Masquerading Virtuoso【Tokyo Ghoul Fan-Fiction】

xiii. Serenade

"She manipulates the world with her charming phrases and charismatic hands; a dazzling reality hides nothing more than a scorched and branded world."

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The street lamps were the only sources that provided visibility to any remaining civilians on the streets of Nerima. Anteiku gawked at the lack of night life, its doors locked for the day, keeping any bystanders from invading its midst. Very few lights illuminated the interior of the tiny first floor of the multi-story complex.

Tsuki had been allowed a shower within the young, violet-haired ghoul, Touka's room. At the request of Yoshimura, the girl had allowed Tsuki to borrow a simple outfit of a hoodie and black leggings. While the young woman bathed, Touka had cleansed her black flats of any blood and mud. Once Tsuki finished with her shower and clothing herself, she thanked Touka for being hospitable towards her and for the temporary outfit, then ventured back to the café downstairs.

As she entered the room, Yomo and Yoshimura greeted her with a nod. She returned their gestures with an awkward, yet respectful bow as she took a seat across from the two men. The atmosphere around them was tense, however, the scent of the elderly ghoul brewing coffee seemingly made it less so.

Timidly, she sat with her fingers interlaced around one another upon her lap, her chocolate eyes glancing between both of them. Her mind was filled with questions and regret, but she was unsure as whether it was a good time to spill her many inquiries.

The man who had been so swift to come to her aid, kept his grey eyes fixated on he, his arms coolly draped at his side and expression blank. His small wounds had healed in the time she had been cleaning up, so she knew his body was a bit more durable than she originally thought.

Yoshimura suddenly placed a cup of fresh coffee in front of her, a couple of blood-soaked sugar cubes set next to it on the small, white saucer. Tsuki gawked at the dark liquid, caution apparent in her wide, chocolate eyes. The elderly ghoul gave her a small, reassuring smile---a gesture that told her more than his words could ever. "It is the same as you drank a few weeks ago, Nomura-san," he confessed, his expression unchanging from its welcoming one. "I assumed it would help to soothe your nerves after what you went through earlier."

She smiled back at him, momentarily, then fluctuated her wary gaze down to the drink laid out before her. Calmly, Tsuki slipped her index finger through the slot of the cup and enveloped her left hand around it, carrying it deftly towards her face and inhaling the delicate aroma. Her hand enjoyed the warmth that the coffee emitted, but her thoughts were still troubled by her actions from a couple hours ago. With an inaudible sigh, she drank of the smooth, yet oddly sweet liquid, taking in its grand quality. Setting it back upon the saucer, she rubbed her thumb across the cup and glanced up at the aged ghoul and his assistant. "Yoshimura-san ..." she hesitated, her grip slightly tightening around the cup.

The man arched his right, silver eyebrow at her. "Hm?"

She released the glass and allowed her palms to lie flat upon the wooden counter. "How ... how do you know my name?" Tsuki asked, looking back up at the man, her eyebrows furrowed and chocolate eyes scanning his kind features.

A broad, wrinkled smile suddenly etched his lips, causing the young woman's eyes to widen a bit. He then chuckled, the action only confusing Tsuki even more. "I requested that Yomo-san watch over you, as well as a couple of others," he confessed, the warm expression still marring his features.

"That still ... doesn't answer my question," she murmured. "What's your real reason for having him to? I mean ... I've tried to avoid bringing conflict down on anyone here ... but tonight ... that was ..." She shamefully bowed her head. "That ... that wasn't me."