Ding-dong~
At that moment, the airy sound of the doorbell echoed once more. Both of them froze the instant they heard it.
The wooden door of Anteiku creaked open, and a pair of long, slender, porcelain-white legs stepped inside.
The crisp sound of heels against the floor made Hayashi swallow hard. A bad premonition gnawed at him.
Sure enough — moments later, Rize's figure emerged from behind the door.
The moment she entered, every single gaze in the café shifted toward her. Most of the ghouls inside held their breath, bodies tensing in wary silence — some even coiled, ready to fight if needed.
Yes, Anteiku was a neutral zone, the safest place in the 20th Ward. No fights were allowed here. No conflicts between ghouls. But still… Rize was without a doubt the greatest troublemaker of them all.
Because she ate too much. Far, far too much.
A normal ghoul needed to hunt once a month. Some, maybe two or three times. But Rize? She needed to hunt three, sometimes four times in a single week.That kind of appetite inevitably attracted the CCG's attention.
Wherever she went, trouble followed. She had lived in the 11th Ward for a time… and left it in ruins. Now she was in the 20th. And sooner or later, this ward might end up the same.
That was why most ghouls disliked her, even feared her. Yet none could overpower her. So they did the only thing they could: avoid her like a plague god, keeping as far away as possible.
The moment Rize stepped in, nearly every ghoul in the café subconsciously pulled back a little.
'She's here again?' Touka muttered coldly in her heart, casting Rize a single, frosty glance.
Like most ghouls, she knew Rize's presence could only mean trouble. She just prayed Rize wouldn't stir chaos and draw the CCG's attention.
But little did Touka know… two CCG investigators were already sitting quietly in her café. Of course, with the way those two were fooling around like children, no one — least of all Touka — would ever suspect it.
'Damn, I knew it was her…' Hayashi's gut twisted the instant he saw the elegant woman at the door.
In the anime, before that fateful night when the steel beams crushed her, Rize's favorite haunt had always been Anteiku. Not for the coffee, nor the books, nor the cozy atmosphere.
She came here to hunt. To lure in prey like Kaneki — turning gullible boys into late-night snacks.
For a guy like Kaneki — zero dating experience, blushing at the mere thought of talking to girls — it was impossible not to be captivated by a woman like Rize. Beautiful, gentle, sophisticated — an older sister type. A man-eater in every sense.
Just like that black-haired boy, nearly entranced to death.
The memory made Hayashi sink deeper into the sofa, silently praying she wouldn't notice him. After all, last night's encounter was still painfully vivid.
That look on her face — like a crazed succubus — like she could devour him on the spot. And that wasn't an exaggeration. It was the truth.
Her flushed, enchanting expression, her intoxicating eyes…If she decided to act shamelessly here, in broad daylight, in front of everyone—
Would it feel good? Would it feel amazing?
No—no, that would be a disaster.
Hayashi shook his head, chasing away the indecent thoughts. For now, all he could do was pray. With so many people around, maybe Rize wouldn't notice him.
"Eh~"
Juuzou glanced from the entrance back to Hayashi, whose face looked oddly strained. After a brief pause, curiosity sparkled in his reddish-brown eyes.
It looked like… he'd just stumbled onto something scandalous.
And sure enough, Rize walked further in.
Normally, she would head straight to her usual seat. But this time, her delicate nose twitched slightly.
She inhaled deeply. And there it was—a fragrance, a taste unlike anything else here. Addictive. Irresistible.
"I didn't think we'd meet again so soon…" Rize murmured softly, the corners of her lips curling upward.
Perhaps… this was fate.
Then, instead of her usual seat, she turned and began walking toward the most secluded corner of the café.
"Eh~ Senpai, senpai! That intellectual beauty… she's heading straight for us~"
Suzuya pointed toward Rize as she drew closer, his tone brimming with mischief.
That succubus-like aura was thickening by the second.
Hayashi casually pulled a book from his pocket and flipped it open, feigning calm.
"So we meet again, Hayashi~"
Her voice came first, dripping with allure, before she stepped right in front of him.
"…Yeah. We meet again."
Realizing he had no way out, Hayashi lowered the book and forced himself to meet her gaze.
"Didn't expect to run into you here."
"Nor did I expect you to have time to sit in a café. What a surprise~"
Her eyes narrowed, lips curling into a sly smile. Her charm was cranked up to the maximum—like a fox spirit out of a tale.
'Damn seductive woman…'
Her tone—gentle, teasing, like she was toying with Kaneki himself — made Hayashi's body burn with heat.And yet… for some reason, he also felt irritated.
"May I sit here?"
Her voice was soft, gentle, almost fragile. Like a damsel on the verge of tears.
"…No one's here. Sit if you want."
Looking at her, Hayashi could only rub his temples. Everyone else saw a refined, intellectual lady. But only he knew the succubus behind the mask.
Rize's smile bloomed like a flower, and she slid gracefully into the seat beside him without a moment's hesitation.
The café fell silent.
Every pair of eyes was on them.
Rize had always sat alone, never once approaching a man. Yet here she was — choosing this boy.
Who was he, to draw Rize's attention like this?
Curiosity stirred in every ghoul's heart.
"Do you remember what I told you before I left last night?"
Rize's tone was soft, her eyes shimmering with playful heat. She scooted a little closer, closing the distance between them.
"…Something you said last night?" Hayashi frowned, trying to recall.
"I told you… that next time we met, we'd have a proper chat~"
Before he could react, she leaned in, her warm breath brushing against his ear.
A shiver ran down his spine, equal parts ticklish and hot.
"And if we're going to have a proper talk… shouldn't we start with the basics?"
Rize's lips curved in a smile. She adjusted her glasses delicately, then ran her tongue across her plump lips.
"Hayashi-kun… do you have a girlfriend?"