Taki woke up in a dimly lit room. His head throbbed as he tried to move, but his hands were tied to a chair. The cool air hit his skin, and panic crept up his spine as his mind raced.
What happened?
He remembered leaving his house, heading towards the office to confront Yuki's father. But after that… it was a blur. The last thing he remembered was someone grabbing him from behind, the smell of something strong and bitter, and then darkness.
His vision cleared, and he saw him—the man standing across from him. Cold, stern, and dangerous. Mr. Yukimura.
"You woke up." Mr. Yukimura's voice was calm but sharp, like a blade.
Taki swallowed hard, his mouth dry. "What… what is this?"
"You're in my office now," Mr. Yukimura said. "I don't usually tolerate… interruptions. But this time, I'll make an exception."
Taki's pulse raced as fear settled in his chest. Why am I here? He wanted to speak, but his throat felt tight. He opened his mouth, but the words caught.
Yuki's father leaned forward, his sharp gaze pinning Taki down. "You care about my daughter. But I have a few questions for you. Tell me, why do you care so much about her?"
Taki clenched his fists. He could feel the ropes cutting into his wrists, but he couldn't show weakness.
"I… I care about her because she's my childhood best friend," he finally managed to say, his voice firm despite the fear. "We were close when we were little. And I don't want her to live the way you've forced her to."
Yuki's father remained silent for a moment, his eyes cold, studying Taki. Then, he spoke again, his voice low.
"You think you know what's best for her? You think she'll be happy living outside the rules I've set for her?"
Taki felt anger rise in his chest. "I don't think anyone should control someone else's life like that. She deserves to be happy, to make her own choices."
"Happy?" Mr. Yukimura's smile was sharp, almost mocking. "Happiness is for the weak. And my daughter is far from weak."
Taki shook his head, his heart pounding. "She's not weak. She just wants a chance to live like everyone else. To have friends, to laugh without fear of breaking your rules."
Mr. Yukimura's gaze softened for a moment, but only briefly, before hardening again. "You don't understand, boy. The world doesn't work like that."
Taki's heart clenched. "Maybe not. But I'm not just going to stand by and let her be trapped by your rules. I care about her too much to let that happen."
There was a long silence before Mr. Yukimura spoke again, his voice colder than before.
"You're too bold for your own good, Taki. But you'll learn. You'll learn that there are consequences for trying to meddle in my family's affairs."
Taki felt a chill run down his spine as Mr. Yukimura stood up, turning his back on him.
Taki took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "I don't care about the consequences. I'll fight for her, no matter what."
Mr. Yukimura didn't answer. Instead, he nodded to the men standing near the door, and they quickly stepped forward, untying Taki from the chair. As they roughly shoved him toward the exit, Taki stumbled, his legs shaky, but his resolve stronger than ever.
"You're free to go for now," Mr. Yukimura said coldly. "But don't think this is over. Stay away from Yuki, or the next time… things won't be so easy."
Taki didn't say anything. He just kept his head high and walked out the door, his mind racing.
As he stepped back into the night, the weight of what had just happened hit him all at once. But one thing was clear: he couldn't give up now. Yuki needed him. And he wasn't going to let her father keep them apart.