Zenitsu stepped toward the taller peach-haired boy, trembling under his gaze

Sabito was eerily calm, his expression remained unchanged even when Zenitsu spoke up

"Makomo...disappeared on Saturday morning. I've tried to get in contact with her but, she won't answer any calls..."

You frown "is that all you know?! What about the police?"

"Her parents have contacted the police, but they only just filed a missing persons report yesterday"

"What lead up to it all?" Sabito tapped his finger on his arm impatiently

"Well...I've only been friends with Makomo for a little while. But she recently told me that she wanted to run away from home," Zenitsu explained

You felt goosebumps prickling on your skin

Is that what she wanted to tell me?

"The reason why...I'm not exactly sure. She said that there was something she felt guilty for, and there was only one person she cared not to hurt in this process"

"...only one?" Sabito's arms fell to his sides

"That's what she said" Zenitsu confirmed "but, well since she's friends with both of you—I guess it'll be hard to figure out who she meant."

It has to be Sabito. She's treated him so much better than me

"I don't think that would be hard to figure out at all" Tanjiro declared

"...in fact, I know exactly who she meant. It was (Y/n)."

What?!

Sabito cracked his knuckles in frustration "I know you're probably used to talking out of your ass, new kid, but this isn't exactly a good time."

"Speak for yourself. You haven't yet considered what I have to say" Tanjiro retorted

The both of them stared eachother down with an aura so powerful, you could almost reach out and touch it

"I don't have to hear you to know that you're wrong. Makomo loved us both—she would never, ever say that." Sabito clenched his fists

"I don't doubt that she loves you both!" Tanjiro tensed "but you fail to understand something crucial to my argument,"

Sabito looked down at you with a disapproving stare, as if to ask why you weren't saying anything

That's because you knew exactly what Tanjiro was getting at now

"Makomo...was in love with (Y/n)."

Sabito twitched, seeming uncertain

"Makomo doesn't like girls" he stated gruffly "she would've told me."

"But how would you know? she's never told us about her love life other than vague comments on student's appearances" You interrupted

"She felt like she would have to do something like that so that you wouldn't know" Tanjiro agreed

"Funny how you claim to know more about MY friends than me." Sabito stepped forward, moving you behind him

"What would even possess you to say something like this? It's insulting that you would even consider conspiring about Makomo's personal life like that." He continued

"Because I could see it in her behavior!! I knew it from the very start; Makomo wanted so badly to speak with (y/n). Why, other than this—she wrote a confession and threw it away knowing it'd be her last!"

Sabito winced as if something had hit him, and he placed a hand over the stitches on his head

"Sabito!? Your head—" you reach for him

He dodged your hand

"This guy...has some god damn nerve" Sabito's expression became unreadable as he spoke "he's still a boy, hardly even a man, yet he claims to know secrets about my friends and speaks inappropriately over others"

"Please calm down!" You cried

"I'm friends with them too. I promised (Y/n) I would help her because she was always alone, and getting bullied by the other students. But where were you?" Tanjiro narrowed his eyes at the other

"—You can't possibly think it's fair to try and shut me out of her life when you're barely even in it."

Sabito was fuming with anger. You were scared to even touch him

"Why am I even here...?" Zenitsu groaned to himself

You fumbled to grab your phone from your backpack and immediately started scrolling

Sabito raised a hand, as if he were about to slap Tanjiro, and you pressed play on the voicemail that Makomo left you

"...hey, (Y/n), it's me. Makomo."

They both stopped to turn their attention to you

"I really wanted to talk to you but I guess you aren't home right now. I get it"

Her voice began to sound choked up, like she wanted to cry

"Please, come meet me down by the empty dock, near the abandoned buildings. Don't bring Sabito, or anybody else for that matter. I want it to just be us."

Sabito frowned

"I want to give you a formal apology for everything that I've done. Before I...well, I can explain more later. I'm running out of time. Meet me there okay?"

The voicemail cut off

Everybody was completely silent

"You...knew...you knew what would happen to her. And you said NOTHING." Sabito glared at Zenitsu

Zenitsu frowns and shrinks away from him "I didn't think she would actually—I mean, it's more complicated than that"

"There's no time for this. I'm gonna go find her" you shove your phone back into hiding

"You're not going alone" Tanjiro says

"...and you're not going alone with him, either" Sabito added

"I don't give a fuck what you two do. This little immature back and forth has nothing to do with me anymore!" You hiss "I hurt my friend and I'm gonna go make things right. Stop making it about yourselves"

You turn quickly and run off, breathing hard in between sobs as you struggle to catch your breath

Don't give up yet makomo...I'm sorry. I had no idea

The bell rang while you were running outside, and a swarm of students pushed past you

Why didn't you tell me? I would've been okay with staying as your friend—none of that shit matters to me

"WAIT" a voice shouted behind you

You throw your skateboard onto the ground and progress onward without looking back

I was selfish. You're a sweet person that doesn't deserve to get hurt.

My reputation doesn't matter at all anymore—I broke my promise to keep you and Sabito safe.

if there's any time for me to stop this then that's what I'll do