A gathering in the dorm

Early the next morning, Ken Kaneki washed up, changed into casual clothes, and left his dorm.

After eating in the cafeteria for so long since coming to this school, Ken Kaneki had begun to miss his own cooking.

In both his previous life and this one, Ken Kaneki had been used to providing for himself.

His hands were itching now, and he could hardly wait to cook himself a meal as a treat.

Strolling over to Keyaki Mall on campus, Ken Kaneki stopped in front of the directory in the first-floor lobby.

As the Advanced Nurturing High School's largest all-purpose shopping complex, it had an extremely well-planned layout.

The first floor housed light-meal shops, cafés, and convenience stores; the second had clothing, appliances, and household goods.

The third floor contained a huge fresh-food supermarket and dining area; the fourth floor and above housed entertainment venues such as a movie theater and karaoke rooms.

Ken Kaneki took the escalator straight to the third floor and pushed a shopping cart into the fresh-food section.

The supermarket's air-conditioning was strong, and its shelves were packed with a dazzling range of goods. Fresh vegetables, meat, and seafood were sorted into their respective sections, all of excellent quality.

Ken Kaneki had originally planned to make a few simple home-cooked dishes, but Kiyotaka Ayanokoji and Rokusuke Koenji suddenly came to mind.

Knowing full well how terrifying their appetites were, he decisively settled on hot pot to save himself trouble while satisfying those two bottomless pits.

The school's fresh-food section offered very thoughtful service, even featuring a dedicated "meal kit section."

Ken Kaneki pushed his cart over to the hot pot section and, at an enthusiastic sales assistant's recommendation, selected a high-quality divided hot pot and a matching induction cooker.

Then he swept through the shelves without restraint.

Premium marbled wagyu slices, Berkshire pork, fresh beef tripe, shrimp paste, and all kinds of seasonal vegetables and mushroom platters-Ken Kaneki snapped them all up.

Looking at the mountain of ingredients in his cart, Ken Kaneki estimated their weight and promptly arranged for delivery at the service counter.

Although this cost him a considerable number of points, he could easily afford it after his recent windfall from the clubs and Sakayanagi Arisu.

With the ingredients taken care of, Ken Kaneki turned toward the drinks section.

Keeping the hot pot atmosphere in mind, he grabbed several large bottles of chilled Coca-Cola and picked out a few dozen cans of beer. After checking out, he carried his bags back toward the dorm at a leisurely pace.

By the time Ken Kaneki returned to the first-year dorm and took the elevator to the fourth floor, the supermarket's delivery staff had already neatly stacked the boxes of ingredients outside Room 402.

Just as he was about to open his door, the elevator behind him opened with a ding, and a familiar slender figure stepped out.

"Good morning, Kaneki." Hiyori's eyes brightened slightly when she saw Ken Kaneki, and a smile involuntarily curved her lips.

"Good morning, Hiyori."

Ken Kaneki greeted her with a smile, his gaze falling on the books in her arms.

"I was just about to bring you the books we talked about yesterday. These are all mystery novels I really like."

Hiyori walked over and smiled. "Which room is yours, Kaneki?"

"I'm in 402."

Ken Kaneki pointed to the door behind him, then glanced at the boxes of ingredients on the floor and took the opportunity to invite her.

"I've just bought some ingredients for hot pot at lunchtime. If you don't mind, would you like to stay and have lunch with us?"

At the invitation, Shiina Hiyori froze for a moment, a trace of hesitation crossing her fair face.

After all, they had known each other for less than a day. Going straight to a boy's room to have lunch alone with him was rather too much excitement for a quiet, introverted girl like her.

Ken Kaneki keenly noticed her concern and immediately added with a smile, "Don't worry, it won't just be the two of us. Two boys from my class live next door, and they'll be eating with us too. It'll be livelier with more people."

Hearing that others would be there, Hiyori felt much of her nervousness fade.

She nodded gently, her eyes curving into a smile.

"Then, thank you for having me."

"Go back to your room and put your things down first. You can come straight over afterward."

After watching Hiyori head toward the elevator lobby on the other side, Ken Kaneki turned and went to the doors of Rooms 401 and 403, pounding on them without ceremony.

Before long, Ayanokoji came over in his pajamas, looking groggy, along with Koenji, who looked as though he had just showered and was combing his hair.

"Morning, you two. Enough sleeping. Come help." Ken Kaneki pointed to the large boxes on the floor. "We're having hot pot for lunch. Carry these into my room."

"What a crude way to wake someone."

Despite his complaint, Koenji cooperatively picked up one of the heaviest boxes with one hand, then lifted another.

Ayanokoji silently gathered up the remaining ingredients and followed Ken Kaneki into Room 402.

The three well-built boys got to work in the small open kitchen.

Washing vegetables, slicing meat, arranging plates, and preparing the soup bases-they were surprisingly efficient.

Just as the spicy red broth and the clear broth began bubbling and releasing enticing aromas, the doorbell rang.

Ken Kaneki wiped his hands and went to answer the door. Shiina Hiyori stood prettily outside, having changed into a beige knit top and a pleated skirt, with a bag in her hand.

It seemed Hiyori had made a point of dressing up when she went back, and she had brought quite a few more books too.

"Come on in."

Ken Kaneki took her bag and set it on the entryway cabinet, then pulled a brand-new pair of disposable slippers from the shoe cabinet and handed them to her.

When Shiina Hiyori entered the living room, Ayanokoji and Koenji both stopped setting out the bowls and chopsticks, their gazes landing in unison on the silver-haired girl.

Both were quite confident in their memories, and neither remembered seeing such a gentle girl in Class D. Ken Kaneki had probably picked her up from another class.

Under the two tall boys' gazes, Hiyori looked somewhat uneasy and instinctively turned to Ken Kaneki.

Ken Kaneki gave her an encouraging smile. Only then did Hiyori take a deep breath and bow slightly.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Shiina Hiyori from Class C. Thank you for having me today."

"Don't stand on ceremony. Sit wherever you like." Ken Kaneki gestured toward the sofa, then introduced the pair.

"These two are my classmates and neighbors. The expressionless one is Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, and the blond narcissist is Rokusuke Koenji."

"Please describe me as beautiful. The word narcissist is ill-suited to my perfect self." Koenji elegantly smoothed his hair and flashed Hiyori a sparkling smile.

Ayanokoji gave a slight nod and said in a flat voice, "Hello. I'm Ayanokoji, Ken Kaneki's buddy."

The four sat on cushions around the coffee table, steam from the hot pot drifting through the air.

Fresh ingredients went into the pot, and amid the clinking of chilled cola and beer, the atmosphere soon grew friendly.

Ken Kaneki managed the heat, scooping out cooked slices of meat and vegetables from time to time and distributing them evenly among everyone.

Although Hiyori said little, a serene smile remained on her face as she listened to the three boys chat without reserve.

"Mmph..."

Just then, Hiyori picked up a piece of shrimp paste freshly scooped from the spicy broth and put it in her mouth, only to accidentally burn her lip on the scalding juices inside.

She could not help giving a small cry. A blush instantly rose to her fair cheeks, and a few tears welled at the corners of her eyes.

Seeing this from beside her, Ken Kaneki pulled out a tissue almost instinctively, with an utterly natural movement.

Turning sideways, he leaned closer and gently wiped the red oil from the corner of her mouth, reminding her softly, "Careful. It's very hot right out of the pot. You can leave it on your plate to cool for a bit first."

The gesture was so natural that once he had finished, everything suddenly went quiet for a moment.

Hiyori froze in place. Feeling the warmth of Ken Kaneki's fingertips through the tissue, her cheeks flushed scarlet, and even her small ears turned red.

She lowered her head in a fluster and replied in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, "Th-thank you."

Only then did Ken Kaneki realize that he had overstepped a little.

The main reason was that Shiina Hiyori's quiet, well-behaved personality was exactly the type he liked. On top of that, with his wealth of experience from his previous life, he was used to taking the lead. Seeing a girl in a little trouble, his body moved faster than his mind, and he had reached out without thinking.

Now, seeing Hiyori's shy reaction, a rare trace of awkwardness crossed his usually calm face.

Sitting across from them, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji and Rokusuke Koenji took in the entire scene.

They exchanged a glance, their previously placid expressions turning teasing at the same time.

"My, my, today's hot pot seems especially sweet. Did we add too much sugar, Ayanokoji boy? Even the air seems sickly sweet to me."

Koenji made his oblique remarks. He had never seen that expression on Ken Kaneki's face before, and he found it rather amusing.

"Same here."

Ayanokoji scooped up a slice of beef, held it to his lips, blew on it, and then put it in his mouth.

With the two of them taking turns teasing her, Hiyori lowered her head even further, almost burying it between her twin peaks, and steam practically seemed to rise from the top of her head.

"Eat your meat and cut the chatter."

Ken Kaneki shot them an irritated glare and tipped an entire plate of freshly cooked tripe into Ayanokoji's and Koenji's bowls, trying to shut them up.

The pair knew when to stop and lowered their heads to eat in perfect unison, but neither could suppress the teasing curl of his lips.

The hot pot meal finally ended with both host and guests thoroughly satisfied.

Once they had eaten and drunk their fill, Ayanokoji and Koenji tactfully volunteered to clear away the dishes and take care of the trash.

Then, in perfect coordination, they used the excuse of going back for an afternoon nap to evacuate Room 402 at lightning speed, leaving Ken Kaneki and Shiina Hiyori alone.

As the door closed, only the two of them remained in the living room, and the atmosphere immediately grew somewhat delicate.

Looking at Hiyori sitting on the sofa with her hands neatly resting on her knees, Ken Kaneki said somewhat sheepishly, "About earlier... I'm really sorry. I'm used to taking care of people, and I forgot to mind my boundaries for a moment. That was presumptuous of me."

At Ken Kaneki's words, Hiyori slowly raised her head. Looking at the somewhat embarrassed boy before her and recalling his earlier thoughtful gestures, she pressed her lips together.

She shook her head gently, her silver hair swaying slightly, as an unusual glimmer flashed in her pale purple eyes.

"It's all right, Kaneki. I don't mind that."

Ken Kaneki breathed a sigh of relief. He did not want to make Hiyori dislike him.

What he did not know, however, was that Hiyori had left one more thing unsaid.

Actually, that fluttering feeling just now was a first for me too. I didn't dislike it. In fact, I really liked it.