Beyond, With a Yokai

Chapter 1: Who Are You?

She was the first to text.
The first to ask him out.
The first to hold his hand.
And the first to kiss him—always chalking it up to his shyness, his inexperience.

At first, it was fine.
She even liked knowing she was his first.
But over time, waiting for him to take any initiative grew tiring.
She wanted—just once—for him to reach out first.

And eventually... he did.

When Yesenia mentioned she'd be going to camp, he surprised her by asking his parents if he could go too.
It was unexpected—and kind of sweet.
Not every guy would trade a summer of home comforts for a spontaneous trip just to be by her side.

Now they had the chance to spend real time together.

Most people go to camp hoping for a summer fling.
Yesenia was going with her boyfriend already in tow, hoping this summer might become their moment.

The journey began with a flight.
Two hours in the air—Vladivostok behind them, Sakhalin ahead.
Yesenia even managed a short nap, though a jittery anticipation kept her from fully drifting off.

When they arrived, the counselors split them into rooms.
Since Yesenia was the first to arrive, she got to choose her bed.
Naturally, she picked the one by the window.
It looked newer, sturdier than the others—and it let in the most sunlight. Yesenia loved sunlight.

The room was small.
It was hard to imagine how five girls were supposed to fit in here. One wardrobe. One mirror. At least each of them got a personal shelf beside their bed.

Back at school, everyone thought Yesenia was friendly, even outgoing.
But the truth was, she didn't like meeting new people.
Opening up to strangers, showing them her real self, made her uncomfortable. It was easier to pretend—easier to be someone else. Someone more confident. More likable.

Only a few people knew who she really was underneath the mask.

The days at camp went surprisingly well.
Though her roommates were all completely different, Yesenia still managed to find a point of connection with each of them—small things, maybe, but enough to bridge the gaps. She had always been curious about everything, dabbled in different interests, and that gave her plenty of topics to keep the conversation flowing.

To her own surprise, she even began enjoying the camp contests and evening discos. Normally, that kind of thing wasn't her scene at all.

But all of that was just background noise.
There was only one thing she had truly been waiting for—the hike.
Yesenia had dreamed about it for weeks: reaching the peak, breathing in the crisp mountain air, and seeing nature in its untouched, overwhelming beauty.

Finally, the day came.
They were taking a trip to Mount Lopatina.

It was over 86 degrees outside, and a lot of the campers chose to stay behind, opting for their beds and the promise of the evening dance instead.

That genuinely baffled Yesenia.
How could anyone willingly pass up a chance to climb the mountains, to be that close to something so grand, so ancient?

Without a second thought, she grabbed Svyatoslav and headed out.

For those who did go, the camp staff arranged a short safety briefing. Then, with eager eyes and backpacks slung over their shoulders, the students followed the guide—a man who seemed to know every twist and turn on the trail by heart.

With each step, the view grew more and more breathtaking.
The world below stretched endlessly.
The air got cooler, purer, infused with the breath of the earth itself.
It was the air of freedom—of something deeper than the sky.