A/N: I just wanna say... that love makes us blind...
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Saturday morning patrol started with Yamamoto shoving a newspaper in my face.
"Another one," he said grimly. "Male, twenties. Found in an alley off the 13th Ward shopping district."
I scanned the article, stomach turning at the clinical description. The Binge Eater was living up to her name—bodies piling up faster than the CCG could process them.
"Getting bolder," I observed. "Middle of a shopping district?"
"Or hungrier." Yamamoto folded the paper. "CCG's throwing everything at this, but she's like smoke. No one even has a consistent description beyond 'long haired attractive woman.'"
Purple hair. Designer dress. Smile like a predator.
"You okay?" Yamamoto studied me. "You've been distracted all morning."
"Just thinking." About Touka's terrified face. About the promises to her to stay safe. "She's escalating fast."
"Yeah. Used to be one or two a month. Now it's weekly, sometimes more." He shook his head. "Like she's given up on being careful."
The rest of patrol passed in uncomfortable silence. Every person walking alone made me tense. Every flash of purple in the crowd had me reaching for my concealed knives.
By the time I reached Anteiku that afternoon, my nerves were shot.
"You look tired," Touka said immediately, already pouring my coffee.
"Long morning. You?"
"Fine." But there were shadows under her eyes, tension in her shoulders. "Usual table?"
"Counter's good." I wanted to be close to her, even if I couldn't explain why.
The shop felt different—everyone was moving with carefully, with some conversations more muted than usual. Even Koma's usual cheerfulness seemed forced.
"Something happened?" I asked when Touka brought my sandwich.
"No. Maybe. I don't know." She glanced around nervously. "Just feels... heavy today."
Before I could respond, the bell chimed. My hand moved instinctively toward my coat before I saw who it was.
... Why was I so tense? Could Rize really be the Binge Eater...? No, it can't be, if so why would—
Kaneki practically bounced in, face glowing with excitement.
"Touka-san! Sota-san!" He rushed to the counter. "You'll never guess what happened!"
"What?" Touka's voice came out strained.
"Remember that woman from Thursday? Rize-san? She called!" He pulled out his phone like a trophy. "We're having dinner tonight! An actual date!!!"
The cup in Touka's hand shattered.
"Oh!" Kaneki jumped back. "Are you okay?"
"Fine. I just—slipped." She was already moving, grabbing towels. "Where are you going? For your date?"
"There's this nice restaurant in the 13th Ward she suggested. Fancy, too—I had to borrow clothes from my friend." He laughed nervously. "I still can't believe someone like her is interested in me."
"Yeah," Touka muttered. "Unbelievable."
I helped clean up the coffee, noting how badly her hands shook. "Maybe somewhere closer would be better?" I suggested to Kaneki. "The 13th Ward's kind of far."
"But she said they have the best atmosphere there. A very... romantic one." He blushed. "She seems to really know the area."
Irimi appeared with a broom. "Perhaps a group date would be fun? Safety in numbers is important these days."
"Oh, I couldn't ask—she might think I'm not interested if I bring others." Kaneki checked his phone again, smile widening. "She texted earlier about how much she's looking forward to our private time."
"I bet she is," Touka said under her breath.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just—be careful, okay? The news has been..."
"I know. The latest news are scary." He shuddered. "But what are the odds of something going wrong? Besides, Rize-san is so elegant and refined. We'll probably just talk about books all evening."
Every adult in the shop exchanged looks. Yoshimura emerged from the back, expression carefully neutral.
"Kaneki-kun," he said gently, "perhaps you'd like some of our special blend to take home? On the house."
"Really? Thank you! That's so kind!" Kaneki accepted the bag gratefully. "Everyone here is so nice to me. Rize-san was right about this place having a warm atmosphere."
"She was here before Thursday?" I asked.
"Oh, she mentioned coming by occasionally. Said she enjoyed the... menu." His phone buzzed. "That's her! She's asking if I have any food preferences. She's so thoughtful!"
"Very thoughtful," Touka said flatly.
"I should go—need to get ready for tonight. See you all next week!"
After he left, the shop fell silent.
"Someone should—" Touka started.
"No." Yoshimura's voice was firm. "We cannot interfere."
"But Manager—"
"Anteiku maintains neutrality. You know this."
Touka's hands clenched. Without a word, she fled to the back room.
"I'll just..." I followed her, finding her in the storage room punching a bag of coffee beans. "Hey. Hey, stop. You'll hurt yourself."
"Good!!!" But she let me pull her away. "This is insane. He's walking into—into—"
"Into what?" I held her shoulders. "Touka, talk to me. What do you know about this Rize person?"
"I can't—" She pressed her face into my chest. "Just trust me. She's dangerous. The kind of dangerous that—that eats people alive."
The words hung between us. Eats people alive.
"The Binge Eater," I said slowly. "You think Rize is..."
"I don't think. I know." She pulled back, tears in her eyes. "And no one will do anything because of stupid rules and neutrality and—"
"Then we tell the CCG."
She went rigid. "What?"
"If you know she's the Binge Eater, we report it. They'll investigate and protect Kaneki—"
"No!" The word came out sharp enough to cut. "We can't. I can't. It's—"
"Complicated?" I finished for her. "Everything's complicated with you lately. But if someone's life is in danger—"
"You don't understand." She pulled away completely. "The CCG can't—won't—it would just make things worse."
"Worse than letting her kill him?"
"You don't know what you're asking!" She was shaking again. "You don't understand what would happen if—"
She cut herself off, but I heard what she didn't say. The pieces I'd been ignoring suddenly clicked into place. Neutrality. Rules. Can't involve the CCG. Everyone in the shop surely knew exactly what Rize was which explained their mood.
My blood ran cold as the realization hit me. I had to take some minutes to calm down from everything.
"Touka," I said very quietly. "What is this place?"
Her face went white. "Sota—"
"No one will do anything because of rules. Because of keeping neutrality." My investigator instincts screamed what I'd been too blind to see due to love. "This is a ghoul establishment. Isn't it?"
"Please—"
"You're all ghouls." The words felt like glass in my mouth. "You. Koma. Irimi. Everyone."
"Not everyone," she whispered. "Some customers are human. Like you. Like Kaneki."
"Like prey?" I said as the words came out involuntarily.
"No!" She grabbed my hands. "Never. We don't—Anteiku doesn't—we're not like her!"
I stared at the girl I'd kissed at the train station. The girl who threw cleaning cloths at my face and practiced drawing coffee cups with me. The girl who took my heart... yet was a ghoul.
"I have to go," I said dazedly as I tried walking out.
"Sota, wait—"
But I was already moving, driven by a different instinct now. Kaneki. Tonight in the 13th Ward. Maybe it was my excuse, to have more time to think things through.
"Where are you going right now!? Don't do anything reckless!" Touka followed me out. "Sota!"
The betrayal in my eyes stopped her.
"To do my job." I turned at the door. "We'll... talk later. About everything."
But Kaneki was going to die today if I didn't act.
I ran through the streets, pulling out my phone. Kaneki's number—I'd gotten it Thursday when he'd asked about art supplies. The phone rang. And rang.
"Hello?" His nervous voice.
"Kaneki, it's Sota. Listen, about your date tonight—"
"Oh! Are you calling to give advice? That's so nice! But I don't have much battery, so don't worry! Thank you still, Sota-san!"
"Kaneki, please, listen. Rize isn't who you think. She's—"
The line went dead.
I called back. Straight to voicemail.
"Dammit!" I checked the time. Saturday evening. The date was tonight. I had maybe a couple of hours to find him, warn him, or find Rize first...