yes if I do change it to 5k one."
"Jeez yes I promise!"
He put the box away and moved to get on top of her with a smirk. Pulling the blankets above them, he proceeded to lock his lips with hers and pressed kisses down the sensitive parts of her neck that made her squirm and squeal. She scratched the delicate skin of his waist and he groaned into her shoulder.
—
He ended up changing the ring into a 10k one but lied that it was a 5k one. Not that she could tell the difference anyway.
—
They got married 6 months later, remained a couple for 4 years before deciding to have 3 children. They lived till the ripe age of 78 and still was inseparable at that age.
Even after they left the world, memories of them will never disappear as the last painting Kaneki did of the two of them is displayed on the balcony of their bedroom. And it was a painting of them laughing while gazing into each other's eyes.
—
My love for you is a journey; starting at forever, ending at never.
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