It was a hellish day for Arima, the end of the month meaning a pile of reports and paperwork. However, the end of the working day and a leisurely walk home with a pleasant evening breeze was incredible after a long, stuffy day at the office.

A soft sigh left his lips as he adjusted his glasses, noticing a nervous looking girl walking into the alley. Kishou's keen senses immediately picked up on something unusual about the woman ahead of him. His gaze sharpened, and he followed her into the dimly lit alleyway. He quickened his pace slightly to close in on her without appearing too suspicious. As she continued walking deeper into the shadowy passageway, concern began to bubble within him.

As he drew closer, he noticed that she moved differently than most humans did—more fluidly, almost like a predator stalking its prey. Her steps were silent despite their echoing against the concrete walls around them. The smell of blood filled the air, stronger than normal for a city street. It was then that he realized with dread what she really was—a ghoul.

Suddenly he felt how she poked him with a finger in the back. Not one of the ghouls in all these 10 years had been able to get this close to him, let alone without him even noticing.

Startled yet composed, Kishou turned around slowly, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the woman who had seemingly materialized behind him. Her touch was cold and ghostly against his warm skin—definitely not human. However, there wasn't any malice radiating from her; instead, something else entirely permeated the air around them. Curiosity piqued, he spoke calmly.

"May I help you?"

Despite having dealt with countless ghouls before, this particular encounter felt different somehow. The absence of hostility made it almost... intriguing? But that didn't mean he could let down his guard just yet.