I do not on Tokyo Ghoul or any of the characters.

Coffee

"So Sassan, any ideas how Shirazu Squad is going to catch our next target?" Shirazu asked, pushing his false glasses up his nose, only for Haise to snatch them off his face and toss them aside. "Hey! I was just trying to look the part!"

"Since Shimoguchi's squad was attacked by Aogiri's Black Rabbit, the Torso case was handed over to S3," Haise said, ignoring Shirazu's complaint as he walked down the sidewalk, Mutsuki and Shirazu following, Urie and Saiko both missing, as usual. "Our next target is a ghoul known as Nutcracker. She works in the Red Light District. Her rating's still under review."

"Why's she called Nutcracker?" Mutsuki asked.

"Apparently she has a thing for crushing men's testicles," Haise said.

"Ouch," Shirazu said.

"By the way, Squad Leader Shirazu, may I ask why Urie and Saiko aren't accompanying us?" Haise asked, turning toward them.

"I saw Urie this morning but he wasn't feeling good," Shirazu said. "He said he was going to see Dr. Shiba."

Haise stared at him in surprise.

"He seemed to think there was something off with his frame," Shirazu said. "Said he might have to stay in the hospital for a few days."

Haise nodded. The frame system set up around the other Quinx members' kakuho was experimental. To say that the fight with Serpent had knocked something loose or messed with it in some way was entirely believable.

"You should have reported to me as soon as you found out," Haise said.

"Sorry about that," Shirazu said.

"It's alright," Haise said, turning and continuing down the street. "Just make sure you do better next time. What about Saiko?"

"We tried to wake her up this morning, but there was no answer," Mutsuki said. "We couldn't get into her room because the door was locked."

"I really hope she didn't die of ham poisoning," Shirazu said.

"Ham what?" Haise asked.

"So anyway," Mutsuki said. "Are we working with anyone else on the nutcracker case, or are we alone?"

"We'll be working with Suzuya Squad," Haise said.

"Wait, you mean the Suzuya?" Shirazu asked. "The weird one?"

"His knife skills are excellent, so I was hoping he could teach Mutsuki," Haise said. "Besides that, his squad is in charge of the thirteenth district, so we're technically supporting them."

"Are you and Suzuya friends?" Shirazu asked.

"That's...complicated," Haise said. "The first time I met him he gave me some money. He said he was returning it."

"What the fuck?" Shirazu said, confused.

"I suppose if I had to say one way or the other I'd say were were friends," Haise decided before stopping as he smelled something delicious.

He looked around, seeing they were beside a coffee shop. The sign said the name was ":re" and that it was open. He looked to the others and they both shrugged and nodded. The three of them walked into the shop and Haise smiled as he inhaled the smell of coffee. He smiled, looking around to see a man with white hair drying a plate behind the coffee shop's counter. The man stared at him, blank-faced, and continued to dry the plate. Normally, Haise would have felt unwelcome, or unnerved to have someone staring, but for some reason this powerfully built, and mildly intimidating, man didn't scare him at all. In fact, he felt sort of calm.

"Oh come on Yomo," a voice called from the back of the shop, Haise's entire body stiffening and his heart suddenly pounding in his ears as soon as he heard it. "How many times do we have to go over this? When customers come in, it's your job to greet them and..."

Haise stared at the woman that had stepped out from the back. She wore black shoes and pants, a pale pink shirt, a black apron, violet eyes, and had shoulder length blue hair, her bangs hanging over her right eye. But even with half of her face hidden, he knew her face instantly. It was the one that he had been trying to remember for days. The two stared at each other for longer than necessary, yet Haise couldn't make himself look away. He couldn't even move. Her beauty had him entranced. Even if he hadn't been struggling to remember her, he probably still would have been. Finally, pain lanced through his head from his eyes and he winced, holding a hand to his head and finally managing to look away.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Just a headache," Haise lied, sitting down at the table Shirazu and Mutsuki had chosen.

"What can I get you?" she asked.

"Three coffees," Haise said.

She nodded, walking away and Haise's eyes glued themselves to the back of her head as she did. Finally she stepped out of the room and Haise glanced at Yomo, who was still staring at him emotionlessly.

"Haise, are you alright?" Mutsuki asked. "You've been acting strangely."

"I...I'm fine," Haise smiled. "Really."

A couple of minutes later, the woman walked back out, Haise once again staring at her. She set their coffee cups on the table and Haise tore his eyes away, looking down at the coffee and picked it up, sipping it. The moment he did, pain lanced through his head again. He didn't care about that though. He was more concerned with the hollow feeling suddenly filling his chest, and the tear sliding down his cheek.

"Yo, Sassan, are you okay?" Shirazu asked. "If the coffee's no good, you don't have to drink it."

"I'm fine," Haise said. "This coffee is delicious. I don't know why I'm crying."

After another moment, she returned to the back of the store and Haise finished his coffee, more tears falling as he did. Once they were all finished, they left, beginning to walk back. They were halfway back when Haise realized he was being talked to.

"Sassan!" Shirazu yelled. "What're you spacing out for?"

"I'm sorry," Haise said. "Just have a lot on my mind. What were you saying?"

"I said, what's the plan for tomorrow?" Shirazu asked.

"Oh, we're meeting with Suzuya's squad, so we'll be leaving the house by seven thirty," Haise said.

"Okay," Shirazu nodded.

Haise continued walking, the woman's face filling his mind again. She had been smiling. Even as he cried, she had smiled. But it wasn't a happy smile, more like she wanted to cry. Before he knew it, they were at the chateau. Haise went to his room and lay down, closing his eyes to try to sleep, only to again see the inside of that coffee shop, the girl standing in front of him, the coffee in his hands. He smiled. If this was where his mind wanted him to stay for the night, he would accept it. He took a sip of the coffee, smiling as tears ran down his face once more.

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