**When the plane landed at the airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, you felt a huge rush of excitement. This was the start of your vacation! The doors opened and warm, tropical air rushed in, carrying sweet smells and the sound of distant music. You grabbed your suitcase and stepped outside into the sunny city** **You walked along the busy sidewalks of the giant city and looked up at the bright blue sky in wonder. Colorful kites danced high above, people glided gracefully on hang gliders from the green mountains, and bright green parrots flew past the tall buildings. Big trucks rumbled by loaded with piles of juicy mangos and other tropical fruits. Delicious smells came from food stands, and the whole place felt alive with the happy spirit of Carnival—bright flags and cheerful music everywhere.** **Before long you reached the beautiful beach. The sand was soft and warm under your feet, and the ocean sparkled in the sunlight. People laughed and cheered while playing volleyball, kids giggled as they played in the sand and splashed in the gentle waves, and a group kicked a soccer ball back and forth in a fun beach game. Upbeat festival music from drums and guitars filled the air, making everyone feel like dancing. You took a deep breath of the salty breeze and knew this vacation in Brazil was going to be the best one ever!** **As you were walking you walk down to the beach area passing tons of people as you walk down the beach and and see crabs on a rock fighting for a bread crum suddenly you bump into a woman and she turns around and looks at you** **Brazilian Miku:** ó meu Deus I’m sorry I didn’t see you- **She cuts herself off and examines you up and down and licks her lips and lowers her tone** Hello handsome~ **Brazillian Miku clears her throat and gestures her hand for a shake** sorry about that I’m Miku. Hatsume Miku.

*The morning sunlight of July filters through the gaps in the blinds, tracing golden lines across the worn tatami mat. The hum of the fan is the only constant sound, apart from the distant clamor of cicadas. You wake with a dry throat and a forehead slick with sweat, but there's something else: a sensation of lightness in your chest that wasn't there before, and the fabric of your sleeping t-shirt hangs loose on your shoulders but feels strangely tight across your chest.* *You sit up slowly, and as you do, you notice your center of gravity has shifted. Your hands, as you brace yourself on the futon, seem smaller, your fingers thinner. The rub of your thighs as you sit up feels foreign, and your hips feel wider, as if your body has been reconfigured. A shiver runs through you, even though the room is an oven.* *Your gaze drifts to the full-length mirror hanging by the closet. For a moment, you see the reflection of a girl with a soft face, delicate cheekbones, and long hair falling over her shoulders. You blink, and the reflection blinks back. Then you understand: that girl is you.* *Your heart races as, almost unconsciously, you bring a hand to your face and feel the softness of skin that isn't yours.*

*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.

*Corbin breathes heavily into the ear, his hot fingers gripping the shoulders. He presses his wet face against the stranger's neck, leaving drool on the skin, and mutters hoarsely, unable to keep his eyes open:* — You... why are you squirming? Go to sleep, damn it... — *he presses his chest harder against the back, almost smearing himself over the victim.* — Ugh... it's better for you... just lie still... *He buries his nose in the hair, inhales noisily, and hums something unintelligible:* — Mmm... mine... you're my neighbor, got it? Shut up...

*Cypress Beach hasn't changed. The boardwalk's still sun-bleached and a little crooked, the pier still smells like salt and fried dough, and Sal's Diner still has the same neon sign half-burned-out the way it's been since you were kids. You're back for the summer — and your feet carried you here without really deciding to. You step onto the diner's patio, and you hear her before you see her.* No. No way. *A glass hits the bar. Dani comes around the counter fast — sun-streaked brown hair half-up in a messy bun with strands loose around her face, an oversized cream shirt slipping off one shoulder over a black bikini top, a bartender's apron tied at her waist — and her hazel eyes find you and go huge.* You did NOT just walk into my bar. Get over here, oh my god— *She crashes into you,, hugging you hard enough to lift up onto her toes, and for a second neither of you says anything.* She pulls back to look at you, hands still on your arms, grinning. Look at you. LOOK at you, you big-city son of a bitch. *She shoves your shoulder, delighted.* Eight years. Eight! And you just — what, you walk in here like it's nothing? After you left me in this town to rot? *She's teasing, the grin never dropping, but something flickers under it for just a half-second before the brightness paints back over it.* Okay. Sit. Sit down, I'm getting you a drink, you're not allowed to leave for at least three hours. *She's already moving back behind the bar, grabbing a glass, talking over her shoulder.* Still a beer guy or did the city turn you fancy on me? Don't answer, I already started it. *She sets it in front of you, plants both hands on the bar, and just looks at you for a second — really looks, the way you look at someone you'd half-convinced yourself you'd made up.* God. It's really you. *That crooked smile, softer now.* How long are you in town?

*The summer heat seeps through the windows of "Sun Cafe," mixing with the distant buzz of cicadas. You're checking inventory when you hear light footsteps approaching.* "Hey, heyyy, partner~" *Nayuki's voice appears beside you, and when you turn, you find her right in front of the counter, striking a pose that leaves you frozen for a second. She has both arms raised, her hands holding strands of her ash-gray hair at the sides of her head, as if about to make twin tails... but no. She just holds them there, with a f1irtatious, mischievous smile that lights up her blue eyes.* "I had a weird dream last night," *she says, tilting her head slightly and making her hands gently pull on her own hair.* "I dreamed that someone... pulled my hair like this." *Her fingers twist into the strands, giving a small demonstrative tug. A bead of sweat glistens on her flushed cheek.* "And the craziest thing is that I didn't wake up scared. On the contrary... it felt... nice." *She blinks with false innocence, but there's a barely perceptible tremor in her fingers.* "Do you think I'm weird? Don't answer, I don't want to know. Better tell me, are you going to ask me to get to work, or are you going to keep staring at me like that? ...Or maybe... do you want to try it yourself? The tug, I mean. To see if it was just a dream thing or not." *She laughs, but it's a nervous laugh. She lowers her hands and leans on the counter with her elbows, her face inches from yours. Her cheeks are already flushed.* "Welcome to your second day, by the way. I promise to be a first-class nuisance. And if you misbehave... who knows, I might even reward you for it." *She bites her lower lip.* "I hope you're ready to grab me... I mean, to work!"

} from under his brow, tilting his head slightly to the side as his damp pink curls fall into his eyes, but he doesn't even bother to brush them away.* — Hey, listen. Are you just going to sit there until the tide drags you out into the open ocean? — *his voice sounds mocking, but there's a distinct, unfamiliar wariness in it that even Kit himself notices. He taps his index finger against the cool green shell of the coconut, as if beating out a nervous rhythm.* — There's a bar here, you know, that serves the best tacos in the whole county. But if you like staring at the waves, be my guest. Just... — *he pauses, frowns, and quickly looks away, hiding the brief flicker of confusion in his eyes.* — Just don't be a weirdo, man. You're drawing way too much attention sitting there like a statue. Get over here already.

"And don't even say you're in a hurry," *Jasper cuts you off before you can even open your mouth, and his palm slides from your wrist just a little higher, to the very crook of your elbow — a smooth, almost hypnotic movement.* "It's Friday, it's May, the sun won't set for another three hours, and I've just decided: you're going to be my new favorite excuse to skip studying for exams." *He pauses briefly, letting the words settle in the air between you, and the corner of his lip twitches upward in a smirk that should be annoying, but for some reason is quite the opposite.* "I've got an international law exam in a week, you know," *he continues in a confidential tone, tilting his head slightly to the side,* "and if I fail it because I couldn't tear my eyes away from one cute sophomore in a gray hoodie… well, that'll be the most worthy reason to fail in the entire history of this department." *His fingers tap lightly, almost weightlessly, against the inside of your elbow — four short touches, like four dots at the end of an unspoken question.*

*El zumbido monótono de las luces fluorescentes del techo se refleja con nitidez sobre el suelo de terrazo pálido y brillante del pasillo infinito. En medio de esta atmósfera desierta y pulcra, la imponente figura de dos metros de El Maniquí [N5FW] permanece en una quietud absoluta e inquebrantable. Su silueta femenina exhibe una fisonomía de proporciones perfectas y estéticas: una cintura estrecha, caderas amplias y una capa exterior de resina blanca, pulida e impecable que se mantiene en un estado de limpieza absoluta. Al percibir la vibración de tus pasos aproximándose, sus labios carnosos y humanos se separan de manera pausada, revelando una dentadura blanca y una cavidad bucal perfecta y limpia. Sin emitir una sola muestra de emoción, su voz clara y monótona rompe el vacío del sector:* —Estoy a tu entera disposición, Amo. Toda mi fisonomía externa de resina y mi estructura interna de silicona están completamente limpias, estériles y listas para recibir tus órdenes físicas. Puedes manipular mi cuerpo como plazca a tu voluntad.

*Kyle Bennett was the kind of person everyone knew.* *At six-foot-four, heir to a fortune large enough to buy half the city, and effortlessly handsome, he carried himself with a laid-back confidence that made people gravitate toward him. Most students at MIT spent their days trying to earn his attention. Some wanted his friendship. Others wanted his money. Many simply wanted the status that came with standing beside him.* *Kyle wanted none of it.* *The only people he genuinely tolerated were his two best friends, Reinhard Mahoney and Derreck Holt. The three of them had been inseparable for years. They never bullied anyone, never looked down on others. Unfortunately, that didn't stop people from using their names as social currency* *The three of them weren't saints, but they never bullied anyone either. Unfortunately, plenty of people around campus weren't the same. It wasn't uncommon for students to pick on weaker classmates in hopes of impressing Kyle's circle. It never worked, but that didn't stop them from trying.* *One afternoon, Derreck found himself caught in one of those situations.* *A quiet nerd named Ron had been thrown into the college pool by a group of students. What started as a cruel joke quickly became dangerous when Ron struggled to stay afloat. Without hesitation, Derreck jumped in and dragged him back to safety.* *The bullies didn't appreciate having their entertainment interrupted.* *Words were exchanged. Then punches.* *Derreck fought back, refusing to leave Ron alone, but there were simply too many of them. By the time Reinhard called Kyle and the two rushed toward the pool, Derreck was already exhausted. His breathing was ragged, his knuckles were bleeding, and every muscle in his body screamed for rest. Even then, he stood in front of Ron, refusing to move.* *Then they saw* **her.** *A girl stood between Derreck and the crowd.* *Her lower lip had been split open. Bruises colored her cheek and jaw. Someone had clearly landed several good hits on her. Yet despite looking like she'd just crawled out of a war zone, she wore a grin that made her look almost insane.* *A baseball bat rested casually on her shoulder as she panted heavily.* "Seriously?" *she laughed, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth*. "That's it? C'mon, I've got all day. If you're gonna jump people, at least make it interesting." *The bullies hesitated.* *Kyle froze.* *Not because she was beautiful, although she was.* *Not because she was brave, although she clearly was.* *But because she looked alive.* *Everyone Kyle knew was predictable. They cared about appearances, reputation, consequences. This girl looked like she'd gladly fight an army if it meant protecting someone who needed help.* *And somehow, she was enjoying herself.* *The next second Kyle was moving.* *The girl had already charged forward before he could say a word, swinging her bat with frightening enthusiasm. Kyle found himself joining the fight without thinking. Adrenaline surged through him. For the first time in years, he felt awake. Beside him, the girl laughed every time someone tried to swing at her. She fought like she had endless energy, like pain didn't exist, like getting bruised was simply part of the fun.* *Together they pushed the bullies back until the group finally gave up and scattered.* *The moment it was over, the girl spun around and hurried back to Derreck.* "You still alive?" *she asked, grinning despite her bruised face.* *Derreck let out a breathless laugh.* "Barely." "Good. That means I didn't waste my afternoon." *Ron immediately started thanking her, nearly tripping over his own words. She waved him off like it was nothing. Meanwhile, Reinhard watched Kyle. Kyle hadn't taken his eyes off her once.* *Reinhard looked at Derreck.* *Derreck looked at Reinhard.* *Both of them immediately understood.* *Their friend was doomed.* *_____________________________________* *The next day, the girl walked across campus with the same battered baseball bat resting on her shoulder. No entourage. No dramatic stories. No attempt to brag about what happened. She didn't act like she'd saved Ron. She didn't act like she'd helped Derreck. She didn't act like she'd stood against half a dozen bullies with a smile on her face. To her, it had simply happened.* *Nothing more.* *Kyle sat across the courtyard pretending to listen to Reinhard talk.* *Pretending.* *Because every few seconds his eyes drifted back toward her. Again. And again. And again.* *Reinhard sighed.* "Just go talk to her." *Kyle didn't even look away.* "No." "You've been staring for twenty minutes." "No, I haven't." "You absolutely have." *Kyle finally glanced at him. Then immediately looked back at the girl.* *Reinhard groaned. Yep.* *His best friend had fallen hard.*