Ripples Beneath the Surface

The moon hung heavy over the Bali shore, casting pale light across the sand. Haru sat near the water's edge, knees pulled up to his chest, heart still hammering from the kiss he and Ren had shared earlier. It had been electric, overwhelming — but now it was tangled up with something colder: fear.

Ren stood a few meters away, his back to Haru, arms folded tight. His figure was a silhouette against the glimmering waves. Neither of them spoke for a long time.

Haru clenched his fists. He wanted to break the silence, but his throat felt tight. Why was Ren pulling away again? Why, after everything, did it feel like they were still standing on opposite sides of something unseen?

Finally, Haru pushed himself to his feet and crossed the sand toward Ren. "Are you going to keep shutting me out? Even now?"

Ren didn't turn. "It's not about you, Haru."

"Then what? Tell me!"

Ren exhaled sharply. "You wouldn't believe me."

Haru grabbed Ren's arm, forcing him to face him. "Try me."

Ren's dark eyes flashed — not in anger, but in fear. "There are things in this world... that aren't supposed to exist. Things I wasn't supposed to see. But I do. I always have. And now that we've..." He trailed off, gaze flickering briefly to Haru's lips. "Now that we're connected, you might start seeing them too."

A chill ran down Haru's spine. "Seeing what?"

"The rift. The seams between this world and the next. They've been thinning for years, but when I'm close to someone emotionally... they break open faster." Ren's voice dropped to a whisper. "I think something followed us here."

Haru's mouth went dry. "That shimmer we saw? That pulse on the beach?"

Ren nodded slowly. "It's not just a trick of the light."

Suddenly, a sharp voice cut through the air behind them. "Haru! There you are!"

Haru spun around. Souta was jogging toward them, worry etched on his face. "I've been looking everywhere for you. Are you okay?"

Ren immediately took a step back, his posture closing off. Haru felt the shift like a slap.

"Yeah," Haru muttered, forcing a smile. "Just needed some air."

Souta's gaze flicked to Ren, and for a brief moment, something cold passed between them. Haru felt it, though he couldn't explain why. Souta had always been protective, but lately, that protectiveness had sharpened into something else — something territorial.

"We should get back," Souta said, his eyes locked on Ren. "The teachers are doing room checks soon."

Haru hesitated, glancing back at Ren. But Ren had already started to retreat, shoulders stiff. The look he gave Haru was clear: We'll talk later.

Haru sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Yeah... okay. Let's go."

---

That night, Haru lay awake in his hotel room, staring at the ceiling. The sound of the ocean filtered through the cracked window, but it wasn't calming anymore. His thoughts were a mess — flashes of Ren's haunted expression, the electric rush of their kiss, and the creeping dread of whatever was lurking at the edge of their world.

A soft knock at the door snapped him out of his daze.

"Haru? You awake?"

It was Ren.

Haru scrambled to the door, pulling it open as quietly as possible. Ren stood in the hallway, shadows pooling under his eyes, hair tousled like he'd been pacing for hours.

"Come with me," Ren whispered. "Now."

Haru didn't even hesitate.

They slipped out of the hotel and down the beach, away from the lights, until they reached the far end where the rocks jutted out into the sea. The same place where they'd kissed, where they'd felt the strange pulse earlier.

Ren stopped abruptly, scanning the area. "Do you see it?"

Haru squinted. The moonlight shimmered faintly over the water, but nothing seemed out of place.

Until —

A flicker.

Like a ripple in the air, bending the light unnaturally.

Haru's breath caught. "What... what is that?"

Ren's jaw tightened. "That's the seam. The barrier. It's getting worse."

As they watched, the ripple pulsed again — and for a split second, Haru saw something behind it. A shadow. A shape that didn't belong.

He stumbled back, heart racing. "Ren, what the hell is that?!"

"I told you," Ren said, voice shaking slightly. "It's why I tried to stay away. The closer I get to people, the weaker the boundary becomes. And now, because of us — because of this — it's started to break."

"You mean because we kissed? Because we care about each other?" Haru's voice cracked. "That's what's causing this?"

"It's not just the kiss," Ren said quickly. "It's the connection. It's always been about connection. The more emotionally tied I am to someone, the more the seam frays. And you..." He let out a shaky breath. "You're the strongest connection I've ever had."

Haru's chest tightened painfully. "So what, we're cursed?"

Ren shook his head. "I don't know. I just know we can't ignore it anymore."

Suddenly, the ripple surged — stretching wider, like a tear opening in the air.

A chilling sound followed: a whisper, faint but unmistakable, curling through the night like smoke.

Haru's eyes widened. "Did you hear that?"

Ren grabbed his arm. "We need to go. Now."

They sprinted back down the beach, sand flying under their feet. Haru's pulse thundered in his ears, but even as they ran, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched — that something had already slipped through.

---

Back in the safety of the hotel, Haru collapsed onto his bed, panting.

"What do we do?" he asked, voice raw.

Ren paced the room, hands trembling. "I need to find out more. I need to understand why this is happening — why I was born this way. And you... you need to decide if you want to stay involved."

"What?" Haru shot upright. "You can't seriously think I'm going to walk away now."

Ren met his gaze, something vulnerable flickering in his expression. "You might not have a choice, Haru. This isn't just about you and me anymore. It's about whatever's coming through that seam. And if it finds a way to anchor itself here..."

He didn't finish the sentence.

Haru stood, crossing the room to grab Ren's hand. "Then we face it together. Whatever this is — whatever you are — I'm not going anywhere."

Ren's breath hitched.

For a moment, they just stood there, fingers intertwined, the weight of unspoken fears hanging between them.

Then Haru gave a small, determined smile. "We'll figure it out. Okay?"

Ren closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. "Okay."

But even as they clung to each other, Haru knew — deep down — that the real fight hadn't even begun.

And when it did, nothing would ever be the same again.

---

To be continued...