Jungkook loved the water, anything to do with the dark, rippling blue liquid made him happy. Baths, showers, the sea anything blue and watery like you name it he loved it. Spending every Sunday at the beach for surf club gave him a reason to enjoy the water even more. It gave him solace, the wide ocean sea with its beautiful shades of blue. To him it felt natural-to be in the water. Like something he was born to do, made on this god's green earth to live for. When his parents signed him up for tadpoles at the age of five, he was ecstatic. Couldn't wait for the weekend to roll round as it meant it was time to swim in the sea. Everything felt calm and somehow safe in the wide ocean blue.

The feeling of getting his hair wet, of ducking under the crashing waves exhilarated him better than any drug or sugar rush could give him. The tingling of his skin when the water touched him surged a delicious bubble inside him. He'd been swimming since he was only three months old. The water has always been apart of him and he'd never trade it for the world. It was his passion, ducking and diving through the fresh open waves.

Digging his toes into the softness of the sand, feeling it cave under his weight. Everything about the mysterious ocean that has barely been explored fascinated him. He'd make it his mission to dive deep into the forbidden depths just to catch a glimpse of its small beauty its hiding away.

Surf club allowed him that little gratification, allowed him to delve deep into the ocean bed and mix in with the glorious waves it produced. He wanted to be a deep sea diver, he gathered that much from himself when he first stepped into the open water. Feeling this urge to swim as far and as deep as he could. Being a lifeguard he knew would get him that much closer.

He'd spend his days at the beach, by the water defending it as he so put it. He'd defend the sea for as long as he lived. Something about all the untouched beauty hidden away in the deepest darkest depths intrigued him to no end. He wanted to find out everything about what took up most of the earth's surface. There was so much they didn't know and Jungkook wanted to found out it all.

He runs eagerly into the cold, wavy ocean water dipping under the waves as he held his board on the rough sea. He jumps on his hind legs, calves resting on the softness of his board. His hands dip into the water, beginning to paddle himself further into the blueness of the sea. The wind wishes through his hair, strains sticking to his hair. Smell of salty air invaded his nostrils, it a euphoric scent to his nose. Reminding him exactly of where he was, could taste on the tip of his tongue. His arms continue to dunk deep into the surface of the water, repelling him forward with each stroke.

His hips would bounce up every time he leant down to get his arms deeper into the water. Waves crashed around him, tumbling children over and drenching parents in its icy rain. The further out he went the bluer the ocean seemed to get and the more peaceful the sound. He loved it, the sensual sounds the sea would make mixed with the subtle quaking of birds and smashing of waves on rocks. It was his personal soundtrack, one that would stick with him for the rest of his life.

He stops when he gets out far enough, going to hook his legs on either side of his board. His head cracks back, smiling as he watches the crowd playing around in the shallows and the surf kids running up and down the sand. All still dressed in their surf uniform, the bold red and white caps sticking out like a stick in the mud. He waves at his parents who were on the land, his father still wearing his coaching uniform. They wave back if what he was seeing is correct, giving him a thumbs up.

"Hey Kook! Wanna race?" A shrill high pitched voice rings from beside him, he cracks his head to see his twin sister staring smugly at him in pigtails and her red beach beanie.

"You sure you're ready to lose? I'm the undefeated champion." Jungkook boosts proudly, to which his sister just rolls her eyes.

"Let's just see shall we? Whoever loses has to do the dishes for the rest of the month." She devises a punishment for the loser, Jungkook narrows his eyes but agrees.

Jungkook settles himself on his board, preparing for battle as he never loses to his twin sister. They both give each other a cheeky glare, his sister sticking her tongue out to which Jungkook returns the favour. She giggles, quickly putting on her poker face as she gears herself up. They ready themselves, dumping their hands in the water before sprinting off just when an almost perfect wave forms. Their arms pummel into the water, creating thrashing splashes as they chase after the wave.

Just when the wave approaches, coming down upon them. Jungkook suddenly bumps into something under the water with a high pitched sequel from whatever he hit. It causes him to lose balance and stumble into the water at the crucial moment the wave came crashing down. He's sucked under the brutal weight of the water, being forced down into the hoard of rocks laying in bed.

He thrashes about, being thrown around like a rag doll by the smothering waves. His head gets slammed against the pointed edge of a rock, a sudden pain writhes through his skull. He begins to struggle with the current, the blow to the head winding his strength. Black spots form in his hooded vision, he falls deeper into the abyss that he saw as his home.

As he slips beneath the water, falling to the sandy bottom strong arms wrap around his body. He's tugged up effortlessly to the surface, feeling the pressure of the water rushing past him. He could barely see, eyes stinging and vision blurry from all the adrenaline pumping through his veins. But what he could see, or at least thought he did was what appeared to be young boy around his age. And when he looked down, watching the sandy floor disappear he caught sight of a gleaming sparkling violet green fish tail.

"Ahh! Ahh." Jungkook coughs up salty buckets of water, lungs gasping for the desperate air needed to nourish his body.

Strong arms stay glued to his sides, keeping him treading water. He keeps coughing, throat turning dry from the force. A sequel is made from behind him, it sounded delicate yet pained. It grows louder and more desperate as he's dragged along through the thick water. He's brought to his board that was being smashed against the rocks. His limp body's lifted up, he grasps onto the edges of the board to help pull him up. Another squeal sounds, he cranes his neck, rubbing his aching eyes he finally sees his saviour in all their glory.

"Woah!" Jungkook blinks his eyes, not quite believing what he was seeing.

The creature shrills, smiling timidly at him through his damp blonde locks that stuck to his baby blue eyes. It shuffled away from him, eyes darting around caustically. Jungkook when he squinted could make out his marble tail in the mirroring water.

It wasn't possible, he must have hit his head a little to hard. Mermaids didn't exist, they were something out of a fairy tale- nothing but a myth.

Jungkook didn't quite know what to do, how to react since he was sure it's all in his head. A figment of his concussed brain, an illusion that's all. It couldn't be real, he couldn't be real.

"Are you?-are you a mermaid?" Jungkook scratches the side of his head, feeling the morphing bump growing.

The creature squeals in an inhuman like sound, ducking under the water. It lifts up is gleaming tail slightly for his view, keeping sure to make it subtle so not to draw too much attention. The creature turns upright again, sticking its head through the water. It squeaks at him, suddenly pouting looking at him with sympathetic eyes. Jungkook quirks his eyebrow in confusion to which the creature rubs its head in a pained motion.

"Oh? My head? It's okay, I've had worse." Jungkook laughs, surf club wasn't the safest sport and he's had his fair share of injuries.

The creature cocks its head to the side cutely, looking dumb yet adorable. It squeals at him, clearly trying to say something but what? Jungkook had no idea. All he could make out was it sounded frustrated, the creatures expression supported that. Just when the creatures goes to speak again another shrill voice screeches.

"Jungkook!" His twin sister's screams in like a siren, scaring the creature and has it sinking into the water disappearing like it was never there.

Jungkook flicks his gaze from his sister who came boarding towards him back to where the creature was in complete shock. The water sits still where it once was, almost if the creature was never treading water in that spot.

"Where'd you go? You lost so that means you have to do the dishes." She comes up to his board, just where the creature lulled.

"Did you see him Jamie?" Jungkook focuses his eyes, trying to see if he could see the creature swimming around under the surface.

"See who? Are you alright Kook?" Jamie looks to her brother with concern, wondering if he'd gone mad.

Jungkook kept searching the water, splashing it about to try lure him backup but nothing. There was no one below them, no one in the depths hiding. It must've been a dream-hallucination from hitting his head.

"It's nothing, don't worry. Think I hit my head on the rocks and I am just being stupid." Jungkook waves it off as a delusion, he was simply seeing things.

"Oh? Does it hurt? Let me see!" Jamie leans over on her board, trying to get a look at the protruding bump forming.

"What do you think?" Jungkook sarcastically replies back, properly situating himself on his board.

"Let's get back, I'm done boarding." Jungkook starts moving towards the shore, putting the strange little event behind him.

Jamie follows suit, sliding her hands through the water to propel her forward. Jungkook glances back once, curious if he'd see anything to prove he hadn't gone insane. A little ripple in the water gave him little hope, a flick of a wave shone but nothing more. He shakes his aching head, he'd just imagined it he supposed though it didn't stop the little voice telling him it was real. That he had just meet a mermaid who saved his life and actually spoke too.

When they get to the shore, picking up their heavy boards they carry them up to the surf club to place them back in their homes.

"You two ready to go?" His parents came strolling from the deck of the surf club.

"Yup! I need a warm shower right now." Jamie takes the towel her mother holds out for her.

Jungkook wraps the fluffy towel around himself, glancing one more time to the beach in some form of hope he'd see a tail floating but nothing happened only rippling water and no mermaid. They get into the SUV, their mother making sure that the towel was laid out before they sat their wet bottoms down on the expensive leather. Jungkook the entire car ride home couldn't shake the feeling that what he saw was actually real. It had to have been a mermaid, no other explanation explained what he saw. But they didn't exist. Mermaids were just concepts used for Disney movies and childhood fairytales. No way could they possibly be real creatures that lived in the sea half fish half human.

Anatomically how could it even work? A human who lived in the sea, it just couldn't be and yet it could be. Jungkook was certain of what he saw, of who he met and made it his goal to find the creature once again and prove to himself he isn't going insane.

Jungkook sat in his seat at the dining table, fork fiddling with the large piece broccoli devouring his entire plate. His chin rested on the palm of his hand, eyebrows farrowing while he thought deeply.

"Dad? Do mermaids exist?" His train of thought get blurred out, darting his gaze to his father who sat opposite him.

His father blinks at him in confusion, an unexpected question suddenly arises which he was not prepared for. He coughs, taking a moment almost like he was thinking up an answer or a lie.

"Mermaids? Well, I don't really know. There hasn't been any cases of one being found but some people believe they are out there." His father answers it optimistically, Jungkook listening intently.

Jungkook didn't notice the hitch in his reply or the darting suspiciously of his eye like he's caught in a lie or not telling the complete truth.

"Really? So like-they could exist. Do you think they're real?" Jungkook presses for more information, wanting assurance he isn't mad.

His sister next to him snorts, snickering to herself at how idiotic her brother sounds. Jungkook narrows her eyes at her, trying to look threatening.

"Mermaids are just in movies Kook, they can't actually be real that's stupid." Jamie shakes her head, stuffing a chunk of steak in her mouth.

"You're stupid." Jungkook retorts back childishly, sticking his tongue out.

Jamie glared at him, going to flick some of her mash at him but their father intervenes.

"You two stop it. And to answer your question Jungkook I wouldn't put the concept of mermaids existing down. There has been some evidence that they could actually be out there. But not enough to grant any particular proof that they do. It's all merely theories and suspicions." His father's words didn't help soothe him, though least he knew he wasn't the only one who believes they exist.

"What would you think will happen if a mermaid was found? Like if one was discovered?" Jungkook kept the questions coming, needing to know everything there is.

"To be honest? Most likely they'd be taken in captivity to be tested and studied. If they got caught by the wrong hands more often than not they'd be dissected to see how their anatomy works. It's probably best for them if they are really out there to never be found as who knows what would happen to them. They could be hunted for sport, forced away from their homes. It might not be good for them if they were discovered to be real." His father knew an awful lot about sea creatures, he worked as a scientist who specialised in deep water sea creatures that lived in the darkest depths of the ocean where no one could find them unless they dived deep down.

His originally wanted to be a Planetary scientist, space had always intrigued him but then when he got to his second year of university he learnt about the moon and how it affects the tides to which got him into learning about the ocean and the great creatures that lived in its depths. He preferred to learn about the ocean, he'd been on many expeditions in search of the large sea squids or to find rare breeds in the territory of the South Pole.

He's helped find many rare animals, albino dolphins, frilled sharks and even a blobfish. They never killed the animals they'd only study them then once they were done put them back in the sea where they belonged. Some of his colleagues were determined to find proof of the existence of mermaids though he was very skeptical himself about the whole idea.

They have found bones of what could be a deceased one, in the depths of the deep sea when they did deep dives. But not enough to grant further funds or research. Several people have claimed they've seen one or what appeared to be a half human half fish highbred. Yet once again no proof of what they claimed is true.

Mermaids would forever be a phenomenon-a whispering myth that may never be determined if it was true or not.

Or at least that is the lie everyone's been told. Mermaids are a fantasy nothing more even if that is far from the truth and Jungkook's father knows that. He knows the truth about the mythical creatures who live in the water half human half fish. He knows what happens to them if they are caught, found and it is never pretty.

If the public knew of the hell the beautiful, angelic creatures went through they'd burn the people who dared to hurt them to the stake. For the fate a mermaid had if it were to be caught by the predators who hunt them is worse than death itself. And Jungkook's father knows all about the gruesomeness of it all.

In fact you might say he has his own hand in it all. He's not proud to say, wished he could unsee the things he's seen or undo the things he's done but that's not how life works. All he could do was pray no more of those innocent, beautiful creatures were caught in the trap and chained in the claws of human cruelty. 

Jungkook frowns at the idea, the thought of that creature he meet being killed or experimented on didn't sit right with him. It just didn't seem fair that if they were real that they should be abused and used just because they were different. What right did anyone have to take them from their homes and dissect them for their own pleasure and knowledge.

There was no need to hunt the mermaids, they live in the ocean carefree and don't bother anyone so why would humans feel the need to take them away from that. Jungkook could never imagine being torn away from his home and into somewhere he didn't belong only to be tested and perhaps even killed for the sake of human knowledge. It wasn't right, not right at all.

Jungkook slept that night thinking about that mermaid he may or may not have met. Figuring out ways to find him again in hopes to settle the debate in his mind whether he was real. He also grew curious to know why the mermaid chose to reveal himself to him.

If they've been this careful for so long why was that one so open to showing him just exactly what he was. It didn't even hesitate to reveal its glistening, marble coloured tail. It to him actually appeared interested in talking to him even if what he said came out as animalistic squeals and incoherent sounds he'd never understand. The boy saved his life and risked his existence being discovered and Jungkook wanted to know why. Why he'd do that for some humans he doesn't even know nor could trust to keep his secret.

..........
So here it is! My new mermaid Jikook book I hope you enjoyed it <3

Love you my honeybuns