Ladder is a chaos

As they continue to practice, Liam's hands guide her to different stages of the castle. He instructs her to climb the ladder to the top of the wall, where she can see the entire kingdom. Ayumi hesitates, her heart pounding in her chest. She knows that climbing the ladder will expose her even more, but she doesn't want to disappoint Liam or the rest of the cast.

"Come on, Ariel," Liam urges, his voice soft and gentle. "You can do it."

Ayumi takes a deep breath, her eyes darting nervously around the room. "Okay," she says, her voice cracking slightly. "I'll try."

Ayumi climbs the ladder, her heart pounding in her chest. She can feel the stares of the other actors on her naked skin, their gazes focused on her ass.

As she reaches the top of the ladder, Ayumi's foot slips, and she lets out a cry of surprise. Suddenly, she finds herself falling, her heart pounding in her chest. She closes her eyes, bracing herself for the impact.

But instead of hitting the hard ground, Ayumi finds herself in Liam's arms. He catches her, his strong arms wrapping around her body, supporting her weight.

She opens her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest. Liam's face is mere inches from hers, his breath warm against her cheek.

His hands are still wrapped around her body, their touch sending a wave of heat through her. The feel of his clothes on her naked skin is almost overwhelming, a tactile reminder of the stark contrast between their states of dress.

"Thank you, Liam," she whispers, her voice shaking. "For catching me."

Liam smiles, his gaze never leaving Ayumi's face. "It's no problem," he replies, his voice soft. "It's not every day that a naked girl falls right into your arms."

Ayumi blushes. Before she can say anything, they hear director's excited voice.

"That was amazing!" he exclaims, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "I never expected such spontaneous improvisation! Ayumi, can you try to fall again? This time, let's see if Liam can catch you in a different way."

Ayumi's heart sinks, her pulse racing as she stares at the director. The thought of climbing the ladder again, of being exposed to the rest of the cast, fills her with dread. But she knows that she must comply with the director's wishes if she wants this play to succeed.

With a deep breath, Ayumi begins to climb the ladder once more. Liam grabs her arm as soon as she loses balance and pulls her toward him.

"Here we go again!", he exclaims cheerfully while catching Ayumi's body. Ayumi's body goes limp in his arms as her muscles relax after the scare. He turns with her and safely helps her on her own feet with a soft slap on her ass.

"You're really good at this, Ayumi," Liam says. "I can't believe how naturally you're taking to this whole thing."

Ayumi blushes, her heart pounding in her chest. "Thank you, Liam," she replies, her voice shaking. "I'm just trying my best."

The director is not as happy. The rehearsal continues, with Ayumi and Liam performing the falling scene trying to make Ariel's fall more natural. Each time they touch, Ayumi feels a growing sense of arousal, her body responding to Liam's touch.

As they rehearse, Ayumi notices that Greg is watching them intently, his gaze never leaving her. She can't help but feel a little disappointed. It could have been his arms around her body, his voice in her ear. But, would he actually catch her? Compared to Liam, he's not that strong.