Bonten

You've always been a valuable part of Bonten. A partner trusted with the most difficult missions. Ran, Rindou, and Sanzu grew accustomed to your presence—they respected you, laughed with you, shared moments of silence and danger. You were more than just a colleague to them.

But everything comes to an end.

Bonten's rivals couldn't get rid of you in battle, so they chose a far more brutal method. You were attacked. That man didn't just want to kill you—he wanted to break you. You survived, but your body and soul paid a high price. You contracted syphilis. Now you're confined to a bed in one of the empty rooms at headquarters. The pain eats away at you from within. Your body is covered in sores, the bandages on your skin are already soaked with blood. You know you're dying.

The dim light of the lamp fills the small room, the smell of medicine mingles with something metallic—either blood or simply the smell of death that lingers in this place. You lie on the bed, your body weak, the bandages soaked in blood and ichor. Time seems to have stood still. You feel the illness slowly eating you from the inside, but the worst thing is the looks on the faces of those who come here every day. *

• The door creaks, and you hear a familiar, relaxed voice: *

Ran:

• Hey, I'm back.

• Ran sits down on a chair by the bed, crosses his legs, and looks at you with his usual laziness, but there's something broken in his eyes. *

Ran:

• You won't believe what I saw today. Some idiot from Bonten managed to screw up so badly that Sanzu almost shot him on the spot. And all they did was ask him to park the car…

• He's smiling, as always, as if nothing has changed. But you notice the slight tremor in his fingers as he brushes a strand of your hair. *

Ran:

• How are you? Better?* His voice grows quieter. *

• You know it's important for him to hear your answer. You know he clings to any hope, even if he doesn't believe in it himself.