Two chapters combined into One
Because i didn't want to bore people not interested in the relationship... the thing you came here for will start now....
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Nine Months ago
It was a crisp November evening, the kind where the cold nipped at your fingers and the streets smelled of wet leaves.
Irimi perched at a small outdoor café table, tugging her dark coat closer.
Her breath puffed out in little clouds as she clutched a mug of black coffee—bitter, strong, her usual.
She'd matched with Kirishima on a dating app a week ago, a human thing she'd only tried because her friend Hana a fellow ghoul wouldn't shut up about it.
They'd been at Anteiku, cleaning up after close, when Hana grinned over the counter.
"You're awkward with humans outside this place," she'd said, wiping a mug. "I used dates to practice—helps you talk without freezing up. Try it, Irimi."
So here she was, waiting, feeling out of her depth.
This was just an experiment, not a real date.
Her watch ticked past their meet-up time.
Five minutes late. Ten. Fifteen.
She shifted in her seat, fingers tapping the mug too fast.
She wasn't annoyed—more nervous, unsure how this was supposed to go.
What did humans even talk about on dates? Coffee? Weather?
She'd served a hundred customers at Anteiku, but that was scripted—smile, pour, nod.
This was different.
She sipped her coffee, trying to look calm, but her leg bounced under the table.
Footsteps—quick,—broke her spiral.
She glanced up.
A guy with spiky red hair jogged over, dressed in a CCG uniform—white coat, tie loose, no weapon in sight.
Her muscles tightened ready to act.
A dove?Is this a setup..?
She was panicking inside, but she locked it down, face blank, hands still.
She'd dealt with worse behind the counter.
He stopped at her table, panting, and rubbed his neck. "Hey, uh, you're Irimi, right? I'm Kirishima....Sorry I'm late," he said, voice stiff, like he was reading a report.
"My superiors held me up with some paperwork. Took longer than I thought." He looked beat—dark circles under his eyes, uniform wrinkled like he'd slept in it.
Irimi nodded, slow, her throat tight. "Yeah… I'm Irimi," she said, quieter than she meant.
She set her mug down, hands fidgeting with the handle.
She didn't know what to say next—nice to meet you? Why are you CCG?
Her mind blanked. "You, um… made it," she added, awkward, eyes darting to his coat then back to her coffee.
Hana said this would be easy, but it wasn't.
Kirishima gave a small, nervous laugh.
"Yeah, barely. Got stuck writing about a patrol that went nowhere. Total mess."
He stood there, hands in his pockets, posture rigid. "So, uh… am I still in consideration to be your date? Or did I tank it already?" His tone was formal, like he wasn't sure how to act either.
Irimi blinked, caught off guard.
She should say something smooth, right? Humans liked that.
"You're… here now," she managed, voice flat, then winced inside.
That sounded dumb.
She gestured at the chair, stiff. "Sit. If you want. You look tired." Her words stumbled out—too blunt, then too soft.
She wasn't good at this.
He sat, slumping a bit, and ran a hand through his hair.
"Thanks. Been a long day. You're, uh, prettier than your pics, by the way. Didn't expect that." He smiled, still awkward, fingers tapping the table like he was nervous too.
Irimi's cheeks warmed, and she looked down fast.
Compliments? What do you say back? "Oh. Thanks," she mumbled, gripping her mug like a lifeline.
"You're… CCG, huh? That's… a job." She cringed—stupid question, too obvious.
Her heart thudded, half from his uniform, half from messing this up already.
Kirishima shrugged, loosening up a little not registering anything wrong with the question.
"Yeah, it's a job. Not a great one—Just wanted to meet someone normal tonight and hopefully find someone."
He paused, then added, "You're a barista, right? That's cool its a Chill Job."
"Uh, yeah. Chill," she said, nodding too quick.
She took a sip, buying time. "Better than… running around, I guess." Her voice faltered, and she stared at the table.
Hana really lied—this was hard.
He laughed, a bit more real. "You're not wrong to think so..." He leaned forward, still formal but easing in. "You seem nice, though. Quiet, but nice."
Irimi glanced up, a tiny smile slipping out before she hid it. "Quiet's… me," she said, then cursed herself.
Awkward.
But he didn't seem to mind.
Maybe this wouldn't be a total wreck.
---
They'd been talking for a while, easing into it after the rocky start.
Kirishima leaned back, picking at a napkin. "So, yeah, I'm not the best at my job," he said, grinning sheepish. "CCG's all 'go get 'em,' but I'm more 'oops, I'm sorry.'"
He kept it light, dodging how his career was pure luck or disasters—he didn't want to scare her off with that mess.
Irimi nodded, cradling her coffee.
She got quiet for a second, then found her rhythm. "My job's… different," she said, voice steadying. "Being a barista, it's simple. Pouring coffee, wiping counters—it keeps me calm. Like, I can just… focus.."
She didn't say how it grounded her ghoul side, how the routine stopped her from slipping up.
It was her anchor, and she liked that.
Kirishima tilted his head, watching her. "Sounds nice. Way better than mine."
He paused, then perked up. "Uh, you wanna eat anything? They've got sandwiches or cake or something here."
Irimi froze, her mug halfway to her lips. Food? She hadn't planned for that.
"Oh, uh… no, I'm good," she said, fumbling.
"I'm kinda new to this dating stuff....Thought it'd just be coffee and talking, so I ate already." Her words tripped over each other—honest, but stiff.
She couldn't exactly say she can't eat human food.
Kirishima's stomach growled loud, and he laughed, rubbing his neck. "Fair enough. But, uh… would you mind if I ate? Please? I'm starving. Skipped lunch running around for work."
She blinked, then relaxed a bit. "No, I don't mind," she said, softer.
"We can talk while you eat. It's fine."
A small smile tugged at her lips.
"Sweet! This place is too tiny for real food, though," he said, standing up.
"There's a good spot down the street—. Wanna ditch this place?"
He grabbed his coat, already moving.
Irimi hesitated, then nodded. "Sure. Lead the way."
She slid out of her chair, pulling her coat tight.
They stepped into the cold, leaving the café behind.
The street wasn't quite quiet but it was quiet enough for them to hewr the ruthm of their footsteps
---
Kirishima and Irimi sat in a booth by the window.
A fat burger—loaded with lettuce, tomato, and dripping ketchup—sat in front of him, next to a heap of golden fried chicken.
He chomped into the burger, grinning wide. "I haven't had good food in forever," he said, chewing loud.
"The fitness diet for strength at work? Total garbage...Protein shakes and bland chicken... This is so much better."
Irimi sat across, sipping a glass of water.
She watched him eat, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Looks like you're happy," she said.
He laughed, holding out a piece of fried chicken. "Want a bite? It's awesome."
She shook her head, quick but polite.
"No, thanks. I'm still full," she said, hands resting in her lap.
Kirishima shrugged, popping the chicken in his mouth. "More for me, then."
He wiped his hands on a napkin, then leaned forward, eyes bright. "So, what about you?"
"Hobbies and stuff? What do you do when you're not on the job?"
Irimi straightened, a spark in her eyes. This was her chance—Hana's notes kicking in.
Her friend had coached her: Talk about normal stuff, keep it human. Hobbies are safe.
She took a breath, settling into it. "I like star watching," she said, a little proud.
"You know, looking at constellations, sitting out at night. It's quiet. Calms me down."
Kirishima's face lit up. "Star watching? That's so cool! I'd probably doze off, though—I'm wiped most nights." He munched another bite.
"You're full of surprises, Irimi."
She looked down, a faint blush warming her cheeks. "It's not much," she mumbled, but she felt… good.
Talking like this was easier than she'd thought....!
---
The diner lights faded behind them as Kirishima and Irimi walked.
The cold bit at their faces, and the city was hushed.
Kirishima had insisted on walking her at least a block from her place. "It's late—might be dangerous alone," he'd said, hands in his pockets.
Irimi hadn't argued, just nodded, still figuring out how to act normal around him.
They passed an abandoned alley
No one else was around, the night too deep for stragglers.
Kirishima, who'd been trailing a step behind, stopped dead.
Irimi kept walking a moment, then paused, sensing it.
She turned, frowning. "What?"
He looked at her, face serious, no grin now. "You know what? I've been quiet about this all night, but you really suck at human interaction, Irimi," he said, voice low, steady.
"Huh?" She blinked, confused, tilting her head. "What're you talking about?"
Kirishima crossed his arms. "You need to work harder on your cover stories. Come on—star watching in Tokyo?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Nobody's seen a star here in a decade. Too much smog and light....It's a dead giveaway."
"Eh?!" Irimi's eyes widened, her breath catching.
She stared, wide-eyed, hands twitching at her sides.
He knew? How?
He sighed, running a hand through his red hair.
"Look, I'm not mad or anything. Just saying—if it was any other CCG guy but me, you'd have a squad on you by now. They'd clock that in a second." His eyes flicked to hers, waiting.
Irimi's instincts kicked in.
Her eyes flashed red, glowing in the dark, and she took a quick step back, defensive.
Her heart raced—fight or run?
She hadn't expected this.
But Kirishima didn't move.
He just sighed again, deeper, shoulders slumping. "You know, I really thought this was the date for me," he said, almost sad.
"Liked talking to you, eating junk food, all of it....But I don't even know why you're dating humans... Is it to eat them later?"
" Be truthful—I'm willing to listen."
"I wanted to understand how to interact with them," she said, meeting his gaze.
"That's it. Not to eat anyone—just to figure it out."
Kirishima stared into her deep red eyes, unblinking.
He didn't flinch, didn't reach for anything, just stood there, taking it in.
Then, without a word, he turned around, his back to her. "We never met today," he said, voice flat but heavy.
"You go your way, I go mine. We forget we ever met each other. Understood?" His shoulders were stiff, his head down—reluctance etched in every line, but Irimi couldn't see his face, couldn't catch the flicker of regret in his eyes.
"Works with me," she replied, sharp and quick.
She didn't hesitate—turned on her heel and walked off.
The night swallowed her up, and that was that.
---
The next morning, Anteiku's bell jingled at opening.
Irimi stood behind the counter, wiping it down, her face blank like nothing had happened.
First customer of the day?
Kirishima.
He burst in, red hair wild.
Before she could even frown, he dropped to one knee right there in the middle of the shop, hands clasped like he was begging.
"I'm sorry!" he blurted, loud enough to echo. "Last night—I messed up. I reconsidered, okay? I don't wanna forget you. I wanna be your boyfriend, Irimi.... For real."
His eyes were wide, earnest, a total 180 from the night before.
Irimi froze, rag in hand, staring down at him.
Her jaw tightened, then slackened. The shop was empty, thank god!
---
The memory blurred in her eyes as Irimi stood in her apartment, rain drumming the windows.
Kirishima was once agin on one knee now, holding a ruby ring, his suit soaked, his face more serious than she'd ever seen.
"So, uh…will you marry me? ...Please?"
he said earnestly, his eyes locked on hers.
Irimi stood there, still as stone, her hands trembling at her sides.
The memory of their first meeting nine months ago flickered in her mind—that chilly November night at the café.
She'd been so awkward, clutching her coffee, fumbling through small talk because Hana said it'd help her blend in.
She never expected this back then.
A date to practice being human, turned into him on one knee twice—first begging to stay, now asking for her to stay forever.
Her lips twitched, slow at first, then spread into an earnest smile—, lighting her whole face.
"I never thought…" she started, voice soft, cracking a little.
Small beads of tears gathered in her eyes, catching the dim light. "Back then, I never expected this to grow into… this."
Her chest tightened, warm and full, and she blinked fast, the tears slipping down her cheeks.
Kirishima's eyes widened, like he couldn't believe it, still kneeling, still waiting.
She took a step closer, her boots scuffing the wood floor, and nodded. "Yes," she said, clear and sure. "I will."
The words felt big, heavy, but right—like they'd been waiting there all along.
He broke into a grin, big and dumb and bright, scrambling up from the floor. "Really? You mean it?" he asked, half-laughing, half-choked, like he might cry too.
He fumbled the ring, nearly dropping it, then grabbed her hand—gentle,—and slid it onto her finger.
The ruby fit perfect, warm against her skin, and he stared at it, then at her, like he'd won something impossible.
Irimi looked down at the ring, then up at him, her smile softening but still there.
Tears streaked her face, but she didn't wipe them—she let them fall, let him see. "You're such a villain... making me feel all these things.." she muttered, voice thick, but her hand squeezed his.
He laughed, loud and free, pulling her into a hug.
His suit soaked her shirt, but she didn't care—just hugged him tighter, face buried in his shoulder.
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500 powerstone for Bonus chapter...
One chapter a day schedule.
Power Stones and Reviews please