As Kaneki followed the sentences in the books his father had been reading, he felt like he was having a conversation with his father which calmed him down.

-From the Tokyo ghoul wiki page

She gazed at the contents of the box for what it felt like the 1,000th time.

A while after the raid in anteiku, Banjou gave Touka and Hinami some of Kaneki's old belongings that were left in the building that Kaneki, Banjou, and the rest of the group used as a hide out. Since he didn't know who else might want Kaneki's belongings, he was nice enough to give it to them.

Her violet eyes skimmed over the wear down box and she only saw the usual, books. Even though it was his stuff she never paid mind to it, she really wasn't a fan of books to begin with. She was the polar opposite of him. Touka had a high temper and a feisty personality and he was calm, quiet, and a complete literature nerd before he- she quickly pushed down the thought and carried on to look at the box's content. A sad smile formed on her lips remembering the first time she laid eyes on him. Not in the moment, but now it was a memory she cherished; his innocent olive eyes, soft laughs produced by his gentle voice, and those same peaceful eyes fixed on that book. "I wonder?" she thought out loud and before she knew it her hands shot to the box that contained the aged books, almost if she was desperate to touch them.

Now with her arms around the box she stared down on it and began to look for that book. Why do I even care? "I hate literature anyways" she whispered to herself in a frustrated tone. Flashes of memories told to look for a beige and red cover, but nothing in plain sight resembled what she had in her memory. Maybe Hinami has it? But as stubborn as she was Touka stood up with the box in arm and turned it upside down to let its contents fall on the wooden floor. Apparently it looked like there was a second layer of content underneath the books. On the floor she saw some old shirts, a drawing of what it looked like a one winged butterfly He knew how to draw? and, of course… more books.

First she reached out for the black and white shirt with vertical stripes on its bottom half that laid on the floor. It felt soft at touch, she stretched her arms in front of her with shirt in hands so she can have a better look at it Geez, this is something I would wear, a small laugh escaped her lips, she slowly moved the shirt towards her face to see if she can breathe his scent but she quickly placed it on her bed after realizing how disturbing the thought of doing that would be. Now a flustered Touka began to look for that book she saw him first holding. Again, her eyes skimmed through all the books until one of them finally caught her eye.

She picked it up and sat on her bed with her back against the headboard placing his shirt on her lap if it was a safety blanket. Now she could finally have a good look at the book she almost desperately was trying to find. The Black Goat's Egg "Well isn't that a lovely name" she told herself sarcastically.

It's been 5 hours since she started the book. That book itself had an interesting story but it is not all that great for her. Pretty much the story is about a guy whose mother is a serial killer and the poor boy has to live in disgust over his mother's actions, and over that he is also struggling with his mental state.

Touka didn't know if it was the main character that reminded her of Kaneki or that by reading this she felt almost if he where there beside her, talking to her, that he finally returned to anteiku, returned to her, that he wasn't…gone. Warm tears begin to stream down her face, but no, she wasn't sad but happy in the way. For the first time in over a year she felt a sense of closure and maybe a little hope? She grabbed his shirt to wipe away her tears and then she pressed said shirt on her face so she could breathe his scent. By doing that it reminded her of the day when he carried her in his arms, after saving her from her brother, telling her the promise he failed to keep.

"Don't leave me alone"

"I won't"

I will hold on to that, idiot Kaneki, A smile formed on her lips I have faith in you…

And after that she began to read Kaneki's books just to feel close to him again, to give her the little hope she desperately needed.

One year later

She was in the local public library for the 6th time this month, she placed her delicate hand on one of the many books called the "Monochrome Rainbow" look at that, it's from the same author, I wonder if he has rea- her train of thought got interrupted when she saw a young man sitting on a nearby table reading books with a green haired boy beside him. He looks like him but- the young man was wearing rounded glasses and had white hair but with black roots growing from his scalp no, it can be I'm just being too hopeful, it looked like he felt her staring because his eyes shot up and locked with hers… those olive eyes. "Kane-"almost above a whisper…but soon the her gaze shot down to the floor, no it can't be him…and there she saw it…a suitcase, right beside him. A soft breeze came in from the open windows of the library and that is when it hit her, the most familiar smell, his smell.