The Café Between Worlds

Koenma stood before the swirling gate he had just opened, its edges glowing faintly with a mystical aura. He glanced over his shoulder at Yusuke and Ren, his face uncharacteristically serious.

“This is it, Yusuke. Once you and Ren step through, this will become your responsibility. Remember, Ren can’t stay too long in the afterlife because he’s alive now. If the afterlife rulers catch him again, they’ll likely throw him out like last time—and worse, he might be punished.”

Ren gulped nervously, the weight of Koenma’s words sinking in. Yusuke gave a slight nod, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. “Got it. We’ll be in and out. No sightseeing this time, I promise.”

Koenma’s expression softened a little as he looked at Ren. “Also, Ren, no matter what you want to do while you’re there, you can’t change fate. You might not like what you see, but the rules of the afterlife are set in stone. I’m giving you this chance, but don’t try to play God.”

Ren nodded, a bit overwhelmed. “I understand.”

Koenma sighed deeply and then gave them both a small, sincere smile. “Good luck, Ren. And Yusuke, I expect you to accompany him until his task is complete. Stay out of trouble—both of you.”

With that final warning, Koenma waved them forward. “Now get going before I change my mind.”

Yusuke shot Koenma a grin. “You’re not so bad when you’re being all sentimental, Koenma. See you on the other side.” With that, he grabbed Ren’s arm and pulled him toward the gate.

The moment they stepped through, Ren felt an intense, weightless sensation, like the ground had disappeared beneath his feet. His stomach lurched as they were sucked into a spiraling, infinite abyss. He flailed wildly, trying to grab onto something, anything.

“Yusuke! What the hell is happening?!” Ren’s voice cracked with panic as his body tumbled uncontrollably through the void.

Yusuke, completely unfazed, floated next to him with his arms crossed. “Relax, Ren. It just feels like falling for five minutes.”

Ren’s eyes widened in horror. “FIVE MINUTES?! I’m gonna die again just from this!”

Yusuke chuckled. “Nah, I was just messing with you. It’s more like 30 seconds.”

Ren glared at him. “That’s not funny, man! I think I’m gonna puke.”

Yusuke snorted. “Dude, you can’t even puke in the spirit world. Just... stand. That’s the safest pose to land.”

Ren flailed a bit more, his limbs refusing to cooperate. “Stand?! How am I supposed to stand when I can’t control my—”

Before Ren could finish, they both crashed into solid ground with a thud. Ren’s landing was anything but graceful; he ended up in a tangled, awkward pose, legs bent and arms splayed in opposite directions. Groaning, he slowly pushed himself up, rubbing his sore limbs.

“Ow... everything hurts,” Ren muttered.

Yusuke, already on his feet and perfectly fine, burst into laughter. “That’s one hell of a landing pose you got there. You look like a confused crab.”

Ren shot him a glare, still trying to untangle himself. “You could’ve warned me about the landing.”

“I did. I told you to stand. You’re the one who decided to land like a pretzel,” Yusuke teased, helping him to his feet.

Ren grumbled as he brushed the dust off his clothes. But when he finally stood straight, he took in a deep breath, and a strange sense of familiarity washed over him. The air smelled faintly of the afterlife, the same scent he remembered from his time here—the same odd mixture of nostalgia and unease. The landscape before him stretched out into the distance, eerie but comforting all at once.

“We’re... back,” Ren whispered, almost to himself. Memories of the souls he had helped during his time here flooded his mind—Ai, Kaori, Rengoku, and so many others. He felt the weight of their stories still lingering in the air, and for a moment, he was lost in thought.

Yusuke snapped his fingers in front of Ren’s face. “Hey! Snap out of it, daydreamer. We don’t have time to slack off. We’ve got a girl to save.”

Ren shook his head, pulling himself back to the present. “Right. You’re right. We need to find the café.”

Yusuke nodded, already walking ahead. “Exactly. Now let’s get moving before something else decides to mess with us.”

As they walked, Ren couldn’t help but glance around, taking in the strange yet familiar surroundings. It felt surreal being back here, almost like a homecoming, but with an underlying sense of dread. Every step brought him closer to the café, closer to Kazuha—but also closer to whatever fate awaited him in this world.

Yusuke walked ahead confidently, but Ren could tell there was tension in his friend’s movements. This was no ordinary trip, and they both knew it.