𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 | ᴋᴜᴢᴜʀʏᴜ ꜰᴜʏᴜʜɪᴋᴏ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

~𝟐𝟕~

At the meeting, the room was dimly lit, filled with an air of seriousness as various clan heads and members gathered to discuss the upcoming mission. The Togami clan, Kuzuryu clan, and several other allied families were present, all seated around a long table covered with maps and documents. Fuyuhiko sat near the head of the table with his clan, arms crossed, as the details of the mission were laid out.

The objective was clear: they needed to infiltrate a high-end club to get close to a target who had crucial information about a rival gang's movements. The plan was simple, but the key element was distraction, someone needed to draw the target's attention long enough for the others to move in.

As soon as the word "distraction" was mentioned, an unspoken understanding rippled through the room. One by one, eyes began to shift toward Hannah, who sat quietly next to her father. Dressed in her usual sophisticated but understated style, she immediately felt the weight of their collective gazes.

Hannah furrowed her brow, sensing what they were thinking. Before anyone could voice it aloud, she spoke up, her voice firm.

"No."

The room fell silent for a moment, the air heavy with tension as she crossed her arms over her chest.

One of the elder members from a distant clan chuckled softly, breaking the silence. "Come on, Hannah. You'd be perfect for this. You walk into that club, all eyes will be on you- especially the target."

Hannah clenched her jaw, shaking her head. "I'm not some pawn you can use to bat your eyelashes and get what you want. Find someone else."

The tension in the room spiked as soon as Mr Togami's glare locked onto Hannah. His voice cut through the heavy silence like a blade.

"It's not your decision."

Hannah's eyes narrowed, her body stiffening as she leaned back in her chair, her arms crossing defensively over her chest. She didn't flinch under his gaze, but the weight of his words hung in the air, thick with authority and condescension.

Across the table, Fuyuhiko's expression darkened instantly. He knew this tone, knew how Mr Togami always tried to assert control, especially over Hannah. His fists tightened at his sides, barely holding back the urge to say something.

Hannah's voice came out steady, but with a hard edge of defiance. "I'm not going to be your bait. You can glare all you want, but that's my decision."

Mr Togami's lip curled, clearly not used to being challenged, especially not by someone from his own family. His tone turned even icier.

"No Hannah. It's not your decision. You don't get a say in how we run these missions."

Hannah bristled, but before she could snap back, Fuyuhiko leaned forward, his voice a low growl. "She's not doing it. Find someone else."

Fuyuhiko's reputation as the heir of the Kuzuryu clan gave him some weight, but this was the Togami mansion, and Mr Togami wasn't one to easily back down. Still, there was something about the way Fuyuhiko stood his ground that made the other men pause.

"I didn't realize you were running this mission, young Kuzuryu?" Mr Togami finally said, his tone sharp, clearly challenging Fuyuhiko's authority.

Fuyuhiko didn't waver. "Doesn't matter who's running it. She said no. And if you think you can force her into it, you're mistaken."

Mr Togami's eyes flickered with a dangerous glint, but before he could respond, Mr Kuzuryu, who had been quietly watching the exchange, leaned forward in his seat. His voice, though calmer than his son's, carried an undeniable weight.