The general mayhem San's proposal had doused Atlantis into settled during the night. People got used to the thought of his peculiar choice, and though not all agreed with him, they left him the freedom to decide so long as he didn't endanger everyone's existence. Shxcay and Hongjoong were quick to assure the concerned folk that this personal matter wouldn't impede San's ability to tend to their moray guardian, and thus, the issue became a tale of family dinners instead of a public outrage.

Wooyoung slept in peace that night, more nervous because of San than the reaction they had caused. When he woke in the morning, he asked Yeosang to stay in and not to join the festivities of all the freshly baked couples showing their glee through dance and music at the town square. Though sad to leave him behind, Yeosang respected his space and took the others with him.

Wooyoung could hear their laughter and cheers in the distance. Happy by himself, he spent some time with Jongho and learned a few more broken phrases in their language. Sometime around noon, Seonghwa came to visit him. He came alone and after Jongho let him in; he sat at the table with Wooyoung with a sheepish smile.

"I heard you didn't want to join the festivities today. Are you afraid of criticism?"

"Is San there, waiting for me?"

Seonghwa shook his head.

"He doesn't expect you to follow the regular courting schedule since you two already established your own route. After discussing it with Hongjoong once more, he accepted to leave you to it. In case of an emergency, we can step in later, but we want to trust you. You proved how important our people are to you."

Wooyoung chuckled to himself. He liked to imagine Seonghwa and Hongjoong fighting about him, especially with the added detail of their relationship. Hadn't his heart been so taken with San, he would have imagined how they might end up tumbling onto a bed together with their arguing lips locked in an ardent kiss.

But no, flirting with those two wasn't his business anymore. The only one who made his heart sing was San.

"What is the regular courting schedule? The pearls are the first step, and then what?"

Seonghwa crossed his long legs and got comfortable, ready to spend his day tending to Wooyoung, who landed in such a peculiar corner of their culture all by himself. Yeosang was baffled by him, but not mad. Once more, Wooyoung learned things he could share with the others later.

"The pearls aren't usually the first step. Most of the couples participating are already close and deliberated the matter beforehand. It's considered impolite to put someone on the spot out of nowhere and force them to accept a pearl. Instead, pairs make their relationship official, and the leading person seals that loyalty by diving for a pearl. Gender plays no role there, and the receiver is as dire in their fretting if things will work out. On the other side, if a partner proves unable to make the effort and never tries again, they are considered a poor match."

Wooyoung hummed, interested in how that part didn't work based on the oracle. He supposed compatibility couldn't be instructed in the same way.

"When the person accepts, the bond is sealed," Wooyoung guessed with a nod at the pearl on Seonghwa's neck. Staking a claim.

"Correct. From then on, you are expected to be loyal to your partner, and you shall not be approached by another. Occasionally, we offer presents in return or announce the relationship in some other way to make it apparent we are taken. Since Hongjoong and I are both public figures... Well."

With an easy grin, Wooyoung accepted that. It wasn't difficult to remember the status of the most desired members of society. On the other hand, that meant everyone knew San was still free as well. Hence, the girls had hopes he picked at random to settle down.

Since they spent so little time together, Wooyoung couldn't believe it was him. Had his whining about Seungyoun appealed to San so much? Did he wish to make things better?

"And after that? What comes once they are successful?"

"As you saw yesterday, we offer the pearls as a gift. They rarely get refused, and since most make the effort to find the rarest pearls, they get worn the same evening. After that, ah." Seonghwa blushed, trying to hide it behind his hand. The cock of Wooyoung's head had him struggle with his words as he tried to form them in a way appropriate for their situation.

"Pardon me, I am not well-versed with the surface's understanding of these things. Usually, after accepting the pearl, physical intimacy becomes a common way to seal the bond. For most straight couples, it might mean the first pregnancy, and for others, it is a private act to promise them to each other. Not that the order matters, but it's a customary practice, if just to celebrate the success of the night of pearls."

"We have something like that, though it relates to actual marriage rather than the betrothal. It's called the wedding night. Would you equalise those two?"

Pondering, Seonghwa caressed his chin with his hand. His abrupt shyness had calmed, all memories of his own involvement in the matter pushed aside. Wooyoung enjoyed seeing him flustered.

"Similar, perhaps. Though some of us also do wedding ceremonies. Those are at the oracle, so our ancestors and our future align with our love. Oftentimes, it brings luck to our children or makes it easier to find them a position suited to the family."

For a moment, his voice lost itself in a mumble. When Wooyoung leaned closer with a questioning gaze, Seonghwa repeated himself.

"Hongjoong and I married under the oracle," he said louder, only to blush across his cheeks like the dawning morning. Finding it adorable, Wooyoung missed the sky.

"Sweet. So accepting the courting inevitably leads to marriage, and it isn't broken off in between?"

"Never. A person who dives to the depths to find you a pearl already challenged the most menacing they could ever face. No matter between lovers would ever endanger them as much."

Wooyoung liked that. Though the Atlanteans were very traditional in their practices and restricted themselves and others, their culture meant well.

"So San is looking for a future with me... A different type of marriage," Wooyoung muttered to himself.

He knew he wasn't ready for that. His wounds were still fresh, and he feared binding himself to another person, only to be disappointed again.

The only reason he had accepted was that his heart was weak to the attractive medium, and San was so chivalrous in his offer. He was everything Seungyoun never was and Wooyoung wanted to hope. He wanted to love.

And he wanted to be loved.

"Yes, but he doesn't push you to uphold the traditions or to end up where we do. As he didn't expect you to share his bed last night, he also knows your culture does things differently, and that you might leave before all that. His priority is your well-being."

"As it should be," Wooyoung whispered.

As it hadn't been with Seungyoun. Things had only ever been about him.

"Was he ever vocal about what he is looking for in a relationship? We can't communicate well, but I wish to show him the same respect," Wooyoung asked. He knew San was a lone wolf, and he rarely shared his thoughts with others. But he also had grown up and was around the same age as Seonghwa and Hongjoong, so chances were his high social standing let him live in the palace.

"I never saw him date anyone. I'd imagine like most others, he seeks emotional and physical warmth from the one he is courting. Though communication is secondary." Seonghwa couldn't help his smile and Wooyoung mirrored him.

For a moment, everything was fine.

Then, a distant roar seemed to shake the world in its foundation. The pots in the kitchen clattered, and Jongho jumped to save them from falling. Wooyoung clutched to the table in dread, but Seonghwa only glanced at the window.

It stopped after a moment, but the noise lingered in Wooyoung's bones. It had sounded mighty and terrifying, like an elephant coming to stomp Atlantis into the ground.

"What's going on? Is it danger?"

"That was our goddess," Seonghwa muttered. He relaxed when no alarm blared, but his smile couldn't soothe Wooyoung's pale features.

"She warns us of strong currents or earthquakes. San will be with her, so no worries about something going wrong."

Wooyoung nodded; anything but convinced. He calmed himself, not used to the thought of a roaring beast in the distance and how much the sound echoed in the water surrounding them. It had sounded to come from everywhere at once.

"I might go out today and see him while everyone else is distracted. Maybe I can talk to him about everything."

"If you need me to translate..." Seonghwa let the sentence hang in the air. Though uncomfortable when thrown into emotional disputes as last evening, he knew how important it was to understand one another.

"We will figure it out, but thank you for offering. Somehow, we also got until here."

"In that case, I will return to the festivities and check on your friends. You can come to me if you have more questions or can't communicate with San otherwise. Though I would dare say he is an expert at understanding those who don't speak his language." Seonghwa winked at Wooyoung before he stood. Though Jongho already came scurrying over from the kitchen to help, Seonghwa grinned at him and pushed his chair into place by himself.

Seonghwa offered Jongho to come outside to hang with the people and after a fleeting glance at Wooyoung to make sure he would be fine, their host conceded. Splish Splash drifted alongside him, ever so loyal to her owner.

Together, they left the house and Wooyoung bid his goodbyes to the other two. While Jongho and Seonghwa took off with a light-hearted conversation to join the general merry-making of the dancing townsfolk, Wooyoung took the other direction to leave the town.

He wandered through the empty streets and the picturesque crossroads with the fountains at ease. San wouldn't be difficult to find, he never was. Wooyoung wore his ring proudly, and though neither of them cared for the customs of their cultures, they found their own way through the middle.

Wooyoung wandered the plains for a while until he spotted the door leading to the safety airlock in the distance. He made sure San wasn't on the other side as he made his way inside and slipped into the spare diving suit San kept in the chest.

He wouldn't be foolish enough to search for the man in the water. Though he might find the way back to the moray cave, he feared getting lost or a shark biting through his lifeline. If the moray was upset for whatever personal reason, it was best not to disturb San tending to her, either.

No, Wooyoung would wait in the clear water between the beach and the door leading outside, chasing fish and looking at oysters to find a way to tell what pearls they carried without having to break them open. As he floated on his back and relaxed under the artificial light of the shell, he tried not to think too hard about having to go home one day.

Time passed so fast in this foreign place where he had so much to learn. He hadn't expected to find love down here, and even less so to have so much impact on the society of the depths.

Should he mention this in his report as a cultural experience? Or would he have to leave San without being able to promise to return? Now that Wooyoung found someone who put him first and who wasn't afraid of sacrifices to show his loyalty, Wooyoung would lose him like a clam in the water.

Wooyoung closed his eyes and drifted with the curious fishes beneath him.

Maybe they were right in advising him not to fall. Maybe he would do best protecting his heart from any pain.

But the disappointment of rejecting San burned so much more viciously. Wooyoung wanted to use the time they had, not glance away every time they shared the same air space in regret of what might have been.

As he waited for San to arrive, Wooyoung didn't flee, and he didn't change his opinion. They could just be them, just two fools in love, for a few weeks. Once it was time to be a surface scientist and a medium of the depths, they would need to part from that fondness.

Until then, however, they should relish in the bloom of those feelings and not mind a single thing outside of that.