This is a commission for dear chthonic on AO3, all thanks to the idea and getting it posted to them! Enjoy reading~

Smut warning towards the end, warnings for interspecies sex, diphallia, some blood

******

"Thank you, we'll take care." Hongjoong beamed at the lady working behind the counter in the tiny administration office of this just as tiny and charmingly run-down building. She smiled back as he turned, stuffing the brochure filled with permits and information into his backpack. He stepped out into the humid heat of Agats, a tiny town in Western New Guinea, Indonesia. Immediately, his already sticky shirt attracted the mosquitoes. Having long since given up on sprays to ward off their hungry mouths, Hongjoong zipped his backpack shut.

His companions had waited outside the building and pushed off the wall when Hongjoong emerged. There was Yunho, their local translator for the Asmat languages and Indonesian and guide; Mingi, Hongjoong's assistant and PhD student of Seoul National University's Department for Ethnic Studies; Jongho, their tech guy and helping hand for all trips outside Korea; and Yeosang, a photographer with a dream of Hongjoong's personal association.

"All done?" Yeosang asked, brimming with excitement now that they were so close to their destination. Their seven-hour flight from Seoul to Jakarta had been followed right up by another eight-hour flight to Timika (including a layover) and finally, their fourth plane to Ewer. That flight had been barely an hour, Hongjoong only just found a comfortable way to cross his legs in his cramped seat when they already landed.

After so much time in the air, they relished taking the boat to Agats, but their journey wore on them and, aside from a meal, they hadn't rested up.

And they still hadn't arrived yet.

Their journey took them to Asmat swamp, a dense wetland on the south coast of New Guinea. Trapped between mountains and the sea, it was difficult to reach and only scarcely explored with facilities to accommodate them.

Hongjoong got a permit for his research and to set up camp for his small team. They didn't bring grand equipment so they wouldn't disrupt the swamp's ecosystem, but the thought of a crooked folding cot in a tent sounded like a dream of luxury right now.

Doctor Kim Hongjoong was a researcher and teacher at SNU's Department for Ethnic Studies. His field of research was the hidden indigenous communities of all areas water and shore. More specifically, merfolk.

In his lifetime, Hongjoong explored countless waters and its people. He became a spokesperson for the Korean communities of merfolk living in the fresh-water lakes of their mountains. Had explored Australia's reefs with their charming people and even dived deep into the Atlantic with a team once to spend time at a settlement of deep-sea merfolk. He met the most fascinating personalities and researched their differences in culture and language, which were so distinctively similar to humans when their biology wasn't.

In his many years of experience, Hongjoong could safely assume himself one of the most studied in his field.

Until now.

The Asmat swamp was still largely unexplored in the 21st century, the tribes on land as much as the beings in the water. Swamp merfolk were rare, but they existed. A recent exchange with the local tribes brought forth the artwork of a monster living in the deep waters surrounding them. Depicted at a massive size with a fish's tail and a human torso. Though a folk of hunters, the Asmat people feared this creature. It was deeply tied to their spirituality and aside from a few feverish tales, they couldn't tell if there was just one or a whole school of them.

Hongjoong was absolutely sure. This was the rarest creature his studies would ever know of in his lifetime. Hidden away from contact with others and wild without a community to learn from, this being would be dangerous. Elusive. Potentially deadly if they felt threatened.

But Hongjoong needed to see them. He was confident in his skills with their kin and in his team.

This was his biggest project yet.

"Let's get going," Hongjoong smirked at his companions. Their cheer was wearied from the trip but their steps steady at the promise of setting up camp and resting before searching the 30,000 kilometres of the Asmat swamp for a single myth hidden underwater.

A certain madness brought them here, and Hongjoong was giddy to see how it would serve them. He pushed his glasses up his nose and flicked his blond hair back from sticking to his forehead. With his babbling group, he made it to the shore, where another boat would take them deeper into the jungle. The locals were kind in their help and explained to Yunho about the tides and the storms from the ocean they needed to be cautious of. In their sleek canoes, they rowed the researchers away from the town and deep into the untouched territory.

Hongjoong was seated at the bow of the first canoe. Yeosang swayed further back with a hand pressed to his green face, and Jongho rustled about for a snack. The others were in the second boat, communicating back and forth with the people steering them through murky water.

Since they were near the shore, tall mangroves peered through the surface, stretching their roots deep to loom lush crowns of green over the rivers. Delving into their shadow, the researchers got the first view of the rich wetland. The waters were lively with all the maritime lifeforms filling it and insects hummed through the air smelling of fruit and the decay of the swamp at the same time. The lady in the administration office had warned Hongjoong of crocodiles and sea snakes, along with their venom and various poisonous plants to keep their hands away from. Yunho knew his way around most of them, but Hongjoong was glad to have brought a document on those, at least, featuring pictures and descriptions in English.

The streams brought them further inland, toward tall grasses and gorgeous sago and nipa palms hanging overhead. Nature here twisted and weaved into a thick carpet of green and colourful birds were hidden among.

Since they didn't know where to start their search, Hongjoong made a plan for his group to move further inland gradually and keep a radius of their quest for the slippery merpeople of the swamp. Soon, their canoes arrived at a spread of muddy, dark peat land where they could camp. It was high enough that the flood rarely reached it, so it would make a good base to get a feeling for the area.

After thanking their navigators kindly, the two left one boat to the group for exploration and took the other one back to Agats.

Finally where they were supposed to be, Hongjoong helped carry their bags onto the soft ground. They had some hours of daylight left to get settled and get used to the constant squelching and blubbering of the swamp paired with the shrill calls of insects and birds.

At least, anything larger should be pretty audible. Hongjoong's feet sunk into the wet mud and smacked with every step.

After rolling up the sleeves of his linen shirt, Hongjoong went to work. He helped Jongho and Yunho with the tent while Yeosang calmed his queasy stomach by preparing the cooker. Soon, their water filter was rich with the local ponds of freshwater and some ramen boiled away for a quick snack before bed.

Though Hongjoong was giddy to explore and get a feeling for the swamp, his body was worn. Before some good sleep, they shouldn't venture out. Too many risky areas to get stuck in and drown if their fatigued eyes lost their focus.

After their meal, Yeosang took some snaps of the landscape. Of some beetle on the tree, the murky water and the dense forest. Hongjoong crawled into bed while Mingi wrote his report of the journey, yawning every two minutes.

The night in the swamp was ominously dark. No natural light fell through the trees and no civilization was anywhere near. Yet Hongjoong found the nightly concert of the animals more soothing than the shifting and droning in the ocean depths. He dreamt of his new surroundings and of the creature he might find here.

With the morning came the sun and their first proper day of work. They gathered over breakfast, shielded from the gleaming rays. Some lazy lizards crawled by to find warm spots on the branching trees and a few birds watched from the same branches for leftovers.

Hongjoong cradled a map of the area. Their GPS was running and stable thanks to Jongho and they brought flashlights and measuring tools for the water depth in case these merpeople hid in underground caves.

"Let's check our surroundings for traces today. We are close enough to the Asmat tribes that we might cross into their territory, but I was assured they wouldn't hunt us. Their outskirts are our best first bet since they don't seem to have spotted the merfolk several times," Hongjoong gathered the initial proposal.

"Watch out for snakes and avoid the direct shoreline since it's easiest to sink in there," Yunho advised, as they packed their bags. Hongjoong doubted they would have a run-in with the human tribes here, but in an emergency, they could ask them for help.

After studying the picture of their artwork for another moment, Hongjoong guided them towards the larger river to row down. Something of that size wouldn't fit into the smaller crisscross of rivulets. This one might be either a saltwater dweller or a freshwater dweller. Merfolk usually preferred one or the other and their appearance and personalities had distinct differences according to which one it was. Judging by the artwork of a jagged ridge and a massive tail, Hongjoong would assume this one to prefer the saltwater, but the deeper into the swamp they got, the clearer the waters were.

Already, this exploration was most peculiar. Hongjoong recorded his audio logs and shared his excitement, as he couldn't wait for the first contact.

While exploring the nearby swamp, they found out all sorts of other relevant information that would help their search.

The rivers were full of shrimps, lobsters and crabs, as much as larger fish and clams. The rich nutrition easily fed the alligators and snakes, as well as the iguanas and similar lizards. Even the birds dunked their long beaks into the water to gargle down its fruit. Parasites and insects upheld the circle of life and the rot and droppings of the land-dwelling animals returned to the ground to feed the rich vegetation.

On their journey down the river, they spotted a three-metre snake winding through the water, easily a food option for the potential merfolk.

Since the swamp was rich with hideout spots and food, there was no need for merfolk to abandon it for the open water. Hongjoong was positive whatever the Asmat tribes had seen here in the past still dwelled. Without sharks nearby, the only natural enemies of the merfolk might be the crocodiles, but Hongjoong had met communities before who hunted and ate those, too.

Not that he assumed this species to be equipped with modern weapons.

They didn't find anything that day, but Yeosang got some good shots of a cuscus with brown and white spotting. He and Jongho snickered over its goofy eyes on their way back. Hongjoong was hungry and all that blood the mosquitos drained from him needed to be replenished. Thankfully, his requirement before departure was that everyone was vaccinated against the common diseases of the jungle.

Back at the camp, they checked on their map which area they explored so they could pick another the next day. Finding the hidden merfolk would take time and patience, but they were confident in scouring this huge wetland. Hongjoong didn't intend to hunt or kill the specimen to take back for research. Not only was this area of Indonesia a national park, but merfolk hunting was as illegal as hunting humans under civil law. Hongjoong just wanted to watch the behaviour of rare swamp merfolk and document all culture and language they might have. And he needed acceptable pictures for Yeosang.

They calmed down for another night, getting used to the swamp and its heat in the clear air. Hongjoong made himself more notes before bed. He was dying to find his first trail.

-

After six days in the swamp: the first sighting.

The clue leading them to a grassy, overgrown area deep inland along the major rivers had been an utter lack of predators. Though no crocodiles or wild pigs dared near the area, the waters were robbed of their stock and only a few fishes dashed below the swaying canoe. After spotting the area the day prior, Hongjoong investigated more thoroughly after some sleep. He had a green Yeosang and Mingi with him while Yunho and Jongho stayed back to set up communication with the town for more food.

After leaving their canoe at the shore when Yeosang's sick threatened to bubble over and give them away with the acid of his vomit, Hongjoong led them across the land. Their feet sunk into the wet earth and Mingi clutched his bag close in case he tripped.

The tall grasses shrouded them from all other eyes and they moved slowly; quiet, so they wouldn't disturb the birds and warn any other being of their presence.

Hongjoong had been looking down to make sure the ground wouldn't turn into water abruptly when he heard a splash. The stir of water was unmistakable to him since a large fin was needed to create that noise. Immediately, he halted their party. They hovered with bated breaths as Hongjoong peered across the grasses.

The pond nearby was hidden among the mangroves, tucked away from the main creek and connected only by a smaller river. The green vegetation covering it created a slimy film, making it look deceptively like solid ground. Ripples had stirred up the surface and made some plants drift apart.

Hongjoong sunk into a slow crouch.

They had seen no dolphins or sharks this far land inward. His heart hammered in his chest as he beckoned the other two to follow. Mingi soundlessly undid the clasps of his bag.

Another splash. A pale green dorsal fin cut across the water surface, too large to belong to any fish. It attached to the sharp spine, webbed between spike-line bone protrusions. They looked pointy, like blades and rippled down into a long ridge before the creature dipped under.

Yeosang brought out his camera, silent with awe. Hongjoong held his hand out as Mingi fumbled for the binoculars.

Breathing flatly so he wouldn't disrupt what might be the find they had waited for, Hongjoong lifted them to his face. He witnessed the next beat of that fin up close.

Its scales were a deep green the colour of seaweed, fitting for blending with the swamp. Like fishes, merfolk also had distinct differences in their tails. The veiled fins Hongjoong could spot glided along the long spikes like dainty veils. Though they dragged with beguiling length along the massive tail, the tips looked like deadly weapons to cut into smaller prey in passing.

The caudal fin stirring up the water bled into an almost transparent olive hue. It was split, and another set of long fins attached to the lower one, jagging its form even broader. Ideal for speed and just as quick manoeuvres.

"Spikes like a lionfish," Hongjoong muttered for Mingi to scrawl hastily in his notebook. "The fins remind me of a predator, though. They look sturdy."

One of the distinct distinctions between freshwater and saltwater merfolk was their fins. Oceanic merfolk had many natural enemies and hunted quicker species, so they often reminisced sharks in their lower halves. Compared to them, the merfolk of shallow reefs were often colourful and dreamy, like classic pet fishes.

This seemed to be a mixture of both, potentially venomous.

"The pelvic fin isn't spiked," Hongjoong continued. He tried to see what part was natural shading and what were stubborn plants clinging to the shimmering scales.

"Swampy green with dark spotting on the back."

Hongjoong was about to lower the binoculars when the creature dipped, much too fish-shaped to be a crocodile and too large to be anything else than what they were looking for.

But then, with another splash, the front emerged. At Hongjoong's quiet gasp, Yeosang lifted his camera.

Entranced, they stared at their find.

This was the rare species.

The dark green ridge drew over the humanoid spine to dot matching shoulders with green, shimmering scales. It weaved down slender arms, skimming narrow fins along the back of their length. Clawed, webbed fingers shone in a shade both pale and transparent, easily disappearing in the murky water.

Long, black hair clung to the slender chest of a hunter and fin-shaped ears that webbed around more spikes. The lips drawn over sharp teeth tried to snatch a meal out of the water and the black eyes dashing with every movement were used to the sight above and below the surface, not blind like deep-sea merfolk.

"There he is," Hongjoong whispered, full of awe. "A male," he supplied to Mingi while he hastily sketched out details about the fins and the ridge.

"He is hunting for food with teeth and nails, so I doubt he cooks."

Yeosang clicked a few pictures. Green slick clung to the lean torso. In some spots, the emerald colouring shimmered almost black, weaving into the fins like tendrils of darkness.

This was a gorgeous specimen, unlike anything Hongjoong had ever seen before. He muttered to Yeosang to get a snap of the tail as soon as the male would dip.

They watched for a few moments longer. Mingi also got the binoculars and gaped at the stunning being splashing alone through the swamp.

Hunting alone meant he was either cast away from his community or he didn't have one. The limp fish he finally dug his sharp teeth into hinted at a venomous bite.

Since Hongjoong didn't want to risk startling him while he ate, he backed his people away when he next dived. If threatened while vulnerable, merfolk were quick to lash out, especially the wild ones.

Thus, they slowly backed away through the grass. Hongjoong set up a GPS node in the area, marking the territory of this specimen. Mesmerising black eyes lingered on his mind while Mingi gushed with Yeosang about their success.

What a beauty.

Since the grass had been in the way, they couldn't see a lot of him or properly watch him hunt. But now that they knew where he was, they could set up camp in the area.

Before they left, Hongjoong waded closer once more to peek through the grass, but no more splashing stirred up the pond. The nature lay untouched as they departed.

In the canoe on their way back, Mingi formulated out his notes based on what they saw. Hongjoong remembered scales along a pale neck and framing lean hips. No shells or stones decorated him like other merfolk liked to dress up. And neither did he carry a weapon.

He must be the largest predator in the area, though they could only give a rough size estimation until they saw all of him. He looked bigger than most freshwater mermaids Hongjoong had seen. Perhaps between 3,5 - 4 metres in total length to the tip of his tail?

"He looked so scary, ugh. Probably the most horrific of his species I ever shot," Yeosang muttered as he clicked through his pictures. Since Hongjoong was steering their boat, he couldn't peer over, only saw flashes of green.

It came with his job, but he thought all merfolk stunning. The old and the young, of all colours in skin and scales and even the unnatural growths the life below the water sometimes gave them, were fascinating to him. His infatuation with their kin meant regarding all of them as unique.

"Let's call him Project Seonghwa," he pondered while he steered them to their camp. Yeosang peered up at him curiously, and Mingi was already writing.

"Seonghwa. I like it," he grinned and Hongjoong smirked back.

They had the first lead.

-

After briefing the other two on their findings, they moved their tent further into the area of the encounter. They didn't dare settle right in Seonghwa's territory since they didn't want to appear as fresh prey or rivals before they could make sure whether he would attack humans. The Asmat seemed wary of him, worshipping this merman in the swamps as a creation of myth and legend. Hongjoong had to assume they lost people to Seonghwa before to respect him as the stronger predator.

Once their new spot was sufficiently secured, they gathered up to prepare for the observation. Yeosang and Jongho brought multiple wildlife cameras they could hang up in the trees. A drone would be too frightening to bring near such a sheltered specimen, but Hongjoong agreed on a robotic fish to scour the waters with its vision.

Soon, their tech station was set up in the tent and Mingi got the honours of scouring the waters for an underground cave system. The merfolk Hongjoong met so far all either dug into the ground or built structures to hide from predators. Only a few massive species drifted in the open ocean like sleeping sperm whales. How would Seonghwa maintain his safety? A dome of sludge to sleep under safely? Surely, most caves made in this soil would simply collapse since the peat gave in once soaked.

While Mingi zoomed away with his fish, Yeosang checked his pictures for something usable. They were fine for a report on the gradual approach towards the merpeople, but he would need something better for his project. Hongjoong found himself lingering behind him for a long while, watching him click through the photos of a jagged fin and a lean chest.

Soon, Hongjoong readied for the next expedition. They would position the cameras around the general area to glimpse the merman's movement. Perhaps they could pinpoint his lair by following his preferred paths.

Yunho backed them from the camp via radio. He scoured the area with the robotic fish, only suffering a minor heart attack when he was almost devoured whole by a snake once. After reassuring him via the radio, Hongjoong picked a few trees with Jongho's help. While he installed the cameras, Yeosang perched on the shore to shoot the crawling insects and worms in the mud.

Seonghwa was the largest predator in the area and he quickly proved the rules of the animal kingdom applied to him.

Yunho fell silent first, unsure about what he had found as he swam the fish around the massive tail resting in the water. Its narrow field of sight fooled him, as he didn't know in which direction to steer first to find out if half of that tail was human and by then, Seonghwa already shot from his hideout.

Hongjoong spotted him lurking in the grasses just on the other side of the river a tad too late. The water sprayed in their direction, startling a few parrots from the trees and Yeosang away from the shore. Black, vicious eyes spotted them as intruders in his territory, and Seonghwa was quick to defend his rule.

"On the trees, quick," Hongjoong yelled at his group. He shoved a scrambling Yeosang in Jongho's direction and tugged Mingi along by his hand. His assistant fumbled with his notebook and ultimately dropped it on the wet earth. He was scared of heights, but they couldn't dawdle.

Seonghwa moved with a haunting speed. He shoved himself out of the water with a mighty bat of his fin, massive like a Pacific sleeper shark, and his arms supported him on the grassy ground. His sharp teeth were bared in a snarl as he came after them, gills quivering as they adjusted his breathing.

Having seen his fair share of attacks from their kin, Hongjoong was up the tree like a squirrel. But Mingi fumbled below, not finding his footing. By the time he noticed Hongjoong's hasty hand trying to yank him further up, the merman lurched over the small spread dividing them.

Mingi cried out when a clawed hand raked down his calf. Seonghwa tried to grab his foot to haul him back down, but Hongjoong was quicker. He yanked Mingi up with all his might, wobbling in the bending tree. The bloodied leg made it away from the merman's grip and he scratched at the bark of the tree, hissing, unable to pull his entire weight up.

Up close and in full view, he was magnificent. Easily four metres long to the tip of his tail and shrouded in those pointy fins. His ridge was a dark green against his pale skin and his face was young, handsome even, for merpeople standards.

Awed, Hongjoong peered down at him while Yeosang got some good shots. This specimen was too wild to speak their language. He seemed to hunt only by himself, unafraid to venture out without a mate.

How did he get here? Was he lost from some other tribe? From what Hongjoong knew, rare families of merfolk populated some swamps, never enough for a whole colony but at least three to five of them.

Fascinated, Hongjoong beckoned the other two to stay still. Yunho apologised over the radio while Mingi clutched his leg, unable to treat it while they clung to the groaning tree.

Seonghwa realised soon enough he couldn't get to them. He fell off the tree with a last glare. He didn't mean to hunt for food today. This was him safeguarding his territory.

Awed by his courage to attack the entire group of them when they were so big, Hongjoong watched how he pulled himself back into the water. He disappeared down the stream quickly, right towards one of their other cameras.

Perfect.

Hongjoong was invigorated by the encounter. He was closer than ever to a species unlike any he ever laid eyes on before. Coming here had been the best choice.

After slipping down from the tree slowly, Hongjoong admitted his spooked companions didn't look as giddy as him. Jongho stumbled over on weak legs and Mingi whimpered when his feet touched solid ground. While he sunk down so Hongjoong could get a look at his wound, Yeosang snapped a picture of the claw marks down the tree. They dug deep into the wood, slicing as if into paper.

What a mesmerising creature.

"Shit... He definitely eats humans whole," Jongho commented with a look at the marks and Mingi's bleeding leg. He would be able to walk, but they should turn in for the day to make sure the wound wouldn't get infected. Hongjoong hated to leave when he was so close, but Seonghwa was well aware of them and ready to attack. While obsessed, Hongjoong wasn't mad enough to lose a team member over his studies.

They dragged Mingi back home and Hongjoong replied to Jongho's nervous questions, assuring him that yes, this was behaviour Hongjoong was accustomed to. Though the merfolk in most studies communicated and lived like humans, thus making the exchange painless, Hongjoong had his fair amount of run-ins with strays. Someone living out here in the swamp was bound to attack if a large opponent entered his territory.

How beautifully his muscles had rippled under his skin. How powerful his movements were, even on land.

Back in the camp, they bandaged Mingi's leg. He was startled, but not too mad about it. Few could boast with a scar a merman left and he would heal quickly enough. His priority was also his research, part of why he and Hongjoong as his mentor got along so well.

After this encounter, they paced themselves. They were sure now that this merman was wild and that he wasn't too keen on making their acquaintance. They also knew his approximate territory and his preferred food.

Now, they could begin the proper research. The swamp offered an excellent area to move in and the cameras were set. For now, Hongjoong would force himself to slow down and hold back his curiosity. It was time to survey the merman in his natural behaviour and only approach if they could offer him something non-disruptive to his life. After all, Hongjoong hadn't come to torment him with tech and foreign mannerisms.

Staying in the camp was better for Mingi, too. Yunho and Yeosang scoured their areas for more sights to catch on camera. While Hongjoong shared daily reports with a resting Mingi, Jongho kept an eye on their cameras.

For a few days, things stayed calm. Mingi ran a slight fever, but he recovered without needing to be sent back home.

Unfortunately, it was too calm. Seonghwa didn't appear on their cameras even once and Hongjoong was going mad recording log after log and admitting he looked forward to their next encounter when there was none.

On the fourth day of silence and when Mingi could walk normally again, Hongjoong contemplated the positioning of the cameras with a frown.

Were there too many? Would one be better hidden than several watchful lenses? Or did Seonghwa leave the area altogether, not as attached to one habitat as they assumed?

Yeosang perched by his side with his camera in his lap. He looked impressed with the utter lack of the merman they recorded. Only a lazy monitor lizard wandered past.

"So he's a shrewd one," the photographer chuckled. He knew how taxing this chase could be. If there was no invitation to exchange, merfolk were extremely quick to disappear from searching eyes.

And the swamp made for the perfect hideout.

"We aren't dealing with an animal here. He is still half human and has the brain of one. Likely, he noticed we messed with his surroundings," Hongjoong contemplated. He was in awe of this specimen yet again. He was so different, like a hunter of his kind. A survivalist. Had he ever met his parents? Did he realise the similarity the researchers had to him?

"I hope he gets enough food," Mingi added, worried Seonghwa might have burrowed away waiting for the danger to leave his area. And how else would he know, if not by the visual of them taking down the cameras?

An idea spawned in Hongjoong's head.

"It might be our luck if he doesn't and waits for us to leave. I want to put out a bait for him."

"To catch him?!" Yeosang protested, but Hongjoong quickly shook his head.

"Only on camera. And to signal our friendship. No traps or such, just a delicious meal he can't refuse. Perhaps he leaves something in return."

It was an approach Hongjoong tried countless times before to offer peace to merfolk. Not all of their communities were as trusting as those of the shallows. Usually, after some gift exchanges which got accepted on both sides, they would dare closer.

Yeosang nodded along.

"We do what the doctor says. If Seonghwa doesn't want it, we can remove our cameras and try the prior approach of sneaking."

Thus, they went to work once more. Their canoe came with a small fishing net, so they gathered crabs and fish from the nearby rivers. Hongjoong was proud of himself when he captured a lobster after many hours of trying. He hoped this swamp merman would like it as much as humans did.

Once they gathered their squirming mass of food, they placed it in a container and added enough water to keep everything alive and attractive. The trek back to the last sighting spot was arduous with the box and the sinking earth. Whenever the sun broke through the trees, the stench of rot gagged them up.

They dug a hole to place the canister by the shore, yet not too far from the water level. Seonghwa should be able to smell and reach for it, hopefully before everything washed away. After stabilising the lively box with a wall of peat, the researchers retreated to their tents. Mingi sipped some coke while he monitored the laptops, watching out for the smallest movement.

Seonghwa didn't show up all day. As if the swamp had swallowed him, no camera picked up on any movement of his size. Disappointing as it was, Hongjoong had to accept the merman hid in another area.

Before bed, Hongjoong sighed to himself and cleaned his glasses.

"Let's move the camp tomorrow. There is more than enough space to explore and we will just have to change our methods," he suggested to his group.

Yunho had huddled under his blankets already, tucking them up to his nose.

"I will go to Agats tomorrow to pick up more food. Tell me in the morning if you need something."

Shutting off their lamps, Hongjoong also allowed his agitated head some rest. He was so interested in meeting this merman, to try for a conversation. The longer he waited, the more determination filled him. This was a chase, if not a harmful one. A game of prey, in which neither was sure who was leading the charge.

Too ignited by his passion to be depressed about the letdowns so far, Hongjoong fell asleep quickly so he could start anew in the morning until he would finally get this merman to calm down so he could get a look at those gorgeous fins and handsome face.

-

Hongjoong awoke in the middle of the night to a parched throat. Too hot in the humid air, he kicked off his blankets to sit up groggily. He felt for his bottle and slurped a few sips with shut eyes, refusing to let go of sleep's sweet grasp, even when water never tasted better than at 3 in the morning.

Against his better judgment, Hongjoong peered at their camera setup. It illuminated the room in its lowest setting, casting shadows over the peaceful breathing of his companions. Idle, it showed the shoreline and the river their cameras circled.

The bait was gone.

With a jerk, Hongjoong sat upright. His eyes were wide open as he studied the darkness of the forest through the night filter. Definitely no more movement. The box was crooked in its burrow, yanked on with powerful hands to access the meal.

Hongjoong wasted no time.

To replay the exact moment Seonghwa had come, he would need to wake the others and get on the laptop. But this spot wasn't far and he could run across the land to get there.

In a hurry, Hongjoong grabbed his glasses and his radio in case of an emergency. He rushed out without tying his boots and immediately got stuck in the mud. After painstakingly fiddling them shut, he raced through the nightly hum of insects and birds. Everything was alive at this time. So many rustles in the bushes and blubbering in the water.

Hongjoong didn't halt to worry about that. He brought no weapon, only his tattered beige shirt that was undone at the top, hanging loosely from his softest pants to sleep in.

By the time he made it to the spot, he was out of breath from struggling against the ground's grip with thrice the strength it normally took to walk. He pushed his sweaty hair back as he spotted the box in the ground and immediately slowed. Among nature's racket, he could easily blend in and become inaudible. Peering through the night filter of the camera, he checked the nearby waters.

Seonghwa had definitely been here. The drag of his tail left a trace on the river bank and he had splayed his fingers into the mud to drive himself over to the box. After hastily taking the measurements of the imprint, Hongjoong inched in the direction the tail swung back down in.

His wildly hammering heart hoped Seonghwa would still be in the area. That he could glimpse him eating. Surely, the cameras also caught him, but Hongjoong just needed to see his response. Perhaps he would even find a token of gratitude before some other animals devoured it?

With the smile of a man mad for his passion on his lips, Hongjoong crept through the bushes. He startled from the call of a bird right overhead and the agitated skitter of a huge spider in front of him.

"Sorry, sorry," Hongjoong muttered. He also wanted peace, and he didn't intend to disturb them, but the swamp was full of life.

So busy trying not to step on anything or get bitten by a snake hiding in the grass, Hongjoong once more failed to notice the intelligent eyes watching him. Hidden in the water's murk and the plants shrouding him, the merman had been right next to him all along.

When his bait was finally distracted, he lunged.

The sudden splash had Hongjoong spin on his heel, but he wasn't quick enough and the soft earth sucked him back in. A hand seized his ankle and yanked on him roughly, toppling him right over.

Hongjoong dropped the radio and caught a mouthful of peat. His survival instincts kicked in as he yanked on his leg, drawing himself up the hill with his hands.

"Stop! I don't mean to harm you!" He cried out, but the snarl behind him certainly meant to harm him. Another rough haul dragged him through fallen branches and the sharp blades of the grass, leaving Hongjoong with minor scratches. The cold water soaked the legs of his pants when the pair struggled, scaring away all other life nearby as their large bodies wound themselves.

The webbed fingers around his leg were ruthless. Seonghwa tore on him until his shoe came off and he dropped it in the water without a care to seize the flailing leg. Hongjoong buried the other knee into the soft ground, using its grip to draw away. His panicked glance over his shoulder confirmed his suspicions.

Seonghwa looked ravenous. Still irate to have been disturbed in his spot, he fought back against the intruders, but hunger set his greedy eyes ablaze. Just one human was easy enough prey for him. Those sharp teeth could gnaw the flesh off a bone without a problem.

"No-" Hongjoong gasped out when he slipped from the wet ground. He fell backwards, right into the grip of the stronger merman.

With a wince, Hongjoong braced himself. He hated to do this, but he had no other choice.

All the force in his smaller human body gathered as he swung his elbow around. He hit the merman in the side and Seonghwa withdrew with a pained groan.

Inwardly, Hongjoong apologised a million times. Such a beautiful creature, and he wanted to be friends.

Miserable, he tried to pull away from the lightened grip, ready to run off on land and prepare a worthy apology. Seonghwa was territorial, so he would want to get rid of them, but they weren't natural enemies.

Once more, Seonghwa was surprisingly strong. It might be his surroundings granting him more movement ability on land, but at his next twist, his entire weight plummeted down on Hongjoong. Buried by the mass of a wet tail and half an adult man attached to it, Hongjoong was pressed into the wet mud, leaving an indent of his shape in it. Gagging out its fouling mixture, he twisted around, shoving against the body on top of him.

Hongjoong didn't want to hurt one of their kin, but Seonghwa was stubborn and he didn't communicate. If Hongjoong wanted to make it away from his clawed fingers, he needed to wring himself out with force.

With an arm braced against the chest above him so snarling teeth wouldn't snap for him, Hongjoong shoved at the arms caging him against the ground. Despite his adoration for merfolk, his heart knew how deadly this could end. Nervously, Hongjoong's heart thumped in his chest.

"Let go! I didn't come here to fight you. I have no weapons. Can't you see?"

In this darkness, Seonghwa was better equipped than Hongjoong's lame human eyes.

Insistently, the body above pressed down on Hongjoong's shape. Didn't let him off his weak coils and struggles. As if every turn sunk them deeper into the swamp, Hongjoong was soon struggling to even lift an arm and his legs got soaked by foul swamp water. His bare foot twitched against the cold air.

Another growl. Seonghwa dipped his head to snap for Hongjoong's neck, but the movement wasn't violent enough to harm him. Did he just try to keep him still?

Confused, Hongjoong paused. Seonghwa didn't try to eat him or ripped into him with his claws. As if satisfied he caught his prey, a noise akin to a purr rumbled in his chest.

Hongjoong had heard it before.

A quick hand dipped down between them, feeling for that insistent press against his thigh. He touched the slick place between smooth scales. This pelvic slit opened only for specific occasions. And growing from it to nudge into Hongjoong's clothed thighs were the two smooth pointed penises of the male mermen.

Blushing, Hongjoong retracted his fingers. Seonghwa's slick clung to him, smelling of salt and water. When the human twisted his head to catch Seonghwa's eyes in the dark, he adjusted his glasses clumped with mud and grass.

Seonghwa stared down at him with his arms braced. Clearly, he needed Hongjoong to present himself to continue, but he was also stubborn about making this work. The frown barely lit by the night sky was concentrated, not angry.

"O-Oh... That's what you wanted? To mate?" Hongjoong mumbled, overcome by a bout of shyness.

Perhaps he should have guessed. If Seonghwa lived alone and came of mating age, he would attack anything looking somewhat close enough to his species to try and procreate. Couplings among humans and merfolk weren't uncommon, and Hongjoong knew his fair share of happy relationships. Like his colleague Wooyoung and his fishy love San. Off right now, somewhere in the Caribbean water for a good time.

It wasn't that it wouldn't work, but Hongjoong was bashful under Seonghwa's mass. The dangle of his dark hair and those gorgeous fins.

Shouldn't he get to explore Seonghwa's habits first before they got this intimate?

But Seonghwa loomed over him, nudging his tail into Hongjoong's curled backside. He snarled, impatient to get what he wanted and when a hand tried to turn Hongjoong, the researcher bit his lip.

He couldn't deny he liked the idea. This specimen was stunning and though Hongjoong knew so little about him, Seonghwa was patient to be allowed to continue.

Though he might bring Hongjoong into his cave and keep him prisoner until he gave in, there was no reason to deny this advance.

While Hongjoong lingered, Seonghwa grew more huffy. He lifted his head to peer around and spotted the radio on the ground. A swift hand grabbed it and pressed the dirtied buttons to Hongjoong's chest.

Waiting for him to accept the gift, Seonghwa kept staring.

So he had regarded that bait as a courting offer, huh?

Hongjoong glanced down at the radio. It still worked, and they were in the vision of the cameras. He could easily call his troupe over and have them shoo Seonghwa off or tranquillise him in the worst-case scenario. Since he couldn't understand, he wouldn't know what trouble the researcher summoned.

But Hongjoong was somewhat charmed by this hovering, by this attractive body pressed against his. Though Seonghwa didn't know of the power he handed Hongjoong, he wanted him to accept this 'gift' as a token of his efforts.

The researcher was very flattered by how Seonghwa tried so hard for him.

"Okay, fine," he exhaled. Seonghwa had enough sense to make this work and merfolk weren't cruel lovers. Scary, perhaps, but often more in tune with the body before them than humans.

When he turned the barest bit, Seonghwa immediately shifted. He tugged Hongjoong's knee on his other side, opening his legs to rut up against him abruptly. Eager hands were about to shred through his pants when Hongjoong caught his wrist.

Seonghwa stilled with a cautious gaze, reading Hongjoong's expressions, since he couldn't understand his language.

"Now, now, let's slow down," Hongjoong chuckled, worried about getting those claws too close to his important bits. With his harmless fingers, he pushed on his pants nervously. Though he was assured Seonghwa produced more than enough slick to make things smooth, he wouldn't know about the human body.

As he kicked off his pants to undress in some swamp down in New Guinea whose local tribe until recently ate humans, Hongjoong knew there was no going back from this one. He could only hope his group would stay asleep so he could delete the camera material before they woke.

Curious eyes raked over the newly exposed skin. When Hongjoong shrugged off his shirt to save it from hasty claws, his nipples hardened from the touch of the cold. He was shy, reacting to the beautiful body above him, yet also so much smaller and vulnerable. Hongjoong had no spikes or fins or even claws. He felt like a piece of meat on a silver platter.

The merman above crooned in satisfaction. He touched Hongjoong's chest, curious at the dark nipples he didn't have. When a claw scratched over the sensitive skin, Hongjoong's body lurched.

"Be... Be careful, yes?" Nervous about all those venomous spikes surrounding him and the clawed hands exploring his skin, Hongjoong only hesitantly allowed his body to voice its desire. His head fell onto the earth, far beyond avoiding a shower already. When he reached below, Seonghwa aligned their hips so he could rock his twin lengths against Hongjoong's smaller human one. They were a deep green, darker at the tips, and so slippery. Hongjoong formed a circle with both hands to catch them all in a bundle and a groan from above praised his effort.

Hongjoong rocked his hips slowly, trapped below the merman's weight until he could barely move. When Seonghwa understood the friction felt good, he adjusted his lower half so he could glide through Hongjoong's grip as well.

Breathless in his anticipation, Hongjoong peered up at his face. Seonghwa's hair fell over his shoulders, drying slowly in the humid heat of the incoming morning. It was thick and glossy despite the swamp water feeding it and curled around his fin-shaped ears. His long tongue tangled around his quiet sounds of pleasure.

He wouldn't know what a kiss was, or any sort of foreplay. His instinct just told him to mate and Hongjoong probably smelled excited enough for him to make it work.

Shyly, Hongjoong tilted his head up to kiss Seonghwa's chest. His lips were warm against that smooth, cool skin and Seonghwa jolted, surprised by the unexpected touch. Still, he lingered, curious since Hongjoong wasn't trying to eat him.

"You can touch me, too," Hongjoong muttered. "Or nibble. Just don't bite." To show what he meant, he leaned his head back, baring his throat as a sign of submission.

Seonghwa liked that.

He had to curl over Hongjoong's shape to keep the pace of their middles and access his neck, but he buried his face there, breathing in Hongjoong's scent. A mindless hand ran down his leg and foot, fascinated with this part of them that was different. His cold nose brushed under Hongjoong's ear, then his teeth caressed his skin. Taking in the human's throbbing pulse, his heat. Undoubtedly hungry, but he understood Hongjoong would no longer serve the purpose of mating if he was dead.

Among merfolk, courtship was either human in the sort of gifts and sweet words or it might exist in the manner of fishes with dances and jumps to impress a potential match.

Hongjoong supposed Seonghwa knew both, but wasn't sure how to show them. He pressed his lips to Hongjoong's skin clumsily and caressed his leg, but his focus was clearly on the bucking of his pelvis.

On one hand, Hongjoong wanted to whip out his notepad and write all of this down. Have the merman have his way and document every movement. But his body had heated to the sight of fathomless eyes and the powerful body bracing above him. It had been a while since Hongjoong was so busy with their trip and he already drooled over his tummy.

"Okay, let's try this," Hongjoong muttered, reaching below to the smaller slit above the one Seonghwa's arousal emerged from. The merman flinched, surprised at the sudden touch to the wet rim. Hongjoong teased his fingers against the spot gently.

Confused with himself, the merman pressed down against him, eager for anything he might receive. Hongjoong's finger slipped into the pulsating grip of his body while his other hand levered one of Seonghwa's tips against him.

Clueless about when to stimulate which, Seonghwa just took both. He pressed forward, slick oozing from him to ease his glide against Hongjoong's entrance. The human bit his lip, levelling his breathing and relaxing his already wanting body. A moment later, the slender tip breached him and they locked into each other.

"S-Slow!" Hongjoong stuttered when Seonghwa chased right after the feeling, nudging deep inside. His length was flexible, adjusting to Hongjoong's insides to spread him open. Breathless, the researcher wrapped his legs around Seonghwa's slippery tail to stabilise himself. The soft ground caught him as Seonghwa delivered a desperate thrust.

Though his noises turned sweeter, a growl mixed into them when he didn't have enough yet. His second length dribbled fluid against Hongjoong's, twitching in tandem with the one inside.

"Yes, yes, I'm on it," Hongjoong huffed. He found it difficult to concentrate, but didn't want to risk getting bitten if he was too slow. He rolled his hips under Seonghwa, offering some relief from the pleasure making his arms weak.

An expert in merfolk anatomy, Hongjoong knew where to crook his finger to reach the good spots. Seonghwa would have a cervix and a womb, as all merfolk could impregnate and get pregnant regardless of their biological sex. When Hongjoong added a finger to nudge one into the slit inside and hook the other against Seonghwa's spot, the entire merman shuddered above him. His fin splashed through the water and he pressed closer aggressively, nudging himself in with another hard thrust while also rocking down on Hongjoong's fingers.

Trembling when he was so close and their friction fogged up his mind, Hongjoong reached for his discarded length. He carried no condom since he didn't plan to get railed in the swamp by some merman, but Seonghwa wasn't on his heat cycle, so they would be fine. According to Wooyoung, it was much easier to tell if merfolk were ready to be bred since the cervix expanded enough for the tip to enter.

Seonghwa impatiently knocked into Hongjoong, punching the breath from his throat. His impatient growl threatened him with murder.

So much for the biology lesson.

"You are one impatient specimen," Hongjoong grumbled as he tapped his tip against Seonghwa's leaking slit. The stretch was smooth and Seonghwa stuttered, arms buckling, as he found the right position on instinct. Their chests pressed together as Hongjoong slipped deep into that delightful cavern. Tight and wet, it surrounded him, twitching in tandem with Seonghwa's arousal inside of him.

Damn it, this felt good.

Eyes rolling back, Hongjoong ground up in tandem with Seonghwa's movement, getting both of them filled up and happy. His fingers fumbled for Seonghwa's discarded second length, close enough to his orgasm that he could with the stretch.

Seonghwa thrashed against him when he eased the tip against his rim. The merman clamped them into a tight press so he could burrow forth into Hongjoong, at the same time hitting himself in the cervix. He trembled and shook and Hongjoong arched at the delicious fullness. Trembling hands lifted for an embrace and Seonghwa hugged him close, snarling and hissing since he was feeling so good. His breaths stuttered through his chest as he tightened up around Hongjoong, jostling them with the erratic bucking of his hips.

Hongjoong hung in his grip. He drooled from the corner of his lips, uncaring to anything but the hot pleasure in his stomach. Every bit of him felt euphoric, and the heat of his abdomen pooled hotter and hotter.

Seonghwa locked up first. His teeth gnawed into Hongjoong's shoulder, leaving deep, bloody marks that made the human cry out in their lethal embrace in the swamp. His tail whipped through the water behind them as his muscles locked up, drawing tight around Hongjoong as he buried as deep as he could go. Hot liquid filled Hongjoong, pumping into him through the interwoven bundle of Seonghwa's double deal.

Twitching from pain and pleasure, Hongjoong didn't hold back either. He locked up in the tight grip on him and his spill pooled over, filling the insides of the merman unwilling to let go so Hongjoong could pull out of him. Through gritted teeth, Hongjoong harshly gasped for every breath. Their embrace left him no room to move, and the weight on top of him crushed him slowly.

They lay frozen in that position for long minutes. Hongjoong gasped for breath and Seonghwa wouldn't stop twitching to the pleasure he experienced for the potentially first time.

By the time he finally retracted his teeth to lap at the bloody wound, Hongjoong exhaled. He hadn't put the venom into his bite, not planning to kill Hongjoong.

The researcher needed to get away before Seonghwa realised they could do this again right away. At his age, when his sexual drive awakened, it might as well kill someone like Hongjoong.

So Hongjoong let go of him, falling back as he shrivelled down. His come dripped from Seonghwa when the merman copied him. When he finally slipped free from the intense stretch he put Hongjoong through, his clear liquid was a mirror.

Hongjoong's mind was foggy.

So that just happened. He let a swamp merman do him and he came out alive. By the curious gaze in Seonghwa's eyes, as he regarded Hongjoong's defeated form, he planned to make Hongjoong his permanent mate and go again.

What a fool. Hongjoong had too high morals towards himself to impregnate some lonely swamp merman and then run away to Korea.

Thus, he sat up and reached for his pants, signalling their momentary cooldown meant the end. He cleaned up briefly in the water, just hoping no parasites latched onto him, and when Seonghwa just sat there in the light of the slowly greying skies, Hongjoong cupped his hands to wash the disgusting stuff off him, too.

"You have to clean up, yeah?"

Tugging the shirt over the wound stung. It needed a bandage, but Hongjoong was too fascinated with it to worry about an infection right now. Once he found his shoe stuck in the swamp, he slipped into it, grimacing at the wet squelch.

The radio hadn't made a single sound.

Seonghwa's hair was dry now, making him impossibly more beautiful. When Hongjoong brushed his fingers through it, dreamy lashes batted up at him, sleepy after all those feelings.

"Get some rest. I will check on you again soon, hm?" Hongjoong suggested, not waiting around until Seonghwa wanted more.

He kissed the merman's forehead just because he could, hoping the gesture of affection would arrive in his brain. Then Hongjoong hastily turned in his squelching boot to rush back to the camp. Seonghwa sat on the riverbank with his fingers on his stomach, wondering about the warmth and joy he felt with another person.

A deep blush raged over Hongjoong's cheek as he scurried away on weak legs.

Anything in the name of science.

-

Thankfully, nobody in the camp woke by the time Hongjoong returned. He bandaged up his wound and deleted the video recording of him with Seonghwa, smacking himself at the thought of downloading it first. From that angle, it only looked as if the merman was taking apart his prey, anyway.

By the time Mingi stirred, Hongjoong perched outside drying his shoe while he boiled water for coffee. He cleaned up properly at the pond nearby, but some mud stains remained on his clothes. They would just have to be excused with slipping on his way across the swamp.

With his sleepy companions huddled around to slurp their coffee, Hongjoong revised the plan once more. After that encounter, Seonghwa would be far less hostile towards them.

Hongjoong supposed sleeping with Seonghwa for his friendship was yet another way to take care of things.

"Let's remove the cameras all but one, and offer more bait," was his call, hoping to flatter Seonghwa with more gifts.

"Did he take the other one?" Yeosang asked towards Jongho, who perched silently with the laptop in his lap. Hongjoong's heart hammered in his chest.

But their technician wasn't looking at some grade-A merman-human porn. He scratched his head cluelessly when he noticed something off.

"Weird. There's a chunk missing here, doc. Several hours of material gone," he mumbled, trying to find the source while also apologetic his setup failed.

Hongjoong waved it off.

"I noticed the battery was empty and switched it out before you woke up. He took his bait so we can assume we can buy his friendship through food." Hongjoong's body throbbed in response. Seonghwa sure had taken his bait.

While Mingi lit up at the success, Jongho still grumbled at his files.

"Really? But I shut them all on at the same time..."

"Who knows? The sun draining it, perhaps? Either way, he did what we wanted. Let's keep it up and catch it on camera next time," Yunho joined in, reassuring Hongjoong's panicked hands massaging his knees.

"I would like to get that shot. Perhaps I will stay up tomorrow to see him take it," Yeosang said, checking his film.

Relieved that nobody picked up on anything weird, Hongjoong beamed at them in response. They had a few more days of leave for this project, so they should make the most out of it even when Hongjoong already learned so much from Seonghwa.

After adjusting the cameras to their liking, the group offered more food to the elusive merman. This time, they saw him take it, trusting the familiar blue plastic container. Yeosang got some perfect pictures of him eating and Hongjoong pretended his heart didn't ache in his chest when he noticed Seonghwa's forlorn gaze on the forest as he expected Hongjoong to show back up.

The night after, Hongjoong snuck out again while the others were asleep. He brought another fish along and sat at the riverside outside of the camera's vision with it in his lap. Soon, the scent summoned Seonghwa, and he raced over. His wet form pulled out of the water and eager eyes studied Hongjoong's form.

Before a hand could pull on his shirt, Hongjoong offered him the fish. He watched Seonghwa devour the gift, getting blood all over his teeth and chin.

How hilarious to become the playmate of some wild merman. If Hongjoong brought San here, would he be able to communicate with Seonghwa? Merfolk had a body language inherently their own.

Or would Seonghwa regard San as a threat?

Hongjoong wanted to call them once they had reception. Ask how they could find out more about this peculiar species. The first of his kind Hongjoong found utterly unable to speak.

"We have to leave soon," he still muttered, hoping Seonghwa would understand. "But I'll be back in a few weeks with less scary equipment. No worries, just a few flights I have to do. The tribes in the area can help me settle, so I can hear all the fascinating things about you."

His hand caressed through Seonghwa's hair. Doe eyes batted up at him, no longer so full of malice.

Hongjoong chuckled at the innocent sight.

"There is so much I wish to know. Who you are and if you grew up all by yourself. You have a fine territory for being on your own."

Seonghwa shuffled closer. His hands pawed on Hongjoong's shirt where the bite was, confused why he didn't show it off as a signal of endurance after the battle their lovemaking had been.

Hongjoong glanced back at his camp.

"I will see you soon, yes? Maybe I will bring a friend. I won't forget about you."

He stood up, satisfied with the goodbye gift he offered.

Seonghwa wasn't.

An indignant hand dragged Hongjoong back down by his ankle. Like a snake, Seonghwa slithered back over him, spiked fins fanning out as he pressed their bodies together. His satisfied purr knew he had to undress Hongjoong first to get where he wanted to be.

The researcher snickered.

"You liked it that much, huh?"

He would indulge just a bit more. Even if he had everything he needed, Hongjoong would come back here often, as he also visited other friends of the merfolk. As he kissed Seonghwa's soft lips over his sharp teeth, this lovely merman eagerly tried to understand and copy him.

He could learn, Hongjoong's most magnificent specimen.

Succumbing to their needs until the sun would rise, Hongjoong made every last moment of their encounter memorable.

-

This time, leaving was harder. Seonghwa fell asleep after exhausting himself and Hongjoong got dressed quietly while the merman rested curled around him with his tail slung over Hongjoong's legs.

He wouldn't understand why Hongjoong was suddenly gone. Might wallow in his newfound loneliness.

Maybe Hongjoong could discuss things with his university back in Agats and didn't need to make the entire way home. The swamp was scary at times, but worthy to stay in for a while to get to know Seonghwa.

After sneaking away on quiet squelches, Hongjoong made it back to the camp to gather their stuff. Mingi was glad to go home and rest his leg with some of his mother's good food. Yunho invited them to have a proper meal together before they flew back to Korea and Yeosang tapped through his pictures by Jongho's side, both similarly excited for the quality shots.

"He looked super comfortable that second time. This is the eye-contact. It almost looked as if he wanted us to come over," the photographer gushed. "These might win some award. Hongjoong, you are the hidden ace in making friends with them."

Though he grinned back at Yeosang for the compliment, Hongjoong was the only one not quite ready to leave. But he rarely was, since he loved the merfolk and their culture so much. Even Seonghwa, in his peculiar way, had been such a joy to learn from.

Hoping he ate some delicious crab today, Hongjoong peered out over the overhung jungle, relishing its scent and the fresh air. Soon, Seoul's busy streets would engulf him again, but that time would pass quickly.

Since Hongjoong wasn't one to dawdle around when he yearned back to the waters and their hidden personalities. Until then, he hoped Seonghwa would defend his territory well and wait for the mate of his fancy to return.

Two weeks later, Hongjoong was on his way back. With yet another permit and the entire holiday on his hands, ready to dedicate his time to the beauty of the swamp.