The newcomer was dressed in a white one-piece dress, her long purple hair casually draped over her shoulders.
A pair of black-rimmed glasses rested on her fair face.
She wore red high heels and hugged several books to her chest as she walked toward Fushimi Kyo and Touka Kirishima.
"…It's her?"
Rize Kamishiro.
A terrifying ghoul known within the CCG as "The Binge Eater" an angelic exterior hiding a twisted, violent soul.
Since arriving in the 20th Ward, she had already caused numerous bloody incidents.
The moment Kyo saw her
"Grrrr…"
His stomach growled violently.
At the same time, a scent far more intense than anything he had ever smelled before surged toward him like a tidal wave.
Unconsciously, saliva flooded his mouth.
He swallowed hard, eyes burning as he stared at Rize.
I want to eat her.
The insane thought relentlessly assaulted his mind.
Touka immediately noticed Kyo's abnormal reaction. Following his gaze and realizing it was Rize, her heart sank.
This is bad… if she targets Kyo, he's finished.
"Kyo, I forgot to buy breakfast today! Come with me, we'll grab something to eat!"
Without waiting for a response, Touka grabbed Kyo's hand and tried to drag him toward another street.
But
Kyo didn't move at all.
He stood there, staring straight at Rize as if possessed.
"Damn it… this idiot is asking for death!"
Touka cursed under her breath and yanked him hard, finally pulling him off balance.
Just then, a graceful and pleasant voice drifted over.
"Hi, Touka. I didn't expect to run into you here."
Touka stiffened and slowly turned around.
Rize was now less than twenty meters away.
She knew it
Running was no longer an option.
At the same time, Kyo exerted all his willpower and finally suppressed his body's instincts.
"Rize."
Touka shot her a cold look.
She despised Rize.
Unlike other ghouls in the 20th Ward, this woman hunted humans recklessly after arriving so much so that even the White Doves had been drawn in, bringing endless trouble to everyone.
"Touka," Rize said with a smile,
"Is this your new boyfriend?"
"He's quite handsome."
Her tone was natural and polite, her smile beautiful.
No one would ever associate her with the insane Binge Eater lurking beneath the surface.
"Don't talk nonsense," Touka corrected sharply.
"Kyo is my classmate."
"Oh? His name is Kyo?"
Rize looked at him and smiled gently.
Flowers seemed to bloom in that instant.
"What a lovely name."
"Thank you," Kyo replied calmly.
"I'm Rize Kamishiro," she said, extending her hand.
"I'm Touka's friend."
Touka's eyes turned icy.
"Rize, he's my classmate. Don't get any ideas."
This damn woman… she's already set her sights on him.
"I'm Fushimi Kyo," Kyo said politely, shaking Rize's hand.
The instant their skin made contact
His body trembled violently.
Even his soul seemed to sing.
Eat her. Eat her.
Rize immediately caught the subtle reaction.
A strange glint flashed through her eyes.
"Heh… men."
"Kyo," she said softly, brushing aside a lock of hair,
"Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"
"Yes of course," Kyo replied without hesitation.
"It would be my honor."
"Then let's exchange contact information."
The two quickly swapped numbers.
After a bit more small talk, Rize waved at him and walked away, her steps light and relaxed.
As she gradually disappeared into the distance, the bone-deep hunger inside Kyo finally began to fade.
Watching her retreating figure, a faint smile crept onto his lips.
"Rize Kamishiro, huh?"
"Tonight… we'll see who eats whom."
Touka watched him with a headache-inducing expression and rubbed her forehead.
"Kyo, you'd better stay far away from that woman," she warned.
"Huh? Why?" Kyo asked innocently.
"She's so gentle and pretty."
"She she's a scumbag!" Touka blurted out.
"A total scumbag who plays with men's feelings!"
She spoke with the tone of a professional green-tea-b*tch detector.
"That can't be right," Kyo teased.
"Be honest, Touka. Do you two have beef?"
"Did she steal your boyfriend or something?"
"You can go die!"
Touka kicked Kyo hard in the shin and stormed off angrily.
"Tch damn, that hurt."
"Seriously… she really is a violent girl."
Yet as he watched Touka leave, Kyo's gaze softened.
Just like in the original story
Deep down, she really was a kind girl.
Elsewhere.
Far down the street, Rize stopped at a corner, lowered her head, and began trembling uncontrollably.
"What a delicious feeling…"
"I want to eat."
"I have to eat him tonight."
Drool slid uncontrollably from the corner of her mouth.
Earlier, she hadn't noticed Touka at all.
It was Kyo's scent, that overwhelming, intoxicating aroma that had stirred her from over a hundred meters away.
When she looked at him, it felt like she was staring at the most exquisite delicacy in the world.
If they hadn't been on a busy street
She would have attacked him on the spot.
As for Touka's warning?
It had long been tossed to the back of her mind.
To her
Nothing in this world mattered more than indulging in "delicious food."