After the successful festival, Kaneki and the Higanbana girls all went home as it was getting really late.
But while most of them headed home, Kaneki didn't go home with Miku instead with Natsuki to her home.
The reason? To help out set up the tank for her new pet fishes.
Splash!
Kaneki: There we go these plants will help out your tank.
Satsuki: Thank you again for setting up this tank Kaneki-kun.
Katsuki: Yeah I'm surprised you know how to set it up.
Kaneki: I... Actually have no idea what I'm doing haha~ I'm just following some designs I've seen in my Grandparents hotel.
Katsuki: Ara? Your isn't that the hotel in Kyoto?
Kaneki: Yup! Although their tanks are um... A bit bigger they did have some plants in them.
Natsuki: Here put some of these as well.
Kaneki: Isn't that fish food?
Natsuki: Yup! I heard putting in fish food in the tank will help grow something called "beneficial bacteria" that would help the fish.
Kaneki: I don't understand but okay?
Katsuki: Speaking of fish, where are the fishes you two had won for this tank?
Natsuki: Oh yeah where are they Kaneki? When we headed here i handed them to you, and now they're gone.
Kaneki: Oh I've placed they're over there.
All 3: Glance~
The 3 Mizutani's glanced towards the front door and saw another Kaneki holding the bags containing the four fish.
Kaneki: I'm still holding onto them.
Satsuki: Is that your blood clone?
Kaneki: Yup. Anyways what do I do with the fish food Natsuki?
Natsuki: Crush them and put them in the water.
Kaneki: Okay.
40 Minutes later~
After a while Kaneki had finished setting up the tank, he even used his time based powers to speed up the process of creating beneficial bacteria for the fish.
Currently they were acclimating the fishes.
Kaneki: Alright looks like they're ready to be released.
Once cclimating them were complete, Kaneki gently opened their bags and released the fishes in their tank.
Swoosh~
After being released the fishes happily swam in the tank.
Natsuki: Aww~ they're so cute.
Kaneki: You should name them Natsuki, they're yours.
Natsuki: Hmm... Nah I'll name them tomorrow after school, I'll need to think carefully of what to name them.
Kaneki: I see okay then. Haa~ Welp now that I'm done I'll be heading home now.
After a long night it was inevitable that Kaneki was getting really tired and as he was about to use darkness travel to go home.
Satsuki: Why don't you sleep here for the night?
Natsuki: Eh?!
Kaneki: Is that okay? I need to tell my parents first.
Katsuki: It's alright, we've already contacted them once you two had arrived.
Natsuki: You two have their contact info?
Katsuki: We actually ran into them with Kotori Ai-san at the festival, we did get along and they even gave us their contact info so we could talk sometimes.
Satsuki: They gave us their approval.
Satsuki took out his phone and show the message from Kaneki's father.
Kaneki: "Sure he can stay over for the night, please take good care of my son" Huh. I guess I'm staying then.
Natsuki: Ehhh?!
With Kaneki now staying in for the night, Natsuki had one thought.
Natsuki's thoughts*
(Kaneki's going to sleep in my bed!!!)
Kaneki was going to sleep in her bed and
Natsuki was already panicking.
Satsuki: You can take a bath now if you want, I'll even lend you some spare clothes to change into.
Kaneki: Thank you Satsuki-san. I'll be heading to the bathroom now
Kaneki openly accepted their invitation for him to sleep in for the night and immediately went to the bathroom to take a bath.
Natsuki: I'm going to my room then! I'll need to prepare it!
And Natsuki went to her room to prepare.
Katsuki: Our dear daughter looks a bit flustered, don't you think?
Satsuki: Yeah. Ahh~ youth.
Katsuki: Let's leave them for the night, Natsuki-chan is definitely panicking now.
Satsuki: Haha! I can already hear her screaming at us in her room.
At Natsuki's room!
Natsuki: AHHHHHH! WHY DID YOU TWO INVITE HIM TO SLEEP HERE?! IM NOT PREPARED FOR THIS!!!
Natsuki was extremely panicked, even though she had slept at Kaneki's home multiple times, the thought of him sleeping at her home and in her bed with her was very overwhelming.
Natsuki: I must tell them!
Natsuki then took out her phone and opened the Higanbana girls group chat.
"GUY'S I'M IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!"
"What happened?"
"Kaneki is going to sleep in my home tonight!"
"Oh really? Good for you"
"Yeah good luck"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN GOOD LUCK?! IM PANICKING!"
"I mean we did slept with Kaneki in his home in multiple occasions"
"If you're going to say this is different, I'd like to apologize but seriously what can we do?"
"Yeah we don't really have any advice to help you Natsuki"
"Yeah sorry we really can't help you out now Natsuki, but good luck!"
"Yeah we wish you the best!"
Rustle~!
Seeing that her friends weren't of any help, Natsuki lied down on her bed before letting out a big sigh.
Natsuki: Sigh~ What do I do? I can't believe the boy I like is going to sleep with me in my bed... I might not be able to get any sleep at all.
She looked at her bed and imagined how Kaneki would be sleeping in it beside her.
Natsuki: Hehe~ I bet he'll make a cute sleeping face, I wonder if he'll hug me in his sleep too...
As soon as she started thinking about how sleeping with Kaneki would go, she started to calm down.
Natsuki: Sigh~ Yeah I was definitely overthinking it. But even so I am so nervous!!!
Rattle~
Creak~
Kaneki: Hey Natsuki, I'm done you can go now.
Natsuki: Y-Yes! Wait a minute I need to get my change of clothes. NO PEAKING!
Kaneki: Already on it.
As Kaneki entered her room, Natsuki immediately went to get her change of clothes while Kaneki covered his eyes.
And after getting her clothes, Natsuki got out of her room and went to the bathroom to take a bath and brush her teeth before going to bed. Leaving Kaneki in the room alone.
Kaneki: Man Natsuki's room really does look nice huh?
As he looked around the room he liked how clean and neat it was but as he glanced on at her room's desk.
Kaneki: Wait isn't that?
He noticed a picture frame which contained their group photo from their trip to Hokkaido.
Kaneki: Hehe~ she actually put in this huh? It such a nice frame too.
As he was happily looking at the picture.
Swoosh!
Glare~!
He shot a glare of his glowing red eyes towards Natsuki's window after he felt like someone was watching him.
Kaneki: Tch! Talk about an annoying bug.
Clicking his tongue is frustration, he knew who was watching him from the other side of the window.
After all Ryueki was still Natsuki's nextdoor neighbor and their rooms are visible to each other.
Though it seemed like the curtains from his room were covering the line of sight, Kaneki knew very well the glare he sensed came from him.
Slide~!
In order for Natsuki and him to not be stalked by that creep, Kaneki covered the windows using the curtains.
Kaneki: That's better now then.
Fuwa~
Kaneki: Natsuki's bed is surprisingly soft huh? Guess I'll be able to sleep well tonight.
In order to relieve the stress he just received, Kaneki had sat onto Natsuki's bed which was surprisingly very soft.
A few minutes later~
Kaneki: Haa~ where is she? She's taking so long.
But as he waited he quickly gotten bored of waiting. Without anything to do he looked at every part of the room before looking back at the bed and a sudden thought came to his mind.
Kaneki: Wait... If I can make myself bigger can't I also?
Shrink~
Kaneki: Nice! Wait wha-
Kaneki started using his powers to make himself smaller but surprisingly as he did, his body not only shrank but even turned into his body when he was just 6 years old.
Kaneki: Awesome! Now I can do this!
Bounce! Bounce!
He then started playing on Natsuki's bed bouncing on it while doing tricks.
Bounce!
Flip!
Kaneki: Haha! This is fun! Wait isn't that?
In another part of the room he also saw something very familiar.
Kaneki: It's the driver belt Miku gave Natsuki!
He went over to it before taking and wearing it on his waist and even started to play with it.
Kaneki: Henshin!
Transformation sounds began playing as he played with it.
Kaneki: Hehe~ this is the best.
Click!
Kaneki: !!!
He then heard sudden click and as he turned to his right, he saw Natsuki who was freshly out of the bath taking a picture of him on her phone.
Natsuki: Aww~ cute!
Glare~!
Kaneki: YOU SAW NOTHING!
Kaneki tried to intimidate Natsuki by giving her a glare but.
Natsuki: Awwww!
He only looked cuter in front of Natsuki.
A few minutes later~
Kaneki: Pout~ I can't believe I did that.
Natsuki: Hehe~ it's alright I won't show the picture or tell anyone about it, I promise.
Kaneki: Really?
Natsuki: Really!
Kaneki: Good...
Natsuki: ...
After their little exchange the room filled with silence as they didn't know what to talk about now.
That was until Kaneki broke the silence.
Kaneki: Man I can't believe the day went on so fast, the festival felt short don't you think?
Natsuki: Yeah... But I was so much fun! I never knew that festivals would be so how can I describe it? Magical.
Kaneki: That's a bit of an exaggeration don't you think? But yeah it really was fun. But to think we'd run into your original childhood friend.
Natsuki: Yeah it was great to see him again, and also I was so surprised he got a girlfriend.
Kaneki: I'm more surprised he actually remembered you all this time. When I looked into "that" guy's memories you two last seen each other in kindergarten or something right?
Natsuki: Yeah I guess he couldn't forget due to guilt.
Kaneki: But at least he's doing well now.
Natsuki: Yeah. By the way that spot on the hill, it was such a great spot to watch the fireworks. You always went there when there's a festival?
Kaneki: I did it's actually a secret place where me Sachi and the others went everytime there's a festival happening.
Natsuki: I see. Wait others?
Kaneki: You know who I'm talking about.
Natsuki: Oh...
Kaneki's thoughts*
(Oh crap. I've worsen her mood)
Since Natsuki still doesn't like "Shiita-chan, Miyu-chan and Miha-chan" her mood had gotten a bit bad.
And seeing this Kaneki didn't know what to do.
Hug!
Kaneki: Eh? Natsuki?
Out of nowhere Natsuki hugged Kaneki tightly.
Natsuki: This is punishment for making me a bit mad, we're going to hug even when we sleep.
Kaneki: Ah... Okay?
Natsuki: Oi! Huge me as well.
Kaneki: Okay.
Hug~
Natsuki: Hehe~ That's better.
Natsuki had completely lost her nervousness with sleeping with Kaneki at that moment and was already ready to go to bed.
Natsuki: Hey Kaneki could you soundproof this entire room? I don't want to hear anything from outside or anyone hearing what we'd be doing in here.
Kaneki: Sure?
Snap!
With a snap of his fingers the entire room became soundproof and no sound could enter or escape the room.
Kaneki: I'll turn off the light then.
Flick!
With the lights now off the two lied down on the soft bed, though not closing their eyes to sleep yet.
Natsuki: Hehe~ Thanks for today Kaneki.
Kaneki: Please I don't deserve to be thanked by you alone, I wasn't the only one who made this day great for you.
Natsuki: Yeah... Everyone else really made it fun. I really love hanging out with you guys.
Kaneki: Same here. It's really fun to hangout with everyone.
Natsuki: ... Hey Kaneki.
Kaneki: Yes?
Natsuki: We'll be together forever right?
Kaneki: Is that even a question? Of course we will.
Natsuki was happy hearing that from Kaneki, and just like during the fireworks at the very heat of the moment.
She said with a warm soft smile.
Natsuki: I really like you Kaneki...
Kaneki: Yeah same here.
Natsuki: !!!
Blush~!
Kaneki: Natsuki?
In just a few seconds Natsuki realized that she had confessed her honest feelings to Kaneki and was super embarrassed.
Though because Kaneki was still very clueless to what romantic love is, he thought she said he really liked him as a friend so he said the same thing.
Natsuki: Let's go to sleep now! We have school tomorrow!
Kaneki: Yeah you're right, goodnight. Natsuki. Yawn~
After saying goodnight, Kaneki gently closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.
Stare~
And as for Natsuki she stared at his cute sleeping face before smiling and saying goodnight as well.
Natsuki: Goodnight... Kaneki.
Chu~
Before kissing him on the cheek and going to sleep while still hugging him.