Let me have another bite

Amahane Byakuya could sense Touka Kirishima's astonished gaze even out of the corner of his eye.

Her reaction didn't surprise him in the slightest.

She had probably assumed he was doomed when she saw him walking with Rize Kamishiro last night.

"Did you think I wouldn't come today, Byakuya?"

Rize Kamishiro smiled as she spoke.

"Yeah, I thought you'd go somewhere else."

Amahane Byakuya sat down across from Rize Kamishiro quite naturally, as though they were still a couple.

But even if they weren't a couple, there was nothing wrong with sitting together and chatting like friends, was there?

What he actually meant was that he had expected Rize Kamishiro to find somewhere else to seduce and prey on her next target.

Yet she hadn't done that. Perhaps she wasn't in a hurry?

Anyone other than Amahane Byakuya and Rize Kamishiro would have found their conversation rather baffling.

"I think this place is quite nice. The coffee tastes good, too."

As she spoke, Rize Kamishiro took a sip of her coffee.

"It is pretty good."

Amahane Byakuya and Rize Kamishiro exchanged a few casual words.

Their conversation no longer had that romantic air. After all, it had been an act to begin with, and now that they weren't pretending, it naturally felt different.

Amahane Byakuya went over to the bookshelf and picked up another book. This time, he chose "The Hanged Man's MacGuffin," Sen Takatsuki's latest release.

"That's 'The Hanged Man's MacGuffin.' You recommended it to me before, but you haven't actually read it?"

Rize Kamishiro glanced at the book in his hands and couldn't resist teasing him.

"Right, I haven't read it yet. I'd just heard it had excellent reviews."

Amahane Byakuya offered his explanation without a blush or a flicker of unease.

There was nothing wrong with what he said. Before coming to this world, he had already known that the book had excellent sales and reviews.

"I see. Let me read it, too."

Rize Kamishiro stood up and sat down beside him.

She even dragged her chair closer until she was pressed up against him, seemingly just so she could read "The Hanged Man's MacGuffin" with him.

Amahane Byakuya could almost smell the faint fragrance drifting from her.

He had thought Rize Kamishiro wouldn't play their so-called "couple game" anymore, but apparently it wasn't over yet?

One thing he could be sure of was that she probably wouldn't suddenly attack him somewhere like the Antique Café. She certainly wouldn't dare act so recklessly on Yoshimura Kuzen's turf.

A moment later, Amahane Byakuya more or less understood why she was doing this.

As Rize Kamishiro leaned against him, she brought her face to the spot between his neck and shoulder and sniffed greedily, as though savoring the aroma of a delicious dish.

Amahane Byakuya understood at once.

It seemed Rize Kamishiro really did think he tasted delicious...

Although he wasn't sure exactly why. His physical constitution and the Hashirama cells were only guesses, and it was hard to say whether this was good or bad. Didn't this make him something like "Tang Sanzang's flesh" in the world of "Tokyo Ghoul"?

"I'm starting to worry you'll suddenly take a bite out of me."

Amahane Byakuya teased her quietly.

"Don't worry. This isn't the right time, so I won't do anything like that."

Rize Kamishiro said bluntly, "But if you're willing, we can go somewhere deserted right now."

"I'll pass. I'm not a masochist."

Amahane Byakuya immediately shook his head.

"Still, I really do want to read this book."

Rize Kamishiro said, "I came across Sen Takatsuki's work by chance, but I've found that it suits my tastes quite well."

"Really... Then let's enjoy it together."

Amahane Byakuya wasn't particularly surprised. Sen Takatsuki's works featured plenty of oppressive, despairing, and even gruesome scenes, so it was no wonder Rize Kamishiro liked them.

Reading a book with Rize Kamishiro was noticeably slower than reading normally, but sharing something he enjoyed with someone else, especially a girl, made the experience more pleasant despite the slower pace.

[Ding! The host has read "The Hanged Man's MacGuffin." Reward received: 1 fusion point!]

[Ding! The host has finished reading "The Hanged Man's MacGuffin." Reward received: 1 fusion point!]

Amahane Byakuya actually stayed in the café with Rize Kamishiro until they finished the entire book.

During that time, Touka Kirishima had deliberately kept an eye on them, since their situation was weighing on her mind.

Seeing them acting so intimately, just like a couple, only strengthened her suspicions. Rize Kamishiro probably hadn't fed last night and wanted to keep toying with the human boy.

After finishing the book, Amahane Byakuya and Rize Kamishiro naturally began discussing it.

As he listened to Rize Kamishiro praise how brilliant and exciting all the gruesome scenes were, Amahane Byakuya found himself somewhat speechless.

"You really do like gruesome plots like these..."

Amahane Byakuya couldn't help commenting.

Just then, he suddenly thought of Rize Kamishiro's physical condition.

Since most of those gruesome scenes involved torture, murder, and cannibalism, he remembered that Rize Kamishiro needed to feed to replenish the RC cells in her body.

"By the way, how are you feeling?"

Amahane Byakuya asked.

"I've recovered pretty well. I still have plenty of 'stock' at home. Are you worried about me, Byakuya~?"

Rize Kamishiro sounded pleased.

The "stock" she mentioned was human flesh she had put in her refrigerator to keep fresh after feeding.

Both of them kept their voices low enough that only the other could hear.

"Yes, of course I'm worried about you. Otherwise, I wouldn't have saved you before."

Amahane Byakuya spoke calmly.

There wasn't a trace of embarrassment on his face. He simply admitted it outright.

"That's true."

Rize Kamishiro realized that nothing seemed to get through to him.

Forget frightening him-he wouldn't even show the slightest embarrassment.

"Although you've recovered, I still wouldn't recommend hunting as recklessly as before. That person wearing the Clown Mask could ambush you again at any time."

Amahane Byakuya offered the well-meant warning.

"Are you trying to rein me in?"

A hint of displeasure entered Rize Kamishiro's eyes.

"But if you let me have another bite, I might consider listening to you."