**Shadows in the Night**

The darkness of the room seemed to press in around Mitsuba as he sat up in bed, his heart racing and his sheets drenched in sweat. It had taken him a few moments to realize that he was having a nightmare, but the images still lingered in his mind like a fresh scar. He had dreamed of Kou, of Kou's lifeless body, of the sound of his laughter silenced forever. The dream had been so vivid, so real, that Mitsuba couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that lingered long after he woke up. He threw off the covers and got out of bed, his mind still reeling from the nightmare. He tried to tell himself it was just a dream, that Kou was fine, but the fear lingered. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong, that something had happened to Kou. Without thinking, Mitsuba got dressed and ran out of his apartment, into the cool night air. The streets were empty and quiet, the only sound being the echo of his footsteps off the buildings. He ran as fast as he could, his heart pounding in his chest, his mind consumed by the images of the nightmare. Finally, he arrived at Kou's house, his lungs burning and his legs aching. He tried the door, and to his surprise, it swung open easily. He slipped inside, his eyes adjusting to the dim light of the hallway. The house was quiet, the only sound being the creak of the stairs beneath his feet. Mitsuba's heart was racing as he climbed the stairs, his mind consumed by worst-case scenarios. He reached Kou's room and pushed open the door, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of Kou. The room was dark, the only light coming from the moon shining through the window. Mitsuba's eyes adjusted slowly, and he saw Kou's bed, rumpled and unmade. He approached the bed, his heart pounding in his chest, and saw Kou lying there, fast asleep. Mitsuba let out a sigh of relief as he saw that Kou was alive and unharmed. He felt a wave of shame wash over him, realizing that he had let his nightmare get the better of him. But as he looked at Kou, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was still off, that the nightmare had been more than just a dream. He sat down on the bed, his hand reaching out to touch Kou's face. Kou stirred, his eyes fluttering open. "Mitzu?" Kou's voice was groggy, but full of concern. "What's wrong?" Mitsuba hesitated, unsure of how to explain. He looked at Kou, and for a moment, he forgot about the nightmare, forgot about the fear that had driven him to Kou's house in the middle of the night. All he could think about was the fact that Kou was alive, and that he was safe. But as he looked into Kou's eyes, he knew that he couldn't keep the nightmare to himself. He had to tell Kou, had to tell him about the fear that had consumed him. He took a deep breath, and began to speak, his voice barely above a whisper.