The Café Between Worlds

Yusuke led Ren through the winding pathways of the afterlife, his steps sure and confident. Ren followed close behind, trying to keep up as they ventured deeper into the familiar yet unnerving realm.

"How do you even know where we're going?" Ren asked, trying to hide the nervous tremor in his voice.

Yusuke shrugged. "I've been back and forth through these gates a few times now. I’ve gotten used to the layout. Plus, the café wasn’t that far from here the last time I came through."

Ren wasn’t sure if that was supposed to be comforting, but at least Yusuke seemed to know what he was doing. The portal gate was still a distance away, and as they walked, Ren’s anxiety grew. The air was getting heavier, and he could feel a familiar presence nearby—a strong aura that made his skin crawl.

Suddenly, Yusuke stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes narrowing. Ren followed his gaze and felt his stomach drop. There, standing tall and intimidating in the distance, was the ruler of the afterlife, inspecting something with his usual stoic expression.

"Uh-oh," Yusuke whispered. "That's the big guy. We can’t let him see you."

Ren’s heart pounded. "What are we going to do?"

Yusuke smirked. “I’ve got a plan. There’s a fruit around here that can turn you into an animal for a short time. We just need to find one.”

Ren blinked. “An animal? That’s your plan?”

Yusuke nodded, already scanning the area. “Trust me. He won’t be able to sense you in that form. I’ll grab the fruit, and we’ll sneak past him.”

Before Ren could protest, Yusuke spotted the fruit hanging from a nearby tree. With a swift motion, he plucked it and handed it to Ren. It looked oddly like a pear, but with a shimmering surface that hinted at its magical properties.

“Here goes nothing,” Ren muttered before taking a bite.

In an instant, his body shrank, his arms and legs disappearing as he transformed into a small, slimy creature. He looked down and saw that he had become a frog.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Ren croaked, literally.

Yusuke burst out laughing, clutching his sides. “A frog? Of all the animals! This is priceless.”

Ren hopped in place, trying to keep up with Yusuke. "I didn’t exactly have a choice! How long does this last?"

Yusuke shrugged, still snickering. "I don't know, but we’ll figure it out. Come on, hop to it, little guy.”

Ren groaned, but he had no choice. As a frog, he was slow and awkward, and Yusuke finally gave in, scooping him up in the palm of his hand. “Alright, I’ll carry you. No way we’re getting past the ruler at that pace.”

Yusuke bolted forward, Ren clutched tightly in his hand, as they dashed past the ruler. Ren’s tiny frog heart pounded in his chest as they flew by, praying they wouldn’t be noticed. The tension was thick, but somehow, miraculously, the ruler didn’t even glance their way.

When they were finally clear of the area, Ren let out a sigh of relief—or as much of a sigh as a frog could manage.

“You did good, buddy,” Yusuke said, grinning. “I didn’t think we’d pull that off.”

Ren ribbited in frustration. “Yeah, but how long am I stuck like this? I can’t exactly meet Kazuha as a frog!”

Yusuke laughed again. “Yeah, that might be a little awkward. ‘Hey Kazuha, it’s me, your frog boyfriend.’” He mimicked in a croaky voice, causing Ren to roll his tiny eyes.

Finally, after what felt like forever, they arrived at the café. Ren could feel his little heart racing, his tiny frog chest pounding. The sight of the familiar place filled him with hope and nervous energy. He was so close to Kazuha now, but still... a frog.

“Alright, let’s fix this,” Yusuke said, rummaging through his pockets before pulling out a small vial. “Drink this. It should reverse the effect.”

Ren blinked his big frog eyes. “Should?”

Yusuke shrugged. “I’m pretty sure it’ll work. But hey, what’s the worst that could happen?”

Ren gulped—or, at least, tried to—before Yusuke gently tipped the vial toward his tiny mouth. As soon as the liquid touched his tongue, his body began to tingle, and in a matter of seconds, he felt himself growing back to his normal size.

Ren collapsed onto the ground, groaning as his human body adjusted. “That was the weirdest thing I’ve ever experienced.”

Yusuke helped him up, a smirk still on his face. “You’ll have a great story to tell one day.”

“Yeah, right,” Ren muttered, shaking off the last of the strange sensation. But despite everything, he couldn’t help but smile. He was back, and he was human again.

Yusuke patted Ren on the shoulder. “Alright, man, this is it. Kazuha’s probably inside. I’ll wait out here and keep an eye out for any threats. You go in there and do what you came to do. But remember what Koenma said—no messing with fate.”

Ren nodded, his chest tight with anticipation. “Thank you, Yusuke. Really.”

Yusuke waved him off. “Don’t thank me yet. You’ve still got work to do. Now go in there and don’t screw it up.”

With that, Ren took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the café, his heart pounding as he prepared to face Kazuha once again.