"Miss Rize... do you remember me?" Banjō parted his lips slightly, but though a thousand things came to mind, he could not say a word. Only after a long while did he quietly enter the warehouse, kneel beside Rize, and lay the flowers next to her.
He did nothing else, only spoke softly, keeping his emotions buried deep inside instead of letting them erupt.
Suddenly, the scent of blood spread through the air. A seemingly gaseous ukaku burst from Banjō's back, and a strange, warm current arose from deep within the warehouse.
"It's all right..." Louis stopped Renji Yomo, who had been about to act. He knew Banjō meant no harm.
Before coming, Banjō had already understood that he had no right to take Rize away or care for her. Now, he was simply doing what he could, even if it only made her feel the slightest bit better. Despite his heartache, he still had his reason.
Although Renji Yomo stopped, he did not leave. He had only met Banjō once and did not feel comfortable leaving him alone with Rize. If she were allowed to eat her fill, subduing her again would inevitably cause considerable destruction and draw attention.
Rize had no actual wounds at that moment; she was simply weak from hunger. Even the healing ability of Banjō's kagune could do little for her. Yet the warm airflow stilled her feeble struggles. She looked up at the sturdy man, wanting to say something, but could not make a sound.
Banjō forced down his sorrow and raised a hand to wipe the grime from the corner of her eye. "Miss Rize, my name is Banjō. You once called me a boring person... it's all right if you don't recognize me... we can get to know each other again."
"Banjō..."