Hannah laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind still restless from the conversation with Fuyuhiko earlier. The room was dark, save for the faint glow of the moonlight filtering through the curtains. The rain outside had softened to a gentle drizzle, the rhythmic tapping against her window doing little to soothe the knot of frustration in her chest.

It was well past midnight when she finally heard it, the distant creak of the front door opening, followed by the soft thud of it closing. Her heart skipped a beat, and she sat up in bed, straining to hear more. It had to be Fuyuhiko and Peko returning from the meeting. They were the only people who could be coming in at this hour.

She listened intently as the sound of quiet footsteps moved through the house, heavy but deliberate. A part of her wanted to rush downstairs, to confront him again about the meeting and what had happened. But another part, the one still stinging from his earlier dismissal, held her back.

Instead, she sat in the dim silence, waiting for some clue as to how things had gone. The meeting had been important, she knew that much. Dangerous, even. She couldn't help but worry, despite everything.

The footsteps grew louder as they neared her room, and she quickly laid back down, pulling the covers up and pretending to be asleep. The door creaked open just a crack, and Hannah felt her breath hitch slightly as she heard Fuyuhiko's familiar voice, hushed and tired.

"She's probably asleep by now." he muttered softly, clearly talking to Peko.

There was a brief pause before Peko's quiet reply. "It's for the best. Let her rest. She's had a tiring day as well."

Another silence followed, and Hannah could almost feel Fuyuhiko standing there, his gaze lingering on the door. She wasn't sure why she stayed still, pretending to sleep. Maybe she didn't want another argument, or maybe it was because part of her wanted to hear him like this; calmer, less guarded.

Finally, the door closed gently, and their footsteps faded down the hall.

Hannah laid there for a few more moments, her mind racing. She could feel the tension in the house, even from her room. Something must have happened at the meeting, something that weighed heavily on Fuyuhiko.

Curiosity gnawed at her, and after a moment of hesitation, she quietly slipped out of bed.

Hannah swung her legs over the side of the bed, her bare feet hitting the cold floor as she stood. She hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not to go downstairs. After everything that had happened earlier, she wasn't sure if Fuyuhiko would even want to see her. He'd made it pretty clear that he didn't want her involved in whatever had gone down tonight.

But something gnawed at her, a mix of curiosity and concern. Had the meeting gone well? Was he alright? The thought of something having gone wrong stuck in her mind, and before she could overthink it, she quietly slipped out of her room.

The soft glow of lights from downstairs spilled up the staircase, and she could hear Fuyuhiko's voice more clearly now, though the words were still indistinct.

She hesitated. Part of her wanted to stay in her room, to avoid another confrontation after their tense exchange earlier. But another part of her, stronger and more restless, wanted to know what had happened.

Quietly, she made her way down the hallway, her bare feet barely making a sound on the wooden floors as she crept towards the top of the stairs. The voices grew clearer, and now she could make out Fuyuhiko's irritated tone.

"...could've gone worse, but it didn't. We handled it." His voice was low, controlled, but there was an unmistakable edge to it.

Peko responded, her voice calm and measured as always. "Yes, young master, but the situation was more volatile than we anticipated. We'll need to be more careful next time."

Hannah carefully made her way down the stairs, trying to be as quiet as possible. As she reached the bottom, she paused, leaning against the wall as she caught sight of Fuyuhiko and Peko in his office.

Fuyuhiko was tugging at his tie, looking utterly exhausted. His jacket was already off, draped over one of the nearby chairs, and he looked more frustrated than she had ever seen him. Peko stood a few steps behind him, as calm and composed as always, though there was a tension in her posture that hadn't been there earlier.

"You think they'll follow through?" Fuyuhiko muttered, pulling the tie off completely and tossing it onto the chair with a scowl.

"It's hard to say." Peko replied, her voice measured. "The families have their own agendas, but they wouldn't risk starting something without being sure of their position."

Fuyuhiko scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, well, they better think twice. I'm not dealing with this bullshit on my own."

Hannah's breath caught in her throat as she stood just outside the office door, eavesdropping on their conversation. Something had definitely gone wrong, and from the sound of it, Fuyuhiko wasn't happy. She could feel the tension in his voice, that same edge of frustration she'd seen earlier when he'd snapped at her.

She leaned closer, trying to hear more, her heart pounding in her chest.

There was another pause, then Fuyuhiko muttered, "But it still doesn't change the fact that I gotta keep an eye on her. She's not making any of this easier."

Hannah froze, realizing he was talking about her.

"She's not used to this world, young master." Peko replied gently. "But she's strong in her own way. She just needs time to adjust."

There was another long sigh from Fuyuhiko. "Time... right. Let's hope she doesn't get herself killed before then."

Hannah clenched her fists, her heart racing with a mix of frustration and something she couldn't quite place. He didn't think she could handle it, just like always. And maybe part of him was right, she didn't know everything about the world of the clans, but that didn't mean she was helpless. She wasn't going to let him protect her like she was some fragile thing. She was strong, mentally and physically, she could fight, she was smart, she was logical and strategic. What more did they want from her?

Fuyuhiko leaned against his desk, arms crossed, while Peko stood beside him, quietly offering her observations. Neither of them noticed Hannah standing just outside the doorway, listening.

She could hear snippets of their conversation, though most of it was vague and filled with terms she didn't quite understand.

"This whole thing with the Morioka clan was messier than we expected." Fuyuhiko muttered, clearly agitated. "And if they find out we were the ones who interfered-"

"Then we'll handle it," Peko responded calmly. "But we need to be careful. One wrong move and the Togami name could get dragged into this, too."

At the mention of her family name, Hannah's curiosity piqued even more, but she was too tired to fully process the weight of what they were saying. Her body felt heavy, and her mind was clouded with exhaustion from the long hours of training with Peko, and the restless hours she'd spent waiting for them to return.

"What matters is it's done. We didn't screw anything up." Fuyuhiko muttered, though there was a tightness in his voice that suggested he wasn't as sure of himself as he pretended to be.

Peko nodded, her expression unreadable. "I'll prepare a report for your father in the morning."

Fuyuhiko waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Unable to keep silent any longer, Hannah gently pushed the door open with her shoulder, her movements slow and tired. The door creaked as it swung wide, and both Fuyuhiko and Peko's heads snapped toward her.

"What's going on?" she asked in a soft, drowsy voice, rubbing her eyes and stifling a yawn. She stepped into the room, the dim lighting making her look even more tired and disheveled than she already felt.

Fuyuhiko's expression shifted from surprise to mild irritation. "What the hell are you doing up?" he asked, his voice gruff but not harsh. "It's late. You should be asleep."

Hannah blinked at him, barely registering the scolding in his tone. She yawned again, leaning against the doorframe as her exhaustion seemed to hit her all at once. "I couldn't sleep," she mumbled. "And then I heard you two talking... I just wanted to know what's going on."

Peko's eyes softened slightly as she exchanged a glance with Fuyuhiko. She could tell Hannah was too tired to be a part of this conversation, but the girl's stubbornness kept her on her feet. "It's nothing for you to worry about," Peko said gently. "We're just going over details from tonight's meeting."

Hannah frowned, not entirely satisfied with that answer. "But you mentioned my family... the Togami name. What does any of this have to do with me?"

Fuyuhiko ran a hand through his hair, exhaling a long breath. "It doesn't, not directly." he muttered, clearly not in the mood for a detailed explanation. "We've got a lot going on right now, and it's best if you stay out of it."

Hannah crossed her arms, her fatigue making her feel more irritable than usual. "You keep saying that, but I feel like I'm always being kept in the dark."

Fuyuhiko opened his mouth to respond, but Peko stepped forward before he could say anything, her tone calm but firm. "Hannah, you're exhausted. Right now, the best thing you can do is get some rest. We'll deal with everything else. You don't need to worry."

Hannah bit her lip, torn between the desire to argue and the overwhelming need for sleep. She swayed slightly on her feet, and Fuyuhiko noticed, his expression softening ever so slightly.

"Go to bed, Hannah." he said, his voice gentler this time. "We'll talk in the morning if you really want to, but tonight, you need sleep."

Her tiredness was obvious, hair slightly tousled, and her hoodie hanging loosely off one shoulder. She looked worn out, barely able to keep herself upright as she leaned against the doorframe.

Hannah stood in the doorway, her sleepy eyes narrowing as she looked between Fuyuhiko and Peko. They both appeared worn out, clearly feeling the weight of whatever responsibility had kept them up so late. She stepped further into the room, crossing her arms loosely in front of her, her voice soft but insistent.

"Shouldn't you two be in bed too?" she asked, her gaze settling on Fuyuhiko in particular.

Peko glanced at Fuyuhiko, her usual composure unshaken, but even she looked slightly tired. It was subtle, the way her shoulders were a bit tenser than usual, the faint shadows under her eyes, but to someone who had spent enough time around them, it was noticeable. Fuyuhiko, however, didn't have the same knack for hiding his exhaustion. He let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair as he leaned against the desk again.

"Yeah, we probably should." Fuyuhiko muttered, his tone gruff. "But there's too much shit to deal with right now." He picked up a few documents, flipping through them absentmindedly before tossing them back onto the desk. "Meetings like this mean a lot of follow-up work."

Hannah frowned, stepping closer to him. "But you're both exhausted." she said, noticing the tired lines on his face. "Whatever work it is... it can't be that important that you have to stay up all night. Right?"

Fuyuhiko scoffed, but it lacked his usual bite. "You don't get it, Hannah. This stuff doesn't wait. If I don't handle it tonight, it'll just pile up, and then I'll have a bigger mess to deal with tomorrow."

Peko's gaze softened just slightly as she turned to Hannah. "The young master is correct, Miss Togami. These matters are time-sensitive, and we cannot afford to delay."

Hannah crossed her arms, still not convinced. "Yeah, but how are you supposed to get anything done if you're too tired to think straight? You'll be even worse tomorrow if you don't rest."

Fuyuhiko raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching into a small, sarcastic smirk. "You're really lecturing me about getting enough sleep, huh? You, of all people?"

Hannah rolled her eyes, but there was no real heat behind it. "Okay, maybe I'm not the best example. But still. You're not invincible, Kuzuryu. You look dead on your feet."

He opened his mouth to retort but stopped, glancing briefly at Peko, who gave him a subtle nod as if agreeing with Hannah. Fuyuhiko groaned and ran a hand down his face, clearly not in the mood for a drawn-out argument.

"Fine," he muttered, leaning against the edge of the desk. "I'll take a break in a bit. But I'm not going to bed until this is done."

Hannah glanced at the scattered papers on his desk, noticing how deep into the night they'd been working. "I don't get it. You can't deal with all this on no sleep, Fuyuhiko. And Peko- don't you ever rest?"

Peko's eyes softened for a moment, a flicker of concern crossing her usually stoic expression. "Rest is important, Miss Togami." she said, her voice calm and steady. "But there are some nights when we simply can't afford it."

Fuyuhiko huffed, clearly not in the mood to be lectured on his sleep habits. "She's right. We've got shit to handle, and it can't wait."

Hannah narrowed her eyes but didn't push further. She knew Fuyuhiko well enough by now to recognize when he wasn't going to budge. Still, she felt a twinge of concern seeing him and Peko working themselves into the ground like this.

"At least take it easy, then." Hannah said, her voice softening again. "You're both running on fumes."

Peko gave her a slight bow. "Thank you for your concern, Miss Togami. We'll manage." But there was a hint of something in Peko's tone, almost a rare glimpse of acknowledgment that maybe Hannah had a point.

Fuyuhiko waved a hand dismissively, but the tension in his posture eased just a bit. "Go to bed, Hannah. We've got it handled. I'll catch up on sleep when I'm done."

Hannah lingered for a moment, still watching the two of them. She wanted to argue more, but the exhaustion in the room was thick, and even she didn't have the energy for a real fight.

"Alright," she finally said, backing towards the door. "Just... don't overdo it."

As she turned to leave, she heard Fuyuhiko's voice, quieter this time. "Yeah, yeah. Now go sleep, will you?"

Hannah smiled slightly to herself as she padded back down the hallway toward her room. Despite the front he put up, she could tell Fuyuhiko was listening. Maybe not tonight, but soon, he'd take the rest he needed, even if he'd never admit she was right.

In the office, Fuyuhiko let out a deep breath, shaking his head. "She's getting way too nosy."

Peko allowed a small, rare smile. "She's only worried about you, young master."

Fuyuhiko scoffed but didn't argue, returning his attention to the papers in front of him. "Yeah, well... she can worry tomorrow. Tonight, we've got work to do."