A Secret | AC - TG

Leaving Tokyo • 00

I open the door to Anteiku hearing the chime of the bell as I step in.
"Namu!" I hear a girl's voice shout. I look over to the source of the voice to see Hinami run over and jump on me.

"Namu! Namu! Namu!" She says in a cheerful tone clinging onto me.
"Welcome back." Touka says behind the counter giving me a smile.

"Who's that?" A short haired boy whispers to Touka. I get up walk over to the two.
"I'm Namu Keteru, who are you?" I ask the boy.

"M-My name is Ken Kaneki." He says with a light blush in his face. I hold out my hand for him and he takes it with a smile.
"Nice to meet you. Touka do you happen to know where the manager is?" I ask. Touka has a surprised look on her face,
"Uh, yeah, why?" She says concerned.
"I need to talk with him."

-=+=-

"Do not worry Namu. I'm sure you'll be safe there, but I do ask that you visit Anteiku every now and then." I nod and walk towards the door. Before opening it I pause.

"I'm going to visit Uta's before I leave. If you need any help at all, let me know." I say before leaving the room and walking down the stairs into the cafe. Before leaving I feel a tug on my sleeve.

"Namu, you can't be leaving already.." Hinami whimpered tearing up. It broke my heart to see her so upset about me leaving. I turn to her and crouch down patting her head.

"Don't worry, I won't be very far, and I'll visit lots." I say stroking her hair. She shakes her head tears streaming down her face.

"That's what you said last time! You're finally back and now you're leaving again. You haven't even spent any time with me!" She shouted. Touka and Kaneki watched her outburst and she sprinted up the stairway followed by the sound of a door slamming.

She's very emotional today.. Did something happen? I stared at the stairway where she ran off to with a look of sadness.

"I'll be leaving now." I say walking out the door of Anteiku.

-=+=-

I walk into Uta's mask shop and find him sketching out a new mask.

"Hello Uta." I say making him turn his head toward me.
"Namu, what a surprise. What are you doing here of all places?" He asks standing up from his seat.

"If you don't mind, I need a new mask."
"Oh? what happened to your last one?" He says walking over to me.

"The doves found me out and they're after me. Soon I'm going to head out of Tokyo and into a different area. It isn't too far from here. I've already enrolled in a new school and the Manager of Anteiku helped me get an apartment around there." I explain leaning on the desk he was sketching on.

On the desk was a sketch of a half-mask designed with an eyepatch and zipper mouth.
"You know, if you cause ghoul activity out of Tokyo the doves are going to expand their range and the ghouls hiding out there will most likely go after you."

I sigh at his comment and nod. I already knew this might happen if I wasn't careful. I had to be very cautious in this new town and try not to cause too much havoc.

"I'll give you the address to send the mask to. Anyway. I should be heading out now. Have a great day." I say before walking out and heading to the new town.