Kishou Arima still looked calm on the surface, but the knuckles gripping IXA had gone white from strain.
He couldn't make sense of what had just happened either. It wasn't a quinque effect, nor any known technology or power.
"Mm. That's much easier on the eyes."
Rei Ao nodded, satisfied— to him it was nothing more than a trivial errand.
"Since we're going to talk, we should pick a proper place."
He snapped his fingers.
Snap!
A crisp sound—and Yoshimura Kuzen, Takatsuki Sen, and Kishou Arima were all hit by a violent rush of vertigo. The world twisted like a kaleidoscope: the abandoned site, the cold moonlight, the broken walls…
Everything peeled away at speed and vanished.
When the dizziness ebbed, they realized—stunned—that they were no longer on the ruined battlefield.
A familiar coffee aroma curled under their noses. Warm, gentle light replaced the icy moon. Soft music drifted in their ears.
This was… Anteiku.
Yoshimura recognized his café at a glance. They had been whisked from that distant construction site straight into the 20th Ward's Anteiku— and inside, everything was intact, as if the CCG raid had never happened.
"W-What…?"
Yoshimura stared, dumbfounded.
More shock awaited him. Behind the counter, three figures who should have been on the run materialized as if sleepwalking—Yomo Renji, Irimi Kaya, and Koma Enji. Their faces were the same mix of confusion and disbelief.
"How… are we here?" "
Manager?! Kishou Arima?!"
"And that woman is…?!"
The three immediately clocked the anomalies in the room. The moment they saw Arima and Takatsuki, they shifted into combat mode, lunging to shield Yoshimura, eyes locked on the enemy.
They had no idea why their kagune wouldn't answer their call, and the whole scene felt chaotic and surreal.
Yoshimura, seasoned by storms, drew a long breath and forced down the turmoil inside. His gaze settled for a beat on Rei Ao, who was now lounging on a sofa as if at leisure.
This man… possessed godlike power.
After a moment's silence, a familiar, kindly smile slowly returned to Yoshimura's face— the look of an ordinary café owner.
"All right, Renji, Kaya, Enji."
His voice was gentle. "Relax. This is a café, and we are the owner and staff."
He paused, let his eyes pass over Arima and Takatsuki, and finally rest on Rei Ao. His tone stayed even:
"And anyone who walks into the shop is a guest. Our job is to serve our guests."
Yomo, Irimi, and Koma: "???"
They couldn't make sense of the manager's words, but years of trust and obedience made their bodies relax despite themselves— though the caution and doubt in their eyes didn't fade.
"Well then…"
Yoshimura glanced toward the bar.
"Let's make coffee for our guests first."
…
Cut to: Anteiku really did seem to slip back into a normal day of business. Soft music flowed. The machine thrummed. The air filled with the rich fragrance of freshly ground beans.
Yomo, Irimi, and Koma traded looks, movements stiff as they started up the machine. Their minds were a tangled mess, but their hands carried out the manager's orders on instinct.
Soon, several steaming, fragrant cups were ready.
Kirishima Touka took a breath and lifted the tray. Her feelings were a knot of complications, but one look at Rei Ao's calm profile steadied her for no reason she could name.
She carried the coffee to the lounge.
On the sofa, Rei Ao sat alone on one side, while Yoshimura, Arima, and Takatsuki sat opposite in a row, faces solemn, backs straight— like defendants awaiting judgment.
The tableau was bizarre.
"Your coffee."
Touka carefully set the cups on the low table before the three. Last, she brought Rei Ao's cup over to him.
He looked up and smiled— then suddenly reached out and caught her wrist.
"—Ah!"
Caught off-guard, Touka lost her balance and tumbled onto the cushion beside him, half her body ending up against his chest.
"!!!"
Her face went scarlet in a flash. Her heart hammered. She tried to sit up, but the arm he'd draped—so casually—around her waist held her fast. She couldn't move at all.
Frozen in place, she could only feel the warmth radiating from him, mortified enough to want to bury her face.
The sight set certain people off at once.
"Touka!"
Yomo Renji's eyes chilled. He stepped forward without thinking, fists clenching, killing intent barely leashed. This punk dared lay hands on his niece?!
He had no idea who Rei Ao was.
A sharp light flickered in Yoshimura's clouded eyes. The kindly smile on his face thinned, the hands on his knees tightening. Touka, that child…
Left to the side, Arima and Takatsuki only watched—cool or amused— as if weighing what exactly lay between Rei Ao and Kirishima Touka.
Rei Ao acted as if he didn't notice the murderous stares. One arm rested naturally around the rigid Touka, while his other hand lifted the cup with an easy grace for a small sip.
"Mm. Nicely done."
He offered the compliment— looking for all the world like a customer here purely to enjoy the coffee.