Psycho

new student

Tanjirou's POV

---

After I finished eating my hot dog, I couldn't shake off the strange feeling from the earlier interaction. There was something about the guy that made my spine chill. I tried to brush it off, telling myself that maybe he was just bad at talking to people, but the uneasy feeling lingered like a dark cloud over my thoughts.

The next morning, I was jolted awake by a loud knocking at the door. The sound echoed through the quiet house, making me jump. I groaned, rubbing my eyes as I stumbled out of bed. The knocking continued, each thud more insistent than the last. I glanced at the clock. It was earlier than I usually woke up. With a sigh, I walked downstairs to see who it was.

As I unlocked the door, I saw Nezuko standing there, looking up at me with her big, bright eyes. She had just come back from a sleepover. A sense of relief washed over me. It was just Nezuko. "How was it?" I asked, forcing a smile as I let her in.

"It was amazing!" she replied, her voice full of excitement. She hugged me tightly before running upstairs to change into her school uniform. I watched her go, feeling a little more at ease. I needed to get ready too.

I went back to my room, trying to shake off the lingering sense of unease. I fixed my hair and decided to put on a little makeup—just eyeliner and a bit of lip gloss. Some people called it "boy eyeliner," but I liked the way it looked. After getting dressed, I hurried downstairs, grabbed my shoes, and slung my bag over my shoulder. I could eat at school.

"Nezuko! Hurry up!" I called out, impatience creeping into my voice. I needed to get away from the house, away from the strange feeling that seemed to have settled over everything.

"Coming!" Nezuko called back, running down the stairs. Her long black hair with orange tips bounced as she moved, and I couldn't help but smile at her energy. We left the house together, heading out into the cool morning air.

I dropped Nezuko off at her middle school and then made my way to my high school. My friends were waiting for me in the parking lot, gathered around Tsuki’s motorcycle. The sight of them, familiar and carefree, made me feel a little better.

"Hey guys!" I called out, jogging over. We exchanged fist bumps, a little ritual that always felt comforting.

"How’s your sister doing? Also, you left a little early last night," Tsuki said, raising an eyebrow at me as we started walking towards the school entrance.

"Just felt uneasy," I admitted, scratching the back of my head. It was hard to explain, but the feeling hadn’t left me since yesterday.

"What are you, a scaredy cat?" Inosuke shouted, his voice loud enough to make a few people turn and look.

"I'm not a scaredy cat," I shot back, trying to keep my tone light.

"Let’s try not to cause a fight," Yuzu interjected, stepping between us before things could escalate. Her calm presence was always a good counter to Inosuke’s hot-headedness.

"I heard we’re getting a new student. Who do you think it’s going to be?" Kori said, looking up at the sky with a dreamy expression. She was always in her own world, half-listening, half-daydreaming.

"I hope they're pretty," Zenitsu said with a hopeful sigh, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Fucking pervert," Tsuki muttered, giving him a death glare.

Just then, a voice called out, "Tsuki! We need you this morning in the student council room!" We all turned to see a girl with long black hair tipped in orange and yellow, like fire. Her teal eyes were sharp, and she wore the school uniform neatly—white button-up shirt, green tie, beige sweater, and a long dark green skirt.

"But Yuki, I thought student council was canceled this week?" Tsuki asked, looking confused.

"We just need you for something—" Yuki began, then faltered. She looked up at the sky, seeming to forget what she was supposed to say next.

"Hey, bitch, who made this book? What's the line?" Tsuki yelled into the sky, exasperated.

(Seriously, why do I do this myself It costs no worries and no brain cells to not?)

Yuki grabbed Tsuki by the arm, pulling her away. The rest of us headed to class, not thinking much of it. Tsuki was always being dragged off for something student council-related. It was just part of her life.

I stopped by the lunchroom to grab an apple, the familiar buzz of morning chatter filling the air. As I walked to class, I couldn't help but notice how the school felt a little different today. The halls seemed quieter, the shadows a little darker. Maybe it was just my imagination, but it felt like something was watching, waiting.

I reached my first class, English, and sat down next to Genya, one of my closest friends. We exchanged nods, and I tried to focus, but my mind kept wandering back to that strange guy from yesterday.

The teacher walked in, setting his papers down on the desk. "Alright, class, if you haven’t heard, we’re getting a new student. Please welcome him with open arms." He gestured to the door. "Come in."

I tried to keep my expression neutral as the door opened and someone stepped in. My heart skipped a beat. It was him. The same guy from yesterday. He looked the same, except now he was wearing our school uniform. His eyes scanned the room until they found me, and for a moment, they seemed to light up.

"Please introduce yourself," the teacher prompted.

"My name is Tokitou Muichiro, and I just transferred here because of a scholarship," he said, his voice calm and composed. His gaze never left mine, and I felt a strange mix of emotions—curiosity, unease, something I couldn't quite name.

"Okay, Tokitou, you may sit next to anyone you would like," the teacher said, gesturing to the empty seats. Hands shot up around the room, but he ignored them all. Without hesitation, he walked over to the empty desk next to me and sat down.

I tried to focus on the lesson, but I could feel his presence beside me, like a shadow that wouldn't leave. His eyes lingered on me, and I could feel a cold sweat forming on the back of my neck. Why was he sitting next to me? What did he want?

As the teacher droned on, my thoughts kept circling back to Muichiro. There was something about him, something that set him apart from everyone else. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the start of something, something I wasn’t ready for.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I couldn't concentrate on anything, my mind constantly drifting back to Muichiro. The way he watched me, the way he seemed to know more than he let on. It was unsettling, like he could see right through me.

When the final bell rang, I packed my things slowly, trying to avoid looking at him. But as I stood up to leave, he was there, standing in the doorway, waiting.

"Can we talk?" he asked, his voice soft but firm.

I hesitated, glancing around the empty classroom. "About what?"