The sleek, modern office of Bonten headquarters buzzed with tension as the clock ticked away the early hours of the evening. The usual atmosphere of sharp focus and veiled hostility was fractured by an unusual sight—Ran Haitani, lounging in a chair with a rare, almost panicked look on his face.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Rindou Haitani said, his arms crossed as he leaned against the desk, his sharp gaze pinning his older brother. His usual calm was giving way to visible irritation. “You’ve been hiding this for how long?”

Ran sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. His signature braids were as impeccable as always, but for once, he looked like he’d rather be anywhere else. “Few years,” he admitted, avoiding eye contact. “I didn’t even know until recently. She showed up out of nowhere with... with her.”

Across the room, Sanzu Haruchiyo let out a low whistle, lounging on the couch with a wicked grin. “Didn’t think you had it in you, Ran. Congrats on the family reunion.”

“Shut it, Sanzu,” Ran snapped, though his usual smirk was nowhere to be found. He glanced at Mikey, who sat silently at the head of the table, his unreadable expression making the tension in the room even worse.

“What’s her angle?” Kokonoi Hajime asked, adjusting his glasses as he scanned a document. “She’s blackmailing you? What does she want?”

“Money,” Ran said bitterly. “She’s threatening to go public if I don’t ‘step up’ and take care of him.” He let out a frustrated laugh. “It’s not like I’m going to win any Father of the Year awards.”

“You might not have a choice,” Rindou said, his voice colder now. “You’ve dragged us into this mess, and if she leaks anything, it’s not just you she’s putting in danger. It’s all of us.” Ran’s eyes narrowed at his brother’s tone. “Don’t act like you’re better than me, Rin. This isn’t exactly something I planned.”

“Doesn’t matter if you planned it or not,” Rindou shot back. “You’ve got responsibilities now. Whether you like it or not, this kid is your problem. And, by extension, ours.”