WITH THE ABSENCE OF (B/N), who had decided to desert Anteiku for the rest of the afternoon without a sole reason, the two vying ghouls had chosen to feel rather displeased for the rest of the day.
" The shop feels a bit empty nowadays, doesn't it," Kaneki had tried his best to strike up a conversation, but the indigo-haired female still seemed to feel dulled.
" There have been more Doves around recently. Everyone's wary of going outside during a time like this."
It was true that the entire ward was completely ghosted, and it felt oddly palpable. The counter that used to host an array of coffee, sandwiches, and crackers now stood empty. The rays of sunset slipped in through the windows, casting gentle beams that waltzed across the polished surfaces of the wooden desk.
The small bell attached to the inert door abruptly caused a delicate chime like a sudden piano note in a vacant aula. Immediately, their keen senses converged, causing them both to shift their gazes simultaneously in the exact direction from which the sound had came from.
" Welcome!" Kaneki greeted, the corner of his lips emerging upwards, but he was hushed when the man had chosen to eye the place cautiously.
" Is your manager here?"
Kaneki found himself speechless with his manners, and his once innocent countenance now twisted into an uncomfortable expression. Before he could try to lift his lips to speak, a hand shot out and seized him by the collar.
" I asked you if your manager was here!" the hostile visitor raised his voice.
" T-the manager has stepped out for a bit-"
" Then where did he go!?" he growled, tugging his collar more firmly. Kaneki could feel the pressure around his neck swell.
" Hey, you," Touka exclaimed. She seemed fearless with the situation somehow, " What do you think you're doing? If you've got business here, the least you could do is order a cup of coffee."
" What was that!?"
Fortunately, it didn't take long for the complicated man to adopt a more mannerly demeanor within five minutes of their time. He soon occupied a seat positioned close to the window across from Kaneki and Touka. Sitting behind them were his subordinates conversing effortlessly at a separate table.
" If you have something to tell the manager, I can relay it for you," Kaneki offered.
" I...have something I want to ask you guys as well," the male looked down and crossed his arms, " Do you know Kamishiro Rize? My name is Banjou Kazuichi. I'm here from the 11th Ward. I was acquainted with Rize-san back when she was still there. "
" And what makes you think she's here?" Touka could feel her stomach clutch in a way she didn't like at all upon hearing his words.
" When Rize-san left the 11th Ward, she said something about a coffee shop. That's..."
Just as Banjou was about to proceed, a strangely familiar scent reached his senses. Once he identified its source, he let out a belligerent roar and seized Kaneki's collar once more, " Why do you have Rize-san's scent on you?!"
" Hey! No roughhousing in here!" Touka retorted.
" Banjou-san!" Kaneki exclaimed.
" Are you him?" he blurted out, releasing his hold on the ravenette's shirt, " Are you Rize-san's man?"
" N-no, we're nothing like th-"
" 'WE'RE?!"
Having said that, he initiated a barrage of punches aimed at the raven-haired individual, who was yelping as he tried to duck his swift movements.
" Y-you've got it all wrong!" Kaneki screeched, " It's a misunderstanding!"
Immediately after uttering those words and the attempt to look at him in the eye, his gray eyes set to look absolutely sincere, he unintentionally collided his head with the man's chin. A collective gasp escaped the lips of the onlookers when Banjou landed on the ground in a faint.
Observing the rather childish behavior of the two ghouls before her, Touka simply rolled her eyes. She was in no mood to offer assistance to the man who had just lost consciousness.
" Banjou-san! Get a grip on yourself!" one of his comrades placed his hands on his shoulders and shook him gently.
Kaneki, who was tripped with immense guilt, apologized with countless apologies and guilt, bowing his head repetitively.
" He's out like a light."
" I knew it. Sorry about our leader here."
" What a wimp," Touka clicked her tongue.
" Ah, he's finally awake," one of them sighed in relief.
The first thing the boneheaded ghoul was aware of was the pounding headache trembling slowly around his head. The light slowly seeps through his eyelids, and the blurred and fuzzy faces become clearer as they come.
" Are you all right?" Kaneki whispered as his hand firmly held a glass of water, " I'm sorry about earlier."
As consciousness returned, Banjou slowly sat up to take a better perspective of the shop. He was first disoriented and confused, blinking a few times hoping it would cure the hazy sight around him, but upon seeing a blurred, familiar face, he widened his eyes and his vision was finally free.
Banjou's fingers slipped through the surface of the glass, and he eagerly drank the glass of water. He pulled the glass away from his moistened lips and spoke, " What's your name?"
" Kaneki."
" Kaneki, huh? You're tougher than you look."
" Oh, not at all...," Kaneki bashfully looked away.
The tanned-haired male looked down, " It's the reason why Rize-san chose you, right?"
" You've got it wrong, Banjou-san. Rize-san and I didn't have that kind of relationship."
" So I was mistaken!?"
The ravenette sent out an awkward chuckle, " Yes."
" Sorry! It was my fault! I sincerely apologize!" Banjou could feel waves of deep shame overcoming him, so he bowed his head countless times.
" It's fine, lift up your head up-"
" No! If I don't do this, I won't be able to live with myself," he blurted, " So where is Rize-san now?"
Touka's gaze, a patchwork of emotions ranging from truth to a little hint of apprehension, remained fixed on Kaneki's face. Her eyes, like twin, gray windows, seemed to dive into the depths of his thinking. In response, Kaneki's own gaze met hers, and there was a silent exchange of unspoken words.
" Rize-san is...," Kaneki whispered, " She's no longer.. she isn't here anymore."
" I-I see..." Banjou looked down, " She never was one to stay in a place for too long."
" I'm sorry I couldn't be of any help."
However, his brows, once relaxed and inviting, gradually knit together, forming a bridge of resolve between his eyes. His lips settled into one fine line, and Banjou spoke.
" Listen, Kaneki. I have a favor to ask you."
" A favor?"
" Yeah," Banjou's features firmed, " If you ever see her again, I want you to tell her this: Run. A few months ago, a band of ghouls named Aogiri Tree carved their way through the 11th Ward. They set their sights on the Doves in order to overthrow the rest of us in the same ward. They're strong. By now, it's likely that every single Dove in the 11th Ward has been hunted down. Even though I'm just an underling of theirs, I can tell you that they're all after Rize-san. I don't know why. But it can't be anything good, that's for sure."
" Rize-san?" Kaneki widened his eyes.
" They'll eventually start wreaking havoc in the 20th Ward as well. You should get out of here too. Nobody's going to blame you. Otherwise..."
In a sudden and unexpected turn of events, the quietude of the moment was ruined as the glass before them shattered into a shower of burnished shards. Emerging from the midst of the cataract of shards was a figure with vivid purple hair, landing on the table they once sat on.
Without warning, his leg arced accurately, delivering a swift and forceful kick squarely onto Banjou. The impact of the blow sent Banjou hurtling through the air, his body becoming just like an armament that collided with his comrades, resulting in a tumultuous mess of tangled limbs and surprised exclamations.
" Banjou-san!" Kaneki screamed.
" What are you screwing around here for, Banjou?" Ayato snickered, " Want me to mess you up until you can't spit out any more blood?"
A (h/c)-female ambled in the jumble with her posture lady-like from the window Ayato had destoryed, and as she stepped in, she hastily cast the the glass remnants aside.
" We're here to find Rize. To kill other ghouls or even our comrades isn't part of our plan. Control yourself," (Y/N) rolled her eyes.
" This twit tried-"
" I've said it once," (Y/N)'s glare shot through his figure warningly, and it send continuous ripples of shivers to every inch of his skin, " It's not like you're that immature for me to have to say it twice, right?"
" H-hey!"
Touka, her back upright, approached the scene with an unwavering and determined stride, her footsteps devoid of any hesitation or uncertainty. Banjou's pupils dilated in shock, and he raised his hand to stop her from taking any further steps.
" Touka-chan!" Kaneki tried to warn her.
" Ayato."
Kaneki's apprehensive thoughts were hustled at a (h/c)-haired female, who stood side by side with the indigo-haired male. There was a slow pang when realisation struck him that she was someone he knew of–not familiar, but there was a powerful sense of familairity when she saw how she had her tied neatly with her cold-eyed gaze scanning around the room.
It wasn't long before the two pairs of orbs interlocked, releasing a twinge that felt oddly aberrant amongst the two ghouls who stood before one another. The (h/c)-haired female blinked twice; she could feel her heart racing against the brink of time as her pupils widened at the young memory of the ravenette.
In disbelief, she dropped her hand and tilted her head anxiously before she murmured out a few words, " Aren't you..."
There had been another show across the room, where Ayato had proudly stood and towered Touka asserting dominant pride.
" Yo. It's been a while, sis," Ayato waved, a smug smile plastered on his face.
" Where have you been, moron?"
" Out and about, observing society. Unlike you, a dweller of complacent peace."
Touka gritted her teeth, " You arrogant little brat!"
" You're the brat," Ayato fired back, " It's time to face reality, fool."
" Are you finished yet, Ayato? May we come in?"
A complacent-sounding voice spoke through the door, and the door swung open before anyone decided to deliberately reply. Yamori had stood there with the pompous look he'd carry around, and his signature white suit, polished away from its sinful history. He was followed by an odd-looking man smiling gently from behind. (Y/N) had placed a subconscious, bitter frown on her lips at the sight of him. She scoffed.
" Why are you here?" she narrowed her eyes at the duo.
" Well, we apolgoise. Pardon the intrusion," Nico spoke, flipping the signboard.
" Hey, Ayato, (Y/N)," Yamori mockingly grinned at the two.
Nico crossed his arms and fluttered his lashes, " Oh my. I did hear about Ayato-kun's older sister and (Y/N)-chan's older brother being here. Aren't you both just gorgeous? I'm so jealous. Unfortunately, (Y/N)'s brother is nowhere. That's such a shame."
" I'm impressed you found us, Yamori," Ayato exclaimed.
" I only had to follow Banjou. Your men sure are first-rate, huh?"
" R-Rize-san isn't here!" Banjou, wide-eyed, yelped only to encounter a flying chair thrown with such magnitude at his face.
" Kudos to (Y/N). You've really helped. Really wouldn't have ended up here right now if it wasn't for you," Yamori grinned and approached her, bending his back to whisper cruelly.
" You fuckface..." she scoffed and came in his way when he took a step away, " It's my job. Don't meddle in my business."
Kaneki, with his senses overwhelmed, found himself deeply absorbed in attempting to unravel the mystery of her sudden arrival. The last time their paths had crossed, she had left no trace behind when he had lost consciousness and woke up with a white blanket over his chest.
Yamori sniffed the cafe, looking down at her vexed look, laughing at her words, " To remind you, I was the one who gave you that job."
" And I would be done by now if you never fuckin' came alo-"
" Well, it stinks in here!" he smirked, cracked his fingers, cast her away by firmly gripping on her jacket and effortlessly pushing her to the side, " It reeks of an odor I absolutely despise!"
He closed the proximity within him and the pondering, sweating ravenette, staring through his soul with enlarged, mad eyes. (Y/N), who was clutching on the sharp edge of the table, was humbled, and so were her lips that were sealed to hide her clenching teeth.
Yamori snorted, " Hey, Nico. Will this one do?"
" Fine by me. Let's hurry up and kidnap him."
" Right."
Touka launched an attack on Yamori, but he skillfully blocked it with his arm. (Y/N) widened her eyes, searching for her brother–whom she believed might also be present–in deep fear that he would be reckless enough to be the next victim.
" Kidnap? Don't think you can do as you please!"
" As I please?" Yamori amusingly raised his eyebrow and elbowed her, wrapping his massive fingers around Kaneki's neck, choking him slowly and excruciatingly, " Those with power are always free to do as they please!"
The stunned Kaneki was trying desperately to slip out of his grip, but then it was resolved when he was aggressively thrown to a table. The table shattered unevenly into half and the ravenette choked out blood.
Yamori stomped the helpless ghoul once, twice, and another more times and a vexed onlooker could only watch in silence, clenching her teeth in dismay at Yamori's senseless brutality.
" Kaneki!"
"Fight or surrender? Which will it be? Behave yourself and you'll get through this without a scratch. But right now, it seems... "
At the opportune moment, Kaneki let out a sudden yelp and seized Jason's ankle, using every ounce of his strength to hoist it upward, revealing his ghoul-like eye. Ayato couldn't help but gasp at Kaneki's unexpected strength, and (Y/N) shared the same revelation as she realized he was nothing like the person she had initially thought– soft, weak, and miserable.
" Oh dear," Nico grinned.
" One-eyed, huh?" Yamori said, his lips curving upwards in pleasure. A long, sinuous kagune extended toward him, impaling his stomach and showering itself in a profusion of blood.
" You asshole!" Touka cursed, swaying her arms open as her blaring kagune sprouted out poised to lunge at the bedlamite. However, Ayato swiftly dove in her direction, forcefully propelling her across the room, where she crashed into another table.
" You're weak, Touka. Just like your dad."
Touka's patience had worn thin. Her once-purple eyes were painted into a fiery blend of black and red. She barked, confronting her younger brother, " Dad... fought for our sake. What would someone like you know!?"
(Y/N) was there to hear their nettling arguments, breathing in the fresh smell of blood flooding across the room. Utterly confused and living the moment with her nerves tied, messy, and unconnected, her arguments were clogged to the middle of her throat.
Ayato was getting himself into family feuds she thought would be best to not interfere in. And Yamori was casually enjoying himself as he playfully smashed Kaneki's body to anything he could see quickly. It was an irritating feeling that crept up her skin, from leg to mind. She gulped in severe insanity, muttering curses under her breath.
" You can't fly anywhere with that wing of yours. Go ahead. Crawl like the insect you are."
It took less than a minute for the fourteen-year-old, who was wiping the scraps of sweat and blood from his face, to knock out his sister viciously.
" You're so cool, Ayato-chan," Nico complimented, but (Y/N) instantly rolled up her sleeves and grabbed Ayato by the collar, pushing him to a wall where his cheek collided with the coarse surface.
" You idiot," she clicked her tongue, " Instead of helping me out, you're making things worse. And you're just leaving a greater mess for us to deal with. Tell me you think this shit's fun and I'll actually-"
" Ah, (Y/N)-chan, you're such a-."
" Save your bullshit," she released him and pushed him to the corner, where he was wincing at his bruised lips with furrowed eyebrows.
" Touka-chan!" Kaneki shouted through his bloodied nose, his concern eclipsing his own safety amid this situation.
" Still some fight left in you, it seems. You really do remind me of her," Yamori gave out an exuberant exclamation.
With relentless determination and pleasure, he continued to rain down a relentless barrage of punches, blows, and strikes upon the victim. Each hit reverberated with an almost sadistic hunger, driving his onslaught with unyielding brutality mercilessly.
" I'm getting a little jealous," Nico chuckled.
Banjou's face contorted with anxiety as he silently eyed the chaotic scene around him. His eyes then settled on his senior ghoul, (Y/N), who he saw as a symbol of guidance and leadership, deeply wishing she'd take action–to intervene and put an end to the madness that threatened to engulf them all–but she could only stand, bearing the sound of bones snapping and blood splattering.
" Tough worried nut, aren't you? In that case, how do you like this? And this? What about.. this?"
With such odd force, he slammed Kaneki against the window, causing even more blood to splatter across his battered face. A sinister grin grew across Yamori's features as he gazed upon the unconscious male. Unfazed by the gruesome sight, he pressed on with his sadistic torment, relishing every moment of Kaneki's suffering like it was a yearly bouquet.
" All right then, how's this? This? This? This? What about this? Do you like this? How's this? And this?! What about this? How do you like-"
" Stop," (Y/N) spoke up, grabbing a small part of the fabric of his white blazer as Yamori turned to face her eye to eye, " That's enough."
" And who do you think you are?" he slapped her hand away harshly, firmly holding onto Kaneki's collar,
" Amazing! I can't break him at all! Stop? Why stop, (Y/N), when he's still alive?!"
" K-Kaneki.." Touka's blurred vision seemed desperate to find a way to reach out to him, but her eyes were slowly passing out.
" Y-Yamori-san! W-we should be on our way-" Banjou was interrupted when Nico spoke up, his hands on his face.
" Are you that absurd to not know when is the right time to stop?" (Y/N) bellowed across the room, shattering a free window into pieces with a slight punch from her fist. Ayato had to stop fiddling with his facial expressions, and Yamori was interrupted, " And you come here with the audacity, confidence, and mindset that I'm much more of a low-life than you. Look where you fucking stand now!"
" Macho-beard and (Y/N) is right."
Like the unclear lunatic he was, Yamori sent his fist through Nico's stomach. Nico, who wasn't any different, curved his lips upwards.
" Ooh, splat! Very nice!" he then held Yamori's hand, "Let's continue this at home, Yamori."
" Thank you, Nico."
" No problem."
(Y/N) was utterly vexed and lost. The air was cut by her sharp gaze as she eyed the two having their peculiar moment before she stared at Ayato and Banjou, who was as fraught as she was.
" Banjou, stuff that one-eyed guy in the bag. We're heading back," Ayato ordered, giving the female blanking out the window with eyes filled with dismay, one last glance.
Guilt mounts up as time ticked, and rage crept silently around the brightly dimmed room where Touka was staring out from the room's window, still shaken and staggered. Hinami sat beside her, fiddling with her cardigan. The indigo-haired female's eyes were filled with such uneasy remorse; she rues that one time when she made herself think she was ridiculously fragile to the point she was not able to extricate the ravenette.
" Hinami," Touka whispered, and their fingers intertwined, the hazelnut-haired female flashing her a reassuring smile.
" Onee-chan."
" He's not as soft as he looks," Nishiki added, sitting on the sofa. It was the only way he felt and knew to comfort Touka.
" And not to mention that he's as equally powerful as us all" (B/N) took the vacant seat across her.
" Nishiki... (B/N)..."
The door swung wide open to introduce Yoshimura to the other two ghouls, who stood with him like solid sentinels, Koma and Irimi. The old man's countenance, usually marked by tranquility, appeared strangely disturbed, though his overall demeanor gave hints that he still was composed.
" Looks like everyone is here," with his signature, hoarse voice, he spoke, " There will be a few more coming later, but we'll start without them."
" This concerns the issues surrounding the 11th Ward, and the actions Anteiku is to take. But before we get to that, I have something to say about the kidnapped Kaneki-kun," Yoshimura had to take a gap between his words before he bridged them all once again, " It's probable that we'll never see Kaneki-kun again."
Touka set her lips apart as Nishiki aggressively stood up from the sofa in utter revelation. (B/N) was there to hold the shaking, young ghoul, who instantly went white at his words.
" Hey, gramps! What the hell are you talking about!?" Nishiki's voice reverberated around the room.
" Stop!" the purple-haired elevated her tone, " Stop."
" We're going, right? We're going to save him, aren't we?" Nishiki felt the urge to argue further, his hands dropping and his soul slowly leaving.
" Aogiri Tree is made up of ghouls who bank their entire existence on fighting. Sneaking into the base to rescue Kaneki-kun wouldn't be an easy task."
" No way," Hinami whimpered.
" We just aren't enough to retrieve him back. It's practically a suicide mission if we're willing to take on all of them," (B/N) sighed. He hesitated with his words for a brief moment, but it only took a little push that made him continue, " But if it were an Aogiri member going against their same kind, perhaps it...."
Nishiki hollered, " And!? What are you trying to imply?!"
" I have a sibling there, dumbass!" he disapprovingly clicked his tongue, " And I think... she'll be there to protect him."
" If you're expecting us to just trust you and your sister I've never heard of right now, fun fact, I obviously fucking won't," Nishiki held onto his collar, pulling him as their bodies collided, " What makes you think she'd just save a 'stranger' and go against her people? Is she as equally mad as you are?"
" Oh, I know her, and you don't! She will. I fucking bet my life on that!"
" Silence," Yoshimura scrunched his face, inhaling deeply, " Please."
" Without further ado, I shall continue. Not only it's difficult to let Kaneki escape from Aogiri's hands but we can't afford to ignore the CCG's movements. They'll probably deploy a detachment into the 11th Ward to take out Aogiri Tree soon. If we do attempt a rescue, there's a good chance that we'll be the ones exterminated instead," Yoshimura explained.
" What? You're not thinking of abandoning him, are you?" Nishiki debated.
" I'm going," Touka said simply, " What was our policy, again? Manager... if you're not going... then I'll go alone."
Her words silenced the room, in a way that she had trapped Yoshimura's thinking to a tight corner; Nishiki was for the first time holding up a bewildered expression all over in face, one shining and proud.
" Touka's right. Now that he's one of us, I guess it's reasonable risking our lives for our comarade," (B/N) swiftly took a glance at the indigo-haired female's gaped face.
Nishiki rolled his eyes, but there was a delighted grin all over him, " I'll go too. I owe him after all."
" I want to help too!" Hinami volunteered, leaping out of the seat, " Onii-chan is always helping me out, so... If there's anything I can do, I'll do it!"
" Hinami..."
Yoshimura had to scan everyone who spoke with barely but a faded smile. He cleared his throat and placed a hand behind him.
" Let me say this so there are no misunderstandings: I planned to rescue Kaneki-kun from the start. However, I wanted to let you all know that I can't guarantee the safety of anyone here. I understand how you all feel. Know that if you wish to save Kaneki-kun, you must place your lives on the line for him. And in return, Yomo-kun and I will protect you with all our might. It is Anteiku's policy to help each other out, after all. There is one more thing," he looked at the door, breathing in, "You may enter."
The door swung open, causing the rest to scowl in frustration after seeing the person who was standing shoulder to shoulder with the grey-haired male,who looked as ridiculously and unreasonably voguish.
" You! Why!?" Nishiki screeched, not believing what he's seeing.
" Oh shit," (B/N) sighed.
" Amore! Heartbreak! Just imagine, my best friend Kaneki-kun is facing danger at the hands of an uncouth bunch! No kidding!"