"Injection #157, doesn't work," I scribbled into my notebook when I got home. I sighed, leaning against my bed.

Am I ever going to find another way..?

I can't face Kaneki until I do.. unless something's happening that needs desperate attention - an emergency.

I'm currently working on four alternatives- injections, pills, substitutes, and cures.

So far, I've only found one that works, and that.. is something that.. Well, it won't work for everyone. Honestly, I'm still surprised that I even tried that..

I'm pretty sure the pill I'd taken that night had an effect not unlike a drug- something that makes your brain not work.

Because I don't think I'd do that in my right mind..

I stretched and grabbed my phone, scanning through it.

No new texts. No new information to grab.

I typed to a number I knew by heart.

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

I had to move around a lot. I didn't stay too long in a single ward. I simply rented out a place for a week or so and left.

That way, people would have a harder time tracking me down.

It's a little hard to move with all the sh*t I have, but I manage.

I usually have to get rid of excess ingredients though.. That's why I try not to gather more than a week's worth at a time. If I find material I can use, and I don't use it by the time I start moving, I usually just sell it or whatever.

I only fed on suicide victims. I may have an alternative, but.. like I said, that's.. not preferred at the moment..

I'm moving tomorrow. I'm getting my stuff packed and ready to leave. Uta-san tells me he's going to send Kaneki's mask over soon.

First real contact with him in a while.. 'Makes my cheeks heat up.

Since he doesn't remember me, it makes it kind of embarrassing..

Especially because I'm giving him such a mysterious present.. -_-'

I.. wish it was two-sided contact..

But he has amnesia.

Besides.. it'd be dangerous. Further, I need to finish a full alternative before I face him again.

Haise Sasaki, huh..? Well, the name was marked long ago, so no changing that. I guess I'll have to address the box to him though.. Otherwise, his roommates might get it instead.. 'Wouldn't want that.

I threw my bag over my shoulder and headed out towards Uta-san's.

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

There were short bursts of slight peace through the Wards. One week, Ward 20 would be peaceful for a week; the next, Ward 13 would calm down slightly.

No one suspected anything. It was just a short week, after all, and such a slight decrease of ghoul activity. How would anyone notice?

Well, unless one was actually focusing on the stats.

Haise read the documents over and over again from behind his glasses.

The Q Squad weren't assigned another case just yet, and Haise was slightly bored. He felt antsy, though, so he decided to just look through files as his heart desired.

It didn't feel right to read a bunch of books while they're being assigned a new case, after all. He needed to help somehow.

That's why he was here, looking over ghoul activity. The stats he was looking at showed a Ward's ghoul activity by months. On the x axis was the months, and on the y axis was the number of attacks. They were color-coded to show specific ghouls. Each graph had an 'Other' category for ghouls that were not well known or not as much of a problem. It also had an 'Aogiri' category. Otherwise, it was just specific ghouls that are troublesome in that Ward.

But there was something odd. Some of the ghouls just suddenly stopped activity. The most reasonable explanation was that they died. But this many? Was some unknown person killing off troublesome ghouls left and right?

Ghoul activity was decreasing.

There were about three Wards that spiked downwards each month. That decrease affected the Ward for a while, of course, but the activity slowly rose back up.

Haise propped his cheek on his palm.

Why is ghoul activity suddenly decreasing..?

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

The next day, Haise went to Akira with his revelation.

"Akira! I'm glad I caught you." Akira had an eyebrow raised, showing she was interested in why Haise was meaning to see her. "Um, last night I was looking over the stats of ghoul activity, and I noticed something."

"Yes?"

"There seems to be someone killing off ghouls. Either that, or random ghouls are suddenly lying low out of nowhere, never to be seen from again.." Haise creased his brow in confusion. "Each month, there's about three Wards that decrease in ghoul activity. It's a common occurrence."

"... Haise, couldn't that just be a coincidence?"

"I'm sure it's not! This is too.. calculated to be just a coincidence! Practically the same thing happens every month, only in different wards! Specific troublesome ghouls stop activity, and low-rated ghouls also decrease in activity. This can't be a coincidence, Akira!!"

"... I'll look into it. But for the meantime, Haise, you've been assigned a new case."

"Oh?"

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

{Note: Ignore the :re timeline for a moment, okaaaaay?}

Scratch, scratch..

Of course the Q Squad wasn't doing great on its newest case.. of course..

But, what can Haise do?

He has enough trouble just trying to keep them together- he can't focus on their case..!

Haise sighed. He lazily looked over at The Hanged Man. It'd come the day that they'd been assigned this case, along with a mask. He was looking forward to reading it, but he hadn't found the time yet.

Still.. what a mysterious present.. That guy at the shop the mask had come from, he said the mask was supposed to go to a regular of his.. but Haise is pretty sure he's not that regular. Plus, the book had the name 'Kaneki Ken' on the first page.. Surely it wasn't supposed to be his, right? Perhaps it was a mistake? Sure, the box had his name on it, but.. the contents.. don't seem to be for Haise..

Regardless, the Qs had gotten masks at HySy, and the owner had assured Haise that the person who was supposed to receive that mask was strange – that he just might've sent this stuff in that box. That he MEANT to give it to Haise.

But, why?

Who?

So many questions filled Haise's mind concerning the box he'd gotten, but he could answer none.

Haise sighed. He returned to his work.

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

Sip..

Flip.

"Is it good?"

Haise almost jumped out of his seat. He looked over his book to see a man smiling at him. The man had taken the leisure to sit in the seat across from Haise.

"...Yes.." Haise replied awkwardly. He glanced around the coffee shop.

There was plenty of room. Plenty of empty tables. There is absolutely no reason this stranger needed to sit here..

"That's good. I didn't expect you to be here, really," the man babbled, "I'm sorry if I made it awkward by deciding to sit here. I probably should've just stayed away, but seeing you read that book, I was really curious if you liked it and-" The man's eyes wandered back to Haise, and Haise must've been giving him a really strange look, because the man immediately stood up. "Sorry, I'm bothering you, aren't I? I'll leave. Enjoy your coffee, Haise Sasaki!" the man waved, leaving. Haise watched with a strange expression.

...How did that man.. know his name..?

Haise sipped from his coffee, staring at the book.

Was that stranger wondering if he should read this book? But.. how did he know – WHY did he know – Haise's name then?

Haise sighed.    

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

Haise and Tooru had finally caught up with Urie and Shirazu, but what they saw was not what they were expecting.

"Oh, more visitors," a person twirled a quinque knife in their hand. Thing was, they had a mask, and at their feet was the ghoul the Q Squad had been assigned. "Hi, Sasaki!" Haise stared at the man strangely. The man dropped low, feeling the ghoul's neck. He hopped back up. "Another utter failure.." the man mumbled under his breath before referring to the Q Squad again, "Sorry, was this guy yours? You can take the credit if you want, I don't care," the man shrugged, "It seems I haven't yet found a solution. That's all I care about, so. Bye-bye!" the man waved.

"Wait!!"

"..What is it, Haise?"

Haise gripped his quinque.

Haise has never seen this ghoul. Never even heard of him. His mask is a sunflower.. His hair resembles a sunflower as well. He's wearing pretty bright/noticeable clothes- a black and yellow jacket and green pants. He had orange headphones around his neck.

"I don't know who you are, but you're a ghoul, right?"

"..." The man cocked his head.

Haise wants to capture this ghoul if he can.. Why does he know Haise's name?

Haise gulped and charged. Everything went black.

"SASAKI!!"

"MAMMAN!!"

"SASSAN!!"