A Ghouls Cry | Kaneki Ken

|Chapter 15|

As the doors of the elevator opened on the 30th floor, Sasaki helped Rima out, holding her free hand as she held her little wheely thing that gave her pain medicine through her arm. Shirazu an Mutsuki followed after them.

Happy that their friend was with them again...

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"I won't be able to stay long. Only for a few minutes. Fujioka-san will start to worry if I don't check in soon..." Rima said sadly. She didn't want to leave her friends. She wanted to stay longer. Unconsciously her grip on Sasaki's hand tightened.

Sasaki nodded, squeezing her hand back gently,"Ok. I'll take you back to your floor too. If you get in trouble, I'll explain what happened." Sasaki said.

Rima nodded."Okay. Thank you."She whispered.

Stopping in front of the door, Sasaki looked to Rima to confirm if she was ready. Rima hesitated slightly but nodded anyways. She was a little scared to meet Suzuya again. Would he not like her now that she was a half ghoul now? Would he try to kill her? Does he know that she can't eat human food anymore? Does he-

"RIMA-CHAN! IS THAT REALLY YOU!?" A loud teasing voice broke Rima from her thoughts.

Shocked Rima looked up. It appeared that while Rima was having a inner battle with herself, Sasaki had opened the door and led her inside the small meeting room. Now Rima was face to face with a happy smiling black haired boy who looked a little older then Rima.

"H-huh?!" Rima asked shocked.

The boy looked confused for a second, but quickly brought back a big smile. He threw his arms around Rima's shoulders, picking her up an squeezing her lightly."Aww! Does Rima-chan not remember me? Even after all the time we spent together?!" He fake cried.

After putting her feet back on the ground, Suzuya grabbed Rima's hand and pulled them to his face, rubbing them gently against his cheeks." It me, Suzuya Juuzou... do you remember me?" He asked.

Rima's eyes widened, she gently took a hand and grabbed a lock of Suzuya's black hair."Why did you dye your hair, Juuzou-kun?" Rima asked sadly. She happen to have liked Suzuya's white hair, it reminded her of... Rima shook her head. She shouldn't think about him now...

Suzuya laughed loudly."I wanted to change things up a bit. Don't you like it Rima-chan?" Suzuya asked. His big red eyes looking straight into hers.

Rima smiled gently, nodding." It makes you look different... but yes. I do like it." Rima covered her mouth with her free hand, giggling. Suzuya laughed too, happy that his little sister liked his change of hair color.

Sasaki smiled to himself as he watched Rima reunite with an old friend. Though he felt a slight pang in his heart as he watched how easily Rima became friends with Suzuya again. He didn't know why. They haven't met before the day she woke up.

Suzuya led Rima over to a chair, helping her sit down before sitting next to her. "Are you going to stay an play with me after the meeting!?" Suzuya leaned over the arms of the chairs, snuggling into Rima, rubbing their cheeks together.

Rima blushed at the contact, but expected it from Suzuya. He was always the one for close contact. As Rima went to answer, Sasaki beat her to it. Walking over to stand beside Rima, Sasaki answered Suzuya's question.

"Rima's still on bed rest so she can't stay for too long. I'm sorry Juuzou-san."

Suzuya pouted."Aww. I wanted to play... Oh well! Will I be able to see you again?" Suzuya turned to Rima, who he still had in his arms.

Rima shrugged lightly,"It all up to my doctors... they have the final say so if I can have visitors..." Rima asked quietly.

Suzuya nodded sadly, and unwrapped his arms from around Rima,"Okay... try to stay healthy! I don't want my little imouto-chan* to get sick!" Suzuya said, waving a finger at Rima like a overprotective parent. Rima nodded, agreeing to Suzuya's demand.

Sasaki helped Rima to her feet, keeping a hand on her lower back in case she lost her balance. After saying goodbye to everyone, and promising to see Suzuya again, Rima followed Sasaki out the door and down to the elevator where he pushed the down button.

They waited quietly for the elevator to ding. As they waited Sasaki sneakily took a glance at the young girl beside him. The same girl who plagued his thoughts for the last month or so. A girl who made his heart jump by just even looking in his direction. And lastly... the girl who makes his mind go fuzzy when he thinks about anything remotely related to her.

Sasaki blushed softly as he thought of the feelings and thoughts that Rima makes him have. After not seeing her in so long, everything's coming at him ten-fold. He looked at Rima's hair. It seemed to have gotten longer over the past week. Rima was also holding herself better. She wasn't slouched over at the shoulders, and she held her head higher. He wondered just how much longer till she would get released. It would be another month or so until she would get accepted into the academy. This years class was about to end so their would be no point in her joining it now. At least then he would have some time before she would be gone for who knows how long to train.

Sasaki's eyes flicked to look at Rima's as she stared at the elevator doors still. He hasn't know her before like Juuzou or Akira, but just from that single mental picture of her looking over her shoulder at him in the light blue sun dress... Sasaki was worried if he'd ever get to look in to her once bright marble blue eyes. They looked dull, and out of it now. Like Rima wasn't mentally there, just her body. The only way Sasaki knew she was still with him was from the tight but gentle grip she had on his suit jackets sleeve.

The ding of the elevator doors opening made Sasaki look away from Rima. He gently guided Rima in an stood next to her, clicking the button to her floor. Sasaki watched quietly as the doors shut, leaving him alone with Rima.

Rima stood quietly, thinking next to the man that made her go crazy with all the different thoughts he gave her. Rima thought about how similar Sasaki looked to the male that visited her last night - the hallucination of a dead Kaneki. A boy she didn't even truly know of who he was.

Was it really Sasaki that visited her last night? And left before a nurse found him? It made Rima sigh quietly in frustration. Why did this boy always make her frustrated.

"Is something wrong, Rima-san?"

Rima looked to Sasaki, studying him before answering," I was just thinking about something..."

Sasaki smiled,"Ah, what is it? Sasarious could probably help!" Sasaki poked a thumb to his chest.

Rima looked quietly at the floor. This was her only time to be truly alone with Sasaki. Probably for a long time. Taking a deep breath, Rima stepped forward an hit the button that stopped the elevator.

Jerking at the sudden stop, Sasaki looked at Rima confused."What are you doing?"

Rima turned to Sasaki and looked him straight in the eyes. Walking closer , Rima put a hand on Sasaki's chest, grabbing lightly at the fabric of his black button up.

"I want you to answer some questions truthfully... please..."Rima said quietly. It only made Sasaki even more confused."... they've been flying through my head since that day, and I can't sleep right anymore... so please... Haise-kun... help me..."

Sasaki's eyes widened...

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*imouto-chan ~ Suzuya calls Rima his Imouto - which in Japanese, means little sister, or younger sister. Suzuya often liked to refer to Rima as his imouto, seeing as she was younger then him and he loves Rima in a big brother- little sister way.

Just for anyone who didn't know... :)