The weather was clear today.
People who had been cooped up at home for days were finally stepping out.
Anteiku Coffee Shop.
"Ding-ling!"
The door opened, and a man with purple hair, wearing a bright red suit, spread his arms and took a deep breath. "What a... wonderful scent."
The man looked intoxicated, "As expected, this place really is relaxing."
"Get lost!"
Without warning, a leg kicked out from behind him.
Boom!
Before the man could even scream, he turned into a blur and slammed heavily against the opposite wall.
Akuto walked into the coffee shop with his hands in his pockets. "Don't get in my way, you colorful insect."
"Akuto-kun!? Sir, are you alright?" Kaneki Ken rushed over to help the purple-haired man up while cleaning up the broken tableware.
In his haste, he accidentally cut his finger on a shard.
Hiss!
Tsukiyama Shuu, who was glaring at Akuto with chattering teeth in rage, suddenly caught an incredibly mellow aroma!
"This is..."
Tsukiyama Shuu followed the scent to Kaneki Ken's hand; the smell emanating from the cut made him tremble!
"What a marvelous scent!"
Tsukiyama Shuu immediately took out a handkerchief to wipe away the blood for Kaneki Ken, saying in a gentlemanly manner.
"Are you alright, boy?"
"Ah? I... I'm fine."
At that moment, Touka, Irimi Yuki, and Koma Enji were forcing down the corners of their mouths, their voices trembling as they said.
"Akuto-kun, you can't just attack the shop's customers."
"Yeah, how rude!"
Their words were completely at odds with their expressions!
They looked like they were thoroughly enjoying the show.
At this point, Tsukiyama Shuu couldn't be bothered with Akuto; he was far more interested in Kaneki Ken.
That mellow aroma was more delicious than any food he had ever tasted!
Suppressing the urge to eat Kaneki Ken right then and there, Tsukiyama Shuu stood up and brushed the dust off himself. "What's your name, boy? I am Tsukiyama Shuu."
"So flamboyant."
"Hey, Touka, a cola!"
"You bastard!" Touka, who had been snickering just a moment ago, immediately lost her smile.
Sipping his cola, Akuto watched Tsukiyama Shuu leave. He had come to see the Manager, but the Manager wasn't in today.
As for Akuto, Tsukiyama Shuu didn't dare to spare him a second glance.
He had heard about Akuto from his father; he had only been blinded by rage just now.
Not long after Tsukiyama Shuu left, the door on the second floor opened, and a little girl with chestnut-colored hair stepped out.
Hinami!
Touka walked over quickly and gently stroked Hinami's hair.
Just as Hinami was about to speak, her pupils constricted the moment she saw Akuto, and she quickly hid behind Touka.
Touka glanced at Akuto, then knelt and patted Hinami's head. "Don't worry, he doesn't mean any harm."
Akuto's gaze shifted over at that moment, scaring Hinami into a yelp as she scrambled back up to the second floor.
"Hey, you! She's just a child!" Touka looked at Akuto with dissatisfaction.
Akuto set down his cola glass and looked at Touka with a very serious expression. "You'd better stay away from that brat. Don't develop any unnecessary feelings."
"Excuse me!" Just then, Ryouko, who had been keeping a low profile, came down from the second floor.
Even though she knew Akuto was strong, she still spoke up.
"Sir, has my daughter offended you in some way?"
It could only be said that a mother's love makes her strong; even facing someone like Akuto, whom she knew she couldn't defeat, she dared to stand up and question him.
"Your daughter?"
Akuto sneered. "Then your parenting is a total failure."
"I'll give you a piece of advice: go upstairs right now, grab her, and give her a sound thrashing until she begs for mercy, until she never forgets it."
"That way, you might actually stay alive."
"Otherwise, not only will she get you killed, but she'll get everyone here killed along with you."
Akuto wasn't lying.
It was because of Hinami's selfishness, ignoring her mother's warnings to go looking for her father's scent.
In the end, she led her mother straight into the arms of the Investigators.
Not only did she get her mother killed, but Touka, seeking revenge for Ryouko, killed an investigator and even tried to kill Mado Kureo, the one who finished Ryouko off.
In the end, Touka was almost taken out, and Hinami had a sudden power spike at the critical moment and killed Mado Kureo.
Killing a First Class Investigator, or potentially an Associate Special Class Investigator.
That's like poking a hornet's nest.
The entire Anteiku was doomed because of her alone.
What a pity.
Not a single person present believed what Akuto said.
"I don't need you to worry about my daughter's upbringing. I won't let her appear before you again."
Ryouko bowed slightly after speaking, then turned to go upstairs.
"Pathetic."
Akuto stood up; there was no longer any need to come to this shop.
Tossing some money on the table, Akuto opened the door.
"I hope the next time we meet, you won't be standing against me."
"I won't hesitate to kill you."
Leaving the Anteiku Coffee Shop, Akuto sat in his car and lit a cigarette.
He had a rough plan in mind, but it lacked one key person.
If it succeeded...
Then the trouble that brat Hinami caused would affect Akuto's entire plan.
"I still have to kill her." Akuto had already warned them; if they didn't listen, that was their problem.
If Hinami got in the way, Akuto wouldn't hold back.
"There doesn't seem to be much going on lately. I'll go back to my original world for a vacation; it's freezing here."
Akuto started the car and drove home. Just as he parked in the garage, his eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Hmm?"
Stepping out of the car, Akuto stared coldly into the darkness in the distance.
"Come out, or I guarantee that you and the person behind you will die a very ugly death."
At that moment, a man wearing a mask that only had a mouth drawn on it, with no other facial features, stepped out.
"The Leader requests your presence."
Hearing this, Akuto grinned, a flash of violence crossing his eyes. "Eto Yoshimura is really getting ahead of herself, asking me to go see her."
"Fine, let's go see her then."
Akuto clenched his fists.
Just as the killing intent surged in his heart, a little girl covered in bandages poked her head out from behind a pillar.
"Just kidding~"
"Mr. Akuto, it's been a long time."
Akuto stared at Eto Yoshimura for a while, then lit a cigarette and sat on the hood of his car.
"What is it?"
"I know the whereabouts of the fingers you're looking for~"
"But before I tell you, I want to know your goal, Mr. Akuto. After all, you're just too strong."
Eto Yoshimura, acting like a real child, lightly hopped onto the roof of a nearby car and sat down, swinging her little feet.
"Then why don't you tell me yours instead?"
Akuto grinned, his face practically spelling out the word "danger."
"Well... in that case, it'll be hard to reach an agreement..."
Eto Yoshimura jumped down from the roof, walked over to Akuto with her hands behind her back, and leaned forward to look up at him.
"Can Mr. Akuto be trusted?"
"It's really quite troubling." Akuto wasn't the least bit tense; not a single muscle was even slightly tight.
It was as if the person in front of him posed no threat at all.
"You could always try making a move."