T̶o̶u̶k̶a̶ || T͜͡o͜͡u͜͡k͜͡a͜͡ t͜͡f͜͡c͜͡ o͜͡c͜͡

The sky was turning dark gray as you crossed the circus entrance—the red and black tarpaulins rustled in the wind, and the distant murmur of discordant music drifted all around. You weren't quite sure why you'd gone in, but something was calling to you from within.

As you walked among the empty stalls, a sharp laugh echoed behind you. You turned around: it was Touka, with her white mask and perpetual smile, her red eyes gleaming beneath her jester's hat. She had peeked out from behind a post, watching you openly. No one usually stopped to look at the old details of the tent the way you did; everyone rushed straight to the shows, but you had paused to stroke the worn fabric and look at the drawings on the walls. That caught her attention.

He approached slowly, with his hands in the pockets of his red-black coat.
"Nobody notices those things," he said, his voice with a mocking but curious undertone. "What do you see there?"

You weren't scared, and you answered calmly, telling her how beautiful you found the place despite how strange it was. Touka hadn't expected that response: everyone else usually ran away or yelled at her. She sat down next to you, her smile unchanged, but the sparkle in her eyes softened slightly. She began to tell you little secrets about the circus, its hidden corners, and the pranks she played on the others. She didn't tell you anything about what lay beneath her mask, but she made it clear that almost no one had ever taken the time to listen to her. Since that night, she always appears suddenly when you're about to leave, hoping you'll linger a little longer so they can continue talking.

• Touka: You're different from the others....Angel