Rize returned to the room, gently closed the door, and buried herself in the blankets. The room was very quiet, which instead made her thoughts clearer.
Moonlight filtered through the gauze curtains, casting mottled shadows across her face. She stared blankly at the ceiling, feeling at a loss for the first time in her life.
Since childhood, words like "companion," "lover," and "friend" had always been too foreign to her.
In her world, people were divided into only two kinds: useful pieces and useless discarded pieces.
This was the creed she relied on to survive, the high wall she had built over eighteen years.
She moved with ease among people, always separated by an invisible barrier, calmly calculating where each move on the board should fall.
Yet at some unguarded moment, someone had barged in just like that. Not probing, not circling, but directly breaking into the heart she had defended so tightly.
Amano Hiro.
Just silently reciting that name stirred an unfamiliar flutter in her chest.
This feeling left her somewhat at a loss, yet strangely warm.
She realized she did not reject this emotion. She was even beginning to enjoy this sense of attachment.
The blankets still carried the scent of sunlight, yet within that warmth she recalled the years before meeting Hiro.
Before meeting him, her world had always been gray and dim, as if eternally shrouded in thin fog.
Everything had no color. Only during unrestrained slaughter could she feel the only color that existed. That was also what made her obsessed with killing.
But now her fate had been completely changed. From the moment she met Hiro, her world had turned from dark and lightless into brilliant color.
...
Hiro stepped out of the bathroom, droplets still clinging to the ends of his hair.
He switched off the living room light, and the space instantly fell into quiet.
As he passed the side bedroom, he could not help but lighten his footsteps.
With his keen hearing, he caught the steady, soft breathing from inside. Rize was already asleep.
This realization quietly eased his taut nerves. A trace of a smile he himself did not notice crept onto his lips.
He returned to his own bedroom. Outside the window, the horizon was already tinged with hazy dawn light.
Only then did he clearly realize that his feelings toward Rize were no longer that pure attraction based on appearance from when they first met.
At some unknown point, that initial attraction had already fermented into a deeper and more genuine emotion.
This feeling was indeed not bad. With that thought, he finally let exhaustion overtake him and fell into deep sleep.
...
The next morning, when Hiro opened his eyes, the sun was already high outside.
He rubbed his sleepy eyes and walked out of the bedroom, discovering that Rize had risen at some point and was standing by the washing machine pouring in detergent.
Hearing footsteps, Rize turned her head. Morning light danced in her hair. "Morning, Hiro."
"Morning." Hiro's voice still carried the hoarseness of just waking.
"Shall we go to the supermarket later?" Rize shook the nearly empty detergent bottle. "This is almost finished."
Hiro glanced at the empty bottle and nodded. "Okay. Let me wash up first."
It was close to noon when Hiro and Rize finally went out together.
He planned to stop by the Anteiku café first and go to the supermarket later. Rize nodded lightly. "Alright."
Walking side by side, they had unknowingly developed a tacit understanding that needed no words.
Ding.
Pushing open the café door, the wind chime rang crisply.
From behind the counter came Touka's familiar "Welcome." Before she finished, she recognized Hiro and gave a slight nod. "Amano-san."
Hiro nodded in return, then greeted the manager behind the counter. There were not many customers, so he and Rize sat at the bar.
The manager personally brewed two cups of Blue Mountain coffee for them.
Hiro lifted the cup and took a sip. The rich aroma spread across his tongue. The manager's skill was indeed exquisite. Different from Touka's flavor, yet equally flawless.
"As expected of the manager. Your skill is as good as ever."
The manager smiled kindly. "I'm glad Amano-kun likes it."
They chatted casually while soft music flowed through the café.
At that moment, the doorbell rang again, and a mother and daughter walked in.
Hiro paused slightly, then reacted. Because of his intervention, Hinami's parents were both safe and sound, not repeating the tragedy of the original story.
It had to be said that Madam Ryoko still possessed lingering charm, with a gentle and graceful temperament.
What surprised Hiro was that she walked straight toward him.
"You must be Amano-san?"
Hiro was a little puzzled. "I am. May I ask..."
Madam Ryoko bowed slightly. "Thank you."
Seeing his confusion, she explained softly, "Yamori kept harassing our family. You saved us."
She gently pulled her daughter forward. "Hinami, come thank big brother."
Hinami stepped forward obediently and said softly, "Thank you, big brother."
Hiro immediately understood the sequence of cause and effect. He had eliminated Mado Kureo in advance, preventing him from tracking the injured ghoul to find Hinami's father.
Later, he had also killed Yamori, completely removing the threat to this family. Given Yamori's nature, who knew when he might have attacked them on a whim.
In a sense, he had indeed preserved this family.
He reached out and gently patted Hinami's hair, smiling in response. "You're welcome."
Hiro shook his head lightly at Madam Ryoko. "No need to thank me specially. It was only coincidence."
Madam Ryoko's gaze was gentle yet firm. "To you it may be coincidence, but to our family this kindness outweighs everything. Thank you very much."
Seeing her persistence, Hiro said no more and only nodded slightly.
At that moment, Touka walked over and softly said to Madam Ryoko, "Madam, please come to the back with me."
Madam Ryoko nodded and bent down to instruct Hinami, "Hinami, wait here for Mommy a while."
"Okay, Mommy," Hinami answered obediently.
Hiro watched the two walk toward the back room and understood.
As a relatively weak ghoul, Ryoko found it difficult to hunt alone, so this café had become their safe refuge.
Although Hinami's father was still alive, their situation was still difficult. They occasionally came here to receive food and also hoped to find a relatively stable environment for Hinami to grow up.
His gaze returned to Hinami and noticed the book she held tightly in her arms. Takatsuki Sen's The Egg of the Black Goat.
At Hinami's age, she already showed strong interest in books. Although she still could not recognize many characters, she still held the book and could not bear to put it down.
Hiro recalled that in the original story, it had been Kaneki Ken who patiently taught her to read.
"Hinami, do you like Takatsuki Sen's books?" he asked gently.
Hearing her benefactor big brother mention her favorite author, Hinami's eyes immediately lit up and she nodded hard. "Mm. I really like this one. It's just..."
Her little face dimmed slightly. "There are still many characters I don't recognize..."
Looking at this obedient and adorable child, Hiro said softly, "Then let big brother teach you to read, okay?"
"Really?" Hinami's face instantly brightened with surprise.
"Of course." Hiro patted the empty seat beside him. "Come sit here."
Beside them, Rize had not spoken the whole time. She simply watched quietly, a gentle smile resting at the corner of her lips.