𝑅𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓂𝒷𝑒𝓇 𝑀𝑒 [ ObaMitsu fanfic/ R-(MA)] Kimetsu No Yaiba

Chapter 49 - In the Shadows

Chapter Song: Noise Candy Music - "Snuff" (Instrumental version)
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The train ride home was a blur for Kanae, her mind still processing her talk with Genya. She replayed their conversation, trying to think of any way to help Sanemi if speaking with Obanai about Rengoku's father didn't work. The memory of his bruises gnawed at her, and a sinking feeling of helplessness settled in her chest.

Lost in thought, Kanae stepped off the train, barely noticing the emptiness of the station or the soft shadows stretching along the platform. Her apartment wasn't far, and the usual peace of her quiet neighborhood felt oddly unsettling tonight. But she shrugged it off, tucking her coat tighter around her.

As she neared the complex, the distant sound of footsteps broke the silence. She slowed, her pulse quickening. It's nothing, she thought, brushing it off as an echo. But the footsteps mirrored her own, just a beat too late. She glanced over her shoulder but saw only the flickering streetlights casting dim patches of light.

She picked up her pace, clutching her phone tightly, the faint footsteps still following. The sound felt closer, steady, insistent. A chill crept up her spine. Heart racing, she quickly unlocked her phone, her fingers hovering over the dial pad, ready to call the police if she needed to.

Then the footsteps sped up.

Panic flared, and she broke into a run, her breaths coming in shallow gasps as she sprinted down the dim street. Every few steps, she dared a quick glance behind her, catching glimpses of a dark figure moving swiftly in her direction.

"Mitsuri..." he called, his voice slipping into a playful yet unsettling tone that echoed through the street. His grin stretched a little too wide, eyes narrowing as he ran faster, his voice a strange mixture of sing-song and menace.

"Where are you hiding, Mitsuri?" he continued, dragging out Mitsuri's name in a way that made Kanae shiver. His gaze darted straight at Kanae, savoring the fear he hoped to see.

He picked up his speed, his footsteps echoing louder. "I know you're around  here..." he whispered, his tone high and rough, each word laced with a hint of a dark thrill.

Kanae felt her heart skip, an uneasy chill creeping up her spine as he almost reached her. Panic flared, her breaths coming in shallow gasps as she sprinted down the dim street. Every few steps, she dared a quick glance behind her, catching glimpses of a dark figure moving quicly in her direction. The front of their cap obscured their face, but their gaze bore down on her, unyielding, relentless.

"Kanae?"

She barely registered the voice before crashing into a solid figure in front of her building, gasping in shock.

"Sanemi!" Her voice was barely more than a whisper, and her breaths came in frantic, shallow gulps, her body trembling uncontrollably. She looked up, her wide, terrified eyes meeting his, struggling to process that he was actually here.

Sanemi's brows knit in concern, his gaze flickering from her face to the street beyond. Without a word, he put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his jaw tight with determination. He turned, moving past her and into the shadows, his footsteps confident as he searched for any sign of the person who had followed her.

The street was eerily silent, with only the faint hum of distant traffic in the background. Kanae watched, frozen in place as Sanemi disappeared down the alley, her pulse still racing. She wrapped her arms around herself, struggling to slow her breathing, eyes fixed on the darkened street.

Several long moments passed, each one feeling like an eternity. Then, finally, Sanemi reappeared, his expression hard, shoulders tense.

"No one's there," he said, his voice calm but edged with an unmistakable protectiveness. His eyes softened as they landed on her again,