Its Haise's Life

Chapter 1:

"How are you today, Hinami?"

He smiles at her through the glass and she smiles back. Hinami, despite being imprisoned, found comfort in his presence. The very sight of him, the very sound, brought back memories that she had let slip away.

But here he was.

His eyes, his ever changing hair, and of course, the same person she knew back then, as she does now.

Her response was slow, but she does reply, her tone light and affectionate.

"I'm alright, the books you bring me help a lot."

Hinami watched as his eyes slipped into relaxation and comfort. She briefly thinks how he seems to enjoy her affection and she can't help the bubble of giddiness that pops within her chest.

They talk for a while.

He asks about life in Cochlea, and makes sure she's being treated right. She asks him questions and anticipates the answers Kaneki would give back.

She isn't disappointed.

He may go by Haise Sasaki, but inside, she knows he's there. She could see it when he asks her questions. Hinami could see that underneath the thin layer of interrogation, was the burning questions about the man known as Ken Kaneki. They held so much pressure, that it seeped into his body language and in the way his eyes begged her to just tell him something.

But he doesn't ask.

So she doesn't tell.

They don't talk about Aogiri or ghouls anymore. All that had been asked, had been answered on that matter. Instead, she suspects he comes to see her.

It isn't until he's leaving that she truly feels the weight of his absence. In the years that he'd been gone, Ayato had stepped into the shoes of where Kaneki once stood. And while it wasn't a perfect fit, it had been enough for her.

But now she knew.

Now, he was here. Right across from her. Standing up from his chair and bidding her a regretful goodbye. How she wished she could reach through the glass and hold him close.

Hold him close and make sure that this time he wouldn't slip away again. That as he left Cochlea today, he would promise to return soon. She could feel the itch in the small of her back as she envisioned embracing him with her Kagune.

"Goodbye Hinami, I'll be back soon."

He says this softly, almost painfully. Perhaps he wished to stay longer. She would have liked that a lot.

"Goodbye, Big Brother."

He tenses, his body halfway through the door frame, before following through, and sending her one last look.

Hinami doesn't quite know how to describe that look. All she knows is that she quite likes it. And so, she'll keep calling him what he is.

The metallic door slides shut and she's then escorted back to her cell. Visiting time was over.

Hinami doesn't think much of anything, the blur of Cochlea leaves her cold until she's tossed back into the confines of her cell. She slinks slowly onto her stiff bed and pulls her arms close to her chest.

Her legs fidget, and she plays with the neckline of her prison garb. Part of her wants to forget him, if only for a little, to relieve her of the longing. But another part, the majority, can't stop, and doesn't want to stop thinking about him.

She'd almost forgotten.

Feelings once felt, have a funny way of coming back. And as she thought of Ken Kaneki, of Haise Sasaki, she couldn't help but feel a rush of endearment and perhaps something, something she had denied so long ago.