"You're saying you've seen a white shadow flicker past the CCG branch area several times recently, and suspect there may be a ghoul nearby?"
Kusaba Ippei frowned, visibly exasperated as he faced the woman reporting the incident.
While it wasn't impossible for ghouls to appear near a CCG branch, the idea of one lurking near the 20th Ward CCG Division was... unlikely.
The woman standing before him was named Suzuki Miwako. She had fair skin, a graceful figure, and her shiny chestnut hair was tied into a side ponytail, everything about her suggested a comfortable, prosperous life.
At the moment, however, her face was full of panic.
"Yes, yes! You absolutely must send someone to check it out!"
"I suspect that thing is scouting the area and planning to devour my entire family!"
As she spoke, she even shivered involuntarily.
Seeing this, Nakajima Yasuto quickly poured a glass of iced water and gently set it down in front of her.
"No need to worry, ma'am. We'll take your report seriously and investigate thoroughly."
He was already used to this kind of situation.
The fear ghouls incited in ordinary people was too great; even the faintest shadow could send some into a panic. Many who lived near the CCG branch had chosen to do so for the very reason of safety.
Property prices weren't cheap here, they were paying for peace of mind.
Nakajima picked up a blank form from the table, still smiling gently.
"Would you mind sharing your address? We'll arrange for someone to check things out."
"My name is Suzuki Miwako, I'm 31 years old, I live at Apartment 11 in the Kamikouken Complex, Tanishi District. I'm married, with two children, a boy and a girl, they're-"
"Ma'am, there's no need for that much detail. This is enough," Nakajima interrupted hastily, lifting a hand to cut off her monologue.
He had a hunch that if he didn't stop her, she might even start telling them her husband's inseam measurement.
As he jotted down the address, a thought struck him. Glancing at Kusaba Ippei, he asked with a bit of puzzlement:
"Kusaba, doesn't First-Class Uesugi also live in that apartment complex?"
Kusaba considered the question for a moment before nodding.
"Yeah... That's right. If I remember correctly, First-Class Uesugi lives in Unit 14."
Nakajima's suspicion immediately evaporated, and he casually set his pen down, offering Miwako a perfunctory smile.
"Understood. Thank you, please return home for now."
"Um... sorry to bother you, but, this Uesugi-san you mentioned... there's only one university student named Uesugi in the complex, isn't there? Could that be him?"
Meanwhile, inside the office, Uesugi Ryu suddenly let out a loud sneeze.
He rubbed his chin, muttering to himself.
"Weird... someone must be 'thinking' about me..."
He didn't dwell on the incident, instead focusing his attention back on the computer screen. One document after another was being formatted into a presentation.
"Tch, never even made a PowerPoint back in my past life. Who'd have thought I'd have to make one in an alternate world as a corporate drone..."
Muttering quietly to himself, he shook his head, stood up, and leisurely walked out of the office.
By now, Suzuki Miwako had already been sent away. Seeing Uesugi Ryu emerge, Nakajima, half-jokingly, recounted the encounter.
"Seriously now! If Uesugi-san lives there, how could there possibly be a ghoul around!"
Kusaba blew gently on a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee and added in a calm tone:
"Yeah. There's no way that would happen."
Hearing this, Uesugi Ryu's lips curved upward slightly in an almost imperceptible smile.
"Hmm... not necessarily."
"Still, since there's been a report, I'll keep an eye out on my way home."
Kusaba and Nakajima exchanged glances, both secretly admiring him. As expected of a First-Class Investigator... what dedication!
Little did they know, Uesugi Ryu's thoughts were nowhere near their assumptions.
In reality, he had recently taken to using Shunshin , Instant Step to return home after work, partly to drastically shorten travel time, and partly to increase his mastery of the skill.
Apparently, a neighbor had seen it, and the "keep an eye out" bit was meant... quite literally.
Just then, the sharp and rapid sound of high heels clicking on tile, tap, tap, tap, echoed toward them.
Uesugi Ryu turned his head, glanced in the direction of the sound, and said blandly:
"Excuse me, something urgent came up, I'll take my leave."
Before either Kusaba or Nakajima could react, he vanished out the front entrance with astonishing speed.
The two men could only look after him with admiration.
Come on, it's not even clock-out time yet... but who's gonna say anything? He's the number four in this branch, who dares to stop him?
Just then, Mado Akira arrived, carrying her Quinque. She looked around in confusion and asked:
"Have you two seen First-Class Uesugi?"
Kusaba nodded and sighed.
"Ah, Akira-san. He said something urgent came up and he left. He is probably investigating that ghoul sighting nearby. As expected of the youngest First-Class, so dedicated!"
Mado Akira's brows furrowed slightly, a hint of disappointment flashing across her face. She politely nodded.
"I see. Thank you."
...
At Anteiku, Kaneki Ken was wiping down an old wooden table with a clean cloth. After finishing one table, he stepped over to the seat where Uesugi Ryu had just been.
There, his eyes caught on a black gift box that had been left behind.
Kaneki curiously picked it up and the box was surprisingly heavy.
He turned it over and noticed a small, elegant card attached to the back. In flowing script, it read:
"Happy Birthday. A belated gift."
Kaneki's lips curved into a small smile of surprise as he gazed at the long-overdue present.
His thoughts drifted back to the days he had spent in the hospital. He had missed his own birthday then. By now, quite some time had passed since that date.
Honestly, even he had nearly forgotten about that missed birthday.
To think that Uesugi Ryu had remembered, and even prepared a gift...
Just as Kaneki was lost in memory, a disgruntled voice snapped him back to reality.
"Get back to work, you idiot Kaneki!"
Nishio Nishiki had arrived, his expression irritated as he glared at Kaneki.
He walked over and started helping clear the cluttered table with quick, practiced movements.
Noticing the gift box in Kaneki's hand, his curiosity got the better of him.
"What's that?"
Kaneki blinked, startled out of his thoughts. Nishiki's lips twisted into a teasing grin.
"That damn investigator left it? You two sure are close. Well, since it's here, hurry up and open it!"
He brushed past Kaneki and resumed tidying up the rest of the tables.
"Nishio-senpai..."
Kaneki murmured a little embarrassedly, but Nishiki ignored him completely, finishing the rest of the cleanup without a word.