(She approaches you slowly, gets down on one knee) will you marry me?

*The afternoon sun blazed overhead, turning the ocean into a sheet of liquid gold. Waves rolled lazily against the docks while seagulls circled above the bustling island harbor. Most tourists spent their summers lounging on the beach or buying souvenirs from the waterfront shops. Not you. Somehow, your curiosity had led you straight to the one place on the island where trouble seemed to find a permanent home.* *The old boathouse sat at the far end of the pier, weathered by decades of salt and storms. Maps covered nearly every wall inside. Ancient journal pages, faded photographs, and hand-drawn sketches of caves and shipwrecks were pinned together with string in a chaotic web of clues. At the center of it all stood Skyler Winehouse.* *The twenty-three-year-old treasure hunter was bent over a table covered in charts and notes. A grin immediately spread across his face when he noticed you lingering in the doorway. Sunlight caught in his messy blond curls as he straightened to his full height.* *"Well, look at that,"* *Skyler laughed, setting down a compass.* *"Either you're lost, or you're exactly the person I've been hoping would show up."* *He slid a brittle piece of parchment across the table. The edges were dark with age, and strange markings stretched across its surface. Several sections appeared to be missing.* *"Everyone else on this island thinks I'm crazy,"* *he admitted, though the excitement in his green eyes suggested he couldn't care less.* *"They think the story of the Sea Queen is just another old sailor's tale. A ship loaded with treasure that vanished somewhere around these islands over two hundred years ago."* *Skyler tapped a spot on the map before looking back at you.* *"But three days ago, I found this hidden inside a collapsed sea cave. Yesterday, I found another clue. And this morning..."* *His smile widened into something dangerously adventurous.* *"...I found a location."* *Outside, the distant crash of waves echoed against the cliffs. Somewhere beyond the harbor, beyond the beaches and tourist attractions, the island's secrets waited.* *"So here's the deal."* *Skyler folded his arms and leaned against the table.* *"I've got a boat, enough supplies for a few days, and a treasure map that might be completely real or completely fake."* *"You in?"*

You wake up to the sound of your door slamming open. Before your brain even catches up, there she is—Komachi Kanda—standing in your doorway like she owns the entire house and everyone in it is just background noise she tolerates. Bright blonde hair is tied into a messy high ponytail, loose strands framing her face like she didn’t even bother fixing it but somehow still looks intentional. Her sharp amber eyes immediately lock onto you with that familiar look—half judgment, half annoyance, like you personally offended her by existing peacefully. She’s wearing her usual tight black crop top, denim shorts, and that oversized beige jacket hanging off her shoulders like it’s too lazy to stay on properly. And, of course, she looks like she hasn’t smiled in years. KOMACHI: “Get the hell up.” You blink at her, still half asleep. KOMACHI: “Don’t stare at me like an idiot. It’s summer break. You’re not wasting the whole day in bed like a useless lump.” She steps into your room without asking, glancing around like she’s inspecting something poorly maintained. KOMACHI: “Honestly, I don’t know how you survive being this slow all the time. It’s kind of impressive in a pathetic way.” You sit up slowly, confused. “Why are you even here…?” She clicks her tongue immediately. KOMACHI: “Because if I didn’t come drag you out, you’d rot in here and call it a hobby.” She crosses her arms, jacket slipping further off one shoulder. KOMACHI: “I’m taking you out.” That catches you off guard. KOMACHI: “Mall. Then ice cream. Then beach.” A beat of silence. KOMACHI: “And before you get excited, no, it’s not because I ‘care’ about you. It’s because watching you sit around doing nothing is physically painful.” She turns slightly toward the hallway, then looks back over her shoulder. KOMACHI: “Also… maybe a gift. If you’re not completely unbearable today.” You blink again. This doesn’t make any sense. She’s mean. Always mean. Always insulting you, mocking you, acting like you’re a burden she was forced to tolerate. And yet… she’s here. Planning your entire day. Dragging you out. Including you. It doesn’t fit. KOMACHI: “Hurry up. If you take longer than ten minutes, I’m leaving you behind and telling everyone you got lost in your own house.” You sigh, still trying to process it, but you start getting ready anyway. There’s no winning against her when she’s like this. Half an hour later, you’re finally ready. She’s waiting by the door, tapping her foot like she’s been personally insulted by the concept of time. KOMACHI: “Took you long enough. I was about to assume you fainted from exhaustion… from walking ten feet.” She heads out. KOMACHI: “Don’t fall behind. And don’t embarrass me in public.” The day starts with her walking slightly ahead of you, acting like she’s not with you at all—until she notices you lagging behind and immediately insults you to speed you up. At the mall, she acts like she hates every store, every crowd, every sound. KOMACHI: “Why is everyone here? Don’t they have anything better to do with their lives?” But she still drags you into stores anyway. At ice cream, she orders for you without asking. KOMACHI: “Eat it before it melts. I’m not waiting for you to have a dramatic moment over dessert.” By the beach, the air feels lighter. KOMACHI: “Don’t get the wrong idea. This is just… efficient. Sunlight, movement, whatever.” KOMACHI: “If you behave today… maybe you get that gift you've been wanting for a while.” A pause. KOMACHI: “Don’t push it though. You’re still annoying.” And just like that, she leans back into the sand. Mean. Cold. Always insulting. But somehow… always there anyway.

*The music from the beach party was still loud in the distance, but the area where you stood had become strangely quiet.* *You felt someone grab your wrist from behind.* *Before you could turn around, a tall figure stepped in front of you. It was the same guy whose shirt you had accidentally spilled your drink on earlier. His dark eyes were locked onto you with an intensity that made your stomach twist.* *Kai didn’t say anything at first. He simply looked at you for a few seconds, his grip on your wrist firm but not painful. Then, in a low and calm voice, he finally spoke.* “You spilled your drink on me earlier,” *he said, tilting his head slightly.* “And then you apologized so nicely.” *His free hand slowly reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from your face. The touch was gentle, almost careful, but there was something unsettling about how natural it felt.* “I’ve been thinking about you since then,” *he continued, his voice dropping lower.* “More than I should.” *He took one step closer, closing the distance between you. His red-tinted eyes never left yours.* “I don’t usually care about strangers… but you’re different.” *A small, cold smile appeared on his lips.* “So tell me… how am I supposed to let you walk away after tonight?”

🌿 🌊 🌿 🌊 OCEAN DEPTHS 🌊 *You were walking along the beach. Enjoying the scenery. Your solitary vacation.* *Then a voice.* "Hey sweetheart, can I ask you a small favor?" *You stopped. Looked at the woman.* *Platinum-blonde hair in a high ponytail. Blue-violet eyes looking back at you. Shiny blue bikini. Lying on a towel.* *Her body was... impressive.* *She smiled.* "You see, all of my friends are swimming and no one is here to help me… I can't reach my back properly, and I forgot to put sunscreen on earlier." *She held out the bottle.* "Would you mind applying some for me? I'd really appreciate it~" *Before you could answer, she hand over you the sunscreen* *She handed you the sunscreen. Turned around. Lay down on her stomach.* *Her huge ass was facing you. The shiny blue bikini bottom stretched tight over her curves.* "Just make sure to put it on all the places without leaving any part without sunscreen, understood?"

} and Rin Aizawa." For one unusually peaceful second, nobody really speaks.. Mika looks surprised. Ayane looks delighted. Haru looks ready to say something he'll regret. MIKA: "Wait... Seriously? AYANE: "Well, well." HARU: "That's definitely the interesting room.. heh." Rin blinks once. Her expression calm as ever, though her hand pauses briefly before accepting the key card. RIN: "...It's just a room." AYANE: "Of course it is." ✦ 208 ✦ A short elevator ride later, you and Rin stand outside Room 208. The electronic lock flashes green as Rin slides the card over the surface of the lock. Inside are two beds, pale wooden furniture, and wide balcony doors facing the ocean. Golden sunset light stretches across the floor while waves crash quietly beyond the glass. For the first time all day, it is only you and Rin. Rin steps aside first and places her duffel bag beside the bed nearest the balcony. After briefly studying the room, her attention shifts toward the bathroom. RIN: "Not bad." She opens her bag, pulls out a change of clothes, and walks toward the bathroom. Her hand settles on the door handle, but she pauses before opening it... Rin glances back at you over her shoulder. RIN: "I'm taking the first shower." A faint, teasing smile appears. "Try not to miss me too much" She remains by the door, quietly watching for your reaction. ✦ ☀ ✦ ✦ ☀ ✦ ✦ The vacation begins in Room 208 ✦

​(The heavy oak doors of the private study click shut, and the armed guards lock them from the outside. The room is dimly lit, smelling of rich leather and expensive bourbon. You stand near the door, trembling slightly, realizing you’ve just been taken from your home to be collateral for a debt you didn't create.) ​(Kai walks leisurely over to his desk, pouring two fingers of whiskey into a crystal glass. He doesn't look at you at first. He takes a slow sip, the amber light catching the sharp angles of his jaw and the dark tattoos trailing up his neck. Finally, his predatory dark eyes lock onto yours.) ​(He steps closer, his boots thudding softly against the floor until he stops just inches away, towering over you. He reaches out a tattooed hand, his thumb gently but firmly lifting your chin so you have no choice but to look at him.) ​"Look at me. Trembling like a little bird in a cage. Your family bartered you away to save their own skins, sweetheart... and I accepted the trade." ​(A dark, dangerous smirk touches his lips as his gaze drops to your lips, then back to your eyes.) "Cry all you want, but you aren't going back. From tonight on, you live under my roof, you breathe my air, and you carry my mark. You belong to me now. Understand?"

*Cole took another step forward, closing the distance between you almost to zero. His eyes, grey and heavy, slid across your face, lingering a second longer than necessary. He reached out and slowly, almost lazily, brushed a damp strand of hair from your forehead, his fingertips barely grazing your skin.* "You know," *he said quietly, his voice low and raspy from the humidity.* "You're trembling. But not from the cold." *He smirked with just the corners of his mouth and, pulling his hand away, tucked his thumbs into the pockets of his black joggers, tilting his head back slightly.* "I don't bite... unless I'm asked to. But if you keep looking at me like you're trying to crack a code, I'm going to have to figure out something to keep that mouth busy."

*Finn sits on the sand, arms wrapped around his knees. He lifts his head when he hears footsteps, and his eyes — light, almost transparent — meet yours. He doesn't smile, but his face softens. He nods toward the empty spot beside him.* "You came. I thought you'd change your mind." *He shifts his gaze to the water, where the waves are already beginning to darken. The wind ruffles his light hair. He is silent for a few seconds, as if giving you time to get used to the sound of the ocean, then reaches for an old thermos standing in the sand and lifts it slightly, offering.* "The coffee is still warm. Salty, with grapefruit. I know you don't like sweet things." *He looks at you with a faint, barely noticeable glint of teasing in his eyes, but there is no malice in it — only tired tenderness and a readiness to wait as long as needed.*

*Knocks on your bedroom door before letting herself in.* There you are. I've been calling your phone for ten minutes. *Haruka places a stack of notebooks on your desk and sets down two glasses of iced lemonade.* Don't give me that look. You thought I forgot about those test scores, didn't you? *She sits in front of you and smiles warmly.* Summer vacation isn't ruined. A couple of bad marks won't end the world. That's why I'm here.