14th Ward

Chapter 4: Hiro

        "Time for school, breakfast is waiting for you Hiro!" My dad called to me from the kitchen, I sit up in my bed as the events that had unfolded the night before washed over me. Why was God so cruel? "Hiro, I better hear your feet on the floor in the next ten seconds or else..." I ran out of my room already in my uniform, slipped my shoes on and grabbed one of the rice balls from the plate. I finished putting my jacket on and slipped my back pack onto my shoulders, my orange hair was a rats nest but I didn't care. Not anymore. Shu had succeeded in ruining my life, with that one kiss. 

        "I wish that had been me dammit!" I yelled to no one in particular, Do you now? A voice echoed through my head, "Yeah, I do. If I was a ghoul I could have used my Kagune to protect her. Hell, if I was a ghoul I couldn't have fallen under Akura's spell in the first place!" I said to the voice, I probably shouldn't talk to a voice in my head but I couldn't help it. There's a way for that to happen, you could kill him, take his organs, and implant them in yourself. "That's insane, why the fuck would I want ghoul organs?" You'd be a ghoul though, "So what, it would cost someone their life." But you already want them dead... "I'm not taking anyone's life!" I ignore the voice for the rest of the day as it teases me for being just that, a human. 

        Chise sits next to me at lunch, I realize I hadn't brought money or food. My stomach growls at the smell of her box lunch, "Do you mind if I take-?"

        "Have at, my mom packed two." She hands over the box lunch and and opens the other one, I pop one of the rolls into my mouth not knowing whether it was ghoul or human. But either would have tasted good, you just ate flesh my friend. I had to put my hand over my mouth before I puked, "You must be really hungry if you start with the ghoul side." I swallow and give a shy smile, Chise laughs at my goofiness. 

        Something about Chise smelled good, really good. "Are you using a new shampoo?"

        She looks at me confused, "No, I still reek of that guys-" Blood, I actually enjoyed the smell of blood? What the fucking hell is wrong with me!

        "Oh, haha, I forgot about that." I laughed nervously and went back to eating the box lunch, making sure I was eating for the human side this time.

        "Hey you two, Kiko and I were going to the coffee house after school. I'm might be getting a part time job there!" Kou boasted proudly, we both congratulated her. "Why don't you guys get jobs there too, it'd be so much fun!"

        I looked at Chise who seemed to like the idea, "But the only reason I'm even allowed there is because of you guys,"

        "I'm sure I can talk Mr. Yamaguchi into it, besides you smell a little ghoulish to me." They all laughed, I forced myself to laugh with them, but the voice teased me even further. Just think of yourself as a half ghoul, like your friend who gave you this delicious lunch. I stiffened and looked down at the food, the ghoul side really did smell better than the human side. Was it true? Was I becoming a ghoul?

        "Hey, yo, captain daydreamer!" Kou snapped her fingers in front of my face

        "Huh? Sorry, I spaced out what happened now?" Chise looked at me as if I wasn't myself entirely, which I was starting to think I wasn't entirely myself either. 

         "We were just saying how Mr. Yamaguchi likes you, so of course he'd give you a job." Kiko tried cheering me up,

        "Yeah, maybe as garbage boy." My ego was in bits, I turned to Chise is hope of some sympathy.

        Her hand slaps me across the face, the box lunch lands on the ground splattering flesh and tuna everywhere. "Stop being such a depressed moron, just because you're a human doesn't mean you get to act like your life doesn't matter."