Winter had come, and humans and ghouls alike wore thicker clothes. Many had also taken to wearing scarves.
"So this is Kamii University..." Touka gazed at the campus, a spark returning to eyes that had been downcast for so long.
"It's huge... High school doesn't even compare..."
"Yeah, it is a comprehensive university, after all." Nishiki Nishio nodded, waved with a mischievous grin, and turned to leave.
"I've got plans with Kimi, so take a look around on your own, Touka! Don't get lost..."
"Hey..." Watching Nishiki Nishio walk off without the slightest intention of showing her around, Touka couldn't help complaining. "You could at least show me the way..."
"..." Touka sighed and picked a direction at random. Her eyes never stopped wandering as she gazed at the campus buildings, her steps unconsciously slowing.
Suddenly, she spotted a familiar photo on the university noticeboard.
"Missing person: Ken Kaneki, Faculty of Literature, Department of Japanese Literature, missing since..."
"..." She stopped in front of the missing-person notice.
"With something like this posted here... how is he supposed to come back to school...?"
Just then, a pair of hands reached up to the noticeboard and took the missing-person notice down.
"Huh?" Touka looked at the handsome young man in a baseball cap. Memories surfaced, and she recognized him as the person who often came to the café with Kaneki.
He had once even asked her outright in the café whether she was seeing anyone.
Since Kaneki had gone missing, he had stopped visiting as often.
"Hey! You can't just tear down posters!" a club member called to Nagachika from nearby.
"The Kamii Festival should have the most eye-catching spot, of course. Right here!" Hideyoshi Nagachika smiled in satisfaction, casually rolled up the missing-person poster, and slipped it into his backpack.
Ever