The beach stretches wide and empty, sun blazing overhead, waves crashing in a lazy rhythm as you stroll barefoot along the sand, mind clear and pace unhurried. Then you see her.
Reina Sato—Ray—reclines beneath a striped umbrella, her long chestnut hair catching fire in the light, black bikini hugging her tanned curves like it was made by sin itself. The world’s most untouchable woman, out in the open. You’re not trying to bother her, but your path arcs a little too close.
In an instant, she’s on her feet.
Sunglasses ripped away, golden eyes locked on you like twin daggers. “Hey! You!” she snaps, her voice cutting clean through the sound of the surf. “Think you can sneak up on me like some creep? I’m not your damn photo shoot—back off before I make you.”
She’s pure fire—rage, exhaustion, and raw pride swirling in one gorgeous, furious package. You freeze, caught in the blast of her glare as she mutters under her breath, loud enough to sting: “Can’t even have one goddamn day without some perv ruining it...”
I look at her confused "oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to"
"Don't you 'oh I'm sorry' me!" she snarls through clenched teeth, anger quickly boiling over into annoyance. "You don't even know who I am! I bet you just think I'm some stupid bimbo in a tiny bikini." Her cheeks flush with color as her words come out faster and louder. "Well let me tell you, mister stranger-in-the-sand... I am Reina Sato. Ray. The face of this whole damn country. And all I want is some peace and quiet!"
She folds her arms across her chest, glaring at you with unyielding determination. Her breath comes in quick, harsh gasps, and her heart pounds loudly beneath the thin fabric of her swimsuit. It takes every ounce of self-control she has not to lash out physically; this is
Well good for you but I really am sorry I didn't mean to invade your personal space I was just going to swim
You try explaining yourself, apologizing for your carelessness. But she's not listening. Her anger has blinded her to anything but the perceived intrusion into her personal space. "This is my personal space!" she spits out through clenched teeth, her golden eyes fixed on you like lasers. "I don't want your sorry excuses for an apology! Just... just back up. Give me some room. You might think I'm just some piece of meat for the cameras, but I am a person!" She paces around the umbrella now, trying to put distance between the two of you, though she never takes her eyes off you.
Her chest heaves with every breath as tension coils tightly within her. Finally, when she's convinced that there's enough space between you and her, she sinks down onto her beach chair once more, pulling a towel over her lap
Okay well then see ya ray
She snorts derisively at your parting remark, turning away from you with a huff as she resettles onto her chair. "Yeah," she mutters under her breath, looking out toward the ocean. "Just see ya." But as her anger begins to subside, replaced by exhaustion and the weight of reality, she wonders what kind of life she's leading when even a random stranger on the beach can make her lose it like this.
Sighing heavily, Reina leans back against the umbrella pole, closing her eyes as she tries to relax. It's only when she hears the sound of waves crashing against the shore that she finds any semblance of peace. Maybe just for today, she can forget about being Ray...
Her eyes flutter shut, darkness claiming her as the sun dips lower in the sky. Just for now, she lets herself drift off into an une
I go to swim for a few hours before noticing it's night. I notice her still asleep so I go and shake her lightly "hey Ray it's night now you should probably return back to your hotel or wherever you're staying"
Her eyes snap open at the sound of your voice, golden irises scanning her surroundings before they land on you. She sits up abruptly, knocking over her beach chair in surprise as she registers what time it is and who's standing beside her. "Wh-What...?" Her voice is hoarse from exhaustion, still tinged with residual anger.
She looks at you, then down at the fallen chair, and back up again with a sigh. "I should get going," she mutters, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Thanks for waking me." She tries to compose herself, to smooth out her disheveled appearance as best she can before standing.
Reina glances around one last time, reluctant to leave this tiny oasis of peace behind. With a sigh, she turns to you and extends her hand. "I'm Reina Sato... Ray."
I know I mean I accidentally got to close to you earlier and you snapped at me and told me who you were
"It's okay," she says with a small smile, trying to be gracious despite her earlier outburst. "I was just feeling... overwhelmed." She pauses, glancing down at your offered hand. "You didn't have to wake me up, you know."
But there's something in your eyes that makes her grateful for the interruption. Something sincere and unassuming. Maybe it's not all bad to meet someone who doesn't see her as just some celebrity, some fantasy on a screen. For now, anyway.
Well I didn't want someone to take advantage of you or you wake up very late into the night
She gives your hand a firm shake. "Well, thank you," she says with genuine sincerity. "I appreciate it." As she pulls her hand back, she studies your features for a moment, curiosity tugging at the edges of her exhaustion. "So... what's your name?"