After the incident on the ship, Ren is maybe a little put off by how people just...talk about Goro's disappearance so casually. Why aren't they worried? Even his fans aren't, why is that? It doesn't make sense and maybe, Ren is really pissed about it.

One day, Ren just makes a post on one of the fan sites. "Why isn't anyone worried that Akchi's gone?"

A reply: "It's not the first time it's happened. He just does this."
"Yeah remember that time in 2014? He just dipped from the face of the earth for like two months lol."

"Yeah, and he just showed up again one day!"
"There were so many conspiracy theories about that. He said he needed a break but he looked so weak and different..."
"Yeah I heard he even had trouble carrying books for a while... I'll carry your books when you come back Akchi-san!!"

Curious, Ren does a deep dive. There's little he can find, and he suspects maybe Shido had a hand in censorship of those. But there are a few places that talk about it; tabloids and more fansites. There's not much, there are pictures of him with captions saying where it was taken

In all of them, he does look thin and weak. Eventually, Ren finds... it.

"Anyone know who this woman is?? I've been seeing her around our school for a week now... I think she's been waiting for Akchi-kun... So creepy!! He's too young for you, hag!! Stop stalking teenage boys!!"

The picture is set in front of the school gate. Their faces are blurry, the picture having been taken far away and in a hurry; but there's no mistaking it. That was Akechi—and Wakaba Isshiki, only two weeks before her death.

What's this thread for, you ask? Absolutely nothing! I just get urges to improv headcanons.