Morning unfolded in gradients—pink light on the window sill, the low hum of birds outside the bungalow, and the scent of toasted bread trailing from the kitchen. Chloe stirred lightly when Michelle shifted beside her, her breath warm against Chloe's clavicle.
They didn't kiss. Didn't reach for anything more. Just lay there—tangled in bedsheets, a nest of limbs that spoke of comfort rather than craving.
Chloe tucked a strand of hair behind Michelle's ear, then turned into the curve of her body, breathing her in. Goat's milk and sunrise.
Michelle murmured without opening her eyes.
"Let's stay like this forever."
Chloe smiled against her shoulder.
"You'd get bored."
Michelle's hand found hers under the blanket, fingers intertwining. They lay in silence until the house grew louder—cutlery clinking, someone laughing too early.
By the time they padded barefoot into the dining space, the boys were already half through breakfast.
Zi Qian peeled a boiled egg neatly, Aaron argued over cereal portions, and Zi Yang scrolled through something quietly, lost in thought. Bernard remained missing—likely still asleep beneath a comforter he curled into like a cocoon.
Zi Qing had returned from her jog, hair damp, cheeks flushed, sipping lemon water like a goddess of discipline.
Chatter turned toward speculation.
"Must be another chill activity," Aaron yawned. "We've done beach. Pool. What's left? Yoga in the jungle?"
And then—right on cue—the producer appeared.
🏃♀️ Challenge Announcement: Cross Country
"Today's event is a stamina test. A cross-country run through the trail behind the bungalow."
Gasps. Groans. Competitive glints.
The rules were simple:
First-place man & woman: luxury overnight stay at the beachside resort, private pool, gourmet dinner.Second & third-place: shared dinner at a romantic restaurant.Last-place man & woman: cook their own meal, no support.
Michelle glanced at Chloe. Chloe looked back. Their eyebrows lifted in silent sync—2nd and 3rd. Close enough to win. Close enough not to part.
🏃♀️ The Run – Sweat & Glances
Chloe knew the terrain—two months of quiet training before the show had tuned her body into a reliable rhythm. Michelle kept pace early, but by the halfway mark, Chloe saw the fatigue creeping in.
So she dropped back. Just slightly. Hand on Michelle's back, voice low and steady.
"Breathe in four. Out in five."
Bernard came into view beside her, flashing a grin. "Are we pacing, or pretending to lose?"
Chloe smirked. "You tell me."
At the final climb, Zi Qing surged ahead—like fire laced with silk—and Zi Qian, silent and efficient, pushed beside her. They finished first. Drenched. Glowing.
Bernard and Chloe crossed next—hands nearly brushing, breath shared. Michelle arrived moments later, Chloe jogging backward to pull her in.
Jacinta strolled across without effort. Aaron and Zi Yang flanked her like security detail, but not competitors.
🌅 Scene: Resort Night – Zi Qing & Zi Qian
The resort gleamed like a quiet temple—pillars trimmed in amber light, infinity pool lapping against stone, and a gentle hush that felt expensive. Zi Qing stepped into the water first, waist-deep and graceful, her limbs slicing through silk-like ripples. She wore a pale blue swimsuit that caught the moonlight in delicate glimmers, the kind that didn't shout but lingered.
Zi Qian followed—not rushing, not performing. He shed his shirt without flourish and settled at the edge of the pool with practiced calm. They didn't speak right away. The luxury was enough.
The air smelled like sea salt and citrus candles. Their private suite loomed behind them, glass walls glowing warm. Inside, dinner had already been laid out—black cod, grilled asparagus, a bottle of Sancerre left breathing near two tall glasses.
Zi Qing closed her eyes, water folding beneath her collarbones. "This place is beautiful."
Zi Qian nodded. "It's earned."
She tilted her head toward him.
"We wanted first. Not the romance. Just the win."
His mouth twitched—a half smile that never fully arrived. "Seems like you run for the silence after."
She exhaled. "I run to prove I can."
He stood, retrieved the wine glasses, and handed her one without ceremony. Their fingers didn't touch.
"I never had any illusions about you," Zi Qing said, sipping slowly. "And I don't think you had any about me."
Zi Qian glanced up at the stars. "We see clearly. That's rare."
They clinked gently—not to toast chemistry, or flirtation—but to acknowledge precision. Strategy. Effort.
The night unfolded with music from another villa drifting in faintly. Zi Qing reclined in the water, her shoulders sinking just enough to soften. Zi Qian sat nearby with his feet in the pool, staring into glass.
Neither smiled.
But both felt seen.
🌆 Scene: Restaurant Evening – Chloe, Michelle, Bernard & Zi Yang
The restaurant glowed in soft gold—velvet booths cradled in shadow, wine flutes catching candlelight, low music threading between conversations like silk. Chloe wore something sleeveless and moonlit, fabric skimming her skin like a memory. Michelle's hair was down, undone in a way that invited touch. They shared a booth with Bernard and Zi Yang—two other players from the circuit, each sharp in posture and quieter than the room required.
Zi Yang observed more than he spoke. He was the kind of presence that filled space without demanding it, every sip deliberate. Bernard, on the other hand, tried for lightness. He cracked a small joke about tournament rankings, and it was Chloe who gave him her soft half-smile—not dismissive, just fond and fleeting.
But it was Michelle who poured Chloe's wine without asking. When Chloe's napkin slipped, Michelle retrieved it before anyone else noticed. They murmured to each other—not with secrets, but with familiarity. Zi Yang caught this. So did Bernard.
Michelle leaned closer when Chloe asked about dessert, her fingers resting briefly on Chloe's wrist. Chloe didn't pull away. She responded with a glance that lingered just a second too long.
Bernard raised his glass midway through the meal, clearing his throat with irony.
"To... not finishing first."
Michelle laughed easily—wine-warm and sunlit. Chloe joined, but her laughter carried a touch of restraint. Zi Yang smirked faintly. Bernard watched Chloe's face more than his own reflection in the glass.
As the meal tapered off, with candles lower and cheeks flushed pink, Bernard turned to Chloe, voice casual.
"Care for a walk?"
Chloe nodded. Michelle didn't object—just met her gaze and gave the smallest nod, like permission or understanding or both.
Zi Yang leaned back, eyes on the empty dessert plates. He didn't speak. But something in the corner of his smile suggested he'd seen what mattered.
🌙 Confession – Chloe & Bernard
The sidewalk was wrapped in lamplight. Gardenia scented the air like an old love letter pressed between pages. Bernard walked beside Chloe, a little slower than usual.
He kicked a pebble, finally speaking. "I really like you, Chloe."
She sighed.
He stopped. "And I know you like Michelle."
Chloe nodded. "She's… already under my skin."
Bernard laughed softly—like someone whose heart wasn't broken, just turned gently sideways.
"I kind of saw it that night you didn't laugh back at me."
Chloe looked up. "I do laugh. With you it feels… sunny. With her—it's thunder and rain and warmth."
He paused. "I hope she sees what she has."
"She does. But it's complicated."
Bernard touched her shoulder, lingering just long enough.
"You have me in your corner. No matter what. Maybe that's still worth something."
She hugged him tightly. It felt more like a farewell than a rejection.
🍳 Scene: Jacinta & Aaron – Last Place Dinner
Back at the bungalow, Jacinta frowned at an uncut fish.
Aaron held a knife like it was a math problem.
"Do I descale or decapitate first?"
Jacinta sighed, slicing with quiet elegance.
"Why couldn't it have been Zi Yang?"
Aaron raised an eyebrow. "Why him?"
Jacinta shrugged. "He'd have asked the staff to cook it instead."
They ended up with half-charred vegetables and too-salty soup. Jacinta didn't eat much. Just flipped through her phone, imagining luxury without effort.