---
Ren hadn't shown up in two days.
No word. No excuse. Just silence.
Haru told himself it didn't matter. He wasn't friends with Ren. Not really. They barely spoke. But the quiet that followed his absence—it wasn't peaceful anymore.
It was hollow.
---
After school, Haru wandered off his usual path and found himself behind the old gym. The broken greenhouse sat like a skeleton in the afternoon sun, overgrown and forgotten.
But not empty.
Ren was there.
He stood near the cracked glass wall, sketchpad resting on his arm, head tilted slightly like he was listening to something no one else could hear.
Haru didn't speak.
He didn't need to.
"I thought you might come," Ren said.
His voice wasn't surprised. Just… tired.
"You skipped school," Haru said.
"Too much noise."
Ren's eyes flicked toward him, unreadable. "This world doesn't sit right sometimes."
Haru blinked. "What does that mean?"
Ren said nothing. Just looked back toward the overgrowth and drew another line across his sketchpad.
Haru stepped closer, cautious. "You always disappear when people get close."
"And yet you keep finding me."
The breeze pushed through the broken window panes. Haru noticed his hands again—how still they were. How carefully he held everything in, like a dam about to crack.
"You're not afraid of me?" Ren asked suddenly.
Haru paused. "No."
"You probably should be."
"I don't think so."
A beat passed.
Then Ren turned, eyes dark and steady. "You can hear everyone's thoughts, right? Everyone but me."
Haru nodded slowly.
"Must be frustrating."
"No," Haru said. "It's the only time I feel normal."
Ren's expression shifted—just barely. But it was enough.
And for a moment, standing between glass shadows and half-drawn lines, Haru thought: Maybe I'm not the only one lost in a world that doesn't feel like home.
---
Unseen, from the edge of the courtyard, Souta watched.
He hadn't meant to follow. But something inside told him he needed to.
And what he saw twisted in his chest like a warning.
Haru was slipping away—toward someone who didn't even feel real.
---
The days passed in a blur of routine, and yet, Haru couldn't escape the feeling that something was shifting beneath the surface of his world. Ren's words lingered in his mind, their weight pressing on him like a constant reminder. I don't belong here. Haru didn't know what to make of it, but he couldn't help but think that whatever Ren was hiding, it was something dangerous. And that thought terrified him.
It didn't help that Souta was becoming more persistent in his attempts to pull Haru closer. The boy was becoming harder to ignore. Haru had always thought of their friendship as comfortable—familiar—but now, there was something different. The way Souta looked at him, like there was more beneath the surface. He wasn't sure if he should be grateful or worried.
But things were about to change in ways Haru never could have expected.
---
The annual university trip was finally here—Bali. An exotic, faraway place where everything was supposed to be light, fun, and carefree. Haru had been to Bali once before with his family, but this time, it felt different. His nerves were on edge for reasons he couldn't explain. Maybe it was the thought of being away from home for so long. Or maybe it was the strange, unresolved tension between him, Ren, and Souta.
The trip had started as a way to escape the pressure of schoolwork and life in general, but now, it felt like an unavoidable crossing of paths. Haru wasn't the only one who had been selected for the trip. Souta was going too, and oddly enough, Ren had joined as well, even though he hadn't seemed to show any interest in the trip beforehand.
As the group gathered in the hotel lobby that evening, Haru glanced around. The bustling sound of excited students mixed with the warmth of the tropical air. He barely noticed Souta standing beside him until the boy nudged him gently.
"Hey, are you okay?" Souta asked, his eyes searching Haru's face with concern. "You've been distant all day. What's going on?"
Haru smiled weakly. "I'm fine. Just thinking."
Souta didn't seem convinced, but before he could press further, a voice interrupted them.
"Well, well. Looks like I found you two."
Haru's heart skipped a beat. It was Ren. He appeared seemingly out of nowhere, his casual expression unreadable. His dark hair had grown slightly longer, falling over his eyes. There was an odd sense of calm around him, as if the bustling crowd didn't affect him in the slightest.
"I didn't think you'd be here," Haru said, surprised to see him. He quickly glanced at Souta, who was staring at Ren with a strange intensity.
"I didn't think I'd be here either," Ren replied flatly, his gaze flicking between the two of them. "But here I am."
Souta's gaze lingered on Ren for a moment longer than necessary, and Haru could almost feel the tension building between them. He couldn't explain it, but something felt… off. Ren was here, in Bali, just like them. The world seemed a little smaller now.
"Let's get going," Ren said abruptly, his voice cutting through the moment. "We're supposed to meet everyone at the beach soon, right?"
Souta nodded, but Haru could tell the unease between the two of them hadn't dissipated. He tried to ignore it as they walked toward the bus that would take them to the beach, but the silence between him and Ren was palpable. Haru felt like there was something Ren wasn't saying, something lurking just beneath his calm exterior.
The beach was beautiful—golden sands stretching endlessly into the horizon, the gentle sound of the waves crashing, and the laughter of students in the distance. Haru stood at the edge of the water, the cool ocean breeze tousling his hair. He didn't realize until just now how much he needed this—how much he needed to escape the confusion and turmoil that had been building around him.
But the moment he felt himself relaxing, a familiar figure appeared beside him. Ren.
Haru was startled, but Ren didn't say anything right away. He just stood there, looking out at the waves, his expression distant. It was as if he was lost in thought. Haru opened his mouth to say something, but Ren spoke first.
"You don't get it, do you?" Ren's voice was quieter than usual, a touch of something that Haru couldn't quite place.
Haru frowned. "Get what?"
Ren turned to face him, his gaze more intense than before. "This. All of this. You don't understand why I'm here. Why I'm with you two."
Haru's heart raced, and for the first time in a long while, he felt a shiver run down his spine. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Ren's attention shifted.
"Hey, Ren! Haru! Souta! Come on, the others are calling us!" It was one of their classmates, waving them over to the beach volleyball game.
Ren's eyes flicked over to the direction of the call, then back to Haru. "We'll talk later," he said, his tone almost final.
Haru watched as Ren walked off, leaving him standing there with his own questions unanswered. But now, in the back of his mind, there was a new, troubling thought. Ren had just said something that resonated with him deeply. I'm with you two. What did that mean? And why did Ren seem so sure that Haru didn't understand the gravity of their connection?
Souta joined Haru shortly after, but Haru wasn't sure if he was ready to face him just yet. His thoughts were too consumed by Ren's cryptic words.
The night seemed to stretch on forever, filled with laughter, games, and the overwhelming sense that something was coming to a head.
__
To be continued...
***