The Café Between Worlds

The next morning, Ren woke up with a single goal in mind—he had to find Yusuke. It was the only way he could make sense of everything that was happening. If there was a way to help Kazuha, Yusuke would know. But as the day wore on, Ren realized he didn’t know how to reach Yusuke from this side. In the afterlife, it had been easy—Yusuke was just there. But now, stuck in the hospital, Ren felt utterly disconnected from that world.

He tried to think of every possible method. Yusuke had mentioned his "Spirit Gun" move—maybe if Ren tried using it, Yusuke would sense it. Ren found a quiet corner of the hospital’s courtyard and mimicked the move Yusuke had shown him. He pointed his finger like a gun, focusing all his energy, and shouted, “Spirit Gun!”

Nothing happened.

Ren tried again. “Yusuke! Can you hear me? Yusuke!” His voice echoed through the courtyard, but there was no response. Frustration built up inside him as he repeated Yusuke's name, calling out into the empty air like a madman.

But still, no Yusuke.

As the hours passed, Ren's desperation grew. Each failed attempt felt like another nail in the coffin. He couldn’t get through to Yusuke, and Kazuha’s condition was only getting worse. He was running out of time. Thoughts swirled in his mind, darker and more dangerous with each passing moment. His hands shook, and his mind raced with the one idea he had tried to avoid.

If Yusuke wouldn’t come to him, then maybe Ren needed to go back to Yusuke. To the afterlife.

The idea started as a whisper, but it grew louder, taking hold of his thoughts. If he returned to the afterlife, he could find Yusuke and save Kazuha. It was the only solution that made sense. Ren felt like he had no other choice. His love for Kazuha was too strong, too overwhelming. He would do anything to bring her back—even if it meant sacrificing himself.

That night, after the hospital had quieted down, Ren made his way to the roof. The moonlight cast long shadows over the city below, and the cool night breeze chilled his skin. His heart raced as he stood at the edge of the building, looking down at the street far below. His mind was a blur of emotions—fear, guilt, and desperation. His hands trembled as he gripped the ledge, his knuckles white with tension.

I’m doing this for her. I’ll meet Yusuke, and I’ll save Kazuha, he told himself over and over. He prayed silently, begging whatever forces existed to let him return to the afterlife.

As Ren prepared to jump, his breath quickened, and his vision blurred with tears. His entire body trembled. His thoughts were chaotic, but in the midst of it all, he prayed for one last chance to save Kazuha.

Please... let me see her again.

Just as he was about to step off the ledge, a voice, soft but clear, whispered in his ear.

“Don’t do that! You’re crazy!”

Ren froze, his heart skipping a beat. The voice was so familiar, yet he couldn’t believe it.

Before he could process what was happening, a hand grabbed his arm, pulling him back from the edge. Ren stumbled backward, his breath caught in his throat as he turned to see who had stopped him.

It was Yusuke, standing there with a bemused look on his face.

“Man, you really are desperate, huh?” Yusuke said, shaking his head. "But killing yourself isn’t the answer."

Ren was in shock, his heart still racing from the near-jump. “Y-Yusuke? How—? I’ve been trying to reach you all day. Why didn’t you—”

Yusuke raised an eyebrow. “You think you can just call me like that? I come when I need to, not when you shout my name across a courtyard like a lunatic.”

Ren felt a wave of relief wash over him, but it was quickly replaced by frustration. “But Kazuha—she’s dying! I need to help her. I need to get back to the afterlife and—”

Yusuke cut him off, his tone more serious now. “And what? Throw your life away? That’s not how this works, Ren. You can’t just kill yourself and think it’ll fix everything.”

Ren’s emotions overwhelmed him. “Then what am I supposed to do? Just sit here and watch her die?”

Yusuke sighed, his expression softening. “Look, I get it. You love her, and you want to save her. But you’re not thinking straight. You can’t save her if you’re dead. There are other ways, Ren.”

Ren looked at Yusuke, his chest tight with fear and uncertainty. “But what if it’s too late? What if I can’t help her?”

Yusuke placed a hand on Ren’s shoulder. “You’re alive, Ren. That means you’ve still got a chance. But you can’t throw it away. Trust me, there’s more going on here than you realize. You just have to hold on a little longer.”

Ren swallowed hard, his mind still spinning, but Yusuke’s words started to sink in. He had been so focused on getting back to the afterlife that he hadn’t considered the possibility that there were other ways to help Kazuha.

Yusuke let out a long sigh and gave Ren a half-smile. “You’re not alone in this, Ren. We’ll figure it out. Just don’t do anything stupid, okay?”

Ren nodded slowly, feeling a mixture of relief and lingering fear. "Okay... I’ll try."

Yusuke clapped him on the back. "That’s the spirit. Now, let’s get off this roof before you give me a heart attack."

As they headed back inside, Ren couldn’t help but feel a small glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, there was still a way to save Kazuha—without losing himself in the process.