Okay, now we can stop with the Sasarious and get onto the real plot/story with actual dialogue. 'Cause everybody knows- you can only take so much serious life contemplation. (or maybe that's just me with my ADHD and slow processing speed)

"Hi, I'm Haise Sasaki," he held out his hand for me to grab.

"... Hideyoshi Nagachika.." I responded slowly before taking his hand, "Or so they tell me."

"I hear you have amnesia. I guess we're in the same boat, huh?"

"Am..nesia.. Yeah, I guess.."

Our hands released each other, and my hand felt empty without his touch.

I stared at 'Haise Sasaki'.

[Narrator: Another thing that had changed in Hide's amnesia was that he made decisions.. and stuck with them, all in an instant. Since he had no memories, he clung to those decisions. The decisions of who to trust and what his relationship with them would be.]

"It's nice to meet you, Haise. I hope we'll get along."

More than that.

"Likewise.." the boy stepped back one, and another person stepped forward.

"Hi, I'm Shirazu. Nice to meet you, Hide," he held out his hand with a grin. I stared for a few seconds before speaking.

"Shark teeth."

"... Uh.. what?"

I took his hand and shook it, "Nice to meet you, too, Shirazu-kun."

I wasn't sure whether to trust him or not yet, but.. Akira told me these would be my coworkers and stuff, so.. I guess I should trust him..

"I'm Saiko!" a little girl stepped up to me and smiled. I stared for a few seconds before smiling fondly.

I will protect her.

"Hi, Saiko. It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise!" her grin spread.

.. Yes.. I will definitely protect her.. Like a little sister or something, maybe..

"I-I'm Tooru.." a person stepped up, holding her hand out for me to shake. I stared at her for a few seconds before looking her up and down.

Yes, she is a girl.

"... Nice to meet you.." I said slowly.

I do not trust this girl. I cannot trust this girl.

I cannot trust this girl...

"L-Likewise.."

She stepped back, and another person stepped forward.

"Dorito teeth." {Am I the only one who noticed that nickname? Seriously. Just because it doesn't fit does nOT MEAN YOU SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SEARCH UP HIS FRIGGING NICKNAME!!}

"... (What did you just call me?) Urie Kuki."

I think our first meeting was a rather good one. {ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!! HIDE, HE DIDN'T EVEN SHAKE YOUR HAND!!!}

"Nagachika will be joining the Q squad as of today," Mado stepped up, "He has a rinkaku kagune."

"Oo, like Mamman's?!!" Saiko's smile spread, "Can I see?!!"

"N-"

"Sure," I smiled fondly, letting my kagune sneak out. I let it carefully wrap around her, and I lifted her. She stared with awe. I slowly and softly set her back down.

"Cool!!" she grinned as I let my kagune snake back into my body. "It's just like Mamman's!!"

"'Mamman's'.. you say.. Is there someone I haven't met yet?"

"We have nicknames for some people," Shirazu explained, "Like my name isn't actually Shirazu, but I prefer to be called that. I call him Sassan," Shirazu glanced at Haise.

"? Are you 'Mamman'?"

He smiled softly, "That's what Saiko calls me."

"But you said your name was-"

"Saiko calls me that, but that's not my name. Shirazu calls me 'Sassan'. If you want to call me something else, you can- it doesn't bother me," he shrugged.

"..."

Hmmn.. then I will keep that nickname stored away.. until the time is right. {Ghoulfriend}

"Very well, Haise."

Can I rush it? I don't think I can.. So I cannot call him that nickname just yet.

I will attempt to win him over, but I cannot be sure that I will succeed.

No.. never mind. I WILL succeed. I'll make sure I do. I won't take no for an answer. I will not take no for an answer.

--------------------------------------

"..."

I thought it was a little strange. I'm pretty sure Nagachika was being a little too clingy.. but perhaps it was just my imagination..

"Um, Nagachika-kun, can you get me the basil?" He frowned but got it anyway.

"Why are you calling me Nagachika-kun? That's my last name," he commented. I seriously feel like my personal space is being invaded.. like, big time..

"Well.. it's polite.." I responded, stirring the soup.

"Call me Hideyoshi."

"... Alright, Hideyoshi.."

Urgh.. that flows off my tongue even weirder than Nagachika-kun..

"No, no, that doesn't sound right," he glanced at the floor to the right of him. "Call me Hide," he decided, "Try that."

"... H..Hide.."

Huh? That flows off my tongue like water..

"Yes, that sounds correct," he nodded, satisfied with the name.

"Um.. okay.." We stood in silence for a little while longer.

It seemed that Hide hadn't left my side the entire day.. but I must be mistaken.

"Haise doesn't sound right," Hide announced all of the sudden, "Why doesn't Haise fit you, Haise?"

"... Would you prefer to call me Sasaki..?" I mumbled.

"... Sasaki.. No, no, it's still not right.." Hide frowned in thought. "It isn't right.."

He's so.. s-strange..

"Urgh.. I don't like it.. I don't like it.."

"... What don't you like..?"

"... I don't know. But I don't like it."

-~-'

I sighed a little, and the silence returned. After a while, I was finished with the soup, so I poured it into five bowls, calling that dinner was ready.

I set each bowl in front of their respective places and sat down.

.

.

.

I glanced to my left, where Hide and I's chairs were connected.

"... Um.. Hide?" I looked up at him. He looked at me with noodles coming out of his mouth.

He slurped them into his mouth and replied with a mouthful, "Yea?"

"... I.. I don't mean to be rude, but.. can you, uh.. move? Just a little?"

His eyes shined, and he scooted his body closer.

"U-Uh! I--I meant that way!"

H--He's so close!!

He stared at me for a few seconds cluelessly before sitting back in the middle of his chair and scooting the chair a little ways away, and I sighed in relief.

I hadn't even realized how tense I've been today..

"Right. Sorry. I suppose my moves are a little too soon."

Huh? I was so not impressed.

"I will take baby steps. I apologize."

"What are you talking about?"

And he's still so close..

"Can you, uh.. I really don't mean to be rude, but.. can you give me the same space that everyone else is giving everyone?" He looked up. He glanced at the other Qs. He stood up, moved his chair to Saiko's side and sat there with an.. angry-looking face..? He stood up to get soup and returned to his position. "... Uh.. are you.. are you angry at me..?"

His eyes loosened, and he blinked a few times.

"Huh? No, I am not. Why would I be angry at you? I only need to wait."

Uhh..

I feel like I'm missing something really important..

Oh well.

Then I realized.

He's latched on to Saiko.

And she obviously is not very happy about that..

"Can you move?"

"Huh?" Hide looked at her and started babbling, "Why, is someone hurting you? Aren't we the only six? Was it-"

"Hide!" I cried, "You're just sitting too close!!"

"... Oh." He seemed to get a little depressed, and he didn't eat with the same enthusiasm.

"..."

Well, I guess he's not a weird, clinging robot.. He actually DOES have feelings.

I thought back to earlier in the day.

So.. is he just bad at expressing his emotions..?

Earlier, when he said he didn't like it, was that him showing frustration?

I started to realize the small bits of emotion he'd shown.

Oh, I see..

------------------------

After that, I think I could say I got along a little better with him.

.

.

.

But I still felt like he was there by my side no matter what. If he wasn't, I saw him playing games with Saiko. He was pretty good, but then he realized the character he was killing was Saiko's. Not that he was able to beat her, of course, but after that, he didn't even try, just sat there sulking. Saiko kicked him out. Then when Hide was missing again, I glanced in her room, seeing that Hide had wandered back in there. The same situation occurred.

Then it was nighttime.

I was reading a book when the bed seemed to dip. I thought it as nothing, vaguely noticing that it felt like there was warm heat next to me.

Then I felt a breath on my neck, "Whatcha reading?" {I finally figured out how everyone spells whatcha.}

I screamed, jumping a foot.

When everyone ran in the room, startled, Hide was blinking up at me as I covered my neck with my hand.

"D-D-D-Don't just sneak up on me like that!!"

"Huh?"

"And anyway, why are you in my bed?!!"

Hide blinked for a few more seconds before it seemed to click. "Ah. Of course. If I wasn't able to sit close to you, why would I be able to sleep with you? I apologize. I will sleep somewhere else."

Since I had been detecting emotions from his mostly impassive face all day, I realized there was a slight disappointment in his eyes.

"But are you sure?" he inquired, "I do not want to leave you alone, Haise."

".. I..I'm fine.. really."

"... Very well then. I will sleep with Saiko-chan."

"YOU ARE NOT SLEEPING WITH SAIKO EITHER, HIDE!!!" I screamed.

"? Why not? I should be there to protect her. It is unfortunate that I cannot protect you both, but if you sleep in different rooms, I will just have to be alert enough to rush to the other room when one of you is in danger."

I have no idea what you're talking about..!

"Hide, Saiko is a GIRL!!" I whined.

"Yea, so?"

"Sooo you are a GUY!! It's inappropriate!!"

"It is inappropriate to sleep with your sister?"

SAIKO IS NOT YOUR SISTER, YOU DOOFUS!!

"At your age, YES!"

"..Oh.." I noticed a little bit of sadness behind the surprise. As if he was trying to hold the sadness in. "Very well. May I sleep with-"

"Just sleep by yourself, Hide.. We have a room for you.."

".. But.. But I do not like to sleep by myself.. I have been sleeping alone for so long, Haise. I wasn't waking up, Haise. I do not want to sleep alone, Haise!"

I saw worried desperation in his eyes now, but unlike earlier, it was clear for all to see.

"W-Well, I mean.." I scratched my cheek. I looked up at the other Qs, "..?"

They exchanged glances.

"I'd rather not.." Mutsuki commented quietly.

"I'm not sleeping with him," Saiko curtly responded, "I don't even sleep."

"... (No way am I sleeping with that freak.)"

Shirazu nervously glanced away from the gazes. He thought about it.

"W-Well.. I mean, I guess I wouldn't mind.. We're both guys after all." I heaved a sigh of relief.

Oh, thank God.. I almost thought I'd have to sleep with this clingy weirdo..

Hide stared at Shirazu. He seemed to be warily contemplating something.

"V-Very well. Then I will sleep with you, Shirazu-kun. This should build our trust."

So Hide moved in with Shirazu.

-----------------------------------------------------

"AHHHH!!! NO!! NO!! DON'T HURT HIM!! DON'T HURT HIM, PLEASE, OH G*D NO!!!"

"Hissan! Hissan!!" I tried desperately to wake Hissan up. He was having a horrible nightmare, and his screaming had woken me up.

Urgh..

Is this why he wanted to sleep with someone..? So someone was there to wake him up from a nightmare..?

"Hissan, wake up!! It's just a nightmare!!"

"What's going on?"

I looked up to see a very worried Sassan, Tooru, a surprised Saiko, and Urie in the doorway.

"H-Hissan's having a nightmare! I can't wake him up."

Sassan rushed over, shaking Hissan violently.

"Hide!! Hide, wake up!!"

Hissan sobbed, his eyes slowly opening through the tears.

"K..K..Ka.."

"Hide, it's okay!! It's just a nightmare, come on, snap out of it!!"

"Kaneki.." Hissan sobbed.

"Hide, everything's okay!! Calm down!!"

"E..E.. You.. You are.. okay..?" Hissan sobbed.

Sassan blinked for a few seconds before replying with determination, "Yes. Yes, I'm okay, Hide. Everything's alright."

Hissan panted. His eyes slowly closed.

"Ke..Ken.."

With that, he fell back into a peaceful slumber, drool sipping from his lips. Sassan relaxed with a sigh.

"Sorry about that, Shirazu, Saiko, Mutsuki, Urie."

"Thanks, Sassan.."

Sassan got off the bed, stuffing his fingers in his hair and scratching before leaving to his room. The rest of them also left, and I sighed before trying to get back to bed myself.

------------------------------------------------------------------

We woke up AGAIN to screaming.

Grumble, grumble..

I stomped over to Shirazu-kun and Hide-kun's bedroom.

Mamman was already at work, trying to wake Hide-kun up.

Shirazu spotted me and smiled nervously.

"C-Calm down, Saiko. He'll stop screaming soon."

As if on cue, Hide-kun's screams turned to sobs, his eyes opening with a little more energy than they had last night.

"He's a great alarm clock, huh?" Shirazu laughed awkwardly. I was not amused.

"K..K..Ke.n.."

"Hide, you were just having a nightmare. It's alright. Everything's alright. It's morning now, so let's get up, okay?"

"K..K..Kennn.."

"Hide. Wake up."

"K..K.."

"Hide. Hide, come on and get up. Let's start the day. Everything's fine, okay?"

"Y..Y..You're o..kay..? Re..Really, Ka..Kaneki..?"

"... Yes. Yes, I'm fine, Hide."

"..." Hide-kun's lips curved into a drunken smile, "Tha..That's good.. I..I'm gla..d.."

"Mm-hmm. Now, let's get up, okay?"

"... Ye..Yea.. we'll.. get u..p.."

Hide-kun's eyes started to droop, and Mamman startled him back awake, "Hide! Hide, don't fall back asleep! You need to stay awake!"

"St..Stay.. awa..ke.. awa..ke.. o..okay.."

"It's no use, Haise."

Everyone's heads snapped to Akira-chan.

"You won't keep him awake. We should be able to wake him up soon though. Before he starts dreaming again."

"... So.. So Hide.. has nightmares..?"

"Often," Akira nodded, "But he doesn't remember them. I suggest you don't mention them- you'll only confuse him."

"... What.. what is he dreaming.. about..? What makes him.. like that..?"

Akira stared at us. "I doubt I know more than you, Haise."

"Is there.. anything we can do..?"

"Not that I'm aware of. He seems to have nightmares from the past, just like you, so the only way to calm him down would probably be knowing what he's so upset about and reminding him of whatever memory it's associated with. Which, just like you, we would prefer if Nagachika never remembered."

"But I thought he was human before he entered the Q Squad. Why are HIS memories dangerous?" Mamman inquired, and Akira gazed at us with the same stare.

"There are assumptions about what Nagachika hid before. Of course, those assumptions may be incorrect, and he may have never hid anything, but it's highly unlikely. If he were to remember his memories, he just might turn against the CCG and go rogue."

"Are you saying Hide used to be a ghoul sympathizer?" Mamman blinked, seeming surprised.

"We assume that."

A.. ghoul sympathizer.. Hide-kun?

"He should be able to wake up in about an hour or so. I was actually wanting to talk to the five of you privately. Where is Urie and Mutsuki?"

"Probably in bed," Mamman replied.

So, we all woke up and entered the family room.

"As I'm sure you've gathered, Nagachika has mental issues. He's very strong, smart, and can control his kagune well - although it took some awareness and time - so he's a very good investigator. The thing is, as I explained to Shirazu, Haise, and Yonebayashi, we assume he used to be a ghoul sympathizer, and he has mental issues now. In my opinion, Nagachika was pretty good at sneaking around and hiding things. He'd coerce information from my coworkers when he was a messenger, and we have reason to believe that he was friends with ghouls.

"Those habits faded with his memory. In its place, he acts strangely and is a little mental. He has nightmares every night, as I'm sure you just experienced, and he.. How would I put this..? I suppose he makes assumptions at first glance. Nagachika has a very good intuition, so I suppose it's not too much of a problem, but those decisions he makes.. affect how he acts around you, and his actions are quite.. strange when he decides he likes you.. I'm not sure about how he acts around people he dislikes yet.

"I assume his memories lay dormant in his mind, affecting some of his thoughts and actions. Nagachika knew me before he got amnesia, and although our relationship was.. tense, I assume that's why he was so easy to accept me. I doubt he'd accept me if we hadn't known each other before. As I stated earlier, we disliked each other. I believe that was some of Nagachika's intuition acting. He feels familiar with me, so he must've thought I was okay to trust. Why else would Nagachika decide to trust me without memories? That's what I think. Of course, these are just assumptions.

"He also does things without his knowing. When he became a Quinke, his kagune and kakugan would be active, yet he was not aware. He had little control over it at first - it seemed to have a mind of its own. Once he was aware of his kagune, with a little practice, he perfected his control on his kagune. He's practically an expert on it now. And of course, he mutters names without his knowing sometimes. He did that with me, as he did with you, Haise. We think it's towards people he knew, when he remeets them. That's why, if you hear any of the names he mutters, I'd appreciate if you would report them to me. As I said, he may have been a ghoul sympathizer, so he might mutter ghouls' names."

"Huh.. But, if that's the case, Akira, why did you put him in the Q Squad? Why did you make him a Quinke in the first place?"

"We think he has valuable information. Plus, he is a good investigator - as long as we had him on our side. As you know, Nagachika was in a coma after the Anteiku Raid. After months of him not waking up, we decided to make him a Quinke, to see if we could get any information from him. We found out quickly that he remembered nothing. We decided to make use of the situation and put him in the Q Squad. If he remembered anything that made him doubt his loyalty, we'd inquire him about what he knew. If not, he's a reasonable asset. That's what we were thinking when we placed Nagachika in your squad."

"What if he remembers and escapes?"

"I trust you, Haise. And if he manages to get by you and your squad, we'll catch him. He may be elusive, but I'm sure we could find him. He's boisterous and loud, and he's not someone you forget easily. Plus, with his personality, even if he is intelligent, he'd probably stick to his roots. He wouldn't change his name or even his address. That is, the old Nagachika.

"If Nagachika is still like he is now if he recovers his memory, he's still an oddball that you don't easily forget, even if we'll have a harder time finding him.. But I seriously doubt he'll be like he is now if he recovers his memories."

"Huh.. Hide.. used to be boisterous and loud?"

"Annoyingly so," Akira scoffed slightly, "He always had a grin on his face, and I doubt he knew what whispering even was. Even if you only saw him once, I bet you'd remember him."

"Then, why does he have such a hard time expressing himself now?"

"He lost his memories. They say memories make the person. After seeing Nagachika now, I know it must be true. He must have something in his past that made him so energetic."

"Huh.."

"Why is he obsessed with me and Mamman?" Saiko spoke up, seeming to be still unhappy about the earlier proximity to Hide last night and the interruptions of sleep, "He's practically glued to Mamman's side, and if he's not, he wanders over to me! He's weird and creepy."

"..He appears to like you then, I'd say. He was attached just as closely to me before he was able to join the Q Squad."

"Well, I don't like it!" Saiko complained, "I'd rather him dislike me!"

"Mm.. Well, it's better if he likes you, Yonebayashi. A team should connect and work together, so you all should get along." Saiko pouted. "Anyway, Hide should be able to wake up now," Akira stood up and headed for Shirazu and Hide's room, "Speaking of which, I noticed he's in Shirazu's room. Did he request for that?"

"Yes," I followed close behind, "He expressed firmly that he didn't want to sleep alone, and Shirazu was the only one of us that was comfortable sleeping with him."

"Mm. Well, Nagachika is an extroverted snuggler. Did anything else pop out at you?"

"Other than the way he acts around me and Saiko?" I asked, and she nodded. "Well.. no, not really."

"Tell me how you've been interacting."

"Well, he mostly just sticks to my side, and if he's not at my side, he's with Saiko. He hasn't communicated much, and he doesn't show much emotion. He appears to like to play games, as he was able to fair against Saiko - although he surely wouldn't be able to win, even if he did quit."

Akira raised an eyebrow at me, "He quit? Why?"

"Well, as soon as he realizes-"

"That jerk starts playing with me, and then once he notices its my character he's fighting, he gives up and just mopes around!!" Saiko complained angrily, "I'd love for a game buddy, but he just quits!!"

"Ahaha.. M-Maybe you should try those two-player games, not the competition, but those o-"

"I know what games you're talking about, Mamman! I guess I'll try that.."

"Anything else?"

"Um.. Well, he appears to see Saiko as his little sister, I'm not sure why, and he.. acts.. uhhm, how should I put this..? Well, when we were eating dinner last night, he had seemed awfully eager when I asked him to move since he thought I meant for him to move closer, and then when I confirmed that I meant away, he was talking about 'baby steps' and 'waiting' or something. Then when we went to bed.. he got in my bed and was so close that I could feel his breath on my neck.... It was so awkward."

"Ah. I would just ignore it, Haise. It's probably just more of his new way of showing affection. Maybe he wants to get closer to you, wants confirmation from you. You and Yonebayashi aren't currently very fond of him, after all."

I frowned, "... But it's weird.."

"Think of it as him trying to get approval from you. He's trying to become friends with you."

"... I guess...." I frowned further. Akira entered Shirazu's (now also Hide's) room, where Hide was sleeping rather peacefully on the bed. I turned to Shirazu, "Speaking of which, how was your night, excluding being woken up by screaming?"

"At first, we lied back to back, but then he turned and got really, really close.. I wasn't sure if he was still awake or what, but it was awkward," Shirazu replied and then shuddered, "Please don't make me remember. I had to count sheep to go to sleep.."

"Ahaha.."

"I want to change rooms, Sassan."

".."

Seeing as I'm the only one who was able to make him wake up.. maybe that's for the best..

I sighed. "Okay, I guess.. We'll see how he does in my room."

It's not like I sleep well myself..

"Hide, wake up. It's morning," Akira shook Hide's shoulder. His eyes blearily opened up. "By the way, you got a free day today, remember?" Akira referred to all of us, "Make sure you all use it wisely to get used to each other."

"Auh, arigato."

"And I suggest you wake up early as well. Nagachika will go right back to sleep if you wake him from a nightmare, so you have to wake him up before he reaches that point."

"Got it."

"Well then, I guess I'll be going now."

"Oh, okay then."

Akira left, and I looked over at Hide. I sighed.

He'll be sleeping in my room.. huh?

Well, I guess we'll deal with that tonight.. For now, let's just work on the day.

Kyaaaaaa, I love stoic Hide~!!! So cute, so cute~!!!