Eto

Eto sat in silence for a long time.

Unsure of what to do, she absentmindedly flipped through the pages of Dear Kafka.

"Please enjoy your coffee."

At that moment, Yoshimura arrived with two cups of coffee.

"Thank you."

Byakuya accepted the cups politely, handing one to Eto.

Eto, however, avoided making any contact with Yoshimura.

She neither wanted to speak nor knew how to.

Yoshimura, on the other hand, had already shifted his attention away from her. Having ruled out the possibility that she was really Eto, his main concern now was Byakuya.

From the very beginning, he had been observing the black-clad young man, sensing that Byakuya hadn't recognized him—after all, Yoshimura had never revealed his true face during their battle.

But if this young man was a member of V, then that was another matter entirely.

Eto sipped her coffee while reading, noting that the taste was quite good.

Meanwhile, Touka hesitated to approach Eto and Byakuya. Judging by her uncle's reaction earlier, he clearly had strong feelings about them—though she didn't quite understand why.

As for whether the investigator was dangerous or not, she wasn't sure.

At that moment, Hikari pulled Yomo aside into a quiet corner.

"Yomo, is that really the investigator you and Uta encountered?"

"Yes, I'd never mistake his face. Luckily, it doesn't seem like he's here to cause trouble today. Otherwise, Anteiku might have to close its doors…"

Yomo knew all too well how terrifying the strength of this black-clad investigator was.

"And, sister, it would be best if you and the others avoided interacting with him in the future. If he ever finds out you're ghouls, it could be extremely dangerous."

"I understand…"

Hikari nodded slightly.

She was well aware of the seriousness of the situation. For the sake of Touka and the others, she couldn't afford to be careless.

After whispering for a while, the two returned to the counter.

For now, Hikari decided not to say anything to Touka. She would wait until the young man had left before having a proper talk with her.

Meanwhile, Byakuya quietly sipped his coffee.

He said nothing to Eto, nor did he push her to acknowledge Yoshimura. This was something Eto had to decide for herself.

However, as time passed, she still hadn't figured out what to say, and her coffee was already finished.

Byakuya wasn't surprised. He knew that letting go of resentment wasn't something that could be done so easily.

But just then, a new customer entered the café.

More precisely, it was an employee of Anteiku.

Wearing a school uniform, a quiet and adorable girl stepped inside—it was Minami.

Having just finished school, she had come straight to Anteiku for her part-time job.

"I'm here… Eh?"

As soon as she walked in, she noticed Byakuya and Eto.

She hadn't expected to see them here.

However, she hesitated and didn't immediately greet them.

She knew that Byakuya was a CCG investigator and had previously visited Anteiku with her. If she acknowledged him now, it might expose her.

Little did she know, all the employees and managers of Anteiku were already aware that Byakuya was an investigator.

After thinking it over, she decided to pretend she didn't know him.

But saying hello to Eto should be fine, right?

After all, she had already instinctively blurted out "Eh?" earlier. If she now acted as if she didn't know either of them, it might seem even more suspicious.

"Eto, I didn't expect to run into you here! By the way, is this your boyfriend?"

Minami deliberately mentioned Byakuya, making it sound as if she had no prior connection to him.

Coincidentally, she was the only one in Anteiku who not only recognized Eto but also knew her by name.

Upon hearing "Eto" the other employees didn't react much.

But Yoshimura, who had been squinting his eyes in thought, suddenly widened them.

Not only did this girl resemble Ukina, but her name was also "Eto."

Could such a coincidence really be just that—a coincidence?

Probably not…

Still, Yoshimura wasn't completely certain yet. He simply watched silently, listening to the conversation between Minami and Eto.

"…Yes. Minami, do you work here?"

A complicated smile appeared on Eto's face.

Minami had just said her name aloud, Yoshimura was surely suspicious of her identity by now.

She hadn't expected to be recognized like this…

But in a way, it wasn't a bad thing. Minami had indirectly helped her resolve her inner hesitation.

"Yes! Everyone here is really kind to me. I love working here."

Minami replied.

"That's nice to hear."

Eto responded.

Meanwhile, Yoshimura's suspicions grew stronger.

He was almost certain now — this girl was his and Ukina's child.

And the way Eto had looked at him so coldly earlier…

Could it be because she had already recognized him?

Yet, now that his daughter was right in front of him, Yoshimura found himself unable to speak.

His guilt toward her ran too deep. He didn't have the right to face her.

Aside from Yoshimura, the other employees were only mildly surprised by Minami and Eto knowing each other.

"Wow, so Minami knows that big sister too? What a coincidence."

Touka couldn't help but exclaim.

"Eto, huh? That sounds like the name of a writer or something. Maybe she's a fairly well-known author, and since Minami loves books, it makes sense that they'd know each other."

Hikari speculated.

Yomo remained expressionless, but inwardly, he was still on high alert.

After chatting for a while, Minami went to start her shift.

Eto no longer felt as conflicted—Yoshimura's solemn expression made it clear that he had already recognized her.

"It's about time. Let's go."

Eto said to Byakuya.

"Alright."

Byakuya responded.

He didn't say much. The fact that things had progressed this far was already a good outcome.

Even as they prepared to leave, Yoshimura still hadn't mustered the courage to acknowledge Eto. His heart was a storm of emotions.

But just then, Eto looked at Yoshimura.

Her expression was no longer as cold as before.

In a calm tone, she left him with a single parting remark:

"The coffee was delicious. I'll be back."