Kaneki: W-What?
Faced with the sudden question from Natsuki. Kaneki had gotten confused and most of all, flustered.
Kaneki: A-A-Ahh.....
Seeing how troubled he was, Natsu quickly urged him to calm down.
Natsuki: Kaneki calm down! Remember to breathe.
Kaneki: inhale~ exhale~ inhale~ exhale~ Haa~
So after taking a few breathes, Kaneki had calmed down and placed the two boxed of his model kits down.
Kaneki: C-Could you repeat your question Natsuki? I need to make sure I heard it right.
He still couldn't believe what he had heard and wanted to confirm whether he hadn't misheard anything.
Natsuki understood his intentions very well and complied.
Natsuki: ... Kaneki are you... In love with us?
Compared to the first time Natsuki asked, she had more embarrassed tone.
Kaneki: ...
After hearing her question one more time, Kaneki could no longer look at Natsuki straight to the face. He looked down at the ground with a troubled expression.
Natsuki: ...
Natsuki waited for his answer, but what he said was not what she had expected.
Kaneki: I don't know...
Natsuki: What?
Kaneki: I don't know... Do I? I seriously don't know...
Kaneki had gotten more confused, he questioned his own feelings.
Kaneki: I do like you all as friends but... You are all special to me as well and... But.. but... AHHHHH! I DON'T UNDERSTAND!
Natsuki's thoughts*
(Yikes it's worse than I thought)
Having only just learning about romantic love and the possibility of him having it towards his friends Kaneki was left completely confused.
Kaneki: I do want to be with you guys forever but is it because I like you all as my friends? Heroes? Or love interest??? I don't know!!!
He was panicking and a bit loud, not wanting to disturb the neighbors and to see him freak out even more. Natsuki approached him with a gentle smile.
Natsuki: Calm down Kaneki, let's talk about this calmly.
Kaneki: ...
After hearing her voice, Kaneki had calmed down and was a bit embarrassed after freaking out.
Kaneki: Haa~ sorry about that Natsuki, I'm just really confused.
Natsuki: It's alright, it's alright. I guess this is normal since you never really understood romantic love. Well despite having a a romance manga that you love so much.
Kaneki: Sorry...
Natsuki: It's nothing to apologize for, besides thinking about it now. You probably see the relationship of these two characters the same as us right?
Kaneki: Yes...
With Kaneki more calm, she picked up one of the model kit boxes and brought him to a nearby playground where they could talk and not disturb anyone if Kaneki starts freaking out again.
A few minutes later~
Clang~
As they both sat down on the swings, Natsuki gave a warm smile to Kaneki before starting their conversation.
Natsuki: You must be really confused right now huh? Experiencing feelings you don't understand. Must be overwhelming.
Kaneki: Yeah... I'm... Sigh~ sorry I don't know what to say, I've experienced many things but this... This something entirely new to me.
Kaneki was still a bit overwhelmed, so to calm him even further, Natsuki told a teasing joke.
Natsuki: Hehe~ Who knew you'd react this way to love instead of the time you discovered you were told that you were a Demon Knight?
Kaneki: Haha~! Yeah talk about weird right?
Natsuki: You were already weird to begin with.
Kaneki: Fair. I really am weird.
Natsuki: And it's one of your good points too.
Kaneki: What?
Natsuki: Nothing.
With Kaneki calmed even further, Natsuki began to talk to Kaneki about his feelings.
Natsuki: Serious talk now. Kaneki have you just recently developed your feelings for us or you already had them for a while?
And she started with a very serious question.
Kaneki: Haa~ Wow that is tough... Well... I don't exactly know when I started but... I think I've slowly started developing these feelings since you and I first met?
Natsuki: Ehhh?! Really?!
Natsuki was caught off guard by Kaneki's answer, it wasn't what she expected.
Kaneki: But I think my heart started to act weird when I first got along with Shino?
As well as hearing Shino's name.
Natsuki: Say what now? Pout~
Kaneki: !!!
Natsuki began to pout and Kaneki didn't know why.
But luckily she stopped just in time.
Natsuki: So it all started with Shino?
Kaneki: I don't know, it I feel like it started around the time you and I started getting closer to each other? I really don't know...
Natsuki: Well in that case I'll forgive you.
Kaneki: What did I even do???
Though Natsuki was a bit disappointed, seeing Kaneki not understanding what he did to make her a bit upset was a kinda funny.
Natsuki: Hehe~ don't worry about it.
Kaneki: Geez. I really don't understand what girls are thinking.
Natsuki: Well you should have think before talking.
Kaneki: Seriously what did I do???
Natsuki: Anyways moving on, you mentioned something about your heart right?
Now that Natsuki calmed down, she resumed with her questions.
Kaneki: Yes? What about it?
Natsuki: How did it act?
Kaneki: Well... If I had to put it into words, I'd say it sometimes make a slow yet strong beats going "Doki!... Doki!... Doki!" And sometimes fast like "Doki! Doki! Doki!" When I'm with you guys.
Natsuki: Really? Is it all the time?
Kaneki: Actually now that I think about it, it was mostly situational, like when you and Miku licked the frosting off my cheeks.
Natsuki: !!!
Natsuki's face reddened as Kaneki reminded her of her embarrassing act towards him with Miku.
Kaneki: And I think it did happen a few more times recently as well, though I don't really want to list them all.
Natsuki: I see... Now... Wait what was I going to say again?
Natsuki had a more important question, but had forgotten about it.
Natsuki: I'm so sorry Kaneki! I've totally forgotten, man I'm not good with this love talk. I mean this is the first time I've talked about love with you.
Kaneki: Hehe~
Kaneki had unexpectedly started to giggle after Natsuki had forgotten her next question.
Kaneki: You're making such a cute face Natsuki.
Doki! Doki! Doki!
Grip!
As his heart started to act up again, he grabbed onto his chest tightly.
Kaneki: Oh my... My heart acted out again.
Natsuki: Wait really?
Kaneki: Yeah. I wonder what could have caused it?
Natsuki: I remember now!
Kaneki's reaction somehow made Natsuki remember what she was going to ask him.
Kaneki: Oh you remember now? Then ask away.
Kaneki braced himself for what she was about to say.
Natsuki: What do you like about us?
Kaneki: Wait are you asking what I like about each one of you?
Natsuki: Of course! Me, Miku, Shino, Yuuka, Sachi and Chi-chan.
Kaneki didn't expect Natsuki to ask a serious question, one that he actually would have a hard time telling.
Kaneki: Well... It might be hard to say, it would probably take me an hour or two to tell you everything.
Natsuki: Haha! C'mon Kaneki that can't be true.
Natsuki thought Kaneki was exaggerating but.
He was dead serious.
Kaneki: I'm being completely serious Natsuki, if you want to I could tell you everything in my mind.
Natsuki: Eh?
Wriggle~
A small slimy blue tentacle had grown out of Kaneki's back.
Kaneki: Here I'm going to link our minds for a bit.
Natsuki: Wait!
Poke!
Upon contact between Kaneki's tentacle and Natsuki's head, her consciousness was sent into Kaneki's mind where Kaneki could tell her everything.
In Kaneki's mind*
Natsuki: Woah~ this is your mind?
Natsuki was caught in awe after seeing how surprisingly bright and colorful Kaneki's mind was.
Kaneki: Welcome, in here I can tell you everything I like about you guys that would take me and hour or two to tell and in the real world it would only be a few seconds.
Natsuki: Amazing! Now tell me everything!
Natsuki was ready to head Kaneki out.
Kaneki was ready to tell her everything he likes about her and the rest of the Higanbana girls.
And he first started listing everything he liked about Natsuki.
Kaneki: I'll start off with you, Natsuki. I like how friendly you are, I like how you eat with a joyful smile on your face, I like how kind you are to me and the rest of our friends, I like how-
Kaneki was saying so many things he liked about Natsuki, and hearing them made Natsuki a bit embarrassed and surprised.
(H-He's actually saying a lot of things he likes about me?! Oh my... This is so embarrassing!)
Kaneki: Well I could tell you the things I like about Miku if you want?
Natsuki: Wait you heard my thoughts?!
Natsuki didn't expect for Kaneki to hear what she was saying in her thoughts, but she had forgotten she's currently in his mind.
Kaneki: You're in my mind Natsuki, you can't really hide anything you think about when you're in here.
Blush~
Kaneki: So... You want me to continue or?
Natsuki: It's alright! I... I actually want to know everything you like about me.
Kaneki: Natsuki... Hehe~ you're making a cute face, one of the things I like about you.
Seeing Natsuki wanting to hear more and her cute face, Kaneki continued on telling her everything he liked about her.
20 minutes later~
Seemingly it felt like 20 minutes had passed and Kaneki had finished telling Natsuki everything he liked about her.
Steam~
Natsuki: I... I didn't know you liked pretty much everything about me...
Natsuki was completely overwhelmed after hearing everything Kaneki liked about her which turned out to be almost everything.
Kaneki: Hehe~ I'm a bit embarrassed myself, and it hasn't even passed a second in the real world.
Natsuki: Amazing. Haa~ alright I've calmed down, now tell me everything you like about everyone else.
With Kaneki now done telling Natsuki everything he liked about her, she encouraged him to tell her everything he liked about the rest of the Higanbana girls.
Kaneki smiled when Natsuki did this, so he happily began telling her what he liked about the rest as well.
Kaneki: Okay then! She may have been an idiot for most of our childhood, But Sachi never gives up one of the things I like about her. Just like how I like her smile, I like how she is-
He talked about Sachi, then Shino, Miku, Yuuka and Chikao in that order.
Each time he listed everything he liked about them it took him about 20 minutes for each one of them.
In total it took around an two hours in his mind for him to tell everything he liked about the Higanbana girls to Natsuki.
Natsuki: Kaneki...
Natsuki wore a warm smile after Kaneki was done.
Natsuki: Alright. Let's go back to the real world.
Kaneki: Okay!
Now that every is done in his mind, Kaneki sent Natsuki's consciousness back into her own body and removed his tentacle from her head.
In reality*
And now they're both back in reality.
Natsuki: Hehe~
Swing~
Upon returning back to reality where time only passed by a few seconds, Natsuki giggled before playing on the swing she was sitting on.
Kaneki: Natsuki?
Natsuki: Hey Kaneki you were freaking out earlier because you didn't know whether you love us or not right? Well... It's time for you to answer that question.
Kaneki: ...
Kaneki still didn't know whether he actually loved them or not but, he didn't answer immediately and took some deep breaths to calm down.
Kaneki: Haa~
After calming down he began to think.
He looked back at everything he said about the Higanbana girls.
After that he began looking back at his memories of them.
And a little while later, he had his answer.
Kaneki: I'm... I'm in love with you guys...
Kaneki now realized he really was in love with them.
Natsuki: Hehe~
Kaneki: I want to be with you all forever, I want to spend the rest of my life with you guys. I-
Being overwhelmed by his own love towards the Higanbana girls, Kaneki began telling Natsuki some of his desires.
Natsuki: Calm down Kaneki.
Kaneki: S-Sorry.
Natsuki: Seriously saying that kind of stuff so early? Well it's not a bad thing, but what about tell that another time?
Kaneki had practically confessed his feelings, but because he wasn't really ready yet Natsuki had rejected them.
But he wasn't really hurt by it.
Kaneki: Yeah... I need to get used to these feelings and sort them out.
Natsuki: That's right.
Swing!
Swoosh!
Kaneki: Natsuki?!
Natsuki had suddenly swung forward and jumped off her swing and landed perfectly.
Natsuki: I always wanted to do that. So Kaneki now understands his feelings right?
Kaneki: Yes?
Natsuki: Good. Your soul is a lot more beautiful now that you understand your love for us.
Natsuki stared at Kaneki and her eyes were sparkling like the night sky.
Kaneki: ...
She had caught Kaneki's eyes and he couldn't do anything but stare.
Natsuki: Hey Kaneki I- no, we'll be waiting for when you are ready to tell us your feelings okay?
Kaneki: What?
Natsuki: Well since my home is nearby anyways, I'll walk back myself. See you later Kaneki!
Kaneki: Wait hold on! What do you mean by that?!
After Natsuki had told Kaneki she and the others would wait for him, she left the playground leaving Kaneki a little confused.
Kaneki: Wait does she mean... I confess my feelings for them? Like... How Itsuki and Keiko confessed and became a couple?
Though he was confused he quickly figured out what Natsuki meant to say.
Doki! Doki! Doki!
Grip~!
Kaneki: Hehe~ So this is love? It... It feels heavy yet warm.
Now that Kaneki understands love he felt happier.
Kaneki: I want to be with them for the rest of my life... Hehe~ so this is the feelings you two have for each other right?
He looked down at his two model kits if his favorite characters and talked to them.
Kaneki: So the reason you're both so close to each other was because you two were in love? Hehe~ looks like I kinda understand you two now.
Smile~
With a smile on his face he picked the two boxes up.
Kaneki: Man I'm seriously talking to boxes haha~ well time to go home, it's getting late.
Splash~!
Kaneki created a pool of black goo after activating darkness travel, which led to his bed room directly onto his bed.
Kaneki: You two first.
He first sent his two boxes home, but he didn't went yet and the pool of black goo disappeared.
Kaneki: Hehe~ I can't believe I'm in love, and my first love are my friends~
His face was so red but compared to earlier it wasn't due to confusion but because of love.
Realizing that he has feelings for the Higanbana girls made him very happy and he was playing in the playground because of it.
Slide~
Kaneki: Natsuki said she and the others would be waiting for me? I guess I should get used to and sort out my feelings as soon as possible!
He wanted to tell Natsuki, Shino, Yuuka, Sachi, Miku and Chikao how he feels about them.
It was very clear his relationship with them is going to change soon, but obviously there is going to be some struggles in the near future.
Kaneki: Although I'll probably confess about their real identities soon, it will be okay. Natsuki will forgive them.
Even with these near future struggles, Kaneki was convinced Natsuki would forgive them once she learns the truth and confronts them.
Kaneki: Hehe~ I can't wait... Well enough playing! Time to go home!
Now that he was done playing around he was about to go home, just then.
Snap!
Kaneki: !!!
Glow!
Glare!
Flicker! Flicker!
A snap of a twig had disturbed Kaneki, his eyes glowed a bright scarlet red and nearby street lights began to flicker after hearing the snapping twig.
Hearing this snapping twig, Kaneki knew. Someone was eavesdropping.
Kaneki: Who's there? Show yourselves!
The happy light atmosphere he had prior was gone, now replaced with an eerie heavy dark atmosphere.
Kaneki: Sniff~! Sniff~!
Since the person who was stalking wasn't showing himself, Kaneki resorted to using his nose.
And upon picking up the scent of the one stalking him, he was irritated.
Kaneki: Tch! It had to be you.
The scent he picked up wasn't something he'd easily forget, after all it belonged to someone who ruined many lives and someone who tried to use his friends and isolated Natsuki for his own personal "story".
Yes the person stalking him was-
Kaneki: You have some nerve stalking me, Itadori.
Ryueki Itadori, the self proclamation narcissistic "protagonist".
Kaneki: What are you doing here? Don't tell you're going to cause trouble again? I hope your parents remember our contract.
With Kaneki and Ryueki encountering each other, how will things play out?