Ghoul and Human (Black Reaper X Ghoul Touka)

Chapter 23 - Love & Hatred

At the next evening, Touka goes to visit Akira again then she saw Amon comes out from her room with a guilty face.

"How is it going?"

"...She is upset."

"Ha, as I thought. *pat* Don't worry, she's just confused for what happened to her."

After talk to him, Touka takes a deep breath and brace herself to meet the daughter of the investigator that she killed four years ago. She knocks then after she hears the voice from inside the room, she opens the door.

"Mado Akira, I see your condition become better. You can walk, right? We need to talk."

Mado keeps silent as she following Touka to a park.

Rabbit, she is the one who killed my father. After for years, finally I meet you. What are you think-

Touka suddenly stops then with a calm voice, she tells Akira that she killed her father. Hearing her confession, Akira bites her lips then she tells Touka that she has grudge on her. Touka looks at her then she continues walking to somewhere. She stopped on a playground where there are three children who are playing there.

"They are ghouls from Aogiri Tree and they lost their parents due the war."

Before Akira answers her, Hinami approaches both of them. Hinami stares at Akira but she avoids her gaze.

"That's Fueguchi Hinami, both of her parents were killed by your father."

"So what? We kill each other. You ghouls take my friends's life and mine take yours. That's how we live, right?!?"

"*sigh* Is that what you think? Is it okay to life in revenge like you said? I wonder, your father wants you to live for revenge."

"Tch! Don't. Ever you mention him like that!"

"...My parents were killed too. I knew who killed them but I don't want to have any revenge. My father killed a lot of investigators after we lost mom. He has a deep grudge against doves and from our point of view, he just want to protect us. But I won't follow my father's step, I want to fight for the next generation. I want to build a world, where we can live together without any conflict."

Akira can't say anything then Touka pulls her down to the playground. Before they reach there, Touka whispers something to Akira. As they reach there, the kids run toward Touka and hug her then one of them staring at Akira.

"Hey kids! Can you give that big sis a hug too?"

"W-Wha-?!"

"Big sis, can we hug you?", asks the little girl.

Akira doesn't say anything but then she gives a nod to them then they hug her. Touka tells Hinami to give her a hug too and she stretches out her arms while smiling. Looking at the daughter of ghouls whom were killed by her father, Akira walks several steps back but Touka pushes her towards Hinami. Hinami hugs her then after several seconds, Akira hugs her back as she is crying.

Ah..she is warm. I wonder, what's the differences of us? They had families too and they need to survive. Without knowing it, I only judge them as monster. Who should I hate now?

Looking at them hugging each other, Touka smiles then she returned to the hideout. While she is patrolling around, suddenly she heard the sounds of swords clashing. She approaches the source of the sounds and she saw Kaneki and Arima were sparring. Kaneki can match Arima's speed and after several moment, the spar was ended with their swords pointing at each other's neck.

The situation becomes quiet then both of them draw back their weapon. Right before Touka is going to come out, suddenly she heard Arima is talking about her with Kaneki. She hides behind the wall and focusing her hearing so she can hear their conversation.

"Ken, I haven't heard your explanation about that girl, Touka. Who is she to you?"

"Touka? She is my girlfriend, I ask her out despite I know that she is a ghoul."

"...Tell me, why do you like about her?"

Kaneki shuts his mouth then he looks to the wall where Touka was hiding, he smiles then he whispers to him intentionally so Touka can't hear his answer. Feeling curious, Touka walks a few steps then she accidentally kicks a rock and both of them turn around. Arima approaches the source of the sound while taking out his sword and Touka holds her breath.

Shit! Shit! Shit! Don't come here!!!

Right before he reached at the point, suddenly a Persian cat comes out from behind the wall and meowing to Arima.

"...Isn't she Akira's cat? Why is she here?", asks Arima to Kaneki as he picks up Maris Stella.

Good job, ugly cat! I owe you one!

Touka uses this chance to escape and Kaneki shrugs since he knows that it's not Maris Stella who hides behind the wall, it's Touka. After she escapes from there, Touka takes a deep breath and take a break on an empty room. 

*gasping* "Gosh, they almost found me! ...I don't want them to see me like this. That Kaneki, what did he say to Arima? ...Stupid Kaneki."

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