KITSUNE

➖ Remind: Days of Recollections

HAISE WAS A HALF-GHOUL AND HUMAN FOOD WAS NOT AN OPTION TO HIM. Instead, he enjoyed the food he made through those he made it for. The promotion he and his team received as Ghoul Investigators was the main reason why he decided to spend hours in the kitchen to create different meals that everyone can enjoy. He wanted to impress everyone.

His teammates – Mutsuki, Shirazu and Saiko, despite helping out, were more of a trouble in the kitchen. Shirazu almost broke all the plates that hand – good thing that most of the time he had nice reflexes. Saiko almost burned the entire kitchen – destroying one potential meal with little to no effort. Mutsuki was most helpful – at least he didn't burn or break anything and instead listened to Haise.

Urie, despite having different plans for the night, put aside his running and went to pick up much requested ingredients for the celebratory dinner party – at Mutsuki's request. He did it all by himself – just like everything. Urie preferred to do things alone, so then only he earns respect – and such a trait was more of a burden to the rest of the team.

When Urie arrived back at Château; after he had trouble finding all the things on the list, he was out of breath and with more than a handful of grocery bags. Despite it being heavy and too much for one person to carry, Urie was too proud to ask for help. Haise wanted to address this concern, but before he had the opportunity, Mutsuki called out for him as Saiko and Shirazu were making a mess in the kitchen without his supervision.

The squad took notice of a change in Haise. He was usually cheerful when making food – but lately, since the promotion he has begun to be more joyful and motivated. Something was different – the Quinx Squad that saw him could notice that. However, they couldn't guess what made Haise Sasaki so joyful.

The Squad admired the meals that were put on the table – everything looked delicious, but no one was allowed to eat until the guests arrived. Kishou Arima and Akira Mado were the guests Haise called over. They were right on time – everyone (except for Haise) was starving as they all kept their stomach empty for the delicious food that awaited them.

There was not a single boring moment as they gathered for dinner. They talk about how the Quinx have become famous throughout the CCG with their capabilities – which made Haise, as their mentor, extremely proud. However, he knew he couldn't have "raised" and trained them without the help of Akira and Kishou.

Conversation drifts towards Arima and the crazy rumors surrounding him. They banter about them, like Kishou having defeated a ghoul with an umbrella, ghouls being so frightened that they faint at the sight of him, and that he had fallen asleep during a fight. Some of the rumors have some truth to them.

Haise felt fulfilled as he listened to their chatting and teasing. He looked at them and he thought: this is my family. Kishou was like a father to him, Akira was like a mother and the rest of the Quinx were their grandchildren. That's how Haise saw them. Family. And he was happy with the people that surrounded him. I truly am not alone.

That got him thinking about Hayami. Did she have this kind of a family? Did she even have someone? It made him wonder if she was ever this happy when surrounded by people she cared for and they cared for her. I wonder what she's doing... He had memorized the number she had given him and it made him wonder if he should have called her over. It would be inappropriate – he thought. I wonder what she's doing...

"Man, that was good!" Haise snapped out of his thoughts as he heard Shirazu exclaiming with an exhale.

"I'm completely stuffed." Mutsuki slumped in his seat, holding his stomach that felt like it was going to explode.

"There is always room for dessert." Saiko added excitedly.

Urie looked at her with narrowed eyebrows. "How do you do it?" He was almost judging her capacity for food.