My ghoul friend and I finally arrived at our destination.
Well, I don't know if I should really call her a new friend. We've only known each other for less than an hour. But at the same time, I feel it's appropriate to call her that way, because we're both monster children who, from an early age, have had to fend for ourselves completely. Surviving as best we can in a world that rejects us.
At least in my case, I have vague memories of my past life. But would anything change significantly if I didn't have them? So far, they haven't been very helpful since I remember almost nothing, and as I grow older, my memories only fade away.
No, wait. They have been helpful.
Perhaps if it weren't for those memories of when I was human, I would have long since completely forgotten what defines a human being. Or maybe I wouldn't think like a human in the first place without those memories?
Putting those complicated thoughts aside, I hear Touka speak loudly as she points ahead.
"This is my house."
I look over there.
It's a beautiful house surrounded by a concrete wall for privacy, and it has a black iron gate at the entrance. The house is two stories high with a modern, clean design. Given its considerable size, it looks like it could comfortably accommodate several people. Perhaps it was originally purchased for the purpose of housing an entire family.
I focus my sense of vision specifically on my left eye, which is still transformed, and look through all the walls of the house.
It may be quite rude to spy on the inside of other people's houses like this without their permission, but honestly, I don't really care. It's what I've been doing often since this afternoon when I gained this new X-ray vision ability.
Fufu... it's too interesting and useful not to use.
Inside the house, scanning all the rooms, I don't see any living beings apart from a small fish swimming in a fish tank on a table.
'Is it possible that her family is still out working or something?'
But it's already quite late at night. Most normal people have already returned home from work hours ago. That being the case, and remembering the pained expression Touka made at that moment when I revealed my name, which by pure coincidence is exactly the same as her father's, I come to the logical conclusion that it's very possible that Touka lives alone in this house.
"It's a very nice house."
I say honestly, because compared to the shitty abandoned building full of rubble where I live, Touka's house looks like a luxury mansion.
I wonder if someday, when I'm an adult and can work properly without people rejecting me for my appearance, I'll be able to earn enough money to afford a decent house like this. Probably not. But it's nice to dream.
Touka looks ahead with a melancholy expression.
"It's a beautiful house that my father bought for us to live together as a family. But now it's become ugly and empty to me."
I see her expression at that moment under the dim streetlight. It's a deeply sad expression, a completely broken expression.
That more or less confirms my suspicion that she has been separated from her family in some way.
I honestly don't know what appropriate words to say in emotional situations like these. I've never been good with words of comfort. So I simply mold my face into a friendly smile and say whatever comes to mind.
"I'll come visit you from time to time, since I now know the location of your house. You won't be able to escape me."
Touka is startled to hear that and looks at me in surprise.
"Are you really going to visit me? Why would you do that?"
Then she throws out a sarcastic comment.
"Now I deeply regret showing the location of my house to a weird guy like you."
I click my tongue as I shake my head.
"Tsk. I'll come visit you anyway, even if you don't want me to. It's too late for regrets now."
She frowns.
"But why? Besides, if the CCG inspectors find us together, it will cause serious trouble for both of us."
I wave my hand dismissively.
"Forget about those CCG guys for now. We'll deal with them if they show up. You seem like a pretty interesting person, so I'm interested in being your friend. Besides, I know absolutely nothing about the world of ghouls or their rules and customs, so I'll come bother you to tell me everything you know about it."
Touka's blue eyes widen as genuine surprise is reflected on her small face.
It seems she didn't expect another being like her, another monster, to want to befriend her willingly. That makes me think she has been alone for a long time.
The corners of Touka's lips move upward into a small smile.
"I guess I have no choice but to endure your annoying visits in the future then."
She turns away as she continues.
"Well, I'm going inside now. It's late."
As she approaches the iron gate and puts her hand on it, she suddenly turns back to me. I see her expression become serious.
"A-Arata. If you ever see men wearing white suits with large briefcases in their hands, like the inspector from before, hide immediately and don't try to confront them for any reason. Because they are the damned CCG. Those bastards who completely destroyed my world and my family."
At first, she has difficulty pronouncing my name, but she says those last words with deep hatred.
At that moment, I nod to show her that I understand the seriousness of what she is saying.
"Got it. I'll be careful."
Then I smile again and say something I feel she needs to hear.
"It's possible that it's been a long time since you've heard these words addressed to you. Good night, Touka."
Touka's body freezes for a few seconds, causing her to remain motionless.
Then, slowly, a smile appears on her face. A big, very, very pretty smile that lights up her expression.
Wow. So she can smile like that too, this ghoul girl.
"Um! Good night to you too, Arata."
Saying those words in a cheerful voice, she quickly opens the iron gate and closes it behind her before running towards her house.
I stand there watching until she disappears inside the house and the lights come on in a room on the second floor. Only then do I turn around.
I run back at full speed across the rooftops of the houses. Jumping from roof to roof with my enhanced strength still active. The night wind hits my face as I move through the dark city.
That night, as I lie on my dirty mattress in my abandoned building, I am in a very good mood.
It seems I managed to brighten up the life of a lonely person, at least a bit.
And that makes me feel good.
"Ah. I almost forgot about my eye. I have to find a way to get it back to normal before I meet Saya and Rei tomorrow."
×××
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