Eye to Eye

Chapter 1: Second Life

Kaneki's POV...

The dark nights, was a haven silence, while crumbling snowflakes, were puffing down the cold ground awaiting for winter to come. Snow tracks was left by my footprints, walking silently, without a care at the secluded war that was put on hold. The remaining CCG's never even bother to come near nor dared to fight me, I didn't bother to look at their surprised faces. Probably because my face was exposed nor it was about the person I was carrying, however, that didn't matter, so right and left, I continued to walk. Emotions, caged inside of me as I looked back at their CCG member in my arms. His blonde and tip brown hair, blowing by the breeze ever so slightly yet cold.

I hold onto Hide's lifeless body, and every step I took only turned time to slow down in place. But before I could even think, I'd started to blame things in my sanity. Flash of images, slowly picturing every moments, containing pained emotions. Time wasn't fair. Accidents wasn't punished. Trust forgetting hope and wars loosing reasons. And so far, as a fence to both worlds, those miserable experience and abiotic words, only left a deep scar in me. A scar that can never be healed nor forgotten. Broken things. The memories of my time with Hide, it all came to a blur, as I tried recollecting any happy moments I have left to cling on for. Or anything to hold dear with it. I took a slow glance at him. My palms getting colder by the minute, continuing my endless steps.

Was it really happiness? Was it all in vain to come here? I don't know if I could find anything to be happy about anymore, now that I've lost everything I'd care about in one fell swoop. My place and my sanity. However, in the end, I'd learned to accept it and move on. Thats always been my routine, even before I became a half ghoul. Everything I cared about, always dies nor vanished in front of my eyes. I don't want this anymore, I want this endless tragedy to end.

One step was all it took and in the cold mist, as I lay my friend down at the covered snow bed, my eyes inter locked at my next opponent. He's white hair, blew in breeze, and right in the corners of his clear glasses, all of my worries was all sucked by his unemotional glare, stricken by the cold blooded-ness he's giving  me. The most feared reaper, popular among the Ghoul's top dangers, Arima Kishou. CCG's reaper. He slowly walked towards me with a quinque in hand. A round light, inviting me to commence a fight with him.

Biding one last glance at my friend, one last memory flowed through my mind.

[Hey, Kaneki..? Let's go home...]

Hide's last and final moments was gold. I only stared, looking down at him like a lifeless doll. My mind, beginning to accept a new reality. I'll treasure that. Every little thing I have, I'll cling to that small thing. And then, cherish its final moments once it disappears. And it just so happens to be my best friend, Hide. He was the price of my broken sins and empty promises and for that, Im the one to blame, I'm the cause of my friend's death and I should take that burden on.

I closed my eyes, maybe it was my time to be killed. But becoming weak was a first that I don't want to become and letting myself get killed isn't my thing for death. I wanted to die in style and battling Arima was a best choice.

I will fight till my last breaths and then, I will finally be at peace...

I silently vowed to myself as none of us said a word. Chilly winds blowed our way, my hair and his, camouflaged by the whiteness around us. In a seconds passed, we both attacked at once. The cold heated haze, was about to come among our battle scene, my kagune and his Quinque. Metal clang with my bloody appendage. We continued on, pattern attacks minute per minute. We didn't stop nor took time to replenish our used endurance. The icy cold snowflakes, falling down in a slow motion, as the two of us dodged one of our attacks, our stares holding grey, we may have a competing duel, but his attacks had given a fatal blow.