Full ~Kaneki x Reader AU~

Chapter 23: A Toast

Twenty-four hours.

In twenty-four hours, I will be boarding my flight home to H/P, leaving Japan behind. But it's not just this beautiful country I will be leaving behind. The culture, the scenery, the people are only snippets of what will be left behind. In reality, I'm leaving behind so much more.

Though it'll be nice to leave the dangers of Aogiri Tree here, the bitter side is walking away from all the friends I've made. Mako, Nishiki, Mr. Yoshimura, Touka - all of Anteiku - and, of course, Kaneki.

In just twenty-four hours, I will be walking away from all of them. Walking away and not looking back. I mean, I could look back, but wouldn't doing that make leaving all that much more difficult? I feel as though it would.

I inhale deeply and clear my throat, trying to wrangle my thought and focus back into order, the scent of coffee filling my nose. With it being my last official day in Tokyo, I found it suitable to go to one of my favorite places; Anteiku.

Today, the shop is rather empty, the morning rush has already come and gone, and the lunch rush yet to come. All like sequenced dances replicating how the tides move. Back and forth, back and forth, wave after wave. And here I am, just one woman simply sitting in her booth as if I'm relaxing on a sandy beach, watching those metaphorical waves roll.

"Hello, Y/N," a voice says, pulling me from my thoughts.

Aware of who it is, I glance up, my eyes landing on the manager, Mr. Yoshimura. He stands in his usual tall and elegant stance, smiling down at me, that friendly and approachable aura of his emanating as it always does. And just like all the times before, I can't help but smile back.

"Mr. Yoshimura. Hello, sir. How are you?"

"I am doing quite well," he answers. "How are you?"

Pleasantries. An introduction in conversations that fall into the norm. I could reply within those boundaries and lie by claiming I'm fine, or I can break tradition and be true. Because in the end, I'm not fine. I'm not doing horrible, but I am still not completely okay.

In the end, I swallow the truth and reply, "I'm doing good. Thank you for asking."

He stands for a moment, still smiling before nodding, "I see. You've decided to visit us on your last day here in Tokyo?"

I suck my breath in, fighting the feeling bubbling. "Yes, sir. I've grown to love this shop of yours and the staff here. So, I couldn't just not come by one last time."

"Is that so? Well, in that case - Touka."

I raise a brow and watch as Touka makes her way over to us, dressed in the same uniform I have seen so many times. She approaches us, her expression sporting the same confusion as mine.

"Yes, sir?" she asks.

"Touka, could you do me a favor and make three cups of coffee, please?" he continues, that smile still on his lips.

She blinks. "Yes, of course, but what specifically am I making?"

"Well, I would like a simple black coffee. You are already acquainted with Y/N's usual. And for the last, get whatever you'd like."

Both Touka and I just stare at the man, the confusion most likely dripping from us. But eventually, she turns and goes to do as ordered. Meanwhile, Mr. Yoshimura and I stay here in this silence that she's left behind. Luckily, it's not a silence I feel the need to hurry and fill because in the end, I am too lost to even know where to start.

After several moments, Touka returns, a tray with three coffees in tow. She places it on the table and passes each of us our cups. In my hands, the ceramic of my cup feels warm, steam swirling up into the air, the sweet aroma of coffee filling my nose.