Kaneki Ken was reading.
This wasn't surprising, their glorious leader often read. Naturally, Tsukiyama saw this as a chance to get closer to the boy. He collected some of his own favorite novels that day in hopes that Kaneki might give them a look.
As the day wore on Tsukiyama finally approached the reading boy carefully. He didn't want to put Kaneki in a sour mood by interrupting him so rudely. After all despite his aggressive nature at times, the gourmet prided himself on good manners.
"Tsukiyama-san," Kaneki breathed softly looking up from his book at the man. Ah... He couldn't sneak up on the one-eyed ghoul anymore. "Did you need something?"
"Oui monsieur.~" Tsukiyama hummed with a smirk. He shook the small stack of novels in his hands. "I brought you some new reading material, my choices of course."
"Thank you. I was starting to run out of novels." Kaneki admitted with a nod before looking back down at the book he was currently reading. "Leave them on the night side table."
"You don't seem too eager to find out what I brought for you." Tsukiyama pointed out tilting his head to the side. His lilac eyes carefully scanning over the one-eyed ghouls body. "Don't you want to take a look?"
"Hmph..." Kaneki closed the book in his hand with a soft thump. He extended a hand toward Tsukiyama asking for the books. The taller man compelled gently setting the small pile into Kaneki's arms.
The shorter of the two rested his chin on his palm while looking over the first cover. Quietly he opened it up to read the summary, he closed it not long after. He repeated the same for the second book in the pile then he sighed. "Tsukiyama-san..."
"Something wrong, Kaneki-kun?"
"These are garbage," Kaneki stated dryly. Tsukiyama felt himself ball his fists up tightly, a feeling of nostalgia washing over him. That wretched tramp. Oh, yes. Tsukiyama had almost forgotten about that gluttonous harlot.
Rize Kamishiro. The gourmet had forgotten that she shared the same taste in books with Kaneki-kun. Rize would often say things like that to the gourmet when she caught him reading something she disliked. Tsukiyama didn't imagine Kaneki would be as blunt.
Calmato... Calmato!
"You've got quite the appetite for reading... And you call me a picky eater.~" Tsukiyama managed a smile as he teased. Then he pulled a book from his back pocket and offered it to Kaneki. "I was reading this though, I've read it many times before. This novel might suit your tastes more, it's my favorite work right now."
"Is it?" Kaneki asked curiously taking the novel from the taller ghoul. "Gourmet Rhapsody?"
"It is a French novel." Tsukiyama informed the boy, a bigger smile curving his lips. The gourmet ghoul was waiting for Kaneki to read the summary, that didn't happen however. Instead Kaneki spoke again.
"Tell me about it." Kaneki gave Tsukiyama a weak smile back. "It is always better to hear someone talk about a book than read a summary."
"As you wish," Tsukiyama cleared his throat. "The main protagonist of the tale is Pierre Athens, the world's greatest food critic who is dying-..."
"So this is a tragedy?" Kaneki asked looking down at the cover again.
"Oui. I suppose you can say that, it is very sad isn't it?" Tsukiyama stated before continuing with the description of the story. "Revered by some, reviled by many, that was the type of man that Monsieur Athens was. As a dying man, he is desperate, searching for something he sampled long ago. On his death bed, he is yearning for the best taste he has ever encountered... Sublime isn't it?"
"You relate to this man," Kaneki asked when Tsukiyama finished. "Monsieur Athens, don't you?"
"I won't deny that."
"Does he find it...? What he is looking for?"
Tsukiyama smiled lightly then turning on his heels, "Who knows?"
"That is... Very sad."
As Tsukiyama left the room, Kaneki began reading the first page of Gourmet Rhapsody.