I wish I could talk to him. More than that, I wish I could feel him, and see him all the time, and only ever have him look at me.

It's not an obsession.

****

I hear Hide's footsteps behind me grow quicker, and an arm swing around my shoulder. I shiver at the feeling.

"Yo, Kaneki!" He grins, and it's so bright and beautiful it's almost blinding. I gaze at him for a few seconds, just carving his face into my memory yet again. His smile fades a bit, and he tilts his head to the side. It occurs to me I, yet again, forgot to actually respond.

"H-hi..." Is all I manage before turning away from the ray of sunshine. I know I'll never get closer to him this way, but there has to be something else I can do, I know it.

A few nameless faces walk by and swoop him up into their conversation. I get more and more irritated with these people, always seems like they want to steal him away from me. I shake my head and walk into class.

****

I watch my feet step left, right, left, right, getting covered in raindrops. My head is hung low, partially because I was unable to talk to Hide again today, and I also wanted to avoid getting raindrops in my eyes. I know very well that I should've brought an umbrella today, but it's all part of my plan. I can't help but smile a bit when the main part of my plan runs to my side, umbrella in hand, looking quite concerned.

"Kaneki, do you just not own an umbrella? You never seem to have one even though it's been like this all week." He says this in an oddly sympathetic tone.

"I'm just...forgetful, that's all." That's a lie, I rarely forget things. I try to look him in the eye when we talk, but it never seems to work out.

"You're cute." He chuckles, and brings himself a little closer to me, which was only to avoid a puddle. It still sends a shock through my body, just the feeling of being near him...It means so much more than he realizes. And calling me cute? That's not the word people normally use to describe me.

He opens his mouth to speak again, and I almost stop in my tracks at the words that come out.

"Hey, do you want to come over to my house today?"