Guardian of Memories

Chapter 10

"So, do you want this or not?" Touka said, holding the man's severed arm out to Kaneki. He just stared down at it before looking back up at us.

I sighed. "Ken, please. You need this now. I'll explain it later."

"You know him?" Touka asked. I nodded. She looked at me questioningly before looking back at Kaneki. "You're not gonna eat?"

I took a step forward as Touka spoke again. "Hey, only one of your eyes is red. That's kinda weird... Wait?" she then looked to me. "This is your roommate right?"

"Yeah," I sighed, looking down.

"You told me you saved him, but you didn't mention this.. So Rize... But your eye," she was staring at Kaneki the whole time.

"I promise, I'll explain everything later. Let's just get out of  here," I said turning towards Kaneki; he was still spaced out, staring at me and Touka. He looked shocked and scared. "Ken?" I reached out for him, but just before I could touch him he turned and ran, screaming his head off.

"Kaneki!" I called out for him, but I didn't follow him. He...ran away from me? Touka stood beside me, a little confused herself.

'To think that there was another ghoul hiding this close to me...' I heard Kaneki's voice in my head. I decided to speak back for once. I closed my eyes and focused on sending my thoughts to Kaneki.

'What's that supposed to mean?'

I heard him almost immediately. 'Wh- what's this?'

'What do you think about me now that you know?' I thought to him, a tear escaping and rolling down my face. There was no response. I sighed and opened my eyes, still connecting myself to him. I could feel his fear. I just need to give him space to think for now. 'I know this is a lot to take in, but I'll be here to explain once you've calmed down.'

I heard a thud as Touka growled. She'd thrown the arm at the ground. "What is he? Pisses me off.."

"If you wouldn't mind me staying with you tonight, I can tell you." I said, sniffing and wiping a tear from my cheek. I didn't think this would hurt so much.

She sighed, putting an arm around my shoulder, which wasn't hard since she was taller than me. "C'mon. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't help you right now?"

I looked up at her and smiled as we walked to Anteiku.

~

The next morning I woke up in Touka's bed. I hated making her sleep on the couch, but after I explained some of the situation, she told me that she didn't mind giving it up. She even had a spare night light in her closet. She knew of my phobia, though it was till difficult for me to sleep without Ken next to me.

I got up to the smell of coffee. I walked into the kitchen and saw a note next to a mug. I grabbed it and made myself a cup before sitting down at the table. It took me forever to read it since it was longer, but I eventually got it. It's sad that I am seventeen years old now and still have trouble reading kanji. I sighed as I crumpled the note.

All of that reading just to figure out that she was downstairs working and to help myself. I just laughed as I tossed the note in the trash and sipped at my coffee. Suddenly, my vision blurred, transforming into a different scene.

I saw Kaneki looking at himself in the mirror, examining his eye. It was red with black surrounding it; the symbol of his new life. I guess he couldn't control it and was trying to figure out what to do about it. His panic level was rising. I guess that's why I involuntarily got sucked into his mind. I still have to work on this mental link thing..