Rules of Engagement: BOOK 2 [Tokyo Ghoul: Female!Kaneki x Tsukiyama]

Rule 7: Don't Tell Me I'm Beautiful

Shuu glanced around nervously, putting his hands in his pockets as he strolled down the same path he'd strolled down four times. He took his hands out of his pockets and ran his left fingers over his right hand. He put his hands back in his pockets.
Swallowing, he looked at the sun as though to judge the time, but after a moment, he looked back straight ahead, hoping that she'd be there. Or maybe there, when he turned the corner. Or maybe there, when he looped around the path for his fifth circle.
The sixth time was what did it.
She stood next to a bench as though hesitant to sit. One hand went up to drag her hair out of her face and behind her ear, and Shuu desperately wished that hand were his.
But then, of course, he'd be breaking Rule #1.
He wasn't sure what the punishment was for breaking a rule, either. He'd slipped up a few times already, but she hadn't done anything drastic.
But there was a significant difference between saying "darling" and pushing her hair behind her ear. Hugging her. Kissing her.
Despite himself, Shuu lost his composure, turning his face to hide his blush on the off chance that Ken would look over at him.
He didn't think she would, though. He was always staring at her, and she was always staring at nothing.
After a few minutes of low key stalking her from across the park, he finally went over and stood in front over her. "Ken," he said, smiling warmly. He wanted to make her feel loved because he wasn't allowed to say the words. "How are you feeling? Any better?"
She hesitated before nodding, looking down at the ground. "I do, thank you."
"Was it food poisoning?" he asked, trying to keep the conversation going but he could have slapped himself in the face for asking such a stupid and personal question.
"Something like that" was her cryptic reply.
Shuu still felt like she was hiding something, though, and even if he had to ask insensitive questions, he needed to make sure she was okay. "You weren't purging, were you? Are you bulimic? Because if you feel self conscious about your body or anything, you're dead wrong. You're beautiful, Ken-"
Her eyes flicked up like he'd hit some sort of trigger. "Don't, Shuu."
"Don't what? Tell you that you're beautiful? Because it's true!" he insisted, reaching out instinctively to touch her arm. Ken backed up a step, nearly tripping over the bench, and he pulled his hand back simultaneously, the two of them moving in opposite directions as though they were twin ends of different magnets.
Ken's eyes were dark with hurt when she looked up at Shuu, and he had to force himself to keep silent and still instead of reaching out and pulling her to his chest, murmuring apologies. Ken's eyes shot to her right like she was trying to make a decision. Then she looked back at Shuu. "Rule 7. Don't tell me I'm beautiful."
Shuu had to fight to keep the frustration off his face. He lost that battle quickly. "Why can't I tell you what's true?"
"Because it's just an opinion," she said, avoiding eye contact again. "It's not necessarily true. And I don't ever want to buy into lies enough so for them to become my beliefs. I hate lies, and I hate liars even more."
Something in her tone made Shuu think about her father and Ayato. Were all of these rules just delayed protection mechanisms from age-old wounds?
Was it healthy for Ken to have these boundaries?
Was Shuu kind enough to allow them, even if it stopped him from doing what he wanted to do?
But why isn't Ken happy?
I'm following her rules but she seems more miserable every time I see her.
I just want her to smile.
Smile, Ken.
Please.

A/N: I finally actually know what I'm doing. So, heads up to all you readers, assuming I do my job and keep writing, there will be a book three. I already have some ideas, so this book may end up being a bit shorter compared to the others.
As always, hope you enjoy :)
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And recommending my books out to others is fantastic because I don't have many followers and it's hard to drag in unsuspecting, susceptible readers :)
Keep on keeping on