Chapter 3 - Suiting Up

It was March and Kyoto was getting more dangerous as it became more and more infested with hostile ghouls. Crime rate was up more than it usually was. Police patrol was omnipresent wherever you went. The only good thing about the city that was happening was that the weather was getting warmer as it got closer to spring.

As I made my way to school I couldn't turn a corner without being paranoid about what I would see. Who knows what dangers lurk around the next corner. It could be regular ghouls chasing after a human. My worst fear is it could be a lot of Aogiri Troops. I walked into Minoru's convenience store to talk with him and get my daily coffee.

"Hey Tetsu." Minoru greeted me.

"Hey man." I greeted him back.

"The usual?" Minoru asked me.

"Yes sir." I commanded him.

"So how is that human girlfriend of yours. It's not everyday you see a ghoul and human dating. She knows you are one right?" Minoru nervously asked.

"Harumi is doing fine, but the thing I worry most is that once I tell her I am a ghoul there are too many possibilities on how it could roll out. I don't want to tell her until our relationship is intimate enough and I know that this relationship isn't fake."

Again those thoughts weren't leaving my mind. It stuck to me like glue. It haunts me every night, but I try not to fret about it.

"Ok thanks for the coffee. I'll be going now." I greeted him and handed him money as I left.

He waved me goodbye as I left his store into the horrific world of Kyoto. Nothing felt right anymore in Kyoto. The streets were still crowded of course, but with more hostile ghouls. It wouldn't be long until CCG finished building their new huge branch office in Kyoto. It will be finished and operating by the end of the month.

The streets of Kyoto are about to get dangerous. It wasn't a normal situation of low rank Aogiri members anymore, it will soon be an all out war. It will be hard to protect my family and Harumi. This is what Kyoto is made out to be now.

As I walked to school I met up with Harumi. She was still stunning as ever. Full of energy and happiness. All I really cared about right now was my family and Harumi. Their happiness meant the most to me.

"Hey Haru-chan. How is my lotus today." I greeted her lovingly.

"Well now that you're here I'm doing better." Harumi blushed and then gave me a small kiss.

"Did you know that regular knives can stab ghouls not just the quinces?" Harumi asked

"No, I didn't know that." I started to sweat nervously a little and tried to act like I didn't know too much about ghouls so she wouldn't think that I am one.

"Ghouls are horrifically fascinating from a biological point of view don't you think?" Harmumi joyfully said.

"Yes I agree." I started sweating nervously more and more.

As the bell rang I kissed Harumi goodbye and started making my way toward the gym for PE. It was weird she was interested in ghouls, but still I didn't think I was comfortable enough yet to tell her I am one. Yet I will have to tell her at some point. As I went into the gym every student in there met up with each other and the gym teacher.

"Alright you MAGGOTS! I want to see all of you run 50 laps by the time this period is done. You are not allowed to stop unless you have to go to the nurse. You are allowed to slow down but you have to keep moving at a 5 mph pace minimum.You are not allowed to have water until the 25th lap. ALRIGHT 3....2....1.... GO!.

I was already changed into my gym suit. I was wearing a white T-shirt and sweatpants. I like sweatpants because they are more comfortable to move in when jogging instead of unpleasing tight shorts. Fun fact Ukaku users are very fast but lose a lot of energy quickly so this was a problem for me since I know I can't go more than 7 laps without breathing as loud as and looking as exhausted as a dog.

Just my day already 2 laps in I can feel myself speed deteriorating. Let alone also growing restless. Let me remind you we are not allowed to have a bottle of water until the 25th lap. Like what kind of bullshit is this.

"KOJIMA MOVE YOUR ASS BOY!" The Gym teacher commanded me.

"YES SIR!" I shrieked as I gained a second wind from his command.

The gym teacher was mysterious. He wasn't like the other teachers and the funniest part is the students just call him sensei or teacher because nobody knows his actual name other than the staff. He kept most of his life a secret. He never ate lunch with all the other teachers. His smell was different than most of the other people at the school so I'm guessing he must be a ghoul too.

"Hey Tetsu keep moving you got this." Itsuki encouraged me.

This is my best friend Itsuki Masuda. He is a full blooded ghoul. Just like me he lives his life secretly as a ghoul. He is the star of our schools track team since he has a lot more stamina than me and runs way faster than me.

"Why are you so damn fast?" I scolded him.

"Probably because I'm not a Ukaku user slowpoke." Itsuki laughed.

"HEY MASUDA & KOJIMA GET YOUR ASSES OVER HERE RIGHT NOW." The gym teacher commanded us.

He had a menacing and nervous look on his face. We ran up to him expecting him to yell our asses off. Instead it was totally different.

"Listen you boys aren't going to like what I'm about to ask you." The gym teacher whispered as we both gave him a worrying face. "I know both of you are ghouls and you probably know this. I am a ghoul.

"Now I want you guys to use your heightened sense of smell." The gym teacher asked.

I smelt something in the air and it was a ghoul. Not just one but a whole troop. My heart dropped as I realized Aogiri was near.

"This can't be why would Aogiri invade our high school?" I trembled with fear.

"I don't know why, but it's getting closer to this school. Is it possible you guys will help me in fighting them." The gym teacher begged.

"You want us to fight them. There is a whole troop. There is no way we can take them on." Itsuki quivered with fear.

"Don't worry I have some equipment in my office. When we go into the office we will suit up. There are jumpsuits in their smoke grenades with grenade straps, heat vision goggles and masks. The students will run away and evacuate wherever they can. We will take a few ghouls out and then leave the rest to the CCG when they get here before they can take us out." The gym teacher planned it out.

Itsuki and I trembled with fear but we both knew we had to take care of Aogiri. We had to make sure everyone evacuated safely. We ran to his office which was inside the gym and suited up. It was a life or death situation, but we can hold them up long enough so the humans can evacuate.

All of a sudden we heard windows break and Aogiri. Humans screamed and we heard them run but after a few seconds it stopped so we assumed they must've escaped. We slowly opened the office door and looked around and marked down our targets. We planned where we were going to throw our first few smoke bombs quickly.

"Hey gym teacher if we don't make it out alive can I at least die knowing your name." Itsuki asked.

"Kagami.....Kagami Washuu." Mr. Washuu told him.

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