[BONUS]
Eventually, the girls got bored from playing with the beach balls and decided to venture into what other things the island had to offer.
Silvia and Pamela were sunbathing. Rosie and Lucia were hunting boys. Rafaela and Alecia were food hopping, and Ruru was playing with Nikolai.
Evie was being taught how to swim by Ren while Isolde was burying Leonel in the sand.
At the sunlounger, Silvia was drinking coconut juice while chatting with Sumeri.
Silvia nodded in Ren and Evie's direction by the water. "So you're helping Evie in her relationship with Ren?"
Sumeri nodded. "Yeah. She wanted to advance their relationship, but Ren isn't the type of guy who would initiate the first move."
Silvia chuckled. "I see what you mean. That guy is a block of eternal ice, just like my fiancé over there."
Silvia's lips pointed to Ragnar, who was sleeping by the side.
"He didn't even appreciate my swimsuit."
Sumeri laughed. "Even if you parade yourself naked in front of Ragnar, I doubt that guy would notice you. He is immune to beauties."
"Not all beauties," commented Silvia and briefly shot Evie a look before she changed the topic. "Anyway. How nice of you to help them."
"Nice?" Sumeri chuckled and licked her red velvet lips as she pulled out from her boobs a small cutter. "I've always been a bad. BAD girl."
Silvia wryly smiled and shot a glance at Evie's way. "Poor girl."
While the rest were busy with their own business, Ren was teaching Evie how to swim, not knowing that the latter already knew how. She was at the level of a professional swimmer and could even hold her breath for five minutes underwater.
But for the sake of getting close to Ren and advancing their relationship, Evie had to act helpless and in constant need of help.
'Listen. Men don't like it if their manly pride and ego are challenged. Always remember that they love it if their women are dependent on them. It makes them feel good. It makes them feel empowered.'
That was what Sumeri said to her. So for Ren, she would pretend to be a helpless girl.
"Did you get it?"
Evie blinked. "H-huh?" Did he asked a question just now?
"I said you need to constantly flap your feet and arms if you want to move. Let's try doing it."
Before Evie could react, Ren let go of her arms and swam a few distances from her. "Try what I taught you and come to me," he said. His face was so serious, not even a shadow of a smile on his lips.
This made Evie think that Ren didn't want to teach her, and he was getting irritated.
She immediately shook her head.
Ren was still grieving, and it had only been a month. The wound was still fresh, and she knew that he would forever be affected by the death of his parents.
She needed to understand that Ren wasn't in the mood to party or be merry. He wanted to grieve still.
It was just that . . . she wanted to ease his grieving, even for just a bit.
Evie's thoughts were consumed, and she didn't notice that the tie on her swimsuit was loosening as she swam towards Ren.
They were only in the shallow parts, but the water would still reach Evie's waist if she stood on her feet. So when she did, Ren's eyes bulged, and he almost jumped on his skin when her firm but soft breasts stumbled into his view.
In a panic, Ren pulled Evie to him and embraced her tight.
Fortunately, there weren't many people around, and they were still a good few meters away from the shore.
Unfortunately, Evie's breasts were pressing against the lower part of his chest. It was so soft that it moulded against the hardness of his pecks.
He felt her pinkish tips tickling him when she moved a little, and it felt like torture — one that he didn't mind undergoing multiple times.
It wasn't hot, but Ren felt he was burning alive, and the image of her naked form danced in his mind. He then raised his head to the horizon and covered his face with his hand when he felt his blood pulsating hard into his brain.
"Evie . . . your swimsuit," Ren rasped, his voice almost guttural.
Evie was confused at first when Ren hugged her out of nowhere. She didn't push him, though. But when she realized what Ren meant, her usual lethargic eyes stretched to their limit. Her body burned hot, and she knew that he could feel the heat and the erratic beating of her heart, given the lack of distance between them.
Evie gasped and muttered, "I-I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry?" Ren wryly smiled, and at that moment, her swimsuit floated near them.
He immediately grabbed it and gave it to Evie, almost shoving it to her.
"You should go down in the waters and fix yourself."
Evie felt so embarrassed to say anything. She did what she was told and submerged herself in the waters, leaving only her head above. She turned around and immediately put on her bra.
But since it was difficult to put on because of the strings, or because it was somehow shortened like it had been cut, Evie was having a hard time tying it. So eventually, she asked for Ren's help.
The man was turning away from her and was also blocking her from everyone's view.
"R-Ren . . ."
Ren's heart skipped a beat, and he flicked his eyes at Evie, who was now looking at him with a flushed face.
She was standing on her feet, and thank god that she was finally wearing her swimsuit, but her hands were raised on her back, fingers clutching the ties of her bra.
She avoided his eyes and asked in a whisper, "Can you . . . help me?"
Ren swallowed hard, and with slightly shaking hands, he took the strings from her. Their fingers brushed, sending sparks across his skin and he almost let go of the strings, risking of exposing her breasts again.
Thanks the heavens that he still have some self-control left!
The moment he grabbed the ties, Evie pulled her hair up so Ren could have an easy time tying the strings of her swimsuit.
There was like an unending pool of saliva that lodged in Ren's throat that no matter how many times he gulped, the lump wouldn't go away.
Even when he couldn't see her face right now, the redness of her ears was enough indication that Evie was embarrassed too.
Her wet hair stuck to her skin, and water constantly dripped from her hair to her flushed shoulders and rolled to the sexy line of her back.
Ren mustered all his self-control to prevent him from tracing the droplets. His hands were shaking, and it was the most intense thirty seconds of his life, and all he did was tie his girlfriend's bra!
"Done," Ren said and immediately added, "I'm going to take a swim." To cool off his head.
He didn't let Evie respond, and he dived into the ocean's depths.
"Ah . . . he escaped." Watching from the side, Sumeri laughed her heart out.
While Silvia sighed in disappointment. "It looks like Evie has to try harder."
