ca.fe

With a hesitant push, the two cousins opened the café door, the bell above jingling with a bright chime that contrasted sharply with their somber moods. The moment they stepped inside, a wave of warmth and the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee enveloped them, momentarily easing the tension that had been gripping them since dawn. The smell of coffee and warm pastries filled the air, offering a comforting escape from the tension they'd carried since leaving the villa. Yamino's eyes darted around the room, quickly landing on an empty table by the window. They shuffled over and dropped into their chairs, both looking as though they hadn't slept in days.

"We've got to figure this out," Hikaru said, glancing at the menu but clearly not focused on the food. His gaze swept the room, as if expecting to find answers hidden among the café's patrons.

Yamino nodded, his hands resting on the table. "But how? The library's closed, and we're just sitting here with more questions than answers."

Before Hikaru could reply, the sound of the doorbell grabbed their attention. Yamino looked up and froze. Standing at the entrance were three familiar figures: their school principal, Mr. Takeda, and two young women who looked strikingly familiar. Yamino's stomach dropped. He recognized them immediately, not from real life but from an anime he had seen advertised online.

The taller girl, with long black hair and a calm, intelligent demeanor, was Aoi. Her younger sister, Rin, had bright energy and playful twin pigtails. Both were characters from a newly released anime he hadn't even had the chance to watch yet, but they were already famous in the community.

"Yamino, you okay? You're staring," Hikaru said, nudging him.

"I… It's nothing," Yamino mumbled, tearing his eyes away from the trio.

To Yamino's surprise, Mr. Takeda noticed them and waved. He walked over to their table with his daughters. "Good morning, boys," he greeted warmly. "What a coincidence running into you here."

The cousins stood up awkwardly, bowing in unison. Yamino's heart raced as the principal gestured to the girls.

"These are my daughters, Aoi and Rin," Mr. Takeda said, smiling with pride. "Girls, these are two of my students, Yamino and Hikaru."

Aoi offered a polite nod, her composure unshaken. Rin, on the other hand, grinned and waved. "Nice to meet you!" she said cheerfully.

"Nice to meet you too," Yamino managed to say, his voice barely steady.

The principal and his daughters moved to a table nearby, leaving Yamino and Hikaru to process what had just happened. Hikaru leaned closer, frowning. "Alright, what's up with you? You've been acting weird since they walked in."

Yamino hesitated, then whispered, "Hikaru, those girls… they're from an anime. I've seen them before."

Hikaru raised an eyebrow. "You're telling me our principal's daughters are anime characters? That's… insane, even for you."

"I'm not making this up," Yamino insisted. "I don't know how or why, but they're here."

Hikaru leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "So what does that mean? Are we in an anime now? Is this whole thing… scripted?"

Before Yamino could respond, Mr. Takeda's voice broke the tension. "You boys look like you have something on your minds. Is everything alright?"

Hikaru glanced at Yamino, who nodded subtly. Taking the lead, Hikaru shared a vague version of their situation—the strange occurrences at the villa and their unsettling dreams. He left out the part about Yamino recognizing Aoi and Rin.

Mr. Takeda listened carefully, his expression growing more serious. When Hikaru finished, the principal leaned back thoughtfully. "That's quite a story," he said slowly. "And you're certain it wasn't just a vivid dream?"

"It felt too real to be a dream," Yamino said firmly.

Mr. Takeda nodded. "Well, there are old legends about that villa. Some say it's cursed, others that it's a doorway to another world. Perhaps there's more truth to those tales than we know."

Yamino's stomach tightened. The principal's words were unsettling, and he couldn't shake the feeling that Mr. Takeda knew more than he was letting on. Yamino leaned forward. "Do you think there's a way to find out for sure?"

Mr. Takeda hesitated, then sighed. "There's a rumor about something called the Grim Website. It's said to appear only under specific conditions, and those who access it face trials unlike anything imaginable. Some believe it holds ancient secrets, but it's extremely dangerous."

Hikaru frowned. "Why would anyone risk using something like that?"

"Because," Mr. Takeda said grimly, "the rewards are equally extraordinary. Knowledge, power—things most people can only dream of. But failure means death."

Aoi, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke. "If you decide to pursue this, understand that it's not just your lives at risk. The choices you make could have consequences far beyond what you realize."

Her words sent a chill down Yamino's spine. He exchanged a glance with Hikaru, who nodded resolutely. Whatever secrets the Grim Website held, they needed to find out—no matter the risks.

As they left the café, the sunlight seemed too bright, almost mocking in its cheerfulness. Yamino and Hikaru walked in silence, their minds burdened with the weight of what they had learned. The road ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: they couldn't turn back now.

*HEY GUYS AUTHOR HERE.

I AM SORRY 😔. I COULD NOT PUBLISHED FOR SOME TIME. I AM HAVING SOME DIFFICULTIES DECIDING ON THE PLOT. I AM ALSO GOING TO CHANGE THE NAME A LITTLE. BUT ALL IN ALL I WILL TRY TO PUBLISHED EVERY WEEK. I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD STAND HERE WITHOUT YOU GUY'S SUPPORT. THANKS AGAIN. HERE A UPDATE. THE FIRST ARC CAN BE A BLOODY ARC. OR IT CAN BE A SLOW ARC. VOTE FOR IT. I WILL SEE WHAT YOU GUYS WANT AND DECIDE THEN.

BY THE WAY CAN'T YOU HELP ME WITH SOME COLLECTION OR VOTING. YOU KNOW IT'S LONELY HERE WITH JUST 1 PERSON. SO PLEASE.. OK.

WHERE WERE WE? YEAH. VOTE FOR WHICH ONE THE FIRST ARC SHOULD BE SLOW OR BLOODY. BYE FOR TODAY