Ghosts of the Past

Chapter 34

Happy Easter!

"Woah! Wait just a second! I know that Kaneki's not a bad person, but I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with Melinda going with you to confront a cannibal!" Jim objected.

"I've done it before, Jim." Melinda reminded him.

"Yeah, but now that I know, I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with this." Jim said.

"You can't make my decisions for me." Melinda told him. She turned to Hide. "I'm coming with you."

"Thanks." Hide smiled.

"Melinda, I'm not sure if this is a good idea." Jim frowned.

"If anything bad happens, then Kaneki's not going to be the cause of it." Melinda said. "If anything, Kaneki might help us out if anything goes wrong. Trust me on this."

Jim stared at her, but eventually gave a dejected sigh. "On one condition."

"Anything." Melinda begged.

"Let me come with."

__________________________

Amon looked bitterly at his reflection.

The bags under his eyes and pale complexion made him cringe.

Is this what he had become?

He'd stayed up for nights in a row, Nagachika's words ringing in his head.

The world was not painted black and white. Amon despised the fact that he hadn't realized that long ago.

Ce-Kaneki had to realize that when he became a ghoul.

Was it something that traumatizing that took someone to see the true colors of the world they lived in? If it was, Amon was guilty for the fact that he hadn't suffered anything but sleep to  seek the light he'd been in the dark from for so long.

His opinion had changed. He, nor his partners, had given Nagachika an answer the day he'd given them options on what to do.

Amon didn't answer because he already had his own answer, and actions were stronger than words.

Amon would look at ghouls differently now, he would be better than he had ever been, he promised himself that.

He promised Nagachika and Kaneki that he would do that.

Amon wasn't going to hunt the boy anymore, but until he was able to apologize, Amon wasn't going to leave him alone.

__________________________

Hide recognized the scenery the moment Melinda had brought them to it. It was, no doubt, Kaneki's hideout.

"Where is he?" Jim asked nervously, glancing around the dark, ominous place that only Hide felt comfort in.

"If he was here," Hide started. "he'd definitely already be out in the open. He would see me, and Kaneki would immediately want to know what was going on."

"That doesn't answer the question." Jim replied, frowning slightly.

"I can't answer something I don't know. When I was with him, he did nothing but sleep, train, and eat here. He never left the place." Hide told the paramedic.

"Do you think the CCG got to him?" Melinda asked worriedly.

"Maybe." Hide grimaced. "If they did, it means they decided to hunt him."

"So, he either relocated or got captured?" Jim tried to summarize.

"No." Hide immediately denied. "Kaneki wouldn't be caught dead in the CCG's hands. He's smart enough to evade them, and if need be, strong enough to fight."