King of Tokyo

Chapter 13

"Despite knowing we will one day be bereft, despite knowing we will one day disappear, we still strive in wretched ways. We still wish to be beautiful"
-Ken Kaneki

They all knew this day would come deep down, they all did but they kept lying to themselves so that they could have a few moments in peace even when the rest of the city was in a never-ending war what they achieved was quite beautiful.

It all happened a few weeks after ken returned to Anteiku, to his family and the coming few weeks passed in harmony and love but it couldn't last, could it ?...

Ofcourse not, fate has its own ways and death too. A white haired man with a red iron mask standing on a roof and beside him was a girl who was reminiscent of a child covered in bandages and a purple cloak with strands of green hair poking out. "Your father will die if we continue" The white haired man said in a monotonous way, "Oh well, I'm giving him a chance to die fighting chivalrously. It will be quite a shame if the second owl died of old age" she said while giving childish laugh

Later that night a famous book writer met an investigator and told him of the rumour of a coffee shop run by ghouls whose leader is the one-eyed owl.

*the next day*

Two investigators have been spotted wandering the streets of the 20th ward seemingly searching for something or someone. One of them is exceptionally tall with black hair and the other is a blonde woman who looks quite short when placed next to the man, they have a strong aura coming from them as they are on a revenge mission in this ward, the ghouls of this ward have taken much from them, the rabbit and the daughter ghoul killed the tall one's senior partner who was also the other's father. They won't let them go this time

They enter the quite cafe with a chime of the bell which is on the door, it was ken and touka's shift and they were left wide-eyed because they had history with one of them, the tall one touka and kaneki had fought him before aogiri came into the picture. They are trembling to their core, 'why is he here ?' they both think looking at each other hoping that he is here just for some coffee they try their best to look calm and go to them.

"Welcome, how can I help you two ?", Kaneki says while touka is at the counter ready to make whatever they say but they aren't here to order,"Can I meet your manager ?, It's important", the tall investigator says and kaneki's heart stopped for a second while touka's eyes flew wide open. Kaneki led them to the manager's office and they went inside

Ken came down to touka and both of them were very nervous and outright terrified,
"What's happening ken ?", Touka asked visibly worried, "I don't know Touka but I'm really worried"
She hugged him tightly and hid her face in his shoulder, "Are we going to lose each other ?" She asked almost crying
"No I'm here and I will stay with you, I won't leave you alone" ken said caressing her hair which got her to calm down after a few minutes they saw the investigators come down the stairs and head straight out of the main door without saying a thing.

*later that evening*

The manager has called a meeting for all the workers of anteiku, everyone was there Koma, Irimi, Nishiki, Kaneki, touka, Roma, Ayato, Hinami, Rio, Banjou, Jiro, Ichimi, Sante, Yomo and ofcourse the manager. Everyone knew it was serious because there was deafening silence in the room and they were very nervous as to what the news was, which was finally revealed by the manager himself, "I'm very sorrowful to tell you this but it needs to be done, our cafe has been discovered by the CCG and they will begin the extermination operation tonight, only a few hours from now" what hopes everyone had in these past few days were crushed by this news and a grim aura spread around the room "I must request you all to lay down for the next few months so that you are safe-" the manager was interrupted by ken
"I told you didn't I, that they are nothing but FUCKING snitches but nobody cared. I shouldn't have come back, I messed everything up" he said regretting his decision to come back, "We all know that it is not related to you in any way Kaneki-kun so please don't take responsibility of something that's out of our hands" the manager explained, kaneki was about say something but he felt a sting on his cheek and fell down from his chair, then he realised touka had slapped him.

He looked at her, she was angry with tears falling down her cheek, "D-didn't he just say that it's not you fault you idiot, do you hate staying with me this much ?" Touka said while choking on a sob
"No I- I'm sorry it's just unfair, this world first letting me meet someone who I consider my family just to take them away from me" Ken said as he began sobbing silently covering his face with his hands, touka came over to him and hugged him, "I Know Ken, I know"
Hinami was crying too and ayato was trying to hold in his own tears while trying to comfort her

After a few minutes everyone accepted the situation, they wanted to get out safely.
"We should leave now and head to the 24th ward just to be safe" touka said
"Yes, now you must take your leave"
"'You' ?, You're not leaving ?" Touka asked
"No I, Koma and Irimi will stay here and repent"
"What are you talking about ?, All of us will run or All of us will stay" Kaneki said with determination
"Yeah he's right" touka and ayato said supporting him
"Are you three ready to sacrifice your lives because kaneki you will never be able to see touka, touka same goes for you and ayato you will never see hinami. Are you sure you want to destroy your lives as well as each other's ?" Irimi explained to them and after that they were not so sure
"Please try to understand we want the best for you, you are like our own children so please co-operate" Koma said trying to make them listen

At last they all agreed and left, they divided into two groups and headed to different locations, in one group was Yomo, ken, touka, ayato and hinami, in the other banjou, Rio, Ichimi, Jiro, Sante and Nishiki, promising to meet each other in the future
"I'm gonna miss you man" Rio said hugging ayato
"Me too bro but we'll meet in the future right"
"Yeah"
And with that they left maybe never to see each other again after their goodbyes

The manager was sitting with Koma and Irimi drinking coffee the sun had fully set and now only darkness could be seen out the window, after a few minutes the sirens of the CCG vans could be heard.