After picking up their goods, Ryouko and Hinami didn't leave right away.
Hinami was still preoccupied with what had just happened.
She asked Touka in one of the second-floor rooms: "Touka-oneechan, that young man who left with a really pretty lady—do you know him?"
"The pretty lady with glasses and purple hair?"
Touka confirmed.
"Yes."
Hinami nodded.
"I know of them, but I wouldn't say I actually know the guy. Why do you ask, Hinami-chan?"
Touka looked curious.
"Because... that man had Father's scent on him. I really want to know how Father is doing..."
Hinami's head drooped as she explained.
"I see..."
Now Touka was curious too.
Wasn't Hinami-chan's father still in Ward 19? When had Byakuya gone to Ward 19? And why had he been in contact with Hinami's father?
"Sorry, I don't really know him either. I'm not sure what's going on."
Touka's voice carried a note of apology.
"That's okay!"
Hinami quickly assured her.
She couldn't possibly accept Touka-oneechan's apology—not after everything Touka had done for them.
But now, finding out about her father would have to wait.
...
Back with Byakuya and Rize.
"So you're planning to use that mother and daughter as bait to draw out Yamori?"
Rize asked.
"I wouldn't call it 'using' them. I don't intend to harm them. If anything, I'm protecting them. Once Yamori learns they're related to that doctor, he definitely won't let them go."
Byakuya said.
"Do what you want. I'm not interested in that sort of thing. But if you need help, I can take care of Yamori for you."
Rize's tone was casual.
"That won't be necessary."
Byakuya shook his head slightly. "I'm a ghoul investigator now. Other investigators are also looking into Yamori. If they discovered your existence, that would only complicate things."
"Fine. By the way—you haven't forgotten about a certain something, have you?"
Rize's voice took on a mysterious lilt.
Though her words were vague, Byakuya understood immediately. "You mean the promise to let you have a taste? Of course I haven't forgotten. It should be in two more days, right?"
"Two more days? I can barely wait as it is."
Impatience crept into Rize's tone.
"That won't work. Not even a single day early."
Byakuya was firm.
"So mean!"
Rize's voice turned sulky. "When the time comes, I won't hold back at all."
...
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
Byakuya hadn't done anything particularly noteworthy during that time—mostly just walking around town, keeping an eye out for Yamori.
Ward 20 was neither large nor small. He hadn't spotted him.
But today, there was something that needed doing. The promise he'd made to Rize was due.
Rize had specifically dragged him to her room for this.
The room was fairly spartan. Her vanity had almost no cosmetics—only some lip balm that barely qualified.
It was clean, though, with a faint, pleasant fragrance.
Since Rize had moved in, Byakuya hadn't entered this room.
"Couldn't we just do this in the living room? Why come all the way to your room?"
"How could we be casual about this?"
Rize was insistent. "Just do as I say. You promised."
"Alright, alright."
Byakuya dropped the subject.
He'd control the situation himself. If Rize went too far, he wouldn't simply allow it.
Just then, Rize firmly pushed Byakuya onto the bed.
She positioned herself above him.
Her face was flushed, making it look like they were about to do something far more intimate.
She leaned close to his ear and whispered, "You asked why. Obviously, it's because this makes it feel better."
Just as Byakuya thought she might bite off his ear, her face drifted lower.
She settled fully onto him, her arms sliding beneath his armpits to wrap tightly around his back.
Then she bit down gently on his trapezius—the muscle between his shoulder and neck.
She didn't use force right away. Instead, she increased the pressure gradually, as if giving him time to prepare mentally.
When the pressure finally became painful, Rize had reached the limit of her restraint.
Even breaking the skin released flavors that had never graced her tongue before—an explosion of taste that her taste buds couldn't bear another millisecond without experiencing fully.
She bit down harder and tore away a piece of flesh, pulling him closer at the same time. Her embrace was almost suffocating—though the softness pressed against his chest offered a very different sensation.
The distraction dulled some of the pain.
And the pain itself would only last a moment. With the Hashirama Cells in his body, the wound would regenerate completely in no time.
Rize maintained her position, having taken only a single bite. She chewed slowly, savoring it for a long while before finally swallowing with utter satisfaction.
She knew his regenerative abilities were exceptional. The gruesome wound she'd created didn't concern her.
"How strange. You taste even more delicious than before."
Wonder colored her voice.
Only about two weeks had passed. She definitely hadn't forgotten what he'd tasted like last time.
Last time had already been shocking enough. But now she could clearly tell—this was even better.
A body this exquisite... Rize felt herself becoming utterly addicted.