Don't Hang Out with Idiots

"It's wonderful that you recovered and got discharged so quickly, Kenaki-kun." At the convenience store downstairs from the hospital, Satsuki Momoi said happily, "It was all A-Dai's fault for being careless. If you feel unwell at all after you get home, tell me right away."

"Okay, Momoi. I've also put you and Aomine through a lot lately. You're both such nice people," Ken Kaneki said with a smile.

"Yeah, right." Daiki Aomine rolled his eyes. "I don't mind, but if this old hag hadn't dragged me here, I wouldn't have come. But seriously, Kaneki, you're in terrible shape. You barely got brushed and you passed out."

"How can you talk like that, A-Dai? That's so rude." Satsuki Momoi lightly smacked Daiki Aomine on the arm and complained.

Ken Kaneki scratched the back of his head and said, a little embarrassed, "Aomine's right. I really didn't get enough exercise before, and my physical fitness needs work. I'll take part in more sports from now on."

Hearing Ken Kaneki smooth things over for him, Daiki Aomine couldn't keep scowling. He patted Ken Kaneki on the shoulder and said, "Can you play basketball? Why not come play with me sometime? I'll look out for you."

"Basketball? I can play a little," Ken Kaneki said with a chuckle. "I'm not very good, though, so I hope you'll show me the ropes, Aomine."

"Sure, sure," Daiki Aomine said with a grin. "Since you're discharged, May and I won't keep you. Hurry home. You haven't called your family in ages. Your parents must be worried sick."

"There's no need to worry about that, Aomine. My parents... have both passed away." Ken Kaneki's expression shifted, and he spoke somewhat awkwardly.

That's right. Just like Ken Kaneki from Tokyo Ghoul, Ken Kaneki in this world was a born loner. But he was much luckier than that math whiz Kaneki. Though his parents had died early, they'd left him a modest detached house and an inheritance of 50 million yen in the bank. If he spent carefully, he could make it through college.

"I... I'm such a jerk!" Daiki Aomine's expression grew extremely awkward, and he was consumed by guilt.

"Oh, A-Dai! How could you say that?" Hearing about Ken Kaneki's tragic background brought out Satsuki Momoi's maternal instincts. She repeatedly scolded Daiki Aomine for his thoughtless words. Knowing he was in the wrong, Daiki Aomine lowered his head without arguing.

"It's okay, Momoi. Aomine didn't know what happened," Ken Kaneki said with a gentle smile, looking like a well-behaved golden retriever.

Ken Kaneki paused, then continued, "Besides, thanks to you and Aomine, I've felt what it's like to have friends care about me lately. It's so heartwarming. It's the first time I've felt this way since Mom and Dad passed away. Hey, Momoi, Aomine, we're friends, right?"

"Of course! I'm definitely claiming you as a friend!" With his conscience taking a direct hit, Daiki Aomine hurriedly thumped his chest and promised.

"Of course we're friends, Kaneki!" Satsuki Momoi said sweetly, holding her hands behind her back.

"It's getting late, Momoi, Aomine. You should get going. I've missed two days of class, so I need to head home and catch up on my homework." Ken Kaneki glanced at the clock on the wall, stood up, and said goodbye.

"All right, then. See you, Kaneki. Be careful on the way home." Seeing that Ken Kaneki was ready to leave, Satsuki Momoi stood up politely to say goodbye.

"See you, Kaneki. Come find me when you're free, and we'll play some ball!" Daiki Aomine waved goodbye to Ken Kaneki, looking eager.

"Definitely." With that, Ken Kaneki turned and left the convenience store.

"Kaneki really has it rough," Satsuki Momoi said as she walked home alongside Daiki Aomine.

"Yeah. We should take better care of him from now on." Daiki Aomine sighed, his hands clasped behind his head.

Of course, Ken Kaneki had no idea what the two of them were thinking. He happily watched the relationship progress bars for Daiki Aomine and Satsuki Momoi on the Character Bonds screen in his system rise from Acquaintances to Close Friends. Just then, the system's notification sounded: "Congratulations, host. Character Bonds have increased. Reward: one A-rank draw and one B-rank draw."

"Huh? That doesn't seem right. Aren't Daiki Aomine and Satsuki Momoi S-rank and A-rank protagonists? Why did I only get an A-rank and a B-rank draw?" Ken Kaneki said, displeased. "Don't tell me you skimmed off some of my rewards, you little punk?"

"Character Bond rewards confirmed correct. Apart from the initial Acquaintance level and the highest levels, Lifelong Friends and Eternal Rivals, rewards for Close Friends and Kindred Spirits each decrease by one rank," the system explained.

"Fine. Something's better than nothing. At least I'm guaranteed an A-rank. Not great, but good enough. My sweet-talking wasn't for nothing—I gave Daiki Aomine's conscience a good kicking." Ken Kaneki pursed his lips helplessly, then used both draw opportunities.

Two brilliant flashes appeared, and the system notification sounded: "Congratulations, host. You received a B-rank reward: 1 million yen! Congratulations, host. You received an A-rank skill reward: Swallow Return Flash!"

"1 million yen—that's over 40,000 yuan. Not bad. Nobody ever complains about having too much money." Ken Kaneki muttered noncommittally, then tapped the Swallow Return Flash skill description. "I wonder if this Swallow Return Flash is any good. Is it practical?"

"Skill: Swallow Return Flash. Skill Type: Technique. Skill Traits: Evasion, Stability. Skill Rank: A. Skill Effect: After acquiring this skill, while dribbling, no matter the angle or force with which the host bounces the basketball, it will remain firmly under the host's control. While dribbling, the host has a 100% chance to evade steals."

"Not bad. It's like a downgraded version of Orchid Butterfly Cloud Wandering Body Step." Looking at the skill description in front of him, Ken Kaneki got a general idea of what it did.

"Now that Orchid Butterfly Cloud Wandering Body Step is in the mix, will Eastern Three Styles or Rondo really show up in the future?" Ken Kaneki mused. "When that happens, just imagine me pulling off a Soaring Dragon Repentless Cyclone Dunk. Wouldn't that dunk Atsushi Murasakibara into an idiot? Hahahahaha!" Ken Kaneki's triumphant laughter echoed through the street.

"Mom, why is that big brother laughing?" A little girl of about four or five pointed at Ken Kaneki and asked her mother curiously.

The woman glanced at Ken Kaneki's rather perverted-looking expression (not really) and subtly pulled her daughter closer. After he'd walked away, she crouched down and earnestly advised her daughter, "Sweetie, remember this: when you grow up, don't hang out with idiots like that."