Anteiku.
With his briefcase in hand, Uesugi Ryu slowly pushed open the door and stepped into the café.
"Welcome!"
A crisp and sweet voice rang out. Kirishima Touka, the café's poster girl, greeted him with a smile at the entrance.
But when her eyes fell upon the visitor's face, a flicker of annoyance passed through her heart.
"Long time no see, Kirishima-san."
Uesugi Ryu's lips curved ever so slightly as he offered a polite greeting.
However, Touka merely nodded with feigned shyness, while inwardly cursing:
"Damn it! Why is this perverted Dove here again!"
Just then, a wave of dread struck her.
"Crap! That idiot Kaneki is working today too! Isn't this psycho Dove his friend?!"
Touka was just about to say something to stall Uesugi Ryu when, Kaneki Ken happened to walk out from the back, carrying a tray of fine porcelain cups.
"Kaneki? You bastard, it's been forever!"
Uesugi Ryu's eyes lit up with surprise and excitement as he called out, his voice half-accusing, half-laughing.
"Uesugi-san!!"
Kaneki nearly dropped the entire tray from shock.
Touka clenched her teeth and swore internally again:
"Idiot! With acting that bad, how are we supposed to fool this Dove?!"
After carefully placing the cups down, Kaneki gave an awkward smile.
"Hehe... uh, well, I've been working part-time here lately."
"You've been busy with work, Uesugi-san, so I didn't get a chance to tell you."
He lowered his head, avoiding Uesugi Ryu's sharp, questioning gaze.
Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm his nerves.
Without a word, Uesugi Ryu placed his briefcase beside him and sat at the counter.
He gave Kaneki a once-over, eyes soon settling on the white eyepatch.
"What's with your eye? Why're you wearing that?"
Meanwhile, seated inside the café sipping coffee was Dr. Fueguchi's wife Ryouko, who, upon seeing Uesugi Ryu's face and the familiar briefcase, suddenly felt a chill down her spine.
A shudder overtook her as her relaxed mood was completely replaced by tension and unease.
After Dr. Fueguchi's identity was exposed, her husband had fled the 20th Ward, and the Doves were still hunting him.
She and her daughter had taken refuge in Anteiku ever since.
Fortunately, it seemed that this Dove hadn't noticed them, yet.
Though she was separated from her husband, it was still better than living in constant fear.
She told herself this was just a vacation at Anteiku.
From the earlier conversation, Ryouko gathered that Uesugi Ryu probably was here just to enjoy a cup of coffee, but she was still on edge, her hand trembling slightly as she held her cup.
"Why so tense? I'm a Dove now, not a ghoul,"
Uesugi Ryu said with a mischievous smirk.
Though perhaps not quite as funny as he intended, especially since the whole store, aside from him, was filled with ghouls.
Kirishima Touka observed him carefully and exchanged a quick glance with Irimi Kaya, who subtly pointed upstairs and gestured at herself, indicating she would go alert the manager.
Kaneki forced a smile and didn't show any further signs of unease.
He'd known from the start of working at Anteiku that he'd eventually run into Uesugi Ryu, so he'd mentally prepared himself for this day.
He remembered the books Uesugi Ryu had once brought him, titles Kaneki had enjoyed immensely.
A small pang of guilt flickered in his chest. He should've told him something, anything.
"Uesugi-san, thank you."
"I finished those books you gave me. They were a huge help."
"By the way... do you still read much?"
Uesugi Ryu shook his head.
"Work's been hectic lately. As long as you enjoyed them, that's enough."
Kaneki looked a bit disappointed. He'd hoped to discuss the plots with Uesugi Ryu.
Then, remembering a question Uesugi Ryu had once asked, Kaneki smiled brightly.
"Uesugi-san, I think I've found my answer from before."
"Life is full of surprises. All we can do is accept them. Sometimes... surprises aren't always bad things."
Uesugi Ryu pressed a hand to his mouth, stifling the laugh threatening to burst out. This kid was clearly living far too comfortably these days.
Thanks to Uesugi Ryu's interference, Fueguchi Ryouko hadn't been killed, and the string of tragedies that would've followed hadn't occurred.
But Kaneki was still as naive as ever.
True, Uesugi Ryu had killed Yamori, but that didn't mean Kaneki could now enjoy a peaceful, undisturbed life.
Sooner or later, Aogiri Tree would come knocking.
They had pursued Kaneki not just for himself, but for his link to Kamishiro Rize.
Tatara had even mocked him later, calling him nothing more than Yoshimura Kuzen's pet bird in a cage, useless and unworthy of exploitation.
Kaneki tilted his head curiously at Uesugi Ryu.
"What is it? That's really what I think. Is it that funny?"
Uesugi Ryu cleared his throat and, deadpan, said:
"I just remembered something funny. My wife just gave birth."
Touka shot Kaneki a glare and smirked despite herself.
"Idiot. What are you, a philosopher?"
"Although... Kaneki, you are a literature major, right? Literature's not far from philosophy."
Uesugi Ryu finally allowed his grin to surface and joined in on teasing Kaneki mercilessly.
"Touka-chan..."
Kaneki gave them both a helpless expression.
Even he could tell Uesugi Ryu was spouting nonsense.
The "wife giving birth" thing was clearly a joke.
He turned toward Fueguchi Ryouko, hoping for a change of topic, but noticed how tense she looked. Realization dawned on him, and he quickly averted his gaze.
Uesugi Ryu followed his eyes and glanced at Ryouko, then asked casually:
"Hmm? Kaneki, you know that lady?"
Kaneki cursed silently. He hadn't meant to give that away.
"Ah... I suppose you could say we're acquainted. She's a regular at the café."
Touka was visibly exasperated now. She stepped up to the counter.
"What would the customer like to drink?"
Uesugi Ryu didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked:
"That lady, does she come here often? She looks kind of familiar."
Touka froze for a moment, a flicker of anxiety surfacing.
After all, the man across from her was still a Dove, no matter how friendly he appeared right now.
As she and Kaneki scrambled to divert the topic, Irimi Kaya came down the stairs holding a plate of sandwiches.
She carefully placed it in front of Fueguchi Ryouko and stood silently nearby, lips moving ever so slightly in an inaudible whisper.
Ryouko blinked, then nodded in understanding.
Her tense expression slowly softened into a faint smile.
"Thank you," she said gently, before lifting a sandwich and taking a small bite, her face showing genuine delight.
Uesugi Ryu watched all this unfold from his seat nearby, expression unreadable.
"Huh. Clever. Using human food to dispel suspicion. Whether I suspected anything or not, seeing that scene would make most people let it go."
Just as that thought passed through his mind, Irimi Kaya turned and approached the counter.
She placed the remaining sandwich on a small plate and gently slid it in front of Uesugi Ryu.
Uesugi Ryu raised an eyebrow, surprised by the gesture.