"Waves of Transformation"

A week had passed since the new school year began. Shibata and Inoue had quickly risen in popularity, drawing the attention of many classmates. Some, like Kato-San and me, preferred solitude, while others drifted between groups without fully belonging to any. Among them were Sayoko and Haru—effortlessly friendly, close to both boys and girls, yet never confined to a single circle. I was alone—not because no one tried to talk to me, but because I simply didn't want to talk to them. In class, the only person I spoke with was Haru, mostly because he wouldn't leave me alone. Then there was Kane, who suddenly took an interest in me after discovering my connection to her grandfather.

After school, I usually walked home with Sayoko. She rarely spoke to me in class, maybe because of what happened on the first day. I couldn't blame her—if I were in her place, I would have done the same. As for the rest of the class, they didn't mind me. To them, I didn't exist. And that was fine by me.

I greeted Haru with a simple "Good morning." He returned the greeting, and just like that, the day passed in a blur.

As I was about to leave the classroom, Kane approached me. "Do you wanna hang out with us?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No, I'm good."

"Is that so?" she replied before turning away and leaving the room.

Just as I was heading for the door, Haru suddenly grabbed me by the collar. "We're walking home together!" he declared.

I said nothing.

Haru smirked. "No response? I'll take that as a yes."

As we reached the lockers, a voice echoed through the corridor.

"Yuki!"

I turned to see Sayoko yelling down the hallway.

"Stop yelling," I said, sighing. "You're causing a scene."

Then, I suddenly froze. I had forgotten Haru was with me.

He stared at me, wide-eyed. "Y-you—you know her?"

"Kind of," I muttered.

"Kind of?" Sayoko scoffed. "Are you kidding me? The hell! I'm your childhood friend!"

Haru let out a small laugh. "So you have that side to you, huh?"

I shot him a look. "Aren't you surprised?"

"Yeah, I am," he admitted. "But I guess—"

"You guess?" I repeated.

"It's nothing," he said vaguely, leaving me to wonder what was going through his mind. I couldn't understand how people built relationships based on trust so easily.

When we left the school, Haru parted ways since his house was in the opposite direction, leaving me and Sayoko to walk home together.

"You know you're going to stand out now, right?" she said.

"And whose fault do you think that is?" I sighed. "Either way, he won't say anything."

She smirked. "Finally starting to trust people again?"

"I'm not trusting anyone. I'm just following my gut."

"Your gut, huh?"

By the time we reached our homes, the sky had darkened. I bid her farewell and went inside.

Lying on my bed, the past clawed its way back into my mind. The fear of trusting. The fear of being used again. The pain of it all.

But I did nothing wrong.

I only ended their suffering.

That's right.

I committed a sin that cannot be forgiven.

I killed my parents.

"This is because of you," someone whispered.

Because of me? You've got to be kidding me.

It was that dream again.

I opened my eyes and glanced at the clock—8 AM. Damn, I was going to be late. I hurriedly got ready, locked the door, and rushed outside.

"How long do I have to wait for you?" Kane asked, arms crossed.

I blinked. I never knew she was waiting for me.

"How do you even know my address?" I asked.

She smirked. "I have my ways."

Even if she says that, I knew she had asked her grandfather.

"So, do you want to walk with me?" I asked.

"Then let's go together, shall we?" she said casually.

I didn't respond, but she started walking beside me anyway.

"Do you always wake up this late?"

"No," I replied. "Usually around 6:30."

"Oh, is that so?"

I said nothing, and soon, we arrived at school.

As we stepped into class together, the stares started.

"Yo, popular guy," James called out with a grin. "Looks like our Yuki-Kun has a new target."

James belonged to the delinquent group—not great at academics, but skilled in sports. I didn't care what he was implying, and I didn't understand why people made such a big deal over something so trivial. It's not like Kane and I were holding hands or kissing. There was nothing to say, and I knew opening my mouth wouldn't be worth it.

I took my seat. Haru, understanding me as always, said nothing and simply looked ahead.

After school, a few girls asked Kane if she wanted to hang out with them. She declined, saying she had plans. The girls didn't look pleased with her answer. I wondered why, but it wasn't my concern. I grabbed my bag and headed to the lockers, where Haru and Sayoko were waiting for me.

I sighed. "What are you two doing together?"

Sayoko smirked. "What does it look like? We're waiting for you, duh."

Haru nodded. "Yeah."

"Only for today," I muttered.

"Yeah, yeah," they replied in unison.

As we approached the school gate, Kane stood there, waiting. I hesitated but asked anyway.

"For whom are you waiting?"

She scoffed. "For you, obviously, dumbo."

"For me?" I asked, surprised.

She smirked. "I knew something was off, but I never expected you to have friends."

I didn't respond, just glanced at Haru and Sayoko.

"Hmph," Sayoko muttered. "He's my childhood friend, and Tanka-Kun here just keeps tagging along."

Haru frowned. "Hey, Sayoko-San, didn't I tell you to just call me Haru?"

"And didn't I tell you not to call me Sayoko?"

They started bickering again. I ignored them and turned to Kane. "Why were you waiting for me?"

"To walk together, of course. But I didn't expect we'd have company."

I sighed. "I didn't know you were going to tag along… but I guess it can't be helped. Just for today."

We started walking home together. That's when I realized why Kane had refused the girls' invitation.

I wondered why she was suddenly so involved with me. Was it because of her grandfather? But I pushed the thought aside—if I dwelled on it, it would seem like I cared.

Haru and Kane eventually took a different route, leaving only me and Sayoko.

Without warning, Sayoko punched me lightly in the stomach.

"Idiot," she muttered.

I had no idea what she meant by that. I didn't ask. Instead, I walked inside my house.

When I reached for the door, I noticed it was already unlocked.

Someone was inside.

I stepped in and found Anya waiting.

I frowned. "What brings you here today?"

"To check on a few things," she replied.

"If it's about groceries, I already got them. I'm also visiting the doctor this Sunday, so don't worry about it—"

Before I could finish, she cut me off.

"Still having that nightmare?" she asked.

I said nothing.

She sighed. "Tell the doctor about it. Don't cause trouble for me or Kaneki-san."

"…Yeah. I won't."

With that, she left.

Even though she was technically my guardian, she never stayed at home. But it didn't matter anymore.

Day after day, Kane kept waiting for me outside my house to walk to school together. I didn't know what to say, but one morning, I finally asked, "Why do you keep walking with me?"

She shrugged. "No reason."

I didn't respond.

And yet, somehow, things around me started to change.

Even if I still felt alone… I wasn't.

Sayoko kept walking home with me. Haru tagged along. I wouldn't call him a friend, but at the very least, he was an acquaintance. And then there was Kane, waiting for me every morning.

For better or worse, everything was changing.