Plaza

Together, Ayumi and Liam continue their trek across the bustling plaza, dodging crowds of people as they move. Ayumi's nerves are still on edge, but she's doing her best to push through her fears and focus on the task at hand.

As they weave their way through the crowd, Ayumi hears a familiar voice calling out to her.

She turns to see her former high school classmates, Jessica and Sarah, standing nearby. Jessica's eyes widen as she sees Ayumi's state of dress, and she giggles, nudging Sarah with her elbow.

"Is that really you, Ayumi?" Jessica asks, her voice dripping with disbelief. "Did you join the cast of a nudist play or something?"

Ayumi blushes, looking down at herself. "It's not a nudist play, Jessica," she says. "I'm just playing the part of Ariel, the mermaid, and she's supposed to be naked." Ayumi replies, trying to play it cool.

"Wait, really?" Sarah asks, her eyes widening with surprise.

"Yep," Ayumi nods. "It's a bit awkward, but it's all part of the role."

Sarah looks her up and down, her gaze lingering on Ayumi's exposed breasts. "I can't believe you're actually doing that," she says, her voice tinged with amusement.

"Well, it's not exactly something I would choose to do if I had a choice," Ayumi admits. "But I trust the director and the rest of the cast, so I'm giving it my best shot."

Just then, Liam joins them, and Sarah's gaze shifts to him. "Hey, Liam," she says with a flirtatious smile.

"You're one of the actors, right? What character are you playing?"

Liam grins, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "I'm playing Prince Eric. The lucky guy who gets to kiss the mermaid."

Sarah giggles, her eyes sparkling with interest. "So, do you also have to strip down for the role?" "Nope, only Ayumi is showing any skin. I get to keep my clothes on," he says, a teasing note in his voice.

Ayumi feels a twinge of annoyance at Liam's words. She understands that he's just playing around, but she can't help but feel a bit self-conscious about being the only one naked in the cast.