"They closed so early today..." Touka stood downstairs, looking at the sign hanging on the café door in confusion. Then she sniffed, catching a faint, familiar scent.
"This is..." Touka pushed the door open uncertainly, and her calm eyes trembled slightly.
"Happy birthday, Touka!" The first person she saw was Hinami, sitting on the customer side of the counter. Hinami promptly hopped off her chair and held out a birthday crown.
"No... I'd rather..." A faint blush flashed across Touka's face. She was about to refuse, but at the sight of Hinami's expectant expression, she accepted the crown and held it in her hands. "..."
Footsteps sounded on the stairs as the Manager and Kaneki came down. Both wore expressionless faces, giving no hint of what they were feeling.
A brief silence fell over the café, making their footsteps sound especially clear.
"Touka..." Kaneki spotted Touka standing in the doorway. Hiding the emotion in his eyes, he walked over to her and took out a plush keychain. "I heard you wanted to get into Kamii University..."
"..." Touka looked at the keychain before her, then at his face, which had lost its youthful innocence and now seemed utterly lifeless. Her delicate brows drew together, and one hand clenched into a fist.
"Ah... We hardly ever get together, so let's skip the violence and just talk things out." Sensing something wrong with the atmosphere, Koma hurried over to smooth things out.
"Hmph. What's there to say to someone who leaves whenever he wants and comes back whenever he pleases?" Touka snorted, snatched the keychain from him, and sat down on a chair at the counter.
Nishiki Nishio leaned against the counter. After a moment's thought, he turned to Hinami beside him. "What about Lu? Didn't he come with you?"
"He... still