I peeked an eye open and recognized I was in my bed with last night's clothes on.

It really was a dream, I thought to myself.

I carefully sat up, stretched and yawned before I turned my phone on and realized...

"I'M LATE!!!!"

Hurrying out down the stairs with my hair in a bundle and wearing leggings with a woolly hoodie, I quickly raced to grab my breakfast and lunch kit before stopping to give a quick kiss good-bye to Grandma.

"Bye, Dear." She smiled. "Have a good day."

"I'll try." I slightly grinned in response, rushing to the door.

"Oh, Y/N! Wait!" cried Grandma.

My feet planted in my tracks and I prevented myself from crashing into the door. "What is it, Grandma?"

"Is there something you need to tell me about that handsome boy who dropped-by and left you in your bed, Dear?"

My eyes widened in absolute shock and the memories flooded my mind.

No no no!! I cried to myself. Are you kidding? It was all just a dream! That couldn't have happened, right?

"I... I don't understand what you mean," I lied.

"He had dark hair and somehow knew where you lived as he came over and tucked you in bed."
She suddenly chuckled to herself. "You were asleep the entire time and couldn't seem to get your hands off him."

I immediately flushed bright red picturing Grandma's description of me attached to Kaneki and never letting go.
"Grandma!" I shriek. "He's just-- I mean--"

"It's alright, Dear," she chuckled once again. "I understand he's your new boyfriend and my, what an excellent choice he is too!"

"G-G-G-Grandma!! He's n-not my boyf--"

"Oh, goodness me! Look at the time! You better hurry, Y/N! Don't want to be late for school!!"

I quickly nodded a reply. "R-Right! Bye, Grandma!!" And with that I shut the door behind me and sprinted towards my school.

~***~

By the time I made it inside the classroom, I collapsed in my chair from exhaustion.

"Miss, Y/LN, you're late, again," commented my teacher.

"S-Sorry, Sir!" I apologized as I sat up in my chair of embarrassment. "I promise to be punctual tomorrow!!"

He scoffed. "Now, as I was saying--"

My teacher continued the lesson and I felt a nudge on my left elbow. It was James.

"I heard from Bree there was a ghoul incident you encoutered the other day," he whispered. "You okay?"

"Yeah, still healing though," I whispered back. "Do you know if Bree researched about the one-eyed ghoul?"

"No. You can ask her about it at lunch though--"

"--Quit the chatting back there!" warned my teacher, glaring daggers at James and I.

We apologized in embarrassment.

~***~

"So, you wanted to see if I found anything recent of the one-eyed ghoul, huh?"

"Yes, and please!" I said.

"Payment first," she smirked.

I rolled my eyes and gave her the whole bag of Doritos where she gladly snatched it from my fingers. She could've gotten her own since there are plenty of vending machines in the lunch room. *rolls eyes

"Thank-you!" she smiled.

"Sooo... The evidence?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

*crunch *crunch "--hm? Oh, yeah. I got nothing."

"What?!" I screeched. "Gimmie my Doritos then!" I attempted to grab the bag across the table but, she swiftly hid it in her lap. James rolled his eyes from the situation beside me.

"One, I was only kidding. I'll tell you. And two, no."
She swallowed her food before answering, "Look. The only evidence I've found, which everyone should already know, was the ghoul's recent occurrence in that incident by your Grandma's building."

So, it really wasn't a dream, I thought to myself.

"He ate a human being at the scene?" questioned James, listening to our conversation.

"More like attempted to save the victim," Bree stated.

"Oh my god, seriously?" gasped James. "A ghoul saving a human not eating them. That sure is something else, right Y/N?"

I blinked back to reality, pushing aside my mental thoughts about Kaneki.

"What, sorry? I didn't hear you."

"We're talking about the one-eyed ghoul, Y/N," Bree responded in a duh-tone. "By the way why do you want to know more about him?" A smirk forming upon her face.

Remembering I haven't told my best friends about the one-eyed ghoul, or Kaneki, saving me that night, I hesitated as I came up with somewhat a lie.
"B-Because he's, uh, always the recent ghoul reported on the news and... I happen to like the mystery of who he really is sorta thing!!" I stammered, scratching the back of my neck nervously. "I'm asking you if you heard or found any evidence if I haven't already."

"Hmm... Are you sure?" she chuckled.

Don't tell them the one-eyed ghoul is Kaneki. Don't tell them. I bet she even forgot that I encountered him that night.

"Yeah," I replied, trying to sound confident. "I'm sure."

"In that case," she smiled. "Sorry. That's all I can tell you up to this point. Unless, if there's another breaking report of another ghoul incident. You may want to continue watching the news for the time being but, I'll try to help you as much as I can."

I smiled in appreciation. "Thanks."

"What about me?" wailed James, abruptly. "You didn't bother sending that recent chapter of your story in ages!!"

"I told you I'll give it you soon, 'aight?" snapped Bree. "I still have to make a few changes!"

"By the way, Bree," I interrupted the situation. "You've never shared what your story is actually about."

"Oh! It's about a lovey-dovey long-distance relationship between a girl and a guy where the guy belongs to another world and the girl cannot seem to reach her feelings to him since he can't feel any feelings--"

"It doesn't go like that, Buddy!!" shrieked Bree, pounding her fist against his head. "Yes, it's a long-distance relationship however, it's more of a tragedy. It's supposed to be distressing but this idiot enjoys it like it was a comedy or something." Bree glared at James who sheepishly smiled back.

I laughed out loud. "Well, you better show me the first chapter, Bree. Sounds interesting."

"You can check it out on Wattpad," she smiled. "I already published three chapters plus a prologue already."

"Great!" I exclaimed.

"Well, lookie here," smirked James as he gazes across the room to a table. "Someone must be a transfer."

My head perked towards the direction James was looking at. I gasped.
"Kaneki? What is he doing here?"

I watched him sip his tea by the open window in silence. He seemed to be sitting with Touka and her friend from across the table. A sudden wave of heat washes through my head and where I strangely clenched my fists under the table. Noticing my sudden tense reaction, I crossed my legs and looked away.

"Don't know," replied James as he sat up from his seat. "Why don't we find out."

My eyes widened in horror. "J-James!! What are you do--"

"Yo!! Kaneki!! Hiiiii!!" exclaimed James, waving to an alert eye patched boy. "Remember us from Anteiku?! It's James, Bree, and your girlfriend, Y/N!!" He pointed to me and I screamed, slipping myself under the table in desperation.

I slapped James leg underneath the table and he yowls in ache, clenching his bruise.

"She sure is glad you dropped-by!!" Bree joined in the scene where I heard James squeal.

"Did you mention Y/N?" asked a familiar voice.

Oh sh*t.

"Yep!" exclaimed James. "She's right underneath the table."

I quickly crawled out from my hiding place to escape this embarrassing situation however, Bree picked me up and pushed me towards Kaneki's presence where I fell on top of his chest.

"Oops!" Bree snickered. "My bad!"

I flushed realizing his lips was centimeters away from mine. I pushed myself off him and apologized. He blushed from the sudden situation but, managed to laugh it off.

"Aw, it's like they were made for each other," sighed James and Bree happily.

"Shut-up!!" I screamed.

I'm still considering why I have those two as my best friends or friends in general.

"Y/N."

I turned towards Kaneki's voice withholding eye contact.

"Can we talk?"

I hesitated when James and Bree gave me two thumbs-up.

"S-Sure."

I followed Kaneki, ditching my best friends behind at our table who quietly fangirls in the background.

~***~

Kaneki and I found a quiet place under the stairs where no one could see us nor walk by through the hallways.
I took a seat on the floor and avoided eye contact as I kept my distance away from his warm presence.

"Y/N," he started, awkwardly. "About yesterday... I... I'm really sorry you had to see me like that. I'm not supposed to share that with anyone, y'know."

I mumbled something under my breath.

"What?"

"I said, why couldn't you have told me from the start?"

He paused. "I couldn't tell you anything because... I didn't want to see you afraid of me. I didn't want to lose you..."

My eyes widened. All along, I thought I was the only one who had deep feelings in our friendship but, I never even had one hint where Kaneki also had deep feelings as well. My only instincts at that moment was,

Oh god. So, does that mean Kaneki likes me? No, I shouldn't make assumptions that quickly. He only said he didn't want to lose me. That means like a friend, right?

"Y/N..." Kaneki muttered.

He's continuing! What is he going to say? What?! Just tell me, Kaneki!! Tell me that you love me!

"I really think that... um..."

No! The heat's rising to my face, again. Dammit! Okay okay! Calm down. He's totally not gonna say---

"That maybe we should hang out more even if I know we're in different schools. I only came to drop-off something for Touka-chan that she forgot at Anteiku today but, I would really appreciate if we're, um, together like last night."

At that moment, I could hear my heartbeats thumping clearly through my ears. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to feel. I was speechless.

"...K-Kaneki... I--"

He grabbed my hand and held me tight.
"I understand you're busy," he said. "It was only a suggestion."

"No!" I defended. "It's not that I was busy! I mean, sure I have work and school to deal with but..."

"But, what?"

I sighed and touched the corner of his eyepatch. "If we do hang out, you won't be needing this anymore," I said, giving him my best smile.

"You're not afraid of me, are you?" he asked, suddenly.

I hesitated. "If you can trust me, then I can promise you I'll never be afraid--"

"--There you are," breathed a familiar voice.

Kaneki and I separated from each other's space, the heat rushing upon our faces when we found Touka peeking from behind the staircase.
I could perceive a smirk when she watched us flush in embarrassment.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt your romantic conversation," she teased. "Couples these days."

"W-We're not dating, Touka!!" Kaneki and I exclaimed in unison.

Touka laughed. "You two are just too cute. Kaneki, I receive a phone call from Anteiku. You better call in. It was something urgent."

Kaneki's eyes widened. "Sure, Touka-chan. I guess I'll see you around. Later, Y/N."

"Bye...!" I muttered, already missing the sight of the eye patched boy.

I stood up and before I were to leave Touka by herself, she abruptly spoke up.
"So, you found out, didn't you?" Her voice strangely low.

I flinched and glanced at her face. Monotone.

Crap.

"Uhh... Yeah, I did," I responded. Until it hit me, and I blushed. "Was our conversation really that loud?"

Touka leaned her side against the stairwell. "Seems that way."

That's when it hit me. "Hold on. You already knew Kaneki's--"

"--A ghoul?" she interrupted. "Don't make me laugh. It's obvious that he ignores all human foods as possible. That poor idiot's gonna starve himself to death and I'll tell you it's not the best feeling." She shook her head by at the end of her sentence and I furrowed my brows suspiciously.

"How do know about that feeling, Touka?" I asked. "About a ghoul's hunger?"

Her eyes enlarged in alarm and I took that as a hint; she was hiding something from me.

"Oh! Well... I've been researching about many ghouls a-and I know what it's like to starve yourself since I've experienced not eating enough hu-- I mean food for a long period of time before!" she grinned at the end of her sentence and slowly backs away from me as if to quickly escape the situation.

I played along and replied, "Ohhhh, I see... Sorry, I didn't mean to ask you so suddenly."

"That's fine!" Her grin widened. "Oh, I bet the lunch bell's gonna ring any minute now. I gotta go. See yah, Y/N!" And with that she flees away into the vacant hallway from plain sight.

I know you're hiding something Touka, I smiled to myself. And don't worry your secret's safe with me.

~***~

Lmao. This was more of a fun chapter that I wrote. I still love the shipping Grandma though. :D

There's still more to come so plz stay tuned! I hope you enjoyed!!

ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=┌(￣◇￣)┘.｡.:*☆

Jazzy-B_085