It was a gloomy, rainy mid-afternoon when I was finishing the clean-up of piles of teen fiction paperbacks onto the shelves. I work as an employee in a library not too far from Grandma's apartment and school.

Considering I've only been working for a few weeks here, it wasn't too long for me to make at least two close friends during my curfew.

I reached for the top shelf only to find myself on my tippy-toes.

"Need some help?" a voice came from behind.

I turned around only to find him.

James Tashiyama. Only the tallest, awesome-est, and gayish guy I know. My best friend at work and school, including our intelligent bookworm, Bree Meiko (who works in the non-fiction department).

"Does it look like I need any help?" I asked in a sarcastic tone and he snatches the book from my fingers, carefully placing the book in its proper place.

"I don't get it," I said, placing another book into its correct spot.

"Get what?" he asked.

"How are you finished your side when I haven't even started mine!"

"Umm. Probably because you were lost in those mangas, again," he replied, rolling his eyes.

I turned away in annoyance. "They're good though..." I pouted.

"Oh my God, Y/N. You need to be on top of your game," he said, piling a stack of fiction hardcovers onto a cart with pile of books I was supposed to store away. "Don't you have a like schedule or somethin'?"

"No," I flatly responded. "because I don't need one. I can remember everything, James! Don't worry about me." I reached for my galaxy themed water bottle and took a sip.

"Pft, I'm not worrying," he stated, combing his russet brown bangs back. "Anyways, Y/N, did you remember to text Bree if I could have that copy of the chapter she wrote last Tuesday?"

I spit-take all over James and then exclaimed, "Crap! I forgot!"

James wiped the spit from his face. "Gross, Y/N!! Thanks a lot!" he cried, grabbing a tissue from his pocket.

I couldn't help but laugh.

~***~

We spent the rest of the afternoon organizing the books from our cart in their rightful places.
It wasn't until we were finally finished, and the library was closed for the day.
James and I met up with Bree and we decided we visit our favourite cafe, Anteiku.

We casually walked in, being greeted by Touka Kirishima as always, and sat down at one of the tables near the T.V.

"Another ghoul incident, huh?" Bree said, overlooking the news upon the T.V screen. "Two eaten at the scene."

"Yeah. Somewhere close to the 21st ward," James said, watching the news with her.

Another one, huh? I thought to myself. I wouldn't imagine when it would be my turn where I encounter a ghoul.

I've been protected for Y/A years, and I promised myself for Mom when Dad died I'll always watch my back for them.

Those nasty ghouls.

Bree has been studying ghouls for quite a while ever since she began working in the library, using some of the books as sources. She's always been able to explain James and me about the ghouls, their kagunes and their special skills they each possess. I always thought she was the interesting one.

"Geez, if I were to be eating up by a ghoul, it better be by a cute dude," commented James, stretching his arms. "Where's our waitress? Can we order—"

Before James were to finish his sentence, a tall, dark-haired guy (much shorter than James) wearing the Anteiku uniform and an eyepatch over his left eye approached us, pen and paper in hand.

"I'm sorry," he apologized to James. "What would you like?"

A sudden smirk played across James lips and he leaned forwards in his chair. "Ooh. Anteiku just hired a new one, huh?" he cooed. "Tell me, pretty boy, what's your name?"

The guy's eyes widened. "K-Kaneki. Kaneki Ken."

"Heh heh. Kaneki. Has a nice ring to it. You don't mind if I ask if you're into guys—"

"That's enough, James!" interrupted Bree, smacking her hand over his mouth for silence. "From my observations, he doesn't seem to be interested into guys, and especially not a guy like you!"

"But, I was just asking!" whined James as he shoved Bree's hand away. "He certainly won't be falling for you too!"

"Like I give a crap!"

"Behh!"

"Behh!"

From the looks of Kaneki, I could tell he felt uncomfortable. I slammed my fists on the table hard silencing my friends' bickering nonsense and the conversations of other people around me.

I turned towards Kaneki who flinched and said, "Can I get one cappuccino with extra sugar and two plain coffees, please?"

"Uhh... Y-Yeah," he stammered, writing my requests down. "Sure."

Quickly he escaped behind the bar and I turned towards my friends in annoyance and embarrassment. They each received two mean slaps after that commotion.

A few minutes later, our drinks arrive by Kaneki.

I thanked him with a bright smile. He smiled back.

We both made eye contact before I realized I was staring at him for too long. I turned away, my heartbeats quickening, and Kaneki walked away.

James and Bree continued discussing of the recent ghoul incident on T.V while I side-glanced Kaneki blushing and talking to himself from behind the bar as he prepared another order.

He really is adorable, I grinned to myself.

~***~

It soon became sun down and we decided it was time we hit the road.

I usually walked with James and Bree all the way to the apartment however, I forgot to pick up Grandma's package from the post office.

I just hope it's open, I thought to myself. And that I won't encounter any ghouls tonight.

Making sure I had my pocket knife in my back pocket, I cautiously trod towards the post-office, picked up Grandma's tiny package and hid it in my F/C drawstring bag I brought along to work.

A sudden breeze flew past my H/L, H/C hair so, I wrapped my F/C jacket closer to myself.

I continued pacing forwards, down the road and further up to the street close to Grandma's apartment. It was already dark so, I couldn't really see that well when I made it through some of the neighbourhoods.

*CRASH!!

I jumped from the sudden noise of a trash can falling around the corner. I quickly took cover and whipped out my pocket knife, holding it behind me.

My heart racing, my breaths hefty. I anxiously waited for what was coming.

*meow.

A stray cat walks forwards, licking her tiny paw.

I sighed in relief and continued my pace without realizing the mysterious figure emerging from the shadows.

They grabbed me towards the way the cat came from (behind the cornered wall) and into a dead end.

Screaming at the top of my lungs, I attempted to slice the hand covering my mouth only for that person to react in ache and release their grasps.

I then made a break for it, only to be captured, again.

It was a ghoul, using his kagune to grab ahold of my body, squeezing me tight before throwing my body against the concrete wall. I felt my bone crack that time.

"Heh heh. Tasty human," I heard him whisper. His red eyes sheening through the darkness. "I must devour her flesh."

"No...!" I pleaded, trying to sit up. "Please, let me go."

"I don't think so..." he cooed where he insanely bit into my right shoulder, tearing my skin apart.

I screamed, and the tears began falling down my cheeks. The pain was horrendous as the deep red colour of my blood soaked through my jacket.

The pain overthrew me and before I knew it, my own screaming toned down because his mouth wasn't there anymore.

He was knocked out.

*gasp. *pant.

I slowly turned my head around to see another figure only to be revealed as a guy with creamy white hair, one eye red, and wearing a black, skull mask that covered majority of his face.

Another ghoul.

I held my throbbing shoulder where my hand was covered with heaps of blood.

Is this it? I thought to myself. Is this how I'll die, just like Dad?

The ghoul walked closer towards me making me weep much more. I didn't want to see myself eaten so I closed my eyes tight, praying hard for someone to rescue me from this unnerving insight. I was too much in pain to even stand and run away.

I was stuck.

He came closer, kneeling before me.

I whimpered feeling his fingers brush over my bloody shoulder.

"Hurry up and devour me, goddammit!!" I yelled at his face and he paused.

That's when I heard a slight tearing and a warm cloth against my wound. The ghoul was bandaging me.

I peered my eyes open to find his one red eye transformed into a normal human's eye.

Those dark, calming orbs, I thought. Why is it do I feel as if I've seen those befo—

The ghoul stood up, lending me a hand. I hesitated, thinking otherwise and froze, gazing up at his masked face.

He sighed and withdrew his hand.

Before I was to give him my thanks, he immediately turned around and flew up onto the roof of a nearby house, fleeing away.

I watched him in awestruck.

~***~

I immediately called Bree to pick me up in her car, since her house was much closer to Grandma's apartment than James.

She rushed me to the hospital with Grandma letting know that we were going to the supermarket to get something. I couldn't afford another heart attack from Grandma, again, so I didn't tell her about the ghoul incident.

"How does it feel?" Bree asked, once I finally in a proper bandage and most of the blood was cleaned up.

I laid back in my seat and then muttered, "Fine. Though it still hurts when I move it."

"I thought you said you were careful," added Bree. "and that you promised you watch out for ghouls during the night."

I sighed. "I did. Really, I did. I assumed it was only a cat and he grabbed me and... this happened," I said, gesturing to my wounded shoulder. "And then another ghoul came--"

"Another ghoul appeared?!" she exclaimed. "You said only one ate you."

"Yeah, but..."

That's when Bree raised an eyebrow and studied me for a good few seconds.

"What?" I said.

She smirked. "You met a boy!"

I flushed and turned away. "N-No! I didn't! Well, the other ghoul was a guy, but that doesn't mean I like him or anything! I don't even know who the hell he is!!"

"Do you remember what he looked like?"

"He had white hair and his masked was like a skull's face, covering one of his eye--"

"The one-eyed ghoul," whispered Bree. "The one who possess the same kagune as Rize Kamishiro."

"Rize?" I asked. "Isn't she already dead?"

"Yeah, but I've been studying the recent ghouls before and one of the sites suggested the one-eyed ghoul. Too bad there wasn't any close-ups of his face."

"Why one eye?"

"From my observations, I believe it's because of his mask though, I don't have any actual evidence why."

That's when the doctor burst through the door, placing a folder of papers on the desk.

"Well, Miss Y/LN, your wound may be healed in a few weeks if you continually use the antibiotics. Other than that, keep it clean and healthy and you're good to go."

"Thanks so much, Doc," I said, standing up with Bree and heading towards the door. "Good-bye!"

We left the hospital and Bree drove me to Grandma's place.