The Café Between Worlds

Ren lay back on the bed, trying to calm his nerves as Yusuke instructed. His heart was still pounding from the near-disastrous events on the hospital roof, but Yusuke’s calm, confident demeanor helped him settle down a bit.

Yusuke crossed his arms and gave Ren a stern look. “Alright, now that you're not about to throw yourself off a building, we can talk. First off, you’re a smart guy. I’ve always known that. So seeing you do something that reckless... man, I just didn’t believe my eyes.”

Ren gave him an apologetic smile, his hands still slightly shaking. “I wasn’t thinking clearly, Yusuke. I’m just... I’m scared.”

Yusuke sighed. “Yeah, I get it. But you need to chill. Freaking out won’t help Kazuha or anyone else. Now, I have an idea, but it’s risky. And honestly, I might get in trouble for this. But you leave me no choice.”

Ren raised an eyebrow. “Trouble? What are we talking about?”

Yusuke scratched his head, looking a bit nervous. “Well... let’s just say I’m gonna bend some rules here. I’m taking you to my universe, and we’re going to meet Koenma.”

Ren blinked in confusion. “Koenma? Who’s that?”

Yusuke grinned, though it looked a bit forced. “He’s the ruler of the Spirit World in my universe. He’s got some pull with the afterlife, so maybe—just maybe—we can get him to open the afterlife for you. But heads up, he’s kind of a stickler for rules. It won’t be easy.”

Ren’s eyes widened. “Wait, your universe? What are you talking about?”

Yusuke smirked. “Yeah, long story short, I’m not from your world. But we don’t have time for sightseeing. So just relax, stay on the bed, and I’ll do the rest.”

Ren gave him a hesitant nod, trying to wrap his head around everything. He lay back, forcing himself to breathe deeply, while Yusuke placed a hand on his arm. Before Ren could ask another question, the world around him shifted.

In an instant, they were no longer in the hospital room. Instead, Ren found himself standing in a vibrant, otherworldly landscape, surrounded by towering trees with strange glowing leaves and a sky that shifted between shades of blue and purple.

Ren took a cautious step forward and gasped. His right leg—broken and nearly unusable just moments ago—was now perfectly fine. “I can walk?” he muttered in disbelief, taking another step, and then another.

Yusuke glanced at him with a smirk. “That’s because I brought your soul here, not your body. Your physical injuries don’t matter in this realm.”

Ren stared at Yusuke, stunned. “You’re telling me... my soul is completely separated from my body right now?”

“Yup,” Yusuke confirmed, looking nonchalant about the whole thing. “You’re still you, but just without the physical limitations.”

Ren marveled for a moment, flexing his leg with a newfound freedom he hadn’t felt since the accident. But before he could ask anything else, Yusuke grabbed his arm again.

“Sorry, no time for a tour. We’ve got a Spirit World to get to.”

With a sudden jolt, the world around them shifted again. This time, Ren found himself in what looked like a massive, ancient palace. The walls were decorated with intricate carvings, and at the end of a grand hall sat a large desk, behind which sat... a toddler?

Ren blinked, utterly confused by the sight of the small figure with a pacifier in his mouth and a ridiculous hat perched on his head.

Yusuke muttered under his breath, “Here we go...”

The toddler, who Ren assumed must be Koenma, looked up, his eyes narrowing as he spotted Yusuke and Ren. “Yusuke! What are you doing here? And who’s this?”

Yusuke rubbed the back of his neck, clearly nervous. “Uh, hey Koenma. Long time no see. I’ve got a bit of a situation here, and I need your help.”

Koenma raised an eyebrow, taking the pacifier out of his mouth. “Help with what? And why did you bring a human here?”

Yusuke gestured to Ren. “This is Ren. He’s in a bit of a jam. See, he’s alive, but he spent some time in the afterlife, and now his friend—this girl he cares about—is in a coma. We need to get back to the afterlife to save her.”

Koenma leaned back in his chair, looking unimpressed. “And why should I care about this?”

Yusuke sighed, knowing this part would be tricky. “Look, Koenma, I know this is outside the usual protocol, but Ren’s a good guy. While he was stuck in the afterlife, he wasn’t just sitting around—he was helping souls find peace.”

Koenma’s brow furrowed slightly. “Helping souls?”

“Yeah,” Yusuke continued, “he helped people like Ai, Kaori, Rengoku, and a bunch of others. He guided them to find peace, to move on. He wasn’t supposed to be there, but he did a lot of good while he was.”

Koenma stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Is that so? Hold on.” He pulled out a small notebook, flipping through the pages before finally nodding. “I see... Ren, you helped quite a few lost souls during your time in the afterlife.”

Ren, standing nervously, nodded. “I just... I couldn’t leave them behind. They needed help.”

Koenma looked impressed, though he tried to hide it. “That’s unusual, especially for someone who wasn’t supposed to be there in the first place.”

Yusuke seized the opportunity, grinning. “So, Koenma, you see why we need to help him. He’s not just some guy—he’s someone who actually made a difference. Don’t you think he deserves a shot to save the girl he cares about?”

Koenma let out a long, exasperated sigh, his small body leaning forward on the desk. “Yusuke, you realize this could mess with the balance of the Spirit World, right? Bringing someone back to the afterlife when they’re supposed to be alive isn’t exactly a small favor.”

Yusuke grinned. “I know. But come on, Koenma. How many times have I saved your sorry butt? You owe me.”

Koenma looked like he was about to argue, but then he let out another sigh, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “Fine. But this is going to take some time, and I can’t promise anything. We’ll need to open a special gate, and that’s not easy to do.”

Yusuke smirked. “That’s all I’m asking.”

Ren, still feeling out of his depth, gave Yusuke a grateful look. “Thanks, Yusuke. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

Yusuke waved him off. “Don’t thank me yet, man. I’m still nervous about this. Koenma’s right—this could screw up the whole system.”

Ren managed a weak smile. “I’ll take my chances.”

Koenma, already looking frustrated, stood up from his desk. “Alright, let’s get this over with. Follow me.”

As they followed Koenma through the winding corridors of the Spirit World palace, Ren couldn’t help but feel a strange mix of fear and hope. He didn’t know what lay ahead, but with Yusuke by his side, he felt like maybe, just maybe, they could pull this off.

Yusuke glanced over at him, smirking. “You’re lucky I like you, Ren. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be risking my neck for this.”

Ren chuckled, his nerves settling slightly. “You’re just afraid Koenma’s gonna kick your butt later.”

Yusuke laughed. “Yeah, well, wouldn’t be the first time.”