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“A botanical garden?” asked Hide.
Yeah, is that something you would be interested in?” said Kaneki.
Hide had a puzzled look on his face. Kaneki must have been able to see it, because a timid look was spreading across his own.
“It’s fine if you don’t want to go,” continued Kaneki.
“No, I’d love to!” said Hide. “Plants are cool. It’s just…”
“It’s just what?”
I don’t know, I gess it feels a little out of the blue? I didn’t think you would be that interested in plants.”
“Why not?
Hide shrugged. You’re into, like, spooky stuff, I guess. It seems a bit…”
Hide trailed off. The word he was looking for was “cheerful,” but he didn’t want to say it.
“Don’t let me get you down,” said HIde. “It sounds like fun. Can’t wait. Plants! SHould eb a blast.”
****
It couldn’t have been a better day. It wasn’t just sunny, it was that warm, cloudless kind of sunny that made it unbearable to spend the whole day inside. Hide had been counting down the minutes till his classes were over. He probably would have been this eager to get out even if he didn’t have somewhere to go, but the prospect of a botanical expedition was all he could think about.
But the truth was, he never would have gone on his own. He’d actually noticed posters for the new botanical exhibit around campus, but it never occurred to him to check it out until Kaneki mentioned it.
Why had Kaneki mentioned it? Hide didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but it was a little out of character. Typically Hide was the one who had to drag Kaneki to stuff, in a constant battle against his friend’s natural inclination towards being a shut-in.
Whatever the reason, Hide was glad Kaneki had made the offer. The botanica garden was, in a word, lovely. It was somehow just what he needed. The array of colors was dazzling. It was a symphony for the eyes. The vibrant hues were emphasized by the sunny weather, the petals popping as if Hide was looking at a high-end digital picture. The smell was nice too, more subtle than the visual experience but a constant presence throughout the trip.
Hide looked over at Kaneki to see if he was enjoying it as much as he was. The truth was, it could be hard to tell. Even after all this time Hide had trouble reading Kaneki’s moods. But the current outlook was promising. Kaneki looked... Relaxed. More relaxed than he had in days. In fact, Hide realized for the first time at that moment that Kankei might have been on edge for the last several days.
Could there be a reason for that? This time of year, classwork was a likely culprit. They were nearing the end of the semester, and deadlines tend to pile up around this time. Hide had been powering through a couple term papers, and his exams were looming in the horizon. He’d been trying not to think about them.
It occurred to him that maybe Kaneki was doing the same thing, and that's why he had invited him. Hide didn’t know too much about Kaneki’s coursework, but knew the literature classes he took tended to lump big, high-stakes term projects near the end. Kaneki must be up to his neck by now. If so, why wouldn’t a botanical be a great getaway? It was the perfect combination of quiet, relaxing, and distracting.
Hide decided to keep his hypothesis to himself. If he was correct, what good could come from mentioning it? Better to keep it to himself, and let Kaneki enjoy his afternoon of escape.
It also occurred to Hide that Kaneki could have simply come by himself. If he really did come to take his mind off classwork, Hide was by no means necessary to the experience. But he had been invited anyway.
The thought made Hide feel a warm, fuzzy, fuzzy feeling. Stronger than could be explained even by the near-tropical atmosphere.
“Hey, check this out,” said Hide, pointing to a purple, pitcher-shaped plant. “The palc says this one’s carnivorous.”
Kaneki turned to look, genuine interest on his face. “It doesn't look aggressive or anything. Actually, it’s kind of pretty.”
“It think that’s the point!” said Hide. “It lures them in. It’s meant to look like an appealing place to rest if you’re a delicious, delicious bug.”
Kaneki laughed. “Hide, that’s gross.”
“Hmmph.” Hide crossed his arms. “I bet the plant would disagree.”
“I guess. Who am I to judge?”
“The plant probably thinks that like, our stuff is gross. Probably hates the idea of hamburgers or whatever.”
“Maybe you’re right.” Kaneki looked more lost in thought than an idea that silyl would warrant. “Thanks for coming to this, Hide. I wasn;t sure you’d be interested.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.