"Walter," the 5-year-old's Ranran's voice dripped with a chilling indifference, her words laced with a false gentleness and innocence that sent shivers down the two girls' spine. "No need to punch Sonoko. She is still too young to understand what she is saying."

To everyone else, it might sound as if Ranran is being kind. She isn't.

Behind that soft facade lies a cold and calculating mind, deliberately insulting Sonoko, stripping her of any dignity with each spiteful word. She taunts Sonoko, labelling her as a fool and a wild bull in her own family, driving a wedge of inferiority into the girl's heart.

And this was proven evident when one of her contacts argued, "Too young!? You and she are the same age! She should know better than to harass you!"

And that struck a nerve in Sonoko. How dare that brute!

But Ranran relishes in the fear and hatred that brews within her.

"So you are saying that this Suzuki Sonoko here," Tiffany was in very much disbelief while pointing to the short-haired girl, "Is the daughter of that 'Suzuki family'? The same family who is the Second Richest Conglomerate family in the whole of Japan? What sort of rubbish farce is this!? She behaves so rudely and improperly!"

The irony of a high-born girl acting improperly and uncouthly in front of a crowd amplified the mockery that Ranran revelled in.

The children remained in the luxurious hall, having not long ago held a death memorial of Christopher, a little Duke who was murdered last year by his mother. Ran and Sonoko simply barge into the place, and Sonoko confronts Ranran about kicking off her birthday party here for a deceased boy whose title privileges barely work in Japan, unlike the U.K........this speaks volumes.

"How could someone from the esteemed Suzuki family behave rudely and disgracefully?!" Teddy was stunned at her behaviour.

As whispers were exchanged, Samantha who noted that Takuma, Moriko and Reina were still standing at the entrance came to ask, "The three of you, do you recognize whether this idiot before us...." She pointed at the shocked girl, "Happens to be the daughter of the Suzuki Group?"

The air grew heavy with tension as Samantha's words hung in the air like a dark omen. Takuma, Moriko, and Reina, who were still standing at the entrance of the luxurious hall, exchanged uneasy glances.

"Honestly, I barely know her long enough, we only saw her once at a parkour event months ago," Reina admitted, and so did Takuma.

But then Moriko who is usually timid said something shocking, "Neither do I, but I can confirm with you that she is."

Moriko's unexpected revelation sent ripples of surprise through the crowd. All eyes turned to her, wondering how she could possibly know such a well-kept secret. Even Sonoko seemed taken aback by the revelation, her eyes darting between Moriko and Ranran, trying to comprehend the situation.

"And how, pray tell, would you know such a thing?" Isabelle demanded, suspicion tainting her tone.

"She bragged about it," Moriko hesitated momentarily, her hands trembling slightly, but then she spoke with a hint of determination. "I overheard her telling the rest of the kids one time when we were at that same parkour event. Talking all so high and mighty."

Sonoko's eyes darted around the room, "Well, that's preposterous!" she declared with a forced laugh, attempting to brush off Moriko's claim. "Moriko must be making this up. She's always been a bit...delusional."

But the seed of doubt had been planted, and Sonoko's attempts to deflect only fueled the fire of suspicion. "No, I don't," Moriko argued, "When Shinichi pushed Ranran down and fractured her leg, and she pointed Shinichi for doing this to her, you yelled at Ranran to say 'Don't lie, do you know who I am? I am Suzuki Sonoko, the 2nd daughter of the Suzuki Group! I will make sure you won't live well if you continue to lie."

The revelation sent shockwaves through the crowd, and a hushed silence fell over the luxurious hall. Sonoko's eyes widened in disbelief, her facade of innocence now cracking under the weight of Moriko's damning words.

As the truth began to unravel, 5-year-old Sonoko's once-confident composure crumbled. The echoes of Moriko's words reverberated in the room, piercing through the pretence she had carefully crafted. The dark secret she had tried so hard to hide was now exposed, leaving her vulnerable and exposed before the judgmental eyes of the crowd.

Ranran's lips curled into a sinister smile, her chilling indifference replaced by a malicious satisfaction. She had succeeded in unmasking Sonoko, tearing down the walls of privilege that shielded her from scrutiny. The young manipulator revelled in her victory, enjoying the chaos she had wrought upon the elegant gathering.

Ellis stepped forward, her eyes fixed on Sonoko with a mixture of contempt and pity. "To think that someone from the prestigious Suzuki family could stoop so low," she muttered, her words dripping with disdain.

Samantha narrowed her eyes, the puzzle pieces falling into place. "No wonder you behaved so arrogantly, flaunting your family name like a weapon," she said, her voice heavy with scorn. "You thought it made you untouchable."

The air in the hall grew tense, charged with emotions as the truth hung heavy in the atmosphere. Ranran's dark game had exposed the darker sides of both Sonoko and herself, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of those who witnessed the spectacle.

But even as the room brimmed with judgment and reproach, Ranran remained unfazed. She knew the power of secrets and manipulation, and she had revelled in her ability to wield them like a master puppeteer.

"Enough of this, whether you are the second-born daughter of the Suzuki clan or not, I ain't please with you rambling your mouth with so much disrespect!" Ranran said calmly, but secretly, she was feeling smug in satisfaction while she put up her grieving facade, "After all, this place is meant for mourning, not for kids like you and Mouri Ran to indulge in petty squabbles."

The room fell into an uneasy silence, interrupted only by the soft sobs of some of the mourners. The weight of grief and death clashed with the revelation of Sonoko's true identity, creating a surreal and tense atmosphere.

Sonoko's face flushed with humiliation and shame, her once-confident facade now shattered. She had used her family name as a shield to protect herself, but it had become a double-edged sword, exposing her true nature and intentions. As much as she wanted to retaliate against Ranran's insults, she knew she couldn't afford to escalate the situation further in this sacred place of mourning.

Ranran's chilling indifference remained intact, even as she hid behind a mask of sorrow. It was clear that the little girl derived twisted pleasure from manipulating others, turning grief and tragedy into a backdrop for her malevolent games.

Walter then stepped forward, his eyes narrowed with a mix of anger and disappointment. "This is not the time nor the place for your petty quarrels," she scolded Ranran, her voice cold and firm. "Show some respect for the grieving and leave this hall at once."

"Also, who are you to say our dead comrade is someone who had a meaningless title?! Are you implying that we were just some random group of schoolchildren with mere names added to us!?" Dominic said, his voice shaking. "We're here to pay our respects to the Duke, just like everyone else. And what do you even know about titles?!"

"Hang on a minute, this girl's face looks familiar...." Georgina squinted her spectacle eyes at Sonoko before pointing accusingly, "Are you, not that same girl who ruined Christopher's funeral possession last year? The same girl who said 'I can do better than that girl' while you disrespected Ranran who was around 4 years old, in tears while carrying Christopher's photo as she was walking and leading the procession last year in the U.K!?"

"Now that you mentioned it....!" Walter and the other gasped while staring at Sonoko.

"I-I-it ain't me!" Again Sonoko denied it, wondering what was with them making up things, and it felt odd why her head is pounding against her.

"No, it's definitely you!" One of the children suddenly remembered, "I was there at that chapel when you were making all those fuss about you doing a better job leading the possession than Ranran! And she was grieving when all of this is going on!"

The room buzzed with tension as the truth slowly unfolded, and it became evident that Sonoko's actions had not been forgotten by those who had been present that day.

"Now hold on a minute!" The other little girl who was with Sonoko, Mouri Ran, argued on her behalf, "I don't know what is with all of you, but Sonoko wouldn't be capable of such cruelty!"

"I am sorry, who is that girl with that rude brute?" Isabelle turned to Ranran to ask.

"Mouri Ran," Ranran faked her weakened state.

"Mouri Ran, huh?" The beautiful girl mused, still eyeing Mouri Ran with suspicion. "And what is your take on all of this? You were not there when all of this happened last year."

"I...may not have known whether that happened," The little Mouri girl was intimidated by their stares, but found the courage to say, "But I know Sonoko ain't capable of that!"

"Ran-san....."Sonoko felt touched by her words.

"And if I were to say one thing," Mouri pointed accusingly at Kudo Ranran, who remains weak in the eyes of the nobles and children of royalty, "I bet she is the guilty one!"

But the noble children obviously didn't buy a word, they were present at the cathedral when Christopher's funeral took place back in the U.K. In addition to that, there were multiple high-rank parents were present to witness the then 4-year-old Sonoko's debauchery remarks about doing it better than Ranran, even though Sonoko barely knew who Ranran was at that time, she was merely invited over to witness and grieve in silence. Even multiple Kings and Queens were present when it took place.

Long story short, it was a no-brainer that everyone sided with the then 4-year-old Kudo Ranran, who handled it 'in an unusual manner' when Sonoko was causing a scene last year.

The weight of truth was undeniable, and the children in the room found themselves swayed by the memories of that fateful day at the cathedral in the UK. Ranran's facade of weakness had done little to change their perception of her, and the memory of Sonoko's disrespectful actions towards her remained fresh in their minds.

"I can't believe she is so unremorseful for what she did," Teddy murmured, shaking his head in disbelief.

"It's clear who the real troublemaker is, that Sonoko and this Mouri Ran brute. A huge flaw compared to the dignified Kudo Ranran." Isabelle added, nodding in agreement.

Georgina spoke up again, her voice filled with accusation, "You've not only disrespected our dear Christopher's funeral, but now you've caused a scene at his memorial too! What kind of person are you, Suzuki Sonoko?"

Sonoko's words faltered as she struggled to find a response. The weight of her being humiliated was suffocating, even more so with her confusion towards some incident she could not remember.

"I think we can all agree on one thing," Samantha decided before announcing, "Remove this Mouri girl and Sonoko out of this premise! After that, we can resume the mourning for Christopher in peace."

Walter nodded in agreement, her eyes still fixed on Sonoko with a mixture of disappointment and resolve. "It is for the best," she said firmly, "This place should be reserved for those who genuinely mourn Christopher's loss, not for those who bring chaos and disrespect."

"Hah!? Disrespect!? Who are you to simply accuse me!?" Sonoko's eyes blew up once more, accusingly pointing the finger at the seemingly scared Ranran who is hiding behind Walter, "She provoke me!"

"And so what?" Walter stood protectively around Ranran while confronting the shocked Suzuki Sonoko, "Ranran isn't the type to do so unless one speaks rudely. Clearly, it must have been something to do with your idiot birthday party that was cancelled here!"

The tension in the room escalated as Sonoko's anger flared, refusing to accept responsibility for her own actions. The noble children and mourners were growing weary of her excuses and her attempts to shift blame onto Ranran.

The hall was now filled not only with grief but also with anger and disbelief at the audacity of these young children.

Nicholas, Samantha's fiance who is hearing all of this was so mad at the amount of disrespect, announced, "Guards, escort those two children out of the hall, I don't want to see their filthy presence overshadowing Christopher's memorial!"

The guards promptly stepped forward, their faces stern as they approached Sonoko and Mouri Ran. "Hey! Let go of me! I had the right to remain here! That she-demon overbooked some dead boy with a title here so that I can't hold my birthday party!" Sonoko wriggled with all her might.

Even Mouri Ran too was fighting with all of the strength she could master, though she has unusual raw strength compared to most 5-year-olds, she still lose to the men in black.

Mouri Ran then took a glimpse of the seemingly teary Ranran from afar, where the noble children surrounded her to console her.

That girl is a liar!

During the parkour incident, when Mouri Ran heard that Shinichi allegedly pushed Ranran down an obstacle course at that time, the long brown-haired little girl knew that he was innocent. Shinichi wasn't the type to simply resort to violence unless someone pushed him to, so it was clearly Ranran behind it.

That is why when she learns about Sonoko's birthday was in the place of Christopher's death memorial, it was natural that she and Sonoko choose to confront the she-demon. But who knew...that Kudo Ranran's cunning intelligence is superb!

But what makes her scarier...is that the entourage that is defending Ranran held power in each and every word that comes out of their mouth, let alone, over anyone weaker than them. They are after all noble children, and though Ran has Suzuki Sonoko's protection being born from a wealthy family, she is regardless a commoner. And the way they behaved oddly had above superiority to keep Sonoko's mouth shut up, which never happened before.

The guards, unmoved by their pleas, gently but firmly guided Sonoko and Mouri Ran out of the hall. As they left, the room fell silent once more, the weight of the moment settling heavily upon the mourners.

Tiffany, though visibly upset by the turn of events, took a deep breath and turned to address the others. "I apologize for the disruption," she said, her voice steady but filled with emotion. "Let us now try to refocus on honouring Christopher's memory and the love we shared for him."

The noble children, still grappling with what had just transpired, nodded in agreement. They were ready to put the unpleasant incident behind them and remember their friend in a more peaceful light.

While everyone headed back to their respective seat, Moriko, Takuma and Reina who was witnessing all of this from afar were stunned.

"Damn, I know that Sonoko is from some wealthy family, but damn, she behaves so rudely!" Takuma was the first to speak.

"It's just so disrespectful and uncalled for." Reina crossed her arms to nod alongside her former friend, "But what shocked me more is that the children who were with Ranran were of high status and are so...unusually polite and kind. I could've thought that those kinds of children I watched on TV are rather pompous, spoilt and not intelligent."

Moriko, who had been silent until now, spoke up with a thoughtful expression. "Appearances can be deceiving," she said softly. "While some children from wealthy families may indeed exhibit arrogance and entitlement, others may have been raised with strong values of respect and humility."

"Anyway, are you going to hand that Ranran girl that cake you are holding?" Takuma reminded Reina as he pointed at the plate Reina is holding.

Reina glanced down at the plate in her hand, realizing that she had completely forgotten about the cake she had brought for Ranran. "Oh, right," she said with a small smile. "I suppose it's not the best time to give it to her now, considering everything that's happened."

"I agree," Moriko chimed in. "Maybe we should find another opportunity to give it to her. Perhaps after things have calmed down a bit."

Takuma nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Let's wait for the right moment."

As the memorial continued, the atmosphere gradually shifted from tension to reflection. The room once again became a place of mourning, with tears shed for the loss of Christopher and prayers offered for his soul. As the memorial continued, the mood in the hall gradually shifted from tense to sombre. The focus returned to honouring Christopher's memory, and the mourners offered their prayers and condolences in a more peaceful atmosphere.

After the ceremony, the noble children and their families gathered to express their gratitude to the host, Christopher's father and stepmother. Tiffany took this opportunity to discreetly approach Ranran, who was standing alone, her facade of grief still intact.

"I hope you are okay," Tiffany said softly, her voice filled with genuine concern.

Ranran looked up at Tiffany, her eyes betraying a hint of vulnerability beneath the calm exterior. "I'm fine," she replied, her voice steady. "Thank you for your concern."

"I know that you had to use this memorial to stop Sonoko from spreading rumours about you after that Parkour event. But you would need to come up with something bigger after that," Tiffany continued. "I don't think that Sonoko and Ran will let go of you after what you did to Shinichi. So you better be careful."

"Don't worry about that, "The 5-year-old Ranran is appreciating Tiffany's sincerity. "I think even if I didn't do this, they will still find all sorts of excuses to ruin Christopher's memorial. They belonged to a group of unreasonable children after all."

"Well it's good that you took care of it, Christopher would be so proud of you."Tiffany offered a small smile.

As the two girls continued to talk, Reina, Moriko, and Takuma approached them, looking hesitant but curious while Tiffany wondered why are the trio there.

"Hi, you may not know this, but earlier I bumped into Ranran at that washroom, she didn't look good, so I was going to deliver to you this. My ex-friend-no," Reina corrected herself, "My associate was having his father's birthday party held right next door, thought we could cheer you up with this slice of cake, but...well, it didn't seem appropriate to give it to you earlier."

Ranran's eyes softened as she looked at the slice of cake offered by Reina. She could see the genuine kindness in their gestures, and it touched her deeply. Despite the chaotic events that had transpired, these children still reached out to offer comfort and support.

"Thank you," Ranran said sincerely, accepting the cake with a small smile. "I appreciate your thoughtfulness. It means a lot to me. Also...." Ranran shift her attention to Moriko, "I don't know who you were earlier, but thank you for pointing out Sonoko's lies."

"I-I didn't do it for any particular reason. I just couldn't stand seeing Sonoko lie about you like that." Moriko looked taken aback by Ranran's words, surprised that the young girl had noticed her role in exposing Sonoko's lies.

"Well, I appreciate it, regardless of the reason," Ranran paused. "Honestly...I hadn't had it easy since my family moved us to Japan, and it has only been a couple of months. I rather moved back to the U.K. than ever come here."

Takuma and the others exchanged glances, feeling a pang of sympathy for Ranran.

It ain't a surprise that to everyone's knowledge that Ranran's mother is a foreigner, her mother is half Caucasian half Japanese in general. Unlike how the Anime world portrays, kids of foreign blood will not get celebrity treatment in Japan. And this was something Ranran knew early head on, which is why she refuse to move here in the first place.

"I'm sorry you've had a rough time here," Reina said sincerely. "But I want you to know that not everyone in Japan is like Sonoko and her goons. There are good kids here too, like us."

"I don't think it's good to simply tell her that, we had more bad kids around here since Mamiko came about," Takuma took Reina aside to whisper.

"But it ain't a complete lie, look at us." Reina pointed to themselves. "We ain't that bad."

Tiffany overheard their whispered conversation, and she is amused by the genuine concern towards Ranran.
............................................................

"We need to teach those idiots a lesson for what they did to Ranran."

In the limousine with the rest of the Edgewood kids, Tiffany announced this to the rest of the kids as everything fell into a heavy silence, the weight of the events leaving everyone in contemplation after they sent Ranran home.

The rest of the noble children exchanged worried glances, unsure of how to respond to Tiffany's suggestion. The events of the day had been overwhelming, and emotions were running high. While they understood the frustration and anger towards Sonoko and her group, seeking revenge didn't feel right either. Not because they didn't feel like it.

"Tiffany, I know you're upset, and so am I," Veronica spoke softly, trying to keep the situation from escalating further. "But I don't think seeking revenge is the right course of action. It'll only create more....problems for us."

"But they need to be taught a lesson," Tiffany insisted, her voice tense. "They can't just get away with what they did to Ranran."

"I agree that they should be held accountable for their actions," Samantha added, "Judging their behaviour, I don't see them as the kind to settle the issue peacefully and help Ranran in a way that doesn't involve retaliation."

"Same here," Ellis admits, "I foresee them giving trouble to Ranran in a few years time."

"Why? Not like Ranran would end up in Teitan Elementary School, right?" Walter asked worriedly.

"That AI projector is rarely wrong about one's future," Nicolas replied, "Whether one likes it or not, Ranran would eventually end up in that school with those hooligans."

Although Teitan Elementary School isn't a prestigious school, a mundane sort of school with average kids unlike Edgewood Academy, it is still a place where Ranran no longer had her privilege work in her favour. That meant she is now no different than the rest of the children.

Isabelle clenched her fists, her frustration is evident in her expression. "So what do we do then? Just let them get away with it?"

"There is a way," Georgina took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "I think we need to approach this with caution," she said, her voice measured. "Judging from all of our combined experience, there is no way their behaviour and attitude towards Ranran will ever disappear with time. If anything, it will worsen as they grow older and become even more entitled. However...."

"....what is your point, Georgina?" Nicolas asked.

"Yeah, are we going to chicken out?" Dominic pressed.

"No, in Edgewood...we will go for the revenge route," Georgina answered with a smirk, "Anyone who dares to wrong us with unreasonable behaviour, has to pay in the worst way possible, just like how Ranran and Christopher helped us back then." She delivers a scathing retort to Sonoko and Ran's callousness.

The noble children listened intently, intrigued by Georgina's plan.

"What do you suggest, Georgina?" Dominic asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Sonoko is the second daughter of Suzuki Grop, correct?" Everyone nodded to the spectacle girl before she asked, "Their corporation manages money that involved banks, investment companies, insurance companies, and real estate firms that provide financial services to commercial and retail customers for over 49 years. "

"Where are you heading with this?" Ellis blinked, exchanging confusion with Walter.

"According to my father, before that, that corporation had always been actively seeking ways to foster Japan's Economic Growth by offering a range of investment and financial services to the public with the aim of money management in the whole of Japan, which is how they obtain their wealth." Georgina's eyes sparkled with a devious glint as she continued, "But what if I told you, that their wealth also relied heavily on noble families within our country in the U.K?"

The noble children leaned in, intrigued by Georgina's revelation. It was clear that she had a plan in mind, one that could potentially bring Sonoko and her family to their knees.

"What do you mean, Georgina?" Samantha asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Well, think about it, how does one rapidly expands their company successfully at a quick succession?" Georgina explained. "Before this, if one were to simply expand Suzuki Group from ground zero into the company it is today, one would need to secure various investments and offer more financial services to the public, right? Be it if Suzuki was born wealthy, they can't solely rely on the money in their own pocket should this business fail. The answer to this solution is simple: Securing funds from rich people, or better yet, with foreign noble families, which covers under our own families. That is right, I found out that some of these ventures were all connected through our families' wealth and power, which meant our families play a significant role in the success of their ventures. Can you see where I am heading with this? "

The noble children exchanged knowing glances, starting to see where Georgina was going with her plan. "That's true," Tiffany ponders about this, "It's rare for one to simply rise to ranks within such short period the way The Suzuki Group does. If our families were indeed crucial to the success of Suzuki Group's ventures, it meant we have some leverage over the powerful conglomerate. Don't we?"

"But can we actually use this to teach Sonoko and her family a lesson?" Walter asked, his curiosity matched by determination. "She may not be as intelligent as our Ranran, lack in many many fields and is way too dumb beyond saving, which is up to our advantage. But supposedly she makes a fuss by getting her family to call for a press conference. Then it wouldn't look good on us, wouldn't it?"

"Walter has a point," Ellis crossed his arms, "I dug up info about her, and heard that she can be a drama queen for a 5-year-old. Tend to overly exaggerate stories. If she made it as if we, a group of children of nobility and royalty rally up to bully a child, we are screwed."

"Plus, that girl has that friend with her, Mouri Ran." Nicolas wasn't pleased talking about this, "I had people look into that friend's background. Apparently, she had a huge crush on that Shinichi boy, that same idiot boy who was going to give Ranran a hard time had she not framed him. She is a daughter of a police officer and a lawyer, although no privileged background...Sonoko can make good use of her to turn against her as if we children of aristocrats are bullying them over a misunderstanding."

The noble children nodded, acknowledging the risks involved in confronting Sonoko and her family directly. Tiffany took a moment to ponder the situation, her mind racing with possibilities. "Not really, she can't use Ran against us."

"What are you talking about?" All heads turned to her.

"Everyone who attended Christopher's death memorial earlier witness what Sonoko and Ran did to Ranran-san, right?" Tiffany brought this up, "It was her cancelled birthday party Sonoko was being angry about it that she lashed out at Ranran, who was dutifully carrying out her duties for hosting Christopher's death memorial. Ran defended Sonoko when we confronted her about pushing Ranran down, as Sonoko brazenly shouted that her birthday venue was stolen thanks to us. The only reason Sonoko did that is because she refuse to understand that her father had the hotel refund the money booked for the venue after the hotel charged them the inflation price."

"In other words....are you implying we do so under the justification of bullying?" Isabelle suddenly figures, her eyes gleaming with that idea. "That would do them good."

"But in the first place, would our parents do so? I know they were present at the memorial, but....we need to consider that they may be forced to fork out penalty fees for whatever contracts they had drafted out between Suzuki Corps and our other family business ventures." Walter slumped at that thought, "Don't get me wrong, they can afford it. But politics wise, by doing so....it may not sound justifiable to the public, but rather....petty revenge."

Walter's concern was valid. He understood that their parents' actions might have consequences beyond just financial penalties. Publicly confronting the Suzuki Group could strain business relationships and create tensions within their social circles. It was a delicate situation, and they needed to find a way to address it carefully.

"We shouldn't be having a problem with that though," Walter's adopted sister Isabelle confronted, "I had conducted studies that bullying incidents had become of an Achilles heel to any financial businesses nowadays, especially if there is solid evidence, it will get ugly. So getting our parents to withdraw financial support from the Suzukis would actually save them a lump chump of money."

"Is it?" Ellis quipped. "Do we have actually evidence that will get the majority to support in our favour?"

Then Veronica remembered something, "The CCTV in the venue earlier while we were having Christopher's death memorial, will that do? Cause I remembered while I was talking to Ranran earlier, there were CCTV cameras installed in the venue to ensure uninvited guest don't go about storming in like a wild hooligan. Let alone, endanger us."

Veronica's suggestion caught the attention of everyone. "That's a brilliant idea," Samantha exclaimed. "If we have the CCTV footage, it will be hard for Sonoko and her family to deny their actions."

"Agreed," Teddy chimed in. "Having video evidence will make our case much stronger."

"But the problem is, will the hotel be willing to hand over the footage to us?" Dominic asked. "We need to be careful in how we approach this."

"That should be a piece of cake," Nicolas suggested. "I know people around here in Japan who know the people in the hotel, they would be more than happy to hand us over the tapes."

The noble children agreed to the plan, and over the next few days, they diligently gathered all the evidence they could find.

........................................................................................

The day 5-year-old Suzuki Sonoko's life turned upside down, was a day she can never forget.

The response from the noble children and their families left a deep impact on her, shaping the course of her life in unexpected ways.

Sonoko had always lived a life of privilege and entitlement, shielded by her family's wealth and status. She had grown accustomed to getting her way, often at the expense of others. Whenever that happens, her mother would lecture her to behave properly rather than impulsively. She doesn't behave the same way her eldest sister Ayako Suzuki does.

Before this day arrived, Sonoko used to think that since her family is the Second Richest Conglomerate family in the whole of Japan, no one would dare to do things to her. However, the encounter with Ranran and the noble children of Edgewood Academy opened her eyes in ways that are unimaginable.

The public humiliation and the fallout from her actions at Christopher's memorial were a stark day for Sonoko. Apparently, the pressure mounted on Suzuki Corporation after the video is released to the press, and the public's opinion began to sway against them. The media picked up the story, and the company was faced with a public relations crisis. Sonoko's family realized that they could no longer ignore the consequences of their actions.

It shattered the image she had of herself as someone invincible, reminding her that even her family's influence couldn't protect her from the repercussions of her own actions.

Speaking of her parents...."Suzuki Sonoko! Is it true that you barged into the Ashford's death memorial and harassed one of the kids there?!"

"I ain't in the wrong," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Enough!" The booming voice filled the lavish living room of the Suzuki Mansion as Sonoko winced at the anger of the matriarch of the Suzuki family, Suzuki Tomoko, who also happens to be her furious mother. "Sonoko, I don't expect you to behave as well as your elder sister Ayako when it comes to your mannerism, but for you to simply charge into the venue where there were attendees full of children and adults of aristocrats grieving the death of a deceased little boy....you have gone too far!"

Sonoko's father, Suzuki Shiro, who usually remained calm and composed, also looked visibly disappointed as he rubbed his face in frustration. To those who know Suzuki Shiro, one could simply describe him as a calm, kind, and polite man. When it came to family, he is a family man of his kind and normally doesn't lose his temper easily. He was also one of those few conglomerate families who never had the thought of marrying his own children for political reasons regarding his company. If anything, he is a very devoted husband and father.

But today, that is about to change.

"What is the meaning of this? Do you have any idea what you've done, Sonoko!?" he demanded, his voice commanding attention." He said sternly. "Your actions have not only embarrassed our family but also tarnished our reputation. We have worked hard to build a reputable business to keep the roof above our heads, and your behaviour is about to jeopardise everything!"

"But it ain't my fault! Ranran provoked me!" Sonoko tried to defend herself weakly, struggling to find the right words. "She robbed the venue at that same hotel which was meant to have my birthday party held, and had some dead boy with a meaningless title that barely works in Japan on purpose so I can't celebrate in that venue!"

"Sonoko, have you been watching too many Anime shows lately!?" Suzuki Tomoko snapped, her patience wearing thin. "How can a 5-year-old girl, purposely sabotage your birthday party venue by doing such a thing?! She is too young to come up with that sort of scheme! Also, I reminded you the other day that I had to cancel your birthday party at that place because the hotel was unnecessarily charging me additional fees due to inflation!"

"Again, I don't care what the word 'inflation' means! I just want to celebrate my birthday there because I sent out the invites to my friends to go there!" Sonoko whined.

"Suzuki Sonoko! You ruin the death memorial of a little boy who is born a noble!" Sonoko's response about her cancelled birthday party only angered her parents further as her father continued, "Also, I told you that we ain't officially cancelling your birthday party, we are having it in a different venue, that's all!"

"But the venue is smaller than the other!" Suzuki Shiro's words fell on deaf ears as Sonoko continued to throw a tantrum.

"Only by 2 inches!" Her mother pointed out.

"I don't care! It's still small despite this!" Sonoko bellowed.

Suzuki Tomoko and Suzuki Shiro exchanged exasperated glances, unable to believe their daughter's sense of entitlement and lack of understanding. They had tried their best to raise her with manners and etiquette befitting of their status, but it seemed that Sonoko's behaviour had spiralled out of control.

"And even if Ranran did scheme, does that justify your behaviour at the memorial?!" Shiro scolded his second daughter, "There were so many of them who worked for me that attended that same memorial that you ruined, and I am about to lose all of that thanks to what you did to Ranran! And as for that poor deceased boy's parents, they were traumatised over how you spoke ill over their deceased son!"

"I-I didn't think they would work for you," Sonoko finally admitted, her voice shaking with tremor. "I mean who knew people with titles would go out and work in corporate companies!"

Her parents were at a loss for words, astonished by their daughter's ignorance and lack of awareness. It was clear that Sonoko had been living in her own privileged bubble, completely disconnected from the reality of the world around her.

"Suzuki Sonoko! You can't be serious, right?!" Tomoko continued, her eyes ablaze with anger. "We had hired a tuition teacher over to teach you about this, did you drool off again!?"

Sonoko's face flushed with embarrassment as her mother mentioned the tuition teacher they had hired to educate her on matters of etiquette and social awareness. She had often found those lessons tedious and boring, preferring to spend her time on other activities that interested her.

"To be honest, I thought it was all so boring and unnecessary."

Sonoko's face flushed with embarrassment as her mother mentioned the tuition teacher they had hired to educate her on matters of etiquette and social awareness. She had often found those lessons tedious and boring, preferring to spend her time on other activities that interested her.

"Boring and unnecessary?" Tomoko's voice rose with incredulity. "Sonoko, understanding social dynamics and the responsibilities that come with our family's position is not boring and unnecessary. It's what sets us apart as members of a prominent and respected conglomerate family."

Shiro chimed in, "We have a responsibility not just to our family but to the people who work for us, and the broader society. Our actions and behaviour reflect not just on us, but on the reputation of the entire Suzuki Corporation."

"And your actions today have severely damaged that reputation," Tomoko added, her voice stern. "We had to issue a public apology on behalf of the family because of what you did. Or else you and your sister won't be living comfortably as you are now. Do you understand the seriousness of this situation?"

"Which is why I decided, you must apologize to those children by tomorrow." The father sighed.

"What!? Why should I!? They were the ones who provoke me!" Sonoko grew livid at that.

"I told you that you will have your birthday venue elsewhere, but you didn't listen and ended up confronting and pushing an innocent child down at a death memorial event."Her father's expression remained stern, unmoved by her excuses. "It only seems fair that you apologize for your mistakes."

"But Ranran tricked me! She really did!"

"No, she didn't, it was the same with the funeral incident last year, and so was this one, Sonoko. Both incidents were unprovoked by her, and you know that," he said firmly. "As a member of the Suzuki family, when one makes a mistake, one must make amends with it."

"I won't! I refuse to!" Sonoko stomped her feet wilfully. "And again, what funeral incident?! You both mention it so many times, but I don't remember any of it!"

"If you don't, we are going to end up living on the streets, Sonoko!" Her mother yelled at her.

Sonoko's eyes widened at the seriousness of her mother's words.