" SLOWLY NOW."
The hot water flooded around the coffee powder.
" There's no need to rush. Just keep up those spirals."
" R-right," Kaneki stuttered, pouring the tea in endless spirals of circles.
The ravenette remained to struggle even after a good ten minutes of lecture. He had come into the staff's room, brimmed with the October's sunlight, and had sat down on the vintage-looking sofa across from the old manager, who was staring at him with a patient smile spread across his face.
" How is it?" Quzin Yoshimura spoke, his forehead crinkling in interest as the black-haired male took a sip of the coffee he made.
" If I were to compare it to yours, this cup doesn't quite hit the mark."
" Each cup of coffee is unique in that it reflects the amount of effort poured into it. Like when dealing with people, coffee doesn't like to be rushed."
" I see," Kaneki lowered his coffee, softening his look.
" There's something you need to consider. Anteiku isn't just your average coffee house. It's also a place where the ghouls of the 20th Ward can interact and feel at home. Of course, we also gladly serve human customers here. Just as we once did for you, right?"
" But if ghouls are trying their hardest to blend in with society, why would you go out of your way to serve human customers as well?"
Having to hear his tiresome question, he could only smile, eyes still closed.
" It's critical to understand human behavior in order to inhabit the world they live in. Humans are living, breathing textbooks for ghouls like us. Besides, I like them. Humans, that is," Yoshimura gave out a gentle sigh away, " All right, I think it's about time I send you down to give Touka and (B/N) a hand."
" (B/N)?" Kaneki had sworn his name sounded familiar, but he couldn't point it exactly where. He raised his head as a memory flew past him, " ... The one who Touka usually has by her side?"
The old manager huskily chuckled and shook his head, " I'm a little too old to know if that's true, but if you remember that he looks still young, then perhaps you are right. You may learn from him as well. I've seen him grow up, and I must say he is quite adept."
" R-right!"
' He likes humans? What part of them, exactly?'
The soles of Kaneki's leather shoes clacked on the wooden staircase of the restful cafe. He pressed the door open only to be greeted with chatter from a familiar voice hidden within the conversation, and it grew louder the more he pushed it open.
The (h/c)-haired male straightened his back hearing the footstep, and he looked towards Kaneki's direction, his eyes unadorned.
" Okay, some other time- hey, Kaneki!"
Snapping out from the waiter's stare, he saw Hide's hand raised up in the air, waving towards him as his body was still fixed to the chair, gravity pulling him completely down.
" H-Hide! What are you doing here?"
" Silly, I came here to thank Touka and (B/N), of course!"
" Thank them?" Kaneki lifted his eyebrow, puzzled.
" They helped us out when we got caught up in that mess, remember?"
" Huh?"
Touka had willingly and strongly kicked him hard in the ankle. Kaneki widened his eyes and winced as he bit his tongue to hold him back from screaming.
" Poor guy, looks like he hasn't fully recovered yet," Touka proclaimed as Hide looked at Kaneki with eyes filled with deep concern.
" He didn't get that much proper treatment. He woke up a tad later too," (B/N) mouthed a little apology at the ravenette.
" Oh, ouch..." Hide sighed at their words, " You okay?"
Kaneki faintly gripped his thigh, forcing a reassuring smile, and spoke gently, " Yeah,"
" That's good," Hide chirped as he stood up from his chair, " I heard Nishio-senpai is still recovering at the hospital since he had it pretty rough. We were lucky to get away with just a few scratches, thanks to you, (B/N), Touka."
For a moment, there was a huge blanket of silence engulfing them when he stopped speaking. Neither of them had anything to say, so the three of them had childishly taken a peek at Hide's face, waiting in silence to hear his words.
" All right, Kaneki. I'll catch you later."
" Yeah, sure," Kaneki nodded his head.
" Thanks for dropping by," (B/N) gave Hide a bow from behind, leaning against the door he had left open when he was certain he was leaving. He softened his gaze at Kaneki, who gulped when he realized that his eyes were wholly stuck on him, " You're the newborn ghoul, aren't you?"
A tint of red and pink made its way to Kaneki's puffed cheeks. He rubbed his nape bashfully.
" I-I mean, if you wanna put it that way, then yes."
" And what's your name?"
" K-Ken Kaneki is my name. Nice to meet you!"
And within an instant, Kaneki wish he had taken a deep breath before stating his name. Deep down, he was confident he wouldn't stutter for the second time, so he stood there, evidently looking regretful.
(B/N) unexpectedly gave out a small but innocuous scoff and stepped away from the door, squeezing the male's shoulder before patting his back playfully.
" I don't bite, Kaneki. I'm (B/N). (B/N) (L/N). Welcome here."
The ravenette was startled by his words and gestures. He let out an awkward chuckle, but it was one sealed with comfort.
" Make sure he doesn't find about out our ghoul situation," Touka fiddled with her hair, walking behind the counter.
" Don't think he will," the (h/c)-haired spoke.
" If he catches even the slightest wind about us...I'll slaughter him on the spot."
She was clearly pointing at the male, who stood there alone witnessing and hearing their conspicuous tittle-tattle, from the corner of her eye. Kaneki was startled by her words, and he furrowed his eyebrows lightly.
" What!? But that's-!"
" If you don't want that to happen, keep your damn mouth shut," she hissed back.
Fortunately, before (B/N) had stepped in between the thick tension between the two and seconds before Kaneki grasped onto the words he would use to create a greater ruckus, the usual sound of the bell jingling emerged from the blue.
" Welcome!" the (h/c)-haired male instantly exclaimed as he turned his head to the door.
" (B/N), Touka," the graceful sound of a woman murmured.
A mother and her daughter stood there as the vestige drizzle from the woman's skirt stained the oak floor. The daughter was clinging to her right arm, tugging her wool cardigan, attempting to shield her existence from the three in such a noticeable manner that (B/N) couldn't help himself from sniffing to hold back a grin.
Touka abruptly spoke upon their arrival, " Ryouko-san! Kaneki, towels!"
" Yes!" Kaneki had hastened his journey back to the staff's room.
(B/N) softened his glance at the two, staring at the little girl for a second or two before quickly breaking the contact.
" Take a seat, please."
" I'm sorry to bother you like this."
There was a hint of culpability and shame when Ryouko whispered those words as she rubbed the towel against the juvenile's hazelnut hair.
" There's no need for the apology. As long as you're not hurt," (B/N) poured a cup of hot coffee and hot milk, speaking in a tone Kaneki had truthfully never anticipated coming from a guy who looked as sarky as him.
" Hinami, it's been a while," Touka crouched down to greet the young girl, but no words escaped her lips. The blue-haired female lowered her eyes in heavy concern, " Hinami..."
" Where is Yoshimura-san?" Ryouko looked at (B/N), who gently placed the cups on the table beside her.
Touka spoke, " He's inside. Kaneki, hand her a new towel!"
" Oh!" the black-haired male stumbled around with his steps hearing her curt instruction, reaching out to hastily thieve the towel on the highest shelf, " Here you go."
" Thank you very much," the lady whispered as her eyes lit up.
It was then followed by his mouth curving upwards to return the exact same smile she gave. The young child looked up in utter silence, and he did too. Though he did not stop smiling, the little girl never repaid the grin.
The thick quilt of hush encompassed the placid cafe. The two customers had stayed in the exact same spot to dry themselves, and the clock seemed to obviously move when they stretched their limbs to the other room.
" They're ghouls right?" Kaneki quickly spat out his question as soon as the two ladies went inside a door to meet the manager.
(B/N) had long anticipated his question the moment he caught his dull, gray eyes scanning them two when they first landed their step to Anteiku, so he stiffened a flat smile.
Touka rolled her eyes, snorting at his words as she threw the stained towel at him, " That's Fueguchi-san. We'll be taking care of her from now on,"
" Taking care of...?"
" It's a rather complicated story," (B/N) shrugged as he pulled a chair and sat on it, resting his cheek against his bent index finger.
" Story? What happened?"
" Seriously! I've almost had it with you!" Touka clenched her teeth as she roughly slammed the untidy placed chairs, screeching upon her touch, back to the underside of the mahogany table, "You're not even good for anything!"
" I'm well aware of that," Kaneki looked away.
The (h/c)-haired male wet the bottom part of his lips, giving out a gentle sigh. Their simple arguments and dull-witted matters took a sprint through his mind, and soon their bickerings began to vex him.
" Hey... did the manager tell you anything?" (B/N) slammed his palm against the table, hoping deeply it would cut their squabble.
His question had drawn Kaneki's attention, and the ravenette rotated his body to approach his magnetic gaze, " Huh?"
" About the suits?"
" Suits?"
For (Y/N), it had been a ridiculous habit of throwing a myriad of punches when the clock was seconds away from striking exactly at twelve in the morning. She was fuelled by such spirit at the worst possible time, yet she fixed on the fact she ought to best not waste it.
Her hand was curled into a tight fist as she surged a strike towards the twirling punching bag. Afterward, she'd dodge nothing, go down on the floor where her hands were keeping her balanced and still up, before spinning her foot to land a hit on it. It was the same every day, every hour.
She was exhaling through her pale lips, sculpting her expression to one of a fallen sentinel's face viewing his last war. A familiar monotonous shadow verged from the open window, and her eyeballs cautiously looked out.
" You're damn noisy at night."
" Mr. sensitive ears," she scoffed as she threw another punch, ignoring his irritated blue eyes.
(Y/N) had let go of her brawling stance, slumping herself against the couch, her bare, sinewy arms coated with her sweat. She put her hands on her stomach, giving out a deep breath, " It may be random, but I've recently gotten my eyes on the Tsukiyama family."
Ayato didn't look much interested in what she was interested in, but he shrugged it off anyway, " The filthy rich one?"
" Yeah, the filthy rich one."
" Why?"
The (h/c)-haired female looked down at her arms surfacing with the shade of scarlet red, " I'm just suspicious."
" Awfully suspicious?"
" Fun fact," (Y/N) paused for a brief second, " Tsukiyama Mirumo, isn't it?"
The male ghoul clicked his tongue and scratched his temple, " I don't fucking know. How am I supposed to know?"
" I completely forgot about the fact that you're a dumbass. My fault," she rolled her eyes, resting her arm on the gray, polyester couch. She scrunched her face and placed her other hand over her mouth, squinting her eyes, " His son though?... Shit, his name was...?" she impatiently tapped her foot on the ground, but it once stopped and her face slightly lit up and her eyes dilated. The alienated Ayato remained in the corner, scoffing at the sight of her answering her own questions, " Ah, right. Tsukiyama Shuu."