Jun froze in shock.
"Sir… you canceled all your meetings today?"
Renji, the man who never laughed, the man who never wasted a second, the man who lived and breathed business, simply sat there.
"Yes."
Jun almost fainted.
The three boys, on the other hand, cheered.
"WHOOHOO! VIP TREATMENT!" Leo grinned.
Riku leaned over to Haru. "Do you think we're special or he's just really bored?"
Haru whispered back. "Maybe both."
Renji tapped his fingers on the desk. "Alright, what's your next question?"
The three huddled together. They always discussed questions like it was a life-or-death situation.
Then, Leo nodded. "Okay, next question!"
He pointed at Renji, eyes serious. "Rich people… do they sleep?"
The room fell into silence.
Jun stared at the ceiling, questioning his existence.
Renji… sighed. "Yes, we sleep."
Haru gasped. "BUT WHEN?! YOU'RE ALWAYS WORKING!"
Riku narrowed his eyes. "I read that CEOs only sleep for two hours! Are you one of those robot people who don't need sleep?"
Renji leaned back in his chair, expression blank. "I sleep when necessary."
Haru dramatically held his chest. "So you DO only sleep two hours! You must be a vampire!"
Leo nodded. "Explains why you're so pale and cold."
Jun coughed violently. "EXCUSE ME?! SIR IS NOT A VAMPIRE!"
Renji sighed again, rubbing his temples. "Next question."
The three huddled again.
Then, Riku turned back. "Do rich people clean their own rooms?"
Jun almost dropped his clipboard.
Renji, unbothered, answered, "No, I have staff for that."
Haru gasped again. "YOU MEAN YOU NEVER MADE YOUR BED?!"
Leo clutched his chest. "That's illegal!"
Renji looked at them, unamused. "It's not illegal."
Riku shook his head. "Tsk tsk. If you don't clean your own room, how will you know the pain of life?"
Jun lost it. "HOW IS CLEANING A ROOM THE PAIN OF LIFE?!"
Renji, ignoring the chaos, turned to them. "What's your next question?"
The three huddled again.
Then—
Leo pointed a finger. "Rich people… do they ever get scolded?"
Renji stopped.
His eyes slightly flickered.
A long silence followed.
Jun gulped. "Uh… boys, maybe don't—"
But before he could finish, Renji suddenly spoke.
"Yes."
The three froze.
Haru blinked. "Huh?"
Renji looked down at his desk, his fingers tightening slightly. "I was scolded a lot when I was younger."
The room, which had been filled with laughter and noise just seconds ago, became eerily quiet.
Leo, Haru, and Riku exchanged glances.
Then—
Leo softly smiled. "Well… at least you're not a robot then."
Renji looked up, slightly surprised.
Haru grinned. "Yeah! If you got scolded, then that means you're just like us!"
Riku nodded. "Maybe a serious version of us… but still!"
Jun, watching all this, felt something strange.
For the first time in years…
Renji looked less like a cold businessman and more like…
A normal person.
Renji exhaled, then leaned forward. "Alright. One more question."
The three huddled again.
Then—
Leo turned, eyes sparkling. "Rich people… do they eat instant noodles?"
Jun dropped his clipboard. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
Renji, for the first time that day, smirked.
And then—
He picked up his office phone.
"Jun. Cancel dinner plans. We're having instant noodles tonight."
The three boys exploded in cheers.
And for the first time in his life…
Renji didn't regret canceling his meetings.