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Rumy heard the sound of something breaking downstairs. A window.

She would never understand why Rikk wanted to be with Alisin. How could anyone love something so... brutal? And if Alisin loved Rikk, how could she… do these things to him?

She didn’t know, and because she didn’t know, she wouldn’t be able to fool Alisin for five minutes. The best strategy was escape. But she couldn’t jump from this height in Rikk’s body. That would risk breaking one of his legs.

Hide, then. Hide, and let Alisin pass me, then go out the way she came in. I must be a shadow. I must be silent.

As soon as she had finished the thought, her phone began to beep.

Rumy's hands fumbled as she shut it off, but she wouldn't let herself panic. Alisin wasn't coming right for her. She hadn't figured out where the sound was coming from.

This was a three-story building. Best to hide on the second floor, then leave while Alisin looked on the third.

She cast her eyes over the darkened halls. Everything looked so small with Rikk’s extra height. Maps of Europe in construction-paper pastels, office doors with yellowed comic strips, numbered classrooms with peeling paint...

The ladies’ room.

Rumy stifled a giggle without knowing why. This was embarrassing, not amusing.

But it was one of the rooms most unlikely to be locked... and probably the last place one would look for Rikk...

Steps were coming upstairs. Loud steps. Rumy walked over on tiptoe (quickly, quickly), eased the door open, and eased herself in.

One of the faucets had a leak.

Drip.

Rumy breathed, silently. Hhhhhhh. Hhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Alisin's voice echoed through the halls. "C’mout, c’mout, wherever y’are..."

Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Drip.

"Where arrrre you... I am looking for you... I am looking somewhere to find you, mademoiselle..."

Drip.

Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

The footsteps came again. They were going down, not up. Apparently, Alisin wanted to give the first floor a second check... and that meant Rumy couldn’t move yet...

Drip.

Something was happening.

Rumy’s body felt... strange. Something was heavy...

Drip.

She had to use the bathroom. She had to powder her nose. She had to do her necessaries. She had to come up with another euphemism to take her mind off what her body was saying...

She could hold it in. She would hold it in.

Drip.

Doors opened and slammed downstairs. Alisin showed no sign of leaving soon.

She was a martial artist... she could master this body... but she wasn’t sure the body could hold it in and run fast enough to get away... better to just do it quickly, while Alisin was downstairs and wouldn’t hear...

She caught a glimpse of herself... not herself... in the bathroom’s full-length mirror, and stared.

But... doing it, quickly or slowly, that means taking... that means touching...

Her cheeks burned...

Drip.