He raised his head and looked at Irimi Kaya with a puzzled expression, a faint, teasing smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Does the café serve sandwiches now? I don't recall that being on the menu."
Faced with Uesugi Ryu's question, Irimi Kaya remained unusually calm. She smiled gently and explained:
"We do. But it's a special item, Anteiku's exclusive offering for friends. It's handmade by the manager himself."
Hearing this, Uesugi Ryu regretfully withdrew his gaze from Fueguchi Ryouko.
He had been itching to play a little game, something like "Ma'am, you wouldn't want your husband to be caught, would you?" but after glancing at Irimi Kaya, he decided to let it go.
He wasn't worried about taking on Irimi Kaya or Kirishima Touka, both of whom were ukaku-type ghouls long past their prime due to feeding mainly on corpse flesh.
It was just that Uesugi Ryu had always been a man of peace. He wasn't the type to provoke trouble without cause.
He firmly and resolutely swore that his change of heart had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Yoshimura Kuzen had just descended from upstairs.
Rubbing his chin, Uesugi Ryu suddenly found himself lamenting that he had somehow, inexplicably, ended up living like a final boss villain.
At that moment, Yoshimura Kuzen arrived at the counter, his face wearing a gentle smile.
"It's been a while, dear customer."
"Kaneki-kun has been of great help to the shop these days. Since you're his friend, please enjoy a cup of coffee he's brewed."
Uesugi Ryu looked at Yoshimura Kuzen's kindly expression and smiled in return.
"Is that so? Well then, thank you for the hospitality. Kaneki should know what kind of coffee I like, right?"
Kaneki nodded and, after a moment of thought, replied:
"Uesugi-san likes lattes. You order that every time."
Uesugi Ryu nodded in satisfaction.
"Not bad, kid. Since you remembered, I'll let you off the hook this time."
He then curiously picked up the sandwich and took a bite.
It wasn't bad, but nothing special either.
He wasn't some bumpkin who'd never tasted decent food before, no way he'd start singing praises like "Behold, the Sandwich Sage!"
"It tastes good. The mayonnaise has a different flavor than usual, rather unique. Looks like the manager has his own philosophy when it comes to cuisine."
He offered a simple evaluation.
Yoshimura Kuzen gave a slight nod, smiling.
"Thank you for the compliment. The soul of a sandwich is in the sauce, I've incorporated my own understanding. I'm glad it suits your taste."
Uesugi Ryu finished the sandwich in one bite, sighing a little as he said:
"Just call me Uesugi, like Kaneki does. Being treated so well makes me feel a bit awkward."
As they continued chatting, Fueguchi Ryouko had already stood up and was walking toward the door, preparing to leave.
A ghoul's nose was like a dog's, but a Dove's eyes weren't dull either. Being the wife of Dr. Fueguchi, Ryouko did bear a certain resemblance to him.
Uesugi Ryu glanced at her departing figure and casually remarked:
"The manager really is a kind person. From what I see, the shop doesn't really need that many staff, does it? Every time I come, I seem to see different faces."
Yoshimura Kuzen gave a mild nod and explained:
"Touka-chan and Kaneki-kun are still students. They only come help when they have free time. So, yes, the staff may appear to rotate a lot."
"I see."
Uesugi Ryu accepted the coffee Kaneki handed him and, with a hint of nostalgia, said:
"Students, huh... I guess I'm technically still a university student too. If things had gone differently, maybe I'd have ended up working part-time at Anteiku."
Yoshimura Kuzen still wore his ever-gentle smile as he responded:
"You're always welcome. I do enjoy having lively young people around."
"Haha, I'm just joking!"
Uesugi Ryu quickly waved his hand.
Yoshimura Kuzen said nothing more, merely cast a faint glance at the briefcase beside Uesugi Ryu.
Kaneki placed the finished latte in front of him.
"Please enjoy."
Uesugi Ryu took a small sip. He wasn't a professional coffee taster, but he did have a decent palate.
This latte was indeed different from the one he had before.
Seeing Kaneki watching him expectantly, he cooperated and offered a few words of praise.
"Delicious. You've improved a lot since last time, Kaneki."
Kaneki smiled shyly.
"No, I'm just glad you like it."
Then, Uesugi Ryu suddenly changed the subject:
"Does Hide know you're working here?"
Kaneki scratched his chin thoughtfully, but ultimately decided not to sell out his best friend.
"He doesn't. I've never told him."
Uesugi Ryu couldn't help but chuckle. Kaneki's lying skills had definitely leveled up, but that chin-scratching habit when lying totally gave him away.
"Oh? Then it seems that guy already knew. You two bastards!"
Kaneki scratched his head helplessly, wondering where exactly he'd gone wrong. He thought his acting had been flawless...
After chatting a bit more, Uesugi Ryu picked up the last piece of his sandwich, biting down as he spoke with a full mouth:
"I'm heading out now."
Kaneki nodded and reminded him:
"Being a Dove is dangerous work. Take care, Uesugi-san."
"Haha, don't worry. In the 20th Ward, I'm the strongest investigator."
Turning back, he flashed a confident grin before gently closing the door behind him.
Kaneki let out a sigh of relief, his expression finally relaxed, as if nothing had happened at all.
Irimi Kaya, watching from behind the counter as she wiped a glass, commented calmly:
"That guy reeks of blood. And it's fresh."
"There have been at least fifty ghouls killed by his hands recently. He wasn't boasting, he's strong."
Her sensory perception was sharp. Among all the Doves she'd encountered, the bloodthirst emanating from Uesugi Ryu was the most intense of them all.
Kaneki looked surprised, he hadn't sensed anything like that..
"Really...? But Uesugi-san is still a rookie investigator."
Yoshimura Kuzen furrowed his brows slightly and let out a soft sigh, then turned and began polishing a particularly ornate cup.