Natsuki: Hey.
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: !!!
After Kotori had carried Kaneki's unconscious, shaking and burning body away to a hospital to try and fix what had happened.
Natsuki went closer to Shino, Yuuka and Miku who were all still visibly shaking after what had happened. With her eyes staring with them with a fierce glare.
Natsuki: What are you three-
Sachi & Chikao: WAIT!
But before she could get closer and ask them what they were doing on the rooftop with Kaneki, she was stopped by Sachi and Chikao.
Natsuki: Why are you two blocking me? I just want to ask them something.
She stared at the two angrily for stopping her from asking Shino, Yuuka and Miku on what happened.
But they urged her to focus on the more important matter.
Sachi: I understand that you're angry and confused Natsuki, but we shouldn't be arguing right now!
Chikao: Yeah! We need to be with Kaneki right now!
Natsuki: ...
Natsuki knew they were right, Kaneki's current condition is very bad and they don't know how severe it is.
Natsuki: You're right. Fine let's go to him.
Natsuki turned around and walked to the door.
Natsuki: Glare!
All 5: !!!
But before she went through, she looked back and gave the rest of the Higanbana girls a fiery glare and said to Shino, Yuuka and Miku.
Natsuki: I hope I am wrong...
And then she passed through the door and started heading down stairs leaving the Higanbana girls on the rooftop.
Natsuki: ...
Now she was alone with her thoughts*
Natsuki's thoughts*
(Please... Please let this just be a nightmare that I will wake up from soon.)
She still couldn't believe what had happened, it was all so sudden, what's more.
(Shino... Yuuka... Miku... What did you do?)
She still couldn't understand why Shino, Yuuka and Miku were at the rooftop and what could have possibly happened, it just then she remembered what Kaigon, Ryugon and Hegon told her in her dreams.
"They are closer than you think"
(Please... Please don't let it be true...)
She was already suspecting the identities of Shiita-chan, Miyu-chan and Miha-chan being those three with how Kaneki acted on the previous day.
And seeing his body shaking violently and burning with those three present only made her even more suspicious.
But even so she still refuse to believe her suspicion immediately because she knew very well.
(They love Kaneki as much as me or even more, they wouldn't do something to hurt him.)
They are in love with Kaneki as just like her.
"We blamed ourselves for it, we couldn't stop him that time."
"If Kaneki were to die, and we were the ones responsible... How could we live with ourselves?"
"That's right, you don't need to worry about us Natsuki. We wouldn't do anything to kill or hurt Kaneki. Ever."
Remembering her friends words, Natsuki's eyes filled with tears.
Natsuki: ... Sniffle.
But while Natsuki was walking back to their classroom.
Back in the rooftop*
Sachi: Hey! I'm asking you guys what happened?!
Sachi and Chikao were confronting Shino, Yuuka and Miku who were all still horrified and they were angry.
Miku: I don't know...
Chikao: You don't know? What do you mean you don't know?! You three were the only ones here with Kaneki!!!
Yuuka: I don't know... Last thing I know was... Kaneki came out of the door and then...
Shino: He was burning.
Sachi: What?! Why would he be burning?!
All 3: We don't know!
Chikao: !!!
As Chikao looked at their eyes, she could tell they weren't lying, they genuinely didn't know what had happened.
Chikao: ... This is pointless Sachi, they really don't know what happened.
Sachi: Really? Are you sure?
Chikao: Yes...
Sachi: Oh I get it! It's a prank! After you guys apologized and reconciled-
Shino: No Sachi... We aren't doing a prank...
Sachi: I see! So Kaneki-
Chikao: Sachi!
Sachi: Please... I don't want to believe that Kaneki is...
Sachi was one of the most upset, seeing Kaneki in that state reminded her of what happened to him back in the W.S.S.F.
She tried to dismiss what happened was just as just a stupid prank.
Sachi: Kaneki...
She was on the verge of crying but just then.
Splash!
Kotori: I'm back...
Kotori had returned.
Grip!
And immediately upon returning, Sachi and Chikao grabbed her and began asking questions.
Sachi: Ai-chan is Kaneki okay?! Was he just pranking us?!
Chikao: How is he?! Is he alright?!
Kotori hesitated but she answered honestly.
Kotori: Kaneki-chan is no longer on fire but... He is in critical condition but stable, although I've had him strapped onto his bed in order to stop his shaking, and he's completely unresponsive.
All 5: !!!
Hearing Kaneki's condition made them really sad and worried for Kaneki.
Shino: No way...
Yuuka: Kotori-san...
Kotori: Glance~
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: EEK!
Kotori glanced at the three but compared to Natsuki, she had no trace of anger at all only confusion.
Though to Shino, Yuuka and Miku her glance was as scary as Natsuki.
Kotori: What happened?
She then asked the same question Sachi asked them prior.
Miku: Kotori-Oneechan... We don't know...
Kotori: What? How can you not know?
Shino, Yuuka and Miku: ...
Seeing them not being capable of answering her, Kotori decided to not push any further.
Kotori: I see... Where is Natsuki-chan?
Chikao: She left earlier, and what's more... It seems like she's suspecting them of being the culprits.
Kotori: You're kidding... Tch! Damnit! Haa~ Calm down Kotori-chan. C'mon girls we're leaving.
After calming herself down, Kotori invited most of the Higanbana girls to visit Kaneki.
Kotori: We're going to visit Kaneki, but first we'll have to get Natsuki-chan.
All 5: What?
Kotori: Kaneki-chan needs his friends, maybe if you girls are with him he'll recover faster. That's what I hope at least.
After saying that she wanted to bring them to her brother, Kotori walked closer to Shino, Yuuka and Miku and helped stand back up.
Kotori: Are you three okay?
Miku: No... Of course not...
Yuuka: I feel such a heavy weight on my chest... I feel like this was our fault.
Kotori: Miku-chan... Yuuka-chan...
Shino: Kotori-san...
Hug!
Seeing how devastated the three were, Kotori gave them a warm hug to calm them down and gave them words to reassure them.
Kotori: It's alright. This won't be enough to take out Kaneki-chan we know he's strong.
Sachi & Chikao: Ai-chan/Kotori-san...
Kotori: Alright then, let's go get Natsuki-chan.
Chikao: Are you sure about this Kotori-san?
Sachi: Like what Chi-chan had said earlier, she is suspicious of them.
Chikao: And Natsuki would be very upset once she see's Kaneki.
Kotori: But she'd be more upset if we went to see him without her, wouldn't she?
All 5: ...
Even though the rest of the Higanbana girls were hesitant, Kotori was right so they reluctantly agreed.
Kotori: Good. Let's go.
The six of them then went down stairs in search for Natsuki.
But when they went downstairs and into the halls.
Itsuki & Keiko: HEY!
Itsuki and Keiko came running to them, and it wasn't just those two.
???: Hey is it true?! Kaneki was hospitalized?!
???: What happened?!
Emi: Did something happen to Kaneki-san?!
Some of their classmates from Class 1-C and even other students from different classes came rushing to them and started asking them with questions.
Sachi, Shino, Yuuka, Miku & Chikao: !!!
???: Hey-
Kotori: Silence!
With many students being so noisy, Kotori silenced them with her Demon of sound powers.
All students: !!!
Kotori: Itsuki! Keiko!
Itsuki & Keiko: !!!
Kotori wanted to know how they learned about what happened, so she directly asked Itsuki and Keiko.
Kotori: How did you know about that?
Itsuki: Well... We saw you, Sachi-san and Prez and Natsuki-san running we got worried.
Keiko: Yeah, and when we decided to check up on your girls we ran into Natsuki.
Flashback*
Itsuki: Hey isn't that Natsuki?
And she was looking down at the floor looking very depressed, we came up to ask her what happened.
Natsuki: Kaneki went up in flames and was hospitalized, and we don't know what happened.
Flashback end*
All 6: !!!
Kotori and the Higanbana girls were shocked after learning that Natsuki had told them.
???: Yeah! We heard the whole thing!
Emi: Is Kaneki-san okay now?
Kotori: We don't know Kaneki-chan's current condition, but we're going to go see him right now.
Itsuki: Seriously?
Kotori: I apologize. But more importantly, where's Natsuki? We need to get her.
???: I saw Mizutani-san at our classroom.
Kotori: Thanks. C'mon girls let's go get Natsuki-chan.
All 5: Okay...
After escaping the group of students, Kotori and the rest of the Higanbana girls headed back to their classroom to get Natsuki.
Itsuki: Man... Kaneki what the hell happened to you?
In Class 1-C*
Natsuki: ...
In their classroom, Natsuki was just standing by Kaneki's desk and only at it with a blank expression.
Since she was the only one currently there, the room was filled with a lonely silence.
Slide~!
Just then Kotori and the rest of the Higanbana girls came in.
Kotori: Natsuki-chan! There you are!
Natsuki: Kotori-san? How's Kaneki?
Kotori: Well... He's stable but... Also in critical condition.
Natsuki: !!!
Natsuki's face turned pale after hearing this.
Natsuki: I see...
Kotori: We're going to go visit him now, I've already created a clone to notify sensei.
Natsuki: Okay... Glance~
Before they would leave, Natsuki glanced at Shino, Yuuka and Miku with cold eyes.
Natsuki: ...
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: ...
Seeing her stare at them with a cold expression made Shino, Yuuka and Miku sadder.
Kotori: Alright let's go.
Splash!
Using Darkness travel, Kotori sent herself and the Higanbana girls to the hospital where Kaneki was admitted to and right in front of his room.
All 6: Kaneki/Onii-chan's room!
Kotori: Kaneki-chan is right behind that door. Go I'll wait out here.
Kotori allowed the Higanbana girls to enter as she watched from outside.
Natsuki: Okay...
Creak~
Opening the door the Higanbana girls were immediately met with the sight of Kaneki strapped onto the bed.
Shake~
Though his body was restrained, his bed was shaking due to hiim being strapped onto it.
All 6: Kaneki!
The Higanbana girls got closer to him and after getting a closer look.
All 6: !!!
Many parts of his body including his face was so burnt, they could barely recognized him.
Yuuka: Why isn't he healing...
And the damages his body received weren't being healed by his regeneration.
Sachi: Kaneki!
Shino: Sachi be quiet! Kaneki probably ca-
Kaneki: Groan...
Just then Kaneki let out a weak groan which caught the Higanbana girl's attention.
All 6: !!!
Natsuki: Kaneki! What happened?!
Kaneki: Groan...
But it was just that, groaning.
All 6: Kaneki/Onii-chan...
Shake~
Seeing him in such a condition was so painful for the Higanbana girls.
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: ...
Even more so for Shino, Yuuka and Miku who felt responsible for what had happened to him.
Slam!
Atsuo: Kaneki!
But just then Atsuo came bursting into the room with tears in his eyes.
All 6: Atsuo-san/Dad?!
Ignoring the Higanbana girls, Atsuo got close to Kaneki and inspected his body.
Atsuo: No, no, no,no! What happened to you?! Kaneki! Hey! Can you hear me?!
He panicked after seeing how badly damaged his son's body was.
Kotori and Aiya then entered to calm him down.
Hug!
Aiya: Dear calm down!
Atsuo: How can I calm down?! OUR SON IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION!
Kotori: Papa yelling will not help Kaneki-chan.
Atsuo: BUT WHAT HAPPENED?! WHAT HAPPENED TO KANEKI?!
He has completely consumed by the fear of losing his son which also led him to be more aggressive.
Sachi: I'm sorry Uncle...
Atsuo: Huh? Kaneki's friends?
He then noticed the Higanbana girls who were all looking at him scared.
But he didn't care and asked them the same question.
Atsuo: What happened to Kaneki?
Sachi: I'm sorry, we don't know what happened.
Chikao: Yeah, we just saw him in that state.
Shino, Yuuka and Miku: ...
While Shino, Yuuka and Miku were silent Sachi and Chikao were covering for them.
But Natsuki told Atsuo exactly what she had saw.
Natsuki: We don't know what happened... But Shino, Yuuka and Miku were the last ones with Kaneki when this happened.
Atsuo & Aiya: WHAT?!
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: !!!
Atsuo immediately looked at Shino, Yuuka and Miku and questioned them.
Atsuo: Explain yourselves!
Atsuo was very aggressive when he questioned them, scaring the three.
Sachi: Natsuki?
While Sachi confronted Natsuki for telling Atsuo.
Natsuki: What? It's true isn't it? We saw it ourselves.
Sachi & Chikao: ...
Both Sachi and Chikao had no way to respond to the fact Natsuki said.
Atsuo: Hey... Tell me what happened?
Atsuo calmed down a little after scaring them continued to question the three but their answers were still the same.
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: We don't know...
Atsuo: Damnit! Sigh~ Sorry. We don't have any leads... What could have happened?
After regaining composure and apologizing, Atsuo faced towards Kaneki once more.
But Kotori knew something was about to happen.
Kotori's thoughts*
(This is about to get ugly)
As she said that in her minds.
Atsuo & Aiya: ARGH!
Both Atsuo and Aiya received a huge stinging pain in their heads, which meant.
The hypnosis that Kotori put them in was undone.
Atsuo: Kotori... WHY DID YOU PUT US IN A HYPNOSIS?!
Kotori: I'm sorry... I was just trying to help...
Hearing the words "hypnosis" and Kotori saying that she just wanted to help surprised Natsuki.
Natsuki: What? Hypnosis? Who are you trying to help Kotori-san?
At the same time.
Sachi, Shino, Yuuka, Miku, & Chikao's thoughts*
(Oh crap!)
The rest of the Higanbana girls panicked now that their hypnosis was undone.
Aiya: Who were you trying to help? ARGH!
Miku: Mom?!
Aiya had experienced another stinging pain in her head, but this pain she was experiencing was the memories she made after returning to Japan and being under hypnosis all coming back.
Atsuo: Argh!
And the same happened for Atsuo.
Atsuo: No way...
He once again turned to Shino, Yuuka and Miku asked them.
Atsuo: Shino... Yuuka... Miku... What was the real reason you three and Kaneki stopped interacting ever since the entrance ceremony?
Shino, Yuuka & Miku: !!!
Shino, Yuuka and Miku tensed up as Atsuo asked them this serious question.
Sachi & Chikao: Natsu-
Sachi and Chikao turned to Natsuki and they saw her eyes completely widened in disbelief.
Natsuki: What? Uncle what do you mean? They've only known each other for two months.
Confused Atsuo then turned to Natsuki.
Atsuo: What are you talking about?
Natsuki: I understand why Kaneki and Miku didn't interacted much at school because he didn't want her to he bullied, but what does Shino and Yuuka have to do with this?
Atsuo: You don't know?
Hearing his answer, a cold sweat ran down her neck.
Natsuki's thoughts*
(No... This can't be)
She finally learned the truth.
Atsuo: Shino and Yuuka are Kaneki's childhood friends.
Natsuki: ...
She went completely silent and then.
Natsuki: GLARE!
She gave the three of them with eyes filled with tears and anger, before asking.
Natsuki: Does that mean... Shino and Yuuka are... Shiita-chan and Miyu-chan?
Atsuo: That's right. That's Kaneki's old nickname for these two when they were kids.
Shino & Yuuka: Natsuki-
Natsuki: And did Kaneki have a nickname for Miku as well? What was it
Atsuo: He did. He called her Miha-chan.
Miku: Natsuki-
At that very moment after learning that her first three friends after Kaneki were the same ones who had hurt and abandoned him. Natsuki felt betrayed
Natsuki: Please tell me it's a lie... Miku.
Miku: !!!
Natsuki who was on the verge of exploding, stared at Miku, her very first friend after Kaneki with tears in her eyes begging her to tell her that everything she heard was a lie.
Miku: ...
But knowing that she had hurt her enough, Miku told her-
Miku: It's the truth.
And at that moment the anger and hatred she had for them reached its breaking point and then. Natsuki exploded.
Natsuki: THEY'RE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS! THEY'RE THE ONES WHO HURT AND ABANDONED KANEKI!