This one’s from Hide’s point of vie

This one’s from Hide’s point of view, in which he tries to prove that Kaneki isn’t a ghoul.

- The chapter opens up with Hide regaling us with the virtues of BIG GIRL, he and Kaneki’s favourite burger restaurant. What did Kaneki like to call it again? Their Anaan? Kunaan? “The promised land of Canaan,” Kaneki reminds Hide, like he does every time they come here. Hide says he’ll remember it this time, though Kaneki is doubtful.

- They’re eating there now, talking about girls, when they overhear another customer talking about ghouls. Hide informs Kaneki that he’s okay with dating a girl who is a ghoul. Kaneki tells him he doesn’t have to be that desperate.

- Flash to the events of the first manga chapter. In place of hearing about Kaneki’s exciting date, Hide instead learns that Kaneki has been involved in an accident. Since then, very strange things have happened. Among them is the way Kaneki can no longer stomach the BIG GIRL burgers he used to love.

- Two CCG investigators have also since been killed. Hide visits Kaneki at Anteiku. He notes that Kaneki, who didn’t look well after the surgery, seems to be doing better now that he’s working here. Hide is also grateful to Anteiku, and Touka especially, for taking care of them after the car accident, though he only vaguely remembers it. “Hide, try not to come here so often.” “Why?” Kaneki stammers an excuse about how the coffee at Anteiku is expensive. Hide agrees, but says that employees really shouldn’t be chasing out their customers and orders a cappuccino.

- Several days later, Hide’s back at Anteiku, where Kaneki is looking down. Kaneki tells him he shouldn’t come here anymore because there’s been suspicious people in the area. To Kaneki’s dismay, Hide shrugs off the warning after Kaneki admits nothing has actually happened yet. Hide wonders if there’s something Kaneki can’t say to him.

- Hide is still pondering these words the next day. He and Kaneki have known each other for a long time and he is aware that Kaneki is clearly looking out for him. Still, he wonders who the suspicious people are. He doesn’t notice class has ended until he’s approached by a boy and a girl, who introduce themselves as Kiyama, the president, and Sanko, a new member, of the school’s Supernatural Research Club. “Has Kaneki-kun shown any signs of being a ghoul?” Hide is shaken. “…What?” “Just as we said. We suspect that Kaneki-kun might be a ghoul.”

- The two are part of an online supernatural research community that meets offline regularly. The topic of their next meeting is ghouls. Hide tells them that there is no way that Kaneki is a ghoul, since they’ve known each other since elementary. Sanko shows a him a huge list of names of possible ghouls.

- “Nagachika-kun, are you aware that ghouls can’t eat human food?” Hide says he’s read that in Mr. Ogura’s ‘New Book of Ghoul Disassembling’. Ogura is an authority on ghouls and appears often on TV whenever ghoul-related incidents occur. Kiyama expresses surprise that Hide seems to be interested in ghouls as well and tells him that they’re investigating students that haven’t eaten at school in the last month. Hide points out that many students don’t eat on campus. Kiyama says that is why they are looking into each individual.

- “So, in the past month, have you seen Kaneki-kun eat anything?” “We’ve drank coffee together.” “That’s not enough to clear him.” Hide protests that they used to eat together all the time, but Kiyama and Sanko are primarily interested in the events of this month.

- They decide to leave Kaneki on the list for now while they look into their other suspects. “Wait, wait a sec…! Alright, I’ve got it!” Hide says. “Please let me aid you with your ghoul investigation!”

- The club takes their investigation pretty seriously. They investigate the suspect’s circumstances outside of school and even have details on the 20th ward CCG investigators’ patrol routes. Some time later, Hide asks if it’s about time they crossed off Kaneki’s name, but their community’s meeting is close and it will look bad if they have too little suspects, even if they do see Kaneki eat. Hide notes that they don’t actually believe anyone on their list to actually be ghouls.

- “That’s right, Nagachika-kun, will you be coming to the offline meeting?” “I can come too?” asks Hide, tilting his head. “Everyone is allowed to come to the offline meeting! This is the heart of ghoul research, you have to come!” “If that’s the case, I guess I’ll come take a look!” Hide tries to say cheerfully.

- The day of the meeting, he still hasn’t been able to remove Kaneki’s name from the list. A lot of people attend the meeting, though only a few groups, including Kiyama’s, present their findings. Kiyama’s group has been unable to narrow down any actual ghouls and they conclude with the fact that, since many people don’t eat in public, ghouls are capable of blending in with society very well. After the presentations, the attendees begin meeting and chatting with one another.

- “Ah– so that’s the end of it.” The next meeting’s topic will be announced and the matter of ghouls will be dropped. Hide breathes a sigh of relief. “The details of your investigation are very interesting,” says a man in his early-twenties, sitting down next to him.

- The man introduces himself as Cain. “That Mr. Cain?” Kiyama says with surprise. Cain is apparently a bit of a celebrity within the supernatural research circle with quite a few accomplishments. On the ghoul front, he has looked into a case where hospital patients were being eaten. “Ah, but you’re the stars today. Your study is very interesting.” Cain says. “I’m very interested in that case you mentioned. The young individual who was clearly eating with friends only a few months before, but has not been seen eating at all this month.” Hide’s eyes widen. He’s talking about Kaneki’s case.

- “Oh, that guy is COMPLETELY normal!” Hide laughs, waving his hands. “Why would you say that?” The other asks. “Because he’s my friend. I’ve known him since elementary school.” “Oh, so you’re his witness. What’s your friend’s name?” “Kaneki Ken.” “I see… that name really does seem very average.”

- “But consider this… A person who has become a ghoul.” At this, Hide’s heart stops. “Become a ghoul? What a novel concept,” Kiyama says with interest.

- Hide waves his hands in denial, to which Cain sighs. “How unromantic. Using your imagination to come up with all sorts of hypotheses is the charm of the supernatural field. Well, I understand that you wouldn’t like your friend being called a ghoul. In that case, isn’t there no harm in a thorough investigation if it will prove your friend truly innocent of having any relation with ghouls?”

- Kiyama and Sanko agree, eager to work with Cain, and so Hide has no choice but to go along with it.

- The next day is a Saturday. Hide, Kiyama, Sanko, and Cain gather at Kaneki’s neighbourhood at 7 in the morning. Hide tries to stifle a yawn and asks why Cain is so enthusiastic about this. Cain passionately answers that it’s because he loves the feeling that comes from finally putting together all the pieces of a puzzle.

- Kaneki walks out the front door. Sanko flips open her notebook, remarking, “He should be heading to Anteiku for work.” “You’ve even looked into his workplace?” “Of course.” Hide wonders if the suspicious people Kaneki told him about were actually Sanko and Kiyama.

- “Alright, we’ll follow him to the coffee shop,” Cain says, ignoring their conversation and stepping out. Hide feels weird following Kaneki and lags behind the other three, worried about being caught.

- And so begins Cain’s investigation. Aside from weekends, Kaneki dutifully attends class. Like Kaneki, Cain didn’t seem to be eating either as he follows Kaneki to every class. All the while, Hide is uneasy whereas Kiyama and Sanko are deeply moved by Cain’s passion. “He truly doesn’t seem to be eating anything. Could it be, our guess was correct?” wonders Cain.

- “No way…” Hide protests that they’ve known each other for a long time and frequently eat at BIG GIRL. “But not so much recently, right?” Cain asks calmly. “He was hospitalized not so long ago. He hasn’t fully recovered yet,” Hide persistently explains. “Calm down. It’s impossible for me to monitor him 24/7. I may have missed something. Especially since it’s been said that ghouls are most active late at night, my investigation is far from complete.”

- “Tomorrow, Kaneki will be working until very late. We can try waiting nearby. Perhaps we will witness a conclusive moment.” “I want to join you,” says the normally silent Sanko, timidly raising her hand. “Me too! Please let me come with you!” follows Kiyama. “It could be very dangerous,” Cain says worriedly, but the two aren’t swayed. “What about you, Nagachika-kun?” Hide clenches his fist. “I’m coming too. There’s no danger since Kaneki isn’t a ghoul.”

- They agree to meet in front of Anteiku at 8 in the evening. How troublesome, Hide thinks distractedly. He has an awful feeling about this and Hide has a lot of faith in his intuition.

- That day Hide comes home and immediately collapses into bed, tossing and turning. As the agreed time draws nearer and nearer, he grows more and more restless.

- He leaves a little early. He remembers lighting fireworks that summer night after grades were released and getting yelled at by an old lady for it and eating hamburgers at BIG GIRL to celebrate being accepted into university. All his memories have Kaneki’s shadow in them. Hide thinks it must be the same for Kaneki as well. It is a cold night and Hide is freezing. He looks at the hot drinks in a vending machine. He sees the sugarless black coffee that Kaneki has recently become so fond of. He’s not used to how bitter it is, but he buys one nonetheless