Chapter Text
We are born in a colorless world, one with a plethora of assorted grays, whites, and blacks. A dull and colorless void that we are seemingly trapped in. A prison of our own, a prison of monotonous pigments, clouding our sight.
But all hope is not lost, for there is a way to leave this pointless void. A key to set you free to vivid colors, extraordinarily vibrant colors varying in all sorts of pigments. That key, is true love.
The moment you see your true love, you finally see the beautiful world in all it’s colorful glory. Your true love is the key to the prison, and they can take you to a whole new world, something new and exhilarating you’ve never seen before.
But alas, your true love may be your key to this wondrous sight, but the feelings may or may not be reciprocated. That someone, that key, may be your ticket to a brand new world of color and beauty, but it is possible that you are not that someone’s key to that world. Feelings can be one-sided, and those one-sided people dwell alone, remaining in their hopeless void of muted colors, never again to see the world of color.
At least, that’s what’s destined for me.
We were born with only a few months separating our age, my love and I. I was born first, put out into this dark dismal world, knowing it as my only world. I lived happily in it, the only world I’ve ever known. So I accepted it as that, but always held a special hope in my heart that one day, I’ll come to know a new world, one with everything but dark colors. One with everything that I’ve been missing.
I want to see the colors.
The colors that come when you look at your true love, the one who can set you free from this damned tedious world, and set you free into a new one. I want to be in that world, with that someone who’s destined for me.
I’ve wished on stars, and I never stopped believing that one day, I’ll meet that person, and we’ll be happy together, set free in our own world.
That was my only wish, that was my happy ending to my own little fantasy, my fairytale.
But not all fairytales have happy endings.
It happened when I was twelve, and the teacher brought a new student into the class. I had been busy with my assignments, too busy to look up and notice the shy little boy facing the class, face hidden behind black hair as he stared down at his feet. The teacher announced his name as Kaneki. Kaneki Ken.
Then I looked up.
The sight hurt my eyes at first, it was so sudden that I had to look away, but when I finally looked back, I saw it. The new world that everyone had been buzzing about. The new world that would set people free from our muted state. I saw it. It took my breath away and made my heart go so fast I was afraid I would have a heart attack right then and there. My stomach flopped and my hands began to shake so badly that I dropped my pencil with a loud gasp. I covered my gaping mouth with a tremulous hand, and gawked at the lovely, absolutely breathtaking image in front of me. This boy titled as “Kaneki Ken” opened my cage and allowed me to gaze upon this alluring image before me, setting me free.
I watched as Kaneki Ken was guided by the teacher to his designated seat, just a few desks away from mine.
I was raised well, and I knew it was rude to stare, but I couldn’t help it. This sight set before my eyes was too precious. It almost felt surreal, as if I was not seeing something like this, as if my very eyes were not worthy of gazing upon something so beautiful. I watched with a bright face and opened eyes as Kaneki fumbled with a small book that was strangely littered with random assortments of dots here and there.
But that didn’t distract me.
Redirecting my gaze back to focus on Kaneki Ken, I noticed that the vivid colors surrounding me weren’t the only beautiful things here. Kaneki Ken had long black hair surrounding his face and forehead, nearly covering his somewhat-dulled..?- deep black eyes. In contrast to the regular dismal black I’d been forced to stare at for the past twelve years, the black eyes of Kaneki’s were by far the most beautiful thing. Kaneki Ken had a nose as a button, and a faint smile spread across his lips. I watched as his finger trailed gently along the pages of his book as he read. He seemed frail, gentle. As if a gust of wind would carry him away.
The room felt dizzy, and I was soon overwhelmed with such a sense of joy, I guess my own head couldn’t handle it. I closed my eyes for a moment, and felt as my head slammed onto the top of my desk, on my unfinished assignment. Everything turned black, just as I had been used to seeing for years, and I allowed myself to slip into an unconscious state.
It was dark when I woke up. Hah, big surprise there.
I came to my senses, taking in my dull surroundings.
I was stuck inside the nurse's office, the nurse tapping away loudly at her computer, pulling up my records and contacting my parents about my recent disruption in class today.
“Excuse me, Miss?” I called once I was able to use my voice. It was as dry as a desert, cracked and worn.
The nurse turned around in her chair, judgmental gray eyes scanning my body up and down, possibly searching for any physical bruise that she might’ve missed.
“Up already, hm? How are you feeling, Doll?” She asked, her voice sweeter than honey, a tempting sound in my ears. She rolled over to me, taking my gray wrist into her dull hands, placing two wrinkled-from-age fingers against my pulse. I didn’t answer, waiting for my analysis.
“Your pulse seems normal. Are you feeling alright? Headache?” She pressed her hand to my forehead and smiled, shaking her head.
Without allowing me to reply, she stood up and handed me my already packed backpack, and stood me up.
“You seem good to go, you’re parents are waiting for you at home.” She said with a bright smile.
You see, that’s the thing about my parents. No matter what the occasion, what the circumstances, they’ll always tell me to just grow up and walk it off, to do what’s expected of me. They give no consent for my personal well being, all they care about is money and making sure I don’t make them look like fools. I’ve learned to live with it, just as I’ve learned to live in a dismal world. But things were different now. Things were going to change now forever, so long as I can be with Kaneki Ken, to have him open up that vast new, yet unexplored world, just waiting to be gazed upon once again.
Such a thought was enough to fill me with determination.
I smiled at the nurse and thanked her for taking such good care of me, then scampered out of her office and down the hallways, towards the nearest exit.
I began my journey home, noticing that the brilliant gray sun had began to set over the even grayer horizon. I wonder what color the sun really is… I thought to myself as I continued to wander from familiar streets, on my usual route home. I grabbed at a loose strand of dark hair. I wonder what color this is… I thought, beginning to ponder all the things i have yet to see, to truly see in this world. I looked around me, taking in the ever-so-boring surroundings. Tall, gray buildings, dark streets, pale grass, taking note of all possible things I had yet to gaze upon.
Suddenly, a thought came into my mind that caused me to fearfully stop in my tracks.
What if Kaneki Ken didn’t see the colors?
My heart began to race at the possibility. I clutched my chest, my eyes growing wide with curiosity. I had to know if he felt the same thing. I had to know if this isn’t one-sided, like Mom had warned me about as a child.
Horrid thoughts flooded in from all directions. I shook my head, pulling myself back into reality, and continued on my walk home, figuring I’d ask Kaneki Ken tomorrow at school. Surely he’d be there.
I glanced at the sun setting over the sea as I passed by, confusion shown on my face. I hadn't remembered seeing something so dull look so...beautiful. Vibrant. Like nothing I’d ever seen before.
Realization hit me like a speeding bullet, and I began looking around frantically. If I was able to see this world, then that means Kaneki Ken must be nearby!
My search was cut short when I spotted the dark haired boy residing upon a grassy hill just overlooking the glistening ocean shining proudly with spots of vibrant sunlight catching its waves. I sprinted to him, and raced eagerly to his side, my curiosity growing. I glanced down at him for a moment, his eyes seemingly glued to the ocean laid out before him, paying no attention to me.
“Hi!” I called out.
Strangely, Kaneki Ken looked to the opposite side of where I was standing, then looked to me, as if correcting himself.
“H-Hey…” He said shyly, his gaze averted from mine. I placed myself beside him, eyes trained solely on him, and him alone, despite the lovely world laid out before me.
He had long black hair, more beautiful than the black I had been so used to seeing. He wore a pale ocean-colored sweater, decidingly a great look for him.
I raised my hand to shake his, and gave him a friendly smile, tilting my head, watching as Sun-colored hair flopped into my vision. So that’s what my hair looks like… I thought, but shook my head and averted myself back to Kaneki Ken. “My name’s Hideyoshi, but you can just call me Hide if you want.” I greeted, my tone light and peppy.
The boy ignored my outstretched hand, his face growing a bit pink.
“I-I’m Kaneki Ken…” He spoke, his voice lovely, but barely above a whisper.
I retracted my hand, looking (and feeling) a bit defeated.
“Kaneki Ken…” I said, trying the new sound out on my tongue. “That’s too long. I’ll just call you Kaneki. Is that alright?”
Kaneki smiled in acceptance, gaze returning to the ocean, giving a small nod, one I almost failed to notice.
“So, Kaneki. I um… I had a question.” I said, jumping straight to conclusions, my curiosity growing too big to handle. I suddenly found the shimmering grass below me quite interesting.
“Hm?” Kaneki replied, again avoiding my gaze, a look of confusion spread across his face as he awaited my question.
“Today, in class, d-did you see... it... too?” I asked, referring to the colors. I found it hard to put my question into words. My throat closed up as I saw Kaneki turn away from me, from the ocean, the Sun. His hands balled into fists in his lap, his knuckles turning white from gripping so hard at his skin.
“Hm? What’s wrong, Kaneki?” I managed to choked out.
“Hide… i-it’s very sweet of you t-to come and speak to me, a-and I’m sure you didn’t know this,” Kaneki swallowed hard, and I waited eagerly for his reply.
“B-But...I’m blind.”