How To Lose A Crush In 10 Texts

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The room was quiet except for the faint ticking of the lantern's flame and the soft whisper of my own breathing.

I had been pacing for what felt like forever, trading sharp thoughts with the real Ren locked somewhere deep inside my head.

He was still shouting, still cursing me, still insisting I was going too far.

I grinned at nothing in particular. You've had your chances, Ren. I'm just… finishing what you never had the guts to start.

When the soft knock came, I felt my chest tighten—not from nerves, but from anticipation.

"Come in," I called, my voice smooth.

Rin stepped inside, her hands clasped in front of her. She looked… hesitant. The kind of hesitance that was equal parts innocence and curiosity.

Her gaze darted around the room before settling on me. "You… wanted to see me?"

I nodded, leaning casually against the desk. "Yeah. I thought we could talk… alone."

Her lips curved into the faintest smile, though her eyes kept flicking away from mine. "It's late…" she said softly, as if she half-expected me to send her back.

"I know," I murmured, taking a slow step toward her. "But I like the quiet of the night. Makes it easier to… say things I've been holding in."

She swallowed, her shoulders tensing ever so slightly. I could see it—how her body wanted to move closer, even as her mind told her to be careful.

We spoke about nothing and everything at first—the weather, training, even a silly joke about how I always managed to get away with skipping morning drills. But with every word, I moved a little closer, shortening the distance between us.

Eventually, we were only a breath apart. I lifted my hand, brushing my fingers lightly against her cheek. She didn't pull away.

Her skin was warm, her breath quick. "You don't need to be so guarded around me," I said quietly. "No one's watching us here."

Her lips parted, but no words came out.

I tilted her chin up and pressed my lips to hers.

It wasn't forceful at first—just a slow, deliberate kiss, testing the waters. She hesitated for a heartbeat, then melted into it, her own lips pressing back against mine.

I felt the way she trembled—not in fear, but in that intoxicating uncertainty between wanting and surrender.

We broke apart just enough for me to whisper, "See? Just us."

Then I kissed her again, deeper this time, pulling her into my arms until our bodies fit together.

I guided her back toward the bed, my hands framing her face, my mouth never leaving hers for more than a second.

When she sat, I followed, straddling her hips, my palms resting on either side of her head.

Her breathing was uneven now, and so was mine.

Her shyness was fading—replaced by something bolder. She reached up, running her fingers into my hair, pulling me closer until our foreheads touched.

The warmth between us was building, the air thick with unspoken things.

I brushed a hand down her side, feeling the curve of her waist beneath the thin fabric of her shirt. She shivered, tilting her head up to kiss me again—

And then she froze.

It was subtle at first—just a small, almost imperceptible twitch.

But it spread. Her hands clenched into my shirt, her eyes squeezing shut. "Ren… I—I don't feel…"

I pulled back, brows knitting. "Rin?"

Her breathing quickened, but not in the way it had before. Her body tensed under me, every muscle trembling.

And then—

Something moved beneath her skin.

I blinked, leaning back just enough to see. Her lower back arched suddenly, her whole frame jolting as if she'd been struck. And from behind her—

—a tail began to emerge.

At first, it was just a thin shape, dark at the base, twitching like it didn't belong to her at all. But it grew fast, fur spreading in streaks of deep russet, each strand catching the dim light.

Rin's hands flew to her head, clutching it as if she could keep whatever was happening at bay. "It—it hurts…"

Her voice was breaking, trembling, and I could feel heat rolling off her like waves.

Her nails scraped against my arms as she pushed—no, threw—me backward. My body hit the wall hard enough to rattle the lantern.

I scrambled up just in time to see her body begin to change.

Her ears…

They were stretching, reshaping, fur sprouting along the edges until pointed tufts crowned her head. Her hair spilled down in wild, uneven lengths as her breathing turned into short, ragged gasps.

Her legs kicked against the mattress as muscles shifted, tendons tightening visibly under her skin. I could hear bones popping—short, sharp snaps that made the hair on my arms stand up.

Her eyes snapped open mid-gasp, and for a moment I swore they were glowing—amber, sharp, animalistic. Not Rin's eyes at all.

I stepped closer, instinct warring with caution. "Rin—hey, look at me. It's me. You're okay—"

She let out a sound that was part gasp, part growl, low in her throat. Her tail lashed behind her, longer now, the fur thick and gleaming.

Each breath she took seemed to burn through her, her body shaking harder with every passing second.

I'd seen magic before. I'd seen people transformed.

But this—

This was like watching someone be torn apart and rebuilt at the same time.

Her hands gripped the sheets until they tore. Claws—real claws—had replaced her nails, curving in sharp, deadly points.

Her back arched again, another ripple of change traveling down her spine, each one wringing a choked cry from her throat.

Ren's voice—deep inside—was yelling something at me, but I tuned him out.

I couldn't stop staring.

Her breaths came faster. The trembling spread into violent shudders, like every nerve in her body was firing at once.

Her thighs curled inward, her shoulders hunching as she tried to fight it—but it was no use.

When the final wave hit, she threw her head back and let out a sound that was nothing human—an echoing, primal cry that rattled the walls.

And then… stillness.

Her chest rose and fell in sharp bursts, her hair wild, her skin flushed.

The fox ears atop her head twitched involuntarily, her tail curling around her side like it had always been there.

Her eyes—still glowing faintly—locked on me.

I took a step forward, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. "Rin…?"

She didn't answer at first. Her breathing slowed, but the tension in her muscles stayed, like a predator deciding whether or not to strike.

Finally, she spoke—her voice a strange blend of her own softness and something deeper, more primal.

"…Ren?"

And in that single word, I knew—

Whatever she was before… she wasn't just Rin anymore.

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RIN'S POV

The air in his room felt warm in a way that had nothing to do with the lantern light.

It was the kind of warmth that made my skin feel too tight, my heartbeat too loud in my ears. I'd told myself I wasn't going to rush this—that I'd take my time, stay in control—but the way Ren's eyes held mine made all those careful plans feel fragile.

I was excited. I won't pretend I wasn't. But excitement had its own kind of danger. If I moved too fast, I'd lose my balance… and maybe more than that.

He didn't push. Not at first. His voice was calm, almost teasing, as if he was letting me decide how close he could get. But with each slow step forward, the space between us thinned until there was nowhere left for me to retreat.

"You're tense," he said, and it wasn't a question. His gaze was steady, confident, and it made my stomach flip.

"I'm fine," I lied, but the faint quiver in my voice betrayed me.

He reached up, brushing a strand of hair from my face. His touch was gentle, almost distracting enough to make me forget my own nerves. When he leaned in, I hesitated for just a moment—long enough to remind myself not to rush—before closing the distance.

The kiss was soft, deliberate. I let myself fall into it, my fingers curling into the fabric at his shoulders, holding on like I could anchor myself there. For a few precious seconds, the rest of the world disappeared.

Then it hit.

A sharp, wrong shiver ran through me—not the sweet kind that comes from being close to someone, but something deeper, darker. My breath caught and stuttered. My body tensed for reasons I didn't understand.

"Rin?" His voice reached me, but it sounded far away.

Pain flared in my stomach, folding me forward before I could answer. My vision swam. My hands pressed against myself, but it was useless—something was moving, forcing its way out.

The tearing wasn't cloth. It was me.

A tail erupted from the base of my spine, fur bristling, lashing in jerky, violent motions. My throat tried to scream, but the sound came out raw, inhuman.

And I didn't know if I could stop it… or if I even wanted to.

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REN'S POV

I moved closer to her, trying to figure out what was happening to her.

"What—" I didn't finish. Her hand shot out, gripping my shirt, and with impossible strength, she threw me. My back slammed into the ceiling beam, the impact knocking the air from my lungs before I crashed onto the bed frame below.

I looked up just in time to see her stand fully, her body shifting, bones cracking into new shapes, fur sprouting along her arms. Her face lengthened subtly, fangs glinting under the lantern light. Her breathing was harsh, and when her eyes met mine, they were no longer Rin's deep brown—they were burning amber.

"Rin…" I said slowly, raising my hands in a placating gesture. "It's me. You're okay."

But the creature looking at me wasn't listening. She lunged.

I rolled to the side as her claws tore through the bedding where I'd been seconds before. She spun with animal grace, tail lashing behind her, and charged again. This time I caught her wrists, but the strength in them was wrong—too much for her small frame. My feet skidded back across the floorboards until my spine hit the wall.

"Calm down—!"

She snarled, a guttural, fox-like sound that made the hair on my arms stand on end. Her knee came up toward my ribs, and I barely twisted away before she broke free entirely. My mind raced. This wasn't a fight I could win without hurting her—and that wasn't an option.

I ducked under her next swipe and bolted for the door, heart pounding. She was faster. Her tail swept low, catching my legs, sending me sprawling into the hallway. I scrambled to my feet and ran.

Her footsteps—no, her paws—pounded after me, claws scraping the wood with every bound. The narrow corridor offered nowhere to dodge, so I pushed harder, lungs burning. I had to lead her somewhere open, somewhere she couldn't pin me so easily.

And that's when it happened—

A voice inside. A voice that wasn't hers.

Enough. I froze mid-stride.

My vision blurred for a moment, my heartbeat deafening in my ears. Then, in an instant, I wasn't in control anymore.

The real Ren surged to the surface. The clone—that version of me that had been playing this dangerous game—was shoved down, locked in the dark corners of my mind. He could only watch now, helpless, as my true self took the reins.

Rin—or whatever was controlling her—was still charging. I dodged to the side, rolling across the floor and springing up behind her. I didn't attack, didn't try to restrain her with brute force. Instead, I called her name, firmly, over and over.

"Rin! It's me. Focus!"

She hissed and spun, claws swiping just shy of my face.

"I'm not leaving you like this!" I shouted, stepping in closer instead of away. "You hear me? You're stronger than whatever this is—wake up!"

For a second, something flickered in her eyes. Not much, but enough. She hesitated, and her stance faltered. I took that moment to grab her shoulders—not to hold her still, but to anchor her.

"You're safe," I said, voice dropping to something softer. "I'm here. You're safe."

Her breathing hitched, wild eyes darting as if she were fighting something inside her own head.

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