Chapter 3
Hours after the birthday thing, Yuji and Akari finally called it a night. They had school tomorrow, after all. Responsible kids.
Ren, though?
Ren crashed the second the door shut behind them. Didn't even bother changing. Just face-planted onto his bed like gravity owed him money.
"…it's been a while since I've had this much fun," he mumbled into his pillow, and for once, he meant it.
He was out cold in seconds.
12:00 AM sharp.
Something moved under his shirt.
A crimson tattoo, shaped like swirling wind, started to etch itself across his back slowly Like someone was drawing on his skin with fire.
Ren slept right through it.
*The next morning…*
Ren's eyes cracked open. Dawn was sneaking through the curtains, soft and gold. For a second, he just lay there. Staring at the ceiling.
Last night kept replaying in his head. The cake, The laughs. Yuji being an idiot and Akari's smile.
Honestly? It felt warm.
"…it's been a while," he muttered.
He sat up and rubbed his eyes. Blinked.
"Ehh… I feel a lot lighter."
Weird.
He dragged himself to the bathroom and splashed water on his face. Stared at the mirror.
"You look like shit," he told his reflection.
Dark circles. Messy hair. Classic. But… something was different. For the first time in forever, he didn't look completely hollow.
After getting dressed, he wandered into the living room. The house was quiet
But this time, the quiet didn't feel like it was trying to choke him.
His eyes drifted to the butsudan altar.
The cupcake from last night was still there. Untouched and the candle was just a melted stub now.
Ren walked over. Slow.
"…Good morning," he said softly.
No answer, but he stood there a little longer than usual.
"Father, mother, Uncle Ben… I'm heading out."
He grabbed his bag and hit the door.
Outside, Tokyo was doing its thing. Cars, People. Nois and the Life.
Ren walked with his hands in his pockets, steady pace doing his normal stuff.
Except… everything was too bright, Ren frowned.
"…what is this?"
He stopped walking. His breathing got heavier.
"Shit… don't tell me this is the after effect of alcohol? Sigh… guess I'm still a little hungover from yesterday?"
He shook his head, trying to clear it. "Lol… I'm probably just overthinking," he muttered, and kept going.
Meanwhile…
He didn't notice her.
A figure in the shadows with a long black coat. Hood up was silently watching
School looked normal when he got there. Kids chatting. Teachers patrolling the halls. The usual chaos.
But the second Ren stepped on campus, something shifted. Like the air got thicker.
Yuji saw him first.
"OOOI! Ren!"
The moment that voice hit him
It was like a bomb went off in his head.
"AHH!"
Ren cried out and clutched his ear as pain lanced straight through his skull. The sound didn't just echo it literally slammed into him
Yuji froze. "Eh… Ren?! What's wrong with you?!"
Ren staggered, vision swimming. "What's wrong with me ? What's wrong with you, idiot? Your voice… it's too loud…"
Akari was there in a second, her face full of worry. "Ren, are you okay?!"
And it happened again. That tidal wave of sound. Even her voice soft, gentle Akari felt like needles in his ears.
Unknown to him the mark behind his back began matching with his skin
Ren took a breath as he forced himself to stand up straight. "Yeah… I'm fine," he said, waving them off. "I'm probably just hungover from all the drinking yesterday."
Yuji blinked then he howled with laughter.
"HAHAHA! No way! Ren, so it's true you can't even hold your liquor?!"
Ren scowled. "Shut up, idiot."
Yuji leaned in, grinning like he'd won the lottery. "Eii, Akari, did you hear that? The super model got defeated by alcohol!"
Akari giggled. She tried not to but she failed.
Ren sighed. "You two are annoying."
Yuji slung an arm around his shoulder. "Be honest how many glasses did it take? One? Half… nahh, I'm pretty sure it was just half?"
"…I hate you," Ren muttered.
Yuji laughed harder. "Don't worry, man. I'll train you. Next time, we drink properly!"
Akari shook her head. "Please don't listen to him, Ren."
Despite everything, Ren snorted a real laugh.
For a second, things felt normal.
The bell rang. Dinggg.
"Ooo, it's time. Let's get to class," Yuji said.
Ren nodded. "Yeah… let's go."
---
Class started with it's Normal rhythm. Teacher talking, Pens scratching some Students half-asleep.
Everything was fine. Until…
Ring… ring… ring…
Ren's head snapped up. "…huh?"
Nobody else moved. No phones out and the teacher kept writing.
"Whose phone is that… how come no one is hearing it?"
Ring… ring…..
Ren frowned and scratched his ear. "…where is that coming from?"
Then his eyes went to the window.
Across the street was a woman a phone to her ear.
Ring… ring…
Ren's eyes went wide.
"…wait, you have to be kidding me… there's no way…"
The distance. There was no way he should hear that.
But he did.
Not just the ringing. Her voice.
"…hello darling? Yes, I'm on my way… no, I told you already, I'm just going to pick up some groceries…"
Clear. Like she was right next to him.
Ren's hand tightened on his desk. "…wait… what the fuck… am I high right now?"
Then more voices slipped in.
"…hey, did you finish the assignment?"
"…seriously, I think I'm going to die a virgin…"
"…I told you not to put that there, stupid…"
Ren's eyes blew wide.
The voices were everywhere
His breathing sped up. "…what…?"
Then the pens. The scratching suddenly sounded like knives on glass.
The clock. Tick… tock… tick… tock
Each tick was a hammer in his head.
"Huh… wait… what the fuck is going on right now…"
"Ooi, Ren."
He jolted.
The teacher was staring at him.
" Mr Ren there something you would like to add? It seems you aren't concentrating."
"Huh… no, sir. I'm sorry… please continue," Ren said fast.
And just like that silence.
The clock ,the voices, the ringing was all Gone.
Ren's face went gloomy.
"…shit… am I really high? How does someone get high, sleep, and still wake up high…"
He rubbed his temple and sighed.
"Whatever…"
The lesson kept going. Teacher writing. Students writing.
Scratch, scratch, scratch.
Ren stared at his notebook. Then picked up his pen.
"…just focus," he whispered.
He wrote. Line after line....
And slowly… it stayed normal By the time the bell rang, he finally exhaled. Didn't even know he'd been holding his breath.
Dinggg…
"Finally!" Yuji stretched like his life depended on it. "That class was trying to kill me, I swear."
Ren glanced over. "You say that every day."
"Because it's true every day," Yuji fired back.
Akari packed her books, smiling. "Maybe if you actually paid attention, it wouldn't feel that way."
Yuji scoffed. "And miss out on my beauty sleep? Never."
Ren shook his head, but he was smiling. "…idiot."
"…yeah," he thought. I'm definitely overthinking this.
---
After school.
The sky was going soft... Blue to deep orange
Ren walked with Yuji and Akari, hands in his pockets. Quieter than usual.
Yuji noticed. Obviously. "Oi, you're too quiet," he said, nudging Ren. "Don't tell me the 'hangover' is still beating you up?"
Ren exhaled. "I told you, I'm fine."
"Hmm…" Yuji squinted. "Suspicious."
Akari looked at Ren. "Ehh, are you sure you're okay? You've been a bit… off today."
Ren paused.
"…yeah," he said finally. "I'm good."
Yuji grinned. "I knew it. He's just embarrassed!"
"About what?" Ren said flatly.
Yuji leaned in. "About getting drunk off, like, two sips."
Ren sighed. "C'mon, you're still on that?"
"Of course! This is valuable information!" Yuji laughed.
Akari shook her head. "You're impossible."
And somehow, Ren relaxed. Just a little.
They hit the crossroads where they always split.
"Alright, I'm heading this way," Yuji said, pointing.
Akari nodded. "Me too. See you tomorrow, Ren."
Ren gave a small nod. "Yeah… see you."
Yuji waved as he left. "Don't pass out from water this time!"
"Shut up!" Ren yelled back.
Akari smiled and followed Yuji.
Then Ren was alone.
Sigh…....
He walked slowly, hands in pockets
"…Ah."
He stopped. "I forgot…"
Akari's birthday is tomorrow....
"Ehh… seriously…" He ran a hand through his hair. "I can't believe I forgot her birthday when it's just a day apart from mine."
He clicked his tongue.
"Shit… and night is fast approaching."
He looked up. Sky was deep blue now.
Sigh…"Guess I have no choice…"
---
10:30 PM.
Ren walked down a quiet street. Small bag in his hand.
"Ah… I'm sure she'll love this gift," he muttered, glancing at it.
Then his face shifted.
"…But seriously, what's with girls?" he said under his breath. "Just to get her present, I had to waste over four hours…"
He exhaled. "Hope it's worth it…"
The street was quiet. Too quiet as he felt a distant shift in the air
Ren slowed and stopped....
"…What is this feeling…?" he murmured. "It's somehow… unpleasant…"
Unease crawled up his chest.
"…Tch, what am I, five? I can't be afraid of the dark."
He kept walking. Passed a U-turn.
Then
Thump…...
Ren froze. Eyes narrowed. "…Huh?"
Thump. Thump. Thump
A heartbeat. Fast. Racing. But not his.
It was behind him.
Ren's body went rigid.
"…No way…"
The sound got closer. Louder.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Faster… closer…
Instinct took over.
SWOOSH!
Something cut through the air where his head was a half-second ago.
Ren stumbled forward, catching himself. Eyes wide.
"…What the?!"
His breathing went uneven. "That… wasn't normal…"
He spun around.
A figure stood there. Black hoodie. Face in shadow. Only the eyes faintly glowing.
"…Huh. Interesting. You dodged that. I was certain I'd chopped off your head," the figure said. Calm. Almost bored.
Then a low chuckle. "Impressive… for a newborn."
Ren's heart hammered. "…Newborn?" he said, confused. "What the hell are you talking about…?"
He clenched his fist. "…Who the hell are you?"
The figure tilted his head.
Then slowly… he pulled his hoodie down.
"I'm sorry," he said, voice calm. "But you are just a victim of circumstance…"
A pause.
"…that needs to be eliminated."
Ren's face hardened. "…Ehh, wait, what are you saying? Eliminated?" he muttered, confused.
The man's face was mostly human.
Mostly.
His eyes were bright blue. Glowing. Unnatural.
Then he smiled. And from his canines
Fangs. They extended. Slow. Sharp.
"…A vampire?" Ren whispered. The word felt stupid even as he said it.
"Huh…" "…Huh…"
They both said it at the same time....
Then the hooded guy snapped. "What do you mean, stupid?! Who the fuck are you calling a vampire?!"
Ren blinked, totally thrown off. His face clouded.
"I… what? You literally look like one!"
"The hell I do!" the guy shot back, defensive.
Ren's face went gloomier. "I mean… you're wearing a hoodie in the middle of the night, lurking around like some sketchy bloodsucker."
The guy's eyes narrowed. "Sketchy bloodsucker? Really? That's what you're going with?"
Ren crossed his arms. "Well… what else am I supposed to call someone creeping around like that?"