Inspired by a post on Tumblr.

Kaneki waited.

Because it was an extraordinarily rare occasion that someone as beautiful as Kamishiro Rize wanted to go out with him. As soon as she had made the offer, he accepted it instantaneously.

So, he waited.

Because as naive as he was, he believed in her sweet, honeyed words. Not knowing her real intention behind them.

He waited.

A cup of black coffee in his hand, slowly getting colder and colder as seconds passed.

It was clear that luck was not on his side today as seconds turned to minutes, and minutes turned to hours. But yet, he was still waiting for her.

Some customers started to give him an apologetic look, while some other customers gave him a sinister one. Murmurs and whispers scattered around the shop, accompanied by a small sound of laughter. None of these people made Kaneki feel better, at all.

In fact, they made him feel worse and worse.

Like a loser.

He bit his lip, eyes lowered, gazing at the steam rising from the hot liquid in front of him. His grip on the cup tightened.

"Are you sure you don't want to order your food now?" A brunette with glasses asked him. There was a tone of empathy and a slight annoyance in his voice.

"I'm– I'm still waiting for someone to arrive."

"Okay. Whatever."

The waiter left.

And Kaneki still waited.

Even if it had been more than two hours.

He waited.

Touka observed.

When the boy entered the shop, he was beaming from ear to ear. The look on his face - so bright and full of anticipation.

He waited eagerly, ordering a cup of black coffee. He sipped, and sipped, until he didn't realise that it was finished. He ordered the second cup but didn't even touch it as he waited.

As minutes passed, she could see that he started to grow restless.

His legs were shaking frantically as he waited.

Every time the doorbell chimed, he would look up.

Every time he looked up, there was a flash of disappointment crossed his face.

Eventually, the excitement died down.

He was starting to get worried.

He found himself constantly checking his phone.

Waiting for something – a text, or a call – anything.

But there was nothing.

No sign of his date. Or any response.

But still – as stupid as it sounded – he waited.

Touka sighed.

There had to be a limit on how long a girl should make a guy wait for her.

This? This was too long.

She went to the break room, changed into her normal outfit and wore the pink wig that she used when she was hunting doves so that the customers would not recognise her.

"Where are you going?" Irimi asked.

"I'm going to save that boy from embarrassment. His date is a bitch." A brow raised in surprise, she clearly did not expect that answer from the young girl.

"Hold on. You're going to wear that?"

She looked down at her own clothing. A purple tank top with a denim jacket and black shorts, accompanied by long boots.

"What about it?"

"You need to look more feminine. Where's your maroon shirt? And your white skirt? You wore them on Yomo's birthday party last month."

"They're… upstairs. But–"

"No buts. Wait here, I'll take them for you." The older female started to walk but paused at the door, "Don't you dare disappear when I come down!"

Touka rolled her eyes, then sighed.

At some point, Kaneki stopped looking up anymore whenever he heard the chime of the doorbell. Moreover, each time he looked up, he could see eyes – staring at him. They made him grow more restless.

He felt even more pathetic.

She didn't reply him. She didn't answer his calls.

Two hours was too much, wasn't it?

Maybe he shouldn't get his hopes too high.

Maybe he should've realised that she was just fooling around with him.

Ah, he truly was an idiot.

Why would a beautiful girl like Kamishiro Rize want to date an average-looking guy like him?

Hide was right, maybe someone cute like the young waitress here suits him better.

Or… maybe not. She was too cute, anyway.

Him?

Just a pathetic loser who would never get a girlfriend–

The sound of the door slammed open so loudly startled him from his thoughts and made him look up.

A girl – a pink-haired girl approached him in a rush – making sure everyone was aware of her grand entrance.

He was even more surprised when she sat across him.

"Sorry, honey! The traffic was really bad." She said loudly, as if letting everyone know.

Casually, she dropped her sling bag and leaned in, whispering.

"I'm Touka. Just go with it, yeah?"

Kaneki couldn't seem to blink his eyes at all.

What just happened? Why would a kind girl like her save him from embarrassment?

The customers quiet down, minding their own business after that. Some had a relief expression on their face. Some smiled because they look so cute together.

"Why-"

"Whoever didn't bother to show up is a bitch."

Hearing that, he chuckled. She was right.

He couldn't help but take in her appearance. She looked awfully familiar, but he couldn't recognise where had he seen her before.

"You are?"

"I'm sorry?"

"What's your name? I just gave you mine."

"Oh. Sorry. I'm Kaneki."

"Well then, Kaneki-kun. Shall we order your food? I'm pretty sure you must be starving."

They talked. Turned out that it was hard to find a common interest between them. He liked books – novels. She liked books – manga. He studied literature. She hated literature. He seemed kind. She seemed pretty at first, but turned out to be pretty scary.

But once they changed the topic – once they've started to talk about family, about their childhood – they could feel the similarities they had. It was vague, they didn't tell in details but both could feel it.

They both had a rough childhood.

Abandoned.

Being alone.

Coping up.

Craving – for a family – for a sense of belonging in the world.

They were so different, yet so similar to each other.

The atmosphere turned solemn, and quiet.

Literally quiet.

"Ah, it's late. I have school tomorrow."

"Yeah. Me too."

That was when he realised they were the only ones left in that shop.

"Huh? The waiter has gone home? How are we supposed to pay for our meal?" Kaneki stood up, walking towards the counter to find that no one was there. He looked panic-stricken, but Touka just laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" He couldn't believe her. Who would laugh in this situation?

"Nothing. It's on the house." She declared, earning a puzzling look on his face.

"You can't just decide that!"

"You still don't realise it?"

"Realise… what?" She let out a heavy sigh before removing her wig. He recognised her straightaway – the cute waitress in this shop!

"It's you?!" The look on his face… she swore it was priceless.

"Of course it's me, silly. How do you think I knew that you were waiting for that bitch for two hours?"

Oh.

Oh.

"I see..." Kaneki rubbed the back of his neck. So, it was her this whole time. How funny. How embarrassing. Yet... how reassuring.

"Thank you, Touka-chan." He smiled. She could barely felt her heart swelled in her chest when she saw him smiling so genuinely, but it was there.

"Well, you owe me now. I need a favour."

"Sure. Tell me, I'll try my best to fulfil it." He sounded so naïve that she felt like teasing him… but she couldn't. Not after what he had been through today.

"Teach me literature. I… I need to pass my exam." She said, her cheeks tinted pink, the same colour as her wig earlier.

Hide was right. She was really cute.

"Sure. At the library, then?"

"Library?"

"Yeah. We can find a lot of great books there."

She paused, thinking. She didn't have a lot of books, so the library seemed like the best place for her to learn. Even though she hated the place, it felt as if she could let this slip by.

Just this one time.

"Okay. This Saturday at 10 AM?"

"Sounds good to me."

"It's a date then."

"Yeah. It's a date– hah? Touka-chan!" He called for her, but she was already upstairs, leaving him blushing deep crimson red.

He wasn't sure if she liked him, but he definitely wouldn't mind having a date with her at the library. All he ever hoped was for her to show up. No matter how long he would wait for her, as long as she showed up, it would be alright.

And so, Kaneki waited.

Because even though it didn't seem like she was deceiving him, he couldn't help the doubts that were gnawing inside him.

Even so, he still gave himself a second chance. A second chance to trust someone, hoping that someone would not betray his trust.

So, he waited.

His hands were gripping his phone so tightly, waiting for her text, her call – anything. He texted her when he arrived, but until now, he still hadn't received any reply.

Yet, he still waited.

Even after 30 minutes had passed, and he was starting to get anxious. Was she the same as Rize? Making a fake promise – only to torture his mind, his soul?

Almost there.

A short, two-words reply was enough to give him hope, making him feel that she was unlike his first crush. A spark of happiness lit in his eyes. Perhaps, there might be a chance that this could be the start of something great.

He waited, patiently.

His heart fluttered with hope, beating louder and louder as seconds passed.

Even if she seemed scary, she still saved him from embarrassment. Perhaps, she wasn't that scary after all. Perhaps, she was a very kind person. He wanted... to get to know her better. And as selfish as it sounded, he wanted to remove the loneliness she felt in her life. Perhaps, he could fill the void in her heart.

Ah, perhaps he was thinking too far.

He blushed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yo."

His heart thudded wildly in his ears, excitement and anxious coursing through him. Swallowing the lump of emotion welling up in his throat, he turned his head to the source of the voice.

He smiled in relief.