Hoseok walked down the beach, leaving a trail of sand and pebbles behind him. The gulls flew overhead, their calls echoing in his ear, but they couldn't drown out the crashing waves of the ocean.

He despised the ocean.

The water engulfing him and battering his body, making it impossible to see what was up or down, reminded him of a memory he wanted to forget.

He shook his head, attempting to push those dark memories away. He knew it was a ridiculous idea, being the son of the local lord who was terrified of the sea. The ocean could be seen from most of the windows in their manor. The Jung family was well-known for their seafaring abilities, and it was said that they had one foot in the sea and one foot on land. Everyone else in the family except him.

Hoseok was only walking on the beach because his brother, Jihoon, had returned from his latest sea voyage. Hoseok had no fond memories of the man who had tormented him throughout his childhood and early adolescence, and he avoided any interaction with Jihoon when he was at home whenever possible. Ironically, the private beach was the ideal place for Hoseok to hide because it would be the last place anyone looked for him.

He was musing when he heard a loud splash in front of him and noticed a figure half in the water. The figure's movements were frantic and panicked, splashing up water.

Odd.

He approached, and the closer he got, the more details he could make out of the figure. He quickly realized it was a girl. Her hair was purple and cascaded down her back. Surprisingly, she did not dress to conceal herself, but despite Hoseok's usual urge to stare, he had more pressing concerns. In the sunlight, the girl's skin shimmered unnaturally, almost rainbow-like. Her lower half was a tail, just below her stomach. A long dark purple tail glistened in fish scales and ended in a broad fin.

He'd heard the stories. Of half-human, half-fish beings who lived in the sea. Some were said to have the ability to summon sailors to their deaths, while others claimed that eating their flesh made a person immortal.

A mermaid.

On his family's private beach, there was a mermaid with a fishnet wrapped tightly around her tail.

Her blue eyes widened as she looked in his direction.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said softly, showing her his palms as he drew closer to her. From this close, he could see that her blue eyes were not a solid colour, but rather a rainbow of hues. The smell of brine and the sea seemed to emanate from her, almost overwhelming him as he kneeled next to her.

He noticed how, aside from the shimmer, her hands could be mistaken for human, her fingers long and delicate, but her nails looked sharp. She could easily gouge out his eye if he wasn't careful. He looked down at the net and saw her tail was severely tangled through it, some of it so tightly that it was digging into her, causing blue blood to leak from those areas.

"You got yourself really tangled up there. I'm going to have to cut you out." He kept his voice soft and low, but he wasn't sure if she understood what he was saying.

She looked at him with wide eyes, then down at her tail, then back up at him.

Hoseok moved slowly and deliberately as he reached into his pocket and took out his pocketknife. The mermaid stiffened as he drew the blade.

"It's all right," he said quickly. "All I have to do now is cut the net. I won't be able to do it with my bare hands." He motioned with his hand to the net and then to the knife in his hand.

She blinked several times before looking down at the net, then at him.

"It'll be fine," he assured her softly. "I'll take my time and be cautious."

She just stared at him with those wide eyes, doing nothing. He moved the knife slowly towards one of the ropes around her tail, watching for a lunge or attack. Thankfully, she didn't, and he began sawing one of the ropes with his pocketknife.

"Damn, these are thick ropes," he grumbled to himself as he worked on the rope. He slowed about halfway through, not wanting to cut her. The first rope snapped, and he winced as he saw the rope burn against her tail. It was angry and red, with missing scales and blue blood oozing from its wounds.

Her words were unknown to him, but she spoke in a musical tone. He smiled slightly at her. "All right, I'll get to work on the others now."

As he worked, the hot summer sun beat down. His arms were aching by the time he reached the last rope, and his hands were exhausted and stiff from gripping the knife so tightly. His back was soaked in sweat, and his hair was stuck to his face. He landed on the sand, and it took more conscious effort than he would have liked to open his fingers, allowing his pocket knife to fall to the sand.

"I think that was a better workout than the times I've spent with women," he sighed.

The mermaid experimented with flicking her tail, a happy smile on her face.

"Is everything okay?" he inquired. "Are you still able to swim? I'm guessing that because you live in saltwater, your injuries won't sting..." He trailed off as she crawled closer to him, using her arms to propel herself forward.

She reached out and gently took his hands in hers, her touch surprisingly warm and not slimy like a fish's. She gently rubbed his red fingers, taking care not to cut him with her nails. A low musical melody left her mouth as she looked up at him with wide-eyed concern.

"I'll be fine," he said a small smile on his face. "I'll just be gentle with my hands until they heal."

She let out a small chirp before reaching up and gently touching the side of his face, pushing the strands of hair away from his face. Another set of musical words escaped her lips. He had no idea what to do or where to look. Was this typical mermaid behaviour? Were they overly sentimental? Some mermaids would summon men to their deaths on the high seas, but Hoseok doubts she could. Her touch was so gentle, and aside from the fish, she was actually kind of cute...

Hold on a second. That was an odd thought. Was it? After all, the upper half was human.

She let go of her hand and pushed herself backwards into the water. Her strong tail took over once she was far enough away, and she vanished beneath the waves.

Hoseok sat on the beach for a few minutes longer, but she did not reappear above the water. "That's my one good deed for the week, I guess." He drew his pocketknife from the sand and tested the blade's edge. Dull. This comes as no surprise. As he returned up the beach and back to the manor, he made a mental note to buy another one later. They were going to have a family dinner tonight because Jihoon was home, and Hoseok wanted to have a few drinks before that.

Hoseok went for a walk down the beach the next day. Jihoon would be leaving later that evening, which Hoseok couldn't wait for. It wouldn't have been so bad if Jihoon had decided to spend the day in town, but he was at home, trying to swindle more money from their parents, and Hoseok had none of it. He knew his parents would bring up how hard Jihoon worked or how diligent he was, and Hoseok's presence meant a punch to the gut when their parents' backs were turned.

He kicked rocks as he came across them, trying not to think about how loud the crashing waves were. He soon came across the location where the mermaid had been the day before. She was nowhere to be found, but pieces of the net remained. He was relieved to know it wasn't a dream. He'd gone home that evening, debating whether or not it had actually happened. Mermaids couldn't be real, could they?

He cast a glance out into the sea, wondering where she had gone. Was there a submerged palace? Did she live in a clam? A rock cave? Despite her injuries, was she able to swim well?

He squinted as he noticed something moving towards him. As he got closer, he realised it was a head with purple hair flowing from it. The mermaid from yesterday? He watched in awe as she swam closer and closer, and once the water was shallow enough, she began pulling herself along with her arms.

"Whoa, hold on."

She looked at him, surprised, and he had a feeling it was more the tone of his voice than his words that she was reacting to. He quickly removed his boots and socks, rolled up his pants, and stepped into the water, shivering from the cold.

He knelt in front of her, the water only reaching his ankles. "What are you doing back here? Don't tell me you got your fin caught in a net again." He cast a glance at her tail, which, thankfully, was unencumbered by a net. Surprisingly, however, the injured areas were wrapped in what appeared to be seaweed.

She let out a few musical notes and grabbed a pouch tied around her waist. It appeared to be made of fish skin, and the rope tie appeared to be plants woven together to form a rope. She reached into the pouch and pulled out a few pieces of seaweed.

She reached for him with her other hand, her words soft and gentle. He let her take it and bring it closer to her, not knowing what she was doing but curious. She was gentle, opening and flattening his hand before wrapping it in seaweed from her bag. His hand had become slightly numb as it cooled.

She let out a happy squeak and motioned for him to extend his other hand, which he did. He wondered if the wrappings around her tail, and then the one on his hand, were mermaid medicinal remedies. His hand felt a little better after the wrapping was applied to it.

"Did you leave to get this for me?" he was perplexed.

She cocked her head slightly and let out another happy sound as she looked at him.

"I'm going to take that as a yes..." He poked the seaweed, and she grumbled and yanked his hand away. "All right, I get it; don't touch it." He cleared his throat and looked her in the eyes with anticipation. He was struck once more by how adorable she was, her features soft and delicate. He noticed slits on the side of her neck, but they were tightly closed. "You're fortunate to be able to breathe both air and water." He made a motion with his hand to the side of his neck.

She blinked and shifted her gaze to his neck, her eyes widening slightly as she reached out to touch the spot. As he felt her nail against his neck, he felt a shiver run up his spine. It would have been so easy for her to press in and make him bleed, but she didn't, keeping her touch soft and delicate.

Another scream escaped her lips as she drew her hand back and against her chest, her eyes wide.

"I don't think it's that dramatic, but I guess it might be for someone who lives in the water," he chuckled. "My name is Hoseok, by the way." Recognizing that she didn't seem to understand what he was saying, he rested his hand on his chest, unconcerned about the seawater from the wrappings getting on him. "Hoseok," he said slowly.

Her eyes widened, and she uttered a word in that musical language.

"Hoseok," he said once more.

“H…” She frowned and repeated the word, clearly trying to get the sounds right. “H..os..”

It took a few more attempts, but she was finally able to say his name. “Hoseok. Hoseok!” She smiled as she pointed to him. “Hoseok!”

"That's right," he said, smiling. "How about you? What's your name?" He directed his finger at himself. 

“Hoseok.” He nodded and tilted his head slightly.

The word she said slipped past him, and he couldn't tell one sound from the other. Hoseok was good at learning languages, but this was out of his league. He tried his hardest to match her tone and intonation, but he quickly realised the sounds were probably impossible for human vocal chords to produce. The best he could come up with was "Melissa," and even that was far from her real name.

"I'm sorry, Melissa, but I don't think I can make those noises." He rubbed his neck, which was raw from his attempt to speak as she did.

He realised he had dislodged the seaweed wrappings on his hands when she made an annoying sound.

He gave his hands over meekly, and she appeared to be checking his hands before removing the wrappings and tossing them into the sea.

“Melissa?” She pointed to herself.

Now it was his turn to nod. "Yes, Melissa. The rest of your name is nearly impossible for me to say. That's probably the best I can do. Sorry about that."

She shook her head, smiled at him, and pointed to herself. “Melissa!” She then pointed at him. “Hoseok.”

"All right, you'll put any language teacher I've ever had to shame." He pointed to the water, noticing how his toes were shrivelling up from being in it for so long. "The sea." He took a handful of sand and ran it through his fingers. “Sand.”

Melissa was a quick study; she could repeat the sounds he made and associate them with the object in question. She was able to list the majority of the objects that they could see from the beach by the time the sun began to set. Hoseok found it amusing how fascinated she was by his shoes and even his toes, her touch being far too ticklish to allow her to explore them for long.

"I have to go, Melissa or my family will come looking for me." Hoseok was now sitting on the sand, Melissa lying down next to him, her tail in the water. He had walked up to the nearest tree and broken off a branch to give to her, and she was wide-eyed as she examined it as if she had never seen a tree before. Which, to be honest, she most likely hadn't.

“Go?” She said it again, tilting her head slightly as she stared at him.

Hoseok licked his lower lip. How does he explain this? This was much more difficult than pointing out objects. "I have to go home, but I'll be back tomorrow."

She stared at him blankly, and he knew the words didn't make sense to her.

He paused for a moment before beginning to draw in the sand. He drew himself and Melissa, then pointed to them. "This is Melissa, and this is Hoseok." He drew his house from afar and motioned to the drawing of himself and the house. "Hoseok must return home." He drew himself near the house after erasing himself next to Melissa. "However, Hoseok will be back tomorrow." He motioned to the setting sun before drawing a sun and repositioning himself next to Melissa. "Does that...does that make sense?"

She looked thoughtfully at the drawing and then at him. "Hoseok," she said with a nod before pushing herself backwards into the water until she was deep enough to swim.

He waved to her, and she mimicked the gesture before disappearing beneath the waves. As he returned home, he was overcome with worry. Did she understand what he was saying? Would she return tomorrow, or did she believe he was saying goodbye for good?

His parents noticed he was acting strangely, but Hoseok justified his behaviour by saying he missed his brother and was sorry they didn't get to spend time together before he left. Of course, they proceeded to lecture Hoseok about how he should have stayed at home instead of going out, but at the very least it got them off his back about it.

Even that night, he tossed and turned in his bed, barely falling asleep. When morning arrived, it was more of a blessing than a curse, and he hurried down to the beach to look for her.

Disappointment washed over him when he didn't see her anywhere, no purple hair in the ocean. Maybe that was it. One genuine interaction and you're done. He rubbed the back of his neck and kicked a pebble into the surf. "Damn it." Why was he so disappointed to begin with?

“Hoseok!”

Hoseok was startled and turned to face the voice. Melissa had her head and upper chest out of the water and waved to him before swimming closer. Hoseok couldn't help but smile as he kicked off his shoes to meet her.

Hoseok would go down to the beach and meet with her whenever he had free time, and even when he didn't. She was a quick learner of the language, and before long they were able to have full conversations, despite her occasional struggles with a word or two.

In addition, instead of meeting on the beach, they met at a small cove a little further down the road. Hoseok could sit comfortably on the damp rocks, and Melissa could communicate with him from the water. She would occasionally climb out and sit on the rock next to him, her tail in the water. She told him stories about the sea, the kingdom of mermaids, the splendour of the architecture, and how they raised certain species of fish to be kept as pets. She even brought him a few dishes to try, but he had to decline because the raw fish would upset his stomach.

Hoseok, in turn, told her about the land. About human settlements and gatherings, forests and deserts. To assist her, he purchased a couple of books with illustrations to show her around, and she marvelled at the pages but was afraid to touch them after destroying one with the water residue on her hands. She, like him, was hesitant to try foods from the land, fearing that they would upset her stomach.

"Why don't you like the ocean?" she inquired one afternoon. She was lying on her stomach, staring at the latest book Hoseok had brought her, a book about the deep sea. Hoseok wasn't sure whether to be concerned or impressed when Melissa pointed to one and said she'd seen it before.

Especially the colossal squid. Melissa insisted it was a real sea monster, despite the fact that it was written as a legendary sea monster.

"What do you mean, why don't I like it?" he questioned.

Melissa frowned and pushed herself into a sitting position, turning around and splashing the water with her tail. "I've seen people travel on..." She paused as if looking for the right word. “Boat? Yes. Boat. Humans travel by boat frequently, but you do not. But you stated that your family does." Her brow drooped. "And even when we talk about the sea, you refuse to join me."

Hoseok scowled and averted his gaze. He should have anticipated this happening sooner or later. Especially since Melissa had expressed an interest in land-based activities. He even carried her over to the trees so she could feel the leaves, touch the tree, and experience what it was like to sit on the grass. She couldn't stay long because the call of the sea drew her back, but it was more interesting than what Hoseok had shown with the ocean. Even if she offered to show him something under the water, he declined, citing his inability to swim.

"Does talking about it hurt you on the inside?" she inquired, her face concerned.

"Not, not really," he replied slowly, struggling to gather his thoughts. "I just don't want to think about it."

She reached over and gently took his hand, squeezing slightly for comfort, her nails making small pinpricks in his skin, but he was unconcerned. She had never expressed any desire to harm him. "You are not required to speak if you do not wish to."

"It's all right, Melissa." It all stems from something my brother did when we were younger... I believe I was thirteen or fourteen years old?"

“Jihoon…” Melissa's brow furrowed. "He's....cruel to you."

"Yeah, I guess he is," Jihoon chuckled weakly.

"What makes you laugh?" She cocked her head a little. "You're hurting on the inside."

Hoseok clenched his teeth and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s…complicated.” He looked up to his brother as a child and tried many times to be the best little brother he could be. Jihoon, on the other hand, was never satisfied no matter what he did. Especially after what happened on the boat, Hoseok realised his brother would never care about him as a person.

Melissa stroked his cheek gently. "You're in pain on the inside. Hurt a lot. If I can bear some of the pain..."

Hoseok cupped his hand around hers, his grip firm. "Jihoon invited me to join him on his ship. It was a simple shipment to the next town, and my parents thought it would be beneficial for me to gain some seafaring experience. I'll admit that I was looking forward to it; I'd been on ships before, but never as a crew member. I was very excited, and the first half of the trip went well, and my brother was very busy, so he left me alone..."

Melissa drew closer to him, the salty scent of the sea soothing her as she rested her head on his shoulder.

He wrapped his arm around her and laid his head on top of hers.

"We were out in open water," he explained softly. "I don't remember the specifics, but Jihoon chased me down. When he began yelling at me, something in me snapped. Nothing I did would ever make him like me, I realised. Jihoon would always despise me, so why was I wasting my time trying to make him like me? So I retaliated."

Melissa squinted and appeared to be deep in thought. "What happened? You're obviously not dead?"

"I'm not sure. I thought I saw a shadowed figure approach me before blacking out, and when I awoke, I was on the beach." He chuckled. "Seeing my brother's face when he came home and I was there was one of the best things that had ever happened to me. Of course, he spun the story that it was an accident, but I've mostly avoided my brother since then."

"He's a cruel man, and I despise him," Melissa said.

"He is." Hoseok's grip on Melissa tightened as he considered what would happen if Jihoon found out about her. So many possibilities came to his mind, none of which were good.

"Now, Hoseok, I'd like to tell you a story."

"You do?" He looked at her, surprised.

"Yes, it is linked to the one you mentioned."

“Connected?”

Melissa nodded. "It happened to me a...while ago." I'm not sure how old I was, but I remember swimming in the ocean. I was always fascinated by boats and would collect items that were thrown overboard. They were my treasures. When I was swimming near a boat one day, something fell into the water. It wasn't an item, but a person. A human boy."

Hoseok looked at Melissa with wide eyes. It couldn't possibly be, could it?

"I'd seen humans before, I'd seen them on ships, and I knew the boy wouldn't be able to breathe underwater, so I dragged him to the surface and dragged him to shore." Melissa stared at him, her hand reaching up to gently touch his hair. "I remember the boy having red hair like yours when I pushed him onto the land."

He remembered the shadowy figure he thought he saw before passing out. It wasn't good; he couldn't recall any specifics, but if Melissa had a similar story, it had to be true, right?

"You were the one who saved my life, Melissa..." He looked at her with newfound admiration.

He drew her into a hug, his face buried in her shoulder, the briny smell of the sea invading his nose, but he didn't mind. It had to mean something that he had discovered Melissa caught up in the net a few weeks before. Fate.

“Hoseok? "What exactly are you...doing?"

“Sorry.” He drew back and pointed to the book. "Could you please tell me more about these underwater creatures? I'd like to hear more."

She frowned, clearly looking for something she didn't understand in his expression, but Hoseok just smiled at her. "All right," she said finally, before returning her attention to the book in question.

…

"I've heard you've been spending a lot of time at the beach for someone who says he doesn't like the ocean," Jihoon chuckled. He leaned against the manor's doorframe as Hoseok approached after another relaxing afternoon with Melissa.

Hoseok tempered his expression to neutrality as he looked at his brother, debating whether it was worth it to try to enter through the front door or go around to the back. "Well, maybe I'm working on getting over my fear," he joked.

"Well, that's very noble of you, brother; perhaps we'll be able to go on the high seas again soon."

"Perhaps," Hoseok replied with a strained smile. "When did you get home?"

"About an hour ago. It was very surprising to learn that my dear brother has spent a lot of time on the beach over the last two months."

"Like I said, I'm just trying to get over my fear," Hoseok replied.

Jihoon gave him a look. "You've gotten very boring over the years."

Hoseok felt his body relax as his brother walked away. Damn it, he should probably avoid the beach until his brother has left. The fact that he knew Hoseok went down to the beach on a regular basis was concerning in and of itself, and there was no way he was going to risk endangering Melissa.

..

Melissa was tired of being bored. Hoseok hadn't visited her in a few days. What exactly was the problem? Was he ill or not? Injured? There were just as many dangers on land as there were in the sea, so that was an option, though apparently getting tangled in nets was not a common occurrence up there. She packed some medicinal seaweed for the next time she saw him.

She swam to the cove to see if he was still there, and she noticed a figure walking around the rocks. Her face lit up as she swam over and partially climbed out. "Hoseok!" she exclaimed, her voice upbeat.

Melissa realised it wasn't Hoseok when the figure turned to face her. He had the same red hair as Hoseok, but this human was larger and had a scar across his face.

"So this is what he was hiding," the man chuckled, sending shivers up Melissa's spine.

She pushed herself back into the water as the man dove towards her, his hand grasping her arm and yanking her forward and out of the water before she could escape. She fought back as much as she could, but his grip on her was too strong, rendering her tail useless in fighting him on land.

The rocks scraped her belly and sides, and the pouch at her waist snapped from the force.

The man spoke, a few words unknown to Melissa. "Stay still....fish." Her head spun as he hit her in the head, and darkness engulfed her vision.

…

"Jihoon already left?" Hoseok wondered, surprised that his brother had not shown up for dinner that night.

His mother smiled and nodded. "He said he had some urgent business to attend to, so he left for the next town." "Dear, what was it all about?"

"Something about a shipment that would make him a lot of money," shrugged Hoseok's father. "I'm not sure where he got the shipment from, but the box he brought with him was quite large."

"I wish he'd spend more time at home, if only for Hoseok's sake.You two were so close when you were kids," his mother sighed.

"Uh yeah," Hoseok agreed softly. Why did he have a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach? His brother wasn't the type to leave without wheedling some money from their parents, and he hadn't done so yet. Hoseok had also noticed Jihoon taking more walks outside, and he had seen his brother come up from the beach a few times.

There could have been a slew of reasons why his brother had gone down to the beach. Hoseok, on the other hand, remembered that he had never told Melissa that he was avoiding the beach for the time being due to his brother. What if he had seen her while she was waiting for him? What if...?

He had to double-check.

Hoseok stood up and made an excuse for leaving in the middle of dinner. He knew he'd get a lecture later, but it didn't matter right now. He dashed down to the beach. "Melissa!" he yelled to the sea. “Melissa!”

He rushed to the cove. The first thing he noticed was the fish scale pouch on the floor, followed by the blood on the rocks. He took up the pouch and peered inside. Seaweed wraps, similar to the one she had given him during their second meeting. His grip tightened around the pouch, anger coursing through him as he stared at the blood.

The more he examined the area, the more he noticed signs of a struggle. He noticed scratch marks on the rocks that had been kicked up. Melissa had obviously fought back as much as she could, but he knew she was weaker on land than she was in the water. Her tail was strong, but it was useless on land.

Jihoon would pay for it.

He turned and rushed up the beach to the stables to grab a horse.

Melissa shivered in fear.

She awoke in what Hoseok referred to as a "box." It smelled like the trees Hoseok had carried her to a while ago, but it was also distinct. The wood was smooth, not rough, and it was infused with additional odours. She could feel the box moving, sometimes jolting upwards and causing her head to hit the top of it. Something hit the side of the box as she struggled to find a way out.

"If you don't stay in there quietly, it's going to get very unpleasant," a voice from outside the box growled.

Melissa whimpered and moved as far away from the voice as she could. She recognised the voice; it was the man who had grabbed her earlier. This had to be Jihoon.

She crumpled on the box's bottom, struggling to breathe. Yes, she could breathe air without difficulty, but land was exhausting for long periods of time. Her body felt heavy, too heavy, and her movements were sluggish. Her skin was dry and itchy.

This was torture in and of itself.

She could make out a few words here and there as Jihoon muttered to himself, thanks to her acute hearing. "....I'm going to be so wealthy... mermaid….flesh…”

The box came to a halt, the top cracked open, and Jihoon's cruel face looked down at her. She wished she could swat him with her tail, but it was too heavy for her to lift. "Are you still alive inside? Be quiet, and maybe I'll feed you later. I don't want my little money maker to fail me."

Melissa was back in the dark after closing the box's lid. She could hear him walking away, but she lacked the energy to care or figure out what to do. Everything was just so heavy...and she was so exhausted...

She was half asleep when she felt warmth around her and heard a familiar voice in her ear. “Melissa? Melisa!”

She forced her eyes open and saw red hair, and her body stiffened, thinking it was Jihoon, but then she saw that gentle expression, eyes wide in worry. "Hoseok?" she asked quietly.

Hoseok embraced her tightly, pressing her face against his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Melissa. This would not have happened if I had simply come down to the beach and informed you that my brother was present and that you should avoid the area for the time being. "Holy crap, your skin feels so dry..."

"What are you doing here, Hoseok?" She looked around and realised she was in the back of a wooden... What was it called, cart? Yes, a cart. There were houses all around them; was this a village?

" Saving you. It's a good thing my brother can't stop drinking, or I wouldn't have caught up to you in time." He carried her off the cart and onto a horse, one arm against her back and the other under her tail.

Melissa would have been interested in examining such a creature as Hoseok set her on its back if she hadn't been so tired. He took a blanket and wrapped it around her, making sure to cover up her tail. He climbed up behind her, his strong arms on either side of her.

"I'll get you back to the ocean, Melissa," he promised.

Maybe it was  luck, but the trip back to the ocean was without incident. Hoseok pushed the horse to its limit, so the journey was brief. He was well aware of Melissa's frail appearance, her sallow skin, and her laboured breathing. She was parched, and it seemed like she was expending all of her energy just to stay on the horse.

Hoseok jumped off the horse and gently snatched Melissa back into his arms once they arrived at the beach. He didn't bother taking off his shoes or rolling up his pants before stepping into the waves, walking in until the water reached his upper thighs and he struggled to stand without falling over.

He dropped Melissa into the water and watched her body sink beneath the waves. He couldn't see if she was okay because it was too dark, with the only light coming from the moon. But after a brief moment, he felt something sweep around his legs, and Melissa poked her head out of the water, looking better than ever.

"I'm sorry, Melissa," he apologised quietly. "It's all my fault."

She shook her head and leaned in, one of her gentle hands resting on the side of his face. "What about you? Jihoon is a...cruel man."

"I can handle him," Hoseok said, a weak smile on his face.

It was heartwarming to see her concern for him.

"Melissa, you must leave.Swim as far away from here as you can. Jihoon will look for you in the area. He won't stop looking for you or another mermaid until he finds you." He pushed a few strands of her hair out of her face. "I don't want him to do anything to you."

"But he'll hurt you, Hoseok." Melissa appeared to be on the verge of crying. "He's a bad man, and he'll hurt you."

He didn't know what to say except to wipe the tears from her eyes. It was startling how similar it appeared to human tears. He pressed his forehead against hers. "I'll figure something out." I'll take care of Jihoon. I promise you that it will be safe for you to return one day." He paused before pressing a kiss to her lips.

Hoseok blushed and averted his gaze. "I'm not sure what that means for mermaids, but it means I want to be with you,Melissa. I'm afraid I can't right now. It's a promise, though. A promise that you will be safe here one day. Melissa, you're always welcome here."

She stroked his hair and kissed him back as tears streamed down both their cheeks. "It's a promise then."

He let go of her and took a step back. “Go. Jihoon will probably notice you're gone and that you need to get away from here soon."

Hoseok felt a pang of regret as she ducked her head underwater. Not even a goodbye? He touched his lips. Maybe he got something better than a goodbye.

Hoseok was startled when Melissa's head poked out of the water and she held something out to him. A scale. A gleaming scale, one he knew had to be from her tail. With a quick glance in the water, he could see blood leaking from her.

"Melissa, what did you do?!?"

She held up the scale. "Take it, Hoseok. Toss the scale into the water when it's safe."

He took the scale from her; it was surprisingly hard and nearly as large as his palm. He kissed her again, this time longer and deeper than before, not caring that he might be swept out to sea if he wasn't careful.

"I know I'm a selfish human, but please wait for me, Melissa.Please.”

"Of course," she whispered.

He reluctantly let go of her and returned to the shore. He looked back once he was out of the water and saw a fin splash water and disappear beneath the waves.

Before leaving for home, he double-checked that the scale was safely tucked away in his pocket.

Hoseok walked into the parlour the next morning and was thrown backwards as Jihoon tackled him. Hoseok landed hard on the ground, almost seeing stars. As Jihoon grabbed a fistful of the front of his shirt, he couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face.

"Where has she gone?" he snarled.

"Where is who?" Hoseok inquired innocently.

"You know who I'm referring to. The mermaid. You obviously took her. You threw her back into the sea, didn't you?"

Hoseok shrugged. “Maybe.”

"Stop giggling and being cocky." Jihoon's fist collided with Hoseok's head, and he saw stars this time. His face was probably not going to be as attractive as it had been before, but did that really matter any longer? He was technically a taken man. Jihoon stood up, and his foot shot out, colliding with Hoseok's chest.

"She's where you can't find her," Hoseok grumbled. The more enraged Jihoon became, the more Hoseok smiled, which prompted Jihoon to punch him harder. Soon after, the staff became aware, and they struggled to get Jihoon off Hoseok.

Hoseok's body was on fire, with more parts broken than not, but he didn't stop grinning as he passed out. Jihoon would never be able to talk his way out of it.

Hoseok sighed as he limped down to the beach. His injuries from his brother occurred over ten years ago, but his leg always acted up on humid days. His brother possessed far too much strength for someone who preferred to delegate work to others.

Jihoon's family had disowned him after he nearly killed Hoseok. Thankfully, Hoseok hadn't had to deal with any of the fallout; his main focus was on recovery. It took a few months for him to stop feeling pain everywhere, but echoes of pain would pass through him every now and then if he woke up wrong or on days with high humidity.

Melissa could have returned after Jihoon was taken care of, but there was still a lot of work to be done. Hoseok would inherit the family business now that Jihoon had been disowned, and he would have to work hard to learn everything Jihoon knew. He barely had time to himself, but he did his best because he knew Melissa would be much safer if he was the lord of the region.

His parents had retired to a cottage in the countryside, far from the ocean, and he was finally there. Jung's may have enjoyed the ocean, but once it was no longer their duty, the call of the sea no longer wanted them.

Hoseok thought it was amusing that he had finally understood the call.

He took his shoes off, rolled up his pants, and waded into the water until he was knee deep before pulling the scale from his pocket. It hadn't lost any of its lustre over the years. "Hey Melissa, it's finally safe for you now." He kissed the scale before throwing it as hard as he could into the ocean.

He stood in the crashing waves until his toes were prunes and his legs began to ache. He probably shouldn't have been surprised. After all, it had been ten years. Who knew what adventures she'd had since then? Perhaps she found someone else to love, a merman, instead of him.

He couldn't blame her.

Hoseok decided to call it a night as the sun was setting. The path down to the beach was doable, but difficult for his leg in the dark. He walked out and grabbed his shoes, not liking how the sand clung to him.

A loud splash came from behind him, and he turned to see a familiar girl half-pulling herself out of the water. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were wide as she stared at him.

Hoseok threw his shoes to the side and ran to her, unconcerned about the water he kicked up or how his pants and shirt got soaked as he hugged her. "I'm sorry, Melissa. I apologise for keeping you waiting so long."

She hugged him back, her claw-like nails digging slightly into his back. "I'm glad I finally got to see you again," she said quietly.

Hoseok kissed her, knowing  well that he would be able to keep her safe this time.

The sound of the ocean was calming under the full moon, the steady ebb and flow of waves drawing them to sit on the beach, staring out at the glittering sky, looking forward to their new beginning. 

A life full of adventures.

Maybe there was no happily ever after…but there was contentment.

It’s the noblest… the most courageous thing two of them shoot for.