𝘜𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘪𝘦𝘴

18. Relief

Y/n stood facing the desk nurse, weirded out by the sudden news, "So, let me get this straight, I'm free to leave today?" The nurse nodded without even glancing at her. Y/n tilted her head, scratching her neck as she realized she hadn't been informed beforehand, "Okay then, have a good night," she said, turning around to leave.

She checked her watch, letting out a deep sigh. It was already 10 pm, and the hospital was eerily quiet at this hour. Though she had a nap in the afternoon, she still felt energetic and didn't want to waste her time sleeping. So she pondered over what she could do to make the most of her energy.

Dragging her feet out of the hospital, she lifted her head and was startled by two familiar faces - Kagury and Manaki. The two girls smiled at her, and she returned the gesture, wondering what they were doing there at such an odd hour.

"Hey, I'm here to say sorry for what I said earlier," Manaki apologized, looking genuinely remorseful. Y/n shook her head, assuring her that it was alright. She didn't mind Manaki's earlier remarks and could understand that there must have been a reason behind them.

Y/n spoke up, her voice laced with genuine concern. As she glanced at the watch, she realized how late it was getting. "It's getting quite late, perhaps it's best if the two of you head home," she suggested, not wanting to be a reason for them to feel unsafe at such a late hour.

"We are here to pick you up for a little get-together and to get to know each other. You know what I mean?" Kagury seemed a bit confused by her words, so Manaki tried to explain further, attempting to come across as normal as possible.

Kagury then decided to chime in, "We just want to make a good impression on both ends. We have planned to have dinner together and hope you don't mind joining us." Manaki nodded in agreement with Kagury.

Y/n wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea, but she decided to set aside her unease for the sake of her well-being and continued to stay in the village. She had grown tired of hearing words that brought her down for extended periods, so she ultimately agreed.

As the girls were chatting at the front, Y/n walked behind them. They were moving deeper into the area where the stores were closed and shops were shut. Y/n trusted the girls and felt responsible for their safety. So, she increased her walking pace and stayed close to the two girls to make them feel secure.

Suddenly, Manaki turned around and gave a poker face expression before turning back to the front, rolling her eyes. This gesture made Y/n question their intentions, wondering what they were trying to do. The situation got tense as Y/n felt as if someone was following them. However, she didn't want to alarm the two girls and decided to keep this news to herself.

Y/n found herself standing in front of a grand staircase, flanked by the two individuals who had brought her there. They both turned to face her, and one of them spoke up. "The restaurant is located up those stairs," Manaki said, gesturing towards the towering flight of steps.

"It's run by my father, but I was hoping you could lead the way from here. You see if my father catches sight of you first, he'll not inevitably start nagging and making a scene. I don't want to risk any further bad impressions," she finished with a nervous chuckle. Y/n wasn't sure what to make of her explanation and took a step back to consider her options.

"I.. don't think so it would be okay for us to go.." She said, still looking for answers about their choice of place and whether they were telling the truth about the restaurant being there or not.

She felt a strong presence behind her, looking at the girls who seemed confused before horrid conquered their expression. She turned around, coming across the scene of 5-6 men stumbling here and there with the reek of alcohol surrounding them. Y/n stumbled back, as her eyes scanned through the men, to look for familiar faces.

"Ah.. this one's way better than those two. Seems older, mature and more fun," The front man got a tight hold on her, making her yelp.

"L-leave her!" One of the girls tried to fight her fear but soon got defeated by it when the other men tried approaching them.

"Don't touch them!" Y/n tried to sound confident but it was wrecking her nerves.

"Oh? Then who should we touch? You?" He said, laughing.

Tears filled her eyes, causing her to lose her ability to stand upright. She wished this moment would pass by quickly. She despised feeling helpless. She turned towards the girls and urged them to take action, "Save yourselves! RUN!" Her words gave the girls the courage they needed to move forward. They sprinted through the group of men, using their skills to make their escape and reach safety.

someone please help.. please..

She chanted, crying helplessly as she tried to free herself.

As the two girls dashed out of the area, their hearts pounding in their chests, they felt an ominous aura closing in around them. It was a palpable force that seemed to grip them tightly, making their skin crawl with fear.

Suddenly, Kagury came to a halt and wiped the tears from her eyes, leaving Manaki to pause beside her in confusion. "It's him," Kagury whispered, her voice barely audible above their heavy breathing, as Manaki peered into the darkness, trying to catch a glimpse of the source of the aura.

"We need to save Y/n! Why did you stop?!"

Kagury gazed at the woman, her eyes filled with a mix of emotions. But then, with a sudden sense of relief, she exclaimed, "Don't worry, he's here to save her. Itachi." She collapsed onto the pathway, sighing out in exhaustion from all the run.

On the other hand, the terrified woman kept resisting the man, trying her best to fight the double-her-size man. With one blow, the man tumbled onto the ground as Y/n covered her mouth at the scene. She hesitantly turned to the man who stood in front of her breathing heavily with his eyes shining in bright red with a shape she couldn't recognize. His hair covered his other features.

Her delicate hand came to rest gently by her side, the fingers curling slightly as she caught the familiar scent of his perfume. A wave of relief washed over her restless heart as she breathed easily in the comfort of his presence. Meanwhile, the men who had been watching the scene intently sensed the sudden energy shift and became alert, ready to fight if necessary, while their companion lay unresponsive on the ground.

Itachi cast a cautious glance over his shoulder, revealing himself to the group of individuals who had been intending to engage in a fight just moments prior. The sight of him caused several of them to take a step back, immediately recognizing who they had been preparing to go against.

"Uchiha...Itachi," one of them announced breathlessly, causing a ripple of fear to spread through the group. Some of them turned on their heels and quickly retreated, while two individuals attempted to help their fallen mate, who had finally mustered up enough strength to scramble to his feet and make a hasty getaway.

Itachi's heart raced as he turned towards the woman, his eyes scanning her form for any sign of injury. Relief washed over him as he saw that she was unharmed. Tears streamed down her face as she walked towards him, her body trembling with emotion.

She wiped the tears away with shaking hands, only for more to take their place. It was as if she were a lost child who had finally found her family. "Y/n," Itachi stated, adding, "I'm here," When he spoke her name softly, she lost her balance and he caught her, holding her close as she clung to his dress.

As she trembled uncontrollably, she could hear his heart pounding in his chest, but she couldn't tell if it was his fear or hers. In reality, it was both of theirs - one in fear of feeling helpless, and the other in fear of not being able to save her in time.