Chapter 4: Friends Of The Anteiku Blend (Part 1)
"So are you gonna tell me what that was about?" Yuka asks.
"Let's just say that a CCG investigator checks up on me from time to time and if he saw you or your things, there's a high chance that things would get messy for both of us," I answer.
"Oh shit. The hell did you do to warrant that?" She questions.
"I kinda snapped and attacked several investigators in an attempt to kill the rather famous Arima. Unfortunately, he swiftly took me down," I reply.
"Arima? You mean the Kishou Arima? CCG's Reaper?" She inquires, surprised.
"That's the one," I reply.
"You got a death wish or something?! What would make you do some crazy shit like that?!" She asks, shocked.
"I've got some deeply personal beef with him. I'd rather not talk about it at the moment," I say.
"Then I won't pry," she says.
I still wonder why that bastard didn't kill me when he had the justification to do so.
What does he gain from letting me live?
"You told me you were trying to lay low so if you wanna leave to find a safer place, I completely understand," I say, trying to give her an out.
"I have nowhere else to go. Even if I did, I would rather stay with you," she says softly, laying a hand on my right leg.
"Y-Yuka," I stammer, blushing.
Okay, I seriously have to ask now because it's eating at me like crazy.
I clear my throat and recompose myself.
"So… is there by any chance you have gone by a different name?" I ask.
"Of course I have. That should be obvious. I think you need to be more specific," she says.
Maybe this isn't exactly the time.
I mean what are the odds anyway?
"N-Nevermind, I'm just being dumb," I say as I stop the car at a red light.
"What? Go ahead and tell me what you're thinking," she says.
"L-Let's just drop it. It's not worth bringing up," I try to dissuade her.
"C'mon, just say it already," she eggs me on, rubbing my thigh.
I turn my head to look at her.
This is going to hurt me but I have to know!
"Ritsu… is that you?" I question softly, feeling long buried emotions dig themselves back up inside of me.
She looks off to the side and strokes her left arm.
"Unfortunately, I'm not that person. Sorry," she says with an uncomfortable expression on her face.
Damn it!
"T-That's… fine. I just figured I needed to ask for my own sanity. Consider me a fool for having such hope," I say, unsatisfied and disappointed with her answer.
The traffic light switches over, allowing me to continue driving.
Ritsu's probably dead… just like Rin.
That's just the cruel reality of it as much as I despise it.
"Sounds like she was important," she says.
"I guess you could say that she's the reason why I am the way I am about ghouls," I chuckle, trying to bring the mood up.
"So she's the reason why you're a pervert for ghouls. You had a huge crush on her, didn't you?" Yuka teases.
"I-I did not! She just had some… particular qualities that I noticed and realized that I was into is all," I say defensively.
"You don't have to lie to me. Who am I gonna tell?" She giggles.
"I'm not lying," I insist.
"But you totally wanted to tap it, right? Tell me I'm wrong," she says, smugly grinning.
"Conversation over. Let's listen to the radio," I sigh and push my glasses up, dodging the question.
"You totally wanted to!" She laughs while I ignore her.
I smirk slightly.
Glad we managed to escape that minefield.
After finding a place to park, Yuka and I throw on our jackets before stepping out of the car.
"I shouldn't have to say this but please don't cause trouble," I say as we walk down the sidewalk.
"I have done nothing to suggest that I'm a troublemaker so you shouldn't even be worried," she says.
"Well, I've never really had to introduce someone to friends before so I'm really anxious about this!" I shout nervously.
She takes my right arm and puts it around herself with my hand on her hip.
"Calm down. It's not that hard," she says.
"E-Easy for you to say," I mumble.
With us now standing outside Anteiku, I mentally prepare myself.
"This is where your friends are? You never explained what this place is either," she asks.
"You mean you don't know Anteiku? This is going to be fun," I reply.
Yuka must not be from around these parts.
"It doesn't really look like much but if you say so," she says.
Here we go then!
"Good morning, Yoshimura!" I exclaim cheerfully, walking in with Yuka.
"Whoa," she says, awestruck as she looks around.
"Ah, you're rather early today. Good morning, Satozaki," he greets with that same old smile on his face.
"I just felt like I needed to get out of the house much sooner than usual this time around," I say.
"And I see you brought a friend. Good morning to you as well, miss," he says.
"H-Huh? Oh yeah! I-I'm sorry. I was just caught off guard by how beautiful everything is in here. G-Good morning," she says haphazardly, blushing.
"That's quite alright. First time customers tend to do that," he says.
"Yukari, this is Yoshimura. He's the boss of this splendid cafe," I say.
"A-A pleasure to meet you, sir," she stutters.
"As is mine too, ma'am," he replies.
For someone who told me not to be nervous, I seem to be more well off than her.
As Yuka and I take our seats at the counter, the backroom door flies open with Hinami coming out.
"I thought I was just hearing things at first. What are you doing here much earlier than usual, Mr. Sato?" Hinami questions, rushing to my side.
"I just felt like it is all and what did I tell you about calling me mister? It makes me feel really old," I chuckle as I pat her head.
"Yeah but it is kinda amusing," she grins.
"Such a little rascal," I smile.
"Hey! You gonna say something or what?" Yuka questions me, nudging my arm.
"Oh right. Hinami, how about you introduce yourself to my new friend over here and chat for a bit?" I suggest.
"Okay!" Hinami nods, going over to Yuka.
I'm certain she's still sitting back there in that room trying to wait me out.
"If you don't mind, I'm gonna go in the back for a second, Yoshimura," I say, getting off the stool.
"Go ahead," he says.
"I know you're sitting back there. Why are you hiding from me?" I call out as I slowly approach the room.
I get no response.
"What are you doing?" Yuka asks me.
"Oh, don't worry about him. Stuff like this always happens between those two," Hinami says.
"Those two?" Yuka questions, confused.
"Just watch," Hinami says.
"Touka, I know you hear me!" I shout.
"Uggghhh! What, Satozaki?!" Touka yells, stepping out of the backroom.
"I told you it would be futile to hide, Touka. That man isn't fooled easily," Irimi says, coming out of the room with Koma.
"What can be done really? Let's see how long this goes today," Koma says.
"Still using all of those syllables, Kirishima? It doesn't hurt to shorten it," I question.
"I'm not giving you that satisfaction. You, however, could go with less syllables coming out of those meat flaps you call lips," Touka retorts.
"You won't shorten it down to Sato but I have to call you Touka?" I ask.
This feels like the millionth time we have argued this.
"That's right," she says.
"Y'know what? I'm not here to bicker. I fold this time. May you please take my order instead?" I question.
"That's a shocker," Irimi says.
"That's the fastest it's ever ended to date," Koma says, surprised.
"That's a relief to hear from you, Satozaki… but you do realize that Anteiku isn't even open yet, right?" Touka inquires.
"I'm a rather special customer, aren't I? Perhaps I have something of interest to share that's not for regular customers to hear," I say slyly.
"Yoshimura, why does it always have to be me?" She sighs.
D-Did she just ignore me?!
"Well, I think it says quite a lot that Satozaki prioritizes getting you to take and make his orders. You are the one who served him on his very first visit after all," Yoshimura answers.
"I'm starting to regret it," she mumbles.
Typical Touka.
"Everything is still pretty good even when I don't get her. Hell, Kaneki and Nishiki are the next best thing if Touka isn't here or too busy with other orders. Oh… uh… no offense, Yoshimura, Irimi and Koma. You three are greatly appreciated," I say.
"None taken," the three of them lightly chuckle.
"So before I even take your order, was it ever in your plans to tell me who that woman you brought with you is?" Touka asks.
"I-I was getting to that," I answer.
"Then hurry it up," she slugs me hard in my left arm.
"Ow! I'm doing that right now! Yukari, this is Touka. Please say hi," I say quickly, rubbing my arm.
"Hellooo," Yuka waves her hand high in the air to Touka.
"Hi to you too," Touka says.
"That should take care of everything now," I say, about to return to my seat.
Touka suddenly grabs my shoulder and leans close to my left ear.
"You realize that she's a ghoul, right?" She whispers.
"I'm very aware," I mutter.
"We're gonna talk about this before you leave," she says.
"Do we really have to?" I question.
"We do," she replies sternly.
"Okay then," I sigh.
Releasing her hold on me, I sit back down while Hinami goes over to Touka.
"Before you get his order, we need to step outside for a minute. You don't mind do you, Touka?" Yuka asks, hugging my right arm and pressing it into her cleavage-baring tank top.
"Go ahead. I'm gonna need all the time I can get before putting up with more of his shenanigans anyway," Touka answers.
"Good then let's go," Yuka says, tugging on my arm so hard that I'm pulled from my seat and onto my feet.
"N-Not so rough, Yuka!" I shout as she quickly leads me outside.
"I'm not sure how to break this to you so I'm gonna be blunt. Your friends are ghouls. I can smell it," she says.
Oh, the irony.
"Well, no shit," I chuckle.
"W-Wait… you already knew?" She says, taken aback.
"Yep," I answer casually.
"Do they know that you know that?" She asks.
"Of course. This has been going on for months," I reply.
Processing that, she breathes in deeply.
"… WHAT?!" She exclaims in disbelief.
"How about we go back in and talk about that?" I suggest.
"You're damn right that we're gonna talk about it!" She shouts, hastily pushing me back inside Anteiku.
"That was certainly fast," Yoshimura comments.
Everyone has their eyes on us.
"So let me get this straight. All of us in here are ghouls except Satozaki?" She questions.
"That's correct," Yoshimura answers.
"And you're all friends with this guy?" She asks.
"Indeed," everyone except Touka replies.
"I think friends might be pushing that just a little bit," Touka answers.
"C'mon, Touka! We've known each other for months now! Now you're just hurting my feelings," I whine.
A smug smile slightly appears on Touka's face.
She has too much fun doing this to me.
"If that's the case, why hasn't this dumb idiot been killed or eaten yet?! He's made himself such an easy target!" Yuka frantically shakes me.
"Dumb idiot's a bit of an oxymoron and please stop shaking me," I say.
After letting go of me, I stumble for a second before regaining my stability.
"You must not be from around here if you don't understand what Anteiku is," Koma says.
"For as much information as we give you from answering your questions, you didn't think to explain anything to her on the way here so we wouldn't have to? Some informant you are, Satozaki," Touka says.
"Given prior events like the 11th ward battle from a couple months back, I felt that loose lips might sink ships on Anteiku's part as well as my own. Gotta exercise caution," I reason.
We all had our own little shitshow to deal with back in December.
To think that Kaneki was being tortured all the while I was still in the CCG.
My hands become clenched fists, the world around me slowly begins to fade away.
I would've been there.
I would've been at that battle with Rei.
Maybe just maybe I could've saved Kaneki from all of that pain had I known these guys during that time!
Even then, Arima is to be blamed for my expulsion from that operation and the CCG as a whole.
I couldn't take it!
I had to try and kill him!
He's a traitor and no one sees it but me!
Why did Rin have to die, Arima?!
Why?
WHY?!
"H-Hey, Satozaki. Are you feeling alright?" Yuka asks.
"Satozaki, is something wrong?" Touka questions.
"H-Huh?" I say, snapping back to reality.
Everyone's looking at me.
"Y-Yeah, everything's fine. Was just doing some thinking. Can't help it sometimes," I force myself to laugh.
"Why do you always have to be so weird?" Touka sighs.
"It wouldn't be very on brand of me if I wasn't," I joke.
"That aside, please allow us to fill you in to help your understanding," Yoshimura says.
"Alright, lay it on me then!" Yuka exclaims.