he sal
t in `%the air ta
:+ste ,d like `;)#a p
/rom@i+ _^se ^that had a+]_lread^y:] been%!
broken. # 

*
A ._,few = ,yards-? aw%(ay, Ri
n` !a, he?r blonde ha)+ir shimmering in a b@:lu-)e-and -w @hite striped bik)! ini, and Yu Sana, s,$harp-ha.ire[d ?!an.-d b+\;o^)l(;d in a r @-ed two-pi!;_ece, were pra ctic a]!`=lly/[ orb
(iti %]*ng Haru. They! were laughing, the sound carry.ing^/ over  ]!t=):he roar o/f the sur%*,f,^
their)  pla-)y%f [!ul splas\
hing`[; sen
.ding drople; ts of:` crystal wa)ter dancing across Haru’#+s lea !#-n che=([=s;[!t. Ushi!$ma wa;- )tched the
m from ^+]the s]% an%_ctuary of her .!lou=[ nge c(
hair, her red eyes narrow?ing %a/s her fluffy bl$[\ack t
ail g ave a s`\ha`^rp,!# irrit\ated :.fli=ck against ;^t=]he plastic webbing. $(+She muttered unde/r/\ her breath, ^a low gro@:^wl @vibrating in her throa@$t, com
[plaining that she’ d ex+]/)pected wa#!.y more fun from t^=his t ri?\[p than be_i =ng a spectat==or to her own* boyfriend'*;s popul_]arity.

-#The heat o f the sun was a heavy! blanket o^n ,%h,er t+a-n skin, making,- th[]e thin fabric of,! her bla(ck bi`kini f;:e_%_el like a ^. [second, tighter s?.@ki: (=n. S:h-e -;.fel t![ small—not just in he,@ight,  but in presence—* [drowne`^d out by th$#e loud,  (neon ene]=[rgy of the[ resort. Just as^) she was ab\!o::ut t.%o stand up an ]d storm over to re=?claim her territory, a shadow(? `.ec_li^$ps_ ed the su[n,+. It wasn'=]t Haru. =A ma!%n s/=tood over her,/,,- -]his build immense and muscul#ar, his /skin a g:-:o@%lden-
 hue th;(at spoke of a thousand hou ^rs #.sp*\`ent i\n the open air. H#. ^e! d(i@+dn't le
ad wit! h a greeting; he \led-\ wi ,th a loo`k of genuine@,% r-ec-:[ogn\itio=:n, a small, kno[wing smi@^le playing_ *,on his) lips.


"Sti!+ll t
,)he odd$ one out, huh?"? he-  ,,asked, his voice a; deep rum^b ]$^le that seemed,@] to vibrat$e ! [#in .^the -sand[^ beneath ;h_er chair. H@[e didn't need to :ex\^pl?ain how he knew; they had crossed paths during the las# t bea`(ch se__#ason, a(/$ brief encounter+:; whe$:re Ushim^)@a )had be/en simi\larly sidelin^(,ed, a #f
`orgotten sa( tellite to s!_?o- meone =\e =l,se's gravity.)] He reached` ]out a@ hand, not to touch he#,r, but as a:n invitation=_ to e#+%scape."You loo_[k li\ke you..%'re\* about to bite someone'+ )@s/ \+head of?f. Why w.;aste the e+@nerg%=y watchi/,ng them? Come tak; e? a wa= lk."