Itās 6:30 pm. Uta has spent the entire day sketching possible mask designs for his new customer, but none of them felt fitting for the bright and childish woman who had entered his shop yesterday.
Even if masks were no longer necessary for ghouls, some still chose to wear them as it had become something of a tradition. Some wore them for amusement, others to scare people away and others simply for aesthetics. Sometimes they were needed just like in the past. And sometimes, rarely, even a human entered his shop, curious about ghouls and their masks and asking for one for themselves. Nowadays, these were his favorite types of orders, as it was always fascinating to hear all the different views that humans had on ghouls. Even in the past, a few humans might have stepped into his shop, but almost all of them would have left the moment they saw him.
Itās one those instances when Uta is out of inspiration. Bored and tired of failed attempts, he decides to go out and take a walk, to refill his art supplies. Maybe inspiration will come from some unexpected place, as it always does in such situations. Ā
He goes into almost any kind of shop, not only art, but also bookshops, pet shops (like when he did Toukaās mask), optician, music shop, tea shop (he usually tried to stay away of them because there were always some old human ladies trying to bring him on the right path and, even if he could eat them, it was annoying to hear such preaching so often), tools shop, kitchen stores and others. Usually he would prefer looking inside small shops as they were more intimate and the objects were much more carefully made and more varied, unlike mass products. Every time, he would buy objects or materials that might be good for future masks because, if he doesnāt have them, the idea to use them would never come. So, he never knew what he needed for a new mask, nor would he find exactly what he was searching for the moment when he was actually needing it.
With music blasting in his headphones, he is looking in the storefront of a small toy shop, when he suddenly lays eyes on a coloring book showing a cat drawn with mandalas. An idea starts to appear in his head, so he decides to go and take a closer look at the book.
Finding the book on a shelf and opening it, Utaās idea starts to materialize inside his head. The mask he imagines is maybe too childish but the customer would surely like it. Ā Content with the image, he continues to look around the shop. Obviously, the mothers of the children look warily at him, keeping the children away, but he doesnāt pay them any attention.
In a corner, hidden away, he sees a teddy-bear. He looks at it for some time. It is a slightly big bear, but it is ugly, with one of his eyes missing. Still, Uta likes him. He crouches down, raising up the bear in one hand and tilts his head to inspect it from closer. For some unknown reason, it reminds him of Renji. And it also looks cuddly. If he canāt cuddle with Raven-kun, then the bear would be good enough. Besides it would be less grumpy, but just as talkative. Not giving himself time to change his mind, he takes the toy and storms towards the checkout, getting awkward looks from the other customers, just as usual.
With the bear secured under his left arm, he traces his steps back home on the streets of Tokyo, late at night. Finally arriving at his mask shop, he forgets the front door slightly open. He goes upstairs, leaving the bear on his own bed and starts working on the mask. A couple of hours later, tired, but very satisfied with his work, he can finally get some rest. Grabbing a quick snack, Uta enters his room, only to find that not only he liked his new bear. A small black kitten is peacefully sleeping on the toy.
He is too exhausted to do anything but to lay down and fall asleep.
Waking up, he sees the cat moved on his chest, staring at him with the dark blue eyes of a kitten. Uta canāt help the small smile that appears on his face as he moves the cat so he can get up and get dressed. He heads to the fridge to eat some leftovers from the last hunt. But he hears a soft meow and feels some warmth on his leg.
āFirst you intrude in my bedroom and steal my Renji-kun, now you want to steal my food too. Can you even eat human? I guess.ā
Waiting for the woman to come and pick up her new mask, Uta is sewing the bearās missing eye in a X, with the black intruder sitting on a display in his shop and refusing to leave. The customer arriving, she is content with the final product.
As the day comes to an end, Uta turns around and sees the cat is still there. āI suppose Iām stuck with you now⦠Well, maybe you can help me with my next attack on Renji.ā