Yasss, thank you, Nonny-Mouse.
“Rio?” Roma stares at the malformed ghoul writhing on the ground. It growls and snaps its jaws at her. Like a dog.
Her stomach turns. She remembers his innocent sniffles in Cochlea, the sugar-sweet requests to see his dead brother.
“Rio, it’s okay. I’ll be your sister.”
The kid stops to frown at her. “Huh?”
“I’ll be like your big sister, okay?” Roma offers her hand to him. “I have a place that can help us.”
“I want brother.” He begins to cry.
“I want a brother, too,” Roma says, approaching cautiously. He’ll be fun, for sure. “Will you be my brother?”
Rio nods eagerly.
“Good.” Roma guides him away from the frenzied fight surrounding them.
Nishiki opens the door to Re. “What the fuck?”
“This is Rio. You may or may not remember him.”
“I remember.” Touka hurries forward. She gasps when she sees his face.
“Can you give him something to eat and a bed?” Roma crosses her arms.
“She’s my big sister.” Rio points at Roma, who smiles back.
“I won’t leave you, Rio.”
Nishiki scowls. He suspects Roma is doing this on purpose to gain access to Re. But still, this ghoul looks so pathetic, they can’t really turn away.
“Sshhh, you’re safe here.” Roma rubs Rio’s shoulders as the manager guides him upstairs.