Tokyo Ghoul/東京喰種トーキョーグール 1. Chapter 1

"I'm going to visit Kaneki at the hospital!" came Hide's peppy voice from the living room. Sojin's pencil paused in the middle of a word as he looked up from his homework. The boy's brown bangs fell lightly across his forehead and his soft lips dropped into a slight frown. Rubbing the eraser lightly on his eyebrow, he made a pouty face, aware that Hide could not see his reaction from the living room.

"Okay, tell him I say hi," the younger boy replied, looking back down at his homework. To an outsider, it might appear that Sojin disliked Kaneki due to his less-than-excited reaction every time Hide uttered the name. This was far from the truth. Though he would never say it, Sojin had a crush on his orange-haired roommate, which led to an irrational jealousy of his crush's best friend. Sojin truly liked Kaneki as a person and the two often hung out—even without Hide. Still, the brown haired boy couldn't hide his jealousy at being Hide's number two. While Kaneki had grown up with Hide and developed a close bond, Sojin had just moved into the apartment a few months ago. The boy let out a sigh and placed his pencil on the table, turning to look out the window at the dreary gray landscape of Tokyo as he heard the door to the apartment open and close. Normally, the city was bustling with people and full of neon lights, yet a thick layer of clouds had settled over the capital today. Sojin enjoyed his life in Tokyo, even though he had had no say in his relocation to the metropolis.

Prior to Tokyo, the boy had lived a quiet life in the Japanese countryside. While far from a farmboy, the electric landscape of the big city was taking a while to adjust to. His parents had sent the twenty-year-old to the city in the hopes of acquiring a better education than he could in his own town. While he had initially protested, well aware of the worsening ghoul situation in Tokyo, he eventually gave in and set his sights on making his parents proud. After searching for a place to stay, he had stumbled upon an open room in a small apartment with Hide and ended up living with the slightly older boy. To Sojin, Hide was more than a roommate. The happy-go-lucky boy watched over him and acted as a protector in the harsh city, keeping him safe from swindlers and ghouls alike. It was this caring personality that had caused Sojin's attraction to grow and eventually develop into a full out crush.

Still, protective as he was, Hide spent much of his time out of the apartment with Kaneki. Sojin tried not to hold this against him, especially since Kaneki had recently been sent to the hospital and still seemed to be recovering. While the twenty-year-old had yet to hear the details of what had injured his friend, he understood that Kaneki needed Hide by his side. Hide also seemed to be in lower spirits due to the accident, probably due to Kaneki's lack of answers to his phone calls. Sojin shook his head, pulling himself up to a standing position and scanning the room for his cell phone. He snatched it off the table, slipped on his shoes, and exited out the door Hide had left from moments before. His roommate was probably going to visit his bedridden friend at the hospital yet again, so Sojin would find a way to entertain himself in the meantime.

Stopping on the street below the apartment, he looked left and right trying to think of a place to go. He would visit Kaneki again, but he had already visited the day before and didn't want to creep the boy out. The thought of his friend sparked an idea, reminding Sojin of the quaint coffee shop that Hide and Kaneki frequented. The boys had taken him a few times before, but it would be nice to visit alone for once and get some reading done. Nodding his head happily, the boy set out for the shop, humming a tune quietly.

The ghoul situation in this ward was far less severe than those of the neighboring areas—not to mention attacks rarely happened in the day—allowing Sojin to arrive at the shop unscathed. The brown-haired boy entered the shop, bowing slightly to the girl behind the counter. Sojin had visited the shop enough times to remember the worker's distinct purple hair and rather scary gaze. The girl seemed to have acknowledged his greeting, bowing slightly in return before turning around to wash dishes that seemed to already be clean. The boy shrugged and took a seat at a booth near the window, pulling out a book and beginning to read. An hour passed peacefully before the boy felt the coffee he had ordered hit his bladder. Unable to squirm uncomfortably any longer, he carefully placed his book on the table and searched for the bathroom. He glanced at the spot where the purple-haired girl had once stood, but she had vanished from the post. In fact, he couldn't find any staff members in the front of the cafe.

Deciding he would have to find it himself, the boy headed towards a door leading to the back of the restaurant and quietly slipped through. He continued down the narrow hallway which contained a surprising amount of doors leading to other rooms. Sojin perked up upon hearing a familiar name mentioned in a hushed voice behind one of the doors.

"That Kaneki kid…he was with Rize when she died," the voice whispered. Sojin's eyes widened, surprised that Kaneki would be mentioned randomly at the coffee shop. Perhaps he could get some details of Kaneki's accident for Hide! Inching closer to the door, he placed his ear against it, listening intently.

"He was. Judging by the reports I've received from our sources around the hospital, they transferred her organs into the boy," came the voice of an elderly man. Sojin felt his heart rate increase. He hadn't realized that the accident had been so bad that Kaneki had needed organ transplants. His thoughts were interrupted as the conversation continued.

"What?! How could the organs of a ghoul be transferred into a human?" came the female's voice, quite loudly this time and accompanied by a thump that Sojin could only assume was her fist hitting the table.

"Touka! Be quiet. Do you want everyone to know we house ghouls here?" came the elderly man's voice. Sojin let out an audible gasp at this last bit of information. Ghouls? Here? He took a step away from the door, realizing the danger of the establishment he now stood in. Unfortunately, his gasp had been a bit too loud. The door smashed to pieces in a whirlwind of wood and dust as he felt a hand wrap around his neck and slam him into the wall, slowly increasing the strength of its grip. Sojin cracked his eyes open to find a pair of black and red ones peering straight back into his. Unable to scream due to the pressure around his neck, he scraped at the hand of the purple-haired girl in a desperate attempt to free himself.

"Eavesdropping were you? You're with the CCG! You chose the wrong place to spy, kid," she stated. Sojin's mind raced as the air rapidly left his body. He would have to choose his last words carefully.

"I'm…not CCG!" he exclaimed, barely able to get the words out of his constricted windpipe. The girl looked unconvinced. A desperate idea flashed through the boy's mind as he felt his consciousness begin to slip away.

"I-I'm a…ghoul!" Sojin managed to whisper. The girl let out a scoff, squeezing the boy's neck even harder. Sojin shut his eyes again as he felt as if the girl's fingers were about to rip through his very flesh.

"Touka," came the elderly voice once more. Suddenly, the pressure around his neck disappeared, allowing air to pour into his deprived lungs. Sojin fell to the ground coughing and gasping for air, his neck stinging from the girl's grip.

"He may be telling the truth you know," said the voice, as its owner entered the hallway, placing his hand on the purple-haired girl's shoulder.

"Tch. He's a human if I've ever seen one. Even if he's not with the CCG, he knows too much now," she shot back, removing the grip from her shoulder.

Sojin's mind raced through all of the ghoul documentaries Hide had made him watch at their apartment.

"I am a ghoul! I'm just weak! I can't enter ghoul state at will….I came here for protection!" the boy replied, rubbing his neck and gazing up at Touka. To his surprise, the girl simply scoffed and walked back down the hallway towards the shop.

"A ghoul knows the smell of human flesh, kid. Nice try, though," she said as she pushed through the door.

Sojin looked back at the old man, expecting him to enter ghoul form and finish him off. The old man simply smiled and pointed towards the window.

"It seems Touka is feeling merciful today. I would use that as your exit," he stated. Sojin scrambled to his feet and rushed towards the window, thrusting it open. Before he could jump, the old man spoke up once more.

"Ah, and I would refrain from mentioning anything you heard or experienced today. Touka is a very good hunter, I'm afraid," he stated. Sojin gritted his teeth, jumping onto the soft grass outside and making a break for his apartment, tears of fear welling in his eyes.

"No way…" he whispered in disbelief, not daring to look back.

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_Heheheh...I love TG ^^ Please leave feedback so I know how to improve! See you next chapter!_


	2. Chapter 2

Sweat poured down the boy's face as his hand finally made contact with the apartment door. Sojin had sprinted all the way home, not daring to risk getting ambushed by the purple-haired girl lest she actually follow through with her threat. Unlocking the door, he burst into the apartment, falling to his hands and knees and panting heavily. What was he going to tell Hide? Kaneki's best friend deserved to know about the transplant, yet the threat of Touka loomed over Sojin's head like a loaded gun.

"You went for a run in a collared shirt and jeans?" came Hide's voice as footsteps approached the spot where Sojin sat panting, breaking his train of thought. The younger boy immediately stifled his breathing and looked up at his roommate, pushing the brown bangs out of his eyes and smoothing out his clothing.

"I…yes? I forgot I had to send an important e-mail so I ran back!" Sojin exclaimed, avoiding the orange-haired boy's eyes. He was a bad liar and he could feel that Hide already knew something was awry. A memory of the first time he and Kaneki had hung out without Hide flitted across his mind. He remembered eagerly questioning Kaneki about his best friend's personality, trying to obtain tips on how to win Hide over. While Kaneki's information had indeed helped Sojin get closer to Hide, the fact that Sojin remembered most distinctly was Hide's aptitude for knowing when something was amiss while still feigning ignorance. Over the past few months, Sojin had already experienced Hide's keen eye a multitude of times—he even suspected that Hide knew about his crush. Still, the secrecy of his crush paled in comparison to the matter at hand.

Trying to escape the situation, the younger boy rose back to his feet and rushed past his roommate, still avoiding meeting eyes. He reached the door to his room and whisked it open before stepping inside.

"I'm going to send that e-mail now!" he exclaimed, slamming it hurriedly behind him before sinking to the floor. He heard Hide let out a sigh from the other side of the wood, but the older boy refrained from pushing the matter, simply walking away.

Rubbing his forehead, the stressed boy tried to think of a plan that would not end up hurting anyone. Hide didn't necessarily have to know, but Sojin wondered if even Kaneki knew that the organs he now relied on were those of a deceased ghoul. Judging from the commotion that news would create, Sojin highly doubted the surgeon had informed Kaneki of the details of his surgery. Sojin clenched his fist. Kaneki deserved to know…and how would Touka ever find out if he told his friend or not? From the documentaries he had watched, he had never heard of ghouls having superb hearing skills. Nodding to himself, he made his decision and rose to his feet. He would alert Kaneki to his condition, make him promise to keep it a secret, and be done with the matter. As a friend it was the least he could do, and he doubted Kaneki would spill the secret and risk getting ousted from society.

Sojin cracked his door open and scanned the quiet apartment for signs of Hide. Either his roommate was in his room or had gone out, but both options allowed Sojin an easy escape. He quietly crept out of the front door, slipped on his shoes and headed out to the street below. Rather than running, this time, he hailed a cab and anxiously waited for it to take him to the hospital. After fifteen minutes, the large hospital came into sight and the boy signaled for the cab to stop. He handed the driver money and hopped out, bowing slightly in thanks. Moments later he had arrived at the front desk where a friendly woman waited, offering to give directions to guests.

"I'm here to see Kaneki Ken," Sojin stated, tapping his finger on the desk impatiently. The woman's eyes widened for a moment, yet Sojin ignored it, annoyed by the hospital's visiting process. He already knew where the room was and didn't understand the point of this formality.

"Kaneki Ken…? On what business?" she asked, looking through a number of files.

"Oh, he's just a friend! I wanted to see how he's doing…" he replied, placing his hand atop his head.

"Hm, it seems that he's already been discharged to our external facility. He's doing better so he should just be resting there before heading home in a few days."

Sojin's eyes looked from the woman to the files in her hand in surprise. Kaneki had already been discharged? Why hadn't Hide told him the news?

"Really? Oh…th-thank you!" he stammered, embarrassed that he didn't know his friend had already left the hospital. He turned to leave, but the woman spoke up again.

"If you want to visit him, he should be at this address now! It's not too far so you should be able to walk there," she exclaimed, writing the information on a small piece of paper before handing it to him. Sojin turned back around and smiled at the woman's kindness.

"Thank you!" he exclaimed, bowing and taking the piece of paper. The woman bowed back before returning to her work. Sojin glanced at the piece of paper, putting the address into his phone's GPS and exiting the hospital. He squinted at his phone in confusion as it stated the estimated travel time would be half an hour. That woman had a far different definition of "not too far" than Sojin did. Shrugging, he followed his phone's directions, intent on delivering the information to Kaneki.

With every passing minute, the cityscape turned more and more rundown with dilapidated buildings and construction sites overtaking the scenery. After walking for quite some time, he realized it had been a good ten minutes since he had seen anyone. The people-less landscape allowed an eerie silence to fill the air, save for his own footsteps. The voice in Sojin's head told him to stop heading to the destination, yet his heart told him he had no reason to distrust the hospital worker. He had already come this far so it seemed more perilous to turn all the way around at this point. Still, this was a very strange area for a rehabilitation center to be placed…

"Your destination will be on your right in approximately two minutes!" his phone exclaimed, causing the boy to jump in surprise and almost drop the device. Letting out a sigh, he exited the navigation program and placed the phone back into his pocket, focusing his sights on his surroundings. Glancing at the next block over through a gap in the buildings, he momentarily caught site of two figures walking parallel to him before the building obstructed his view again. His heartbeat immediately increased as he picked up his pace. While he would normally be relieved to see the presence of other people in a place like this, his current situation increased his suspicions.

Sojin let out a sigh of relief as his destination finally came into view. The sun had all but set and the last place he wanted to be was outside in this area at night. The building was slightly nicer than those surrounding it, yet it still looked nothing like a rehabilitation center. Not wanting to stay outside any longer, the boy rushed in, his heart rate returning to normal as he saw a front desk and the back of a staff member's head.

"Ah, hello! I'm here to visit a—" The boy's sentence was cut short as his eyes widened in shock. The woman had turned around to face him, revealing the same face he had seen at the hospital just moments before. A silence fell between the two as Sojin tried to figure out what was happening. The woman's brown hair fell neatly to her shoulders and an expectant smile graced her face.

"Touka told me to expect you, boy," she said, her smile starting to fade. Sojin felt his stomach drop in horror at the mention of the purple-haired girl.

"Ah, you should've just stayed away. Touka was being so generous to let you go…" stated the woman, shaking her head slowly. The smile on her face had all but disappeared at this point and her eyes focused on him, unmoving.

Not bothering to respond, Sojin turned on his heel and burst out the door, running full speed from the building and into the night. He only managed to get a few feet away before a strong force tackled him to the ground, sending him rolling across the gravel and scraping up his hands and knees. Before he could get up, the hospital woman had pinned him on his back, straddling him and bringing her face closer. The street was too dark to make out anything other than her black and red eyes, the memory of Touka's still fresh in his mind.

"Unlucky. My friends have told me I'm not nearly as generous as Touka," the woman said, her lips twitching into a smile.

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_Heheh, sorry for the cliffhanger! Please review! ^^_


	3. Chapter 3

Sojin had always been fairly lucky. He had received the chance to move to the big city, met an amazing roommate, and generally avoided any life-threatening situations. Unfortunately, it seemed as if he had finally used up the last of this luck as the ghoul's figure loomed over him, her nails digging into the skin on his arms. How had he fallen for this? The woman had just seemed so normal...nice even! He had always been under the impression that ghouls acted abnormally or at least had clues that gave away their true identity. Now, he could see that humans and ghouls truly were very similar-perhaps the reason why the transplant on Kaneki had ended successfully. The one difference was that humans were weak, a fact that was becoming more and more apparent as the woman increased the pressure on his arms. Sojin let out a scream of pain as the strength of the grasp increased to the point that he felt his bones would snap.

Suddenly, the pressure on his arms disappeared with the woman shifting her grip to his shoulders and bringing her face close to his. She inhaled deeply, tracing down his jawline and neck before laughing and licking her lips. He thought scenes like this only happened in movies, yet the ghoul before him was more than real.

"Mmm, you smell delicious, but you're nothing more than than skin and bones. How unappetizing...though I suppose you'll have to do," she said before opening her mouth abnormally wide and moving towards his shoulder, saliva pooling around her tongue. Out of instinct, the boy shoved his palm into the woman's face with all his strength, barely managing to deflect the attack away from his neck. The woman let out a slight grunt, seemingly more annoyed than hurt by the blow, before narrowing her eyes at the boy.

"Brat...didn't your parents ever teach you not to hit girls?" she asked, shaking her head slightly as her brown hair fell into Sojin's face. "I was going to make it painless for you, but I guess you'd prefer some fun."

The woman's face twitched eerily before large orange tentacles erupted from her back, seemingly covered in mucus. The sight of the metamorphosis made Sojin want to puke, partially from fear, partially from disgust. Before he could even struggle, one of the tentacles was at his throat, lightly poking the area around his jugular. Not daring to struggle, the boy simply closed his eyes tight, hoping this nightmare would just end. What had he done to deserve being dragged into this? He had just wanted to find a bathroom earlier in the day and now he was at death's doorstep. A shooting pain suddenly plagued his left arm, causing him to yelp in pain and open his eyes back up. He gasped in shock as he saw that his arm has been gashed open all the way down the forearm, which was now pouring blood, as one of the woman's tentacles lingered above the wound. The ghoul took a deep breath, a genuine smile crossing her face.

"Ah, delicious," she stated. She truly was playing with him at this point and the torture was taking its toll on the boy. The sight of blood normally left Sojin feeling queezy, but seeing it pour from his own arm made him want to puke. The pain from his arm felt like someone had set fire to it and he was sure that if the woman didn't do him in, he would eventually perish from blood loss. However, it didn't seem that he had that much time as the woman stated that she was growing bored, raising a tentacle high above her head and letting out a snicker. The brown-haired boy squirmed, trying desperately to free himself from the woman's pin to no avail. Submitting to his fate, he closed his eyes once more, hoping it would be quick.

A loud clang filled the air as he felt the woman's body leave his. Sojin opened his eyes, surprised to see that the woman was no longer above him. Rolling his head to the left, he saw her picking herself up from the ground, a look of sheer anger on her face. He looked the other way to see two figures, one with a strange weapon in his hands. Squinting, Sojin could see that the armed newcomer was an older man, his hair completely white and falling in his face where a crazed smile rested. The other man was extremely tall and quite buff, dressed neatly in a suit while holding a silver briefcase. If it had been any other circumstance, the twenty-year-old would have been awestruck by the man's handsome features, yet he had slightly bigger issues to focus on at the moment.

"Amon, get the boy. I'll take care of the ghoul," the older man commanded, brandishing his weapon. Amon nodded, rushing towards Sojin and scooping him off the ground, before throwing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Sojin let out a gasp of pain from having his arm moved, but did his best to avoid getting any blood on the man's suit. As his savior moved him away from the battle, Sojin watched in awe as the old man dueled the ghoul, his weapon putting up an impressive fight against the woman's tentacles. In fact, the weapon the man wielded had a disturbing resemblance to the anatomy of ghouls. Just as the older man seemed to be getting an upper hand, Sojin's view was obscured as Amon placed him gently on the ground behind a building.

"You're one lucky kid," he stated, fiddling with his briefcase. "If she hadn't been so arrogant to just play with you like that, I don't think we would have made it in time."

The man's briefcase suddenly transformed into a huge hammer-like weapon, which he swung around a few times, seemingly for practice. He looked down at the injured boy, opening his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the voice of the old man.

"Incoming!" came the old man's voice from a distance, followed by a wild cackle. Moments later, the ghoul emerged from around the corner of the building, dashing full speed at the pair with an intent to kill. Her tentacles flailed wildly, lashing out at Amon as soon as they were within reach. To Sojin's surprise, the man managed to deflect the blows and even land a counter attack with his hammer, sending the woman flying backwards. The twenty year old attempted to scoot away from the action, putting a little distance between himself and Amon. He couldn't get very far before the pain in his arm intensified. Remembering his wound, he quickly ripped the sleeve off of his shirt, tying it around his forearm in an attempt to contain the bleeding.

"I'll _have_ my meal!" came the woman's voice as Sojin looked up from his arm to see the ghoul dashing around Amon and straight for him. Too shocked to make a sound, he once again scooted away from the woman in a futile effort. However, just as she entered attacking range, a sharp blade appeared out of the night and slashed a huge gash into the ghoul's side, spraying her blood across Sojin's clothes. The ghoul fell before him, landing face first on the gravel and twitching slightly, her tentacles falling limply by her side. The boy simply sat, too stunned to move or speak. Suddenly, the woman reanimated, her tentacles shooting into the air as her face snapped up and locked crazed eyes with him.

"Damn you, child!" she exclaimed, making one last effort to destroy the boy. Before her tentacles could make a move, her head smashed into the ground under Amon's heavy hammer, her body going limp this time. Sojin let out a gasp of horror before rising to his feet and distancing himself from the scene. He glimpsed blood dripping off the older man's blade-like weapon, guessing it had dealt the critical blow that had saved him at first. A shudder ran down his spine, staring at the corpse before him. Human or ghoul, Sojin wasn't one to support death-hell, he had never even seen a corpse before-and the scene left him feeling faint.

"You okay?" came the younger man's voice, bringing Sojin back to his senses. The brown-haired boy nodded, placing his hand over his forearm unconsciously and taking a closer look at the two men.

"I...you...thank you," was all he could manage to get out, still traumatized by the whole situation. The younger man placed his hand on Sojin's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze, before looking at the white-haired man who gave him a slight nod.

"I'm Mado and this is Amon...although you seem a little too shocked to register any of this," the white-haired man stated, letting out a quiet cackle. Sojin looked from the younger man to the older, their eyes meeting. Even though Mado had saved him, something about the crazed look in the man's stare gave Sojin the creeps. Rather than mess around with these guys, his first priority now was to return to Hide as quickly as possible-and hopefully in one piece.

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_Phew...that was an intense chapter. Thanks for the follows and faves! ^^_


	4. Chapter 4

Sojin bowed deeply first to Mado, then to Amon. Although he felt uneasy about the newcomers, they had saved him from his assailant so the least he could do was show his appreciation.

"Thank you very much! I would have been a goner if you hadn't showed up," he stated, glancing from the older man to the younger. "It's really late though, so I'd best be on my way now -"

The boy winced in pain as the gash on his arm throbbed, yet tried to conceal the wound behind his hand. The clothe that had once been a light blue was now dyed a deep red, his blood continuously seeping into the material. Amon glanced at the wound before taking a step closer to the boy and reaching for his arm. Sojin immediately took a step back, keeping the distance between him and the two men.

"That wound looks bad," Amon stated, unfazed by the boy's obvious fear of him. "You should at least let me take a look at it before you run off."

Sojin let out a nervous laugh before shaking his head and waving his hands in front of him.

"No, no! Thanks for your concern, but it's not that bad...I'm just going to head home now!" he stated, backing away from the men. Amon gave him a quizzical look, seemingly confused by the boy's reaction to his offer of help. The wound was obviously far worse than the kid was letting on. The man shrugged, not one to force assistance on those that did not want it. Sojin bowed once more before turning on his heel and speed walking down the street the way he came. The older man who had remained silent up till this point narrowed his eyes at the boy's fading figure before turning to his subordinate.

"That's certainly an interesting one, don't you think, Amon?"

After a few minutes of walking Sojin finally reached a street with a few cars passing back and forth. The pain in his arm was intensifying and he was beginning to feel exhausted from the lack of blood in his body. His eyes lit up as he saw the bright sign of a taxi heading his way, raising his uninjured arm to hail it. The cab pulled over and allowed the boy to hop in, the cab driver choosing to ignore the boy's injured state. The brown-haired boy gave his address and leaned his head against the window, closing his eyes and running through the whole day again in his head. He had always craved adventure, constantly complaining about his boring life, yet he hadn't expected it to manifest itself this way. Without realizing, the boy drifted into a mixture of sleep and unconsciousness. It was well past midnight at this point and the combination of drowsiness and blood loss easily overtook his willpower.

"Sir. Sir..." the cab driver stated, peering in his mirror at the boy passed out against the window as they pulled up to the destination. "SIR."

Sojin jolted awake, banging his head on the window then rubbing it in pain. He quickly fished his wallet out of his pocket, handing a handful of cash to the driver and apologizing profusely. Stepping out of the cab, he faltered and nearly fell to the pavement, gaining another concerned glance from the cab driver. Sojin turned to the man with a smile, rubbing his head and laughing a bit.

"Ah, I'm fine! Sorry...I'm just tired!" he exclaimed, trying to offer an explanation for his behavior. The man gave him a confused look before rolling up the window and pulling off. Sojin turned and climbed the steps of the apartment building one at a time, counting them to keep himself conscious. After quite a bit of effort, he managed to reach his apartment, entering and falling to the floor while clutching his aching arm. Pulling the cloth off, he gasped at the sight, barely able to resist heaving all over the floor. It was far worse than he had thought now that he could see it clearly in the light. The wound was deep and scarlet blood stained the rest of his arm. There was no way he would be able to patch this up himself, yet he had no strength left to get himself to the hospital. Not to mention, the last place he wanted to go right now was back to the hospital-for all he knew, all the workers there could be ghouls waiting to feast on him. His attention was ripped from the wound as a light turned on in the room next to the entryway. Hide's figure appeared in the doorway, his expression turning to one of horror as he saw the younger boy on the ground. Sojin didn't even try to hide the wound like he normally would, knowing it was too late as the orange-haired boy ran towards him, kneeling down and grabbing his arm.

"Sojin! Are you okay? What the hell happened to you?!" the older boy exclaimed frantically. "You need to go to the hospital! I'm calling an ambulance!"

The older boy turned to get up, but Sojin grabbed his shirt with his uninjured arm. Hide turned to face him in surprise, curious about what could possibly be more important that getting help right now.

"No! Please don't call an ambulance! I don't want to go to the hospital!" the younger boy exclaimed, pushing himself to his knees.

"What do you mean you don't want to go?! It's not an option. I think you're already delirious from blood loss!"

"No, Hide! Please!" exclaimed the younger boy, moving his grip to the older boy's arm and shaking it in a pleading manner.

"Sojin, stop being ridiculous. Look at your arm! Do you really think you can avoid a hospital trip with a wound like that?" Hide shot back, prying himself from the grasp on his arm. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and began dialing, placing the phone to his ear.

"Hide! Please! You don't understand why I can't go!" Sojin exclaimed, tears finally beginning to well up in his eyes. As far as he was concerned, Hide was unknowingly sentencing him to death. His roommate's eyes widened upon seeing his usually happy roommate tear up, dropping the phone to his side and kneeling down beside him.

"You're serious? If you don't want me to call then you have to at least explain what happened," the orange-haired boy stated, slipping his phone back into his pocket and peering into his roommate's eyes.

Sojin bit his lip, glancing to the side as he decided what to do. If he told Hide what had happened, he risked dragging his unknowing roommate into the dangerous situation that now surrounded him. The older boy took hold of his injured arm, taking a closer look at the wound before letting out a gasp.

"Did you get mugged? Although I don't think a knife could make a cut as precise as this..." Hide asked, mostly to himself. Sojin could tell that his roommate was already beginning to piece together the puzzle and would arrive at the answer regardless of whether he told him or not. Letting out a sigh, the brown-haired boy decided that it would be most beneficial to just come clean. With a look of fear, he retold the tale of what had just happened to him in his search for Kaneki.

"You what?! A ghoul? You survived a ghoul attack?" Hide exclaimed, grabbing Sojin's shoulders and shaking him slightly. "Why would you endanger yourself like that?"

"I didn't want to! I just wanted to help Kaneki. I thought he deserved to know!"

"You should have told me so I could have gone! How could you do something so dangerous alone?" Hide replied. Sojin's eyes widened a bit as he sensed a hint of anger in the older boy's voice.

"I didn't want to endanger you! I thought I could just tell him and be done with it. If the ghouls knew that you knew they would-"

"It doesn't matter!" Hide exclaimed loudly, through gritted teeth. He grabbed the younger boy's collar and pulled him closer, looking him in the eye. "Don't endanger yourself for me! Are you an idiot?"

Sojin felt his face flush at the last question. He pulled Hide's grip from his collar and pushed himself to his feet before turning for the door. The older boy immediately realized his error, jumping to his feet and grabbing Sojin's uninjured arm.

"Wait! I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that you shouldn't endanger yourself for me! I mean, look at your arm!" Hide exclaimed, trying to pull his roommate back. The younger boy gritted his teeth in annoyance and wrenched his arm free. Whether Hide was aware of his crush or not, he had expected the orange-haired boy to at least show some sign of gratefulness, not yell at him.

"Sorry for trying to protect my friends. Next time I'll let you get eaten by ghouls without a second thought," Sojin stated, edged on by a mixture of fatigue and annoyance. He made it out the door and to the top of the stairs before pausing in surprise.

"Sojin! I know you have a crush on me!" Hide exclaimed, following him out the door and standing behind his frozen roommate, aware that he had played his ultimate card. "It's because of that that I don't want you to go throwing your life away to protect me."

Sojin's heart rate increased, the remainder of the blood in his body now flowing rapidly through his veins. Should he pretend to not know what Hide was talking about? Should he make a break for it? Clenching his fists, he turned to face the older boy, taking a deep breathe. He tried his best to keep his face from turning red, but he could feel that it had already heated up.

"I...I don't have a crush on you! I'm just protecting you as a friend," he replied, his anger turning into humiliation and his gaze falling from Hide's eyes to the floor. His lying skills had failed him once again. To his surprise, he felt Hide's hand atop his head, patting it playfully.

"There, there. Don't worry, it's cute!" the older boy exclaimed, his happy personality returning as he moved closer and wrapped his arm around Sojin's shoulders playfully. Sojin buried his face in his hands in embarrassment, but was unable to refrain from a slight laugh at his roommate's drastic mood swing. He opened his mouth to question what Hide thought of him, but the older boy spoke first.

"That's the Sojin I know! Now...if you really don't want to go to the hospital, I have a senpai who's studying medicine. Let's head over to his place-and don't worry, he's not a ghoul!" Hide exclaimed, pulling his phone out of his pocket with his free hand and dialing a number.

"Ah, Nishiki senpai! Sorry to wake you, but my friend needs some emergency help! You can patch him up, right?" Hide asked through the phone. He paused for a moment as he listened to the response, before thanking the other boy and putting his phone away. His arm still wrapped around his roommate's shoulders, he led him down the stairs of the apartment.

"Don't worry, Sojin, he'll have you fixed up in no time," Hide stated as they walked. Sojin let out a quiet laugh, still quite traumatized from both the ghoul attack and his confession to Hide.

"It's not gonna be awkward between us now, is it?" he asked, glancing over at his crush. Hide's grin widened as he poked the younger boy playfully in the head.

"No way! Now I have even more incentive to take care of you!" he replied as they made it to the street outside of their apartment. Sojin wasn't sure whether that was a hint that Hide felt the same way or if he was reading too far into it. Regardless, he was happy to finally be safe under his roommate's comforting grip. Looking back at the ground, a slight smile spread across the younger boy's face as the duo headed towards Nishiki's home.


	5. Chapter 5

Sojin was surprised to feel his face flush as he walked towards Nishiki's home under Hide's comforting arm. The boy thought that he had lost enough blood that there wouldn't be any left in his body to make him blush. Even in his fatigued state, he couldn't hide the happiness of finally having the weight of his secret crush lifted off of his shoulders. He looked up from the pavement and glanced around. The street was devoid of people-most likely because it was well into the hours of dawn at this point. Although it was dark, the area was well lit with bright street lights guiding the way. Compared to his journey from before, this path seemed much safer, especially with Hide at his side.

"Ah, I still can't believe you went and did that," came Hide's voice. "I really wish you would tell me before you do irrational things..."

"I'm sorry, I guess I should've warned you. My parents would have had a heart attack if I had never come back," he replied, scratching his head, his previous anger finally gone. As he lowered his arm back to his side, a shadowy figure caught his eye.

"Yeah! Imagine how sad they would be..." Hide exclaimed, continuing to scold the younger boy. However, Sojin was no longer listening, his heart beat increasing slightly upon taking a closer look at the man across the street. Even though he hadn't been in the man's presence for very long, there was no way he could forget Mado's distinct appearance. The old man leaned against the side of a building, unmoving, yet his eyes followed the two boys as they walked past. Sojin felt a shiver run down his spine. Under the streetlight, the old man almost looked like a corpse, his eyes hollowed and white hair falling messily. The boy immediately turned his head away, not wanting to make eye contact, but unsure of what to do. The old man's assistant-Amon, was it?-was no where to be seen, inciting a sense of suspicion within the boy. He had no reason to be nervous, they had saved him after all, yet he couldn't shake that bad vibes he got from their presence.

"Hey! Are you even listening to me?" Hide exclaimed, smacking the brown-haired boy lightly on the head. Sojin jumped in panic, looking at Hide with wide eyes, causing the older boy to give him a look of confusion. Should he tell Hide why he was anxious? The younger boy thought back on what had happened last time he hadn't informed Hide of his circumstances and decided to confess.

"Hide!" Sojin began in a hushed voice, slowing his walking pace. "Don't look over, but the man across the street...he's the one who saved me from the ghoul."

Hide's eyes widened for a moment, but he kept his calm. Without turning his head, he glanced over at the spot Sojin had signified out of the corner of his eye.

"He seems kinda old to be fighting ghouls...are you sure that's him?" Hide responded, letting out a slight chuckle. The younger boy elbowed him in the ribs, giving him a glare to let him know he was being serious.

"It's seriously him! I don't know why, but he gave me some serious bad vibes. There's just something off about him," Sojin whispered as the boys continued onwards. Hide shrugged.

"Well, we don't have to stop and say hi. Besides, we're almost at Nishiki senpai's apartment," Hide replied, squeezing Sojin's shoulder slightly. Sojin glanced over at the white haired man once more before letting out a sigh. He didn't seem to be doing anything wrong...but what kind of person simply stands outside at 3 A.M.? Regardless, the boys continued on in relative silence, Sojin's good mood overshadowed by his suspicions.

"We're here!" Hide exclaimed, pulling Sojin through the front door and into the elevator. The younger boy let out a sigh of relief as the elevator doors closed, happy that they had made it to their destination. Moments later, the elevator released them into a long hallway. Hide headed towards a door without hesitating, hinting that he had already been to this place many times. Sojin followed along behind, wondering if this senpai would really be able to do anything for his wound. After knocking, the door swung open a few moments later revealing a tall boy with hair similar to the color of Hide's. The boy's glasses gave him a rather menacing look and the dark circles under his eyes suggested that he hadn't slept for a while.

"Ah, Nagachika, come in," he stated, pulling the door open wider. Hide smiled and waltzed in to the apartment, beckoning for Sojin to follow. He then turned and pointed at the younger boy.

"This is my roommate, Sojin! Sojin this is Nishiki senpai," he stated, a happy smile spreading across his face. Sojin glanced around the apartment for a moment. It was rather cramped, with only a kitchen, bathroom and common room with the medical student's bed. A small lamp provided the only illumination for the whole apartment, making it a bit difficult to make out the details. He turned his attention back to the conversation as Hide made introductions.

"Ah, sorry to trouble you so late! Thank you for letting us come over," Sojin exclaimed, bowing deeply to Nishiki. The medical student let out a chuckle and waved his hand at the statement.

"It's not a problem. I have to stay up this late anyway...damn medical school. Speaking of which, Hide said you had a wound you needed me to look at?"

Sojin nodded, bringing up his arm and uncovering the gash. The older boy's eyes widened...almost excitedly. The younger boy felt unease take over him, but tried to shake it off. He was obviously paranoid because of the prior events. Nishiki was probably just shocked by how bad the wound was.

"Wow, that's a really bad gash," the medical student stated, confirming Sojin's thoughts. "Let me get to work on it quickly before it gets infected. Come over to the bathroom so I can clean it."

Sojin nodded and smiled, happy that the older boy was really willing to help him. He glanced over at Hide, who gave him a reassuring nod, before heading into the bathroom. He winced as the older boy cleaned out the wound, but his eyes widened as he saw Nishiki pull out a needle.

"I'm gonna have to sew it up...there's no way it can heal on it's own," the medical student said. Sojin winced, but didn't argue, aware that this had to be done. To his surprise, the procedure, although painful, passed by quite quickly. Sojin stared down at his newly patched up arm in shock before looking up at Nishiki.

"Wow, you really are a doctor! I think you should just graduate from school now!" he exclaimed with a smile. Nishiki let out a quiet laugh and shook his head.

"I've got a lot more to learn. We're lucky this was an easy procedure!"

Sojin opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a knock at the door. Nishiki tilted his head to the side, confusion spreading across his face as he got up and exited the bathroom.

"Who could that be...? It's ridiculously late," the medical student stated to himself. Sojin peeked around the corner of the bathroom door frame, watching Nishiki head to the door. Suddenly, the boy realized what was going on, his prior fears still fresh in his mind. He burst from the bathroom without hesitation and pulled Nishiki away from the door. He placed his finger on his lips, signaling for the other boys to stay quite, then beckoned for Nishiki and Hide to head to the rear room of the apartment, Nishiki's bedroom. Sojin ran to the front door, silently peeking through the peephole before pulling back in terror. He ran back to the bedroom and quietly closed and locked the door behind him as a louder knock came at the door. Panic overtook the younger boy as he turned to Hide.

"It's them! It's the old man! He thinks I'm a ghoul or something and was following us," Sojin exclaimed, a million thoughts running through his head. Hide shook his head in disbelief while Nishiki looked on with confusion. "Hide, please trust me! You told me to tell you these things, and now I'm telling you! Nishiki, is there another exit?"

The medical student pushed his glasses back up, before pointing to the window, still confused by what was going on. Sojin ran to the window and pulled it open, revealing a fire escape. He hadn't realized how many stories up they were and the height was nauseating. Still, he beckoned the other two over and forced them out of the window, signaling for them to run down. Suddenly, the sound of wood splintering filled the silent apartment as Mado seemingly broke down the front door. Sojin hopped out of the window and pulled it shut behind him, following after the duo. As he looked down at his friends, his heart dropped. A fourth figure stood on the fire escape a few stories below, staring up at the three boys. Hide and Nishiki had slowed their descent, also taking note of the newcomer. Judging by his size, it wasn't hard for Sojin to guess that it was Amon, Mado's right hand man. Breaking his silence, the brown-haired boy shouted for his friends to run back up.

"Hurry! Climb up as fast as you can! He's that old guy's assistant!" exclaimed the youngest boy, beginning to ascend the staircase. Hide and Nishiki obeyed without hesitation, but Amon also began climbing at a rapid pace. Sojin glanced upwards, shifting his plan.

"Get to the roof! Go faster!" he exclaimed. Just as Hide and Nishiki passed the medical student's apartment, the window shattered as Mado hopped out, a wicked smile on his face.

"You boys think you're faster than Amon?" he exclaimed, chuckling. "Ohhoho, how confident."

Sojin didn't look back, trusting in his friends to make it. To his surprise, he somehow managed to reach the roof. Pulling himself up onto the top of the building, he leaned over to see that his friends would make it. Amon was fast, but there had been enough of a distance between them. Sojin helped pull the other two boys onto the roof before running across the flat surface to the opposite side. Moments later, Amon and Mado emerged from the fire escape. Glancing around for another escape route, Sojin felt his hopes drop as he realized they were cornered.

"Hmmm, I do believe we have a ghoul among us," Mado stated, chuckling and tapping his briefcase.

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_Hohoho, sorry this took SO long. School got REAL. Anyway, thanks for reading! Please review as always!_


	6. Chapter 6

The skin on the boy's palm began to tear as Sojin clenched his fists tightly in panic, his thoughts racing. Glancing to his left and right, he could see that neither Nishiki nor Hide had a plan to get them out of this situation. Both boys looked bewildered over the events unfolding before them. If it had been 48 hours earlier, Sojin would have worn the same confused expression. So much had happened in the past day that the twenty year old felt that he had aged at least ten years. Still, even ten years of wisdom was not enough to help him come up with an escape plan. Looking from Mado to Amon, Sojin gritted his teeth, unsure of what to say.

"I...I'm not a ghoul! You're confused!" Sojin exclaimed, cringing at his lame statement, before taking a slight step forward and brushing his brown bangs out of his face. Hide immediately moved to his side, placing his arm in front of the younger boy to keep him from moving further. Sojin looked at his roommate in surprise and saw a glimmer of concern in the boy's eyes. It seemed Hide had finally decided that this was indeed the real deal.

"Sojin, stay behind me!" Hide exclaimed, pulling the younger boy behind his back and glaring at the two older men. "I have no idea what you two crazies are after, but this kid isn't a ghoul. If you're with the CCG, then do your job and find the real threats!"

Sojin tilted his head from behind Hide to get a view of their adversaries. The old man looked at his partner, a slightly confused expression gracing his face. Did he really not know that Sojin was human? Just as soon as the thought flitted through the boy's mind, the old man let out a loud laugh, suddenly transforming his briefcase into a huge blade. This was similar to what the man had used earlier to save Sojin. A kagune, was it? Amon nodded solemnly, then unleashed his kagune as well. The younger man's was a simple pole with what looked like a huge weight attached to the end. One well placed blow from that would be lights out for sure.

The youngest boy glanced over at Nishiki who had remained relatively quiet the whole time. Upon seeing the weapons the men wielded, the medical student's expression had shifted to one of worry. Had he also experienced this torment from the CCG? The boy's attention was brought back to his adversaries as the old man approached the trio slowly. Hide spread his arms wide and planted his feet on the ground, unwilling to let the men get to his roommate.

"Sorry boys, the ghoul must die," Mado said, slightly dragging out the last word as if he relished the current circumstance. Hide's body tensed as if he were about to jump at the man, but Sojin grabbed onto the back of his jacket, keeping him in place.

"Don't! Hide, please let me talk to them. I can talk it out. Please!" Sojin whispered from behind his roommate. The orange-haired boy shook his head, denying the request as the two men continued their approach. Taking a deep breath, Sojin jolted out from behind his roommate and closed the gap between himself and the kagune-wielding duo, stopping just short of Mado's weapon range.

"Please listen to me! If you refuse to believe me, I'll go with you! Or do whatever you want! Just don't hurt these two! None of us are ghouls, but those two are definitely innocent!"

Mado's eyebrows raised at the boy's sudden speech and he halted his stride. Internally, Sojin was a bit impressed that he had actually managed to surprise the crazy old man.

"Ah, naive child, you have a lot to learn," he responded, the corners of his mouth twisting into a smile. Mado raised the kagune high above his head, the blood red orb at the sword's center glinting in the faint light. The twenty-year-old let out a gasp, taking a step back as he realized the old man intended to kill. Just as Mado brought the sword down, Sojin felt Hide pull him into an embrace and whirl him around so that the older boy's back was now facing Mado. The sound of slicing flesh filled the air, along with a scream of pain and the mad cackling of Mado. Sojin glanced down at his own body, finding it completely unscathed. Rather than feel relief, a sense of terror overtook the boy as he gripped Hide's hand that was still wrapped around his torso. He pulled free and spun around, eyes wide, as he looked Hide over, expecting to see the boy mortally wounded. To his surprise, his roommate was completely fine, giving him the same concerned expression.

Both boys simultaneously registered the only option left, shifting their gaze to the third member of their trio. Nishiki kneeled on one knee, blood pouring from a deep gash in his side and dying the rooftop pavement red. Sojin shuttered at the sight, but didn't waste a moment, dashing over to the medical student. Nishiki had helped him out of the kindness of his heart, and now he was receiving the attacks meant for Sojin.

"Are you crazy?!" the youngest boy shouted, kneeling at Nishiki's side, unsure of what to do. "Why are you attacking him? He didn't do anything!"

Amon shook his head, beckoning for Sojin to move aside.

"We know you're not a ghoul. The ghoul we've been tracking is your friend here. If we hadn't followed you, he'd probably have devoured you by now. Step aside," the tall man stated, spinning his kagune nonchalantly. Sojin looked from the men back to Nishiki, who was shaking from the pain. What the hell were they talking about? If he was a ghoul, he would have transformed or defended himself by now. Hide joined Sojin, wrapping his arm around Nishiki's shoulder in an attempt to comfort the bleeding boy. Sojin stood up and moved towards the duo, placing himself between the two parties.

"Leave him-"

Before Sojin could finish his sentence, Amon brought his weapon up and swiftly clubbed the boy in the ribs. The man hadn't seemed to use much power, but the force still sent the boy hurtling across the rooftop, barely coming to a stop before the edge of the building.

"Sojin!" came Hide's voice. The youngest boy lifted his head, scratches and scrapes now covering the exposed parts of his body.

"I'm fine! Protect Nishiki!" Sojin exclaimed, pulling himself to his feet again before wincing in pain. His ribs felt bruised where the impact had occurred and part of the stitching on his arm had come undone. The youngest boy ran over to the two men as Hide rose to his feet in an attempt to defend the medical student. Just as Sojin reached the scene, Amon swung his weapon once more, sending Hide flying directly into his roommate. Both boys toppled to the ground, Sojin squeaking in pain as the older boy landed on top of him. Hide picked himself up immediately, not showing any signs of pain, but Sojin struggled to recover. There was no way they stood a chance against the men. Still, he managed to push himself up to a sitting position just in time to see Mado lift his sword above Nishiki. To his surprise, the medical student dodged the attack with stunning speed. Clutching his wound, the oldest boy's glasses glinted for a moment before revealing a pair of black and red eyes. A single, blue tentacle-like tail emerged from the boy, wrapping around his leg.

"He's...Nishiki senpai is..." Hide stated, his jaw dropped in disbelief. Sojin was just as shocked, unsure of what to do. His parents had always taught him that ghouls weren't necessarily bad, just different. He finally understood what they meant. Nishiki had helped him with no ill intention, and from what he had heard, Kaneki was also now a ghoul. Before Sojin could move to aid the ghoul, Hide had grabbed his arm and hauled him towards the fire escape.

"Hide! Wait! He still needs our help!" the younger boy exclaimed, trying to remove his roommate's grip from his forearm. Hide shook his head, increasing the strength of his grasp.

"We'll just get killed if we interfere at this point. Nishiki should be able to escape...although I'm not sure if that's a good thing," Hide stated, jumping down onto the fire exit and pulling the younger boy behind him. Sojin looked back at the scene, getting a glimpse of Nishiki jumping from the rooftop before his view became obscured.

"Not all ghouls are bad, you know!" Sojin exclaimed, turning his attention back to his roommate as the duo headed down the fire escape.

"Now's not the time to argue about this, Sojin. Let's just make it to the bottom," Hide stated, a hint of annoyance in his voice. Sojin narrowed his eyes, annoyance flaring up within himself as well. They continued their decent in silence, Mado and Amon seemingly unconcerned with following them now that they had their target. After a few minutes, the boys finally reached the ground, panting from the intense exercise. Sojin could feel his legs shaking beneath him as he realized just how fatigued he was. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept, not to mention his various injuries finally started to hurt. As Hide began leading the way home, the younger boy fell to his knees, his vision blurring from sleep deprivation and fatigue. The only thought that he could muster was worry about Nishiki.

"How could we just leave him?" Sojin asked, looking up at his roommate in pain. Hide kneeled and placed his hand on the brown-haired boy's head, moving his bangs back into place.

"He'll be fine. You're right that all ghouls aren't bad, but there's nothing we could have done to help," replied Hide's calm voice. "I'm sure he's escaped. If he's really friendly to humans, then he'll seek us out again. For now, just worry about yourself."

Hide looked Sojin up and down, shaking his head in concern. Cuts covered the boy's body from being tossed around and the hopeful glimmer that usually filled his eyes had all but disappeared. Hide turned his back to the younger boy and let out a sigh.

"Ah, this is so cliche," he stated, pointing to his back. "Get on. I can't let a crazy kid like you out of my sight."

Sojin, who normally would have refused out of pride, simply let out a quiet laugh and climbed on, aware that he couldn't make it home on his own two legs. In any other circumstance, he would have freaked out internally over a piggyback ride, yet all he could think about now was sleeping. Resting his head on Hide's shoulder, he anticipated finally being able to sleep for the first time in days. Unfortunately, he was well aware that nightmares would now plague his dreams.

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_Thanks as always! Pleaseeeee review. ^^_


	7. Chapter 7

The following month passed by as normal as normal could be. Sojin's wounded arm slowly healed, yet the mental trauma from the previous events remained staunchly in his subconscious. He could no longer walk down the street without nervously scanning every person he walked past for any signs of ghoul tendencies. While he wasn't necessarily fearful of ghouls, due to his experience with Nishiki, he was well aware that they could devour humans just as easily as they could save them. Speaking of Nishiki, the medical student was constantly on the younger boy's mind. Since the rooftop fight, Sojin had waited for any sign of his friend-or Mado and Amon, for that matter. Now that a month had passed, the boy's hopes were slowly dropping as he fell into his regular routine. He could tell that Hide was doing his best not to bring up the topic of ghouls or Nishiki, lest Sojin get any ideas of pursuing his friend. Still, Hide had been quite kind to Sojin over the past month, perhaps overly so. The younger boy didn't want pity. If anything, he wanted to know what his relationship with his roommate was, an answer Hide seemed unwilling to give. Sojin couldn't blame his friend, as he could tell Hide's mind was focused on finding Kaneki's whereabouts. No sign of the half-ghoul could be found after Sojin's visit to the hospital a month ago and this absence obviously put Hide on edge.

"A recent drop in ghoul attacks has left the city in a pleasant state of peace," stated the newswoman's voice from the television. Sojin glanced over at Hide, sitting on the floor next to him, and saw his roommate's emotions drop. The boys had been watching the news daily for any signs of Kaneki, yet the only news was talk of declining attacks.

"Despite the decline, there has still been one attack last night. The assailant is still believed to be hiding in the area, so caution is advised," continued the newscaster as Hide got up and headed to the kitchen. Sojin got up to follow him, but the footage playing on the television suddenly caught his eye. The younger boy fumbled for the remote and quickly rewinded to the spot that had caught his attention-Hide giving him a confused look from the kitchen. Sojin squinted, trying to make out a blurry figure in the corner of the screen before his face lit up.

"Hide! Hide! It's Kaneki!" Sojin exclaimed, pointing to the screen excitedly. The older boy dropped the cup of water he was filling up into the sink and ran over, almost bowling Sojin over. He followed Sojin's finger to the figure on the screen, his eyes widening as he instantaneously recognized his friend.

"Why's he wearing an eyepatch? Is he injured?" Hide asked, mostly to himself. He snatched the remote out of Sojin's hand and rewinded, listening intently to the newscaster. Sojin glared at being shunted to the side, but understood the importance of the situation and refrained from commenting.

"Kingsway Circuit! That's so close to here and the attack only took place last night. She said the assailant is still hanging around right?" Hide exclaimed, dropping the remote on the couch. He snatched up his backpack and dashed out the door without a word. Sojin's eyes narrowed into a glare as he hurried after his roommate, a hint of jealousy finally setting in. When any mention of Kaneki arose, Hide completely forgot about Sojin. It had always been that way, but now that Hide occasionally hinted his affection towards Sojin, the younger boy thought it would change a bit. Letting out a sigh, he put the thought out of his head and ran out into the brisk air of the street. The orange-haired boy had already reached the street corner and Sojin rushed to not lose sight of him. After a few minutes of jogging, Hide came to a stop in front of a strip of dilapidated buildings, Sojin arriving a few seconds later.

"You could wait for me you know..." Sojin stated, a hint of aggravation behind his words. Hide ignored the comment, further annoying the younger boy, and set to breaking down the front door of the first building. Sojin glanced at the setting sun, then turned back to Hide, keeping his cool.

"I don't think this is a good idea, Hide. It's sunset and this is the perfect setting for a ghoul attack. There's a reason something happened here last night," Sojin stated, scanning the surroundings for anything suspicious. The area was devoid of life, most likely because people knew to avoid it from the news report from earlier.

"It's fine, Sojin. We need to find Kaneki no matter what!" his roommate exclaimed, entering the building. The younger boy grabbed Hide's arm and tried to keep him from going further.

"We're not going to find him if we're dead!" Sojin exclaimed, trying to pull him out of the building and back to the street. Hide wrenched his arm from the grip, causing Sojin to stumble backwards out of the building.

"If you're scared, go home! I'm going to find him," Hide stated fierily, reentering the building. Sojin gritted his teeth, his temper finally bubbling over as the last rays of the sun disappeared behind the buildings.

"Fine, Hide! Since I care about Kaneki, I'll keep looking too," Sojin retorted, crossing his arms and glaring daggers. Hide's face lit up as he turned around to face his roommate, surprised by the amicable response.

"But I'll go look alone. I wouldn't want to hinder your search for your precious Kaneki," he continued, turning and walking to the adjacent apartment as Hide's face dropped at his comment.

"Jerk..." Sojin whispered without looking back and just loud enough for Hide to hear. Before entering the building he had chosen, Sojin found a metal pole leaning against the stone wall in the front yard. He picked it up and slung it over his shoulder like a baseball bat, preparing himself for the worst. After cautiously squeezing in through a missing chunk in the front door, he was surprised to find that the interior of the building was partially illuminated. The overhead lights had all been turned on for what seemed like a long time, as most of them had either burned out or were now flickering at the end of their life.

Sojin already knew this was a terrible idea and his conscious told him to get out of the building as soon as possible. Unfortunately, his annoyance towards Hide spurred him on, not wanting to go back and continue to argue with his roommate. As he continued further into the building, he could feel his heartrate increase. Every creak of the wooden floor or shutter of the lights caused him to flinch in fear, and he had yet to even fully cover the first floor. As he entered the kitchen, he leaned against the crumbling countertop and grasped the metal pole tightly, shuddering.

"This is stupid!" Sojin exclaimed to himself, nodding as if to confirm it to himself. "I'm going back to Hide...a grudge isn't worth dying over. I shouldn't push my luck after I've made it this far."

The boy pushed himself off of the counter and noticed a back door with a small window covered by a shade, which led out of the kitchen to the backyard. Not wanting to go all the way back through the apartment to the front door, the back door seemed like the less dangerous choice. Still, Sojin could hardly trust this dark setting after everything he had been through. Cautiously, he lifted the shade to scan the backyard for anything suspicious. He squinted for a moment, unsure as to what he was exactly looking at. As his vision came into focus, his eyes widened as he found himself face to face with a pair of red and black eyes with a glowing grin beneath. Both Sojin and the ghoul stood unmoving for a moment with eyes locked, the boy paralyzed by fear and the ghoul seemingly enjoying it. A single breathe exited the boy's mouth before he let out a terrified scream and jumped back from the window, the ghoul's arm smashing through it and reaching for his throat a moment later.

Sojin fell to the ground, narrowly dodging the attack as the broken glass shards showered down upon him. Regretting his decision to search alone, he scooted backwards in a panic before pulling himself to his feet. Making a break for it, he dashed towards the front door as the ghoul easily smashed through the rotting wood of the back door. An orange tentacle shot forwards towards the fleeing boy, but he managed to strike it with the metal pole he had brought along, spurred on by adrenalin. The tentacle quickly wrapped around the pole, unfazed, and wrenched it from the boy's hand, pulling it back to its owner in the shadows. Just before Sojin reached the front door, the metal pole whizzed past his ear with such force that it splintered the wooden wall in front of him and stuck there. Sojin let out a scream of terror and bowled through the wooden front door, breaking it in two, and toppling face first onto the pavement outside. Holding his face in his hand, he managed to pick himself up and run to the building where Hide had been, the smiling ghoul walking after him nonchalantly.

"Hide!" Sojin screamed from the building's front door. As if by magic, his roommate appeared in the building's hallway with a look of terror on his face, dashing straight for him. Wordlessly, the older boy grabbed Sojin's arm and pulled him away from the building and to the street. Looking back over his shoulder, Sojin could see another ghoul emerge from Hide's building, joining the one that had been chasing him. He shuddered as he saw that the wide grin upon the first ghoul's face had yet to fade.

"What do we do?! We can't outrun them!" Sojin exclaimed, looking around for some way to escape. The ghouls seemed to be in no rush, slowly strolling towards them and shrinking the gap between the two parties. The ghoul that had followed Hide wore a strange mask with a zipper on the front across what looked like a huge mouth. One eye remained concealed, but the other shifted back and forth between Hide and Sojin.

"Get behind me. I should have listened to you...now you'll have to pay for my mistake. But I'll do my best to defend you!" Hide exclaimed, grabbing Sojin and pulling him behind his back. Sojin shook his head defiantly, aware that fighting them wouldn't be possible for two humans. Grabbing Hide's hand, he pulled the older boy behind him and made a break for the populated street nearby. Upon seeing this, the smiling ghoul began to move faster, quickly closing the gap and shooting a sword like tentacle towards the pair. Hide pushed Sojin out of the tentacle's path, his own arm getting gashed in the process. The older boy let out a squeak of pain before the tentacle swung back around and bashed him into the side of a nearby building. Sojin ran to where Hide lay, standing between him and the ghoul.

"Hide, are you okay?" Sojin asked, not breaking eye contact with the ghouls. The one-eyed ghoul suddenly froze as if he had been struck by a bullet, his gaze settling on the downed boy. Ignoring its partner, the smiling ghoul seemed to have had enough playing around as its tentacle inched towards the boys, the tip sharpening into a spear. Sojin grimaced as the limb shot forward, aiming for his heart, but refused to leave Hide. Sojin could anticipate the pain in his mind, yet his physical form felt no harm as the tentacle fell limply to the floor with a sickening, squelching sound. Sojin's wide-eyed gaze followed the tentacle to its owner to find that the smiling ghoul's appendage had been severed by its own ally.

"Take Hide and go!" came the voice of the one-eyed ghoul as it made eye contact with Sojin.

Squinting, the boy let out a gasp as he looked more closely at the one-eyed ghoul.

"K-Kaneki?" he asked under his breath. There was no time to figure it out now. He bent down and helped Hide to his feet, placing the older boy's arm around his shoulder and moving away from the ghouls as quickly as possible. Hide looked at him, concerned.

"Did you say Kaneki?" he asked, trying to look back at the ghouls. Sojin shook his head, not wanting to raise his roommate's hopes.

"I'm not sure...but I'm guessing we'll find out."

* * *

_Ah, finally Kaneki! Heh, please review and critique! ^^_


	8. Chapter 8

The two roommates finally made it to the populated street and let out a sigh of relief. Hide's limping hadn't allowed them to move quickly, but Kaneki has seemingly bought them enough time. As Sojin helped lower Hide to a sitting position, he looked back over his shoulder to see if he could spot the half-ghoul. Unfortunately, the darkness of the street inhibited his vision, showing no signs of either ghoul.

"Sojin, tell me honestly...was that Kaneki?" Hide asked, resting against the brick wall of the building next to him. Sojin looked down at his roommate, hesitating for a moment.

"If I say yes, what will you do?" Sojin asked as the orange-haired boy's eyes widened. Hide tried to get to his feet, but faltered against the pain, clutching his side with his bleeding arm. Sojin glanced at the wound, then down at his own shirt. He used all of his might to rip off the sleeve of his button-down, a bit sad to destroy one of his favorite shirts, then tied it firmly around his roommate's gash.

"Stay here," Sojin ordered, firmly. Letting out a sigh, he couldn't believe what he was about to offer. Sojin was sure this was a case of "love makes people do crazy things."

"I'll go make sure Kaneki is okay," the younger boy stated, turning on his heel and heading back the way he came. To his surprise, his roommate urged him to stop. From the way he had been acting earlier, Sojin would have expected Hide to gladly let him wander back into the battlefield for Kaneki's sake.

"I made a mistake before to drag you out there. I don't want you risking your life, even for Kaneki's sake!" Hide exclaimed, an apologetic look on his face. Sojin turned around and returned to his roommate, kneeling. While he had truly been prepared to go back to the battlefield, he was relieved that the older boy had pulled him back.

"Hey. Ghoul," came a female voice from behind Sojin. He could see Hide's eyebrows raise in confusion before turning himself around to see who the newcomer was. The younger boy's heart skipped a beat as the girl's purple hair flowed softly in the wind before him. It was the girl from the coffee shop months ago! Touka, was it? Unsure of whether to continue his charade or not, Sojin sputtered for words. Fortunately, Touka didn't wait for a reply.

"You really do know Kaneki, huh?" she asked, mostly to herself. Her eyes narrowed a bit. "He's around here, right? With another ghoul?"

Sojin nodded slowly, afraid of what the purple-haired girl might do. He still vividly remembered the old man's warning not to cross paths with her. Hoping to get rid of the girl, Sojin pointed down the street to where they had encountered the ghouls.

"He was over there before! Fighting with the other ghoul!" Sojin exclaimed. Hide began to question the girl, but Sojin shushed him immediately. Touka glanced towards where the boy had pointed, then turned her attention back to the boys.

"That idiot. I told him not to fight with Freed! He doesn't stand a chance," she stated, her hands balling into fists. Sojin could barely hear her add, "Even I would have trouble taking him down alone..."

She shot the younger boy a glare, as if he had heard too much, then looked Hide up and down.

"You two were obviously involved with them. I'm guessing Kaneki fought Freed to save you two," she stated. "Damn it..."

Sojin and Hide remained silent, too intimidated to reply to the ghoul before them. Touka pointed at Sojin, her glare still drilling into him.

"You. Come with me if you don't wanna die. We're gonna go save him. Unfortunately, your friend looks too beat up to be helpful," she stated. Sojin got to his feet, but waved his hands in front of him.

"W-wait! I can't help at all. To be honest, I'm not really a ghoul..." he stated, looking down at the ground. Touka shook her head, the edge of her mouth twitching into a smirk.

"I told you, I know you're not a ghoul. You'll be acting as the decoy," she stated, adding a hint of sweetness to the latter part. Sojin's eyes widened in fear, but he knew that objecting would lead to injury. Hide gave him a worried look from the ground, but Sojin shook his head, implying that his friend should stay quiet. Touka moved towards the buildings where the attacks had happened, apparently trusting that Sojin would follow. The brown-haired boy ordered Hide to stay put before trailing the female ghoul.

"So what's the plan exactly?" Sojin asked as he caught up to Touka. It seemed as if the purple-haired girl was aware that Sojin and Hide were friends of Kaneki, easing Sojin's mind a bit. At least the girl was less likely to turn on him if that was true. Touka paused for a moment, seemingly listening intently for signs of their targets. Suddenly, the window of the building to their right exploded as an orange tentacle shot out, speeding towards the pair. Touka let out a curse, pushing Sojin out of the way before nimbly dodging the attack with a backflip.

"Get to cover!" Touka commanded, dodging out of the tentacle's way once again. Sojin picked himself up and headed to the side of the building, their aggressor not noticing, fully consumed with taking down Touka. A window frame in front of him allowed easy access into the building, but Sojin wasn't sure what he could do even if he managed to get in unnoticed. Before he could formulate a plan, Touka whizzed around the side of the building, landing beside him before launching herself through the window and into the building. The tentacle followed, but stopped just short of the window, seemingly unable to extend any further. Without wasting a beat, the tentacle retracted, leaving Sojin alone beneath the window sill. Taking a deep breathe, he grabbed the frame and pulled himself up and into the building, careful to land silently on the wooden floor. A clattering sound filled the air, surely due to the fight occurring between the two ghouls. Sojin had half a mind to simply let the two duel it out, but the thought of Kaneki kept him from leaving. Still, he wasn't sure how to help. Peering around the corner, he could see the smiling ghoul fighting with Touka, although it seemed that the grin had finally disappeared from its face. A slumped over form behind Touka caught his eye as he realized that it was Kaneki.

"I'm gonna get killed..." Sojin whispered to himself as he considered running to drag the boy away from the fighting. Touka was nearest to him, so it provided partial protection from attacks, but it would still be risky. Still, Kaneki was only like this because he had tried to save Sojin. Grimacing, the human steeled himself and dashed into the room, quickly moving past Touka and reaching Kaneki. The eyepatched boy didn't respond and Sojin quickly realized that he was out cold. Placing his arms around the other boy's torso, the younger boy did his best to haul Kaneki back around the corner from which he came. He flinched in fear as an orange tentacle swooped towards him, but Touka quickly deflected it, seemingly aware of Sojin's plan. The purple haired ghoul continued to provide him with cover, deflecting multiple attacks, until he rounded the corner. Just to be safe, Sojin pulled Kaneki all the way back to the windowsill before propping him against the wall. Under the faint lighting, Sojin could see that the ghoul had bled quite badly from a gash in his side. The younger boy knew that ghouls could regenerate from eating human flesh, yet he knew he wasn't altruistic enough to allow Kaneki to take a bite out of him.

"Get Kaneki out of here," came Touka's voice from the other room, sounding a bit winded. "I can hold him off for now..."

Sojin voiced his affirmation then tried to figure how to get Kaneki out without further injuring the half-ghoul. He slung the boy over the windowsill so his upper half was dangling outside, then slipped past him and out of the building. Gripping Kaneki's hands, he pulled the ghoul out, but miscalculated Kaneki's weight. Sojin toppled backwards, wincing, as the weight of Kaneki's body overpowered him, the unconscious boy landing lightly on top of him. Wriggling free, he began to try to pick Kaneki up, but the wall of the building exploded in front of him. Coughing and wiping the dust from his face, Sojin saw that Freed had exited the building, and was now headed slowly towards him and Kaneki. Mustering all his strength, he pulled Kaneki onto his back and wasted no time in running from their aggressor. He knew it was pointless as the ghoul was naturally far faster, especially so with Kaneki weighing Sojin down. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw an orange tentacle emerge from the ghouls back, ready to attack. Where was Touka?! Was this part of her plan? As the tentacle shot towards them, Sojin did his best to juke to the right, but Kaneki's weight slowed him down. The tentacle pierced fully through Kaneki's arm, narrowly missing Sojin's shoulder, then withdrew, wrenching Kaneki backwards. Sojin turned and wrapped his arms around Kaneki's waist, catching him as the tentacle retracted from the half-ghoul's arm. He let out a gasp as he saw the new wound in the ghoul's arm, guilt instantly overcoming him. As Freed prepared for another attack, a wicked cackle filled the air. Sojin looked up in surprise, instantly recognizing the strange laugh.

"Mado?" he whispered, looking around for the mad scientist. In an instant, Freed's orange tentacle fell to the ground, severed, and the ghoul was sent flying back into the building from which he came. As the smoke cleared, Sojin could make out Amon's large form standing where Freed had just been, his heavy weapon glinting in his hands. Mado calmly walked up to him, before ordering the younger man to continue his attack on Freed. The old man then turned his attention towards Sojin and Kaneki, a slight smile crossing his face. Did he know Kaneki was a ghoul? He was only a half ghoul...perhaps he could pass as human! Sojin rose to his feet, pointing towards Kaneki on the ground.

"Help! My friend got really injured by that ghoul!" Sojin exclaimed, playing innocent. Mado glanced from the boy to Kaneki, a frown replacing the smile from earlier. For a moment, Sojin believed that he had actually tricked the older male. However, quiet laughter emerged from the man as he reached down towards Kaneki. Sojin slapped his hand away, stepping between Mado and Kaneki.

"Don't touch him!" he exclaimed. He quickly added, "He's...too injured!"

"Ohoho...too injured indeed. With wounds like that, I'm surprised any human would still be alive," Mado stated. So the old man knew Kaneki wasn't fully human. Of course he knew! What had Sojin been expecting?

"Perhaps I'll take this one back to the lab to inspect. Don't worry, we'll numb him so he won't feel any pain during the experiments," Mado said, his lips trembling as if he was stifling a laugh. "Now if you'll just step aside..."

Sojin stared at the man's weapon momentarily, noticing that it had reverted back to briefcase form. Maybe if the old man's weapon wasn't ready, Sojin would be able to take him down. As Mado moved to step around him, the boy flung himself at the white-haired man, planning on tackling him to the ground. Unfortunately, Mado was far more agile than Sojin had thought possible. Mado sidestepped the attack, bringing his metallic briefcase around to bash Sojin in the face. Letting out a cry of pain, Sojin fell to the ground holding his face. Blood ran from his nose, but he knew he couldn't let Mado reach Kaneki. This was Hide's one wish and he was sure his roommate would never forgive him if he let Mado take Kaneki. Pushing himself to his knees, Sojin lunged towards the old man's legs this time, but received yet another, harder, briefcase to the face. Tears welled in his eyes from the pain, but he quickly wiped them away and prepared for another attack.

"I'm not out to hurt a fellow human, boy," stated Mado, seemingly amused by the whole affair. "But if you continue this, I might have to put you down."

Determined to protect Kaneki, Sojin rushed the old man once more. Rather than hitting him with the briefcase, Mado gripped the boy's wrist and yanked him into the building's brick wall. The younger male fell onto his bottom, dazed, but Mado seemingly felt no sympathy, mercilessly bringing his briefcase down on the side of the boy's head with crushing force. Sojin landed on his stomach with a thud, blood streaming down his face as his vision blurring from the force of the strike. He managed to roll his head to the right and make out Kaneki's downed form as darkness overtook his sight. Reaching out, he struggled to grab the half-ghoul's hand, unable to muster the strength to rise again. As he slipped into unconsciousness, he felt Kaneki's hand give his a slight squeeze.

_Whew, it's been a while. Please remember to review! ^^_


	9. Chapter 9

Kaneki's nose twitched as the smell of blood wafted across his face. His eyepatch had fallen off, but he kept his eyes shut, aware that one eye had already turned red and black. He could feel a hand intertwined with his own and vaguely remembered a boy's voice speaking moments before. The half-ghoul suddenly sensed someone reaching for his throat, his eyes finally shooting open. Kaneki swatted Mado's hand away with his free hand and threw a kick, forcing Mado to retreat backwards a bit. Glancing to his left, he was surprised to see a familiar face laying motionless in the mud.

"Sojin...?" he whispered, looking at the hand holding his own. Before he could put two and two together, he pulled his hand from Sojin's and rolled to the right, narrowly dodging a strike from Mado. The half-ghoul cringed in pain as he pushed himself to his feet to face his adversary. He was covered in wounds and the smell of blood was making it all the worse. Kaneki hesitantly glanced over at Sojin, his primal desires overcoming his humanity for a moment. The boy was basically a free meal and the blood dripping from his head made him even more enticing. Before Kaneki could act on his desire, he received a club to the head, sending him stumbling backwards. Mado moved towards him to follow up, but the half-ghoul managed to evade, taking another few steps back. This situation looked grim. Not only was the old man surprisingly agile, but Kaneki was too injured to effectively fight back. If he could just have a bite of flesh...

Just as he began to move towards his unconscious ally, saliva forming at the edges of his lips, a purple-haired figure stealthily exited the building. Stifling his surprise upon seeing Touka, Kaneki quickly realized the best course of action and hoped that Touka would as well. Providing a distraction for the female ghoul, he lunged forwards towards Mado, well aware that the attack would fail. Touka wasted no time in closing the gap between her and the old man to take advantage of the momentary lapse in defense as he jumped back to dodge Kaneki's attack. The plan seemed to work as she connected with the back of the man's head, forcing him to drop his briefcase and sending him back towards Kaneki. While the eyepatch ghoul had initially planned to simply let Mado fall to the ground, he realized an even better option. Opening his mouth wide, he bit into the detectives shoulder, taking a deep breath as the warm blood seeped into his mouth. An instant surge of energy filled his body and his desire for flesh was satiated-at least to a point where he could control it.

The boy dropped the older man to the ground, kicking his briefcase away and looking to Touka for directions. Although it would make the most sense to kill the detective here, Kaneki couldn't bring himself to finish him off. The purple-haired ghoul stood still momentarily, seemingly trying to sense something, then dodged to the right just as Amon brought his weapon down where she had been standing. Gritting her teeth, she let out a curse and looked towards Kaneki.

"Let's get out of here. We're already at a disadvantage from our injuries...and we're outnumbered against these two and Freed," she stated, keeping a cool head. Kaneki nodded his agreement as he watched Touka dodge another attack before nimbly hopping over the gate to the apartment and onto the street. She pointed southwards, which Kaneki easily recognized as an order to return to the coffee shop. Looking at his aggressors, he could see Amon cursing as he handed Mado his briefcase and watched Touka flee. Just as quickly, the muscular man's attention turned to the eyepatch ghoul before him. Kaneki turned on his heel and prepared to follow Touka, but noticed Sojin's unconscious form on the ground. In the heat of the battle, he had momentarily forgotten about the human's presence. Unsure of what the boy was doing in the midst of this battle in the first place, Kaneki bit his lip, knowing he had to save his friend. Easily dodging out of the way of Amon's heavy weapon, Kaneki quickly closed the gap between Sojin and himself and hoisted the younger boy over his shoulder. As Amon prepared for another attack, Kaneki was surprised to hear Mado instruct his partner to halt.

"Hold on, Amon," Mado stated, raising a hand. "If the ghoul wants to take his enemy with him, let him."

Both Amon and Kaneki looked at the older man in confusion, Amon quickly catching on to his partners plan.

"Mm, you're right," the younger man replied. "He almost did a better job of taking those ghouls out than we did. Too bad the purple-haired girl got the best of him before he could finish them off."

Kaneki's eyes widened upon hearing the men's words. While he certainly wasn't best friends with Sojin, he had spent enough time with the boy that he couldn't believe that he would betray them.

"He's quite the smart one, getting close with them just so he could take them out in the end," Mado stated, letting out an authentic cackle.

"That's a lie. Sojin wouldn't do something like that!" Kaneki replied, his eyes narrowing in disbelief.

"Why do you think your purple-haired friend left him behind without a second thought?" replied the scientist, drumming his fingers on his briefcase.

Kaneki hesitated for a moment. Why _had_ Touka left the boy behind? Hadn't they arrived together? Mado shrugged, turning his back on the ghoul and beckoning for Amon to follow.

"You can keep him if you want, we have no use for him as he's not on our side either. Although he might make a good addition to our force with that cunning," Mado stated, chuckling.

Kaneki hesitated, thoroughly confused by the situation. It didn't seem like something Sojin would ever do, but the man's words about Touka and the fact that they were simply letting him take the boy made him second guess himself. Additionally, he could feel his hunger beginning to set in again, the scent of blood from the boy's wounds wafting across his nose. The detectives turned around upon seeing the ghoul hesitating. Not only was he unsure of Sojin's allegiance, but the hunger overtaking him would most likely put the boy in danger of becoming a snack if he took him along. Kaneki lowered the younger boy to the ground rather roughly, taking a step back.

The impact of the drop seemed to jolt some life back into the younger boy, his eyelids finally fluttering open. Mado's visage shifted to one of annoyance briefly as he realized the boy had regained consciousness, but he refrained from making a move. Sojin pushed himself to a sitting position, looking up at the boy standing before him.

"Kaneki...?" He looked behind him at the two detectives, his eyes widening. "What's going on here?"

The half-ghoul took another step back then turned away from Sojin, beginning to walk away as he began to feel himself losing control of his bloodlust.

"W-wait! Where are you going?" Sojin exclaimed, lifting an arm as if to grab onto the older boy. "Don't leave me with them!"

Kaneki glanced back, giving Sojin a questioning look. Deep down, he truly didn't believe that the younger boy had betrayed them, yet he didn't want to be the one to injure him in the end.

"They have no interest in you. They'll let you go free, so don't worry," he stated, picking up his pace. Sojin struggled to push himself to his feet, limping after the half-ghoul in a futile effort to catch up.

"No! Kaneki, please! I need you!" Sojin exclaimed, falling back to his knees. The half-ghoul turned around, a pang of guilt arising in him. Sojin's eyes widened as he noticed Kaneki's normal eye beginning to turn black and red. The older boy seemed to notice it too, placing his hand over it and turning away once again.

"I'm sorry...there's nothing I can do right now! Stay safe..." he replied, shaking his head in what seemed like disappointment with himself. Hesitating no longer, he broke into a run and soon disappeared out of Sojin's line of sight, leaving the boy kneeling in the dirt.

"Kaneki..." he stated, his arm still reaching out as if the half-ghoul might turn back. After a few moments of watching in silence, he finally placed his arm back on the ground and pushed himself to his feet, turning to face the two men behind him. A shiver of despair ran down his spine. He had expected Touka to leave him behind, but not Kaneki, who he had considered his friend. Out of options now, he slowly began to back away from the two detectives, well aware that they would want to apprehend him for questioning. Judging from Mado's previous comments, he was sure the methods they had for extracting information were more than unpleasant.

"Ah ah ah, boy," Mado stated, beginning to move forwards. "You know we can't let you go so eas-"

The man's sentence was cut short as both he and Amon were bashed into the street by a long orange tentacle. Immediately rising to their feet, the two looked towards their aggressor with surprise as they prepared their quinque. Mado suddenly let out a sharp laugh.

"Ah, I must be getting old! We almost let one slip away, Amon!" he stated, pointing towards Freed, who had finally emerged from the building. Sojin immediately backed around the edge of the building and out of eyesight as the ghoul charged at the detectives, seemingly unaware of the boy's presence. Suppressing his headache, he made haste to distance himself from the battle. While he expected to get caught at any moment, he surprisingly made it to a semi-populated area after a few minutes of jogging. Looking down at his appearance, he was sure he would attract unwanted attention with his mix of cuts, dirt, and bruises. Knowing the area moderately well, he headed to the nearest bathhouse and entered.

"Oi, what happened to you kid?" asked the attendant at the front desk, staring Sojin up and down.

"I...got into a fight," Sojin stated, placing his money on the counter and moving towards the bath room in order to avoid further questions. The bath was completely abandoned, the surface of the water glistening stagnantly. Sojin thought it was a nice change from the action that had recently taken over his life. Stripping off his clothes, he lowered himself into the water, wincing from his wounds before settling in. The boy ran through the events of the day in his head, trying to figure out what to do. His life seemed to have become so intertwined with ghouls that there was no turning back. Sojin thought back to the days when he had wished for a more adventurous life. Was this the consequence he was reaping?

"They must've gone back to the cafe, right?" Sojin asked himself. If that was the case, he and Hide could simply visit and reunite with Kaneki-although Sojin was unsure how he felt about the half-ghoul at this point. As long as they could avoid Mado and Amon, life could most likely carry on normally. Sojin's mind suddenly shifted to Freed. Although he knew little about the ghoul, he was sure that Kaneki or Touka could offer up some knowledge. Rising out of the bath, he wrapped a towel around his waist and stared into the reflective water. The boy was too tired to even feel sad about his lifeless expression. Turning around, he slipped back into his clothes and began his trek back home to Hide.

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_Thanks for reading and please remember to review! ^^;_


	10. Chapter 10

A week passed by quickly and most battle scars from the encounter had vanished for the most part. Sojin had told Hide how Kaneki had left him, choosing his words carefully as not to put the half-ghoul in a bad light. The red-headed boy had surprised him by remaining calm and refraining from visiting the cafe the moment word of Kaneki had reached his ears.

"Last time I rushed in without thinking, you ended up getting injured. I don't want that to happen again..." he had told Sojin, while patching up his own wounds. However, now that their wounds had finally healed, Sojin could tell that the older boy was getting impatient. He rose from the chair he had been sitting in and joined Hide on the couch in the living room, draping his arm over his shoulder.

"Do you wanna visit the coffeeshop now?" he asked, Hide's ears perking up at the offer. "I think Kaneki and the purple-haired girl will be there!"

"If he's wrapped up in all this business, do you think he even wants to see us anymore?" Hide asked, his spirits visibly dropping. "He even looked like a ghoul himself..."

Sojin had half a mind to agree with his roommate so he could keep him for himself. Guilt got the better of him and he lightly pulled on Hide's arm.

"Don't say that! He was-he IS your best friend! I'm sure he still feels the same way and wants to see you!" Sojin exclaimed, rising to his feet. The sun outside the window was high in the sky, signaling midday. If the pair left now, they'd be able to reach the coffeeshop and spend a good amount of time there. He glanced down at Hide, who still seemed somewhat unconvinced. Pulling the boy to his feet, he assured him that it would all work out and with a resigned sigh, Hide followed him out of the door.

Sojin managed to lift the boy's spirits along the way, chatting about ways for them to spruce up their apartment, when the coffeeshop finally came into view. A pang of fear struck Sojin as he remembered his last encounter here. He hadn't told Hide the whole story, but he was riding on the hope that Touka would not attack them now that they had helped her. The duo approached the front door, Sojin holding his breathe as he pushed into the cafe. A quiet chatter filled the air and the scent of fresh coffee wafted across his nose, making him feel almost at home. However, he could feel a gaze from behind the counter cutting icily through the warm air. Touka circled out from behind the counter, walking briskly to the entrance where the two boys stood.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered, annoyance in her voice, but a smile still across her face.

"We came to see Kaneki," Sojin replied. "He's here...I heard you guys talking about it."

Touka let out a sigh and signaled towards the door leading towards the back.

"Let's talk about this somewhere less public."

Hide nodded and headed towards the door, but Sojin hesitated, recalling his last experience behind that door. Touka waited for him to follow Hide, but he held his position until the older boy had moved out of earshot.

"You're not going to try anything, right? This is really an innocent visit! Kaneki is his best friend," he whispered to Touka. The girl narrowed her eyes.

"So I've heard. I'm still not fond of you, but since you didn't betray me during that battle...I guess I can deal with you."

Sojin's face lit up. He knew they were far from being friends, but to hear that he was no longer on the girl's kill list was heartening.

"Sojin?" came Hide's voice as he looked over at the two, confused as to what was taking so long.

"Haha, sorry!" Sojin replied, walking over. "I was just talking about our last encounter with..."

He hesitated as he realized he still didn't know the purple-haired girl's name.

"Touka."

Without another word, she pushed past them into the back, heading down the dim hallway. Near the end of the hallway, she stopped and turned to face them, pointing to her left.

"He's in there. Don't cause trouble...don't think I forgot about my promise from our first meeting," she stated, turning her gaze to Sojin. He shuddered, but nodded as they approached the door. He let Hide take the lead and knock, the sound echoing through the silent hall. After a few moments, the door opened wide, Kaneki appearing before them.

"Yes?" he asked, before he could register who stood before him. His eyes widened as his gaze went from the red hair to the person before him.

"H-Hide?! How did you find me? How did you get back here?"

"Our friend Touka-chan led us here."

The girl let out a scoff before walking away. Kaneki took a step back into his room, signaling for the two boys to come in, before closing the door behind them.

"Are you crazy?! What are you doing here?" Kaneki asked, his eyes moving between Sojin and Hide with worry. "You know that Touka's a ghoul! And I'm...I'm a..."

Hide placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, looking him in the eye. "I know. I don't care! You're still my best friend!"

Kaneki pulled him into a hug. "Still! It's too dangerous now...I don't want you to get hurt because of my issues."

Sojin watched silently, a bit annoyed that Kaneki had yet to even acknowledge him and his jealousy slowly rising. The two boys released their embrace.

"I'm not going to abandon you when you need me most. Your problems are my problems," Hide stated. Sojin finally broke his silence, turning his attention to Kaneki.

"Speaking of problems...I guess you can see that I'm not on Mado's side now," he stated, a tinge of bitterness in his words. Kaneki looked down, trying to avoid eye contact.

"Let's just forget about that. Who is that Freed guy and why did he try to kill us?" Sojin shifted his weight. "And why were you with him?"

"Sojin!" Hide exclaimed, surprised by his friend's forwardness. Kaneki finally looked up to meet Sojin's eyes.

"It's simple. We were looking for food. I didn't know that it was you and Hide at first. Once I figured it out, I tried to stop him, but he didn't want to give up a meal."

Sojin remained quiet, unprepared for such an honest answer. The room was filled with silence before a loud knocking pierced the air, causing all three to jump. Kaneki looked at the door, his eyes widening.

"Damn it!" he whispered, signaling for the other two boys to stay quiet. "Who is it?"

"Who's visiting?" came a male voice. Sojin thought it sounded familiar, but it wasn't the old man he had seen here last time.

"A friend!" Kaneki replied, trying to mask his nerves.

"Do you think I'm dumb, kid? I can smell them. Humans," he stated, fiddling with the doorknob from the outside. "Open the door before I break it down."

Kaneki let out a sigh, defeated, and unlocked the door. It swung open, revealing a boy with silver hair, cut short and pushed back. His eyes were the same grey color, emitting no signs of warmth as they scanned the room. He stood a good head taller than Kaneki and his physique was quite toned. Although he radiated an aura of iciness, there was a handsome charm about him. Sojin guessed he was older than them, his appearance suggesting he was at least twenty-five.

"Ah, that's what I thought," he stated, grinning. Sojin's heart leapt as he immediately recognized the man's smile.

"Freed..." he whispered, almost inaudibly.

"Ah? You know my name?" the older male asked, turning his attention to Sojin. At a loss for words, he looked to Kaneki for help.

"How could they forget you after a week ago?" Kaneki asked Freed, his eyes narrowing. Freed shrugged, his grey eyes still fixed on Sojin.

"You can't blame a ghoul for being hungry, can you?"

Sojin squirmed uncomfortably under the ghoul's gaze, unable to come up with a response.

"What do you want Freed?" Kaneki asked, annoyed. "Leave if you have no business here."

Freed let out a loud laugh, taking a step towards Sojin. He knelt down and placed his hand on the boy's head, leaning in and examining him. Sojin sat still, paralyzed in fear as he felt the ghoul's cool breathe against his neck.

"I just wanted to meet your friends..." he said, chuckling to himself. He brought his face so close to Sojin's that the boy thought they were going to kiss.

"And your name?" he asked, his eyes scanning Sojin's face up and down.

"Sojin..." he replied, not daring to move. After a few more moments, he finally pulled away and looked to Hide.

"Hide," the red head replied firmly.

"Interesting..." Freed stated, returning to his feet and heading over to Kaneki. The ghoul opened his mouth to speak, but Touka burst through the door, a look of urgency on her face.

"We have a trace on Nishiki!" she stated, causing Sojin to gasp in surprise. To be honest, the ghoul had slowly faded from his thoughts over the months, but he was glad to hear news of him now. Freed raised a silver eyebrow.

"And? You want us to go help him?" he questioned. Touka nodded.

"It's our duty since he joined our organization," she replied. Freed scoffed.

"It's your duty. I'm not taking care of any of you and I don't expect you to take care of me."

Sojin could see Touka gritting her teeth. "If they torture him, they could find out the location of this place. Then it'll be your problem."

Freed ignored her comment, leaning against the doorway and looking at Kaneki expectantly.

"I'll go," he stated, as if on cue. Touka beckoned for him to follow, but paused as Hide spoke up.

"I'm going too. We're the reason he's in this mess and I swear I can help."

Touka and Kaneki shook their heads. They stated their disapproval simultaneously.

"It's too dangerous!"

"You'll only hold us back!"

Hide stood and shook his head. "I'm going. If you don't allow me, I'll follow you anyway, so we might as well come up with a plan that puts me to use."

Touka shrugged. "I guess we can use him as bait."

Kaneki let out a sigh, but did not argue further. Touka began to lead them out of the room, but this time it was Sojin who stopped her.

"I'm coming too! It's just as much my fault."

"No," Touka, Kaneki, and Hide stated as one. Sojin glared at the trio.

"If Hide can go, why can't I?"

"We don't need two human burdens."

"I'm not a burden! I can help! I saved Kaneki from the doves before!"

Hide opened his mouth to object, but Freed cut him off, finally breaking his silence.

"Well, this could make things interesting. If you allow him to go, I'll join the group as well."

Sojin could see Touka scowl, weighing the benefits of having Freed on the team versus defending Sojin. Finally, she gave in with a sigh.

"Whatever, but he's your responsibility," she stated. Sojin saw Hide shaking his head in disapproval.

"Don't worry, I'll take very good care of him," Freed said, once again placing his hand atop the boy's head.

"Here's the plan. Kaneki and I will do the brunt of battling and take out the guards. Hide and Sojin...I really don't see how you can be of help to us so just try not to be a burden. Freed, you focus on collecting Nishiki and making sure no one gets hurt. And remember, that kid is your responsibility."

Freed sat down and wrapped his arm around Sojin, his signature grin spreading across his face. Sojin immediately regretted his decision to take part in the mission.

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_Sorry for the hiatus! School got so busy. But I'm back! Please remember to give feedback, as that's what motivates me to write! ^^_


	11. Chapter 11

The walk to the detention facility had been anything but fun. Hide was completely enthralled with Kaneki, chatting with him for the whole duration and seemingly forgetting all about Sojin. Touka had remained silent for the most part, walking a few steps behind Kaneki and Hide. Sojin had tried to strike up a conversation with her towards the beginning of the journey, but it had quickly died due to her one word replies. Eventually, he gave in and walked a few steps behind the girl, with Freed right behind him. He could feel the ghoul's grey eyes drilling into the back of his head, but Freed hadn't made a peep since they had departed the cafe. Hide and Kaneki's chatter died down as the facility came into view.

The building was a stark grey color with only two windows looking out on the field below it. Although it didn't seem to have many floors, it was quite wide across and Sojin imagined that it held a large amount of ghoul prisoners. Black gates that were taller than Freed and spiked on top kept unwanted visitors out, while guards with machine guns stood on either side of the doors of the building. Sojin wondered if the security measures would be enough to put up a fight against the three ghouls he was with.

"Alright, I'll look for the best way in. You guys wait out of sight," Touka said, continuing towards the building. Kaneki signaled for the boys to head into an alleyway, pulling Hide to his side. Sojin stood across from them, sighing internally as Freed joined him, leaning against the alley wall and kicking at the dirt with his stylish brown boots. The ghoul hardly looked ready for battle, wearing a rather tight button up and slim black jeans. Sojin shrugged and turned his attention back to Hide.

"So what's the plan?" he asked the older boy. With the slightest hint of annoyance, he added, "I'm guessing you'll be going with Kaneki."

If Hide picked up on the aggression, he ignored it, scratching his head and looking at Kaneki. The half-ghoul nodded.

"I'll make sure he doesn't get hurt," Kaneki said, giving Sojin a reassuring nod. Sojin looked at Freed, then to Hide.

"Then..." he began.

"Looks like you're with me," Freed stated, a smile across his face. Silence filled the air as Sojin felt rage build within him. Hide was simply going to allow him to go alone with the ghoul that had tried to kill them earlier? The red head saved himself before Sojin could burst out in anger.

"No. I'm not going to let him go alone with you after our last meeting. Sojin, I didn't want you to come at all. It's too dangerous. Just wait here till we get back."

"But...then you shouldn't go either!" he stated, defiantly.

"I have to make sure Kaneki is okay and I can't look after both of you."

Sojin began to argue again, but Touka swooped down from above, landing lightly on her feet.

"Alright, I scanned the premises and the easiest way in seems to be from the side. There's an unmanned door and we can easily hop the fence. We're gonna need someone to provide a distraction from the front, though."

Sojin raised his hand. If Hide wasn't going to let him join the main party, he would at least help this way.

"Sojin...alright, I guess this is the best way to make use of you. Just ring the bell at the front which should attract the guards. When they ask you what you want, make sure you have a story constructed. We'll sneak in while they're distracted."

The boy nodded, happy to have a part in the mission.

"Alright, it's dark enough that we should be able to start now. Everyone, get your masks on and let's go."

Touka slid on her bunny mask and Kaneki his frightening, zipper mask. Sojin almost laughed at the irony, thinking the scary mask was much more suited to the purple haired girl. Freed's mask was simply a black panel that covered everything about his mouth, leaving his grin exposed. Sojin shivered, still remembering when he first ran into it in the abandoned apartment building. Hide pulled his hood over his head, though Sojin wondered how much good that would do in hiding his face. None of the others seemed concerned, though, so he remained quiet.

"Good luck, Sojin," his roommate stated as he followed the ghouls out of the alley and towards the side of the building. The younger boy scoffed once they were out of earshot. If Hide really cared, he would've gone with him. Sojin shook the thoughts of jealousy from his head and prepared for his mission.

Acting casual, he emerged from the alley and headed towards the building, formulating his story on the way. By the time he reached the gate, he had a rough draft in his head. Not wanting to arouse suspicion, he rang the bell for service as soon as he arrived. He could see the guards immediately perk up, then walk towards him, machine guns and all. A sudden pang of nervousness filled him, but he doubted the guards would kill another human.

"Yes?" one of the guards asked skeptically, obviously not used to visitors like Sojin.

"Er...I have a message," he stated, looking from one man to the other. "It's about a ghoul!"

The men's ears immediately perked up and their hands hovered near their guns. "Out with it," one stated.

"Actually, it's confidential. Only for...Mado and Amon!" he replied, placing a hand on the gate. "They're here, right?"

The men's expressions softened a bit. "You know Mado? Ah, no, kid. You've got the wrong place. Mado doesn't work at the detainment facility."

"Oh! Could you tell me how to get to his office, then?"

As the men explained, Sojin paid little attention, scanning the dark field to see if he could make out the figures of the ghouls. Indeed, just as the man's directions came to an end, he saw three shadows slide across the lawn and into the side of the building. Three...? Sojin guessed that they had made Hide stay behind in the end.

"Got it?" the other guard asked.

"Huh?" Sojin asked, in surprise. "Er, yes! Thank you! I'll head there now then!"

He began to walk to the side of the building to find Hide, but halted as the guards spoke up again.

"Mado's office is the other way..." he stated, suspiciously.

"Ah, right! I was just going to take care of some other business first!"

"If you have information about a ghoul, you should report it ASAP. It could save a life."

"Oh! Okay, I'll go do that then," he stated, smiling. He turned and walked the opposite way, his smile quickly fading to a look of annoyance when he was out of view. After almost ten minutes of walking, he circled the perimeter to where the ghouls had entered. His heart dropped as he found not Hide leaning against the fence, but Freed.

"You didn't go with them? I thought they needed you to get Nishiki!" Sojin hissed.

"I told them the deal was that I would only go if you went," he replied, the black plate hiding his face, save for his smirk.

The younger boy gripped the ghoul's crisp button up in annoyance. "What is up with your interest in me?"

Freed let out a laugh, so loud that Sojin was worried he would draw the attention of the guards.

"Can you blame a guy for pursuing something that he likes?"

"You liked me so much that you were going to try to have me for a meal?"

"It was dark. I couldn't see your face clearly."

"You're not fooling anyone. You want to gain my trust so you can kill me later, right?"

To Sojin's horror, it seemed that the guards actually had heard Freed's laugh. They were already halfway across the field and approaching quickly. Freed peered behind him to where Sojin was looking, then back at the boy with a wicked smile.

"It's not like that, kid. If I wanted to kill you, I could do it right now. Do you know how easy it is?"

In the blink of an eye, an orange tentacle emerged from the ghoul's back and pierced through the chest of the first guard. The other guard grabbed at his machine gun, but Freed's extremity smashed it out of his hands before wrapping around the man and lifting him over the gate. Freed lowered the man next to him but kept him restrained. It was the guard who had first talked to him and he now wore an expression of horror.

"Freed! Let him go!" Sojin exclaimed, looking from the ghoul to the guard.

"You're with the ghouls, you little bastard? I'll kill you!" the guard shouted, struggling to get free. Freed shook his head, his smile fading.

"Now, now. I won't have anyone hurting my muse," he stated, as he increased the pressure around the man. The man let out a scream as his bones audibly cracked beneath the tentacle's grip. The screaming was cut short as blood erupted from the man's throat, landing inches from Sojin's feet. Freed threw the lifeless corpse to the ground as his kagune retracted. As the shock finally faded, Sojin pushed him into the fence, rage in his eyes.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he exclaimed, his nails digging into the ghoul's arms. Freed shoved him away, surprisingly roughly, his mouth a thin line of displeasure.

"You should be grateful I got rid of that scum," he stated, his voice suddenly icey. "Besides, we had to get inside and I'm not one for pathetic distractions."

Sojin dared not argue again, simply staring at the ghoul with a mixture of fear and disbelief.

"Now, now. Don't be afraid. I would never do that to you. Let's catch up to the others before anymore of these guards appear."

He scooped Sojin off his feet then jumped the fence with ease, dashing across the lawn and entering the building. He let the boy back onto his own feet then looked around before leading the way further into the facility. Sojin followed with little choice, praying that they would find the others.

"They said something about the third floor, so I'm guessing that's where that Nishiki kid is," Freed stated aloud, no fear of being heard. Sojin shushed him.

"You're going to cause more guards to find us! And killing them will make me never like you."

Freed shrugged. "I can never understand you humans..."

The two came across a staircase leading to the second floor with relative ease. Sojin assumed that the others had taken care of the guards on this floor. He silently followed Freed up the stairs and into a large room, shaped like a pentagon with a high ceiling. The air was stale and there was only one other entrance to the room, directly across from where the pair had entered.

"What's with a weird room like this?" Freed asked. Immediately, an alarm set off and a steel plate slid out from both doorways, sealing them off. Sojin's heart raced as he realized they had walked into a trap. Another pair of doors opened from the floor above them and four kagune-weilding guards dropped into the pentagonal room.

"I told you to be quiet!" Sojin exclaimed, his eyes-widening in fear. It was one versus four. No, worse. Sojin would be a handicap in the fight. He knew Freed was powerful, but could he take on four guards simultaneously. Three tails emerged from the ghoul as the guards unleashed their own kagune: a spear, a huge blade, dual batons, and a scythe.

Freed grabbed Sojin and jumped out of the middle of the circle, placing the boy in a corner and putting himself in front, ready to defend. Although Sojin had no fondness of the ghoul, he had no choice but to support him now.

"Well. This will be interesting," Freed said, glancing back at Sojin with a smile. "Interesting" was not the word Sojin would have chosen.

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_Ohhh, I'm on a roll! xD Please remember to review and subscribe! 3_


	12. Chapter 12

A tense aura emanated from the guards as they formed a semi-circle around Freed and Sojin, keeping the two with their backs to the wall. While Sojin wore an expression of pure fear, Freed was grinning beneath his mask.

"My friend here doesn't want me to hurt you guys, so if you let us walk, I might consider listening to him," the ghoul stated, his eyes shifting from guard to guard. The guards ignored the comment, tightening their grips on their weapons, while Freed shrugged and waved his tails around. Sojin had only ever seen him use one of his kagune and wondered how much power he would have with three. The ghoul seemed to hear his question as he lashed out at the guard with the blade. The strike was so quick and unexpected that it landed with no resistance, sending the man flying back to the other side of the room. Wasting no time, the other three guards charged in.

Using his kagune, he fended off the scythe and spear wielders while he fought the baton user hand to hand. Sojin was actually a bit impressed with the ghoul's battle strategy. The batons would be the least fatal, so it was most practical to use his body to fight that guard. The guard with the blade finally recuperated and joined the fight, slicing at one of the kagune with the giant sword. Sojin watched with wide eyes as Freed took on all four men at the same time. In a moments time, the ghoul had managed to access the baton guard's shoulder, taking a huge bite out of it. The sight made Sojin wince as the man screamed in pain, dropping his batons and grabbing at the wound. It was all the time Freed needed, wrapping his arms around the man's head and breaking his neck with a sickening crunch. Sojin averted his eyes, unable to look at the man's mangled body any longer. As he looked at the other guards, his eyes widened as he realized they had a plan.

The scythe guard ducked away from the kagune he was fighting, passing behind the man with the huge blade. Freed's kagune raced to follow him, but the swordsman blocked it, fending off two kagune at once. With a scream of rage, the scythe-weilder leapt into the air and brought his weapon down hard on the kagune that the spearman was battling. Freed let out a scream of pain as his extremity severed and fell to the floor. Although Sojin could not see underneath the ghoul's mask, he could tell that Freed wore an expression of rage and anguish. Swinging recklessly with his remaining kagune, he battered the men over and over, but the unorganized attacks were easily blocked.

"Freed, calm down!" Sojin exclaimed, aware that the ghoul's recklessness would not serve him well against these guards. The battle continued for a few moments with neither side giving up ground. Seeing an opening, the swordsman finally stepped in with a thrust at Freed's heart. The ghoul waited until the last moment before swiftly jumping over the men's heads to the other side of the room. With the swordsman still off balance from his missed attack, Freed struck him down with one of his kagune before landing lightly on his feet. The two remaining guards now stood between Sojin and the ghoul. Giving each other a glance, the two guards put their next plan into action. The spearman swiftly dodged through Freed's attacks, speeding his way towards the ghoul's unprotected body. As Freed recalled one of his kagune to defend himself, the spearman shoved his spear skywards, piercing straight through the limb Freed had brought back to defend himself with. Holding it in place, the man with the scythe easily leapt up and sliced the kagune clean off.

Sojin let out a gasp, not believing that Freed was actually losing. For a mere second, Freed's mouth that usually held a grin shifted to an expression of fear. The momentary lapse in confidence was enough to tell Sojin that they were in trouble. Freed only had one kagune left to face both of the men with. The ghoul leapt back over the men, landing a few feet away from Sojin. Blood dripped from where his kagune had been severed and a sense of dread hung over him. With a defiant shout, he charged both guards, swinging wildly with everything he had. Unable to sit around and watch any longer, Sojin also rushed forwards, grabbing the blade out of the dead guards hands and slashing at the man with the scythe. The guard barely managed to block the unexpected strike, but he countered, pushing the boy backwards with force. The spearman saw his chance, charging towards Sojin as he was staggered, his spear still red with Freed's blood. The ghoul let out a curse, once again using his kagune as a shield. The spear pierced through it, getting stuck and stopping inches away from Sojin.

"Duck," Freed stated, pain racking his voice. Sojin hesitated for a moment, but then dropped to his knees. Freed wrenched the spear from the guard's hands, the weapon still stuck in his last tail. He swung it across the room, piercing it through the scythe-weilder's stomach. The man let out a scream of pain as he fell to the ground, skewered on the spear with Freed's kagune. Before the guard let out his final breathe, he picked his weapon up and brought it down over Freed's last kagune, severing it. The guard crumbled, seemingly satisfied with his final attack. Sojin looked from Freed to the last guard, realizing he was the only one left with a weapon. Freed nodded at him, his teeth gritted, confirming that Sojin would have to be the one to finish the defenseless guard. A feeling of apprehension filled the boy, but he knew now wasn't the time to hesitate. Lifting the blade, he charged the man, closing the distance in an instant. He wondered why the guard wasn't moving...had he simply lost the will to fight? Sojin hesitated for a moment as he moved within striking range. It was all the time the guard needed. The man dodged the strike at the last moment, moving even closer to Sojin and pulling him into an embrace.

"Ugh!" Sojin exclaimed as the most fierce pain he had ever felt shot through his body. The man released him and he stumbled backwards, dazed by the sudden, immense pain. He heard Freed let out a gasp before seeing the ghoul fly across the room, grab the sword and slice the guard's head clear off his shoulders. Sojin opened his mouth to ask Freed what had happened to him, but instead of words, blood poured out. As his shocked eyes tracked the blood falling from his mouth to the floor, he finally realized the severity of the situation. The hilt of a dagger poked out from his stomach, the metallic blade buried inside. He fell to his knees with tears welling in his eyes as Freed rushed over.

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey! Don't close your eyes!" he could hear the ghoul screaming. Freed cradled him and let out a curse. Sojin saw the ghoul remove his mask, a hesitant look on his face. Hide had been right...he shouldn't have come along. The feeling of dying was an interesting one. His body had finally numbed as the blood spread out from his wound, dying his shirt red, and his vision began to blur. He wished he was able to speak, but the blood bubbling in the back of his throat kept him from saying anything. Overall, it was rather peaceful.

"Damn it, I've never done this before," Freed stated, though Sojin could no longer make out his expression, his vision still blurred. "This is going to hurt...sorry in advance."

The boy let out a scream of pain, the blood erupting from his mouth once more, as Freed wrenched the dagger from his stomach. He felt Freed hoist him to a sitting position, his hand too weak to cover his exposed wound. Moments later he saw the ghoul rip his shirt off and cut across his own shoulder with the dagger, blood spilling out from the wound.

"Open your mouth!" Freed exclaimed, though Sojin was unable to follow the directions. Freed repeated himself, more forcefully. Mustering up the last of his strength, Sojin propped his mouth open as Freed pulled his head to the wound.

"Bite!" Freed commanded. The boy bit down, the ghoul blood pouring into his mouth. He had lost so much of his own blood by this point that he could barely fathom what he was doing. The blood in his mouth was tasteless as he drank it down. Still, he felt his strength fading and wondered what the point of it had been. After a few more moments, his head lulled back as he lost consciousness and fell to the floor covered in the red liquid.

Red. Heat. A searing pain burned at the middle of his forehead, emanating outwards to the rest of his body. The boy opened his eyes expecting to see red, but instead he found himself staring at the grey color of cement. Tilting his head to the right, he saw that a column of long iron bars blocked him into the room. The memories of what had happened during the last fight flooded back to him, although he had no idea how much time had passed since then. Looking around him, he realized he was in a holding cell, which meant he was most likely still in the facility. He tried to push himself to a sitting position, but pain shot through his stomach. Letting out a gasp of pain, he propped himself on his elbow and pulled his blue shirt up to reveal his stomach. It was wrapped in bandages, but he could still feel the wound underneath. As he remembered the dagger, a thousand questions filled his mind. Where was Freed? What had happened to everyone? Why was he in this cell alone and unharmed? How had he even survived?

Enduring the pain, he gritted his teeth and pushed himself to a sitting position, swinging his feet over the side of the hard, metallic bed. The lack of windows kept him from knowing whether it was day or night, but he was guessing more than a few hours had passed. He slid off the bed and onto his feet, shakily. Sojin headed to the front of the cell, trying the door to find out that it was tightly locked. With a resigned sigh, he saw that the cell had a toilet, sink, and mirror. Wandering over, he washed his hands and face, then looked at himself in the mirror. He screamed in surprise, backing away and placing his hands on his face to make sure it was truly his reflection. Pushing his brown bangs out of the way, he took a step back towards the mirror, leaning in and examining himself cautiously. His hazelnut colored eyes had turned a steel gray. It only took the boy a moment to realize this had something to do with the ghoul. As he stared into the mirror, it was as if Freed stared back, the cold, gray eyes baring into him.

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_Please reviewwwww! And subscribe if you want, heh._


	13. Chapter 13

Sojin closed his eyes and vigorously shook his head, wondering if he was dreaming or if his wound was causing him to hallucinate. Even before he reopened his eyes, he knew that nothing had changed. His eyes were as grey as the cell around him, none of the warmth left in them from when they were brown. The thought suddenly came to him that if his eyes had changed, there might be other effects as well. He quickly stripped off his clothes and looked himself over in the mirror, checking for anything abnormal. Nothing else seemed out of place, but that was just on the exterior. He pulled his clothes back on and took a seat on the metallic bed, staring at the cell's metal bars as worrying thoughts began to brew in his head.

His eyes had turned grey because of Freed, of that much he was sure. His heart beat faster as he confronted the thought that he had wanted to avoid. Had he somehow become a ghoul as well? He knew that it was almost impossible, but he had read articles on the internet about humans switching over to the ghoul side. Sojin looked around the room, scanning it for one thing that would answer his question. Unfortunately, the room was devoid of any food. Still, he found comfort in the fact that human flesh didn't seem very appealing.

Pushing himself off the bed, he tucked the thoughts away and turned his attention to the matter at hand. He had to find the others or at least escape from the facility. He approached the steel bars and peered down the hallway, looking for signs of other people. The whole corridor was empty, including all of the other cells, leaving Sojin with an eerie silence. How was he supposed to get out of this cage? If he was a ghoul, maybe his strength would be enough to strike through the bars. He shook his head, dismissing the idea as ridiculous, but moments later he had his hands balled into fists.

"Alright...if I'm a ghoul, I can at least make use of it!" he exclaimed, throwing a forceful punch at one of the metal poles. A sharp clang filled the air, followed by a scream of pain and whimpering. Sojin clutched his hand, hopping up and down in pain and shaking it out. As the throbbing subsided, he calmed down and returned to the bed.

"Well. I guess this is a good thing," he muttered to the empty air, assuring himself that he wasn't a ghoul. As much as he hated to admit it, it would have been quite convenient if that had worked. He glanced around the cell hopelessly as he realized that there was no way for him to escape. While he would normally try to come up with a plan, he was still exhausted from the earlier fight. He let out a sigh, then returned to the bed and took a seat. Unable to take a nap in such an environment, he lay with his eyes closed for what seemed like hours until he heard the door to the hallway click open. His heart raced as he realized it could be some of the facility's guards. Rolling off the bed as quietly as he could, he hid behind the small cement partition that blocked the toilet off from the rest of the cell. The footsteps echoed down the hallway, getting progressively louder before coming to a halt in front of what he was sure was his cell. Not daring to peak out, he stifled his breathe and listened. Perhaps his friends had come back for him! His heart dropped as an unfamiliar voice filled the air.

"I thought I smelled it here," the voice stated. There was a brief silence and a soft sound of sniffing.

"Hm, I smell it too, but this whole hallway is abandoned," another male voice stated, confirming that there was more than one of the strangers. "Maybe it's just residue from the last human who was in there."

"I guess...let's go," the first voice confirmed. The footsteps moved away from the cell, back the way they came. After a few moments, Sojin emerged from his hiding place and rushed to the bars, trying to see who the men were. From the back, they simply looked like a pair of middle aged men, with one slightly balding and a bit taller. He considered calling for them to help him, but decided against it, thinking it was too risky in such a setting. The non-balding man suddenly came to a halt, sniffing the air in front of him. Sojin realized what he was doing a moment too late as the man whirled around and made direct eye contact with him. A scar ran down the left side of his face and his mouth was curled into a sneer. Though he stood slightly shorter than the balding man, he somehow seemed more menacing. The boy let out a gasp upon being spotted and pushed himself away from the bars and back into the cell, fear welling inside of him. Sojin waited as the footsteps moved back towards him, aware that there was nowhere to escape to this time. Moments later, the two men stood in front of him, smiles across their faces.

"Would you look at that? They even provided us with a free meal on our way out," the scarred man said. The balding man let out a laugh, his eyes changing to the black and red combination that had become all too familiar to Sojin. A red, hammer-like kagune sprouted from the man's back and hovered in the air. The boy's heart sank as he realized he was once again defenseless. Humans were weak, he thought as the man's kagune began to clang against the metal bars of his cage. As the bars began to dent and give way, a small hope glimmered in the boy's mind. Maybe his ghoul abilities would show up now that he needed them! As the ghoul got closer and closer to breaking through the bars and Sojin's nerves heightened, there was still no sign of ghoul abilities in the boy.

"I almost feel bad for the kid," the scarred man stated as he watched his partner pummel the metal bars. Despite his statement, a wide grin spread across his face as he waited eagerly to break into the cage. A few moments later, his wish was granted as the bars broke under the force of the hammer appendage. Sojin let out a gasp and backed away to the far edge of the cage, his heart racing. The balding man crawled into the cage first, followed by his shorter friend. As they approached him, Sojin knew his only way out of this was with words.

"W-who are you?" he stammered, the men coming to a halt a few feet in front of him. Both were seemingly taken aback to hear his voice, as if they had forgotten that he could speak.

"We're ghouls, of course," the shorter man stated, in a mockingly friendly tone. Sojin considered trying to pass himself off as a ghoul again, but his previous failure with Touka kept him from reattempting it.

"P-please! I'm friends with ghouls! I helped them break into this place to free the captives," Sojin stated, his eyes shifting back and forth between to the two men. The balding man tilted his head back and let out a thundering laugh that caused the boy to jump in fright.

"Humans...always so desperate to cling onto life," he stated, shaking his head. "Even if what you say were true, ghouls have to eat. Wrong place at the wrong time."

He took a step towards the boy, his friend cheering him on to finish the boy.

"Please! I can help you get out of here!" Sojin exclaimed, unable to come up with a better offer. The scarred man scoffed.

"We can get out of here anytime we want now. The guards are all but gone," he stated. "Alright, finish him off so we can eat and get outta here."

Fear welled inside of the boy as he realized this was it. As the taller man took a step forward and raised his kagune high into the air, Sojin's instincts told him to close his eyes. To flinch. To run. In contrast, he felt something within him force his head up, his grey eyes wide as he made direct eye contact with the hammer ghoul.

"Stop," he stated, his voice hollow and his eyes unblinking, his visage that of someone possessed. The hammer halted, a foot from his head as its owner's eyes lost their color. A moment later, they reflected the same grey as the boy's eyes as both stood unmoving. The scarred man looked at his friend with an expression of confusion.

"Eh? Kill the bastard," he exclaimed, pointing at Sojin. "Don't make me take care of this..."

The man materialized his own kagune, a tail, and turned his attention back to Sojin. He took a step forward, but his advance was cut off a moment later.

"Stop him," Sojin stated, standing still as a statue. The hammer ghoul immediately placed himself between Sojin and his friend, before shoving the other ghoul across the room. The scar-faced man landed with a thud against the metal bars before getting back to his feet.

"What the hell! Don't make me take you down as well. We were supposed to get out of here together, but don't think that I'll deal with a traitor."

He rushed the balding ghoul with a flurry of attacks, but the hammer deflected each of them.

"Finish him," Sojin stated, his voice unfeeling, devoid of its usual emotion. As soon as the words left the boy's mouth, the taller ghoul smashed his hammer into his friend, sending the ghoul hurtling into the metallic bed. The balding man followed up, bringing his hammer down once again. The scarred man caught the blow with his tail and struggled to keep it from coming down upon him. He wriggled about but was unable to move, his limbs seemingly broken from the initial blow.

"Damn you! What are you doing! You're going to kill me?!" the man exclaimed as the strength of his tail began to give way to the hammer's weight. A pang of pain ran through Sojin's head, causing him to blink. He could feel a warm liquid running down his face as his sensations suddenly returned to him. The hammer ghoul suddenly gave up his assault on his friend, lifting his appendage. As he glanced around, confused, his friend's tail pierced through his back and wrenched him upwards.

"Bastard!" the scarred man screamed, smashing his friend's corpse into the cage's stone wall. The balding man fell to the ground, face down and unmoving. Gripping his aching head, Sojin rushed forwards during the commotion, aware the he needed to escape the scene. As he passed the mirror, he caught a glimpse of red running down his face. He burst out of the cage and into the hallway just as the scarred man turned his attention to the human. He sent his appendage after the boy, but Sojin dashed down the hallway, moving out of range.

"Damn you! What the hell are you?!" the ghoul screamed, unable to follow on his shattered bones. Even with the throbbing pain in his head, Sojin did not stop running till he had reached the end of the long corridor and moved through the door into another dimly lit room. Dabbing at the liquid on his face with his fingers, he was shocked to see that it was blood. Leaning against the wall, Sojin finally recalled what had happened in the room. He had had no control over his actions, but he knew that something within him had managed to command the balding ghoul after they had made eye contact. From the looks of it, whatever ability he had gained could only be sustained for a short amount of time before his body started breaking down. He slid to the ground, wiping the tears of blood from his face and rubbing his temples. The pain in his head was so great that he could not find the strength to get up and walk. Closing his eyes, he decided to wait till the ache subsided before restarting his search for his friends.

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	14. Chapter 14

The flickering, fluorescent light above the boy was not helping to alleviate the pain in his head. Minutes had passed since he had escaped the ghouls and reached the room, but he still could not bring himself to get up. If this was the toll that his newfound ability took on him, he did not foresee himself using it again in the future. Massaging his temples, he slowly glanced around the room. The floor was made of concrete and the interior was completely bare. A staircase leading down to what he assumed was the first floor expanded to his left. He pushed himself to his knees, a pang of both pain and annoyance shooting through him. Had the rest of them simply abandoned him here? His initial plan to find the others seemed far too unrealistic at this point, so he turned his attention to escaping the facility.

"Okay, just ignore the pain..." he whispered to himself, as he slowly pushed himself to his feet, staggering forwards a few steps. Still cupping the side of his head with one hand, he reached the staircase and clutched the railing with a vice grip. He wouldn't be surprised if his legs gave out and sent him tumbling down the concrete steps. As he neared the bottom, his eyes widened. Unlike the abandoned floor he had just come from, this area was littered with bodies, mostly of guards, with a few unidentifiable ghouls mixed in. The stench of blood and death wafted past his nose and it was all he could do to keep from heaving on the spot. When he finally reached the bottom of the staircase, he was relieved to see that he had arrived near the area that he and Freed had entered from. He remembered the double doors that led to a long hallway that emerged at the building's exit. Stumbling over the corpses, he made his way to the doors and slowly cracked them open. The long corridor that led all the way across the facility to the exit was pitch black, the light from the room he stood in barely penetrating the entry to the hall. The scent in the hallway was almost worse than that of the room, confirming that the corridor would not provide an escape from the corpses.

"After all of this, you think I'm scared of a little darkness?" he asked, half to himself, half to the bodies lying around him. Still, he could not deny that the corridor's confined space left him uneasy. A series of metallic clangs suddenly rang out from what seemed like the room parallel to the one he stood in. Gasping, Sojin wasted no time in pushing through the double doorway and closing it quietly behind him. The hallway was so dark that he was unable to catch a glimpse of his hand as he waved it in front of his face. Placing one hand against the wall, he slowly made his way down the hallway. A few times, he was certain the he had stepped on a limb, but he steeled himself and pressed on. It seemed like he had been walking forever when the double doors swung open behind him, now so far away that it simply looked like a small box of light. Squinting, he thought he could make out the silhouette of a male with an appendage swaying back and forth. Before he could confirm, the man set fowards down the hallway at a brisk pace, the door slamming closed behind him and extinguishing the light.

Sojin's heart pounded almost as hard as his head as he turned to continue down the hallway. He bit his lip as he realized that even if he made it to the end first, the ghoul could easily take him down outside. He could hear the man's footsteps approaching now, each a bit louder than the last. Holding his breathe, Sojin lowered himself to the floor and sprawled out in an attempt to play dead. One of his arms met with the slimy flesh of a corpse and the boy almost let out a squeal, but stifled it at the last moment. Hopefully, the stench of the dead bodies around him would conceal his scent from the ghoul's sharp nose. He tried his best to remain perfectly still, but the anticipation combined with the scent of death left him quaking in fear. Finally, the footsteps were so loud that he was sure the ghoul was right beside him. He held his breathe, but let out a silent gasp as the sole of a boot came down hard on his left arm. The ghoul had seemingly accidentally stepped on it in the darkness and stumbled forwards. Sojin squirmed a bit in pain and the footsteps immediately came to a stop. This time, the boy held his breathe knowing that his life depended on it. Though his eyes were wide with fear, they gave him no aid in knowing what the ghoul was doing. Thirty seconds passed, Sojin's face turning red from lack of breathing, when the footsteps finally resumed. He waited a few more seconds before letting out a quiet gasp and letting the rotten air flow into his lungs.

It seemed like an hour that he lay on the floor waiting for the ghoul to reach the exit. A number of times he almost fell asleep, exhausted from the day's trials, but the quiet pitter-patter of footsteps kept him fearfully awake. Just as his eyelids began to droop once more, the door on the opposite end of the corridor swung open, revealing a brief glimpse of the outdoors. Sojin watched the ghoul exit quickly and take off across the field before the door swung shut, leaving him alone with the corpses once more. He let out a quiet moan as he pushed himself up from the floor and began his journey once more. This time, it continued smoothly, with no interruptions aside from the occasional stumble. After a few minutes, his outstretched hand made contact with smooth metal and he almost let out a squeal of happiness. Regaining his composure, he carefully cracked the door open and peered outside. It was still nighttime, but the lights placed across the field left the area quite well lit. Once he was sure that there were no guards or ghouls, he pushed the door fully open and emerged into the night. The fresh air alone was almost enough to make him cry. Gaining a bit of strength from his success, he managed a slow jog across the field to an opening in the fence and squeezed himself through. He looked back at the facility in disbelief. He had made it! As he turned away and hobbled down the sidewalk, he wanted to punch himself for his insistence to come along in the first place.

The boy considered where to go next as he continued away from the facility. It seemed the question would have to wait as he passed an alley and a hand reached out to grab his collar. Sojin's eyes widened in surprise, but rather than fear, he found that it was rage that overcame him. He had not gone through all of that to have it all end here. Whirling around, he grabbed his assailant's arm, pulled them forwards, and delivered a sharp kick to their torso, sending them sprawling back onto the pavement.

"S-Sojin!" the person stated, coughing and trying to regain the air that had been knocked out of them. The brown-haired boy let out a gasp as he realized that the arm had belonged to Hide, who was now pushing himself back to a sitting position.

"W-what the hell, Hide! Don't just go grabbing people!" he exclaimed, rushing over and helping his roommate back to his feet.

"I didn't know if you were being followed, so I didn't want to draw attention to myself! Although that seems to have failed," Hide replied, brushing the gravel from his yellow jacket.

"Sorry...I'm just on edge after everything that's happened. I'm glad you're okay. Where are the others?"

"Touka and Kaneki helped Nishiki get back to the cafe. They wanted me to go find you."

"What about Freed?" Sojin asked, trying to hide the concern in his voice. Hide paused for a moment, but quickly waved his hands as he saw Sojin's expression grow worried.

"No, no! Don't worry. He's back at the cafe as well, he just has some injuries. Let's head there so we can meet up with everyone."

Sojin let out a sigh of relief as they set off down the sidewalk. Hide glanced over at him, an amused expression on his face.

"So concerned about Freed, are you?" he asked, his typical cheerfulness permeating through even at a time like this. Sojin hesitated, unsure if the other boy knew of the events that had taken place.

"I have to be! He fought a ton of guards just to save me," Sojin stated defensively, crossing his arms. The spot where the ghoul had stepped still ached, but he ignored it. A sudden resentment welled up inside of him. "Besides, he didn't abandon me there like the rest of you."

Hide glanced at him in surprise, taken aback by the sudden bitterness.

"I didn't want to! It was just that Kaneki had gotten injured and Touka said you would be safe in the cell till we got-"

"Kaneki?!" Sojin exclaimed out loud, trying to hold back his annoyance. Unfortunately, the fatigue was getting to him and that statement had been the last thing he had wanted to hear. No matter how much he had tried to stifle his jealousy, this exceeded his limit. Hide, the one that he loved, the one that he would have fought till his last breathe for, had left him behind for Kaneki.

"I was coming back for you! Kaneki needed-"

"I know what Kaneki needed! But do you ever think of me, Hide?! This isn't the first time you've sacrificed me for the sake of Kaneki!" Sojin let his feelings spill out, a bit surprised by his own forwardness. The older boy stared at him in equal shock, before putting on an apologetic look.

"I...Sojin! You know I care equally about you. Don't be silly!" he exclaimed, putting his arm around the younger boy's shoulders. Sojin pushed it off roughly, before coming to a halt. Was it possible that Hide didn't know about his feelings? No. He had made it more than clear on multiple occassions. The mixture of exhaustion, frustration, and jealousy came to a boil.

"That's not true! You know how I feel about you. This whole time you've strung me along and I thought that you'd never given me an answer. It's been clear this whole time, though. It's always Kaneki. Even if it means risking me."

Refusing to continue on, he took a seat on the stoop leading up to an old apartment building. He had always known that he would confront Hide, but he hadn't imagined it like this. He felt his face turning warm and wetness encircling his eyes. He dabbed at them to make sure that it wasn't blood, but this time they were clear. Hide, speechless, tried to approach the flustered boy, but stopped as Sojin extended his arm to keep him at a distance.

"Just go back. I know the way by myself and you can tell the others that I'm okay," the younger boy stated, struggling to contain his emotions. He knew he was acting childish, but he didn't care.

"I don't want you to feel-"

"Just go!" Sojin stated, his words as sharp as the dagger that had earlier impaled him.

Hide looked as if he was going to object again, but instead turned and slowly headed towards the cafe, his usual smiling face now clouded with dismay. As the boy's yellow jacket grew further and further away, Sojin gritted his teeth in an attempt to stop what he knew was coming. To no avail, the warm water began to stream down his face, dotting the pavement below. He could safely say that this was the most painful event of the day.

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_This was fun to write. Dramaaaa~ Anyway, please please please REVIEW. (And subscribe!) Thanks guys!_


	15. Chapter 15

Rays of sunlight peaked over the horizon as the coffeeshop finally came into sight. Sojin was unsure of how long he had sat alone, but from the way his body ached, it had certainly been a few hours. On the bright side, it seemed that his headache had been washed away along with all of his tears. As he rubbed his bloodshot eyes, he was positive that there was not a single drop left to be shed. The smell of coffee, wafting from the cafe, made his stomach grumble and made him wonder how long it had been since he had last eaten. As he approached the side entrance, his hand hesitated on the glass door. His feelings of anger had subsided into exhaustion, and he even felt a bit guilty about the way he had yelled at Hide.

"No," Sojin said, shaking his head. "He deserved it!" Feeling reassured, he pushed the door open, triggering the familiar jingling of the bells that signaled a customer. To his relief, neither Hide nor Kaneki sat in the front parlor. Only the old ghoul-Yoshimura, he had heard them call him-sat calmly behind the counter, his eyes slowly wandering over to Sojin.

"Ah, it's good to see that you made it back in one piece," the old man stated, a sincere smile spreading across his face.

"I can count myself lucky," Sojin replied, thinking back to the attack in the cell. He dared not tell the older man of his new ability. "Are the others still here?"

The old man nodded and beckoned towards the hallway leading to the back of the shop. "They should be resting in the rooms in the back. Touka is sleeping, so take care not to wake her."

Sojin nodded and headed down the hallway. He heard voices coming from behind the first door on the right and assumed that his friends sat on the other side. Opening the door, he felt his heart drop as he realized it was only Hide and Kaneki. A long silence filled the air as Sojin looked from one to the other. Kaneki had an apologetic expression on his face-Hide had obviously told him what had happened-while his roommate simply looked uncomfortable. Hide looked as if he were about to say something, but Sojin exited the room and pulled the door closed behind him without a word. He could feel his face flushing from the awkward encounter as he moved away from the room and attempted to find Freed or Nishiki. The next room that he tried was empty, a plate of assorted cookies lying half eaten on a coffee table. The offer was actually tempting, but he shook his head and closed the door, determined to make sure that Freed was alright. On his third attempt, he saw that he had finally chosen correctly as he glimpsed the ghoul's grey hair peeking out from beneath seafoam green sheets. He slipped into the room and quietly closed the door, careful not to wake the sleeping ghoul.

"Please be okay..." Sojin whispered to himself, inaudibly. He approached the bed and carefully pulled the sheet down from the ghoul's face to fully reveal it. A flood of relief washed over him as he saw only a few scratches marked up the ghoul's pale skin. He pulled the sheet down a bit further, intending to make sure the rest of the ghoul was intact, until he realized Freed was in nothing but boxers. He glanced down at the silver-haired boy's muscled chest for a moment, unable to look away, before his face flushed and he quickly pulled the sheet back up. At this, the ghoul's grey eyes opened wide and his hand lashed out, grabbing Sojin's wrist so tight that it caused the younger boy to cry out in pain.

"What are you doing?" Freed asked, looking him up and down. As he realized who it was, he loosened his hold a bit.

"I was just checking to make sure you're okay!" Sojin exclaimed, trying to pull his wrist free from the ghoul. "You saved me, so I would have felt guilty if something had happened to you."

"Lucky you," Freed said, pulling the sheet away and sitting up on the bed in only his boxers. "I got knocked out, but nothing worse than that." He looked at Sojin, cocking an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you made it out by yourself. We sent your friend back to let you out of the cell, but I heard you had already escaped by the time he got there."

A look of annoyance passed over Sojin's face at the mention of Hide, but he hid it away quickly, hoping the ghoul hadn't noticed. "I..." he hesitated, then decided to keep the truth to himself, "found a rusty bar surrounding the cell and managed to break it and get out."

If Freed didn't believe the story, he showed no sign of it. "Well, I guess it's good that you're alright. Otherwise defending you in that fight would have been for nothing." Sojin nodded politely then took a step towards the door, wanting to avoid any further questions.

"Thank you so much for protecting me! I'm glad you're okay, but you should get some more rest. I'll stop bothering you now!" Sojin stated, averting his eyes from the ghoul's undressed body.

"No problem. You should be glad at least one of us wanted to save you," the ghoul replied nonchalantly. Sojin froze in his tracks, floored by the comment. He turned around and narrowed his eyes, wondering if the ghoul was just messing with him.

"One of you? What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, watching Freed's face for any signs that he might be lying.

"Your little friend. When we asked him to go back for you, he said no. I would've gone back for you myself, but-"

"He said no? But..." Sojin's words wandered off and the hurt was written across his face. He had been prepared to forgive Hide at some point since he had known the boy had gone back for him. But if it had been against his will...Sojin took a hard look at the ghoul's face, but Freed's visage remained stone cold. If he was lying, there was no evidence of it. The boy's thoughts immediately turned to Kaneki. If the half-ghoul had been injured, he wouldn't have been surprised if Hide had abandoned him to tend to Kaneki.

"Bastard!" he exclaimed loudly, surprising even Freed with the sudden outburst. The grey-eyed ghoul wagged his finger as a smile spread across his face.

"This is why I always say...you can never trust a human."

Sojin glared at him for the comment, then stormed from the room, slamming the door loudly behind him. As he made it back to the front of the cafe, Yoshimura asked him where he was going.

"Away! I don't have anything to do with this anymore," Sojin replied harshly, his anger still boiling. A pang of guilt immediately struck him for lashing out and his tone softened. "I...just need to clear my mind."

"Would not some sleep be best for clearing your mind? You haven't rested since you returned from the facility. I'm sure you must be very tired."

Sojin shook his head, but he knew that the old man was right. The last time he had slept had been on the hard metal bed within the cell-and he wasn't sure whether he had been sleeping or unconscious at that time. With a resigned sigh, he walked back to the counter and laid a hand on the table. "I guess you're right. Maybe some rest would be good."

The old man smiled and signaled to the back. "They were using all of our beds, but it seems as if Kaneki has no need for his now. Feel free to use it."

Sojin stifled his annoyance, not wanting to get the old man involved, and bowed politely. "Thank you for your kindness!" With that, he made his way back into the corridor and placed his hand on the knob to Kaneki's room. He tried to calm his anger before going in, but the rage bubbled within him like hot lava. Without knocking, he entered the room, his face a cold counter to the boiling rage within. Kaneki sat in a green arm chair, reading a magazine with his un-eyepatched eye. Hide was sitting on the bed, staring at the wall sullenly. Was he upset? Sojin drank up the boy's sad appearance like a sweet nectar. As he pushed into the room, Hide finally turned to look at him, hurt in his eyes. I'm the one who should be hurt, Sojin thought bitterly.

"Has Kaneki had enough rest? I could use some sleep too, but I wouldn't want to get in the way of your priorities," Sojin stated, stiffly. He was not normally one for passive aggression, but he could not hold it back in this case. At least he was confident that he would not cry this time, having spent all his tears back at the steps. The question seemed to wound Hide further and for a second Sojin felt a moment of reproach.

"Sojin, please..." Hide stated, reaching out and taking hold of the younger boy's arm. Out of the corner of his eye, Sojin could see Kaneki looking on with his one eye. The sight of the half-ghoul reignited his annoyance and he wrenched free of Hide's grip.

"Go hang out in Freed's room. I can't sleep with you here," he stated, dryly. He looked at Kaneki to make sure the half-ghoul knew the order was directed at him as well. While Kaneki quickly obeyed, folding up his magazine and rushing from the room, Hide lingered.

"Please," he began, "just listen to what I have to say!" He reached out to grab Sojin's arm again, but the younger boy recoiled as if a viper were about to bite him. Why did you leave me? What makes Kaneki so much more appealing? he wanted to ask. Instead, all he managed was a dry, "Leave. If you're lucky, I'll wake up less irritable."

Hide seemed to think the point was valid, picking himself up off the bed. "Sleep well," he stated as he exited the room, causing Sojin to narrow his eyes in annoyance. After a few moments, he finally rested his head on the pillow and pulled the sheets snugly around himself. Though he had not felt too tired while standing, the fatigue hit him like a brick once in bed. Without a moment to spare, he was breathing quietly, the anger dispersed from his face.

His dreams were filled with both Hide and Freed. He found himself alone in his apartment, the T.V. screen emitting the only source of light. He crawled towards it to see what was happening and found himself staring at a news station reporting on a massive ghoul attack in the ward neighboring his own. Before he could gather anymore information, the T.V. flickered out, plunging him into darkness. Minutes passed before a lamp suddenly illuminated before him and beneath it sat Hide, crying. Did I cause this? he wondered. He crawled towards his roommate, guilt in his heart, but as he neared, the older boy pushed him away.

"You're not Kaneki!" he exclaimed, the tears still streaming down his face. Sojin's heart dropped and before he could reply, the light extinguished. He could feel himself crying now, two warm streams running down his face. Though when one washed over his mouth, it tasted of blood. Not again, he thought as he closed his eyes and tried to make the tears stop. Suddenly, they were forced open and he found himself sitting face to face with Freed, who was smiling wickedly.

"He's no good for you," the ghoul stated, reaching out and stroking Sojin's cheek with the back of his hand. "You always have me..." Freed reached out and grabbed his wrist, his eyes widening. "Trust me!" He pulled Sojin towards him with a rough tug.

"No!" Sojin exclaimed, his heart racing. He looked for something to grab onto, but only darkness surrounded them. "I want Hide!"

"Hide abandoned you...he doesn't care," Freed stated, pulling him into an embrace and running his hand through Sojin's hair. The younger boy tried to pull away, but the ghoul was stronger.

"Stop! You're hurting me!" Sojin exclaimed as the ghoul's fingers suddenly grasped his hair, yanking his head back so that he was staring directly into Freed's cold, grey eyes. They were different this time, though. Angry it seemed...or hungry.

"Hide!" he shouted, panicking now. Why had he pushed the boy away earlier? There was no one to save him now. "Hide!" he called again as Freed's jaw widened to an inhuman opening. "No...no!" Sojin exclaimed, tearing at the ghoul's arms with his fingers to no avail. He could feel the warm breathe emanating from the gaping hole that was now Freed's mouth. The boy thrashed to get free, to the point that he could feel his hair ripping out. "HIDE!" he shouted, as Freed's jaw opened even wider and swallowed him whole.

"WAH!" he exclaimed as he fell from the bed, landing with a thud on the floor and thumping his head against the nightstand. His heart was racing and he could feel a cold sweat covering his body. Though he knew that it was a dream, he could not stop himself from quivering in fear. As he pushed himself to his knees, Hide and Kaneki burst into the room, their eyes wide with concern. His roommate rushed over and wrapped his arms around the younger boy, shifting him to a sitting position.

"What's the matter?!" Hide asked, Kaneki looking on with fear. "You screamed bloody murder!"

Sojin grasped his roommates yellow jacket, his heart still beating out of his chest. "Just...a bad dream."

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	16. Chapter 16

Sojin rubbed his head where it had hit the nightstand and slowly pulled himself to his feet, releasing his grip on Hide's jacket. Taking a seat on the bed, he remembered who he was dealing with and quickly switched back into a bitter mindset.

"I'm fine," he stated to Hide, who was staring at him with concern. "No one said you could come in!"

That comment seemed to annoy Hide, his expression darkening. "Sojin, don't be dumb. I know you're mad at me, but don't be a baby about it."

Though he knew the older boy was right, being chastised made him even more annoyed. He opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by Kaneki. "Hide, I want to talk to Sojin..." the half ghoul stated, signaling for Hide to leave. The ginger gave Kaneki a look of confusion, glanced back at Sojin, but then left the room without a word. Kaneki shut the door quietly behind him and approached Sojin, pointing to the spot next to him on the bed.

"Do you care if I sit? I'm still kinda injured..." Kaneki asked innocently. Grudgingly, Sojin nodded his head, not cruel enough to refuse him. The half-ghoul took a seat, sitting cross-legged, and turned towards Sojin with a look of what seemed like determination. Sojin was expecting him to apologize or give a speech about Hide's innocence, but was surprised when the boy opened with a question.

"Have you been talking with Freed lately?" Kaneki asked, fiddling with his eyepatch. Sojin's eyes widened a bit, taken aback by the random question.

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be talking with the person who actually cared about my wellbeing?"

Kaneki sighed, shaking his head, his pitch-black hair bouncing back and forth. "You've got it all wrong. Freed can't be trusted."

"And why not? He seems more trustworthy than you two."

Kaneki ignored the jab, glancing at the door warily, then lowering his voice. "Freed said he'd kill me if I spoke about this, but I can't have you being tricked." He glanced at the door once again before continuing. "Freed actually started off as a human. He worked for the CCG and actually hunted ghouls, not the other way around."

Sojin narrowed his eyes, skeptically. "What? How is that possible? Humans don't just become ghouls."

"There are ways. I mean, just look at me." Kaneki stated, pointing to his eyepatch. "Freed went through a different procedure, though. Apparently, they injected him with a serum that affected his blood quality so that whenever a ghoul ingested his blood, it would mess with their neural functions. Touka told me that he could actually control ghouls! In other words, he was used to bait ghouls to bite him, then take control of and capture them."

Sojin's heart rate instantly escalated as he made the connection to his own ability. "W-what?! Then why is he a ghoul now?" he asked, trying to hide the panic in his words.

"The serum had ghoul DNA in it-the reason why he could affect them-but after a while it had degenerative effects on Freed as well. I'm guessing the ghoul properties overpowered the human properties over time and made him into what he is now."

"Why are you telling me this?" Sojin asked, unable to hide the concern on his face. Kaneki leaned in closer.

"You know how everything is inedible to ghouls except human flesh and coffee, right?" he asked. Sojin nodded. "Well, the serum ruined Freed's taste. Humans and ghouls alike, nothing is edible to him. I remember offering food to him myself. He slapped it to the ground and told me that these days he can only eat things that have also been injected by the serum."

"Then...there are more humans who have used the serum?" Sojin asked, his eyes wide. His annoyance had completely dissipated and been replaced by fear and curiosity. Kaneki shook his head.

"No, Freed was the only one," he stated. Sojin gave him a look of confusion. "The serum can be passed to others who come into contact with his blood."

Sojin's heart all but stopped, but he let the other boy continue. "He told us that once passed on, the serum isn't strong enough to turn people into ghouls like him, but it does make them appetizing enough for him to eat." He glanced around the room, as if to make sure Freed hadn't secretly snuck inside. "The reason I'm telling you this is that I think he might want to get close to you to somehow infect you. It's not easy for him to get a meal since the process is so complex. Even after he infects someone, it takes a few weeks for the serum to fully take effect and make them a meal for him."

Sojin sat silently, not sure whether to laugh or cry. He had been tricked and now he was a dead man walking.

"Make sure you're careful around him! And don't believe all the things he tells you. Hide didn't abandon you. He wanted someone more powerful to go with him to make sure that we could rescue you! It's true he refused to go alone, but only because he wanted to make sure that you were brought back safely."

All of this was too much and the younger boy could feel his head spinning. He picked himself up from the bed and slowly walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" Kaneki asked, nervously. "I didn't mean to upset you!"

Sojin ignored the half-ghoul, exiting the room, then entered the empty room next to it and locked the door behind him. He sunk to the floor on his hands and knees, taking deep breaths. Freed. That bastard hadn't saved him! He had made a free meal of him! The powers...they were just side effects of the serum. In a few weeks he would be ripe and ready for the picking. He vividly remembered Freed's blood pouring into his mouth as he took a bite from his collar. It hadn't been because Freed had valued his life, it had been a ploy to cover up his secret plan.

"An antidote...there must be an antidote!" he stated to himself, slamming his fist into the floor. But if there was, why hadn't they given it to Freed to use? Still, there must be a way to escape this fate. He considered going to tell the others about the situation, but decided against it. What if they quarantined him? And it would be better if Freed still thought he was ignorant about the matter. A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.

"Sojin? What are you doing? Stop acting weird and let me in," came Hide's voice. He rose to his feet, smoothing out his clothes and placing a smile on his face. He would figure out what to do on his own, make amends with Hide, and pretend like everything was fine in the meantime.

A week passed by in the blink of an eye, and besides the growing sense of dread within him, Sojin could safely say that things had mostly returned to normal. He had apologized for his anger with Hide and his roommate had quickly forgiven him, even taking some of the blame himself. As for their relationship, the older boy had told him that he was still interested, but wanted to take it step by step. Sojin had eagerly agreed, relieved that he hadn't ruined the relationship completely. The two had finally returned home to their apartment, though they had already visited the cafe twice in the past week. Kaneki and Touka had fully recovered from their battle wounds. Nishiki, who had been in worse shape, was still healing, though Sojin had heard Touka say that he was expected to make a full recovery. As for Freed, Sojin had avoided him like the plague. Even if his name was brought up in conversation, the boy would quickly try to change the topic.

As he organized his room and hung up his laundry, Sojin realized that he had made absolutely no progress. His internet searches had come up fruitless and he was too afraid to bring the topic back up to Kaneki. One week had already passed and Sojin was unsure how much longer he had before he would be Freed's next meal. As he placed a pink shirt on a hanger and hung it in the closet, an idea came to him.

"What were their names...?" he asked himself as he plopped down on his bed. "Amon and...Mado?"

Sojin thought back to their last encounter with dismay. Though they had saved him the first time they met, he had fought against them to help Kaneki in their last interaction. He doubted they would be pleased to see him at their doorstep. Still, they were the only members of the CCG that he knew. He realized he even knew where their office was, thanks to one of the guards who he had distracted back at the detainment facility. With a determined nod, he picked himself up from the bed and set his plan into action. He whisked open his door and came face to face with a grinning Hide, causing him to stumble back in surprise.

"Sojin! What are you doing now?" he asked, peppily, his hands behind his back. Hide was dressed in a slim black button up with a pair of white jeans, much nicer than his usual attire. The younger boy regained his composure and feigned ignorance, not wanting to reveal his plan to his roommate.

"Oh, nothing!" he exclaimed, a slight smile spreading across his face.

"Perfect! Then let's go on a date!" Hide exclaimed, bringing around a small bouquet of roses from behind his back. "Dinner?"

The younger boy's mouth opened, but no words came out, completely taken aback by the surprise. Of all times, Hide had to choose now to spring a date on him. "I..." Sojin hesitated, but only for a moment. The CCG plan could wait till tomorrow. What was one more day? "Yes! Let's go!" he exclaimed, taking the roses from Hide with a happy grin. Sojin couldn't remember the last time he felt a sense of joy like this, the sweet scent of the flowers wafting past him. He quickly put them in a clear vase, then grabbed Hide's outstretched hand, following him out the door.

The walk over was as pleasant as could be. The temperature was warm with a slight breeze and the sun was just setting in the direction that they were walking. His fight with Hide seemed like so long ago. They arrived at the restaurant as day finally gave way to night.

"Name?" the Italian waiter asked, looking down at the pair pretentiously. Sojin gave the man a side eye, but Hide didn't seem to notice. "Hide!" he replied, giving the man a friendly smile. The host looked through his small notebook, then nodded, gesturing for the pair to follow him. The restaurant was surprisingly fancy and most of the diners were dressed up in dresses or suits. Sojin was a bit surprised that Hide had chosen such a place. His roommate had never seemed like the type for fine dining. He shrugged to himself as he took a seat. He, for one, certainly enjoyed fancy restaurants.

"You like Italian, right?" Hide asked from across the table, the candle on the table illuminating his face even in the restaurants dim lighting. Sojin smiled just from looking at him. Hide was undeniably handsome, even if he didn't put much effort into his looks.

"Yes, it's my favorite!" Sojin replied. As he glanced around, he realized he was underdressed in his grey t-shirt and black jeans.

As if reading his mind, Hide playfully poked him in the forehead. "It's fine. All that matters is that I think you look nice!"

Sojin reddened as the waiter finally arrived and took their orders. Their food arrived after a short wait and the scent made his mouth water. As he took the first bite of pasta, he was grateful to be human, able to taste the flavors of such amazing foods. Looking at his date, he laughed to himself as he saw Hide digging into his food voraciously.

"Slow down! This isn't a race, Hide," he stated, taking another bite. Hide looked up from his food momentarily to smile at Sojin, then continued scarfing it down. Sojin rolled his eyes. From the way the boy was eating, the other diners would think he had been half starved. As he took another bite of his pasta, a sudden pang of pain throbbed in his head, causing him to drop the fork and food to the floor and cradle his forehead.

"What's wrong?" Hide asked, dropping his own fork to his plate and looking at his date with concern. Sojin shook his head, dropping his hand back to his side.

"Nothing! The food was just really hot for some reason," he lied. Hide didn't argue, but he could see the boy watching him carefully as he ate his food now. The waiter brought him another fork and Sojin continued eating normally, despite the headache. Though he feigned comfort, Hide's eyes never left him. After a few minutes, the pain intensified and another jolt of pain shocked him as he was chewing, causing him to choke.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" he stated to Hide between coughs, as his roommate got up and patted him on the back. He could see the other diners staring over at them, some with concern and some with disdain. As he finally recomposed himself, he looked up at Hide who was now standing over him and saw the other boy's face turn to a look of horror.

"You're bleeding!" he exclaimed, grabbing one of the fancy handkerchiefs from the table and dabbing at the younger boy's eyes. No, Sojin thought, not here. Not on our date! "Let's take you to the hospital!"

"No!" Sojin exclaimed, grabbing his roommate's wrist. "I'm fine! Really. Look!" He took the handkerchief and dabbed the blood away from his eyes. Miraculously, it had stopped and Hide calmed down a bit. By this time, people were full on staring at the pair, most with a look of horror.

"Sit down...people are staring," Sojin said, his face flushing from the scene he had created.

"What the hell is going on? Why are you crying blood? Why are your eyes a different color? Why were you hiding this?" Hide asked, angrily. "Did you get a doctor to look at it? When did it start?"

Sojin felt like he was drowning under all of Hide's questions. With his luck, he should have anticipated something like this happening on his date with Hide. He took a long swig from the glass of wine in front of him, then looked Hide in the eye, deciding whether to lie or give in. He knew the boy would figure it out by the end of dinner, but he attempted a lie anyway, not wanting to spoil the date.

"Nothing is going on!" Sojin stated. Upon hearing the words, he knew how ridiculous it sounded and changed his story. "I'll tell you later. I don't want to ruin our date!"

Hide leaned forward across the table and grabbed his hand. "Tell me now. People's eyes don't just change colors, Sojin."

Sojin hated when Hide got serious. It was such a stark contrast to his usual personality that it actually came off as a bit frightening. He wanted to pull his hand free from Hide's strong grip and look away from his expectant stare, but there was nowhere to flee. He let out a resigned sigh. Couldn't he just have one normal date?

"It's kind of a long story..." he began.

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_As per usual, please review! Letting me know what you think of the characters helps me write them! :) _


	17. Chapter 17

"A week?!" Hide exclaimed angrily, causing Sojin to shrink back into his chair. "You waited a week to tell anyone? What were you thinking?"

"I didn't want to scare you!" Sojin replied, biting his lip.

Hide shook his head and pulled his wallet out of his pocket, placing a lump of cash on the table. He got up and grabbed the younger boy's wrist, pulling him to his feet. "You think I'm not worried now?! Use your brain, Sojin."

"Wait! What about our dinner!" Sojin replied, as he was pulled to his feet.

"There's no time to waste eating. Let's go," Hide shot back, pulling Sojin behind him and out of the restaurant. He could see a few of the restaurant's patrons whispering and snickering about the pair as their eyes followed the boys to the exit. He would have liked to see how they would have been reacting if put in his situation. Once out of the restaurant, Hide finally came to a halt at the street corner and turned to face the younger boy, his eyebrows furrowed. "That bastard! How could he infect you when you were fighting alongside him? I'll go throttle him right now!"

To Sojin's surprise, Hide actually made to leave, but the younger boy grabbed his hand and held him back. "Don't be silly, Hide! We don't stand a chance against a ghoul. Just calm down!"

"How can I calm down? Do you even have a plan?"

Sojin released Hide's hand and crossed his arms defiantly, meeting the older boy's gaze. "I do! You won't like it, but I thought about it for a long time and it's the only option."

"And what would that be?"

"I'm going to ask those CCG agents for help. Amon and Mado," Sojin explained, as he watched Hide begin to shake his head. "They helped me the first time I met them, so they might help me again!"

"That was before you helped defend Nishiki and Kaneki from them. Do you really think they're going to help you after you assisted two ghouls in escaping?" Hide fired back.

"I'm still human! They can't turn me down!" the younger boy replied, though the uncertainty was clear in his voice.

"As far as they're concerned, you're a criminal. They have more reason to take you in for questioning than to help cure you."

"Well, do you have a better idea?" Sojin asked sharply, annoyed at Hide for dismantling his plan. The red-head thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"Give me one day to think. I'll come up with something, so don't do anything crazy in the meantime."

Sojin rolled his eyes, but Hide grabbed his shoulders and gave him a light shake, his eyes serious. "I'm serious. And I'm going to be watching to make sure you don't."

The younger boy shrugged, grabbing one of Hide's arms and pulling it all the way around his shoulders. "Fine by me. I just wanted to finish our date!"

Hide let out a sigh as he gave his roommate a squeeze, his serious expression finally dissipating. "We really need to work on your prioritizing. Remind me about that the next time we go out."

Sojin wouldn't deny that the thought of escaping to visit Mado and Amon had crossed his mind more than once over the next day. The CCG was responsible for loosing Freed into society, so they would have to make amends for it. Even if he had intended to follow through with the visit, though, it would have been impossible to escape the apartment without Hide noticing. The older boy had stationed himself on the couch next to the apartment door and every time Sojin peeked out of his room, Hide was still there. As he cracked his door open to check on his roommate for a sixth time, the redhead finally addressed him.

"Why don't you just come out here? Peeking out from your room isn't gonna make me disappear. And I have updates for you!" Hide stated, pushing himself to a sitting position on the couch and tapping the spot next to him. Sojin obeyed, seeing no point in resisting, and took a seat next to his roommate.

"I talked to Nishiki and Kaneki to get some more information. Kaneki told me that Freed regularly infects people so that his food supply won't dwindle. He said that Freed has actually lost track of some of the people that he infected, and those people seemed to return to normal! Nishiki wants to come over and take a blood sample to see if he can make an antidote as well."

The older boy was grinning happily now, leaving Sojin confused. "Why are you so happy? That doesn't solve anything..."

"Sure it does! Now, if we can't think of anything else, all we have to do is keep Freed away from you. At least we have a backup plan."

Sojin raised an eyebrow. "Do you know how powerful he is?" he asked, doubt in his voice. "He could probably get through both Touka and Kaneki if he really wanted to." After a moment of thought he added, "I don't think Touka would fight on my behalf anyway..."

"That's to worry about later. We'll find a way to keep you safe. For now, let's just try to find a way to get rid of the virus," Hide replied. "Nishiki will be here in a few hours, so just entertain yourself till then."

"Fine..." Sojin stated, rising from the couch and returning to his room. Honestly, the news had brightened his mood a bit. If he could just avoid Freed, he would at least be cured over time. He shifted restlessly atop his bed, beginning to feel stifled by the confinement of his room. The next few hours passed by like molasses, and he almost jumped for joy when he heard the doorbell ring. He returned to the living room, eager to see Nishiki, who was finally well enough to return to his daily life.

"Nishiki!" Hide exclaimed with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better than a few weeks ago," Nishiki replied, a smile tugging at his lips. He turned his attention to Sojin. "Of course, I feel guilty for getting everyone injured to save me. Especially Sojin. When it comes down to it, this is my fault."

Sojin shook his head in defiance. "No, we chose to take the risk. It's not your fault at all!"

Nishiki shrugged and beckoned the younger boy over. "Well, let's see what we're dealing with. Here, sit on the couch. I'm going to take a blood sample."

As Nishiki fumbled with his equipment, Hide spoke up. "I'm going to head to the cafe to talk with the others. Sojin, don't try anything." He gave his roommate an expectant look, waiting for a reply.

"Alright, alright," Sojin stated, waving his hand up and down to shoo the older boy away.

"I'll be back in a few hours. Keep an eye on him for me, Nishiki," Hide stated as he pulled the apartment door open.

"You got it," the medical student replied, connecting a syringe to a vial as Hide exited. He grabbed Sojin's arm and rested it lightly on the couch's armrest. "It's gonna sting a little, but bare with me."

Sojin nodded, wincing slightly as the needle pierced his skin. As the blood was drawn into the vial, both boys' eyes widened in surprise. Rather than the typical crimson, the blood had lost most of its color, fading to a dull red-grey. Sojin looked up at Nishiki with concern, waiting for the diagnosis.

"Er...I've never seen this before. It's definitely not good."

Sojin wanted to reply that even he had known that much, but he held his tongue. Nishiki removed the needle and put a bandaid on Sojin's arm, then took the vial and examined it closely. "I'm gonna have to take it to the lab at school to test it. I was gonna wait till tomorrow...but this is pretty concerning. If I go now, you promise you'll behave, right? I don't want Hide killing me right after I escaped from prison."

Sojin nodded. "I'll be good, don't worry! Promise to tell me the truth, even if the diagnosis is bad."

Nishiki shook the vial lightly as he headed to the door, the blood washing back and forth. "Of course, I owe you that much at least. I'll call you and Hide as soon as I find out what the best course of action is."

Sojin thanked the older boy and saw him out, waving and smiling. As soon as the door shut, his thoughts began to turn as he tried to formulate a plan of his own. Seeing his blood like that had sparked the panic that he had previously been lacking. The apartment was finally unguarded and this was his one chance to escape before Hide got back. Even if it was just for a walk and some fresh air, the boy yearned to escape the confinement of the indoors.

"It'll just be for a bit..." he stated to himself as he rose from the couch. He slipped into his room and pulled a suit out of his closet. He stared at it for a moment, unable to remember the last time he had dressed up, then quickly changed into it. Heading to the mirror, he pushed his bangs back and out of his face, and styled his hair so that it was slicked back. Without the bangs he actually looked quite different and far more mature. He wrinkled his brow, not used to the feeling of a bare forehead.

Not wasting another moment, he grabbed his phone from his bed and a grey briefcase from his closet, then dashed down the stairs of the apartment, not wanting to cross paths with Hide. As he entered the cool night air, he was grateful that the sun had already set, leaving the darkness to protect him. The plan he had developed depended on sheer luck, but he was confident that he could pull it off. His stride changed to one of purpose as he continued on, walking block after block, rounding corners and crossing streets till he finally came to a stop in front of what looked to be a large corporate building. He ran his fingers through his hair and put on his best serious face, then entered through the large glass doors. A security desk sat at the far left side of the room, next to another large glass door that led to a set of elevators. Sojin watched as a man swiped his ID on a scanner next to the doors, parting them, then proceeded to the elevators. The lobby that he had entered into was mostly empty, save for a few groups of men talking amongst themselves. A lone boy, not much older than Sojin, was sitting on a bench, reading through some papers with intense concentration. Sojin nodded to himself, ready to put his plan into action. He headed to the bench and took a seat next to the boy, pulling a file of his own out of his briefcase. The boy glanced over at him for a moment, then turned his attention back to reading, paying little attention to Sojin. Careful to not draw any suspicion, Sojin peered down at the files the boy was reading out of the corner of his eye. The page seemed to show pictures of a purple-haired ghoul along with some stats and the title "Gourmet".

"Oh, are you a field investigator?" Sojin asked, causing the boy to look up from his file in surprise. Before responding, the boy closed the file defensively and placed it to the side.

"Who are you?" he asked, his eyes narrowing. Sojin played it cool, responding as naturally as possible.

"I'm Karu! I just started here. It's nice to meet you..." Sojin lingered expectantly.

"Seidou," the other boy responded, looking Sojin up and down. "What department are you in?"

Sojin hesitated for a moment. "I'm in...tracking! No field work for me. I really admire all of you who go through so much danger!"

Seidou's face lit up at the praise. "Don't worry, someday you'll be able to get into the field too! It took me a few years of training as well, but my determination to follow in Amon's footsteps pulled me through."

Sojin was taken aback by the mention of Amon. He had been struggling to think of a way to introduce the topic, but Seidou had taken care of it for him. "Oh, you know Amon?" Sojin asked. "I'm actually supposed to meet with him in a few minutes, but I forgot where his office is. I'm so new...would you mind taking me there?"

Seidou grinned and nodded eagerly, rising from the bench. "Sure thing! It's my duty to help rookies out. Follow me."

Sojin closed his file and followed his new "friend" towards the glass doors. Seidou swiped his ID and the entry opened before them. Sojin was afraid the security guards at the desk would ask to see his ID, but they paid him no mind as he walked through with the other boy. As they made their way to the office, Seidou went into a rant about his admiration for Amon. By the time they reached the door, Sojin was only half listening, astonished that Seidou was still fanboying over the agent. Seidou reached out to knock on the door, but Sojin stopped him, not wanting him to be present when Amon saw him.

"Wait! Er...I actually need to speak with him privately. It's a bit of an embarrassing issue. But thank you so much for bringing me here. I'll treat you to lunch another day," Sojin told the boy, bowing deeply. Seidou seemed saddened that he wouldn't get the chance to speak with his idol, but he didn't argue. He gave Sojin a pat on the shoulder and a grin instead.

"I'll hold you to that. Well then, I'm off for the night. Don't stay too late!" he ordered, waving goodbye as he walked towards the staircase.

"I won't! Thanks again!" Sojin called after him. In truth, he had no idea how long he would have to stay here if Amon tried to detain him. He turned to the large wooden door in front of him, a bold, silver nameplate with the detective's name hung partway up. He took a deep breathe and knocked, praying that this wouldn't go horribly wrong.

"Come in," came the stern voice. He turned the knob and pushed the door in, then closed it gently behind him. Amon sat behind his desk, piles of files rising around him. The light in the room was dimmed, but his computer screen was shining brightly on his face. His features were as handsome as ever, and Sojin realized that if they weren't on opposing sides, he certainly would have tried to pursue the agent. Amon looked him up and down nonchalantly. Though Sojin was wearing a suit and had his hair styled, Amon seemingly had no problem seeing through the facade.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, not bothering to rise from his chair. Though his face didn't show any resentment, it showed no signs of kindness either. Sojin hesitated, unsure whether to take a seat or remain standing. After a moment he decided to stay where he was.

"I...have a favor to ask," Sojin began. He had expected the agent to laugh, or at least smirk, but the stoic expression stayed intact. However, his displeasure was expressed clearly through his words.

"You helped ghouls escape and come to me for a favor? Do you know how many of my colleagues those ghouls could have killed by now?"

"They haven't killed any!" Sojin shot back. Amon's expression darkened, the computer light highlighting the creases in his forehead.

"Ghouls kill humans. That's a fact. Unless these ghouls you've been aiding have somehow found a new source of food. In that case, please bring them in so we can discuss this new lifestyle."

"I know they kill humans! They've tried to kill me before! Actually, that's why I came here..."

"You expect us to help protect you from a ghoul? You brought this upon yourself."

Sojin resisted the urge to glare, trying to remain amicable. "I don't want you to protect me. I was bitten by a ghoul. A weird type of ghoul. And this was the fault of the CCG, who created him and let him loose in society."

Amon raised an eyebrow, unconvinced but seemingly curious to what the boy had to say. Sojin gave him an abbreviated version of Freed's story, then moved to the desk and took a seat, resting his hands in his lap.

"Now that I'm infected, it's your responsibility to help me. This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't let him roam free after your experiment."

Amon rubbed his temples, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth before looking back up again at the boy. "You've caused us a lot of problems. I think the best option would be to put you in quarantine. There's no way Freed will be able to get you here, and if your information is correct, the infection will leave your blood stream after a few weeks. Once you're cured, you're going to have to accept punishment for letting the ghouls go."

"That's not fair!" Sojin replied, clenching his hands together anxiously. "Didn't the CCG let Freed go? How was my situation any different?"

"It's not the same. Freed got away. You hindered us from capturing them," Amon stated. Before he could continue, the door opened behind Sojin and a loud cackle filled the air. Before he turned around, Sojin already knew who it was, filling him with a sense of dread.

"The little ghoul associate has come to turn himself in, eh?" Mado asked, grinning. The crazed old man had been the last person that Sojin had wanted to see. He had had hope that he could possibly appeal to Amon's sympathy, but he knew it would be impossible with Mado in the room. Sojin turned in his chair and made eye contact with the old man, knowing his mission was foiled.

"I was just asking Amon for help, actually," he stated, even as Mado blocked his path.

The old man looked at Amon. "I don't think Amon would be conspiring with a criminal."

Sojin knew that any option the partners would give him would end in his detainment. His mind raced for a way to escape from the men. "He's not conspiring with me. I still have more to discuss with him. I really need your help! I just need to use the restroom."

Just like his lacking lying skills, his acting skills weren't much better. He had hoped that his desperation would seem enough to convince the men that he would come back. Mado looked from the boy to Amon, who gave him a slight nod.

"He needs our help. He'll be back," the younger man stated. "The restroom is just down the hall. Don't try anything funny." Amon pulled his briefcase from below his desk and placed it on top. The threat was clear. Sojin nodded his understanding and moved past Mado and out of the door. The bathroom was just past the elevator that had led him up to the office. Glancing back, he saw that though Mado was standing in the doorway, he was engaged in conversation with Amon. As Sojin passed by the elevator, he quickly tapped the "down" button, then continued on towards the bathroom. He entered and sat behind the door, waiting for the signal. Moments later, he heard the bing of the elevator as it arrived on the floor. Sojin wasted no time, whisking the restroom door open and dashing into the elevator. Mado caught sight of him, rushing towards the elevator as well, Amon not far behind. As the men neared, Sojin frantically searched for the "doors close" button. He finally found it, pressing it repeatedly and praying that it would function. Mado and Amon were halfway down the hallway as the doors began to close.

"Stop!" Amon shouted, causing Sojin to jump in fright. Just as the doors were coming together, Amon made a lunge, his arm extending to block them. Sojin let out a sigh, giving up on his plan, but miraculously the agent's reach wasn't long enough, missing the edge of the door and letting them close as he fell to the ground. As the elevator started to descend, Sojin stumbled to the wall, clutching his chest and taking deep breathes. That was way too close for comfort. Although Amon's office was all the way on the 29th floor, Sojin wasn't going to celebrate victory yet. It would not have surprised him if Amon could dash down all 29 flights at nearly the same pace as the elevator. As the doors opened, Sojin was relieved to find no one waiting for him on the other side. He fast walked out of the glass doors then made a break for the exit at full speed. The security guards gave him a look of confusion, but didn't pursue, not having been alerted to the situation. His heart sank as he saw a figure waiting expectantly in front of the building. As he got closer, he was surprised to find that it was not Amon, but Hide standing with his arms crossed. Sojin wasted no time, grabbing the older boy's arm and pulling him along.

"What are you doing?!" Hide exclaimed. "I told you not to try anything! Can't you ever just listen to me?"

"You can scold me later! Just run!" Sojin shot back.

* * *

_How are these chapters getting longer and longer? T.T Heh, oh well. Please remember to REVIEW! And follow if you like it! :)_


	18. Chapter 18

The pair descended the steps from the building's courtyard and made a break for the street, not daring to look back. Though Sojin had initially been leading the way, Hide was a fast runner and had assumed the command. The younger boy grasped his roommate's hand tightly and tried to keep up with his speed. As they cleared the steps, he finally glanced backwards and was surprised to find that no one was pursuing them.

"They're not following us..." he stated, bewildered.

"I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing," Hide replied, coming to a halt and looking back. After a moment, he turned his attention to the younger boy. Hide's cheeks were a burning red, though Sojin was unsure whether it was from anger or from the intense running. He didn't have to wonder for long as his roommate released an outburst.

"Why would you come here?! Didn't I tell you not to try anything risky?" Hide stated angrily, pulling his hand from Sojin's and grabbing the younger boy's wrist tightly instead. Sojin twisted in discomfort, the grip surprisingly strong and painful. He opened his mouth to reply, but Hide cut him off. "You say I'm the selfish one and that I don't care about you, but you keep on endangering yourself. If anything, you're the selfish one! If something happens to you, what am I going to do?"

Hide released his grip on Sojin's wrist and crossed his arms, anger clearly written across his face. It was rare to see the red-head get this worked up. Sojin glanced to the side then brought his gaze back to meet Hide's. "I'm sorry..." he muttered, unsure of what to say at this point.

"You're sorry?" Hide shot back. Sojin was a bit taken aback by the retort as an apology usually ended any feud he had with his roommate. "This isn't the first time you've ignored my advice and endangered yourself. How am I supposed to believe you're sorry?"

A piece of Sojin's hair fell from his up-do and landed near his eye, giving him a reason to wince and release some of his annoyance. "What do you want me to say? You try being in my position! How can I just sit by and do nothing when it's my own life that's in danger?"

"I care about your life just as much. You should trust that I'll do everything possible to keep you safe!" said Hide, his tone still ripe with anger. Sojin had no retort for that, his gaze dropping to the ground. He wanted to say that he didn't enjoy putting himself in danger. That it was the fear of dying, of being eaten, that pushed him to do all of these crazy things. He had never signed up for any of this. From the beginning, his involvement had all been a horrible mistake yet somehow it seemed like he was getting the worst of it. The silence lengthened between the two boys and the night did nothing to fill the gap. Suddenly, a voice pierced the silence, popping it like a balloon. Sojin's heart stopped for a moment upon hearing the voice, his gaze still fixed on the ground, too afraid to look up.

"Ah, so that's where you got to running off to. I checked the cafe and your house and was surprised to see that my little friend was at neither," stated the voice.

Sojin bit his lip, still not daring to look up. What was Freed doing here?

"It turns out some of my other meals managed to escape, which left me pretty hungry. I had to make sure I caught at least one!" Freed stated, letting out a hearty laugh. Sojin finally looked up and saw the ghoul standing to the right of a fountain at the entrance to the CCG courtyard. Though the huge CCG building dwarfed him, Freed somehow looked even bigger, his gaze not breaking away from Sojin for even a moment. The boy turned to Hide and saw that his roommate's mind was racing for a way out of the confrontation.

"Oh, and I have no more use for your little friends, so I recommend you don't get them involved if you don't want them to get hurt," Freed stated, grinning the same grin Sojin had seen through the window upon their first meeting. The ghoul turned his gaze to Hide for a moment. "Hm, I suppose that one could become another meal. He's human too, right?"

"Leave him out of this! Leave all of them out of this! If you're going to follow through with it, then take me and leave all of them alone. They've been through enough thanks to you!" Sojin stated angrily, stepping towards the ghoul. "Hide, run away. Please just run away. We can't beat him...you should at least get away."

"You're giving up?" came Hide's astonished voice from behind him. "You've never given up. You're the one who always says to keep struggling till the last breathe."

"That always gets everyone around me into trouble. Leave and I'll fight him by myself. Or else I'll just give up," Sojin stated, turning to the side so that he could see both the ghoul and his roommate. Freed laughed, the moonlight glinting off of his silver-grey hair.

"Aw, even my cruel, cruel heart is touched by how much you like that kid," Freed stated. He pointed at Hide. "I'd say you were lucky if I wasn't going to take him away from you. Anyway, make up your mind on what you want to do. It doesn't matter to me either way, but I'm getting impatient."

"Hide, go! Please! At least you can find help that way. Don't die here for no reason," Sojin pleaded. Hide's glare was fixed on Freed and didn't budge an inch. The scene triggered a memory of Sojin's, reminding him of his fight in the containment cell, when he had locked eyes with the ghoul. He let out a gasp as he remembered the ability he had gained. It had been so long since that time that he had completely forgotten about it.

"I'll give you ten more seconds, then I'm taking that kid down and making a meal of you," Freed stated, annoyance in his voice. "Sojin is probably right. You should get away while I'm giving you the chance."

Sojin closed his eyes and blocked out the ghoul's voice, trying to focus and turn the ability on. When he reopened them moments later, nothing had changed. He knew it wasn't going to work-the trigger had been immense fear. Of course he was scared now, but his heart wasn't racing in the same way it had been when he was facing imminent death. Looking from Freed to Hide, he knew that he could easily trigger that.

"Alright, time is-" Freed began. Before the ghoul could finish his sentence, Sojin rushed Hide, knocking the older boy off his feet and to the ground, then made a beeline away from the courtyard towards the street. He glanced behind him and saw that the ghoul had wasted no time in pursuing him, fearful that he might actually get away. Freed had completely ignored Hide, who was pulling himself up from the ground, giving Sojin a slight sense of relief. The boy managed to reach the street before Freed was upon him. The ghoul reached out and grabbed the boy's collar, but Sojin shrugged out of his suit jacket, leaving it in Freed's hands as he bolted across the street. A passing truck barely missed running into him, but provided him with a moment of cover as it blocked Freed's path. He dashed into an alleyway and rounded a corner, bringing him face to face with a gate that blocked the entrance to the street. Sojin spotted a small hole in the corner of it and dropped to his hands and knees, beginning to crawl through. The ground was littered with garbage, forcing him to hold his breathe or risk heaving. He managed to get his upper body out before a hand wrapped tightly around his ankle. It yanked him forcefully back into the alley, the metallic wire of the fence cutting into his torso as he was dragged back past it. Sojin's white shirt was now a grotesque mixture of red and brown from the dirt and blood. Deep gashes lined the side of his torso from where the fence had sunken into his skin, but he could barely feel the sting due to fear. To his surprise, the ghoul did not release his ankle, but instead pulled him off the ground and suspended him upside down.

"That was a nice little trick with the suit jacket. You're pretty resourceful for a human," Freed stated as an orange tentacle emerged and waved behind him wistfully. The blood was rushing to Sojin's head, giving him a headache, and he could feel his face turning red.

"That's not all I can do," Sojin stated, winding his free leg back and directing an upside down kick at the ghoul's face. The heel of his dress shoe met Freed's jaw with sickening force, creating an audible crunch and forcing the ghoul to drop him to the ground. Sojin immediately picked himself up and made for the hole again, but this time a stronger force coiled around his neck, winding upwards to cover his mouth as well. Glancing down he could see the orange tentacle glowing faintly in the night, it's strange texture bearing down on his throat. It yanked him back into the alley with so much force that he thought it might snap his neck then and there.

"You little brat," Freed stated, wiping blood from his jaw. To Sojin's horror, the ghoul reached into his own mouth and dislodged a tooth, eyeing it for a moment before tossing it to the side. His eyes had finally changed to the all too familiar red and black of a hungry ghoul. "I was gonna end it painlessly, but now I think I'll eat you alive."

The tentacle pulled Sojin to his feet, but kept him standing on the ground, no intention to suffocate or hang him. The boy wrinkled his nose and sunk his teeth into the orange extremity, a putrid taste of rotting flesh filling his mouth and causing him to convulse in disgust. The taste and scent of the tentacle was far worse than the garbage on the ground. Freed seemingly did not even feel the bite, walking closer to the immobilized boy with a mixture of hunger and anger upon his face.

"Try to mess up my face, will you? Let's make this painful," Freed stated, blood still spilling from his mouth. Before Sojin could flinch, the ghoul winded back a punch and threw it hard into his stomach. The boy let out a muffled yelp of pain as the air left his body, leaving him coughing and sputtering into the tentacle. The ghoul delivered another two jabs to the boy's torso with such force that Sojin could already feel bruises forming. The brutal beating continued until Sojin could feel himself losing consciousness and wishing for the ghoul to just end it. The boy weakly reached for Freed's hair in an attempt to make him stop, but the tentacle pulled him back and out of reach. He tried to get a sentence out, a last bid to talk his way out of the situation, but the tentacle was wrapped too tightly around his mouth.

"You have something to say?" Freed asked, his voice dripping with malice. "Say it."

He flung the boy back into the fence, the tentacle unwrapping and letting him fall to the ground. Sojin mustered all of his remaining strength to push his face from the ground and get to a sitting position, leaning against the fence. It burned to breathe and blood was seeping from too many wounds to count. As Freed walked closer, Sojin finally felt himself lose his senses. The pain melted away as he felt himself freeze in place, a burning sensation in his eyes. This was it. His final chance. The element of surprise was on his side as he locked gazes with the incoming ghoul, his own eyes mirroring the icy grey of Freed's.

"Stop," he commanded, his voice strained from the fatigue on his body. He could already feel the blood welling around his eyes, the consequence of using the ability in such a weakened state. To his relief, Freed froze in place, his eyes locked with Sojin's. The boy wasn't sure what to do at this point. The ability had seemed to control him the last time he was under the effect, but this time it seemed that he could make conscious decisions. Not wanting to risk the effect wearing off, Sojin ordered the first thing that came to his mind.

"Kill yourself," he stated. He wasn't sure how the command would play out, but he didn't care as long as the ghoul followed through. Freed stayed frozen, stiff as a statue, his eyes gazing into Sojin's own. His arm lifted towards his neck, as if to wrap around his own throat, but instead moved up to his chin, tapping it softly. To Sojin's horror, he saw the corners of the ghoul's mouth quiver slightly before turning upwards into a smile.

"Kill myself? Crude. I thought you were the sympathetic type," Freed stated, moving freely now and closing the distance between the two. The blood spilled from Sojin's eyelids as he realized that his plan had failed.

"I gave you that ability. You really think it would work on me?" Freed asked with a laugh. As Sojin's eyes reverted to brown, he could feel normal tears spilling and mixing with the blood. There was nowhere to go now, his body and mind completely exhausted from the beating. All he could do was cry in frustration.

"Tch, pathetic. I honestly thought you were cute at first glance. But people who cry are incredibly unattractive," Freed stated, before delivering a kick to the side of the boy's face.

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_Poor Sojin T.T I cry. Review and subscribe! ;D_


	19. Chapter 19

The kick to the face and impact against the dumpster rattled Sojin's brain to the point that his vision was utterly blurred. As he lay on the ground, he closed his eyes to try to gain some clarity, but couldn't bring himself to formulate a plan. Even if he did, he was unsure whether he could even move at this point. He could feel blood running down his face from a multitude of cuts, while the rest of his body felt bruised to the core. It was a miracle that he hadn't broken any bones-at least to his knowledge.

"Well, you put up a good fight for a human, but your kind is just no match for ghouls," Freed stated. Sojin could hear the sound of his footsteps approaching, but kept his eyes closed thinking it would be better not to watch his own death. He felt the tentacle wrap around his neck once more, lifting him back into the air as it continued to tighten. If it crushed his windpipe, at least he would be dead before Freed began feasting on him, which gave the boy a sense of relief. Even while trying to find peace, he couldn't help but grimace as the tentacle tightened further. In what he was sure were his final moments, he suddenly decided to face his doom, and found himself staring directly into Freed's red and black eyes. The ghoul wore a stoic expression, seemingly neither displeased or impressed with the matter at hand. The calmness of the whole matter awoke a surge of desperation within the boy, as he realized that he wasn't ready for his life to end. His arms shot to his neck and grabbed the tentacle and tried to pry it away to no avail. Still, he didn't give in, digging in with his nails and clawing viciously at the slimy limb. The tentacle tightened sharply all at once, causing the boy to choke as his airway was cut off. As suddenly as it tightened, it loosened, dropping him to the dirty ground. Sojin coughed and sputtered profusely, gasping for air and ripping the extremity from his neck. To his surprise, it fell lifelessly to the ground, completely disconnected from Freed. Before he could even look up to see what was happening, a pair of arms wrapped around his torso and lifted him from the ground.

"What the hell are you doing in this kind of situation?!" asked a male voice, presumably the one that was dragging him from the alleyway. "You said you're just a tracker, not a field agent!"

Sojin tilted his head upwards and rolled his eyes back to get a view of the person's face. To his surprise, it was neither Hide nor Amon, but Seidou who was pulling him back towards the street.

"S-Seidou?" the younger boy asked in shock. A jolt of fear ran down his spine as he realized that Freed would mercilessly kill the agent. The only reason the other boy was here was because Sojin had used him to gain access to Amon. A painful death was the last thing that he deserved. "Run...he'll kill you! Please run!"

"Captain Amon is almost here, we just have to last that long," the agent replied as they reached the sidewalk. Sojin could see that Freed had recovered, glaring at the pair with flames in his eyes.

"We're not going to last that long! And so many people have gotten hurt for me. No more! Please, no more!" Sojin exclaimed, struggling to break free from Seidou's arms. To his surprise, the agent lowered him to the pavement, and Sojin thought for a moment that he might actually heed his warning. Glancing up, he saw that it was only to pull out his quinque that resembled a crossbow. Sojin had yet to see a ranged quinque and he wondered if it would be effective against the ghoul before them. Siedou wasted no time, firing a bolt directly at Freed without a word. The quickness of the attack caught the ghoul off guard, clipping him in the arm. While a normal gun would have had no effect, the blast from the quinque ripped a large gash into the ghoul's bicep, making Sojin grimace. He heard the ghoul let out a whimper, but quickly regain his composure, anger overtaking the pain. Before Seidou could pull off another shot, the ghoul bounded down the alleyway, zig-zagging back and forth to make sure the agent couldn't get a clear shot.

As he reached melee range, one of his remaining extremities shot out, darting for Seidou's neck. Though Sojin had assumed that Seidou was just a rookie, the young agent was fending for himself quite impressively. The older boy blocked the tentacle with his crossbow, deflecting the blow, before lining up a shot at Freed's torso. The ghoul let out a grunt of annoyance as he used his third extremity to block the shot, watching it get severed from the blast and leaving him with only one tail. The orange appendage that had previously been deflected by Seidou's crossbow looped back around for a second shot at the agent's neck. A grin crossed Freed's face, knowing the trade-off had been worth it.

"Watch out!" Sojin exclaimed, grasping the other boy's suit jacket and pulling him to the pavement. The slimy limb whizzed over their heads, missing by inches, but darted back around for yet another stab. Seidou pulled his crossbow in front of him as a makeshift shield and the tentacle met with it head on. The force of the blow sent the older boy hurtling back off of the sidewalk and into the street, the weapon flying from his hand. An oncoming car blared its horn and screeched to a halt, coming to a stop a few feet before the agent. Freed wasted no time, dashing towards the street to finish the weaponless boy off, but Sojin grabbed the ghoul's leg as he passed, bringing him down to the pavement. Not even bothering to look back, Freed kicked the boy in the face with the heel of his boot and the grip immediately released alongside a squeal of pain. Blood poured from Sojin's nose as he helplessly watched Freed make his way to the agent. The distraction had bought Seidou enough time to pull himself to his feet in the middle of the street, but he was still weaponless, the crossbow lying on the sidewalk, out of reach.

"FREED," boomed a voice as loud as thunder, that made all three boys look towards its owner. Amon came to a halt on the opposite side of the street, his quinque taking its combat form as Hide appeared behind him, a strange looking gun in hand.

"Ah, Amon. It's been a while, hasn't it? It took you long enough. Take a look at that poor kid over there," Freed stated calmly, beckoning to Sojin as he continued towards Seidou. Sojin could see Hide's expression darken as he got a glimpse of his roommate's wounded condition. Before Amon could reply, Freed darted to Seidou and pulled him into a chokehold, his remaining extremity pointing at the boy's jugular.

"Come at me if you want, but the boy dies," Freed stated, his voice coated in sweetness. Sojin would have tried a sneak attack from behind the ghoul, but he couldn't find the strength to pull himself to his feet.

"Leave the kid alone. He's just a rookie and we both know that you enjoy a challenge," Amon stated, tapping his heavy weapon on the pavement. He signaled for Hide to lower his blaster and the redhead obliged, dropping it to his side, but keeping his finger on the trigger.

"You think too lowly of your friends, Amon," Freed replied, letting out a short chuckle. "This one has caused me quite a bit of trouble already." He nodded his head towards his one remaining tail. All at once, the smile dissipated from his face as a glare took its place.

"Drop your weapons and kick them over here or I'll kill him on the spot," the ghoul stated, inching the orange tentacle closer to the agent's neck. Sojin watched in despair, knowing full well that Freed would kill them all if they were weaponless, but not wanting Seidou to lose his life. The young agent, who had remained quiet till this point, finally spoke.

"Don't! He'll kill me anyway and then kill you as well!"

The cars that had been halted by the fight had all turned and fled from the scene, leaving the street deserted. Freed's smile returned as he brought his face close to Seidou's. "He does have a point..."

Sojin refused to sit by and watch any longer. Though the pain shot through his body like a searing flame, he pushed himself to his hands and knees, careful to not make any noise. He could hear Freed and Amon arguing back and forth, but he was no longer listening to their words, his eyes locked on the object down the sidewalk. If he could just reach Seidou's crossbow...

The conversation had soon turned into a shouting match, Amon and Hide catching onto the plan and providing a distraction to hold Freed's focus. The rubble on the sidewalk dug into the cuts on Sojin's hands, making him wince in pain, but he ignored it as he continued to crawl forward. Just a few more feet and he would be there.

"DROP THEM NOW," Freed shouted, annoyance in his voice. Sojin froze, thinking that he had been discovered, but as he glanced over, he saw that Freed was still addressing the other two. "He dies in 5..."

Sojin could hear Amon and Hide's weapons hit the ground and skid across the pavement as the pair surrendered, just as his hand finally made contact with the smooth metal of the crossbow. He heard Freed let out a wild cackle, the extremity whipping away from Seidou's neck and bolting for Amon in an attempt to take out the strongest first. The CCG agent rolled out of the way with agility that was impressive for a man of his size. Sojin lined up the shot, undisturbed as Freed focused his attention on Amon while still holding Seidou. The boy hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether to try to injure the ghoul or kill him. The aching of the many wounds that had been inflicted by the ghoul answered the question for him as he lined the shot up with Freed's back. The shot tore a gaping hole in the left of the ghoul's lower back and a sickening sizzling sound filling the air. Though Sojin had been aiming for his heart, he had never shot a gun before and was a bit surprised that it had made contact at all.

For the first time, he heard the ghoul scream in pain-so loudly and intensely that it made him want to cover his ears. Freed's grip on Seidou loosened and the agent wasted no time in breaking free and kicking the ghoul onto his back. Even as he collapsed on the pavement and clutched his wound, Freed's tail whipped around wildly, looking for anything to take down with him. Seidou retreated to Amon and Hide, out of range of the ghoul's reach. Shockingly, Freed managed to push himself to his knees in a last ditch effort to kill one of the three before him. Sojin shot again, missing this time as the bolt flew past Freed and came dangerously close to Hide. Freed, realizing that the shots were coming from behind him, knocked the remaining weapons far to the side, then turned his attention to Sojin.

"I should have killed you first, you brat. Somehow you've caused me more problems than the CCG agents," he hissed, inching forwards towards Sojin. The boy lined up one more shot, aiming for the ghoul's head and fired, wasting no time with words. Freed shielded himself with his last tentacle, his expression darkening as it fell to the ground, severed. Sojin lined up his last shot, but before he could fire, the ghoul lunged into the air, landing on top of him. Freed wrapped his hands around the boy's neck, then slammed his head into the ground. The force of the blow immediately blackened Sojin's vision and shook his thoughts, his head pounding from the impact.

"Bastard," he muttered, before he clenched his teeth and pulled the crossbow between his body and Freed's, placing the barrel to the ghoul's chest. Freed's hands tightened on his neck, trying to ring his neck before he could shoot, but fell limp as the boy pulled the trigger. The ghoul's lifeless body fell forwards onto him, his face landing facedown on the concrete beside Sojin's own. The boy dropped the crossbow to his side as his vision slowly came back into focus. He couldn't muster enough strength to push Freed off, but Seidou rushed over and pulled the ghoul from him. Hide dropped to his knees and pulled his roommate into his arms. Sojin's brows rose as he realized that the redhead was crying-something he had never seen before.

"I'm so sorry, I dragged you into all of this to help Kaneki and look at you now. I could never defend you, time and again!" Hide exclaimed, the water from his eyes dropping onto Sojin's face. The younger boy could feel tears beginning to well in his own eyes, but suppressed them, forcing a smile.

"I-it's okay! I'm alive, aren't I?" he asked in the most upbeat voice he could manage. The cheerfulness had the opposite effect of what he intended, causing Hide to begin crying full out.

"Hide! Stop! I don't like seeing you cry. I want to see your happy, smiling face! It's not your fault. It was all my own choice to get involved in all of this. Because I like you and wanted to see you happy!" Sojin exclaimed, gripping the older boy's yellow shirt. Hide wiped his eyes with the back of his arm, his jaw clenched.

"You've shown me how much you like me over and over, while I never expressed my true feelings," Hide replied, a look of regret on his face. Sojin smiled, poking him in the cheek lightly.

"You've made it perfectly obvious. Or else you wouldn't be crying right now!"

Before Hide could reply, Amon cut in to the conversation. "Get him an ambulance, you can talk after he's recovered."

"I've called one and they're on their way," came Seidou's voice. The young agent knelt down beside him, making eye contact then look at the pavement. "Thank you for saving me."

Sojin shook his head. "Please...I would have been dinner if you hadn't come along!"

Amon glanced down at him, looking him over to make sure none of the wounds were life threatening. "You fought quite impressively, but don't think I've forgotten that you aided ghouls. Your file is waiting on my desk."

Both Seidou and Hide immediately voiced their objection, but Amon waved them off. "The file is on my desk...for now. If it were to disappear, Seidou, then I would have nothing to use as proof."

The younger agent immediately caught his drift, a smile spreading across his face. "Right!"

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_Ah, sorry for the hiatus! One more chapter to go! ^^ As always, please review! And look forward to the final chapter!_


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Tokyo Ghoul/東京喰種トーキョーグール, Adventure, Romance