✧˚ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒍

22

the car pulled to a slow stop in the dimly lit driveway, the faint hum of the engine fading as saitō ryūji turned off the ignition. y/n glanced at the familiar façade of her house, her fingers already fidgeting with the handle of the door. "thanks for bringing me back..." she mumbled, barely meeting his gaze as she reached into her bag to retrieve the house key. her voice was soft, nearly swallowed by the awkward tension that filled the car. she unlocked the door with a faint click and reached for the handle to let herself out, but before she could push it open, she heard the unmistakable sound of the lock engaging again. startled, y/n turned her head to look at saitō, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"wait..." he said firmly, his voice calm but laced with an edge of authority. "don't you think for a second that you can leave without talking about this," he added, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. y/n let out a frustrated sigh, her shoulders sinking as she eased back into her seat. it was clear from her expression that she didn't want to stay, fearing this would spiral into yet another argument—one she didn't have the energy for tonight. saitō noticed her frustration and softened his tone slightly, though the sternness remained. "s/n...you know better than to go out on your own. what if something had happened to you?" he asked, his voice tinged with genuine concern.

"it wouldn't have happened because ayato was there." y/n shot back, her tone defensive as she crossed her arms.

saitō sighed, rubbing his temples as if the weight of the situation was pressing down on him. "you don't even know him," he said, trying to reason with her. "you've barely been at your new school for two months, and suddenly you and...a-and this boy are as close as two peas in a pod. how do you know for sure that he isn't just using you for his own desires?" he pointed out.

"he's not like that," y/n retorted, her voice sharp as she glared at her bodyguard. "ayato is...a friend."

saitō didn't buy it. not even for a second. his disbelieving frown deepened, but he eventually sighed, leaning back against his seat in resignation. "forget it," he muttered, his voice weary. "i'll let your family handle this." he unlocked the door without another word, signaling that their conversation was over. y/n rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath as she pushed the door open and stepped out. she didn't bother saying goodbye, her feet carrying her swiftly to the front door of her house.

once inside, the quietness of the house greeted her like a hollow echo. something was off. she stood still for a moment, listening for any sign of movement, but there was none. cautiously, she called out, "dad? are you home?" no response.

she called again, adding the name of her father's girlfriend this time, but once again, silence was her only answer. after a moment of hesitation, she relaxed, the realization dawning on her. 'they must still be out...' she thought, exhaling a sigh of relief.

the last thing she wanted tonight was to deal with more questions or reprimands from her family. heading upstairs, she moved quickly, eager to shed the day's stress. the familiar creak of the wooden steps beneath her feet and the soft hum of the night outside were the only sounds accompanying her. she entered her room, locked the door behind her, and dropped her bag onto the floor. kicking off her shoes, she made her way to her dresser, grabbing some comfortable clothes for bed.