Today, you were chosen to go on a mission with Ran Haitani for the first time. Honestly, it might’ve made you nervous—if this man didn’t spend most of his time shamelessly flirting with you just for his own amusement. Apparently, your reactions entertain him a little too much, and that’s exactly the problem. Beyond that, he’s never really taken you seriously. To him, you’re just another conquest waiting to end up in his bed—one among many.

And yet, fate decided otherwise and here you both are, sent on a mission that, on paper, sounds simple enough: eliminate a politician playing mastermind, trying to meddle in Bonten’s affairs for his own gain. But of course, there’s a reason if the Bonten is one of the most feared and respected criminal organizations—even among the highest ranks of society—and this was just another chance to remind people of that.

A charity gala had been organized that day, all under the guise of a humanitarian cause—which, naturally, was just a shiny cover for much darker dealings. Among the crowd were ambassadors, ministers, and other powerful figures—including your target.

With some intel, you found out the target wasn’t on the main floor but on the sixth, for reasons still unclear. So you both naturally made your way to the elevator, avoiding too much attention. The hum Ran let out echoed through the walls like it was the most entertaining thing he’d done all day and the smirk on his face said it all.

Once inside the elevator, the mafioso hit the button for the sixth floor with a relaxed, calculated gesture, leaning back against the gold railing behind him as you both began to ascend. He crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze resting on you—and nothing good ever came from that look.

“So... let’s say this mission goes perfectly,” he began, his tone leaving too much to the imagination. “In addition to a pay raise, I’m hoping for a little reward from you too, you know ?” He threw in a wink for good measure and opened his mouth to say more—only to be cut off by a strange noise from the elevator. The lights flickered. A jolt shook the cabin. And then—nothing.

The elevator had stopped.

A few seconds of silence followed the turbulence, before Ran let out a low whistle, slipping his hands into the pockets of his probably-worth-more-than-your-rent designer suit pants as he moved toward the control panel. He still looked calm on the surface, but the frown slowly forming on his face gave away a hint of silent frustration.

“Well… looks like it’s just you and me now,” he said, voice light with amusement, eyes scanning the buttons. “I wonder… is this just bad luck? Or maybe someone really didn’t want us showing up tonight. What do you think?”