𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝑰 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝑵𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑯𝒂𝒗𝒆 [𝕘𝕚𝕪𝕦𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕠] (KNY)

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝟤𝟩: 𝒞𝑜𝓃𝒻𝑒𝓈𝓈𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈

Five days later

Shinobu POV:

I yawned as I prepared a needle for a patient. I hadn't gotten any sleep last night; an injured man had come in and needed immediant attention. His wounds were deep, and as a result I didn't have time to sleep before starting on the morning medicine. 

Just then, Tanjiro wandered in. "Hi, Kocho-san. Have you seen Tomioka-san recently? Sorry, I'm just looking for him."

"N-no.." I tried to keep my voice steady, suprised by this sudden inquiry. "Why're you looking for him?"

"I heard from someone that Makomo died..." Tanjiro's face twisted in pain. "I wasn't that close to her but I knew her... I know she was one of Tomioka-san's best friends, so I thought he might be suffering. I wanted to check up on him. But I can't seem to find him anywhere."

No. 

My heart stopped. 

Makomo. It couldn't be. The girl Tomioka had dated after I rejected him, his childhood friend?

Suddenly, I remembered what I'd said to Ayumu. 

"Then at least promise me one thing. Get rid of her. Makomo. She lives by the rock."

Shit. Shit. This was all my fault. 

I gasped for air, suddenly feeling claustrophobic. I managed a weak smile at Tanjiro, but quickly turned away to try to process it. 

Drunk, in a moment of fury, I'd asked Ayumu to murder Makomo. I told him where she lived. I couldn't believe he'd actually killed her. Who was he? A shiver ran down my spine. Was he an assasin? A serial killer? Suddenly he seemed a lot more dangerous. 

"Do you... do you know how she died?" I asked Tanjiro, than winced. That sounded insensitive. "I mean... was it a demon or...?"

Tanjiro stared at her for a moment. Than, as if he already knew my guilt, he smiled sadly. "Her neck. Cut by a human. Not a demon."

I stepped back, reeling. "Oh."

Me and Tanjiro stared at each other in confusion, as if we both didn't understand each other. Then suddenly, I blinked back tears I didn't know were about to fall, and murmured, "I have to go."

Before I stepped out the door, Tanjiro put a hand on my shoulder and looked at me with clarity in his eyes. "Kocho-san. I believe in you."

If you knew what I've done, you wouldn't. 

"Thank you, Tanjiro-kun." 

And then I ran, straight down the hallway, to where Giyu's house was. I needed to tell him. 

Even if it cost me everything I wanted. 

A/N: pls comment and vote to support next chapter <3