𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 | ᴋᴜᴢᴜʀʏᴜ ꜰᴜʏᴜʜɪᴋᴏ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

~𝟏𝟖~

Fuyuhiko paced back and forth in his office, the sound of his footsteps quick and restless against the hardwood floor. His brows were furrowed, fists clenched tightly at his sides as he glared at the clock on the wall. It had been over three hours since Hannah left the manor, and the sky had long since darkened. The rain outside was coming down in sheets now, pounding against the windows, adding to the growing tension in the room.

Peko stood quietly by the doorway, her posture as composed as ever, but there was a subtle concern in her eyes. She had been trying to calm Fuyuhiko down for the past hour, but nothing seemed to help.

"Young master, please calm down. I'm sure Hannah will return soon." Peko said softly, though even she couldn't hide the trace of worry in her voice.

Fuyuhiko let out an irritated growl, running a hand through his hair. "Three hours, Peko. She's been out there for three goddamn hours, and it's pouring rain. Where the hell could she even be at this point?" He turned sharply, facing Peko with frustration written all over his face. "And if my father finds out I let her go off on her own- especially at night-!"

"You did warn her." Peko reminded him gently, stepping closer. "You've been keeping her safe, as your father requested. But Hannah... she's stubborn. She doesn't listen."

Fuyuhiko scoffed, his jaw tightening. "That's not good enough. My father doesn't care about how stubborn she is. If anything happens to her- if she gets hurt, kidnapped, or worse-!" He stopped, fists trembling at his sides as he imagined the consequences. His father wouldn't just be angry; this was the Togami heir they were talking about. Fuyuhiko's entire family would be put at risk if something happened to her under his watch.

Peko watched him for a moment before speaking again. "Do you want me to go out and search for her, young master? I can find her, and quickly."

Fuyuhiko hesitated, glaring at the rain through the window. "No. She'll come back," he muttered, though the doubt in his voice was obvious. "She has to come back. If you go out now, she might show up while you're gone, and then we'll have to deal with even more bullshit."

Peko nodded, though her gaze lingered on Fuyuhiko. "Then we wait. But don't blame yourself for her decisions. She knew the risks when she left."

Fuyuhiko clenched his teeth, shaking his head. "That's not how it works, Peko. She can't understand the risks like I do. She thinks she's invincible or something because of her name. But that makes her a bigger target. People would love to get their hands on her, just to humiliate or destroy the Togami family." He slammed his fist against his desk in frustration. "I should've just locked her in her damn room if I had to."

The rain continued to beat against the windows, the wind howling outside. Each minute that passed felt like an eternity, and Fuyuhiko's impatience grew with each second. His mind raced with possibilities, each one worse than the last. What if someone had been watching the manor, waiting for her to slip out alone? What if she had been followed?

He cursed under his breath, pacing again. "She's such a pain in the ass. Why can't she just listen for once in her life?"

Just as Fuyuhiko was about to storm out of the room himself, the faint sound of the front door creaking open echoed down the hall. He froze, eyes narrowing as he shot a look at Peko.

Peko gave him a calm nod. "It's her."

Without another word, Fuyuhiko strode toward the door, his heart pounding with a mix of relief and anger. As he stepped into the main hall, he saw Hannah standing by the entrance, completely drenched from head to toe, shivering and miserable. Her hoodie was soaked through, water dripping from her hair onto the floor as she pulled her hood back.