The morning sunlight streamed through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, laying a warm golden veil over the coffee shop "Anteiku."
Amano Hiro pushed the door open, and the bell rang crisply.
"Welcome."
Kirishima Touka's cool voice followed. She was briskly wiping down the tables.
Behind the counter, Manager Yoshimura still wore that gentle smile that seemed unchanged through the ages, carefully polishing a glass and giving a slight nod.
Amano Hiro chose his usual seat by the window and sat down. Touka walked over with a menu, her tone flat. "What would you like today?"
"Blue Mountain, please."
The money he had left probably would not even cover next month's electricity bill. Perhaps he should consider finding a part-time job in this quiet café to earn some living expenses.
"Please enjoy."
Touka placed the fragrant coffee in front of him, interrupting his thoughts.
"Thank you."
He lifted the bone china cup and took a sip.
Manager Yoshimura's skill was as precise as ever. The temperature was perfect, the rich bitterness and subtle fruit acidity balancing flawlessly on his tongue, dispelling the last trace of fatigue.
He immersed himself in this rare peace, as if the bloodshed and slaughter of the Twelfth Ward were only a distant and blurry dream.
The café door opened again, the bell chiming softly. Two figures entered one after the other.
Walking in front was a tall and voluptuous girl with purple hair, wearing intellectual-looking glasses. Her movements were elegant, and her face carried a flawless gentle smile. Kamishiro Rize.
Following behind her was a black-haired boy who looked slightly nervous and awkward, still carrying a scholarly innocence. Who else could it be but Kaneki Ken?
Amano Hiro calmly withdrew his gaze and looked into the dark brown liquid in his cup, though waves stirred in his heart.
Rize has already begun approaching Kaneki. The gears of fate have indeed started turning.
He watched the faint ripples on the surface of the coffee, as if watching the crossing currents of destiny.
Now that Rize had begun getting close to Kaneki Ken, it would not be long before she made her move.
Should he pull this gentle boy off his predetermined track and change his tragic life trajectory?
And Rize, a seemingly pitiful woman who was also toyed with by fate and reduced to an experimental subject and breeding tool. Suddenly, a crazy thought surfaced in his mind.
His gaze swept over her slender neck. Kill her? What a waste.
Would it not be better to make her a collection that belonged only to him?
Snatch her away from that damned script and watch whether those violet eyes trembled with fear or gratitude. Just imagining it made his fingertips tingle with excitement.
No, no.. Why would I have such a thought?
But... It actually sounds quite good.
He lowered his head and laughed silently, his shoulders trembling slightly.
The coffee in his cup rippled, reflecting the inhuman flash of scarlet that passed through his eyes.
Perhaps he should not remain just a spectator, but personally step onto the stage and tear everyone's script to shreds.
Amano Hiro's lowered chuckle and slight shaking shoulders were caught by Manager Yoshimura just as he set down the coffee pot.
The old man's hand paused almost imperceptibly as he wiped the glass. In his clouded yet sharp eyes, a trace of scrutiny flashed.
At that moment, Kamishiro Rize was smiling gently as she spoke softly with the nervous Kaneki Ken, guiding him to sit at a booth not far away.
She recommended coffee to him, her voice as soft as if reciting a love poem.
Kaneki Ken's face flushed slightly, completely immersed in this sudden "good fortune."
Amano Hiro restrained his smile. When he lifted his head again, his eyes had already returned to calm, as if the fleeting madness just now had been an illusion.
He raised his coffee once more, his gaze drifting faintly toward the booth, like the most patient audience member appreciating the drama about to unfold on stage.
Kamishiro Rize's portrayal of a literary girl was impeccable.
She tilted her head slightly, listening to Kaneki Ken's somewhat stammering words, occasionally responding in a gentle tone or covering her mouth to let out a soft, pleasant laugh.
She adjusted her glasses. Behind the lenses, her violet eyes flowed with just the right amount of interest and encouragement, allowing the inexperienced Kaneki Ken to completely relax and gradually open up, talking about his favorite author, Takatsuki Sen.
"Takatsuki-sensei's writing always carries a cruel beauty that tears apart all pretense."
Kaneki Ken spoke with admiration in his eyes.
"Ah, you think so too?"
Rize responded at just the right moment, her tone carrying the delight of finding a kindred spirit.
"I like her works very much as well. Especially her depiction of the chaos and desire deep within human nature. It's truly incisive."
When she said this, her lips held a gentle smile. But Amano Hiro keenly caught the fleeting coldness and hunger deep within her violet eyes, completely opposite to her words. It was the playful appraisal of a predator judging prey within easy reach.
Such twisted acting.
Amano Hiro sneered inwardly.
He knew that every ounce of Rize's tenderness at this moment was laying the groundwork for the bloody "accident" a few days later.
She was carefully weaving a net, and the kind and naive Kaneki Ken was walking straight toward its center without any defense.
He did not reveal any abnormality, simply drinking his coffee quietly like any ordinary customer enjoying the morning.
Manager Yoshimura continued wiping glasses, his gaze occasionally sweeping across the room, briefly lingering between Amano Hiro and the table where Rize and Kaneki sat. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
Kirishima Touka, on the other hand, showed no interest in what was happening there and quietly went about her work.
About half an hour later, Rize and Kaneki Ken seemed to have enjoyed their conversation and prepared to leave.
Rize stood gracefully and said softly to Kaneki Ken, "I had a wonderful time talking today, Kaneki-kun. I hope we'll have another chance to discuss Takatsuki-sensei's works together."
"Y-yes. I had a wonderful time too. Kamishiro-san."
Kaneki Ken quickly stood up, his face flushed with flattered excitement.
Amano Hiro watched as the two walked out of the café one after the other. The bell above the door rang crisply again.
His gaze passed through the glass window, following Rize's swaying figure and Kaneki Ken's slightly dazed and excited back until they disappeared around the corner.
Next time will be on that stage filled with steel beams and dust.
Amano Hiro's fingers lightly rubbed the rim of his cup.
He had already made his decision. He would not stop Rize now. That might alert her. What he wanted was to appear at the most critical moment and forcibly intervene as someone who just happened to pass by.
At that thought, a faint curve lifted at the corner of his lips.
He raised the now lukewarm coffee and drank it in one gulp, placed the money under the cup, nodded to Manager Yoshimura and Touka, and left Anteiku.
The sunlight outside was warm and pleasant on his skin, but what he was calculating in his heart was that destined cold and chaotic night.
The gears of fate had already begun turning. But Amano Hiro had decided that not only would he alter Kaneki Ken's trajectory, he would personally remove one crucial gear named Kamishiro Rize and claim it as his own.
In this grand play, he would not merely watch. He would direct it himself.