After the joke finally ended, Nishio Nishiki silently tore open the oil-paper package and began eating.
Across from him, Ren glanced at Ken Kaneki, who was still unconscious on the sofa.
A strange thought crossed his mind.
Did we hit him too hard?
Would he wake up as a vegetable…?
Inside his mind, he questioned the symbiote.
"Didn't I tell you to hold back?"
Carnage immediately defended itself.
[…I already restrained myself…]
[…It's not my fault…]
Hearing this, Ren shifted his gaze toward Touka Kirishima, who stood leaning silently against the wall in the shadows.
"She's starving."
Touka's voice was calm.
"Just feed him something."
After saying that, she turned and walked upstairs without another word.
Her figure disappeared at the staircase.
Ren nodded.
Now—
Only he and Nishio remained downstairs.
The atmosphere suddenly felt awkward.
He walked toward the refrigerator in the corner.
Opening it, he took out another oil-paper package.
Then casually tossed it to Nishio.
"Here."
Nishio barely caught it.
"…What?"
Ren tilted his chin toward Kaneki.
A mischievous smile appeared.
"This glorious task belongs to you."
"Me?!"
Nishio stared at the package.
Then at the unconscious Kaneki.
"You want me to feed him?"
"Think of it as repayment."
Ren crossed his arms.
"After all…"
"Without me, a certain powerful senior would still be decorating that alley wall."
Nishio opened his mouth—
Then closed it again.
He had no argument.
With visible reluctance, he crouched beside Kaneki.
Clumsily prying open his mouth—
He slowly fed him piece after piece of the meat.
After finishing the unpleasant task—
He immediately stood up.
"I suddenly remembered something."
Without waiting for a reply—
He hurried out of the café.
Now—
Only Ren remained on the quiet first floor.
Watching over Kaneki.
A moment later—
A gentle voice spoke from the staircase.
Yoshimura had quietly appeared.
Ren stood up immediately.
Without saying a word—
He walked upstairs.
The wooden steps echoed softly under his feet.
Yoshimura's gaze followed him.
Then slowly moved toward Kaneki.
Deep thoughts flickered in the old ghoul's eyes.
…
Inside his room—
Ren closed the door.
Silence returned.
He opened the shopping bag he had brought earlier.
It was filled entirely with chocolate.
He raised his right hand.
Dark red symbiote matter flowed outward.
Slowly forming a grotesque head.
Carnage.
He casually unwrapped a chocolate bar and tossed it into the open mouth.
"…The taste…"
Carnage swallowed it whole.
"…acceptable…"
"But…"
"…the quantity is insufficient…"
"…and far inferior to fresh human brains…"
Ren rubbed his temples.
"Of course it's inferior."
"You ate human brains just a few days ago."
Carnage's tone sounded almost nostalgic.
"…That taste…"
"…I could never have enough…"
He quickly opened another chocolate.
"How about this brand?"
Carnage swallowed it.
Then immediately showed disgust.
"…Garbage…"
Ren sighed.
"You can really taste anything like that?"
Carnage corrected him coldly.
"…What I sense…"
"…is not taste…"
"…but phenylethylamine…"
"…that is what I need…"
"Fine."
He pushed the entire bag toward the symbiote.
"Eat all of it."
"I'll buy more later."
Immediately—
Carnage's head plunged into the pile of chocolate.
Devouring everything.
Including the wrappers.
Within seconds—
The entire bag disappeared.
Ren pressed his fingers against his forehead.
His wallet was already hurting.
…
Later—
As he opened his door to go downstairs—
He saw Yoshimura walking down the hallway.
Kaneki followed beside him.
A large dark bloodstain was visible on Kaneki's coat.
"Awake?"
Ren asked calmly.
Kaneki nodded.
"…Yes."
His voice trembled slightly.
"Thank you, Kiryu-nii."
"If you hadn't stopped me…"
"…I might have…"
He couldn't finish the sentence.
Ren simply placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
A brief silent reassurance.
Yoshimura opened the nearby door.
Inside—
Hide lay quietly on the bed.
His injuries had been carefully bandaged.
His breathing appeared steady.
He seemed asleep.
Inside Ren's mind—
Carnage spoke again.
[He's awake.]
[That old man knows.]
He nodded slightly.
Yes.
Yoshimura understood perfectly.
But he allowed the illusion to remain.
As Yoshimura calmly explained Kaneki's situation—
Hide continued pretending to sleep.
Only Kaneki himself remained unaware.
After finishing the conversation—
Yoshimura led Kaneki to the prepared room next door.
Golden sunset light filled the hallway.
Before leaving—
Ren gently closed the curtains around Hide's bed.
Blocking the sunlight.
"Rest well, Hide."
He whispered quietly.
The door closed softly.
Moments later—
Hide slowly opened his eyes.
His amber gaze filled with complicated emotions.
…
The next day—
Kaneki officially became a new employee at Anteiku.
He stood behind the counter wearing an apron.
Clearly nervous.
Watching him, Ren sighed with relief.
Finally.
My workload will be lighter.
Then—
Touka spoke.
"He's your responsibility."
She pushed Kaneki toward him.
"What?"
Ren blinked.
"Why me?"
"You're the senior employee."
"You trained new workers before."
Touka's expression remained calm.
"I still have school."
Her gaze swept across him.
Full of obvious disdain.
"Unlike someone."
"Who attends a prestigious university…"
"…and skips classes every day."
For a moment—
Ren couldn't argue.
"…Fine."
He sighed.
"I'll do it."
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