Still alive?

-Good morning, is Sen takatsuki here?

I ask at the reception of the apartment where she lives, I make a point of arriving as soon as possible.

-Yes, do you want me to notify her arrival sir .....?

-No, it's not necessary, I'm Ryo konton, I think you'll see me here a lot...

I reply softly and the receptionist raises his eyebrow a little.

"I hope this is not understood in any other way"

I think after saying thanks and heading to the elevator.

After a while on the way up, I arrive at the floor where she lives and go to her door.

I try to open it.

It's locked.

"Whew....at least that....she learned..."

I knock on the door.

No reply.

I knock again.

Nothing.

- Is it serious?

I mutter to myself, take the key I took from the Eto editor's office and try to open it.

The key is really right.

I open the door and go inside.

The apartment looks unchanged from the last time, except now it's dark inside and I see Eto sprawled out on the floor with pillows asleep.

"She doesn't have a bed?"

I approach and call.

-Eto...Eto....eto!!

She stirs a little and mumbles something.

-ryo...two...arms still...give me only one, and it's delicious...

"I don't even want to know what she's dreaming...."

I pull away from her slightly fearful.

"Ghouls dream eh...but how am I going to wake her up?"

I think walking aimlessly around the apartment.

"I won't poke her....there's nothing big enough to be safe...."

I stop in the kitchen and look at the house sink.

"Uhn...this is going to be a really bad idea..."

I get a glass and fill it with water.

I go to the sleeping figure of eto.

"....this is a really bad idea..."

After getting at least a safe distance.

I throw the glass of water at the sleeping ghoul.

The water falls all over your face.

She wakes up instantly with the kakugan already active and looking around with hate written on her face.

Looking from her to me, I smile brightly even though my body is shaking.

We stared at each other for a while.

-If that happens again I'll disembowel you...

She says getting up is going to what I think is the bathroom to dry off.

I sigh in relief.

After a while she comes back rubbing her hair with a towel.

I freeze.

"Shit...she really is beautiful...."

I think as I face her still drying my hair.

-See something you like~?

She teases after seeing my gaze.

I blush lightly.

".....defeat"

- *cough* why did you call me?

I ask her who is still laughing at me.

-Because you don't work for aogiri...

"...not?"

-...you work for me....

She smile.

"...wait...."

-So I have some favors to ask...

She smiles even more.

-Didn't you say I'm lazy? Fix my apartment hehehe.

She sends me and laughs happily.

-haha you're kidding right? Haha ha

I ask laughing embarrassed.

-No~

I stare at her and then look at the messy apartment.

-Can you say no?

He just stares at me still smiling, though he looks more menacing now.

"She's testing me...she's getting to what point I'm actually going to obey her..."

Sigh.

"Can't we go a day without these games?"

-All right !

I reply smiling.

She smiles even happier.

I start packing up at Eto's house while she's lying on her couch wiggling her legs up and humming.

After a while with me arranging pillows, picking up papers and folding things on the floor, I speak abruptly.

-So you're already in the CCG?

I drop papers I've picked to fall to the floor.

I feel her gaze boring into the back of my head.

- hahahaha about that...

I turn slowly so that she is still lying down but without her smile on her face.

-....maybe yes maybe no....

She looks confused.

- You don't even know about the CCG recruitment system?

I ask her.

-Why should I know?

-For knowledge and power?

I murmur.

-Power and power.

She retorts.

-But he just doesn't take the win.

I reply seriously back and we stare at each other for a while.

She sighs and speaks.

-This is a discussion for later, what has the CCG system?

-No and for later! you have to have a minimum of general knowledge about your enemy, information as it can be interesting...

I keep talking until I get a cold look from eto that interrupts me.

-Uh...

I take a break.

-...but in fact a discussion for later, well, the recruitment system is basically being interviewed by some investigator and only after that you pass or fail to go to the academy, and being a student you are already considered a Rank 3.

I say and see her frowning.

-That....and indeed one thing.....

-Yes, according to them, it is to filter people who are only there for money or fame...

-...then they only pass on who is useful, who really hates ghouls and who has had bad experiences.

She completes and I nod.

-Isn't that a healthy hate system?

I say joking without humor.

- Who interviewed you?

she asks directly.

I sigh.

-Arima....

She looks surprised.

-Arima....The CCG Reaper type, Arima?

-Not! The rent collector Arima....and of course Kishou Arima !!!

I scream at her who doesn't react for a while and then starts laughing.

I can't help but start laughing too, even though the situation is bad and actually a lot of fun.

After we've both recovered she speaks to me, still with an amused smile on her face.

- You have an incredible level of bad luck ein....

-Well...I wouldn't call it bad luck, it would be more the universe conspiring to cause something fun.

I take a break.

-Imagine the irony, the CCG reaper allowed an informant in.

I laugh lightly and then laugh too.

-You intend to deceive The reaper, not mean? After all, I wouldn't deal with him without a plan, or rather I'd rather not deal with him.

She tells me with a raised eyebrow.

-I may be impulsive, but I'm not an idiot....I just took off my shirt to show the scars I have and made a speech about hating ghous and protecting others and blah blah blah, I think I spoke passionately enough to get him to convince.

She looks impressed.

-So your method of getting into the CCG involved showing your naked body...

She whispers in an awkward tone.

I turn away from her.

-Pervert!

I exclaim.

-You were the one who took the clothes off.

She responds dryly.

-Let's forget about that part of the conversation.

-Yes.

I speak again.

-So I bet on a monologue and hopefully he'll find me interesting and let me through...

I murmur.

-Even if he passes you, you know you'll be in the spotlight, don't you? How can this be useful as an informant?

-Will not ! But it might be useful for me.

I respond happily and eto looks confused.

-Like?

-I need some security measure in case you betray me...

The room seems to cool off and Eto sits on the couch he was on and stares at me with his kakugan activated, his gaze really scaring me, a look of pure malice that promises death and pain.

I start to break into a cold sweat and my breath catches.

I quickly regain my composure and smile again.

-Do you really think I'd just be your totally obedient pet?

Eto gets up and walks slowly towards me.

My phone starts ringing.

I make a wait sign for Eto.

Who stops in shock at my petulance.

"Well let's see what the last call of my life will be....."

The number is unknown.

I answer.

I put it on speakerphone for Eto to hear too.

-Hello.

-Ryokonton?

-Yes.

-Congratulations Konton-san, you've been approved to join the investor academy, please report early next week at the academy located in the 5th wing.

And the call hangs up.

I turn my gaze to Eto who is still staring at me with the same malice as before.

She comes close to me and pushes me hard against her apartment wall.

-gh!

She presses me against the wall, squeezing my neck with her hand and suffocating me.

-What's stopping me from killing you now? That you admitted to preparing against us.

She asks with seriousness and sadism in her voice.

I breathe hard and say playfully.

-Nothing...

She tightens her grip on my neck one step closer to breaking it.

-....I already told you a little about my past as a step of faith for you, and you still don't trust me...

Deep breath.

-....but I won't leave my life to chance!!! Can I be helpful? In fact, can I be a threat? Even more, it's up to you to judge that, so go, make your decision.

I close my eyes.

And wait.

.

...

...

......

.......

She lets go of me and I fall to the ground, gasping.

She sighs.

-I'll give you this step of faith too....

She mutters.

I stand up smiling.

-Don't worry I never intend to betray you or anything like that, but I need you to take a risk in betraying me as well as proving worth...

-Like this?

she asks curiously after calming down.

-If someone from Aogiri betrays you, what will you do?

-Seek, torture and then kill and eat.

She claims looking at me dangerously.

I swallow dry.

-hahaha continuing, and someone has reason to betray you?

-No, either because of fear of my strength or because of knowing that I am ut...

She pauses and claps her hands.

-I understand, you will prove useful but also put a security measure so that it becomes at least problematic to betray you or sacrifice you....

She smiles at me.

-...you know you're really smart...

-So I can get out alive?

-For now yes....

-And you called me here just to fix your apartment?

-Yes!

She responds excitedly.

I give him a dry look.

-But also to give you your first mission, so to speak.

-What would it be?

She looks at me seriously.

-We want to invade the cochlea and you will give us the necessary information.

-What a smooth first mission....

I mumble and she smiles.

-And one more, no, two more things before I send you away.

She points at me.

-I liked your beef steak you really separated well, no bits of bone, cartilage, veins...

- I did it with the intention of looking normal.

She nods.

-...then you will take care of my food from now on.

-Which ?! Am I a cook now?

She ignores me.

- And try to stop by my house every day to pack my things, you already have the key to the house...

-And don't you think that's weird?

-....now bye.

She says pushing me out and ignoring me again.

-Wait! Are you really gonna let me go that easy?

- Do you want me to punish you?

-of course not, I'm not a masochist.

She looks disappointed.

-I'm good at judging people...and you're someone incredibly loyal from what I've seen...

She pauses again and glares at me.

-....and with your weird sense of fun I doubt you'll surrender to the CCG after all, you'd be stuck, and well I'm strong enough to survive most attempts at betrayal you might try to make and if I survive I'll go after you and well......hehehehe

She stops at the door.

-Don't forget to come back~

She blows me a mock kiss and closes the door.

As I go down to leave I think.

"Wait! Did she just make me her personal employee?"

.....

.....

.....

"Fucking Eto"

I can feel her laughing on my way back home.

================================

As I head back home (mentally cursing Eto all the way) I decide to stop by the anteiku.

To let yoshimura know I joined the CCG and he better know from me, to avoid future surprises.

(And the coffee there is really good)

When I arrive I see that the anteiku is closed.

"Strange...something must have happened"

I go to the back of the anteiku and try to get inside.

Braided.

With my needles I start to break down the door.

Unlock and enter.

I hear conversation noises coming from the public area and go over there.

When I arrive I see Touka hugging a cute child with short brown hair.

Kaneki is making coffee at the counter next to a sad yoshimura.

And also a woman who looks a lot like the child only her hair is long being comforted by enji and kaya.

When I arrive in the living room the child seems to smell me and lifts her head to see me and with that everyone turns to me, the grown woman looking the most surprised by my presence.

-I think I came at a bad time....

Bad, if touka's look at me indicates anything.

-But regardless, what happened?

I ask seriously.