The quiet hum of the city filled the air as you waited in the dimly lit café, the soft flicker of candlelight casting long shadows across the room. You had told Ken to meet you here, away from prying eyes and the chaos of both ghouls and humans. It was a sanctuary you’d both found together—a place that felt like it belonged to neither world.

When the bell over the door jingled, you looked up to see him stepping in. His white hair caught the faint light, making him look even more otherworldly. The faintest trace of exhaustion shadowed his features, but his eyes softened the moment they landed on you.

"You're here," he said softly, as though he hadn’t expected you to be.

Ken hesitated before sliding into the seat across from you. He looked at his hands, as if the scars and bloodstains he imagined there could somehow taint you by proximity.