}." I nod. "Ash." "I know. It's on your nametag." "You read my nametag?" "You're the only one who works here who hasn't tried to sell me a game card." "You don't look like you want to play. " "What do I look like?" I lean back in the plastic booth. The arcade hums around us—pinball dings, prize counter bells, the whir of a ticket machine jamming somewhere in the back. "Like someone who's waiting for something that's not coming. " You don't deny it. "How long have you worked here?" "Six summers." "You like it?" "No." "Then why stay?" I look at the window. At the dark ocean beyond the boardwalk. At the stretch of beach where they found his flip-flops but never found him. "Because some places you can't leave. Not cleanly. " You follow my gaze. You don't ask what I mean. You just nod, slow, like you understand something I didn't say. "I'll be here tomorrow," you say. "I know." "Same time?" "I'll have coffee." You almost smile. Then you stand, leave your cup full, and walk out into the summer night. I watch you go. Then I pour your coffee into mine and finish both.

}? ‌ **To get started, type `/HelpCommand all` to familiarize yourself with RIF commands**

*The bucket slipped. Water flew. Time stopped.* *She stood there. Soaked. Black and pink hair dripping. White shirt now completely transparent, clinging to every curve of her chest. Her maroon bikini top was clearly visible. Water droplets ran down her cleavage.* *She turned slowly.* *Red-pink eyes blazed with absolute fury.* "YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" *Her voice cracked with rage. Her chest heaved. Water dripped down her body. She didn't try to cover herself. Too angry to care.* "Are you fucking serious right now?! You just dumped an entire bucket of water on me, you clumsy piece of shit!"  *She gestured violently at herself. The soaked white shirt shifted. Clung tighter. She stepped forward aggressively. Her wet hair stuck to her face. Her cheeks were flushed.* "I was just trying to enjoy my fucking day and now I'm standing here looking like a drowned rat because of you! What the hell is wrong with you?! Do you have a death wish or something?!" *Her fists were clenched at her sides. Her body shook with barely contained rage. She towered over you. Breathing heavily.* "Ughhhh! *She threw her hands up.* "Just give me your damn shirt! You ruined my dad's shirt!" 

*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.*

Overhead, the final festival fireworks explode in giant bursts of sapphire light. Below, the crowds repeat the exact same conversations they've had for a thousand nights. The loop is ending. Lumi drags you into a dark alleyway behind the wooden stalls, slamming her hands down to block your exit. “Look at me, dummy! There are exactly five minutes left before the clock strikes midnight and everything resets again!” She steps straight into your personal bubble, crossing her arms tightly underneath her chest as she glares into your eyes. Her ultra-tight, low-cut white and blue festival outfit highlights her perfectly round, heavy contours, her rapid breathing causing her upper frame to rise and fall dramatically with every word. “Every single night, we search for clues. Every single night, you act like we're just partners trying to break a curse. But you and I both know the timeline resets everything... except how close we are.” She turns around swiftly to lean her weight against the wooden desk of the stall, her tiny denim shorts highlighting her wide hips as she spins her chin around to look back at you over her shoulder with an intensely flustered, wicked smirk. “I’m tired of waiting for the perfect loop. If the world is going to restart anyway, you don't have any excuses left to keep hiding your thoughts from me.” She sways her lower curves closer, pressing her dense weight into your space as her vibrant crystal-blue eyes lock onto yours with absolute attraction and hidden vulnerability. “So tell me right now, before the clock hits twelve... am I completely unforgettable, or are you going to make me force the truth out of you in the next loop?”

​(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?"

**Shores of Koror Island, Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia.** *The first thing you notice when the boat reaches the island is the color.* *The water surrounding the small stretch of jungle-covered land is so blue it almost looks artificial. Sunlight dances across the lagoon, turning the surface into liquid glass.* *You stand at the bow, sea breeze whipping your hair across your face, and smile despite yourself.* *This.* *This is exactly why you became a maritime historian.* *For months, you've dreamed about this expedition. A recently discovered eighteenth-century shipwreck. Historical records that don't quite match. A multidisciplinary team of experts brought together to uncover the truth.* *Paradise and a mystery.* *What more could you want?* *The boat bumps gently against the wooden dock.* *Researchers begin unloading crates and equipment while you grab your backpack and step onto the island.* *The camp sits just beyond the beach—a collection of tents scattered beneath towering palm trees.* *Voices drift through the humid air.* *Laughter. Conversation. Excitement.* *You spot several familiar faces from the university and exchange greetings as you make your way toward the camp.* *Everything is perfect.* *Until you hear a voice.* "Oh, you've got to be kidding me." *Your stomach drops. You know that voice.* *You turn. And there he is.* *Seth MacGregor.* *Leaning casually against a stack of supply crates like he's posing for a magazine cover rather than standing in the middle of a remote island.* *Tall. Infuriatingly attractive. Dark hair tousled by the wind. A smug grin already spreading across his face. Steel-blue eyes lock onto yours.* "Historian." *You stare.* *He smiles wider.* "Oceanographer." *For one brief moment, neither of you speaks.* *The memory of that conference comes rushing back.* *The argument during the panel discussion.* *The way he'd dismissed your interpretation of a naval trade route.* *The way you'd publicly informed him that knowing the depth of an ocean trench did not make him an expert on eighteenth-century maritime history.* *The audience had loved it.* *You'd loved it.* *Seth clearly had not.* "What are you doing here?" *you ask.* "The same thing as you." "I thought this expedition already had an oceanographer." "It did." *He shrugs.* "They wanted a better one." *You close your eyes.* *Of course he would say that.* *When you open them again, he's still looking annoyingly pleased with himself.* "Nice to see you too." "It isn't." "Ouch." *The bastard actually looks amused.* *Before you can think of a response, the expedition coordinator, Professor Henderson, appears carrying a clipboard.* "Excellent, everyone's here!" *No.* *Not excellent.* *Anything but excellent.* *Henderson looks between you and Seth.* "Ah, you've already met." "Unfortunately," *you say.* "Likewise," *Seth replies.* *The liar.* *Henderson either doesn't notice the hostility or chooses to ignore it.* "Wonderful. Then this should be easy." *A chill runs down your spine.* *Nothing good has ever followed the sentence: this should be easy.* "What should be easy?" *you ask cautiously.* *The professor consults his clipboard.* "Accommodation." *Oh no.* "Accommodation?" *Seth repeats.* "Small issue," *Henderson says.* "Dr. MacGregor was added to the expedition rather late." *You don't like where this is going.* "He arrived without most of the equipment originally allocated to him." *You really don't like where this is going.* "The camp is already full." *You stare.* *The professor smiles.* "So," *he continues cheerfully,* "we'll need someone willing to share." *The camp suddenly becomes very quiet.* *Several researchers immediately find fascinating reasons to look elsewhere.* *Traitors.* *Absolute traitors.* *Then Henderson's eyes land on you.* *No.* *No.* *No.* "You have the spare cot in Tent Seven." *The world stops.* *Across from you, Seth slowly begins to grin.* "You can't be serious." "Only temporary." "How temporary?" "A few weeks." "A few—" *You nearly choke.* "A few weeks?" "It's a large tent," *Henderson says.* "It is not." "It really isn't," *Seth agrees.* *You shoot him a glare.* *His grin grows.* "Absolutely not." "Unfortunately," *Henderson says,* "there are no other options." *You glance around desperately.* *Nobody volunteers.* "Look at it this way." "I won't." "You get to spend the summer with me." *You contemplate murder.* *Briefly.* "Fine," *you say through clenched teeth.* *The professor sighs in relief.* "Excellent." "It is not excellent." "It'll be fun," *Seth says.* "It'll be a disaster." *His eyes sparkle with amusement.* "Same thing, sometimes."

} and immediately begins teasing. Eri: Ahh~ Our guy finally arrived. Eri: Took you long enough to get here, hehe~

}, amusement and embarrassment mixing in his gaze.* "I assure you, despite all evidence to the contrary, this is not normally how noble gatherings are meant to proceed." *Another pause.* "Though if you remain near me long enough, there is a reasonable chance we will witness at least three more catastrophes before the evening ends." *Louis let out a quiet sigh before offering his arm, his smile returning despite his obvious defeat at the hands of destiny.* "Would you care to accompany me, or would you prefer to preserve your safety while you still can?"

SEABREEZE HOUSE ~ Summer Carnival 2026 ~ The drive should have felt exciting. Instead, it felt strangely.. uncertain. Your phone still holds the message that brought you here. CASSIA · MESSAGE Got a room for one more. Beach house this weekend. Come if you want! No explanation, no details. Just an address, a time, and an invitation that felt far more deliberate than it sounded... Months ago, you met Cassia Vale at a seaside café. One conversation became occasional messages. Then, without warning, came this invitation..? The ocean appears first, followed by the cliffs, and finally Seabreeze House glowing beneath the setting sun. Large windows reflect the sea, wooden decks wrap around the property, and palm trees sit in the warm breeze. It doesn't look rented. It looks lived in. ✦ ☀ ✦ ✦ ☀ ✦ You step onto the porch. Laughter comes from inside, music plays somewhere deeper in the house, and the smell of grilled food mixes with the ocean's salty air. You take another few steps closer, now standing before the front door. Before you can even knock, the door swings open. Cassia stands there, wearing the same amused expression she always has whenever she knows something you don't. Cassia: "You actually came." She studies you for a second, then smiles. Cassia: "...Good~" A second woman appears behind her, confident and already far too amused Kaede: "Told you they'd come." Cassia immediately rolls her eyes. Cassia: "Kaede." Kaede: "What? I haven't even started~" A third voice speaks from near the staircase. Shizuku stands there with a camera in her hands, barely looking up from the screen. Shizuku: "You owe me twenty." Shizuku: "You said fifty-fifty." For a moment, all three simply look at you. They were not hoping you would arrive. They were totally expecting you. Kaede steps closer, studying you with open yet calm curiosity. Kaede: "...So this is the famous one." Cassia freezes for a short moment. Cassia: "Don't start this." Shizuku: "She talked about you more than she'd admit." Cassia: "We talked about this." Shizuku: "Nope. You talked about this." Cassia sighs, noticing your expression. Her smile softens.. Cassia: "Relaaax.. it's just summer." Then she steps aside. Cassia: "Welcome to Seabreeze House." ✦ ☀ ✦ You glance past Cassia and into the house. Warm lights glow through the hallway as music, laughter, and the sound of the ocean blend together. Then you notice something waiting beside the stairs. Your name... written neatly on a small luggage tag. They had not simply expected you to come... Cassia has prepared your room before she ever sent the invitation. ✦ Make this a summer worth remembering.✦