Fuyuhiko stood in the foyer of the Kuzuryu manor, adjusting his jacket as he prepared to leave for one of the clan's facilities. This building, a secured location filled with meeting rooms and surveillance equipment, served as a strategic hub for the clan's operations. The air was tense with anticipation of the day's work ahead.

His mind was focused on the task ahead, ensuring everything would go smoothly. The rest of his men were gathered, finalizing their own preparations when Riku approached him, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Hey, boss." Riku said casually, glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one was listening too closely. "What about Hannah? Think she could come along today?"

Fuyuhiko shot him a sharp look, already knowing where this was going. "Absolutely not." he said bluntly. "It's too dangerous, and she'll just get in the way. This isn't some field trip."

Riku frowned, undeterred. "Come on, boss. She's been cooped up in the manor for days now. You know she needs a change of scenery. Besides, she's been good lately. She can just sit in a corner and do her schoolwork or something. She won't be a problem."

Fuyuhiko sighed deeply, his mind torn. On one hand, he knew Riku had a point, Hannah had been restless, and keeping her locked away all the time wasn't helping. But on the other hand, he couldn't risk her getting caught up in the dangerous work of the clan. He rubbed his temples, clearly annoyed.

"Riku, this isn't just a simple meeting or a casual visit. There's always a chance something could go wrong, and if she's there... she's a liability." Fuyuhiko muttered, his voice edged with frustration.

Riku, ever persistent, raised an eyebrow. "She doesn't need to be involved in anything dangerous. She can stay out of the way. I'll even keep an eye on her if you're worried. But you know it's not good for her to stay locked up in the manor all the time. It's driving her nuts."

Fuyuhiko hesitated, glancing toward the hallway where Hannah was likely somewhere in her room. He hated the thought of her feeling trapped, even if he was only trying to protect her. His shoulders tensed as he weighed his options.

Finally, he let out a reluctant sigh. "Fine," he muttered, waving a hand in resignation. "But she stays out of the way. I don't want her wandering around or sticking her nose into anything. And if there's even a hint of trouble, she's out of there. Got it?"

Riku grinned, nodding enthusiastically. "Got it, boss. I'll make sure she behaves."

Fuyuhiko shot him a look. "I mean it, Riku. If anything happens, you're the one responsible for getting her out. She stays in the background, does her schoolwork, and nothing more."

"Yeah, yeah," Riku replied, already turning to head down the hallway to find Hannah. "I'll go let her know."

As Riku disappeared around the corner, Fuyuhiko let out another sigh, his gaze narrowing as he mentally prepared for the day ahead. This was a risk, and deep down, he wasn't entirely sure if he'd made the right choice. But there was no turning back now.

Moments later, Hannah appeared, following Riku into the foyer with an excited, hopeful look in her eyes. She had her backpack slung over her shoulder, the strap nearly slipping off as she tried to act casual. "So... I can come?" she asked, looking up at Fuyuhiko with a mixture of curiosity and excitement.

"Yeah, but don't get too comfortable." Fuyuhiko replied gruffly. "You're going to stay in one place, do your schoolwork, and you're not getting involved in anything. Understand?"

Hannah smiled, giving him a small nod. "I get it. I'll be good, promise." She flashed him a grin, clearly pleased to be allowed out of the manor.

Fuyuhiko gave her a final, lingering look, his stern demeanor never wavering. "You'd better be." he muttered before turning toward the door, leading the way to the waiting car outside.

As they all piled into the car, Fuyuhiko couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in his gut. Hannah was along for the ride, but he'd make damn sure she stayed safe. No matter what.

~

As soon as they arrived at the facility, Fuyuhiko stepped out of the car, flanked by his clan members. The building loomed ahead, its stone walls giving off an imposing, cold presence. Without wasting any time, Fuyuhiko motioned for his men to follow him inside. They moved in unison, with Fuyuhiko at the front, his expression hard and focused as they entered through the double doors.

Hannah trailed behind, her excitement from earlier now fading as she realized the serious atmosphere. She clutched her backpack, biting her lip nervously as she looked around. She had promised to stay out of the way and not cause any trouble, but just being here felt like she was crossing into a world she didn't fully understand.

Inside, the building had a dark, industrial feel. The hallways were wide but dimly lit, and the sound of their footsteps echoed ominously off the concrete walls. Fuyuhiko led them further into the facility, every step deliberate and controlled, the weight of his responsibility evident in the way he carried himself.

As they moved deeper into the building, one of Fuyuhiko's lieutenants, a tall man with a scar across his cheek, glanced back at Hannah. "You sure bringing her was a good idea, boss?" he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Fuyuhiko to hear.

Fuyuhiko didn't look back, his gaze fixed ahead. "She'll stay out of trouble." he said gruffly, more like an order than a statement.

Hannah walked a few paces behind, trying to keep her head down, but she could feel the tension in the air. There was something serious happening here, something dangerous, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to know more or just hide away like Fuyuhiko had warned her to.

They finally reached a large, metal door at the end of the corridor. Fuyuhiko stopped, signaling for his men to spread out and guard the perimeter. "Stay here." he told them, his voice calm but authoritative. "I'll handle the meeting."

He turned to Riku, who had stayed close to Hannah. "Make sure she stays in one place. Put her in my office or something."

Riku gave a nod, his usual playful attitude toned down in the serious environment. He put a hand on Hannah's shoulder, gently guiding her to a small office space nearby. "Come on, let's get you settled. There's a desk where you can do your schoolwork."

Hannah followed without protest, feeling slightly out of place in this cold, unfamiliar environment. As they entered the small room, she set her backpack down on the desk and pulled out her notebook, trying to look busy, but her thoughts kept drifting to what was happening outside.

Riku leaned against the doorway, watching her with a half-smile. "You'll be fine in here. Just don't go wandering around, okay?"

Hannah nodded, though she was already itching to know more. The curiosity was burning inside her. She didn't like being left out, especially when it came to Fuyuhiko and his world. But for now, she had no choice but to sit tight.

As Riku stepped out to stand guard, Hannah's mind raced. She glanced at the door, then back at her notebook. Part of her wanted to sneak out, just for a second, to see what Fuyuhiko was dealing with. But she remembered his warning. If she disobeyed him again, there would be consequences, and she wasn't sure she wanted to face Fuyuhiko's wrath.

Still, something felt off, and that nagging feeling in her gut wouldn't go away.

Hannah sighed, pulling out her laptop from her backpack and setting it on the desk in front of her. The familiar hum of the screen powering on did little to settle her nerves, but she focused on the schoolwork she needed to catch up on. Her fingers moved quickly across the keyboard, but her mind wandered to Fuyuhiko and what he was doing right now. The facility felt ominous, like there was something lurking beneath the surface she wasn't allowed to see.

She tried to immerse herself in the assignment, but the sterile, quiet room around her made it hard to focus. Every so often, she heard muffled voices through the walls, low and serious. Hannah chewed on her bottom lip, resisting the urge to peek outside and see what was happening. She promised Fuyuhiko she wouldn't cause trouble. She couldn't afford to get on his bad side again, especially after the last time she'd disobeyed him.

Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was going on. Her eyes flicked to the door, half-expecting it to swing open at any moment with Fuyuhiko storming in, angry at her for something, or worse, with bad news.

Minutes ticked by, and the quiet room began to feel suffocating. Her thoughts grew more restless, and no matter how much she tried to focus on the schoolwork, her mind kept wandering back to the potential danger outside. She glanced at her phone, half-hoping for a message from Fuyuhiko, but there was nothing.

With a frustrated sigh, she leaned back in the chair and rubbed her temples. What's taking so long? she thought to herself. Riku had said she'd be fine in here, but the longer she sat, the more anxious she became. Her foot began tapping nervously under the desk, the sound echoing slightly in the empty space.

Her eyes drifted to the door again, and this time, her curiosity got the better of her. Just a quick peek, she thought. I'll stay close.

But then she remembered Fuyuhiko's warning, his possessive tone the night before. He didn't take kindly to her sneaking off, and she had already caused him enough trouble. Sighing, she turned her attention back to the laptop and forced herself to type, deciding it was better not to risk it.

Yet, deep down, she knew this wasn't over. Something wasn't right, and no amount of schoolwork was going to distract her from that uneasy feeling.

After a while, the muffled noises outside the room quieted down, and without realizing it, Hannah felt herself slowly begin to relax. The tense atmosphere that had been weighing on her shoulders all day seemed to lift just a little. She took a deep breath, letting it out in a slow exhale as she leaned back in her chair. The silence was almost comforting after the constant hum of activity that had been making her uneasy earlier.

She glanced at her laptop screen again, her mind finally settling enough to focus on the schoolwork in front of her. She began typing more fluidly now, the previous distraction fading into the background. For a moment, it felt like things were normal again, like she was just another student catching up on assignments.

But the peace didn't last long.

The door suddenly swung open. Hannah jumped slightly at the sudden noise, her fingers freezing over the keyboard as she stared at the door, wide-eyed. Fuyuhiko barged into the room, his eyes quickly scanning the space before locking onto Hannah. He seemed slightly surprised, though visibly relieved, to find her still seated at his desk with her laptop open. His usual stern expression softened for a brief moment, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"You stayed put." he muttered, more to himself than to her, but there was an undeniable sense of relief in his voice.

"Of course I did. You told me to stay here." she asked with a slight smirk, though the truth was, she had considered wandering out of the room when things quieted down. "You thought I wouldn't?"

Fuyuhiko scoffed, stepping inside and shutting the door behind him. The room suddenly felt even smaller with him in it, his presence demanding attention. He ran a hand through his hair, still visibly tense from whatever had just happened outside. His shirt was slightly wrinkled, and there was a small cut on his cheek, barely noticeable, but it made Hannah's heart tighten.

Fuyuhiko walked closer, his gaze hardening again as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I know how restless you get." he grumbled. "You don't exactly have the best track record for following orders."

Hannah rolled her eyes, knowing he wasn't entirely wrong. "I'm not a child, Fuyuhiko. I can handle myself."

"Yeah, well, it's not about you handling yourself. It's about you following simple orders and staying out of danger." he shot back, his voice firm but not harsh. He glanced at the laptop, noticing her half-finished work. "You're doing your schoolwork, huh?"

She nodded, trying to keep things casual, even though she could feel his protectiveness radiating off him in waves. "Is everything okay out there?" she asked, unable to mask the curiosity in her tone.

Fuyuhiko gave a small grunt in response, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he were debating how much to tell her. "It's handled." he said simply. "But you shouldn't be here too long. Just wanted to check on you."

Hannah nodded, though her curiosity burned brighter now. "Handled? What happened? You guys were making so much noise before, and then it just... stopped."

Fuyuhiko raised an eyebrow, clearly not wanting to go into detail. "You don't need to worry about it." he said, his voice firm. "It's Kuzuryu business, not yours."

Hannah frowned, unsatisfied with his answer but knowing better than to push him further on it. Her eyes flickered to the cut on his cheek. She wanted to ask about it, but she knew better. She could tell by the way he was avoiding her gaze that things weren't as simple as he was making them sound. It was clear something had gone wrong, but he wasn't going to tell her, not right now. Not while he was still on edge. But before she could say anything else, Fuyuhiko sighed and leaned against the edge of the desk, still watching her closely.

"Look, I know you hate being cooped up, but it's for your own safety." he said, his tone softening slightly. "You trust me, right?"

Hannah's frown eased, and she gave him a small nod. "Of course I do."

"Good." he muttered, pushing himself off the desk. "Just a little longer, alright? Then we can get out of here."

Just then, Riku and a couple of others entered the room, their conversation filled with a mix of casual chatter and the tension of the day's events. Fuyuhiko walked over to Riku and whispered something to him, his voice unheard from all the noise erupting in the room.

Hannah sighed and attempted to settle back into her work, but a frantic knock broke through the calm atmosphere. The door swung open, and a servant rushed in, visibly agitated.

"Fuyuhiko-sama, there's someone here to see you."

Fuyuhiko looked up, glaring. "Who?"

Before the servant could answer, a figure strolled in, their face twisted in a devious smirk.

Saito Morioka.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Fuyuhiko demanded, his voice low and dangerous. "You're not allowed to just show up on my property without an invitation."

Saito chuckled, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, Fuyuhiko, always so hostile. I just came by to have a little chat." His gaze shifted around the room, then stopped abruptly as he noticed Hannah at the back, working diligently on her laptop. A sickening smirk spread across his face. "Well, well, well. What's this pretty little thing doing here?"

Hannah felt his eyes on her and glanced up, confusion and unease flickering in her eyes. She quickly looked back down, trying to focus on her work and ignore the tension in the room.

Saito took a step closer to her, but Riku was instantly on his feet, pointing his gun at him. "Back off."

Saito raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. "What's got you so defensive, Riku?" Saito's eyes remain on Hannah, sizing her up. He glances between Riku and Hannah, the pieces clicking into place as he came to a conclusion.

"Ah, I see. Family, are you? How touching." He laughed, a mocking edge to his tone. "So protective over your sweet little cousin, Riku?"

Fuyuhiko's patience snapped. He pulled out his gun, aiming it directly at Saito. "You've got five seconds to explain yourself before I put a fucking bullet in your skull."

Saito's grin only widened. "Always so dramatic, Kuzuryu. Can't we just have a civilized conversation?" He leaned slightly, trying to catch another glimpse of Hannah. "And what's with the hostility? I was just admiring her... beauty."

Fuyuhiko's grip on his gun tightened. "I'm not going to ask again, Saito. Why are you here?"

Saito shrugged nonchalantly. "Just wanted to see how my favorite rival clan was doing. And I must say, your taste in company is... exquisite." His eyes darted to Hannah again, a lecherous glint in his eyes. "Such a delicate flower."

Hannah tried to ignore the exchange, but her heart pounded in her chest. She didn't understand why he was here, but his presence sent chills down her spine. She kept her head down, fingers trembling slightly over the keyboard. Hannah knew that Fuyuhiko wouldn't want her to get involved, but right now she genuinely didn't want to get involved anyways.

Riku moved to stand protectively in front of Hannah, his gun unwavering. "You're not welcome here, Saito. Leave. Now."

Saito held up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I can see I'm not wanted here. But remember, Fuyuhiko, I always get what I want. And right now, I want to see how long you can keep her safe."

Fuyuhiko's eyes blazed with fury. "Get out."

Saito backed towards the door, smirking all the while. "Until next time, Kuzuryu. Consider what I said, and keep an eye on your little flower. I'd hate for her to get... plucked."

As soon as Saito was gone, Fuyuhiko turned to Riku, his jaw clenched. "Make sure he doesn't get anywhere near this place again. And tighten the security around Hannah."

Riku nodded, his expression grim. "Understood." he said before leaving the room.

Peko made her way to the entrance, ensuring that Saito had indeed left the premises. She nodded to the guards, signaling them to be extra vigilant. Returning to the room, she found Hannah looking visibly shaken and confused.

Fuyuhiko turned to Hannah, his eyes searching her face for any signs of distress. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice softer now, concern etched into his features.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." Hannah replied, though she could still feel the lingering tension from Saito's presence. Fuyuhiko let out a sigh, clearly unconvinced but choosing to let it go for the moment.

Fuyuhiko sighed, clearly not convinced. "Come on, let's go." he said, his tone brooking no argument. He helped her pack away her laptop and books, moving with a purpose that made it clear he wanted to get her out of there as quickly as possible.

His movements efficient but careful, as if he were handling something fragile. She appreciated his attention to detail, the way he focused on her even in the midst of chaos.

Once they had gathered her things, he led her out of the room, his presence a protective shield against whatever lingering threat Saito posed. As they walked through the dimly lit corridor, Hannah could feel the tension in Fuyuhiko's shoulders, the way he kept glancing over his shoulder as if expecting Saito to appear again at any moment.

"Do you think he'll come back?" Hannah asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Fuyuhiko shook his head. "I don't know. He's unpredictable, and that makes him dangerous." He muttered, his grip tightening slightly on her arm. "But I won't let anything happen to you. Not while I'm around."

"What did Saito mean when he said he hopes you consider what he's said? What's going on?" Hannah asked, unable to keep the questions at bay.

Fuyuhiko's expression hardened slightly, a flicker of anger crossing his features. "It's nothing you need to worry about." he