Kaneki Ken looked at the stranger who had suddenly appeared in front of him, and an inexplicable chill tightened his chest. He did not even have time to think before turning and running deeper into the alley.
The figure immediately followed. Though his steps were unsteady, he was incredibly fast, staying close behind Kaneki Ken the entire time.
Kaneki Ken tried several times to change direction, but each time his path was blocked as if the other man had predicted it.
Seeing the surroundings grow more and more remote, he gritted his teeth and tried to circle back toward the main road.
Just as he was about to rush out of the alley, a crimson kagune suddenly swept past his leg.
Caught off guard, Kaneki Ken fell hard to the ground, warm blood flowing steadily from the wound.
At that moment, Tsukiyama Shuu was strolling leisurely toward Anteiku.
Stopping by there once a week had already become his habit.
As he passed this alley, he happened to catch sight of a revolting scene. Such crude hunting was nothing short of blasphemy against cuisine.
"Tsk. How ugly," Tsukiyama Shuu sighed softly and decided to clean up this eyesore along the way.
When the figure chasing Kaneki Ken saw someone else approach, panic flashed across his face, and he turned to flee.
But Tsukiyama Shuu's kagune was faster, violently pinning him against the wall.
Whether due to excessive force or some other reason, the ghoul let out a scream and fainted on the spot.
Tsukiyama Shuu was about to finish him off when he suddenly froze. His pupils contracted slightly, and an expression of disbelief and excitement appeared on his face.
"Ah. What an exquisite fragrance," he murmured softly, his fingertips trembling. "For a ghoul to carry such a rich human scent."
He carefully licked the blood remaining on his kagune, his body trembling involuntarily.
After a brief bout of frenzy, he regained his usual elegance and finally remembered there was still an observer nearby.
"My apologies." Tsukiyama Shuu turned to Kaneki Ken with a proper smile. "You seem to be injured. Do you require assistance?"
Kaneki Ken shook his head hurriedly. "N No. I am fine."
"That will not do." Tsukiyama Shuu walked closer as he spoke. "Wounds must be treated promptly."
As he approached Kaneki Ken, his steps paused slightly.
He keenly detected something special in this human's scent. Though not as peculiar as that ghoul just now, among humans it was still of fine quality. Today was truly a good day.
Tsukiyama Shuu took out his phone and gave a few brief instructions before continuing to converse with Kaneki Ken.
Kaneki Ken's vision was slightly blurred from pain. He struggled to stand, but Tsukiyama Shuu gently stopped him with a hand.
"Please do not be nervous," Tsukiyama Shuu's voice was unsettlingly gentle. "My home has a professional medical team. Your wound requires proper care."
"There is really no need." Kaneki Ken stepped back. "I can go to the hospital myself."
Enduring the sharp pain in his leg, he tried to slip past Tsukiyama Shuu.
The moment he turned around, a barely perceptible glint of excitement crossed Tsukiyama Shuu's face. In the next instant, he delivered a precise chop to the back of Kaneki Ken's neck.
The boy did not even have time to cry out before going limp in Tsukiyama Shuu's arms.
Shortly afterward, a black sedan pulled up silently at the alley entrance.
A silent, burly man stepped out and efficiently lifted both the unconscious Kaneki Ken and the already senseless ghoul into the car.
The door closed, and the sedan soon merged into traffic as if nothing had happened.
When Kaneki Ken regained consciousness, he found himself lying on a soft bed.
He instinctively touched his leg. The wound had been professionally bandaged.
The room was luxuriously decorated to the point of overwhelming him. An exquisite chandelier hung overhead, heavy curtains covered the windows, and a faint fragrance lingered in the air.
He remembered Tsukiyama Shuu saying he would treat his wound. He had not expected him to actually do so, and so far, he had not harmed him.
But this kindness only made him more uneasy. He quietly walked to the door and turned the handle. It was locked.
"Is anyone there?" he called cautiously. Only silence answered him.
For the time that followed, Kaneki Ken remained trapped in that magnificent cage. It was only after the banquet began that he realized all of it had merely been the prelude to Tsukiyama Shuu's carefully orchestrated feast.
Amano Hiro listened quietly to Kaneki Ken's account. The tension in his heart eased slightly. It seemed this had been an accident, not the interference of some uncontrollable will of the world.
He looked at the ill-fated boy before him and suddenly asked, "I am a ghoul as well. Are you not afraid?"
Kaneki Ken had calmed considerably by now. He gently shook his head. "No. Amano Hiro-san has never harmed me. You saved me twice."
After everything he had experienced, he had gradually come to understand that not all ghouls were as cruel and terrifying as rumored.
At least Amano Hiro was completely different from those impressions.
Seeing the warm, dawn-like light still burning in Kaneki Ken's eyes, Amano Hiro felt a trace of emotion stir within him.
"Be more careful in the future," he advised gently. "Go home early after dark. If you need help, you can come to this café and find me. I am here most of the time."
He paused. "You have been through a shock today. Go home and get some rest."
Kaneki Ken bowed deeply, sincerity filling his voice. "Thank you for saving me. I am truly very grateful."
Amano Hiro waved his hand lightly, indicating there was no need to dwell on it.
Watching Kaneki Ken's figure disappear through the door, Amano Hiro lifted his coffee cup and finished the last sip.
His fingers tapped lightly against the table unconsciously, his gaze distant as if lost in thought.
"Hiro-kun, may we have a chat?" Yoshimura's voice sounded at the right moment, breaking his reverie.
Amano Hiro came back to himself and nodded. "Alright."
The manager gestured for him to go upstairs. The two went one after the other into the same room where they had once reached their cooperation agreement.
The familiar setting brought a faint trace of nostalgia to Amano Hiro's eyes. They sat facing each other, the faint aroma of coffee lingering in the air.
"What did you wish to discuss?" Amano Hiro asked first.
Yoshimura pondered briefly before speaking slowly. "That young man just now."
He did not continue, but Amano Hiro already understood his concern.
"Don't worry," Amano Hiro said meaningfully. "There is no problem with him."
Yoshimura nodded slightly. "Since Hiro-kun says so, it seems that child also has a story."
"Yes." Hiro's tone carried a touch of emotion. "A person with a troubled fate who still refuses to give up hope in human nature."
Those words caused a subtle change in Yoshimura's expression. He thought back on his own turbulent life, and how even now he lacked the courage to acknowledge his daughter, leaving behind so many misunderstandings.
After a moment of silence, the manager changed the subject. "Recently, the atmosphere in the 20th Ward has not been peaceful. The investigators have increased their manpower. Amano Hiro-kun should also be careful."