On Top of the Food Chain

The bustling trade fair market in Kyoto was a sensory overload of sights, sounds, and smells. Stalls lined the narrow lanes, each bursting with colorful goods ranging from handmade crafts to exotic spices. The aroma of street food wafted through the air, mingling with the laughter of children and the chatter of enthusiastic shoppers.

Rika and Kazuki weaved through the crowd, taking in the vibrant atmosphere. Endo and Eiji had gone to meet their old friends and gather more information about Shoda's fighting ring, leaving the two of them alone. Eiji recommended Rika to check out the market, with nowhere else to go now, Kazuki tagged along with her.

Rika, feeling the warmth of the midday sun, had tied her jacket around her waist, revealing a red crop top that perfectly complemented her tracksuit. The outfit accentuated her toned midriff and the red tracksuit pants clung to her shapely legs, making her stand out in the crowd.

Kazuki walked behind her, his gaze occasionally lingering on Rika's well-defined curves. The matching tracksuits made him feel a bit self-conscious. It seemed Rika felt the same, as she had subtly altered her look by tying her jacket around her waist.

Suddenly, Rika stopped and turned to Kazuki, her eyes sparkling with a playful glint. "Get in line for ice cream," she instructed, pointing to a long queue snaking around a popular stall. "I'll go check out some dresses."

“I thought you guys didn’t like sweet things?” Kazuki asked.

“Dad just told you that we like bitter things, he didn’t tell you that we don’t like other flavors. Should I get in the line if you don’t want to?” Rika scolded.

An awkward smile appeared on Kazuki’s face as he dutifully joined the line, taking out his phone to pass the time. As he scrolled through social media, Grace's name popped up on his screen. He answered his call, and their conversation flowed with the usual mundane topics—where he was, the possibility of hanging out, upcoming exams, and the mysterious girl named Rika.

"Are you seeing her?" Grace's question caught him off guard just as he reached the front of the line.

"She's just a friend," Kazuki replied, juggling the phone between his shoulder and ear while managing to buy a cone of cookies and cream for himself and strawberry for Rika. With both hands occupied, he carefully navigated back through the crowd toward Rika, who was now inspecting the texture of a dress at one of the stalls.

As Kazuki approached, he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder. Turning around, he was met with the sight of a stunning girl. Her flawless skin and amicable smile left him momentarily speechless. "Hey," she greeted in a captivating tone.

Kazuki, smitten by her beauty, could barely muster a response. "I thought—" she began, but her words were cut off as Rika appeared beside Kazuki, locking her arm through his and looking up at him with a sweet, yet intense gaze.

"Did you get the ice cream?" she asked, her voice dripping with feigned innocence. Her indifferent eyes bore into Kazuki's, silently conveying a message.

"Yeah," Kazuki nodded, finally snapping out of his trance. He hastily ended his call with Grace, feeling the weight of the ice cream cones in his hands. "Here you go."

Rika's eyes shifted to the beautiful girl, now filled with an icy, dagger-like intensity. The girl smiled awkwardly, sensing the tension, and walked away.

"What was that about?" Kazuki asked, bewildered.

"She was a Ghoul," Rika replied in a low, serious tone, her eyes never leaving the retreating figure.

***

Emi was shopping for a revealing dress as she needed to deal with someone for the Manager tonight. Even back in Osaka, her collection was in a sorry state, so she had to buy something new.

She browsed through countless dresses, each one more extravagant than the last, but none seemed to catch her eye. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she decided on a sleek black dress with a daring slit that revealed her cleavage and upper breasts, while also accentuating her perfect curves and long legs.

Satisfied with her purchase, Emi's mind drifted towards the chaos that was about to unfold in a few days. A smile crept across her face as she thought about the impending mayhem.

Suddenly, a smell different from humans entered her nostrils. Unlike the sweet scent of humans, this aroma stood out. It was sweet but not quite as sweet as a human, carrying an indescribable characteristic.

Intrigued, Emi took a deep breath, trying to savor the scent more fully. She looked around, attempting to locate the source of this unique smell. After a moment, her gaze settled on a man with an average frame, his back turned to her as they had just walked past each other.

The man was walking away from her, so she quickly closed the distance between them. The smell was intoxicating, and even the man seemed to be her ideal type. As soon as she caught up to him, she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," she greated with a warm smile.

The man turned around, and she felt a thrill of joy. He looked soft, fragile, like someone who would show amazing expressions while being devoured.

"I thought—" she began, but her words were cut off by another voice.

"Did you get the ice cream?" came a voice from the other side of the man. Emi's gaze shifted to see a girl getting cozy with her prey.

The girl wasn't anything special compared to Emi. Her face was above average, her body was decent, and there were no remarkable features about her. She had brown hair and matching eyes.

"Yeah," the man replied, handing over an ice cream cone to the girl.

She took the ice cream with a smile and glared at Emi. It was then that Emi realized the truth: her prey had already been marked by another Ghoul. The brown-haired girl in front of her was a Ghoul too. The scent of a Ghoul mingled with the faint sweet smell coming from the man.

Frustrated, Emi walked away. She could try to go after the man, but she had more important things to do today. If only they had met earlier.

***

Naito and Subaru stood on top of the five-story tall Kyoto office building, feeling the wind hit their faces. The city sprawled below them.

"You were right, Hotdog Lover is indeed here," Naito said, his expression uneasy. "A couple of bodies were found, and they were in a state similar to her usual victims."

Subaru just nodded, his face calm and composed. "Don't stress about letting her escape," he said, his voice steady. "Just focus on the task at hand."

Naito sighed, looking down at the bustling streets below. "Yeah, I know," he replied.

"Look into the fighting ring today," Subaru continued, taking off his glasses and wiping them clean.”I’m sure, that’s our best lead."

Naito nodded, feeling a bit reassured by Subaru's confidence. "Got it," he said. "I'll get on it."

Subaru put his glasses back on and looked at Naito with his usual expressionless face. "We'll get her," he said. "Just stay focused."