Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
THE MIKAGE household must have been around five kilometers away but Seishiro didn't stop to think about it. He couldn't fucking stop or else he would get there in an hour. An hour. He was too upset to tolerate any more minutes of uncertainty. The night was beginning to fill the sky with its opaque squid ink when he switched to jogging, unable to keep going at the same rhythm as he started. But even then, he didn't take a break.
It was too early for the stars to be seen but too late for the weather to be bearable. The cold prickled his cheeks, his chest, and his lips. His legs burned and Seishiro could only breathe harder through his nose, forcing his body to keep pushing. Years ago, he would've complained about traveling shorter distances, but the panic now prevented him from even thinking about complaining. Without knowing why, he was gnawed by the fear of arriving at the mansion too late.
Too late... for what?
He arrived at the Mikage's residence with sweat on his neck and his hair made into a mess. He didn't notice how hysterical he looked until Reo's mom opened the door for him and arched her brow as if he were a pesky bug. Words escaped him for a moment until he found his voice and asked: "Is Reo home?"
"Reo?" She repeated, blinking in confusion. "He must have settled into his new residence already."
"New... residence?"
"Yeah, he left on Sunday. Didn't he tell you anything?"
Seishiro shook his head no as he stared at the ground. What the hell did it mean that Reo was gone? Where? Why didn't he tell Seishiro he would leave? When was he coming back?
He couldn't bring himself to ask any questions when all his doubts rang in his ears at the same time; overwhelming. Reo would never leave unannounced, except if it were an emergency. Therefore, something must have happened that required his presence urgently, perhaps an issue with his college paperwork.
Shit, which university had he applied to? Should Seishiro ask Tsurugi? Reo kept in contact with the guy, and Zantetsu must remember because he had a good memory for someone usually labeled as an airhead. But even if he told Seishiro where Reo was, that didn't answer why the hell Reo wasn't replying to anyone's messages. It wasn't like wifi only existed on one side of Japan.
Seishiro's tongue felt heavy as he tried to articulate. He gulped, only to find his mouth drier than before. It was difficult for him to put words together. There was a pressure on his chest akin to fear, and Seishiro didn't want to acknowledge it as such. He tried again, feeling his fingers itch. "I'm sorry, where-?"
"Sara, what's taking so long? Just close the door-"
Reo's father soon appeared in the scene, shutting his mouth abruptly as he took in Seishiro's appearance. "Oh, what do you want, kid?"
