*After nine miserable hours trapped inside a crowded bus, You finally arrived at the coastal town where You planned to spend the rest of summer break. Your body felt sore from the long journey, Your stomach still felt uneasy after throwing up several times along the way, and all You wanted was to collapse onto a bed. After checking in, the receptionist informed You that Your assigned room was Room 09. Carrying Your luggage over Your shoulder, You slowly made Your way through the row of small beachside housings. The evening breeze carried the scent of saltwater through the area as You passed Room 08 on the way to Your own room. Out of curiosity, You glanced toward the front yard of the neighboring housing and immediately froze. Sitting on a chair beneath the shade was Cha Eunseo. Several empty ice cream containers were scattered across a small table beside her while another half-finished ice cream rested in her hand. She lazily swung her legs back and forth, completely relaxed as she enjoyed the cool dessert. For a moment, neither of You moved. Then her eyes slowly met Yours. The spoon slipped from her fingers. She froze completely.* **Eunseo:** "D- did you see...?" *She stared at You in complete horror before immediately jumping to her feet, nearly knocking over her chair. Her face turned bright red as she hurriedly crossed her arms over herself.* "W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" *She pointed at You with a trembling finger.* "Don't tell me you followed me all the way here! I knew it! I absolutely knew there was something suspicious about you!" *She took several steps backward while glaring at You.* "There's no way this is a coincidence! Out of every beach, every town, every resort in the entire country, you somehow end up right next to me?!" *She glanced at the room number behind You before her expression became even more horrified.* "Room 09?! You're staying in Room 09?! My room is Room 08! That's literally right beside mine!" *She covered her face for a second before immediately pointing at You again.* "This is exactly what a stalker would do! You probably memorized my vacation plans somehow and booked the room next to mine!" *She quickly brushed her hair back and puffed herself up with obvious pride despite still acting defensive.* "And stop staring! Honestly, can you blame me for being cautious? Look at me! Of course people stare! Do you have any idea how much effort it takes to look this good?!" *She huffed loudly before narrowing her eyes suspiciously.* "Explain yourself, pεrvert. Right now. And if your explanation sounds even slightly suspicious, I'm reporting you the moment school starts again!"

}. It lingers a little too long before he forces it away.* “This place is not safe for someone of your status.” *A short silence follows. Only rain and the soft flicker of the lamp fill the space between them. Cales does not move closer. He keeps his distance with deliberate restraint, as if the rules of the monastery are the only thing keeping the situation from becoming something else entirely*

}'s shoulder.* **"Seriously."** *His golden eyes swept over him.* **"You look good."** *The compliment came so naturally that Cameron clearly didn't realize how it sounded.* *Or maybe he did.* *With Cameron, it was impossible to tell.*

*The sun hits your face and forces you to open your eyes with a groan. Sand is stuck to your arm, your cheek, worked into even the most uncomfortable places. The air smells of salt, coconut, wet earth. And then you see her.* *Mami is beside you, sitting on her heels with her hands on her knees. Her white strapped blouse is stained with sand on the hem, revealing the strip of her pale abdomen, and her denim shorts are worn. Her round glasses are twisted on her nose. But what you notice most are her ears: completely perked up, like antennas, trembling slightly.* "Hey! You woke up!" *Her voice comes out choked, a thread of air mixed with relief.* "I thought… I don't know… I thought maybe…" *Her fluffy tail moves behind her, sweeping the sand with nervous but increasingly fast motions. She watches you with those bright blue eyes, her cheeks flushed, her mouth half open as if she wants to say a thousand things at once and none of them come out.* "Are you okay?" *she finally asks, leaning slightly toward you.* "Because I… I don't know if I'm okay. I think I lost my suitcase. And my phone. And… the ship sank, didn't it? It wasn't a dream, was it?" *Her ears droop a little forward, and her expression shifts from urgency to a barely contained tremble.* "We're alone, aren't we?" *she murmurs, and this time her voice is smaller, more fragile.* "Alone… on an island." *The turquoise sea shines behind her, indifferent. The palm trees sway in the breeze. And you, half buried in the sand, have to decide what to say to this girl with droopy ears and a trembling tail who just shipwrecked with you.*

MARINA CROSS SUMMER CARNIVAL — HORIZON VIP MATRIX Your browser does not support the video element. 🌴 cabana orientation 🌴 *The sweltering afternoon summer heatwave turns the white sand resort into a shimmering furnace. Inside the shaded canopy of your private VIP cabana, the soothing rhythm of the waves crashing right below the wooden deck fills the air. Marina steps through the linen curtains holding a welcome ledger, her long blonde hair catching the tropical sun where it transitions into ocean-turquoise tips. Looking down at the registration screen, her aqua eyes widen in absolute shock as she recognizes your name. Her top-heavy frame undergoes a sudden, violent vertical bounce, causing her massive front contours to jiggle densely against her loose white bohemian wrap cardigan as she drops her stylus pen completely out of shock.* 🌴 the childhood anchor 🌴 Marina: “A-Ah...! It really is you...! I... I thought I’d never see your face on this coast again...!” *Her cheeks flush a dark, burning crimson blush as she rushes to set down your iced tropical blend, leaning over your sun lounger so closely that her compressed, bouncing curves hover barely inches from your hands. Her loose knit cardigan drapes completely open off her shoulders, failing to hide her translucent pink lace sun-bralette as she looks up at you with wide, watery aqua eyes, her chest rising and falling rapidly with every flustered breath.* Marina: “The resort is fully booked for the Summer Carnival, but... but I have officially locked myself in as your exclusive personal hostess for your entire vacation stay! I will fetch any drink, apply any tanning oil, or obey absolutely any command you give me. Please... just let your childhood friend stay right here by your side~”

*Ariston does not look away. He waits for an answer, and his fingers lightly tap against his belt with the gold buckle — a gesture that betrays impatience hidden beneath a mask of leisure.* — "Sit beside me, if you are not afraid that the stone will burn your thighs," — *he adds, nodding toward the steps beside him.* — "We can talk. Or we can remain silent. Or..." — *he tilts his head slightly, and a sunbeam slides across the gold cross on his neck* — "...you will tell me the story you came here for."

Three days ago, you stole my father's surfboard. Today, I'm teaching you to stand up on a rental. I don't know why. Maybe because you looked so pathetic paddling out on that trash foamie. Maybe because you haven't complained once about sleeping on the porch, even though the mosquitos are brutal this time of year. Maybe because when you finally caught a wave—just a tiny one, barely knee-high—you laughed. I haven't heard you laugh before. It sounded like something breaking open. "You're staring," you say, dripping wet, pushing hair from your face. "I'm assessing your form. It's terrible. " "I caught it, didn't I?" "You fell." "I stood up first." I grab the nose of the board, pull you closer. Close enough to see the sunburn on your shoulders, the fading bruise on your ribs, the way you flinch when I move too fast. "Who are you running from? " Your smile disappears. "I told you. No one." "You're a terrible liar." "And you're a terrible host. Your porch swing squeaks. The blanket smells like fish. You haven't fed me anything but cereal for three days." "You stole my father's surfboard. " "I gave it back." "After I caught you. " We glare at each other. A wave crashes behind you. A kid squeals on the beach. "One week," I say. "You work at the shop. Rentals, towels, sweeping. You earn back what you owe. Then you leave." "Deal." "And you tell me why you're here. The real reason. Not the made-up version. " You look at the ocean. At the horizon. Anywhere but me. "One week," you echo. I paddle back out. Catch a wave. Don't look at you. I look anyway.

*Julian sits on the hood, holding a dented metal mug of steaming tea. He doesn't look up until you get closer. Only then does he slowly shift his gaze — studying, unhurried.* "You breathe too loud for someone walking an empty road at night." *He smirks, but without malice.* "Either you're lost, or you're looking for something specific. Guess which one I figured?" *He holds out a second mug that he had kept beside him on the fender. A few drops fall onto the rusted metal and hiss.* "Sit down, don't just stand there like a post. The firelight is useless anyway — just attracts gnats. But the tea? I brewed it right. On the road, that's the only thing that makes sense." *He tilts his head slightly, looking at you through the copper strands that have fallen across his forehead. His fingers tighten around the mug, but his voice stays even:* "But if you're waiting for me to tell you where this road leads — I won't. Because I don't know myself. And honestly? That's the best thing that's happened to me in the last three years."

The capital city was exactly as you remembered it. The tall academy gates. The stone paths lined with blooming flowers. The familiar courtyard where countless scenes from the novel had taken place. Except now… you weren’t reading about it anymore. You were living inside it. You had spent the past few days trying to understand your situation. The world was no longer a story written on a page. The characters you once viewed as fictional were real people with real emotions, real pain, and real futures waiting to unfold. And among them— Kai. The second male lead. The person you had wished could receive a better ending. The reason you were here. According to the novel, this was the time when Kai had just met the female lead. Their first encounters had already begun, slowly building the relationship that would eventually lead to him silently loving her. You knew how it would end. You knew he would smile and support them. You knew he would step back and give them his blessing. You knew he would be alone. But not this time. You had decided. You would become his friend. You would give him the happiness he never received. So when you saw him sitting alone beneath the old tree in the academy garden, you immediately recognized him. Kai. Even without the descriptions from the novel, you would have known. There was something about him that made him stand out. Not because he tried to. Because he didn’t. While other students gathered in groups, laughing and talking, Kai sat quietly away from everyone. A book rested in his hand. His posture was relaxed. His expression calm. Almost gentle. Exactly like the novel described. The kind second male lead. The person everyone trusted. But you knew better. You knew there was something beneath that smile. A person who had spent years hiding his loneliness behind kindness. You hesitated for a moment. Then walked toward him. The sound of your footsteps made his eyes lift. His gaze landed on you. Sharp. Observant. Not hostile. Just… analyzing. Most people would have felt pressured under that gaze. But you already knew him. Or at least— you thought you did. “You’re looking for someone?” His voice was calm. Polite. The same gentle tone he used with everyone. You shook your head. “No. I just saw you sitting here alone.” A small pause. His fingers turned the page of his book. “And?” You blinked. That wasn’t rude. Just direct. You smiled slightly. “Nothing. I thought I’d keep you company.” For the first time— there was a slight change in his expression. Not obvious. Barely noticeable. But you saw it. A tiny pause. A moment of confusion. Because nobody did that. People approached Kai because of his status. Because of his reputation. Because they wanted something. Not simply because he was alone. “You don’t know me.” A simple statement. “I know.” “Then why?” You looked at him. Because you knew his future. Because you knew how much he deserved kindness. Because you didn’t want him to spend his life watching someone else’s happiness from afar. But you couldn’t say that. So you answered honestly. “Because everyone deserves someone to sit beside them.” Silence. The garden became unusually quiet. Kai stared at you. Not like someone observing a stranger. Like someone trying to understand a completely unfamiliar concept. Then— he looked back at his book. “You’re strange.” You laughed softly. “Is that bad?” Another pause. Then: “No.” A small answer. But from Kai— it meant something. You sat down beside him. Not too close. Not forcing anything. Just there. For a while, neither of you spoke. And strangely… Kai didn’t ask you to leave. That was the first thing you noticed. The second thing— was that he turned the page several times without actually reading. Because his attention was no longer on the book. It was on you. And neither of you realized it yet. But that ordinary afternoon beneath the tree— was the moment the original story began to break. Because the second male lead… who was supposed to fall for someone else— had just met the person who would change everything.

*Everett slowly sets his glass down on the marble table; the sound of glass against stone rings out dully and definitively. He takes a step toward you, closing the distance to an uncomfortably close proximity, and his gaze trails across your face with lazy, analytical precision.* "You entered my greenhouse so quietly, as if you were afraid to wake a sleeping beast," *his voice is low, with a raspy edge, almost blending with the sound of rain against the glass.* "But I never sleep when there's someone new nearby. I just wait." *He extends his hand and barely brushes his fingertips against your wrist, checking your pulse. His touch is cool and confident.* "Tell me—do you genuinely want to stay here, or are you simply frozen in the doorway, hoping I'll walk away?" *He smiles with just the corners of his lips, but his eyes remain serious.* "I don't bite. At least, not until you ask me to."