I Won't Leave Again (Touken)

Chapter 3: Mourning

"Take my hand Touka" Kaneki smiled at her warmly. "I'm not going to leave you again" 

"You promise" Touka spoke while looking down. 

"I promise" 

She looked up to meet his loving eyes. He extended his hand towards her. As she went to grab it, her own hand went through. 

"Kaneki what's going on?" Kaneki looked down starting to fade away slowly. Touka reached for him, but he vanished right in front her. 

"KANEKI! NO! Don't Leave Me..." she woke up covered in sweat, it was just a dream. Then it hit her. He was gone, gone for good. Touka had cried herself out last night and now simply felt empty. Looking over at her alarm clock she noticed it was almost 12pm. The shop was closed today so luckily she wouldn't be in trouble. Not that she cared right now. 

"Sigh... well let's see how the others are doing" She lazily got dressed and headed for the lounge to find the manager, Koma and Kaya. 

"Oh Touka, good to see your awake" Yoshimura looked concerned.

 "You doing OK?" Kaya asked. Touka simply nodded. 

"Well umm.. tonight we're having a... session... for Kaneki here at 6. We can't do a proper funeral for obvious reasons plus we're really his only family other than Hide. It'll be a good chance to remember him and say goodbye" Again Touka nodded. 

Kaya continued "We told Hide about Kaneki... he didn't take it very well and was in full denial but I think he understands. He knew how dangerous Kaneki lived and respected his actions and goals. Once he got over the denial he took it surprisingly well" 

Touka was at least happy to hear that. Nagichika Hideyoshi was Kaneki's best friend growing up. A friend Kaneki needed during one of many painful times in his life. 

"Well it'll be good to see him tonight anyway, how's Hinami?" 

Silence, until Kaya spoke up 

"Not well, she cried... a lot... but eventually fell asleep she's just in her room you should go see her Touka it may cheer her up a bit"

"OK" Touka left and headed towards Hinami's room on the upper floor.

Thursday 6PM

Touka and Hinami spent the entire day consoling each other and wondering how they would react at the "session". Dressing as nicely as they could, they entered the lounge area hand in hand. The room was cleared and rearranged so the seats were all aligned towards the back of the room where flowers sat on a table with some pictures of Kaneki. There were surprisingly many ghouls there to mourn. 

"He really did have a big impact on our world" Touka thought. 

The room was crowded, but eventually most of the ghouls cleared out. All that remained were the Anteiku ghouls, Hide and few notable friends like Uta and Itori. Touka finally made her way up to the table with Hinami. The flowers were nice as were the pictures. There was even one she remembered Nishiki snapping as she yelled at Kaneki for spilling coffee. She was pulling at his uniform's collar angrily while Kaneki half laughed half panicked. She remembered the scene perfectly.

"Kaneki! You dumbass, watch where you're pouring coffee." 

"Sorry Touka hehe" 

"Hey guys smile!" Nishiki chirped as he quickly took a photo. 

"Put that camera away now four eyes!" 

"Fine geez lighten up" Nishiki had groaned. Kaneki laughed as they continued bickering.

She felt her heart ripping open as Hinami snapped her out of her trance 

"I'm gonna miss you Onii-Chan, thank you for everything" she put a hand on the table and cried softly. Touka didn't know what to say. She still didn't want to believe he was actually gone and truly hadn't accepted it. But everything was too real now. She went over to Hide and pulled him into a hug. 

"I'm sorry" she spoke. 

"I am too... take care for his sake, he really cared about you Touka" 

She offered a small smile. 

"Thanks Hide" 

After everybody settled into seats, Yoshimura headed to the table. He turned and spoke to those that remained. 

"Even though it may be painful, for his sake we will continue to move on as that's what he would want. Kaneki, thank you for being such a great person and friend to everybody. You truly cared deeply for us all, we'll always remember you as a tremendous human, a tremendous ghoul, a tremendous person. Rest in Peace, Ken Kaneki... Let's have a moment of silence for him......." 

He kept it short but it was better that way as it was too painful to bare. The room respectfully went silent as everybody said their goodbyes. Tears started slipping down Touka's cheeks, but she didn't care anymore. She cried with Hinami as the others bowed at the table and left. 

Even Nishiki had enough decency to not make fun at such an inappropriate time. He knew how Touka felt about Kaneki and could relate her feelings to his own losses. He gently patted her and Hinami's shoulders before he too left. 

Yoshimura walked up to the crying girls. "We'll never let his memory fade away, I promise" They both gave him a hug. 

"We'll be closed up until Saturday. To give everybody another day to mourn"

"OK sir thank you sir" Touka took Hinami's hand and walked out. Later that night she cuddled next to Hinami. 

"Goodbye Ken" she whispered while falling asleep, exhausted from such an emotionally exhausting day.

1 week later, Friday

Anteiku was up and running like normal. Customers came in and out regularly and all seemed well but to the workers it wasn't the same. Although Kaneki hadn't been working in the few last months, everybody had felt fine, for the most part, knowing he was out there. Now however, he wasn't. 

Touka returned to her normal self, but seemed less irritable and more so sad. Hinami was also sad, but was coming around and behaving more naturally; even wanting to go buy a new book to read. Everybody else seemed fine as well. Things were starting to feel better.

Touka, Nishiki and Roma were working. It was just before closing time when the door to the shop opened. Roma, not expecting a customer this late, dropped a cup smashing it on the ground as the door startled her. 

"Roma!" Nishiki yelled 

"It was just the door. How do you even live?" but quickly stopped as Kaya rushed into the shop holding something large covered in a blanket. 

"That looks like a person?" Touka questioned 

"Nishiki! Get the manager!" Kaya demanded as she ran towards the stairs. 

"Roma lock up and don't break the damn door" Nishiki quickly ordered before rushing off behind Kaya. Touka was stunned as to what was going on before trailing behind Kaya and Nishiki up the stairs. Nishiki ran ahead yelling for Yoshimura to come down as Kaya opened a door in the hall, Kaneki's door. 

Yoshimura quickly and entered the room behind Kaya. Nishiki and Touka followed as the four of them were in Kaneki's room. 

Kaya lay whatever she was holding down on the bed and slowly removed the blanket. The first thing everybody saw was still snow white hair.