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Text ; un: samsa

Hello.
My name is Ken Kaneki, I'm 18 years old and I come from Tokyo in Japan. I have just arrived.

There are still many things I don't understand about this place. But I'm curious, is there a library in this place? Or a bookshop? Or any place for me to find books?

And where do people live? Do you just take a room for yourselves, like everything else? [ it just sounds wrong... ]

What are we meant to do here? [ what is the point of being here, he wonders ]

Thank you to everyone who helped me when I first arrived on the train. And everyone who answers this post. [ he is very polite indeed ]

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[ Well, it seems that a whole lot of people already answered most of Kaneki's questions..

But even so, Daniel is just a little too Dad to not want to check in on the boy all the same. Maybe there's still some questions he can answer afterwards. ]

I'm sure others already told you, but yes, you can basically pick any place to live.

Has everything been alright with you otherwise so far?

[ is he okay? No, he is not. But a lot of people aren't okay ]

Hello, Daniel-san.

I've been trying to explore this place a bit more, but I don't think there is anything to find out, in the end.
This place is almost a bit lonely.

Yes, unfortunately it seems like this place provides us with very little answers. And it's so big and empty. [ So that sense of loneliness? He gets where it comes from.

Especially when he isn't even sure whether or not Kaneki has anyone here he knows from his own world. What if the boy is all alone? ]

You haven't felt lonely yourself, right? Or have you?

[ the boy is absolutely all alone. Izuku was very kind to invite him to live in the same apartment building, so there are people around. But it's not the same ]

I think anyone would feel a bit lonely in this place. [ he expertly dodges the question ]

[ Kaneki. Please, Kaneki. Daniel is both an expert when it comes to witnessing teenage behaviour and when it comes to repressing things on a personal level.

There's absolutely no way he doesn't see through that right away. The question is just about how much to push, since he doesn't want to make Kaneki uncomfortable. On the other hand, in this sort of place, it's better to talk about your problems - especially for people this young.

(Or people who show up with blood all over their shirt.) ]

That's right. You know, I actually really miss my wife and kids. I haven't seen them in over a month now.

[ Usually Daniel would never talk about this so easily, but he figures maybe he can just set the right example. Show Kaneki it's okay to talk. ]

It feels really strange to be here without them for so long. You understand, right?

[ look, kaneki is trying! Kaneki is not used to being cared for or fussed over and most people would be happy with a dismissive answer like that.... having someone realize it and asking about the actual truth is really strange. He isn't particularly good at saying the right words to hide from people who actually are worried about him. ]

You have a family, Daniel-san?[ well. of course he does. usually people do, kaneki! ]

I understand. I'm sorry you were taken from them. Do you have anyone from your world here?

Yes. I have a wife and two kids.

[ .. who he's having a kind of complicated relationship with at the moment, but.. this is just one of those things that Daniel is opting to sweep under the rug. He's not prone to sharing his own problems, and even less so with a kid who's already having a hard time. ]

But it's true that I'm not the only one from my world here. My student from back home is also in this place. Maybe you've met him already? His name is Robby Keene.

[ the familiar name is like a lightbulb turning on inside Kaneki's head: the city is big and empty, but people do know each other and are from the same world's most of the time. Perhaps there is a connection?

In any case. Kaneki does know Robby ]

I have met him, yes. He mentioned Karate to me. are you his sensei? [ yes, robby has mentioned his teacher was here too ]

[ Look at that, Robby apparently talking about karate to everyone. It feels like a good thing though - especially when Daniel was a little worried Robby might be done with karate forever, but it seems like he's still thinking about it. ]

That's me, yes.

[ It's a title he's only recently managed to regain, but there's a warmth underneath it. ]

I didn't mention it when we met [ - since there had been so much else to talk about, and Kaneki's bloody shirt had been really distracting - ] but I teach karate back home.

That's really cool.

I was trying to learn more about fighting and such, back home. I did even train some steps, but it's just from stuff I read.

[ ...

There's a moment of consideration, but.. ]

If you want to learn some moves here, I wouldn't mind teaching you.

[ Sure, Daniel has a few.. Issues with karate now, but considering this place is so eerie, he doesn't mind the thought of kids having a few more moves for self-defence. Not to mention that there's so much free time here, might as well do something useful with it. ]

Oh, I don't wish to be a bother!
There are probably more important things going on, here.

Nonsense. We have plenty of time to do things here, right?

[ Not like they have jobs or anything to take care of. Though Daniel is slowly starting to miss his job at this point, the days just being a little too quiet here.. ]

If you don't want to, then it's fine. But if it's just since you're worried about being a bother, then you don't have to be worried at all. At least helping kids like you be ready to defend themselves makes me feel like I'm doing something useful in this city.

[ kaneki is stronger than a normal human, but it should be fine, right? he will be careful! ]

If it truly isn't a problem, then I won't say no. I'd like to learn more.

Great. Then it's settled.

I don't exactly have a proper space to practice.

[ Because opening a dojo is.. a little problematic for him right now, for many reasons. Even if he'd find a suitable space for it, Daniel's belief in himself as a proper sensei has taken too many dents for him to be comfortable with much more than one on one lessons like this at first. ]

But you can come over to my apartment to practice. I'll clear some space. Or else we can do it in one of the parks, if you don't mind people seeing. [ Look, Kaneki is a teenager.

Daniel knows how easily embarrassed they can get. ]

I would be afraid of destroying your house, though.

So perhaps the park or... is there an empty gym somewhere? [ kaneki doesn't actually get that embarrassed about it, he finds it normal to train and exercise]

[ .... ]

Sure, the park would be fine, or we can find some empty building, but.. why would you destroy my house?

I'm afraid you might have a slightly wilder idea of karate than its reality.

[ Says a man whose home literally got wrecked by a bunch of kids doing karate once--

But, look, that's different. The problem here is more just Daniel not realising that Kaneki might be a little stronger than Daniel is assuming. ]

[ or maybe he is just inhumanly strong and is still getting used to his strength. ]

Perhaps. But still, exercising in an apartment or house doesn't sound smart. It's better to do it outside, no?

I actually had an indoor dojo back home, you know.

[ J-Just saying! Though it's not Daniel disagreeing with any of this as much as he just loves his own indoor dojo.. He misses it here so much, he just had to acknowledge it..

But he's quick enough to move on to: ]

But doing it outside would be fine with me. How about the park? There should be enough space to do it there without us bothering anyone.

I don't mind the park at all. I can meet you there whenever you are free.

Sure. I'll let you know when I have some time.

Which will probably be soon enough.

[ Were Daniel an emoji kind of guy, he might have put a wink at the end there.. Look, it's just funny because they all have plenty of free time in this place, alright. No jobs and all that. ]

Yes, I think we all have a lot of time, here.

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Text ; un: samsa

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