Later that day, Hide thought it'd be awesome if the three of us went out for dinner later, since he only dropped in for a short visit and still hasn't un-packed yet. I knew this could be my opportunity to finally understand the reason behind Kaneki's friendship with Hide and maybe Hide and I could be friends as well.

The warm sun was blinding the atmosphere for the first in quite a while and Kaneki and I sat at the table after crafting up our own early breakfast together—Coffee for both of us, while I had those blueberry muffins and a package of a pair of hard boiled eggs Kaneki sometimes uses to practice eating with—I didn't seem to mind it since I was a bit hungry.

I gazed at Kaneki who silently scans his eyes over tiny fonts from a random novel he borrowed the last time he came to the library—His glass mug in one hand, reclining to the back of his chair thoughtfully. I smiled.

"Kaneki, honey?" I wiped the crumbs off my lips with a napkin, and Kaneki hummed, averting his eyes to me.

"Yes, babe?" he muttered under his breath.

"... I don't know... You just look so adorable right now," I muttered to myself. "... And the thought just came to me."

"And what's that?" He takes a small sip of his coffee.

"That I never heard you officially say to me if I could be your girlfriend," I stated, furrowing my brows in a serious matter.

He smiled. "And that upsets you?"

I scoffed. "Uh, yes!"

That's when Kaneki's delicate hair turned white and he immediately stood up from his seat, stepping towards me.

"Kaneki?" I asked as he hauled me up, grabbing my hands within his. "What are you doing—"

"Sh!" he interrupted, bending down upon one knee. "You're ruining the moment."

I rolled my eyes and watched as a wide grin grew upon Kaneki's lips. He continued.

"Y/N, will you be my girlfriend?"

Sighing to myself, I muttered, "Well, it's not romantic than I thought, but at least I got to hear the words from your mouth."

Kaneki stood up before me and kissed my head. "If you wanted romantic, you could've just said so. What do you want from me? Another kiss?"

I grinned. "Yes, and maybe a day-off before the dinner tonight. Just you and me."

"Sure." He slipped back down in his seat. "Oh. We haven't had our 'alone' time, have we? We could do it later today, if you like." He smirked at the end of his sentence creating my heart to race.

"Really?" I blurted where I instantly slapped my big mouth shut.

He brushed his light bangs back and smiled. "If you really want me, sure. I'm always ready."

"Geez," I mocked, slumping back in my seat. "What happened to the innocent darling I once knew?"

He leaned in, smirking. "He'll be back. He's silently nose bleeding in the corner."

"Oh, really?" I snorted. "Says the one who's nose bleeding right at this second."

Kaneki raised an eyebrow and touched under is nose, squeaking to himself discovering red all over his finger. He blushed in embarrassment while I was dying to myself from laughter, plummeting to the floor.

"Hey!" he cried in desperation, wiping his nose with my napkin. "It's not funny!! Stop laughing!!"

"I-I... Can't!!" I breathed. "You're... So cute!!"

Kaneki groaned in irritation. "Y/N, get up. It's dirty on the floor."

"Pish posh!" I sputtered, standing upon my own two feet. "You're like my grandmother! I want my kissable boyfriend back--"

Kaneki immediately grabbed my wrist and swiftly pulled me towards his face—My mouth softly moaning in enjoyment as he nibbled my lips, mouth-to-mouth contact.

He then pulled away, and his lips brushed against mine as he whispered, "Will you shut-up now?"

I kissed his lips back, twirling his silky locks within my fingers. "Mm." I pulled away. "Now I will."

"Hmm..." He gently rubbed noses against mine, pecking me a final time.
"Good."
Kaneki stood away from me, chuckling a few. "By the way, I think it's best if you brush your teeth too, Coffee breath."

I gasped. "Kaneki, you jerk!!"

Before I was to slap the back of his head in annoyance, my phone began to vibrate beside my plate on the table. I glanced at the random number and my eyes widened in curiosity.
I picked up the phone and a ringing hello came from the other line. It was tricky to recognize who was calling until the unknown individual recited their name.

"Y/N! This is Janine! How are you?" She seemed happier than usual. Must've been on a day-off with Ben that morning.

I smiled to myself as I slipped in my chair, again, while Kaneki sipped his coffee across from me in soothing silence.
"Just fine," I answered. "Just how did you get my number?"

"Ben," she stated. "Anyways, I wanted to ask you if you would like to hang out somewhere together tomorrow afternoon. Just us two women. Ben's going somewhere so, I'll be alone."

I smiled to myself. "Sure thing. By the way, I have school tomorrow, so I won't get off until after three. We can meet at Anteiku, if you like."

Janine hesitated at the other end of the line. "Um. Do you think if we met up at my place instead? Floor 4, room 6. I'll be waiting there for you."

"Sure," I said. "I'll be there."

"Awesome!! Thanks, Y/N!" was her last words before I gave her a final farewell and she hanged up.

"Who was that?" questioned Kaneki.

"Janine," I replied. "She was thinking that the two of us women could spend the day together tomorrow afternoon."
I bit my lip. I couldn't understand my feelings at that moment, but, my stomach begins to churn inconsolably. Must've been the food I ate.

"Well, I'll only let you go if it's just you two hanging out, not with that bastard," muttered Kaneki, defensively. "By the way, the next time we see him we're confronting his true identity straight up in his face."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't you worry, Mr. Jelly man. Janine told me Ben will be somewhere so, we'll be alone. And, fine. We will see if Ben'll be around then you can confront him, alright?"

"Alright." Kaneki sighed in defeat, leaning back in his chair. "Anyways, I'm picking you up after-school tomorrow. We're walking to this place together."

"Geez, you're so over-protective," I uttered sarcastically. "I'll be fine."

"Yeah, you say you'll be fine and watch out for ghouls but then you almost get eaten by one. You were lucky I saved your butt back there, you know."

"Hey!!" I stood up from my seat in alarm--My piercing eyes focused on his serious ones. "I already told you, I'll be fine. And you should be glad I'm still alive too, you know!"

"So, your point is...?"

I quickly grabbed my boyfriend by the shoulders in irritation and pinned him down to the floor with my weight, ignoring his constant cries that I was heavy and needed to get off.
I silenced him with a kiss, slowly deepening it further and further that our tongues were dominating each others.

I pulled away and glared into his deep, dark eyes and rosy cheeks. "Without me alive, you wouldn't have received that from anyone, now would you?"

He turned his head and looked away.

"Listen, Kaneki, maybe you should have let me die back there." My voice stern and low. "Who needs me anyway. We humans are just walking food to you. But, you came and saved me. You let me live because there was an urge telling you to, am I right? Why did you save me? Humans shouldn't be as important to you ghouls anyway--"

"Shut your mouth," Kaneki interrupted and his face hardened, offended. "You don't know nothing about me. Just because I became one of them doesn't mean I'll always be one of them. Humans are just as important to me like another ghoul. I didn't save you because I needed to. I saved you because I wanted to. I care about you too much, Y/N. You have no idea."

I gaped at him in disbelief--My mouth slightly parted.
So, that's how he's gonna play...? I thought.

I removed my body off Kaneki and sat up straight, sighing quietly to myself.
"Fine," I said. "If that's how you're gonna be, I get it."

This time Kaneki sighed. "I love you, Y/N. More than I've ever loved a person before. Your flaws, your absent-mindness, even your stupidity. Everything. Inside and out."

I turned away. "I... See."

He sat up and crept his hand towards mine, lacing our fingers together. "Hey, I know you need me. I'm your creator of your stars, am I not?"

I slightly grinned to myself, still withholding any eye contact. "... Sure."

"And, I am a better boyfriend, am I not?"

"... Sure."

He swept back a hair strand from the side of my face and behind my ear. "Look at me."

I stayed hesitant.

"Y/N. Now." His voice immediately increased in fury.

I slowly turned my head towards his and he swiftly leaned in for a small kiss.
He pulled away and whispered, "I know you enjoyed it. You always enjoy my kisses. Don't you dare deny it."

I take a breath in and rest my forehead against his. "So, what if I do? What are you gonna do when I deny it?"

"Then I'm not going to have our 'alone' time with you," he answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Haven't we had it already?" I raised an eyebrow. "I mean, we are together and alone right now. Isn't that what you wanted?"

He rubbed his nose against mine affectionately, again. "What I want would include a dark, locked room and less clothing."

"Kaneki!!" I exclaimed, turning tomato-red. I pulled away from his face. "Don't say things like that out loud!!"

Kaneki chuckled to the floor in response.