Kaneki seeks help

The sun had already set, and the small street in Tokyo's 20th ward that Kaneki found himself in was steeped in shadows. He watched as customers left and entered the cafe he was hiding behind. As the flow of customers came to a stop, he checked the phone in his pocket for the time. Anteiku closed soon.

Minutes later, Kaneki heard a door open and footsteps colliding with the street. He glanced in the direction of the noise.

There she was, still in her uniform Anteiku. Kaneki lowered his head so that the hood of his jacket completely obscured his face and starting walking towards her. He stopped in front of her and saw the way her legs tensed, as if she was preparing for him to pick a fight.

"Sorry, the cafe's closed," she spoke gently to him. Kaneki raised his head, and she caught a glimpse of his face, and the single black eye that was now constantly present due to his hunger. "Oh . . . you."

Kaneki dropped to his knees, raising his head to look at her. He couldn't stop the tears rolling down his cheeks as he begged her.

"P-please. Help me. I beg of you!" Kaneki's was dripped with desperation. "No one can help me but you. Ever since I've got this body, everything has been a nightmare . . ." Kaneki paused, waiting to see if she would respond. When she didn't, he pleased again. "Please . . . help me."

Kaneki wasn't sure what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't the curt "No" he received. His face dropped as he stared up at her face, still on his knees.

"Based on your eyes, and what you've said so far, you used to be a human, and now, you're a ghoul? Hmph." Kaneki could see her mouth clench before she began speaking again. "Tell me, what does cake taste like. It's so disgusting it makes me want to vomit, but humans seem to eat it like its the best thing in the world, right?"

Tears continued to drip down Kaneki's face as he listened to her rant.

"How was it living your life not constantly being hunted by anyone? Never having to live in fear of the ghoul investigation department or other violent ghouls? So? Tell me!" she paused for a second after screaming at him.

"Everything's a nightmare? Don't make me laugh." Her eyes glared at him, as if to blame him for the fear she had lived. "For me, it's been a nightmare since I was born." Kaneki's lowered his head, feeling suitably chastened.

"Who could help you, idiot?" She questioned. "You should go off and die on your own." She wasn't screaming at him anymore. But resentfulness still filled her voice.

"Touka," a gruff but kind voice called out to her. "That's enough for now." Kaneki raised his head to see an old man standing behind the waiter. The man's face was lined with wrinkles and a small smile rested on his lips as his gentle eyes came to rest on Kaneki.

"Boss . . . " Touka began before she was interrupted.

"It must've been hard." The man's tender voice was a pleasant change to Touka's sad, resentful tone from earlier. "Please, come in." The old man opened the door to the cafe and gestured for Kaneki to enter.

"Boss, why are you — this guy used to be a human!" The anger in Touka's voice clearly reveal how she felt about her boss' actions.

The old man didn't even turn to look at her as he spoke. "He looks like a ghoul to me, Touka." His voice was even softer than before. "Giving aid to our fellow ghouls is our policy, isn't it Touka?" He didn't wait for a response before he walked through the door, and into the cafe.

Touka sent one last glare in Kaneki's direction before she followed him. Kaneki stood from his kneeling position and quickly followed them.

As he walked into the shop, the familiar scent of coffee wafted into his noise. Being a customer of the cafe for so long, it was a familiar scent, and one that brought him some comfort as he followed two strangers into the back of the cafe, and into the world of ghouls.