"Can you tell me your name?"
Holding the book tightly in his arms, Kaneki looked up, a flicker of gratitude and excitement in his eyes.
"My name is Hayashi."
Hayashi took a sip of his coffee and nodded.
"I'm Ken Kaneki, but just call me Kaneki."
Kaneki nodded back, his expression showing a hint of guilt.
Originally, he thought Hayashi was just a scumbag — deceiving that gentle lady's feelings, only lusting after her body.
But now he realized it had all been his own imagination. He had unfairly judged him.
'Mr. Hayashi was actually a truly good person—a really, really good person!'
"Thank you, Hayashi. You really are such a kind person!"
Thinking this, Kaneki looked up with a trace of admiration in his eyes.
"It's nothing. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters."
The more Hayashi looked at that pure, innocent smile, the more guilty he felt.
At this point in time, Kaneki hadn't yet experienced the lessons beaten into him by Jason. He was still as kind as an angel.
Just receiving a signed book was enough to make him as happy as a child.
It showed just how much he loved reading — and how much he adored Takatsuki.
But Hayashi couldn't help but wonder: if, one day, Takatsuki herself fell in love with him, what would Kaneki think then?
Shaking his head, he pushed the thought away. That was something for the future. No point dwelling on it now.
"Mr. Hayashi, thank you. Meeting you here is truly my honor. This book you gave me, I'll take good care of it. I won't let you down."
Kaneki held the book against his chest and stood, looking very serious.
"Good. Then take your time reading here. I'll be heading out."
Hayashi stood, patted him on the shoulder, and turned to leave.
"Touka, can I get the check?" he called as he walked up to the counter.
"One cappuccino, 1,000 yen."
Touka was wiping a cup without even glancing at him.
"1,000 yen?"
Hayashi blinked. If he remembered correctly, yesterday two cups only cost 1,000 yen.
"Price went up. Problem with that?"
Touka's cold tone carried a clear edge of displeasure.
Seeing the irritation on her face, Hayashi immediately understood.
She must still be upset that he ignored her warning to stay away from Rize.
"No problem. As long as it's coffee made by Touka, it's worth any price."
Smiling gently, Hayashi pulled out 1,000 yen from his wallet and handed it over.
"Hmph."
"Say that again and I'll ban you from Anteiku for harassing the staff."
Touka snatched the bill, her face frosty.
But despite her words, she pulled 500 yen from the register and handed it back to him.
Hayashi's lips curved in a faint smile.
Just as he thought—Touka was only venting her frustration. She had no real intention of overcharging him.
She just couldn't bring herself to admit she cared.
This was the classic example of tsundere—textbook, really.
"Keep it. Consider it compensation for making you angry."
Waving it off, Hayashi turned to leave.
"Wait…"
As he moved toward the door, Touka suddenly stopped him.
"Hm?"
He glanced back curiously.
"About Rize… you'd better stay away from her. Don't go tonight. I'm serious—you'll be in danger."
Touka bit her lip, her normally cold and composed face serious.
She didn't want to admit she cared about this boy. But she couldn't just watch him walk to his death at Rize's hands.
"…Are you worried about me, Touka?" Hayashi blinked, his expression full of surprise and curiosity.
"Of course not. I'm just concerned losing a regular customer would hurt the shop's revenue."
Her pretty face flushed red instantly.
And oddly enough, the icy beauty looked even more captivating with that rare touch of shyness.
"I understand. I'll be careful."
Hayashi nodded, then smiled as he pushed open the door and left.
"Honestly…"
Watching his back fade into the distance, Touka sighed softly.
"He's just a human. Just food. So why… why do I care this much?"
...
Night fell.
Hayashi waited at the spot where he and Rize had arranged to meet.
Watching the bustling crowd pass by, his mood grew restless.
"Where did Rize run off to?"
Checking the time, he saw she was already half an hour late.
Even if she were late, this was far too long.
Could something have happened to her?
But she was an S-rated ghoul — even if she ran into a Special Class investigator, she should've been fine.
If it wasn't trouble, then there was only one explanation…
Sighing, Hayashi muttered to himself:
"She probably got hungry and went to grab a snack."
That was exactly the kind of thing the Binge Eater, Rize, would do.
But just as the thought crossed his mind—
BOOM!
A thunderous crash erupted nearby, shaking the very ground.
The surrounding pedestrians screamed and crouched low in fear and confusion.
"What the… an earthquake?"
Hayashi frowned.
No—that noise was too sharp. Too specific.
His pupils shrank.
A swirl of dust rose around him. In a flash of white light, his figure vanished from the street.
"Damn it. I hope I'm not too late."
Leaping across rooftops, urgency burned in his eyes.
Rize was late, and this was the critical moment in the timeline.
If he was right, that crash was the sound of steel beams falling at the construction site.
Just like in the anime — Furuta had lured Rize there to ambush her.
Now, she was most likely already gravely injured.
If things played out as before, she'd be crushed beneath the steel, discovered alongside a dying Kaneki.
Then Doctor Kanou would transplant Rize's organs into Kaneki, creating the first artificial one-eyed ghoul…
But with Kaneki absent this time, only Rize would be left — broken, bleeding, vulnerable.
And if Hayashi didn't act fast, Kanou would get to her first.
Yes, rescuing Rize might make Furuta suspicious. He could even report him to the Washuu family in anger.
But Hayashi didn't care.
Rize was far too beautiful — an intellectual, graceful woman like her was rare.
And besides, she had something most anime beauties didn't. How could he possibly leave her to die?
Oppose the Washuu Clan for her sake?
So what? He had the system. He wielded the godlike talismans.
Just collecting Dog, Horse, Pig, and Rooster would make him unstoppable.
If he still hesitated now, worrying about risks, then what was the point of transmigrating at all?
This was his world now. His rules. Anyone who dared to stand in his way—he'd crush them.
With that, Hayashi sped up.
A few minutes later, he reached the site.
As expected, it was the construction zone from the anime.
Chaos lay everywhere. Dust filled the air.
Stepping closer, he saw the twisted steel scattered across the ground—and blood staining the rubble.
Without hesitation, he began pulling the beams aside.
Thanks to the Ox Talisman's strength, what normally required cranes to lift was as light as paper in his hands.
Soon, beneath the wreckage, he uncovered a familiar figure.
Rize.
The purple-haired beauty lay pinned under the debris, gravely wounded and barely clinging to life.
"It hurts… it's unbearable…"
Her breaths came shallow, weaker and weaker, her consciousness fading from blood loss.
But then, she sensed a familiar presence.
Forcing her eyes open, she saw through the blur of pain—
A white-haired boy, his face calm and determined.
"…I'm late."
Hayashi gently lifted her into his arms.
"You… how did you know I was here?"
Her voice was weak, still carrying a trace of her usual teasing tone.
"Save your strength. I won't let you die."
He cut her off firmly.
"Mm…"
Rize gave a faint nod, then closed her eyes.
Strangely enough, though she was on the verge of death, wrapped in his warmth, breathing in his scent…
For the first time, she felt safe.
For the first time, she relaxed—completely.
For the first time, she let herself trust someone.
"Don't worry, Rize. I swear—I won't let you die. Never."
Holding her close, Hayashi vanished from the scene.