"Do you know who caused my injuries?"
"It was your good classmateFushimi Kyo!"
Hearing Rize Kamishiro's hysterical roar, Touka Kirishima froze on the spot.
"That's impossible. How could that be?"
"I've spent so many days around him I'm certain he's just a human!"
"How could a human possibly defeat you?"
Touka shook her head repeatedly, utterly unable to believe Rize's words.
"Heh… that guy hid it really well," Rize sneered.
"He already knew I was the Binge Eater. That's why he deliberately approached me."
Another bombshell.
"Rize," Yoshimura said, his usual gentleness gone, a cold glint flashing in his eyes,
"then are you saying his other identity is a CCG ghoul investigator?"
Yoshimura knew exactly what Rize's exposure would mean.
From what they knew so far, that young man was aware that Rize and Touka knew each other and even knew Rize's identity as the Binge Eater.
Following that line of thought, it was highly likely he had already begun to suspect Touka's identity as well.
If that was true, the consequences would be catastrophic.
As the manager of the 20th Ward's stability, Yoshimura had always worked toward one goal
Allowing ghouls to truly integrate into human society, hoping that one day, the two races could coexist peacefully.
If Anteiku were exposed at this critical moment…
The thought alone made a long-dormant killing intent rise within him.
"Manager," Rize said after a moment of silence,
"I don't think he's a CCG investigator."
"Oh?" Yoshimura looked at her sharply.
"What did you notice?"
"That guy… isn't normal."
Remembering the sight of Kyo devouring her Kakuhou, Rize felt a chill crawl up her spine.
"Not normal?" Yoshimura frowned, not fully understanding.
"Yes. He actually dared to eat a ghoul's Kakuhou."
"Half of mine was eaten by him."
"And during the fight, he kept shouting for me to hand over my Kakuhou."
Yoshimura fell into deep thought.
What Rize described completely overturned his understanding.
A being that fed on ghoul Kakuhou
That was something only ghouls did to their own kind.
For this to happen with a human… it was deeply unsettling.
He turned to Touka.
"Touka. Starting tomorrow, stop going to school."
"Staying near that boy is far too dangerous."
Even Rize had been defeated.
Touka, who had long been in a semi-starved state, was far weaker in combat.
If Kyo set his sights on her
The outcome was obvious.
"No."
Touka's voice was firm.
"I want to keep going to school."
"And I want to investigate his true identity."
"If he really feeds on ghoul Kakuhou…"
"I'll find a chance to kill him myself."
Killing intent surged in Touka's eyes.
She never imagined that the sunny, handsome boy had such a terrifying side
That she'd been fooled so completely.
"Hehe," Rize laughed mockingly.
"Touka, aren't you afraid he'll eat you?"
"Touka, don't be reckless," Yoshimura said sternly.
"We still can't completely rule out the possibility that he's an investigator."
"You should avoid him as much as possible."
"Manager," Touka replied calmly,
"if he really were an investigator, Anteiku would already be surrounded by the CCG."
"We'd have been exposed by now."
"I won't be coming to the café for a while."
With that, she turned and walked out.
"Heh," Rize chuckled.
"Touka's really stubborn, isn't she?"
The next morning
Ding ding ding!
An alarm jolted Fushimi Kyo awake.
Sitting up, he found his head drenched in cold sweat.
"I keep having the same nightmare every day…"
"What the hell is going on?"
Just then, his phone rang.
Seeing the caller ID, he was surprised it was Yoriko Kosaka.
"Hello? Yoriko, calling this early, what's wrong?"
"Kyo… I'm really sorry to bother you on the weekend," Yoriko said weakly.
"But I feel terrible. I'm really unwell."
"Could you take me to see a doctor?"
Her voice was faint, it sounded serious.
"I'll be right there," Kyo replied without hesitation.
Since coming to this world, Yoriko was the only person Kyo truly cared about.
She was far too kind.
In this dangerous world of humans eating humans and ghouls devouring people, she was like a rare breath of fresh air.
When Kyo arrived at Yoriko's place, he found Touka already there.
"Morning, Touka," Kyo greeted casually.
Touka stared at him deeply but didn't respond.
Supporting Yoriko, she said softly,
"I'll take you to see a doctor."
Seeing that the tension between them hadn't eased, Yoriko gave Kyo an apologetic look.
"Touka has relatives visiting, and her place doesn't have enough room," Yoriko explained.
"So she's staying with me for a few days."
Kyo looked at Touka, a strange glint in his eyes.
She's suspicious of me now.
She might've already met Rize.
He didn't particularly care.
As long as Yoshimura himself didn't make a move, Kyo still had some confidence in his ability to survive.
"That's good," Kyo said with a light smile.
"The world's dangerous these days. You two living together is safer."
The three headed to a nearby clinic not far from Yoriko's home.
The doctor was a kind-looking middle-aged man.
When he saw Touka, he nodded subtly.
Kyo noticed and also spotted a family photo on a nearby desk.
In the picture were the man, a gentle-looking woman, and a girl about seven or eight years old.
"…The Fueguchi family?"
Kyo's eyes narrowed.
He hadn't expected Tokyo to be this small.
The clinic near Yoriko's home belonged to the Ryoko Fueguchi family.
In the original story, the Fueguchis had met a tragic end.
Despite possessing powerful Kagune, they never hunted humans and never fought other ghouls
Leaving them woefully inexperienced.
First, the clinic doctor was found and killed by Kureo Mado.
Soon after, his wife was lured out and killed as well.
Only Hinami Fueguchi survived, later sheltered by Anteiku.
"No wonder he greeted Touka…"
"They already know each other."
"You just caught a cold and developed a fever," the doctor said gently to Yoriko.
"I'll prescribe some fever medicine. Take it a few times and you'll be fine."
"Thank you, doctor," Yoriko replied politely.
After leaving the clinic, the three stepped outside
Just in time to see a man in a white suit, with blond hair, walking toward the clinic.
Both Kyo's and Touka's pupils shrank at the same time.
"…That's "
Yakumo Oomori.
Jason.