Anteiku Café — Kitchen
The heavy wooden kitchen door closed behind him.
It shut out the rich aroma of coffee drifting from the café hall.
The faint murmur of customers disappeared.
Inside—
Only the cool, quiet atmosphere of the kitchen remained.
Ren removed his coat and draped it over a chair.
Then calmly rolled up his sleeves.
The refrigerator door opened.
Inside were the carefully prepared ingredients that Anteiku stored for its ghoul customers.
Several portions of human meat had already been processed and sealed.
His fingers brushed lightly across the cold packaging.
Instantly—
Information formed in his mind.
Fat distribution.
Muscle fiber direction.
Freshness.
The cooking experience he had just absorbed acted like a scanner.
Within seconds—
The ingredients were evaluated.
He selected two cuts with balanced marbling.
Then gathered several vegetables.
Inside his mind—
Carnage groaned.
[…Boring…]
The symbiote sounded extremely disappointed.
[These lifeless things…]
[Can't compare to fresh prey…]
He ignored the complaint completely.
By now he was used to Carnage's attitude.
He picked up a boning knife.
The blade reflected a cold glint under the kitchen lights.
His grip on the knife felt strangely natural.
Confident.
Controlled.
The blade slid into the meat.
Smoothly.
Effortlessly.
The knife followed the muscle fibers perfectly.
Separating connective tissue.
Removing excess fat.
The sound of the blade cutting meat was soft and rhythmic.
Shh—shh—
Soon—
Two evenly cut steaks rested on the cutting board.
Next came the seasoning.
Olive oil.
Freshly ground black pepper.
Rosemary.
Crushed garlic.
His movements were swift but extremely precise.
Every amount carefully controlled.
The skillet heated on the stove.
A thin layer of olive oil spread across the pan.
Once the oil reached the correct temperature—
He flicked his wrist.
Two steaks dropped into the pan.
Sizzle—!!
The reaction was instant.
A perfect caramelization formed across the surface.
A rich aroma quickly filled the kitchen.
The scent slipped through the cracks of the door—
Spreading into the café.
He didn't rush.
His eyes focused on the steak edges.
Observing subtle changes in color and moisture.
Time passed.
Then—
He flipped the steak with a quick motion.
The meat briefly rose into the air.
Landing perfectly.
The surface revealed a beautiful golden crust.
Not a single drop of oil splashed.
He gently pressed the center of the steak with tongs.
Testing the elasticity.
The internal temperature was perfect.
Juices locked inside.
Exactly as intended.
He turned off the heat.
Placed the steak onto a warmed plate.
Next—
He stir-fried the vegetables in the remaining heat.
Quick.
Precise.
Maintaining their crisp texture and color.
Finally—
He plated the dish carefully.
Steak in the center.
Vegetables arranged neatly beside it.
A light sauce drizzled across the surface.
Two plates.
Elegant enough to belong in a high-end restaurant.
Carnage commented lazily.
[…Looks decent…]
Ren rolled his eyes.
"Earlier you said it was boring."
"These plates are for Hinami and Kaneki."
"If you want some later, I'll cook more."
Carnage snorted.
[…No thanks…]
[Fresh is better…]
He opened the kitchen door.
"Hinami. Kaneki."
"It's ready."
The delicious smell had already reached them.
Hinami immediately rushed to the table.
Her eyes sparkled.
"Wow!"
"It smells amazing!"
"Thank you, Kiryu-nii!"
Kaneki, however—
Looked pale.
The aroma attacked his senses.
His body tensed.
Eating human flesh still felt wrong.
Even after becoming a ghoul.
Slowly—
He sat down.
Staring at the steak.
It looked…
Too normal.
Too close to ordinary human food.
That familiarity filled him with guilt.
"Eat."
Ren handed them knives and forks.
Then leaned casually against the kitchen counter.
Watching.
Hinami eagerly cut a small piece.
She placed it in her mouth.
Her expression exploded with joy.
"Mmm!"
"So good!"
"Kiryu-nii's cooking is amazing!"
"No strange taste at all!"
She continued eating happily.
Kaneki stared at his plate.
His hands tightened around the utensils.
Finally—
He cut a small piece.
The steak revealed a perfect pink center.
He closed his eyes.
Then forced himself to eat.
The taste surprised him.
The outer crust was crispy.
The spices bloomed under the heat.
Inside—
The meat was incredibly tender.
Juices burst across his tongue.
There was no unpleasant odor.
No raw metallic taste.
Only balanced flavor.
Seasoning.
Texture.
The vegetables and sauce enhanced everything.
It was…
Delicious.
"…How is it?"
Ren asked quietly.
Kaneki slowly opened his eyes.
His voice came out dry.
"…Different."
He couldn't say "delicious."
But his understanding of ghoul food had changed.
"…The taste…"
"…is unbelievable."
He stared down at the plate.
His emotions were complicated.
Finally—
He ate the rest of the steak.
Quickly.
Almost desperately.
When he finished—
His eyes held a mixture of confusion, guilt, and realization.
Ren watched the two diners.
Hinami's innocent delight.
Kaneki's conflicted expression.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
For a chef—
Nothing was more satisfying than seeing diners enjoy the food.
He stepped forward.
Gently patting Kaneki's shoulder.
"There are no vegetarians among ghouls."
His voice was calm.
"Take your time, Kaneki."
"Your taste buds will adjust."
"…And your stomach will too."
His words quietly struck at the fragile wall inside Kaneki's heart.
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