Chapter Text
Kanade joined the Nightcord call. Everything was normal. Kanade was composing, Ena was drawing, Ena and Mizuki maybe started bickering as usual. But something was wrong.
Mafuyu wasn't there.
Mafuyu's usual presence wasn't loud or talkative or anything, but it was there. And it felt...empty without her there.
"Has anyone seen Mafuyu recently?" Ena asked.
"Uh, I don't know... I don't remember seeing her lately..." Mizuki replied.
Kanade thought for a moment. If nobody had seen her for a while, then there must be one other place that she could be.
"She's in the Sekai."
Ena looked confused, Mizuki looked stunned.
"How did you get to that idea?" Ena asked
"She...she goes there sometimes as like, escapism, you know..."
Mizuki looked worried. "Are you going to find her?"
Kanade nodded. "I'm gonna be right back."
She exited the Nightcord call and picked up her phone.
She pressed the play button on Untitled.
She didn't know what was waiting for her.
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Mafuyu was sitting in the middle of the Sekai, staring into the abyss, seemingly in a dissociative state. Kanade appeared in the Sekai behind her.
Mafuyu barely flinched as she heard Kanade's entrance.
"Mafuyu...?"
"What are you doing here." Mafuyu's voice was cold, flat, lifeless already.
"I...I just wanted to see if you'd come back to the real world..."
Mafuyu's head tilted ever so slightly. "I don't have any more use for the real world anymore. I'm not coming back."
Kanade was taken aback by Mafuyu's straightforward answer. "Wh-why not...?"
"Everyone there hates me, Kanade. They hate the real me. Why do you think I put up a 'good girl' act all the time? It's either that or be hated for me."
"And frankly, it's exhausting."
She turned to Kanade. Slowly, almost robotic. Kanade saw that her eyes were empty
"Get out of my sight. I'm sick of people who pretend to care."
Those words shook Kanade to her core. She felt like she had no choice but to turn back.
"I'm sorry, Mafuyu...I'm sorry you feel that way..." Kanade said under her breath as she left the Sekai.