Ren arrived at Miya's house just as the sun finished setting.
He was wearing his usual clothes, the ones he wore comfortably at home: worn jeans and a simple T-shirt that had already seen better days.
Ren he rang the doorbell and, when the door opened, he was left breathless.
Miya was wearing nothing like what he had expected. She had on a red dress that fit her figure as if it had been made to measure. Her makeup highlighted her lips and made her eyes shine with an almost hypnotic intensity. Her hair fell in soft, light layers that framed her face, giving her a natural look full of movement.
Ren stood there with his mouth slightly open. She looked like a movie star, an artist in every detail, and he, by comparison, felt like the most ordinary guy in the world.
Miya watched him in silence for a few seconds before tilting her head slightly.
"Are you okay?"
Ren he shook his head to come back to himself.
"Y-yeah… I'm fine."
"That's good," she said with a radiant smile. "Come in, please."
As he crossed the threshold, soft classical music wrapped around him. String instruments intertwined in a calm, elegant melody. It wasn't the same house he visited almost every day. Everything felt different.
Miya's scent floated in the air, but this time it was different: a sweet, delicate perfume that spread through the space without overwhelming it, neither too strong nor too light. It was perfect.
Ren blinked, confused.
"Hey, Miya… are we going out somewhere?"
She tilted her head with curiosity.
"Why do you ask?"
"Because… of how you're dressed."
Miya let out a soft, crystalline laugh.
"No, Ren. I'm not going out anywhere. I dressed like this… for you."
The words hit him head-on. He had never imagined anything like that. In fact, he thought he would be the one who would have to make more of an effort that night. But that wasn't the case.
"Come," she said, holding out her hand.
Ren followed her almost without thinking. Miya guided him to the dining room and, when they arrived, he stopped short.
A perfectly set table was waiting for them. Roast chicken with herbs, golden potatoes, a dressing that smelled like paradise, and, at the center, an ice cream dessert decorated with creativity. Everything was illuminated by a pink candle.
Ren swallowed.
"How curious…" he murmured to himself.
"Sit down, please," Miya asked in a gentle voice.
He obeyed.
Now they were facing each other.
Sitting at the table, Ren lowered his gaze to his wrinkled shirt, the same one he had been wearing for almost two years. Then he looked back at Miya.
The feeling of being out of place hit him hard and made him uncomfortable.
At that moment, Ren thought Miya might be angry with him for looking like this, but she didn't seem to be. Or maybe she was and simply didn't care.
"What do you think?" she asked, leaning forward a little.
Ren searched for the right words. Everything felt like something out of one of those romantic novels he read in secret.
"A dream."
Miya laughed softly, delighted.
"You know? I tried really hard. When you left, I ran out to buy all this. Then I got ready. I honestly don't know how I had time to do everything."
Miya extended her hand across the table toward Ren.
"How do I look?"
Ren looked straight into her eyes.
"Very beautiful, like an angel."
The happiness on Miya's face multiplied. Her cheeks were tinged with a light blush, and her eyes shone even more.
Ren lowered his gaze, embarrassed.
"I'm sorry… I didn't come prepared. If I had imagined something like this, I would have at least worn something decent."
Miya quickly shook her head.
"No, Ren. You're perfect like that. In fact, you're very handsome… as always."
Ren felt the heat rise to his ears.
At that moment, Miya enthusiastically picked up the bottle of wine and uncorked it. She poured Ren's glass first, but he, almost instinctively, covered the rim with his hand.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, stopping.
Ren looked at his own hand for a few seconds, hesitating. Then he slowly pulled it away.
"No… nothing. Sorry, go on."
Miya smiled and continued pouring. She filled her own glass as well and set the bottle aside.
She served the chicken carefully, adding some potatoes. Ren watched her in silence.
"You should try the wine," she said. "It's very sweet. You're going to love it."
Ren shook his head slightly, nervous.
"I won't drink it unless you do first."
Ren smiled awkwardly. Miya returned the smile.
With everything ready, Miya sat down and raised her crimson glass.
"So… shall we begin?"
She took a small, elegant sip. Ren looked at his own glass for a few seconds, unsure. Then, in one gulp, he drank it all.
Miya opened her eyes wide.
"You didn't tell me you loved wine!"
Ren let out a strange, almost embarrassed laugh.
"Neither did I know."
They both ended up laughing at the same time.
They began to eat. Miya handled the cutlery with an almost studied delicacy. Ren tried to imitate her, but his movements came out clumsy and uncoordinated.
"How is it?" she asked.
"Very good!" he replied enthusiastically. "Did you prepare everything yourself?"
Miya nodded proudly.
"Yes. And it wasn't easy. All of this is top quality… It cost quite a bit, but it's worth it."
Ren stopped eating for a moment and looked at the plate. Suddenly, he realized how expensive each bite must be. He didn't know what to say, but Miya didn't seem to expect an answer. She just looked at him with that calm, happy smile.
When they finished the main course, dessert arrived: an ice cream shaped like a little bear, so cute it almost felt wrong to eat it.
Even so, they both devoured it with the same childlike excitement, laughing between spoonfuls while the candle continued to flicker softly on the table.
After finishing, Ren couldn't help noticing the curious pink candle on the table, since it wasn't something common. He thought it might have been a manufacturing mistake.
"Hey, Miya," he asked curiously, "where did you get that candle?"
Miya seemed surprised by the question, but quickly smiled again.
"From a shop called Starry Nights."
Ren blinked, puzzled. It was a strange answer, but he didn't say anything else.
After that, Miya poured him another glass of wine.
That was the sixth.
Ren realized too late how many he had drunk. At first, he only thought of having a couple, but without noticing, he was already at half a dozen.
The effects were starting to become obvious. His body felt too warm, as if the heat were rising from his chest to his head. And it wasn't just that. His heart was pounding hard, and his skin felt overly sensitive, as if any touch could go straight through him.
When he brought his hand to his chest, he felt a kind of electricity run through his whole body, but his reaction was slow and heavy, so relaxed that he didn't even get scared.
"There's no more wine, Ren. That was the last one," Miya said calmly.
"What a shame… it was really good," he replied, taking the glass slowly.
He drank little by little and then let out a tired laugh.
"You know, Miya? This is my first time drinking," he said, laughing softly. "I don't know how I stayed away from this for so long. It's really good… really sweet. Do drinks all taste like this?"
Miya set the bottle aside and sat closer to him.
"No. I chose this wine especially with you in mind. I know you don't like alcohol, and this one isn't strong. Besides, it's quite light."
"Ah… I see. Thank you, Miya."
Ren's head began to spin.
"Ren, do you feel okay?" she asked, watching him closely.
"Yeah… I'm fine, it's just that…" Ren frowned as he stared ahead. "Is that over there a bear… or a dog?"
Ren blinked several times, trying to focus, unsure of what he was seeing.
Ren didn't know it, but that little animal seemed to be waving at him. Without thinking, he returned the gesture with an awkward smile.
"Miya… do you have a bear cub in your house?"
Miya gently shook her head as she slid a hand around Ren's waist.
"No, I don't have any bear. Are you sure you're okay, Ren?"
"No… I don't think so."
A jolt ran through his stomach, forcing him to curl in on himself slightly.
"I think it's better if I go home," he said, trying to stand up.
He made the effort, but his body didn't respond.
"No, Ren," Miya said calmly. "You can't leave like this. It's better if you stay here."
Ren wanted to say no, but before he could, he realized that Miya was already guiding him somewhere. He didn't know exactly where, since everything felt dark and confusing.
"I think… it'd be better not to."
After saying that, something in his mind finally clicked. The place felt far too familiar.
"Uh… where are we?"
Miya replied from outside his field of vision.
"In my bedroom."
Ren's mind could no longer organize his thoughts well enough to question why he was there. Even if he had been able to, his attention was caught by the sense of comfort wrapping around him as he lay on Miya's bed.
He didn't know how he had gotten there. Everything felt unreal, as if he were floating on a cloud or inside cotton candy.
The room was soaked in a sweet aroma that surrounded him completely, keeping him trapped in that confused state.
"Are you okay, Miya?"
Ren asked when he heard Miya struggling with something.
"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just taking my clothes off."
Ren blinked several times. For an instant, he thought he saw one of the stuffed animals in the room come to life before his eyes, moving in an impossible way. Then, little by little, a figure formed in front of him.
It took him a few seconds to recognize her, but in the end, he saw her.
It was Miya.
"What are you doing…?"
"Nothing yet," Miya replied calmly.
Then Miya began taking off Ren's shirt and then his pants.
The situation, barely lit by a candle, gave him an unreal feeling.
He felt as if he were standing before something he couldn't fully understand. For an instant, it seemed unsettling to him, almost demonic, though he knew it wasn't.
Miya, after finishing, climbed on top of Ren.
Ren tried to get up, but his movement was so heavy that Miya was able to stop him.
"Miya, I'm feeling unwell, very unwell."
At that moment, as if by magic, Ren was able to see Miya face to face. Her expression was filled with emotion, but not in a natural way. Her cheeks were far too flushed, and the sweat running down her face gave him an unsettling feeling.
"Ren, shall we begin our main course?"
After that, Ren was completely devoured, without being able to do anything.
___
After a few minutes, Ren partially regained his senses unexpectedly. Without knowing for certain how he had ended up there, he took control of the situation. Then he simply let himself go and enjoyed the moment.
In Miya's mind, only one thought echoed.
The aphrodisiac was already gone, but Ren wasn't.
Chapter 21: A Day as Fabulous as It Was Ominous