Chapter 14 – The Thing That Woke Up With Me

1. The Camera That Saw Me Sleep

Riku hadn't slept.

Not really.

Ever since he placed the hidden camera in Renji's room, his nights had been consumed by waiting. Watching. Hoping he was wrong.

But last night?

Last night had confirmed everything.

The laptop screen showed the footage in perfect high resolution.

Renji went to bed at 11:58 PM.

For three hours, he didn't move.

Then—at exactly 3:15 AM—Renji sat up.

Not naturally. Not like a person waking up.

No sluggishness. No blinking. No hesitation.

Just a single movement. Like a machine being powered on.

And then—Renji turned.

His face, expressionless. His eyes, too focused.

And worst of all—

He looked directly at the camera.

As if he knew.

A cold sweat broke out along Riku's spine.

Then—Renji smiled.

Not his usual, lazy grin.

Something else.

Something that didn't belong to his brother.

The screen flickered.

Static.

The feed cut out.

Riku's hands curled into fists.

That wasn't a camera glitch.

That was Renji.

Or… whoever was in his body.

---

2. The Night That Wasn't Mine

Renji woke up with the taste of salt in his mouth.

It wasn't his room.

Cold. Damp. Stone beneath him.

His body stiff and sore, as if he had been here for hours.

A warehouse. Dim lights flickering above.

He swallowed hard.

"Not again."

His shoes scraped against the floor as he stood. His breath was uneven.

Then—he saw it.

A message.

Painted in blood on the far wall.

> "YOU ARE NOT ALONE."

Renji's chest tightened.

His hands—were clean. No blood. No bruises.

But the feeling in his gut was clear.

Someone had brought him here.

Or worse—

Something inside him had brought him here.

---

3. The Shadow That Knew My Name

A sound.

Renji froze.

Footsteps.

Not his.

Slow. Measured. Coming from the darkness beyond the warehouse pillars.

His fingers curled into fists.

Someone was here.

Then—

"Renji."

A voice.

Renji's stomach twisted violently.

Because it was his own voice.

The shadows shifted.

And a man stepped forward.

Renji's breath caught.

It was him.

No—not exactly.

But close enough.

Same height. Same build. Same face.

But colder. Sharper.

And the worst part?

He was smiling.

Renji's pulse pounded in his ears.

His body screamed to run—but he couldn't move.

"Finally awake?" the other him murmured.

Renji took a step back. "Who—"

"You already know."

Renji's fingers dug into his palms.

"I don't."

The other Renji—the thing that wore his face—laughed softly.

"Then why are you afraid?"

Renji's mouth went dry.

He wasn't just looking at a reflection.

He was looking at something that had been living inside him for a long time.

Something that had finally stepped out of the shadows.

And it knew him better than he knew himself.

---

4. The Brother Who Couldn't Lie to Me

Riku wasn't supposed to be here.

He knew that.

He was supposed to be at home. Safe.

But after what he had seen last night?

There was no way he was waiting anymore.

His instincts had screamed at him. Told him to follow the signs.

And that's why, as he stood outside the abandoned warehouse—

He wasn't even surprised.

Because standing near the entrance—

Was Renji.

Alone.

Riku's heartbeat hammered against his ribs.

Because he knew—he knew—Renji hadn't left his room last night.

So how the hell was he here?

Renji turned.

Their eyes met.

And Riku saw it.

Something was wrong.

Not just exhaustion. Not just confusion.

Renji looked like he had seen a ghost.

Or worse—something that shouldn't exist.

And for the first time—

Riku wasn't sure if the person standing in front of him was his brother at all.

---

5. The Name That Shouldn't Be Spoken

Renji was shaking.

His hands. His breath. His thoughts.

Because whoever that thing was—it was gone.

Disappeared like smoke.

And yet, he could still feel it.

The cold presence. The awareness.

Like an echo of something he should have never woken up.

Then—

A voice.

Not in the warehouse. Not in his head.

Right in front of him.

Riku.

His brother.

Renji turned.

And the look in Riku's eyes—

Wasn't suspicion.

It was something worse.

Riku took a slow step forward.

And then—softly, carefully, like he was speaking to a dangerous animal—

"Who were you talking to just now?"

Renji's pulse spiked.

The words were simple. But the meaning behind them?

Riku had seen something.

Renji forced a breath out.

"I wasn't talking to anyone."

A lie.

Riku didn't react. Didn't blink.

Then—just as softly—

"Then why do you look like you've seen a ghost?"

Renji couldn't answer.

Because the truth was—

He had.

And worse than that?

It had seen him too.

And for the first time, it had a name.

"Vail."

The name surfaced in his mind like a whisper.

And somewhere deep inside him—something stirred.

Something that had been waiting for a long, long time.

---

End of Chapter 14