anna’s corner of the internet

When you arrive at your dorm, Mitsuri has that look on her face that says her stomach hurts. Her eyes are red and puffy, and the bottom of her lip looks horrifically chewed. She looked better hungover.

You shut the door, and she sets her phone down to stare at you pitifully.

From the look on her face, you can tell she knows about Genya. She learned either from Kyojuro Rengoku or Obanai Iguro or Shinobu. Someone told her, and from the way she wrings her slim fingers, you know she's worried about you.

"I heard what happened," her voice is barely above a whisper, "It's terrible… and to Genya, of all people…"

You shut your eyes. "I know."

"Why him?" She sniffs. "Why?"

You toss your backpack aside, unbothered if your precious laptop breaks. Your knees, bearing the weight of the world, carry you to Mitsuri's bed. She shifts over, allowing you to lay at her side. Her blanket is fuzzy and soft.

You stare at the ceiling.

"I don't know." There is enough sadness in your body to cry, but you have lost all the strength to produce tears.

Slowly, you feel you are withdrawing into yourself again, fleeing into that safe corner of your mind. Your psyche shoves every big emotion into a box, desperate to throw away the key. Your childhood self, that scared little girl, is inescapable.

Your mouth moves on its own, and you confide in Mitsuri about how you tried to start a relationship with Genya. She listens without judgment or interruption.

Friendships go both ways, but leaning on Mitsuri is hard. You dislike the way her eyes fold with pity; you feel like you are causing her pain, and you don't want to be the source of hurt.

You feel like a burden.

Especially when she says things like:

"I'm scared." Mitsuri nudges her head against your shoulder. "I'm scared for Genya, and I'm scared for you. What if…" She trails off.

Your eyes turn to her. "What if?"

She grimaces. "Kimetsu University is a nice school, but sometimes, bad things happen around here… What if this person goes after someone else? What if… I don't know, what if he goes after you? I mean, you work at Otafuku, too, and you and Genya were starting to get close…"

At Mitsuri's suggestion, something in your brain clicks into place. A piece to this impossible puzzle has- made itself known, and you can begin to make sense of the bigger picture.

You sit up, brows furrowed and tense.

"What's wrong?" she asks, grasping at your elbow. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you—"

"No, no, don't be sorry. It's fine." You blink several times, trying to think back to that day. "It's just that…"

"That…?"

"This whole time, I assumed the driver ran Genya off the road by chance. Like, road rage."

Mitsuri tilts her head. A bead of sweat trickles down her forehead. "I'm not sure I understand, sorry."

You shift, and slowly, you lay back down. Discontent tugs at every nerve in your stomach.

"Maybe I'm thinking too hard about it," you murmur, "But what if this was premeditated? What if this person wanted to kill Genya, specifically?"

"But who would want to hurt Genya?" Mitsuri fingers the tuft of fur on her blanket. "Oh, gosh… that would mean… that man was probably watching you guys at work…"

"We don't know it was a man for sure, but…" You try to think back. Every face. Every customer. Every car in the window—every memory is fleeting. "Yeah…"

You sit in silence with Mitsuri for quite awhile, content to stew in your thoughts. She seems to take comfort in your presence, fidgeting with the sleeve of your uniform. A numb trail of tears leaks out of her eyes, which she fruitlessly swipes away at.

That man was probably watching you guys at work.

It's a terrifying thought. You have no proof that Genya's kidnapper was a man, nor that the wreck was premeditated, but it is a possibility. Someone could have been stalking him, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

It's not far-fetched to think that you could also be in this person's line of sight. He saw you with Genya.

If this kidnapper decides to go after you, he already knows where you work. He knows what time you get off and what car you drive. Given the isolated location of where the wreck happened, it's also not far-fetched to think that the kidnapper knows what places have cameras.

Whoever took Genya is an experienced killer.