Ding-ling!
As the slightly worn wooden door creaked open, a crisp and pleasant chime rang through the room.
Uesugi Ryu stepped slowly into the famed Anteiku Coffee Shop.
"Well, if it isn't Kaneki-kun. What an unexpected coincidence!"
With a smile on his face, Uesugi Ryu greeted Kaneki Ken, who was seated not far away. After the greeting, he walked over and sat down across from him.
Kaneki, who had been deeply engrossed in the book in his hands, looked up at the voice. When he saw that it was Uesugi Ryu, a flicker of surprise and delight appeared on his face.
"Good morning, Ryu-kun! It really is a coincidence! I didn't expect to run into you here."
It had been almost a week since they'd last met. With a rare day off, Uesugi Ryu had decided to drop by Anteiku for a visit.
Kaneki gently closed his book and set it aside.
Uesugi Ryu smiled faintly, his eyes casually sweeping across the traditional decor of the shop. The vintage interior truly lived up to the name "Anteiku"/"antique." And of course, there was also the shop's proprietor: the "Non-Killing Owl."
Their gazes briefly met. Yoshimura Kuzen, standing behind the counter, exchanged a look with Uesugi Ryu, then offered a kind smile.
Although Uesugi Ryu had seen him many times in the anime and manga, experiencing this encounter in person was something else entirely.
He slowly retracted his gaze, then raised his fingers and snapped crisply.
Resting his hand against his cheek, he tilted his head and mused aloud, "Kaneki-kun, you're really quite sly, aren't you?"
Kaneki was instantly confused, a giant question mark practically appearing on his forehead. He clearly had no idea what Uesugi Ryu was talking about.
Just then, footsteps approached. Kirishima Touka, holding a small, delicate notepad for taking orders, quickly made her way over.
Politely, she asked, "What would the two of you like to drink?"
Uesugi Ryu turned his attention to the exquisitely printed menu on the table. After pondering for a moment, he replied, "I'll have an iced latte."
Truthfully, he wasn't particularly fond of coffee in general. But compared to the intense and slightly bitter taste of cappuccino, the smoother, richer flavor of a latte was more appealing at the moment.
Touka quietly jotted down his order, then turned and walked back toward the counter to prepare it.
Kaneki, curious, leaned forward and asked, "Ryu-kun, why did you call me 'sly' just now?"
He truly couldn't figure out what had prompted that remark.
"When I asked if you had any recommended cafés, you didn't say a word. Are you hiding something?"
Kaneki waved his hands defensively. "It's not like that! I only just discovered this place myself. It's really great for reading!"
Uesugi Ryu nodded slowly, clearly unconvinced, but let the matter drop.
"You really do love reading, Kaneki-kun. I've recently been reading something by that famous author, Takatsuki Sen. Even someone like me, who doesn't read much, got completely hooked."
Upon hearing the name, a gleam of excitement lit up Kaneki's otherwise calm eyes.
"Really? Which one of her works did you read?"
He immediately picked up the thick book he'd left beside him and held it up to show Uesugi Ryu.
But instead of responding to the question, Uesugi Ryu smiled and said teasingly, "Haha, as soon as reading comes up, Kaneki-kun gets all fired up."
Kaneki's cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment. He scratched his head awkwardly and gave a few dry laughs to mask his unease.
After a short pause, something seemed to occur to him. He looked up and asked, "By the way, I haven't seen you around campus lately. Has something happened?"
Uesugi Ryu nodded, then slowly lifted the cup in front of him and took a small sip of coffee. His gaze shifted to the window, where a deep blue sky shimmered like a gemstone. His eyes grew distant, as if lost in thought.
After a while, he turned back to look at Kaneki's puzzled face.
"Tell me, Kaneki-kun. If a path promises a beautiful ending, but is full of thorns and hardship along the way... would you still choose to walk it?"
Kaneki found Uesugi Ryu uncharacteristically solemn today. This calm, introspective version of him was worlds apart from the carefree and whimsical person he remembered from last time.
Faced with such a deep, philosophical question, Kaneki found himself momentarily speechless.
After some hesitation, he decided to focus on Ryu's well-being first. His eyes shifted toward Ryu's gloved left hand. It seemed... to be hiding something.
"Ryu-kun, has something been bothering you lately?" he asked with clear concern.
Although they hadn't known each other long, Kaneki felt that Uesugi Ryu was a good person and genuinely kind toward him. A bit erratic, perhaps, but so was Hide.
Because of his family situation and introverted personality, Kaneki had grown up with few friends. He was often mocked or bullied by classmates. Only Hideyoshi Nagachika had always been by his side.
Uesugi Ryu, though often unreliable and whimsical, reminded him a bit of Hide.
Ryu casually stirred the coffee in his cup with a spoon. He didn't lower his voice, but simply spoke in an even tone.
"I'm about to become a Ghoul Investigator. I probably won't be attending classes much from now on."
Of course, his university credits were still valid. Being a state institution, the CCG provided allowances for that kind of thing.
Kaneki was stunned. He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.
At the bar, Yoshimura Kuzen's hand paused in the middle of pouring.
Touka, who had been polishing glasses, also briefly froze, her lowered face revealing a subtle shift in expression.
But the moment passed quickly. Both of them returned to their tasks as if nothing had happened.
After all, even the most discreet café like Anteiku couldn't avoid the occasional visit from a Ghoul Investigator. It was simply rare.
Investigators had dangerous, demanding jobs. Most of them didn't have the luxury of time to lounge around in cafés every day.