【心做し】 Kokoronashi 『Between Ghouls and Doves』

『1』

Chapter One: New work at :re

"Hey! Dumb Touka! Wake up, you're too late for work!" Nishiki shouted while hitting the door of her room. Touka covered her ears by her palms even though she knew it was helpless.

"Yeah, yeah...! I'm getting up now!" she answered disappointingly and get up through the bed. She looked at the mirror for a while, staring at herself, with her messy hair and clothes. She rubbed her eyes and walk towards to the bathroom to take a bath.

...

After taking a bath, she quickly went outside and flipped the sign 'Close' to 'Open' to open the new Cafe, the :re. She stretched her arms as she gazed at every sides of the street, looking and hoping someone shall visit the Cafe. She sighed deeply,

"Alright, let's do this." She whispered as she was about to walk in the Cafe but suddenly got stopped by an anxiety and remained standing in the front of the door of the cafe. She stared at the silent highways with the wind playing her soft purple hair. She remained silence while thinking of the white-haired boy, worrying a little, however, she believed that he was still alive, so she held the tears in her eyes which supposedly would run down her face. She smiled calmly and placed some pieces of her hair being winded through the back of her ear, and slowly walk in to the café. She sat on one of the chairs in the Café, still thinking of the white-haired man but Nishiki interrupted.

"Hey, shitty Touka... Stop thinking about Kaneki already, he's never coming back." He said, placing a cup of coffee in the front of her. Hinami hung her head and looked down the floor when she heard her big brother's name. Touka quickly declined disappointingly to his words.

"You idiot! I'm not thinking about him!" She lied and took a sip to the coffee. The bell ranged, signaling, that someone have entered the café, as Touka greeted and stood up quickly.

"Good morning! Welcome to--" she haven't finished when she saw a blue-haired man in the front of the door. She sat back down to the chair and hold the coffee, she glanced at the man. "So, what do you want now?" She asked disappointingly and took a sip of the coffee.

"I've decided to work with you guys here in the Cafe. You don't mind, do you." Ayato said, without any reactions crossing his face. Nishiki, who was brewing a coffee got interrupted by the sudden words "What?!" he said as Touka stopped drinking and faced his younger brother "For real?"

"Yes, I'm not sure if I'm still going to work at Aogiri." He answered, not even looking at his elder sister. She was frozen for a little when she heard the title 'Aogiri'. She glanced at the coffee, looking at the reflection of her image.

"Are you going to keep on fighting the CCGs?" She asked seriously while looking at the cup of the coffee which was resting at the table.

"No, I have a better plan..." He looked directly to her sister. The silence occupied the room. It became awkward but the rang of the bell saved everyone from awkwardness as they faced the door, looking at who entered the room.

"Sorry! I'm a bit late" She said

"Takatsuki-sen!" Hinami shouted. She smiled at the greetings of Hinami and stood up straight as she faced to her. "Hello, Hinami-chan!" She greeted back and walk nearer.

"Then Ayato, you'll start wearing one of our uniforms." Yomo said and handed him the uniform. Ayato rolled his eyes. "Tch, Fine." he answered and took it as he went to the fitting area or the comfort room to change his clothes.

"Soo, this is where you're going to work?" Eto said while scanning the place up, gazing at every corner of the room of the new café. "It's such a nice working place~" She sang happily. Ayato came out from the room as everyone turned to him. Touka let out a loud laugh after seeing her younger brother wearing uniform.

"What's Funny?!" He angrily asked to the laughing girl. "Nice suit, Ayato-san!!" Eto clapped while sitting on one of the chairs in the café.

"It's just— It didn't fit you very well hahaha--" She continued laughing. "Tch" He rolled his eyes and ignored her. Few minutes have past after Touka have put herself back together again.

"Then, your first job to do is to wipe those tables." Nishiki said while holding a wet towel with his other hand pointing the table where Eto was sitting on. He refused.

"But it's already clean." Ayato said and faced the man with glasses. Touka pushed the cup of coffee in the table where it was resting a little for the reason for it to spill a little.

"Oops!" She said. Ayato glared at her, signaling that he knows she didn't accidentally do that. "Sorry! I didn't know it was going to spill!" She sarcastically said. Ayato slapped his tongue and grabbed the towel from Nishiki.

"Damn, stop playing with me." He said as he approached to the table where Touka was sitting. He wiped the part where the coffee leaked.

"Hinami-chan!" Eto called. Hinami glanced at her for a while, Eto pointed the seat in front of her signaling Hinami to seat. She walked towards her, Ayato read Eto's actions towards Hinami while wiping the table. Hinami sat in front of the girl with glasses. Eto rested her chin against her hands, her arms standing at the table while she stared at the short-haired girl in front of her.

"So, Hinami-chan... Do you know who, Kaneki Ken is?" She interviewed her. Touka's reaction in her face changed. She was about to drink the coffee but stopped and remain frozen. Ayato noticed her. He watched his sister, she was shivering, her other hand formed a fist. She placed down the coffee back to the table. He felt bad for his sister. He finished wiping the table, he handed the towel to Nishiki,

"Why are you giving it to me?!" Nishiki said, and stepped backward a little.

"I received it from you!" He answered angrily with his fists formed as the towel got squeezed by his fist.

"Well you should be responsible to put it to the right place." Nishiki crossed his arms. Ayato rolled his eyes and threw the towel to the washing area. He glanced to her sister, who was still staring at the air. He felt bad for her, he clenched his fist and looked at Eto. Eto just smiled at him.