#akira mado imagine | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

superryunosukeyuki · 4 years

Text

Take Hirako’s Betrayal of Goat

Setup

Throughout the last few arcs of Tokyo Ghoul :re, there were subtle hints that someone from inside Goat was a traitor leaking information. For example, during the Clown Siege Arc Kaneki decides to assist the CCG in killing Clowns before heading out to retrieve rc suppressants for Akira Mado. They finish doing so earlier than expected (only 20 minutes), but despite this V agents have somehow already made it to their location.

The CCG monitors only detected Goat’s presence when they arrived to fight the Clowns. So, in only the 20 minutes after being made aware of Goat’s presence they somehow made it all the way over to their location (on foot) from wherever they were previously? The only logical explanation seems to be that somebody tipped them off previously and they had men on standby.

Later, after Furuta unleashes the Oggai they destroy Goat’s 3rd base in :re 122. After this event, the Goat members do question if there was a leak.

After being made aware of the Oggai, they believe it was solely due to their sensory abilities that they were able to find the base. However, while this event was being aired on television one newscaster noted that Furuta’s performance lasted online 38 minutes.

What she meant by his “roadside performance” is somewhat vague. Did it take the Oggai 38 minutes to destroy the base in 38 minutes? Given what was shown of their strength it’s doubtful it would’ve taken them that long. So, does that mean it took them 38 minutes to both find the base and destroy it? For the Oggai to use their senses to locate the base they would have to do so on foot. So, they located the base and traveled there on foot in less than 38 minutes? It seems to good to be true that they started their search so close to the base. This again hints that someone leaked information.

Later, in an attempt to infiltrate Goat the Oggai Hajime Hazuki pretends to be a ghoul on the run in order be saved by Naki, who then takes him to Goat’s base in the 24th ward (in :re 127).

However, how could Hajime have known that Goat members would be here? He could’ve used his senses to tell that Ghouls were nearby, but he wouldn’t have been able to know that they belonged to Goat. This again suggests someone leaked information, in this case that someone revealed an area where Goat members would be active.

Later, the CCG attacks the 24th ward base while most of the stronger ghouls are out with a scavenging party. Kaneki considered this possibility, and so he assigned a communication squad led by Kaya Irimi and Enji Koma to the outskirts of the 24th ward. With Irimi’s enormous sensory abilities, she should have been able to detect any incoming attacks, and then the squad could send a transmission to the scavenging party to have them come back to base.

However, this doesn’t happen.

During the original series, after the Anteiku members went to rescue Kaneki Irimi stays outside of the complex they go into. She stays outside and uses her abilities to monitor to movements inside the entire facility.

There’s no way someone whose senses are so vast and refined wouldn’t notice large scale attack coming. The moment she felt the CCG incoming they would’ve sent a transmission. Not only does this not happen, Koma and Irimi’s squad members are shown beheaded.

Koma and Irimi aren’t actually among the bodies here as their icons indicate that they are wearing their Devil Ape and Black Dober uniforms, while the corpses are shown wearing dark red robes. However, notice here that the bodies are facing towards the screen (inwards) rather than outwards. Meaning that whoever killed them came from behind, and so whoever killed them wasn’t the CCG who came from outwards.

This could be explain why Koma and Irimi didn’t send transmission to Kaneki. Whoever attacked them from behind undetected could only have come from the direction of the 24th ward (a fellow goat member). So, seeing a friendly face wouldn’t have put them on alert until it was too late. The traitor struck once more.

Finally, after Kaneki’s final battle with Furuta, the latter uses some interesting words when speaking to Kaneki.

How would Furuta know Kaneki had a wife or kid? Kaneki only married Touka after they decided to hide in the 24th ward. Also, knowledge of her pregnancy only became apparent when they were in the 24th ward as well. So, how Furuta hear? The answer is likely the same as previously: a traitor inside of Goat leaking information.

So far, all these points suggest a traitor inside of Goat was leaking information and working against them in secret. But who is this traitor? There is both symbolic evidence and textual evidence that suggests the identity of the traitor: Take Hirako.

Symbolic Evidence

There is symbolic evidence that ties Take Hirako to Judas Iscariot (the disciple who betrayed Jesus Christ). Judas left the Last Supper early or did not attend at all (depending on the version of the story), and later sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Later, he hung himself from a tree (thereby breaking his neck).

Just like Judas didn’t attend the Last Supper, Hirako didn’t attend the Christmas dinner at the Quinx Chateau.

Not only that, but the plant shown in this image (with leaves in circles) looks like it was cut from a Japanese Laurel tree. In Japan, this tree is also known as the Japanese Judas-Tree, which further hints at the Judas connection. In regards to Hirako breaking his neck, there are a number of images in the Tokyo Ghoul calendar (released in 2016) that focus on his neck.

As shown in a post by @akiira-mado:

1. “Let us fight. Even if the God of Death will point his blade at my throat.“ 2. CCG’s God of Death killing a fly but it’s a strange composition, slashing X across Hirako’s neck. For such a simple omake, it would have been easy for Ishida to rework the awkward composition differently. 3. Hirako clutching his neck with Arima in the bg observing. “I felt death approaching” is Hirako’s comment about this scene.

Also, in Hirako’s card in the Tokyo Ghoul Trump series, there appears to be a sand dollar in the background.

The five slits in sand dollars are said to represent Christ’s wounds on the cross. So, this is another reference to Judas as he is responsible for Christ’s wounds. Later, Hirako himself is even called Judas when confronted by Hajime Hazuki.

All of this points to Hirako as the Judas of Tokyo Ghoul, but who is the Jesus he betrayed? Throughout the story, Ken Kaneki has depicted with Christian symbolism.

So, this sets up that Hirako is indeed a traitor to Kaneki.

Textual Evidence

Hirako is seen relatively little in the story. However, we know that he generally wears a bland, stoic expression. There are points when this expression breaks, and these point can be telling.

Hirako is typically a very passive individual who waits for orders. However, when they are getting ready to steal rc suppressants from the CCG lab in the Clown Arc, he not only volunteers himself for the lab mission but even states he has the layout of the lab memorized in order to convince Kaneki to bring him along. If you look closely at his left eye, it appears out of focus. Why did Hirako want to go to the lab so much?

If Hirako was a traitor working for Furuta, then he may have known Rize was at the lab. He specifically mentions he has the layout of the lab memorized, and so if he went he may have tried to steer the group away from the area where Rize was (since she was vital to Furuta’s plan).

Another point made at the beginning of this meta was that somehow Hajime Hazuki knew that Naki was nearby when he pretended to be a ghoul in trouble. Later, when Hirako first confronts Hajime he appears uncharacteristically hostile.

Later, when Kaneki says they will keep him locked up underground he appears worried.

If Hirako was the one who told Furuta where Hajime could find the white suits, then Hajime may know as well. So, he may be afraid of Hajime exposing him.

Finally, there’s Irimi and Koma. They are revealed to have died at some unspecified point, but they are revived as quinques by Akihiro Kanou. In the final battle with V, after Hirako hears that the Black Dobers (Irimi) are coming to the battlefield, he looks to the side nervously.

This is likely because he had a hand in their deaths. Also, despite being used as puppets Irimi and Koma do retain some aspects of their original personality.

And who are the first people they move to attack? Hirako and Ui.

Why they attacked Ui is unclear. During the Rushima Island Arc she seemed to want to fight Ui specifically, and so she may have a grudge against him for something.

However, it’s important to note that they attack Hirako as well, probably to avenge their deaths.

Motive

Since we know so little about Hirako, it’s not really possible to know his motivations for betraying Kaneki and Goat unless Ishida-sensei reveals it to us some day. However, if we take the Judas analogy into account, we remember that Jesus was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. According to a recent study, 30 shekels of silver in today’s money would be around $200. Imagine betraying Jesus for 200 bucks! So, the few pieces of silver were likely to illustrate the Jesus was betrayed for a petty and insignificant price. So, Hirako’s reason for betraying was likely for a petty reason.

151 notes · View notes

allthe-ghouls-blog · 7 years

Note

Seiaki fluffy hcs please? I love your blog :)

Sure thing! I did ghoul Seidou but if you’d like human feel free to send another ask!

Seidou watches over Akira as she heals, bringing her water and wash cloths

However he leaves the room when she needs to have her clothes changed or sponged bathed; this chore is given to Hinami

As she heals he helps brush her hair and file her nails

Akira taught him how to braid hair so he could braid hers

Akira brushes Seidou’s hair because it’s filthy and she wants to be able to run her fingers through it

Seidou has fallen asleep with Akira brushing and playing with his hair

Akira begins to learn Seidou’s moods and tries to calm him

Seidou is scared of her getting sick again so he makes her sleep with three or four blankets and makes sure she eats

They come to one another after a nightmare

I hope this was okay, thanks for the request! I love these two. xo - mun C

#tokyo ghoul headcanons #tg headcanons #tokyo ghoul imagines #tg imagines #seidou takizawa #akira mado

26 notes · View notes

flyingcookiegumtruckthing · 5 years

Text

Tokyo ghoul : silent hill

Yo, I read this incredible D:BH/ Silent Hill fanfic and I would now like to have a Tokyo Ghoul/ Silent Hill fanfic.

Details of what I would imagine could be a fanfic/fan game under the cut. I thought too hard about this lol.

Ver 1. - Kaneki Ken (his story is a human!au)

Kaneki receives a letter from his childhood friend, Hide, who he fell out of touch with after dropping out of college. The letter says to go to a small town in the Japanese countryside, Silent Hill / Shizu Oka machi 静丘町 (idk i only took japanese for 2 semesters how do naming towns work lol). Along the way, Kaneki meets:

Touka, a young woman looking for her brother

Hinami, a little girl hiding from…someone

Amon Koutarou, a policeman who seems to have a dark past of some sort

Akira Mado, a rookie policewoman looking for her father

Kaneki encounters dark shadows of other people too, including his dead mother, a tall and shady yakuza in white, and a young woman with beautiful purple hair and an appetite for books.

Ver 2. - Hideyoshi Nagachika (this one is still the ghoul canon but with silent hill)

Hide, a young college dropout turned CCG Investigator, gets a letter from his childhood friend, Kaneki Ken, telling him to go to Silent Hill. A few months ago, Kaneki disappeared after a date gone wrong, ending in a terrible accident that left him hospitalized and more withdrawn than usual. Hide travels to Silent Hill and meets people that claim to have met Kaneki. There’s also strange young men who all seem vaguely similar to Kaneki (Shironeki, Akaneki, Centipede, Dragonneki, Haise Sasaki, a one-eyed king, a pair of twins with black and white hair). Also while traveling the town, Hide gets attacked by giant centipedes and stick thin humanoids. There’s even a dragon roaring around town, turning buildings into rubble, only for the building to return to normal a few hours later.

Hide is able to leave Silent Hill early depending on far he has progressed in his own questline, but this will have consequences for those still stuck in Silent Hill.

Ending 1 - Hide learns that Kaneki is a ghoul and invites him to return home. Kaneki agrees, but is still deeply troubled.

(Unlocked if Hide learns about Jason/Yamori and completes side quests of members of Cafe Anteiku, :re, or GOAT. Kaneki can turn into either Kuroneki or Shironeki, depending on the dialog choices Hide chooses to say. Picking the dialog choice “I knew it was you the whole time,” and talking to the ghost of Jason will get the player the Shironeki ending. Picking the dialog choice “Let’s go home,” and ignoring the ghost of Jason will get the player the Kuroneki ending.)

Ending 2 - Hide learns that Kaneki is a ghoul and allows Kaneki to eat him. Kaneki, in despair, turns into either Centipede or Dragon-neki and destroys Silent Hill. Those who survive the attack will depend on whether or not Hide completed their side quests.

(Only unlocked if Hide learns of Jason/Yamori and completes side quests of Aogiri Tree and CCG members, including Amon/Floppy. Seidou Takizawa counts only as a CCG member, and Owl/Takizawa counts as an Aogiri Tree member. If the player passes the cut-off point where Seidou disappears from Silent Hill, the player will be unable to redo Seidou Takizawa’s side questline, and will have to do Owl’s instead. Hide must encounter Shironeki in the sewers. Shironeki turning into Centipede or Dragon is dependent on which dialog choices Hide chooses to say during the final sewer section and also whether or not Hide talked to the ghost of Jason.)

Ending 3 - Hide chooses to help Sasaki Haise become his own person, leaving the town.

(Ending only unlocked if Hide learns that the CCG did indeed brainwash Kaneki (unlocked if player finds the Silver Key in the Grim Reaper’s Briefcase, inserts it into the CCG building door, and reads CCG files) and completes the school children / Quinx’s side questlines), and the player decides to help Sasaki depending on dialog choices presented during the final confrontation with Sasaki Haise.)

Ending 4 - Hide chooses Kaneki over Sasaki and helps break the CCG’s brainwashing.

(Unlocked if player reads the CCG files and talks to GOAT members. Hide can help the school children/Quinx and complete their side questlines, but if he chooses to “take their maman from them,” a secret cutscene will play after the credits of the Quinx following Hide and Kaneki out of town.)

Ending 5 - Hide defeats Dragon-neki and helps him turn back into Kaneki Ken. Everyone lives.

(Requires all previous ending to be unlocked, player must unlocked CCG files and complete all side questions of everyone in town, CCG and ghoul. Hide also must persuade Sasaki Haise to fade away and also persuade the Quinx to mature/let go of Sasaki.)

#tg #tg:re #tokyo ghoul #silent hill #fanfic that i want to write but i suck at writing lol #my stuff #or like a fangame or something

2 notes · View notes

hamliet · 6 years

Note

It feels so good that the CCG is about to start collapsing as an organization. We have V revealing the truth that the Washuu consumed the bodies of fallen investigators and pillaged graves (something Amon can relate to for a moment), the whole Sphinx stuff with blending ghouls in bottles, half humans being born in a rape garden. I just love moments in media when a major organization has it's shady dealings revealed and suffer a quick downfall or reformation. Aaaah I'm so excited!

YUP. This was one of my favorite reveals tbh. Farewell, CCG, you will not be missed. But like for real:

Imagine Urie’s reaction to finding out the reason he couldn’t open his dad’s casket was because his dad wasn’t even there. He blamed Kuroiwa when it was the people he was counting on to provide him with worth and meaning via promotion who ate him.

Imagine Akira and Amon realizing Mado’s grave was empty all this time, and like Hinami, they don’t have a place to mourn.

Imagine Ui seeing Hairu as a quinque, muttering Arima’s name.

Imagine the Qs seeing Shirazu as a quinque when he couldn’t even handle quinques like Nutcracker (that’s why it’s so, so perfect that he’s being turned into one).

Juuzou seeing the real Arata as a quinque--a person, undeniably, instead of just a skin to wear.

Karren, Arima, Yoshimura--all of them--as quinques. Hard to deny what you’ve been using all along when your hypocrisy is gonna smack you in the face with the horror of what you’ve been doing.

It’s thematically perfect, and I’m so. Hyped.

#ask hamliet #tgre meta #tg meta #Anonymous

59 notes · View notes

soutasnotebook · 6 years

Note

I love your blog, Can I ask about Akiramon as parents headcanons?

- Amon makes sure they develop a taste for donuts, and Akira makes delicious Mado-style curry. Their kids are connoisseurs by age 5.

- They have multiple cats and dogs. Because Akira had childhood cats, and Amon had a childhood dog.

- I imagine both are a bit hesitant to bring up the subject of the grandparents to the kids until they’re older. Especially Amon.

- Akira and Amon love sports with their kids, and crafts, and reading. Their kids are extremely well-rounded.

- They never miss a playdate with the Touken kids.

- Maris Stella is probably their biggest initial issue. Brat cat is not ready to give up its throne to tiny humans.

- Akira and Amon are probably very nervous about how their larger community will view their quarter-ghoul kids. There’s a lot of personal and interpersonal reckoning to be done.

#akiramon #akira mado #Amon Koutarou #tokyo ghoul headcanons #tokyo ghoul

60 notes · View notes

coromoor · 6 years

Note

Now that Kaneki has long hair, imagine Mama Akira braiding it and both of them having matching braids ;o;

SO CUTE I’m still dying from the vol 15 illustration [x]

Akira-san braids her hair so that she can remember her parents.

because there’s just so many little moments and it hurts to think about....

like her Father taking over the job of braiding her hair after her Mother died

and how he would still braid it even when she was old enough to do it herself- how that must be a bonding moment for them both to feel closer to her Mother

and Mado would let Akira braid his hair too in return

and how she must be thinking of her parents every morning when she braids her hair and looks in the mirror

even doing Juuzou’s hair too

so yesyesyes to Akira braiding Kaneki’s hair.... a giant hair braiding party where she does everyone’s

also one day when the wounds are fully healed between her and Hinami, I want her to braid Hina’s hair too ToT

#i just realised in her kimono #akira has a little cat in her hair :'D #cor replies #tokyo ghoul #mado akira #Anonymous

140 notes · View notes

juulookzousketchy · 6 years

Photo

When you are waiting for your laptop to be fixed and just play the tg game. I think there's some new art in it or I probably have never seen them before lol. But lookat how gorgeous Mado is. How handsome Amon looks. How adorable Juuzou is as always. And how dank Akira looks. And dat Arima. (I love Arima in the manga but goddamn he's annoying and hard to beat in the game. Those constant stuns make him too op. I'd love to see them add in characters from :Re too!!! Imagine T-Owl Seidou being hard as fk or frikin Takeomi breaking ghouls necks n shit.)

#ok but akira looks gorgeous #but where smol seidou at #tokyo ghoul #tokyo ghoul:re #im still waiting for my laptop...i needa upload some drawings ;;

18 notes · View notes

akaaka04 · 6 years

Text

Imagine, if you will x2:

For @hidewari ! c:

It's Hide's turn to get to meet the Kanekis, heheheh 👀👀👀

Hide's feeling confident he'll do better than Kaneki did at his place

Kaneki smiles nervously and tells Hide he'd better have that confidence on full blast during the dinner because his family's silently judgemental

Hide assures his bf he'll charm the pants off of his folks, no matter what

"I've always been meaning to ask, babe. Who makes up your family?"

"Well, that's... Uh... It's... kind of complicated?" Kaneki replies, scratching his head

"Why? Are your folks celebrities or something?" Hide jokes, not thinking Kaneki would actually say yes

Arima Kishou, his father, is the best attorney in town and is actually better known as the man who's always serious and never smiles, ever; doesn't know how to say 'no' to his son and spoils the shit out of him

Akira Mado, his mother figure and aunt, is a successful business woman and scientist dealing in modern technology for everyday living; loves teasing the shit out of Amon because he blushes like a schoolgirl every time

Amon Koutarou, his uncle and Akira's husband, works in the marketing department of his wife's company; his work buddies joke about him being a total pushover for his wife because he drops everything he's doing at her every beck and call, but really, he just loves his wife

Hide sits there, eyes the size of dinner plates and mouth open wide because he's shook to the core by his sweet, shy, super hot boyfriend being fucking rich???

Hide, very quietly, says, "I'd have to find the cure to cancer in order to impress your folks, huh?"

Kaneki chuckles and kisses Hide, assuring him that his adopted family will love him for his personality alone

Once they finish their college courses for the week, Hide and Kaneki make their way to Kaneki's house and fucking christ is it luxurious

Hide is both humbled and incredibly intimidated

Once inside, they're greeted by Arima (who, of course, conveys no hint of emotion at all)

Hide shakes his hand and smiles, thinking he's done that well, at least

Once Kaneki turns his back to close the front door and hang up their coats and book bags, Arima tightly squeezes Hide's hand and whispers, "If you ever break my son's heart, I'll kill someone, frame you, and then be the prosecutor leading the case against you."

Que Hide feeling his stomach drop to his feet as the tiniest laugh comes out of his mouth

Akira and Amon have no children of their own, but they do have a finicky cat named Maris Stella

Akira leaves it up to Maris Stella to judge Hide; if she likes him, Hide stays

Maris Stella takes one long look at Hide, comes up to him, and sits down in front of him

Hide smiles and greets her; she butts her head against his waiting hand and meows

"You can relax now, Arima. Hide's been deemed worthy." Akira winks at Hide

#tokyo ghoul #hidekane #akira mado #amon koutarou #arima kishou #ken kaneki #kaneki ken #hideyoshi nagachika #maris stella #akiramon

72 notes · View notes

kenkamishiro · 7 years

Text

re:quest [tension] - chapter 5

This is the last chapter of “tension”. It’s been lots of fun translating it, and though it’s been difficult, I’ve learned a lot from it. The next short story I’m planning on translating is “quinquies”, the short story featuring Saiko and the Qs. It’ll be a while before that story will be out though because of my schedule. Anyways, thank you for your support, and I hope you enjoyed “tension” as much as I did!

For those who haven’t read “tension”, the short story about the CCG art festival, you can read chapter 1 here. Enjoy!

(Thank you @tokyo-ghoul-out-of-context for proofreading.)

Today was the day of the art festival. The convention centre located in the same ward as the CCG main office was showing a turnout unseen in previous years. All sorts of paintings, sculptures, pottery and the like were on display, with the outstanding art that had won awards organized based on the colour of their attached ribbons.

In the midst of it all, Urie was gazing at the red ribbon for the highest honour that was attached to his own painting.

“...(Of course it would go to me.)”

Urie, who had been an Academy scholarship student and had graduated top of his class, was continuing to pile on achievements. The people around him had been praising him for being outstanding even in his hobbies. Though he had been furious as to why all the Qs had won some sort of award, but he was the only one who had been able to win the highest honour that so few could achieve.

“...Urie.”

“...(So you’re here.)”

Everything that Urie had done was to show the overwhelming difference between him and this man. He turned around and faced Takeomi.

“Congrats on getting the highest honour.”

“It’s not really a big deal. (Take that!)”

“No, what you said was absolutely true. Art isn’t something you can just make in a day,” Takeomi said to Urie as he observed his painting.

Usually Urie would get irritated whenever Takeomi complimented him, but today was different. Takeomi was a human who couldn’t appreciate anything related to art. He just couldn’t compare to Urie, and that made Urie feel good.

“So, how did you do? (Do you even get an award for participating?)” Urie asked nastily.

“I got an honourable mention,” Takeomi said.

“...honourable mention?”

A sense of dread filled his chest for a moment from his unexpected words.

Honourable mention? You of all people? How?

It’s just an honourable mention, Urie told himself. There was no reason for him to care about it. But his heart continued to race.

“It was all because of your advice. Thanks.”

“There’s no need to thank me. (I don’t remember giving him advice. What the hell is he talking about? Did he just try to copy me and paint something?)”

He felt a sense of discomfort crawling along his body like a bug. Takeomi, with no knowledge of how Urie was feeling, said, “I’ll see you later then,” and prepared to leave.

“Bujin, I just saw your art! It’s so cool!” a lively voice jumped in. Itou Kuramoto, whose eyes always appeared to be closed, ran in, followed by Michibata Shinji, whose notable features were his sideburns and lower eyelashes. Those two men were in the same squad as Takeomi as his seniors, and it looked like they had just seen Takeomi’s artwork.

“How’d you transport that thing up here!? But first I wanna hear about how you got the materials for it!”

“...(How you transported it? Materials?)”

It seemed that Takeomi had made something quite unique.

“I took my father’s car and went up to the mountains.”

“...!? (Mountains!?)”

Why did he have to go the mountains?

“When Kuramocchan looked up at the thing you made, he was just starin’ at it with his mouth gapin’ wide open!”

“...(Looked up at!?)”

“Ignore him! It reminded Micchi of sports festivals, and he was so excited that he wanted to climb the thing!”

“(Sports festival!? Climb!?)” Urie thought as he watched Takeomi being complimented by his two seniors.

“(No, this doesn’t mean anything, they’re in the same squad...it’s like getting compliments from your family…!)”

Thinking about it, Urie didn’t think he could stand being there any longer. He began walking quickly away from Takeomi and his squadmates toward another area of the hall.

“(What the hell did you make, Kuroiwa Takeomi? You don’t have an inkling of what art is supposed to be. There’s no need for me to worry about this. Yeah, I’m just going to look at your crappy artwork so I can laugh at it…)”

And then Urie heard voices saying, “Did you see what Kuroiwa made?” The voices didn’t belong to Itou and Michibata, but to investigators that Takeomi didn’t interact with. Urie chased after what those investigators were looking at.

“...!?”

Despite the crowd of people surrounding the artwork, Urie could clearly see it.

“A totem pole…(a totem pole)”

It was around three metres tall. From the rough carvings it was obvious that it was made by an amateur, but it still left a huge impact on everyone. Realizing that his jaw had dropped, flabbergasted at what he was seeing, Urie closed his lips in a fluster.

He thought about why Takeomi would have made something like this, and then he finally remembered.

...instead of using a delicate tool like a paintbrush, why don’t you make something out of wood instead?

Despite Urie having said that sarcastically, Takeomi had taken his comment to heart.

“Just like I expected from Kuroiwa.”

“He really is different from everyone.”

Appreciation for Takeomi was entering Urie’s ears, which was what he hated hearing the most.

“(This is why I hate that bastard!)”

Urie gritted his teeth and left the hall.

After Urie had left, two women were standing in front of the totem pole.

“Madam!”

Recognizing one of the women, Gori Misato, a tall investigator with a beauty mark on the middle of her forehead, rushed over to her. Misato had worked under Special Class Investigator Kuroiwa Iwao and had participated in the 11th ward Special Countermeasures Unit created to deal with Aogiri, and the Owl Suppression Operation in the 20th ward.

“Hello, Misato-san.”

The woman who gave Misato a smile was Iwao’s wife and Takeomi’s mother. She had married at a young age, so she didn’t look like someone who would have a twenty-year-old son. Her appearance was a contrast to Iwao’s, whose bulk and stability made him look much older.

“It’s been a while, madam.”

“Thank you for always helping my husband.”

“Don’t mention it! Your son’s efforts are quite remarkable.” Misato looked up at the towering totem pole.

“I’ve also heard about your great efforts from my husband.”

“Oh dear...I don’t really have much though.” Misato was happy that her boss that she respected so much said that about her, but she decided to act humbly.

“Did you come here to see what Special Class Kuroiwa and your son made? Special Class Kuroiwa’s platter was quite splendid.”

Iwao had lost his left arm, but he was still working as an investigator. She couldn’t imagine how he had made the platter with just his right hand.

“No,” Kuroiwa’s wife said, shaking her head. “I came here today to meet Shinohara-san’s wife.”

Misato saw the woman standing next to Kuroiwa’s wife. The wife of Shinohara Yukinori, who was also known as the “Indomitable Shinohara”, showed a smile strong to the core.

“You are...Special Class Shinohara’s wife?” Misato bowed her head.

“I heard that Juuzou’s art was being exhibited, so I came here to see it.”

Shinohara had collapsed, and it had been a long time since he had regained consciousness, but to this day his wife and Juuzou continued to interact.

“I believe Suzuya Juuzou’s art is at the centre of the hall. It’s next to Mikage Miyuki’s crop circle made of origami cranes.”

Shinohara’s wife contemplated Misato’s directions. “I was trying to find it, to be honest. Thank you,” she said gratefully. And after a few more words, Misato split off from the two women.

“...”

As Misato stared at the retreating backs of the women who continued to support their investigator husbands, she let out a breath, having remembered Amon Koutarou, the man she had long yearned for.

Amon had a strong sense of justice, was outstanding in his work and had a promising future. However, he was said to have died in the 20th ward Owl Operation, though his body hadn’t been found. Misato still didn’t think that he was dead.

“Misato.”

She had been thinking about Amon so intensely, that she jumped when someone called her name.

“What’s with you standing there and spacing out?”

Mado Akira was the one who called out to Misato. Akira was younger and had graduated later than Misato, but she always spoke to Misato in an informal manner. This hadn’t changed even after Mado surpassed Misato in rank.

“...I was talking to Special Class Kuroiwa and Shinohara’s wives just now.”

“They’ve come here? I should greet them.”

Some things hadn’t changed, but there were some things that had, such as Akira’s concern for her surroundings. Misato didn’t know if it was because she was in a position where she had to lead her subordinates, or if it was because Sasaki and the Qs that were assigned to her had made her like this.

“I’ll be off then.”

“Yeah…”

Akira turned her back on her. It was a delicate back carrying heavy responsibilities.

“...Mado Akira.”

“Yeah?”

Without realizing it Misato had called out to Akira.

Akira was an excellent investigator with a deep knowledge of quinques who always kept calm. From now there would be more future female investigators who would look up to her. But Misato knew that underneath her calm exterior was a torrent of emotions. She knew because Akira had cried for Amon Koutarou and her classmate Takizawa Seidou.

“...”

Previously at the Auction Cleanup Operation, a mysterious ghoul had suddenly appeared and wreaked havoc on the investigators. No one in Misato’s vicinity talked about that unexpected incident, but it left behind an ominous feeling.

“...Misato?”

Akira had been stopped, and she watched as Misato was unable to get her words out. “What do you need?” she asked, tilting her head. She scoffed, putting her hand on her lips as she watched Misato.

“You don’t have anything to say, yet if you have the time to stop people, lead me to where the Special Classes’ wives are. I’ll show you a delicious curry shop as my thanks.”

In a convoluted way, Akira had invited Misato for lunch.

“How does that sound?”

Akira smiled. Misato blew air from her nose, and stood next to Akira.

“Follow me.”

“My pleasure.”

People were cheerfully looking at the exhibits, walking and laughing with their colleagues. These people, who fought as investigators, had looks of enjoyment on their faces.

Hairu was weaving through these people, slowly, walking alone.

Highest honour, high honour, honourable mention. The artwork that had won these awards had ribbons attached to them. She stood in front of her drawing that she had carefully coloured with her coloured pencils. She stared at the blue ribbon next to her name. A ribbon for high honour.

“And I thought I was gonna get praised a lot for it too.”

Hairu hadn’t gotten the Special Adjudicator award, the only award that was chosen by Arima. She entwined her hands behind her back, and blew a raspberry. Even though she had received the high honour award, it was meaningless to Hairu.

“Figured it’s better to take down ghouls. Tons of them.”

That was the easiest way, she thought while staring at her art. However, something caught her attention, and she turned toward it. The people in her surroundings began to stir.

With his silent gaze behind his glasses, just the sight of the man walking left goosebumps in everyone.

“Arima-san, I wanted to win the Arima award,” Hairu called out in contrast to her noisy surroundings. Arima stopped next to Hairu.

“Do you mean the Special Adjudicator award?”

“It’s called the Arima award, ‘cause you’re the one giving it out,” Hairu declared. Arima closed his mouth.

“And I spent so much time and effort on it.” Hairu pointed to her own drawing of a teenager and a young girl standing within the beautiful flowers.

“...it was disqualified from the award,” Arima said bluntly.

“Huh?” Hairu’s cheeks swelled. Arima kept staring at Hairu’s drawing.

“Because that scene is nostalgic and brings me back.”

He had memories of that place.

Whether human or ghoul, there a was a rule that forced them to never talk about this secret, of this moral contradiction and the place where they had been brought up - the Sunlit Garden.

That was where she had met him.

Hairu giggled. They shared this memory, and she couldn’t help but feel giddy because of it.

“Shao is going to join us starting next year.”

“Shao! I want her to clean my ears again! It felt so good!”

“Yes, please treat her well,” Arima said, and then he left. It seemed that he had to go somewhere. Most likely it was related to Haise.

“Hairu!”

Hairu, who had been gazing at her drawing alone, now had someone else standing next to her.

“...Koori-senpai.”

“So you got the high honour award. That’s amazing,” Ui said while looking at Hairu’s art.

“Koori-senpai, but you got the highest honour award.” Hairu began walking away from her drawing, Ui following close behind. Ui, who would always lecture her not to walk behind each other during work, didn’t say anything about it this time.

“The Special Adjudicator award is a joke. Though it really is like Arima-san to pick that kind of drawing.”

In the end, Arima had chosen Yonebayashi Saiko’s work titled, “My vision of the strongest investigator”. It was a drawing of a very muscular investigator holding a quinque that looked like a gold club that ogres would carry around. It appeared to be modelled after her squadmate Urie Kuki.

“Apparently he chose it because it was the first time he’d even seen something like that. Even though there were tons of others he could’ve picked from.”

Ui was known to complain a lot whenever Arima did something weird.

“Sasaki-kun’s gingerbread castle is really popular, plus that painting full of circles is just plain disturbing. The Qs are such a strange bunch…”

“Koori-senpai,” Hairu said, interrupting his tirade.

“What?”

“Let’s get to work.”

It didn’t matter who had won what award.

“...but I’m on break.”

“So am I. But we’re here together now, aren’t we?” she said to Ui’s unamused face, continuing to smile.

“Isn’t this great? We have tons of things to do. It really does fit us better to be holding quinques instead of pencils and scissors, don’t you think? But if you don’t wanna, I’ll just go by myself,” Hairu said and headed toward the venue’s exit.

I have to hurry.

So she could be praised by Arima.

Because we don’t live long.

Whatever reason they had been created for, why they had such a fate imposed on them, none of it mattered. As long as she could get that hand to gently stroke her head again, just like when she was little.

Ui let out a loud sigh behind Hairu, but he quickly raised his head and passed by her.