Chapter 7 «Rize Kamishiro»

A slender girl with chest-length purple hair with left-side swept bangs, purple eyes, and pink lips.

A slight smile was printed on her face which, together with her hourglass figure, made most of the cafe's customers turn around. Males were attracted to her beauty while girls were jealous of her beauty.

As for clothing, she was wearing a cold shoulder top of a not too 'heavy' black, together, she had a long white skirt with a bright purple belt at the waist.

Touka who had gone to serve other customers, hearing a person enter, turned around and greeted, but as soon as she saw who was at the door, her gaze became rigid.

The girl's eyebrows got tangled at the sight of that woman on the threshold of the door.

But since there are other customers and she doesn't want to cause any problems, Touka still welcomed her even though her expression was severe.

"Welcome"

Touka accompanied the girl to a table not far from Ken who in the meantime remained with his mouth open.

He would never have imagined seeing that figure in this place, especially not when he entered.

Rize Kamishiro, the same person he was thinking about a short time ago, as soon as he left the house.

It must be a game of fate, Ken told himself.

It has to be, the day before, the first day he arrived in this world, he had to face a ghoul, the next day he probably met the character he wanted to meet more than everyone else.

Ken has removed his gaze from Rize. He does not want to arouse suspicion, not at this moment which is without transformation. Ken knows very well that ghouls are perceptive and even a single glance could cause them to focus on themselves.

"The usual, thank you," she said with a smile in the direction of Touka who stayed by Rize's table waiting for the order.

Touka, without thinking twice, turned to give the manager the order of Rize and in less than a few minutes she delivered it to her, but without the elegance with which she delivered it to Ken's table.

Rize doesn't seem to have noticed, she clearly knows why she's so nervous, and even if she doesn't like to say it, it's her fault. *giggle*

The fact that she moved from the 11th to the 20th wards caused problems. Her "hunger" caused her to hunt far more people than those who usually died in this district. This immediately led the Doves to investigate.

"Thanks"

Then, opening the bag she had with her, she pulled out a book.

Ken took a look at the cover of the book out of pure curiosity, The Flowers of Evil by Sen Takatsuki.

Immediately after, however, he returned his gaze to the street outside while he continued to drink his coffee, admiring the passers-by who walked with a smile on their face, not caring of the world.

Unconsciously, a smile also appeared on his face.

"Sorry, can I sit here?"

Ken was 'awakened' by a voice too familiar to him, so turning his gaze with a forced smile he looked at the seated figure on the other side of the table.

Why the heck she is here. Ken's heart started beating wildly. Ken started screaming inside his mind but showing a smile on the surface.

He has no idea why Rize is here; he hasn't done anything that has caused her attention unless ...

Don't tell me my only glance in her direction has been seen. At the very thought of this idea, Ken started to break out in a cold sweat.

"Sure," Ken replied to Rize's question, then looking straight into Rize's eyes, he continued, "although I wonder how a young lady like you wants to sit in this place."

Seeing that Rize didn't immediately respond Ken added, "I'm just curious, if you don't want to tell me about it you don't have to."

Ken has made an effort to ask this question because if Rize realizes that something is wrong with this question, he has practically marked a death sentence for himself, not as if he hadn't already marked it.

Getting Rize interested in oneself can be considered a death sentence in itself if you don't possess some strength and, unless you don't go to places where Rize doesn't go, the chance of being eaten alive is quite high.

Fortunately, Ken's fear didn't happen this time.

"Nothing, I just saw you looked at my book" Rize replied with a natural smile closing her eyes.

"Do you read Sen Takatsuki's books too?" Rize asked Ken.

Ken revealed a surprised expression, immediately nodded.

Ken blatantly lied about this question, but that doesn't mean he doesn't remember what Kaneki and Rize talked about when their eyes fell on their respective books.

"Even though I like Sen Takatsuki and her 'dark' style, I must admit that my favourite is Franz Kafka, his themes that speak of loneliness, isolation, alienation are something that in my opinion fully reflect this society."

Rize seems to have been surprised by this answer. She made a small exclamation by putting a hand in front of her mouth.

"I didn't expect you to read these kinds of novels!" Rize exclaimed looking at Ken with a surprised expression.

Ken stared at Rize for a few seconds and then shrugged, "I don't look like it, but I'm a person who loves these themes."

"After all this society, in my opinion, it is possible to see it fully in his novels, that highly disturbing atmosphere with haunting elements, I find it simply magnificent, not to mention his characters, they seem as if they are victims of existence" Ken continued to tell in the direction of Rize who in the meantime looked at Ken talking with a smile.

"You said earlier, like this society, what do you mean?" Rize asked.

What Ken said intrigued her a lot, and this was the moment when she began to take an interest in Ken's person.

Ken, not knowing about this, replied, lowering his eyes slightly, "I think this society is identical to Kafka's works. If I can make a comparison, I would say that the city of Tokyo is like an empty canvas where ghouls and humans are the characters controlled by fate, each of them is chased by some anguish that the other race does not understand, this has created a continuous cycle of vicissitudes. "

Ken's words are echoing inside Rize's mind. Not only within Rize, within the mind of Touka, of the manager Yoshimura, Enji Koma, Kaya Irimi.

Every single ghoul who heard these words froze slightly only to resume their activities soon after.

But before doing this, they can do nothing but look for a second at that customer who before that moment was like everyone else in their eyes.

Rize had also looked more carefully at Ken, if before it was just a kind of attention, now she wants to know more about the person in front of her.

The desire to devour him has subsided slightly, while now, in its place, there was a desire to learn everything Ken knows and what he thinks.

Subconsciously the two talked about their literary tastes since they were similar.

The more time passed, the more Ken's initial anxiety faded. If at the beginning what Ken said was only to satisfy Rize and her question, after a while, he started to free himself from the chains he had imposed on himself and started to speak openly.

In this way, time passed quickly without the two noticing it. The sun in the distance has tinted the sky an intense orange, a symbol of the sunset.

Ken looking out the window, looked at that scene without words, he never expected to talk to the person he himself considered dangerous for so long.

But at the same time, he must admit that it is not bad at all; indeed, this discussion was pleasant.

"I better go," Ken said to Rize after getting up.

Just then Rize seems to have come up with something, and then, in a hasty tone, she stopped Ken who had just got up.

"Wait for a second, you haven't told me your name yet," Rize asked.

"Ken Law, while you miss?" Ken replied while asking Rize the same question. Even if he knows the name of the girl in front of him that doesn't mean Rize knows he knows her.

"Rize, Rize Kamishiro, it was a nice day, I haven't felt like this in a long time, I have to thank you," Rize said with a smile.

Ken seems to have gotten a little embarrassed. He immediately waved his right hand, indicating that there was no problem of any kind, then, Ken turned and walked away but not before paying at the cashier.

Seeing Ken leave, Rize continued to watch him.

"What an interesting person ..." Rize muttered.