❝ RECONCILIATION ❞

23

"Welcome, sirs."

The employees bowed as Bonten and Y/n entered the building to their penthouse.

The Bonten only nodded as they walked through the foyer, all dressed in dark shades, black suits that complemented their dark auras, and surrounded by bodyguards, just as you were.

The building is owned by the Haitani brothers, and almost all of the lands and residences here are owned by them.

The building's interior and exterior overall design is modern and luxurious, and there's a penthouse at the very top. The entire building is a private residence, and they stay here whenever they have business in Roppongi, especially the Haitani brothers.

It is no doubt that the two brothers are full of authority.

"Where's Takeomi and the others?" Ran asked an employee.

"O-Oh sir they said they're on their way." The employee said with a little shudder in his voice, the employees were intimidated by their bosses, to say.

Takeomi, Kakucho, and Mochi each took a different vehicle and plane because they each managed a different business and were all busy before they left.

"Are the two penthouses all sanitized?" Koko inquired, to which the staff replied-- "yes, sir."

"We'll use the two at the very top," Rindou stated, as the Bonten staff and servants nodded.

The employees in the back looked at you while Bonten was busy talking with the employees. You're standing behind Bonten in your black long thinned-strap dress. You sensed someone looking at you, so you turned around to find some workers staring at you.

"Hi." You mouthed a greet and a small wave, the employees couldn't help but smile and blush at her presence.

Mikey and the others were too busy and occupied except the two Haitani as they sent a warning look at the employees and they simply uttered a small apology and went back on their work.

"Bring Y/n to the penthouse. We'll be handling some business." Ran told the securities.

"Aww, she won't be watching us killing people?" Sanzu pouted while your eyes widened and Ran scolded him.

"Don't scare her, and we won't be killing people what the fuck Sanzu." Ran clicked his tongue while Sanzu just childishly grinned and leaned at the table.

"We're just going to meet someone and have a meeting, it won't be long, wait for us at the penthouse and behave, okay?" Ran said as he placed a kiss on you while Sanzu's mouth hung open.

"Wha-?! How about me?! Didn't we just fuck in the plane a while ago-" Sanzu said almost shouting, but then he realized what he said after Mikey, Koko, and the two Haitani turned their heads to him.

"What the hell!" Your eyes widen as your face went all red.

"What?" They raised their brows at you and Sanzu.

"Shit," you thought. You know you fucked up based on Ran's tone. He was silent the whole time on the plane a while ago, but now? You don't even want to know.

"I didn't need to know that, do I?" Ran said to you, Y/n only shook her head as she avoided his gaze.

You know how there's a little annoyance hidden in his calm tone, and that's what scares you the most when it comes to the one and only Ran Haitani. He knows well how to hide his angriness by being calm, his silence scares you, and you never know what will happen next. It's like a ticking bomb.

"Enough of that, bring her to the penthouse." Mikey said, cutting the tension.

The two guards walked along with you and guided you to the elevator. You just sighed and followed them, not daring to look at Ran and the others.

But you can't help it, so you took a quick glance back at Bonten when you entered the elevator with the securities, and as the door in the elevator was closing, you saw Sanzu wave at you and winked, while the others were busy talking with the employees.

Of course, you didn't miss Ran and Koko giving you dark glances, they were quiet all the time as Sanzu looked at the two men and gave them a provoking grin.

And with that, the tension between the three men continued to grow.

Ding

Your thoughts were cut off as the elevator dinged, and the doors slid open, revealing a large penthouse on the building's topmost floor, which is more than thirty stories high.

"Ma'am, please don't hesitate to call us on the telephone if you have any concerns. Our bosses have ordered us to keep an eye on you. They are stricter than normal these days, and there are some security guards outside. Our bosses advise you not to do anything foolish, such as trying to leave."

You murmured, "As if I can do anything."

"They told you can remain in the first room on the second floor, that foods are also available, that there are stocks, and that there is a television and more to entertain yourself alone for many hours before they return. Enjoy yourself. We'll be leaving, Ma'am, thank you." They said as they bowed.

You sighed and walked to the penthouse as the securities left. You plopped down on the sofa and leaned your head on the headrest.

The penthouse was spacious. It's already late at night when you arrived. The room is dim, and only the skyscraper and night city lights outside are the source of light, purple and red lights illuminating through, peaking through the half-opened translucent curtains.

You felt bored, and thoughts began to rummage in your head.

"I wonder how is my stepmother doing in the hospital." You whispered.

It almost brought you to tears thinking about her; you hadn't seen her in a long time. You miss her dearly and still have no idea why she's hospitalized in the first place until now. Everything happened once you met Bonten; your life altered drastically, changing into something you hadn't expected.

You expected that after graduation, when you were living in a small cheap crappy apartment with your stepmother and just scraping by on a minimum wage, that was the end of your misery, but you were mistaken, or rather, miserably wrong.

Meeting Bonten... is giving you mixed feelings and signals. They promised they would help you find missing pieces in your life that have you questioning your existence; help your stepmother in the hospital, and they would basically pay all of your expenses, as long as you submit on their will, simply accept the offer.

And here you are, accepting an offer, working in Bonten, experiencing mixed emotions, pushing boundaries, having friend-with-benefits relationships, or are they truly purely friends? To be honest, you don't want to make any assumptions.

Ran gave you a lot of signs, did things with him, and you spent time with him. In fact, you want to trust him, yet you're  how he's a gang member and danger can occur at any time, affecting you and him. It's hard to trust someone, knowing something is stopping you.

Will Y/n ever stop her thoughts from trusting him? Or will Ran ever continue taking care of her until the end?

You suddenly remembered the day back then with Ran.

"Ran, look, I'm sorry but can we please forget what happened between us the other day?"

Ran felt his heart ache for a bit, but he composed himself and didn't show you, he took a deep breath before speaking.

"I won't forget that and pretend that nothing happened."

"God Ran, I don't want to be a burden enough in here." You dropped such heavy words, but weren't they true though?

"Is it because of what Rindou told you the last day?" He said that made you pause.

"I didn't want to be in here in the first place-"

"But I did." Ran suddenly cuts off.

You looked at Ran, seeing how his words were genuine, but you were afraid of trusting again.

Again.

"Didn't you hear what I told you the last time?" Ran said as he softly smiled at you.

"That as long as you're here, I'll take care of you, Y/n."

"You can trust me."

"I promise that until the end."

Again, will Y/n ever stop her thoughts from trusting him? Or will Ran ever continue taking care of her until the end?

Blinking your thoughts away, you decided to roam around the penthouse because they didn't say anything you can't look around, so why not? As you wandered, you noticed some photo frames on the hallway table, and some miscellaneous sitting around.

You take one of the picture frames and notice two boys around the age of 3-5, and your heart softens as you realize it's the Haitani brothers as kids.

One question that came to mind was, "How did they grow to be like this?" If you look closely at these picture frames, they were like just normal kids just laughing and having fun, all innocent that now turned into a gang member, one of Japan's most dangerous criminal organization.

You put the frame down on the table and looked at the others. One photo caught your attention and you immediately grabbed it. Your eyes squinted as you saw Bonten, but they look different, this photo was probably taken years ago.

It was a group photo, but what caught you the most was there's another person between them, but unfortunately, the photo was old and the face was covered with dust, and it looked like a missing piece, scratched.

You observed the photo closely, the person's body structure doesn't look masculine, it looked feminine. The person in the photo was wearing a necklace that has a gem, even if the picture was blurry and grainy, you can tell the necklace was real.

You think and think and think, trying your hardest to remember.

But then you felt a pain in your head trying to remember where it is and where did it come from. You took a deep breath and the pain only worsen. You placed the picture frame down for a while as you try to steady your breath.

It's impossible that the person in the photo was you...?

"What the hell..." You whispered as you almost passed out from the pain in your head, goosebumps forming on your skin as you tried to forget the picture and move on.

You sat on the sofa back again and rested while waiting for Bonten.

"When will they come back?" You groaned as you leaned back lazily on the couch and soon enough, you drifted to sleep.

"They've arrived, sirs."

One of the employees said as Bonten was sitting in their meeting room.

The room is dimly lit, as if it's a private space, with cards and wine on the table. The interior is a mix of red and black, with heavy grey curtains covering the walls.

They left you in the penthouse for a while because they needed to take care of some business, and now they drove to a certain meeting location, where they would meet up with a some few people they hadn't seen in years.

The door opened, and the aromas of wine, coffee, and smoke dissipated across the room.

Three men walked inside the room.

"Long time no see, Bonten." A man with blonde yellow hair strikes and glasses said while he puffed a smoke, placing the cigarette between his fingers.

"Likewise, Hanma Shuji."

The three men sat in the chairs while the servants filled each glass with wine.

"Welcome to Roppongi," Ran remarked as he sat back in his chair, watching the three men intently.

The tension grew in the room as the three men sat in each chair.

"It's been a long time, how are you?" Hanma said in a playful tone as he picked one of the cards on the table as if he owned it.

"We're good," Mikey replied.

"It's rather neutral to know that we've parted ways." A man with black hair said.

"Do you miss Toman, Mikey?" A man added with a menacing tone, and he has purple mullet hair.

"Mitsuya Takashi, I respectfully don't." Mikey coldly replied with a raised brow.

"Too bad." Mitsuya replied with a chuckle.

Mitsuya only leaned back at the chair and rocked it, placing both of his hands inside his pockets as he poked his tongue inside his cheeks.

"Well, I've been missing Toman, hm? How about that?"