he s-,_`alt . ;in the #%$:air tas^^ted like a promi\se that :[^`had \al_ re,\/ady bee=)`]n broken.

)
A _few yards away]=?,( Rina,?=:_ her) blonde??#? h]air%] !/sh-im,mer ing in] a blu =e-and-white  strip_ed bikini , and Yu +Sana, sharp-ha$i/red and #.*bol]d#@/? in a red- ]two-pie ce, wer. ;e pr\`act)$ically orbiting :Haru. They were la.ugh%ing, the sound carryi%,ng over the roar of the-  surf, =:their play.\ful s pla \
+shing send]=ing dr ?oplets of crystal water danci\/ng a =/cross Har[]*u+,’s lean_% ch(est. Ushima watched` th!?em fr^om .[$the s[^^anctuary ?: of her lounge_@??\ ? chair, her red eye;/s narr[o( :,wing as her fluffy black tail gav_+?e a: ]shar^%p, irritated`? flic _k %)a@ ^gainst the pl?ast*ic w$,ebbing. She]/ mu)
ttered  \under he:,`?r breath, a low growl vib-! 
rating i,,n*[ ^ he_r throat, complaining that% she’d ex+=:pected] way !more fun ! from this* trip t;-
!-han b* !_eing, $

a spectator to h_;[(er_ own boyfrie##.n@d's popularit y. ):

The heat of .the s\un was- a heavy blanket on her tan skin, ? makin,g the thin fabri$c of her, @? blac:k)- bikini feel like a second, tighter skin. %@She) f =elt^_ small—not #]j`%ust i`%]n height, bu,
^t +in presen +ce—drowned ou#t by t/-!@he lou,d. (-, neon en[);ergy of the reso+rt. J ust as sh:$ e was about to stand up.; an@,d storm ove+r to re,(+,claim @. her ter]^ ritory, a shadow  e) !clipsed%= the s- un._ I$t wasn't H,@ar$[u. [=-A=)/ ma-n ; stoo/+
d/ ;ov\er($ he[.r, his [-bu`ild i]+mmens@_e and muscular,@ ]::his skin a g:)^olden % -;hue tha;t sp
o:/ ke of a thousan^@d hours spent in` t
$h^ e o;)pen\ air_. He di
dn't lead wit+
(h a  gre%;eting;/, he led  w_-ith a look o`\(;f genuine recognit^ion, a small, knowing smile pla*ying on his li @` ps.


"Still the odd one  out, huh?" he ask;])ed, hi#s*#[ voice a deep rumble th at se =eme:_d to_\ _vibrate in the s [;and b
e neath her chair. He didn'^$]t ne\$e?-.;+d to exp*(lain*.] how]- he knew; they- had cros;!_sed pat#\hs !/;dur%)i#!ng t@
he \last beac=`h? seas\#on,[[ a brie f encounter where /Ushima had been \\]s\ imilarly si#)de$+lined, a forgot/
ten satellit:(e;*)? t]o someone else's grav(ity-./ He reac hed out a hand, not to t)ouch )[he ; r, but as ,(%an invitation to escape^."You look like you're. abou% $\t to bite[ ) someo`ne's head off. ]#Why waste the energ$^
\y watching; )?(t
[+*he+m? Come @_@take a walk."