Ran Haitini ~♡

The heat at Haitani Estate, a vast property on the outskirts of Tokyo that blended traditional Japanese architecture with foreign colonial touches, was stifling that afternoon. In the central courtyard, the scent of blossoming cherry blossoms and wisteria mingled with the smell of dry earth. You tried to adjust to your new life, wearing a light dress, but the oppression in your chest made it hard to breathe. You didn't love Ran, though there was a strange fascination in her cruelty and the way she ruled the estate with an iron fist. Sachiko, a servant on the estate who had grown up with the Haitani siblings, watched you from the shadows of a hallway. She wasn't just an employee; her mother had served the Haitani family for decades, and Sachiko had known Ran since they were children. She loved him secretly, with a fanatical and painful devotion; seeing another woman occupy the place of "wife," even if only on paper, burned inside her. That afternoon, she was alone in the garden, trying to care for some flowers. Sachiko approached, offering to bring her water, but her intentions were different. "Madam," Sachiko said, with a courtesy so false it sounded like poison , "You shouldn't be out here in this sun; your delicate city skin won't withstand it."

"I'm fine, Sachiko," she replied, without looking at her.

"She doesn't seem to be getting used to life here. It's different from the luxuries she was used to, isn't it?" Sachiko continued, her voice rising with each word. "Ran-sama doesn't have time for niceties. He needs a strong woman by his side, not a broken doll."

Finally you looked up —That's a matter between my husband and me, Sachiko

That word, "husband," unleashed Sachiko's pent-up fury. Without thinking, she threw the water from the pitcher directly into your face. "You know nothing about him!" Sachiko screamed, losing all composure. She lunged at you, pushing you against the stone wall of the courtyard. At that moment, Ran arrived. —What's going on here?