I am back with a new chapter. I am sorry you had to wait over an entire year for you to get this chapter. I am humbly sorry and I hope you enjoy it.
Enjoy and review.
Thank you, Raiba.
In the streets of the 20th ward walk two men.
The first man is an older, middle-aged man. He constantly slouches over, appearing shorter and less threating while he wears a grey single breast trench coat with silver accents over a white dress shirt and red tie. He is gaunt, with a perpetually insane look upon his grinning face, framed by shoulder length white hair. His eyes are odd, as one seems bulging while the other squints.
To his side, a much younger man. The younger man, in his mid-twenties, stands tall. He wears much like his companion a grey overcoat, however his is open revealing a black suit underneath. A white dress shirt is visible along with a black tie, an interesting silver cross hangs in contrast to the black tie. Short black hair, striking teal eyes, and queer curved eyebrows catch the most attention on his face.
In both of their hands, a metallic silver attaché case rest inconspicuously.
"The 20th ward…" The older of the two men says, "Haven't been here since the "OWL" case, how nostalgic."
The younger man glances to his superior. "We should hurry and find…that parent and child quickly"
With a smirk, "We'll find them, that's why we're here after all." The older man says.
"Slowly, there is no rush, relax and pour the water in circles. Ah, there you go." The elderly manager said as he watches Karasu try to create coffee.
"How is that sir?" Rei askes as the hot water runs out.
The manager pours both of them a cup of the new coffee, keeping one and handing the other to Rei. "Well let's see, shall we." In comfortable silence, they both sip from their cups. A slight grimace comes over Rei's face.
"I am sorry, it is not well made as your own." Rei states apologetically.
With a slight smile, the manager looks at Rei. "Karasu-kun, there is nothing to be apologetic for. For your first attempt at brewing coffee, well, it is an admirable attempt. Coffee, like people, varies greatly. The more effort you put into a cup the greater it will be; however, that greatness depending on various…circumstance, could be either good or bad. All it takes is experience and patience, in time, you may one day be able to brew as well as myself."
Rei's slumped shoulders straightened at the small praise. "Thank you Yoshimura-sama."
"I think it is about time for you to work on the café. What do you think?" the manager looks upon Rei with an appraising look.
"Yes sir, I think I can handle it." Rei replies with a smile.
"I am glad to hear it, Karasu-kun."
"There is one more thing I should mention. As I am sure, you are well aware; Anteiku is a café for ghouls. However, we do allow humans in here, we do this because we want to understand them. We want to blend in. We must learn their personalities and mannerisms, casual gestures and the meaning behind them, and finally with how they eat. Humans for the ghouls at Anteiku are equivalent to living textbooks. Also," with an upturn to his lips, "I really like them…the humans."
"Umm…yes sir." Karasu says hesitantly while looking slightly concerned. 'I wonder what he means by that?'
With a small chuckle Yoshimura knowingly looks a Karasu, "Now, I am well aware of who your elder brother is," his smile turns serious, "so I am sure that I do not have to warn you about the Ghoul Investigators and how dangerous they are concerning ghouls…but, do try and stay away from them anyway."
"I do know of them, well, at this point who doesn't." Rei states, "But, I do know a bit more about them than most people. The Commission of Counter Ghoul…" his eyes drop at the name. "I've been avoiding even mentioning them recently…" emotion heavy in his voice.
Yoshimura looks almost apologetic. "Do forgive me Karasu-kun, but you will have to face him one day."
"I know."
"Let us get you downstairs, I do believe that Touka is on the floor today." The manager says with a forced smile.
The ring of the doorbell sounds through the mostly empty Anteiku as a fleeting form pass out the door, slumped over, an arm cast threaded through a sling, and distressed unkempt black hair. Most notably he wears an eye-patch over his left eye.
Having walked down the stairs and into the lobby, Rei sees the young man pass by. "Was that…"
"Yes, it is." A young woman around seventeen with blue hair says. "Look, don't get sympathetic, he doesn't remember what happened. All he knows is that he was in an accident and was told it was a bad car crash the killed his friend and took his eye."
"How can I not, it is my fault after all." Rei looked dejectedly at the defeated form of Ken Kaneki as he walks from Anteiku, in the pouring rain.
"Get over it, if you try and help him we won't stop you. But, if you reveal, even inadvertently, who we are…" A shadow seems to cover her uncovered eye to reveal a menacing red gleam. "I will kill him."
Rei's eyes widen. 'I don't even know him…but…I do feel responsible.' His eyes glace toward the door. "No…" he mutters.
She shrugs noncommittally, "Look, this is me compromising," she glances toward a coffee pot and gestures for Rei to pick it up. "I would rather be rid of him immediately but 'The Manager' has asked me to refrain, the customers in here though..." Her hand passively waves over the few in Anteiku. "Well, they are under no such restriction. Most certainly, they would hunt him if he found out the truth. Although I don't think our regular customers would do something so savage though." She glances around.
Rei stands in the kitchen as he hand-washes the various cups, trays, spoons, and coffee pots as he contemplates what Touka told him.
'How can I not feel sympathy…or rather how can I not?' Rei thinks to himself. 'I don't even know the guy, and yet I feel as if I should help him.' Sighing he starts to dry off the various objects he was washing. 'Damn it…and if I do help him and he finds out that I was responsible…well…it's better if I just leave him alone.'
"Karasu-kun, you look tired." The kindly voice of Yoshimura chimes.
Rei looks up from the dishes. "Yes sir, I am getting there."
Yoshimura smiles at him, "Would you mind coming upstairs with me, it will only be for a little while."
"Umm… of course, Manager-sama." Rei says hesitantly.
Rei follows Karasu out of the café kitchen, upstairs, and into the private kitchen for the residents of Anteiku. On a small table rest three triangular sandwiches.
"Excuse me; but, sandwiches?" Rei states uncertainly.
Touka stands behind Yoshimura as he speaks. "This, Karasu-kun, is a lesson on being a ghoul."
"We don't need you exposing the moment you go back to Kamii-University." Touka interjected.
"Touka-chan is right. Learning how to blend in is the most basic thing a ghoul can learn if they are to live in the human world, and the first step of the process is learning how to eat. Or more accurately learning how to act as if you are eating." Yoshimura spoke candidly. "Please watch."
Yoshimura picked up one of the sandwich triangles and lifted it to his mouth. An audible AH was heard as he put it into his mouth. Rei's eyes widened as he watched the manger CHOMP on the sandwich and chew on it and then swallow.
"That actually looked as if you enjoyed it, I'm impressed." Rei expressed his amazement.
Touka expressed her disdain, "Go on, try it."
Rei peered in her general direction. "No, I do not think so. I know that human food is vile bile to the mouths of ghouls. I did grow up learning about ghoul and human physiology mind you…also I can say I have first-hand experience with it now." His gaze settled on her. "So, no thanks I would rather not subject myself to that kind of treatment."
"Damn…ruin my fun." Touka said glumly.
"Touka-chan, clam yourself. He doesn't have to eat it. Karasu-kun, it will take some time but you will need to learn how to act as if you are eating. As you learned, if you eat human food you become nauseas because the taste is spread throughout your mouth as you chew the food." He bit into the sandwich again but this time without any chewing he visibly swallowed, "the trick is not to "eat" it but rather "drink" it. You should swallow the food whole, and then take about ten other "bites" while allowing others to hear a slight chewing sound and then swallow. The hardest part is to then make a "pleased" expression as you finish." Yoshimura allowed a small smile to graze his features. "Never allow yourself to forget to vomit the food back up before it has time to digest, though. Otherwise it will deteriorate your health." He glances over to Touka. "Touka-chan, would you like to demonstrate as well?"
A sheepish look crosses her face as she waves the question off. "Today I am not feeling so good, so…"
'I can hardly believe that ghouls have gone to this extent to hide themselves in plain sight.' A determined look crosses Rei's face. "Thank you for the lesson sir, I will learn to do this."
"Do not push yourself to much Karasu-kun, this will take time for you to master" Yoshimura says with a grin.
Returning the grin, "I will do my best Yoshimura-sama."
"Ah, by the way, I have a present for you." Yoshimura says as Touka looks at him with little concealed shock. He pulls out a box and from the box he pulls out a brown looking sugar cube.
Rei looks at the cube with wide eyes. "A…present?"
"Yes, I was thinking. I know you are still against the idea of eating human, your former kin. Although I am surprised with how far you have come. These sugar cubes won't keep you from starving but dissolve one or two into your coffee and any hunger you have will be staved off…for a little while at least."
"That is fantastic!" Rei exclaimed. "May I ask what it is made of?"
"You may, but…it's better if you didn't know." Yoshimura says while smirking.
'Hmph…well…that doesn't leave much to the imagination.' Rei thought before remarking. "This won't sustain it completely. Will it?"
"No." says both Touka and Yoshimura.
"In order for a ghoul to live a fulfilling life a constant supply of food is essential, after all." His gaze pierces Rei. "When the time arises, you will need to eat meat after all."
I am alive and I am extremely sorry. I have been busy with work and school. But I must confess I have been lazy and putting this off. As much as I enjoy writing I do not always have a muse pushing my pen. But that is not why you are here. You are here because you want decent stories.
All I ask is that you enjoy this story and leave a review if you would so desire. Love it, hate it, do you want it to continue, or have any ideas, let me know. I am happy that people have reviewed and I am grateful you enjoy this story and I hope to keep it going.
Anyway, ja-ne.
Raiba
