Duyen had no idea how long it had been since she was last here. It felt like she'd just woken up from a nightmare—or maybe a beautiful dream.

It was the first time she'd ever heard Mina call her name like that…

Mina's voice still echoed in her ears, laced with helplessness, screaming her name through the roar of the fire. And somehow, Duyen opened her eyes to find herself back at Yelsulin University… four years ago.

Startled, she glanced down at her body—not the bulky, heavyset girl she used to be, but the slimmed-down version of herself from four years later.

Weird. But the campus around her was unmistakably Yelsulin.

Was she… dreaming inside a dream?

And was it strange that she knew she was dreaming?

It was a familiar sensation, like she'd had this same dream so many times that she'd gone numb to it.

She wandered into the back garden of Yelsulin, which connected to the tennis courts and the pool.

She remembered this place well—even though she wasn't the sporty type—because this was where she used to see her.

The most beautiful girl Duyen had ever met.

Hair dyed the deep red of wine, a face as bright and flawless as an angel who'd fallen to earth. Every movement she made was effortlessly graceful, impossibly neat.

But more than that—it was the way she always met Duyen's gaze through the fence. Every time their eyes locked, even without a single word exchanged, it lingered.

Why did Mina always look at her like that?

Or maybe… it was all coincidence.

Duyen wished Mina would just ignore her, because even her glance was enough to haunt her.

It was crazy, but Duyen always felt as if Mina was trying to tell her something.

Her beautiful lips moved—forming silent words.

H-E-L-P M-E.

"Huh?"

Before she could make sense of it, a violent gust came out of nowhere, dragging Duyen's entire body away.

"MINA!"

She reached for her, but the wind swallowed her view whole, plunging her into pitch-black emptiness—so dark she couldn't even see her own hands.

Then—slowly—light returned. Not from the sun, but from flickering blue flames surrounding her in a circle.

She was standing in a bamboo grove, with the ghostly fireballs floating between the stalks. Sometimes she thought she saw shapes—no, someone—lurking just beyond them, watching.

Her skin prickled.

She bolted.

What is this place!? Why am I not waking up!?

No matter how far she ran, the ghost-fires followed, unrelenting. She shut her eyes and kept running—until she slammed into something… soft.

Warm fabric, plush and comforting, wrapped around her. A scent—sweet and intoxicating—filled her lungs, making her dizzy in a strangely pleasant way.

Duyen buried her face in it instinctively, feeling safe. Duyen used her hands to squeeze the softballs, kneaded them a bit, then brought them to her mouth.

Something didn't seem quite right...

But then…

"Ahem."

That voice. She knew that voice.

Her dazed eyes traveled upward until they met Shana's mischievous smile, though a faint blush colored her cheeks.

"Well, well. You didn't even ask before touching. You do know these aren't free, right?" She teased, winking.

"Huh?"

Only then did Duyen realize what she was holding, and heat rushed to her face.

Shana's amused laugh deepened, but before Duyen could move away, Shana's arms wrapped around her, pulling her close to her chest.

"Don't run. You started this—might as well finish it."

"UHM! UHM!" Duyen was helpless when her mouth was covered by those two soft things. With all her strength, Duyen finally pushed her mouth away from it. A white thread of her saliva still connected to the top of Shana's asset.

Shana just laughed loudly and gently lifted her plumpy proudly. Only then did Duyen have a complete view of Shana's body.

She was very beautiful, or rather too beautiful. Every curve and every fold... Duyen swallowed hard. What was happening to her? But Duyen couldn't stop her gaze from moving further down. Between, it was pink and moist.

The air seemed to grow heavier, the flames behind Shana flaring into shapes—nine enormous fox tails unfurling like monstrous tendrils.

"Oh, sorry you had to see that," Shana said playfully, tapping her own head. "They just… show up whenever I get a little too excited."

But nothing in her tone suggested embarrassment.

She stroked one of those fox tails and rubbed it between her legs. Suddenly let out strange sounds like moaning, her hips wriggling erotically. Her expression shifting to something far more predatory.

"And since you've managed to excite me this much…"

Her sapphire eyes glowed unnaturally bright, and a smile full of sharp fangs curved her lips.

Wait… I remember now… She's a—

Before Duyen could finish the thought, Shana lunged with inhuman speed, her fangs sinking into Duyen's shoulder.

"ARGH! HELP! MONSTER! HELP!"

Her body thrashed wildly—until she opened her eyes again.

She was in a hospital bed, an IV still in her arm… and Shana standing beside her, wearing that same sly smile.

"Well, well. Sleeping beauty finally wakes up."

"Huh?"

Duyen's hand shot to her shoulder—no bite marks. But the pain still lingered, as if it had been real.

Shana tilted her head. "Something wrong?"

Duyen waved frantically. "No, no. Just… a weird dream."

"Oh?" Shana's smile widened. "Only a dream?"

"…If you mean a dream where you sucked my tee tee tah tah like a bab—" Duyen cut herself off, eyes widening, blushing hard. How did she know?

Shana only laughed, stepping closer.

And just as her hands brushed against the edge of Duyen's hospital gown—

"Ah... What are you doing...!?"

Shana didn't say anything but slowly sat on Duyen. Her two hands reached behind to pull the straps of her crop top and let the shirt get stuck by her full assets, just a small movement could make it fall down and explode.

"What are you doing—!?" Duyen blushed and closed her eyes tightly. She wanted to raise her hand to stop Shana but strangely she couldn't. It was like there was an invisible string holding Duyen's entire body down to the bed while Shana started to nibbling Duyen's neck, making her whole body go limp.

"Stop... Stop..." Duyen burst into tears while her face was red with embarrassment.

Shana's hand started to caress down between Duyen's legs.

"Don't worry little... It will be over soon... No one can enter this room. No one can break my barrier..."

Duyen had no choice but to let Shana go all her way like that. She begged helplessly. She desperately begged someone in her mind.

Someone... Save me—

The door slammed open.

A young cute nurse with twin braids stood there, her face flushed as she pointed an accusing finger.

"You...you... PERVERT! GET OFF DUYEN NOW!"

"What—?" Shana spun toward the door, stunned. "How… how did you break my barrier?"

Duyen's own eyes went wide as she recognized the nurse.

"…Nayeon?"