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Everyone in Korea believed the rumors of the monsters in the oceans, their craving for human blood, their desire of clean ones to kill. They ravaged the seas and beaches, coming up only once they smell flesh… Hana never believed in such stories. Monsters weren’t real.
In her younger days, kids sang the song that was supposed to be from the monster. It was basically a staple of her society for everyone to be either afraid or fascinated. With each death, more children lost their idea of ‘fascination’ with the myth.
This ‘fascination’ or ‘fear’ never reached Hana. She pretended she was the sea monster when she surfed the waves every summer instead.
Rushing from her Busan summer home, near the edge of the each, Hana quickly moved to the ocean waves, kicking up sand with bare feet and her personal surfboard over her head. It was overcast, with no one else on the beach, meaning she had free range for as much surfing as she could possibly want. There was no one out there to judge her for falling flat on her face. Or, diving into her face. Same difference.
Something from a break of sunlight caught her eye as she made her way into the sea. Barely ankles deep, Hana turned, trying to find where that glimmer came from. It was so faint, yet distinct, Hana almost thought it was like someone was trying t purposely reflect the sun into her face, but there was no one else on the beach.
The glint of light caught her eye again. She carefully retreated and put her surfboard into the sand to ensure it didn't get dragged away. Then she made a break for the glint of sunlight, towards the rock jetty not too far away. The glint became more frequent, almost blinding her as she got closer. She cleared her eyesight with a few blinks, dead set on finding out what was glaring at her. She almost felt some sense of adrenaline rushing through her as a wide grin broke out. No matter what it was, Hana could just feel it was an adventure waiting to happen.
Once she was close enough, she noticed a bundle of wet scales underneath a mess of fishing nets. On the first appearance, the thick body looked like an oversized golden koi fish, with hues of orange and yellow. The lack of movement caused Hana to tilt her head in intrigue. She couldn’t quite tell what it was… but it was huge.
“Alright, big guy. Time to get you back into the ocean” She mumbled under her breath. She reached for the net, giving it a gentle tug before the body started wiggling around violently. Sand got kicked up, as well as some water as it splashed on the edges of the weighted net. The creature inside wiggled around enough for the front to actually scare Hana. She fell backward into the sand and watched as a pair of the clearest blue eyes stared at her.
Not only were the eyes gorgeous, so was the hair, even if it was dried with sand. Hana realized within moments that this was not just a fish. From the eyes to the hair, the human colored flesh going down and morphing into scales and fins galore…
Instead of being afraid, Hana felt admiration and pride in her chest, even as the eyes of the creature before her held horror and fear. She thought for a small moment before crawling over to eye level with the sea creature, giving the most genuine smile she could. “Hey. I’m going to help you.” Hana switched from Korean to English. Hopefully, she’d build some sort of conversation link.
Hana noticed the creature’s eyes scanning her up and down, erratically. It then looked like it was trying to say something, only noises coming out of frustrated movements. The creature fought against the weighted net again. Hana quickly put two and two together. “You’re dried out” Hana commented.
The creature paused, but looked up at hana and gave the vaguest of nods.
A smile graced Hana’s face before she moved into the slight roll-in of the waves. She tried cupping and throwing water onto the creature beached on the sand. She managed to get a shine back on most of the creature’s body, and for the last resort she cupped water and brought it up to the creature’s mouth through the nets.
The creature, realizing Hana's kindness, tilted her chin up, showing small gills on her neck.
Hana quickly got the point and spilled the cupped water over the creature’s neck. A few repeated rounds of this and the creature was able to speak, or at least make coherent words. While she worked on that, Hana herself was busy with the ends of the net. She picked it up as best as she could, grunting a little in the process. Her arms were strong enough from paddling out on a surfboard, they could lift a weighted net. She realized that not only was the net keeping the creature on the land, but it had tangled the creature up. It must have been a failed attempt from a fishing trip, Hana figured.
She pulled the net up high enough to see where it had dug in and cut the skin of the creature. She got it up all through the way towards the creature’s head, realizing that in the mess of blonde hair, it also had coral shaped horns.
Hana was distracted, basking in the beauty of the creature before her. She could almost feel a blush on her face before the creature kicked up sand and dirt. Hana just managed to avoid getting it in her ace before the creature was already halfway back into the water.
“Hey! Wait!!” Hana exclaimed, jogging to catch up. She got waist deep in the water before she just about lost the creature, not even able to see a fin in the partially clear water. She had a slight pout on her face until a splash caught her attention.
More like a bobbing.
Hana turned behind her for a moment, seeing the brown and red stained on the sand. She could even see some of it trailing into the ocean and running with the water pulling back into the ocean. “Oh, shit….” She mumbled.
Turning back to where she remembered seeing the bob of a shape above the surface, Hana dove further into the water. She pulled her arms against the swell of waves, finding it within herself to push harder and harder in order to find that creature again. Unsurprisingly, the creature didn’t get too far. She still struggled in the water and seemed to be getting weaker and weaker as she tried going forward.
Hana grabbed her by an arm, she took note of the fin that was twitching on the forearm and pulled it over one of her shoulders. “I’m not letting you swim out there wounded. The water will suck up all your blood before whatever magical sea powers you have can seal them up.” Hana said, not really caring if her words were understood or not. The creature tried to struggle, but she wasn't strong enough even while wet. Hana took note of how the skin was warm and a little sticky, but not impossible to hold on to.
With the help of the waves, she pulled herself and the creature back to shore. By the time they ended up beached together, Hana could see the wounds from the rope of the net more visibly, now that the ocean had pulled out some of the blood to make them run again. With a lack of blood in her body, the creature stopped writhing around so much. Now that she wasn’t bunched up so much, Hana got a better look at all of it. She was a mermaid of all things, with an extravagant tail that almost captured all of Hana’s attention, if it weren't for all the blood.
The clouds were getting heavier in the sky, it gave Hana a bit of determination with what she needed to do. Despite the sand, she carefully hoisted the mermaid up and over her shoulder, carrying her along the beach back to her house. Somehow, she doubted anyone was going to steal her surfboard any time soon.
--- --- ---
The “fixing up” process took a little while, mostly because it took a bit of convincing of Hana’s parents to help get the mermaid patched up at all, without calling the police. After explaining how she was barely strong enough to get herself out of the net, Mina was convinced enough to attempt stitches with an online guide.
And now, Hana was sitting on the sink, playing on her phone and swinging a leg to some unkempt tempo. The mermaid herself was in the bathtub, water-filled just enough to keep part of her body wet, but not enough that she was going to leak out of her stitches or overfill the tub. Between the trip and the blood loss, she lost consciousness on the way back to the house. Hana was just waiting for her to stir again. She blew a bubble from the gum she was chewing, and that seemed to be enough to make some sort of rouse. Hana looked down to see some movement come from a slightly dry tail. She even smiled a little, seeing the head rolling on the rim of the tub. It was when the pillow fell from the slight tossing and turning that the creature in the tub even came all the way conscious.
When her eyes snapped back open, Hana was feeling mesmerized all over again. She pulled herself from the embarrassment and grinned. “Feeling better?”
She looked around, blinking twice at Hana, before nodding.
“Good” Hana smiled. “Mom was a little skeptical, but I managed to convince her you were worth helping. Can’t have a pretty face floating out there all dead and with a lack of blood.”
A small giggle came out of the other’s throat, a scratchy noise at first. Hana reached behind her and produced a cup. “Need some?” She offered.
She nodded.
Hana bent over, handing the glass to the outstretched hand that desired it. Hana took quick note that her hands looked slightly webbed in between the fingers then, no doubt to help her swim better. “I’m going to assume you’ll be able to talk after you’ve had some?” Hana asked.
Another nod came. She downed the glass of water she was handed within mere seconds before a few coughs came out of her throat. The small gills on the side of her neck flared up as she coughed, piquing some of Hana’s interest. A few moments more passed, and the mermaid was looking right at Hana, eyes shining brightly with the overhead light.
“Thank you” she finally managed to say. “It’s… hard to use my voice above water. Thank you…?”
“Hana.” She responded, smiling with some sense of pride. The voice was absolutely beautiful to her, and she was incredibly proud she got to hear it. “Hana Song. 19. The only one in this damn town who doesn’t believe you’re a blood-guzzling monster.”
“Angela. Angel of the Ocean.” The mermaid, Angela, responded in kind. She wet her hands and patted the sides of her neck before clearing her throat again. “A… Monster?”
Hana nodded. “Yeah. The old folklore. A monster in the seas off the shore, craving a virgin's blood and gore. Stay on and you are safe, swim in the water and seal your fate. Blah blah something like that, all the kids were scared of the ocean. I thought it was all just bull.”
“So then…” Angela flicked her tail, getting a little wave off of “You are that strange shape i see in the waves during this time of year?”
Hana chuckled. “Yeah, I surf a lot, cause I’m not scared.”
“I see” Only one of her lips tugged up with her response as she tapped her fingers against the glass. “I like watching you, above the waves. I always thought you were a seal of some kind, playing far away from your friends. To think you were a human girl all along…”
“Yep, That's me. Human surfer girl. Not afraid of a selkie or siren and just wants to get a little wet, that’s all.” She grinned.
Angela laughed a little bit, her tail curled up in the glee. “Well, you certainly seem to achieve that.” she turned over in the tub, leaning her chest against it. “What’s it like? Being a surface dweller that can swim so well? Is it nice up here?”
“Sometimes,” Hana responded. “There are days where I wish I could just. Swim in the ocean all day.” she leaned against the mirror and blew another bubble of gum. “Ya know, I figured sometimes that maybe I was that monster they talked about because I wasn't scared.”
“There is something powerful about a dweller of the land and sea. The only thing more terrifying is a dweller of all three.” Angela responded. “I sometimes wish i could walk on the land. That’s probably where your country’s tales come from.”
“Probably” Hana agreed. “So… how’d you end up getting stuck in that net?”
Angela appeared thoughtful, turning back over in the tub and flicking her tail about. She watched the fins swing for a few seconds before looking back up at the ceiling. “Mermaids… We have to sometimes fight you creatures to remain alive. I stay around on the beaches to protect wildlife around here. I got caught up with some of your sailors, and they dropped a weighted net on me. Too close to the shore. I wound up getting washed up and dried out. I get weak if i get dry… If you couldn’t tell. I guess my struggles tore my scales and then some.”
Hana nodded along, smiled even at the prospect. “You protect the wild with your own life. That’s pretty noble.”
“Well… I suppose.” Angela responded. “It’s just what is right… Do you do anything noble on the surface?”
“Besides saving beautiful mermaidens?” Hana snickered. “Well. I play lots of games. They’re called video games on these projected screens and all. They’re pretty cool. I also wanted to go into the military at some point. That’s kinda noble if you do it right or get to do the right things.”
“I see.” Angela smiled. “That does sound quite noble of you. I like that. And… thank you. For keeping me from drying up.”
“Seeing such a pretty face, how could you be trouble? I was glad to help.” Hana responded softly.
She blew another bubble of her gum, capturing the attention of Angela. A peculiar stare connected the two of them and Angela felt another little smile twitch her lips up. She cupped some water into her mouth, getting Hana’s attention now. She cocked her head to the side while bubbles started flowing. A different kind of bubbles, ones that actually floated up.
Hana laughed, a bright grin on her face as she watched Angela produce bubbles from her lips. Her tail flicked in idle joy as the bubbles floated around. It created a distinct sweet smell that Hana couldn’t name what it reminded her of, but it sure did make her happy. “That’s a cute trick,” Hana said after some time, her grin from ear to ear. “Can all of your kind do that? Or are you special?”
“I.. haven’t met any other mermaids out there,” Angela responded. “I would like to. Or at least a friend that’ll come say hello every once in a while.”
Hana nodded, leaning back against the mirror and looking down at Angela in the bathtub. IT was just an idle stare between the two, viewing creatures neither had really interacted with before. A mutual understanding. A curiosity.
For a while, Hana’s eyes were captured in the motion of Angela’s tail, watching it flick idle along the rim of the tub. Her focus was captured when Angela splashed some water on her neck again and looked back at her. “You called me beautiful earlier?” She commented.
Hana’s gaze flicked to her face. “... Well, I wasn’t wrong. Did I make you uncomfortable?”
“The opposite. I’m flattered.” Angela smiled. “... There is. Some truth to the tale. I am quite lonely in the sea.”
“If you said you’re the only one of your kind, i don't blame you. I doubt you speak fish.” Hana responded.
Angela laughed a little at that. “No. I don't. They’re more like domestic little animals for me. I love them. They do silly things and I laugh… I don't think I remember the last time i got to talk so much to someone… or something, really.”
“I’m glad I could help, then,” Hana said. “I think, If you don't mind, I could be your friend instead. I do visit here often, and now that I’m not really a student, I could technically stay and be independent here. We could hang out all the time. You can show me cooler tricks in the water, I can teach you about the land… Y’know, like normal friends do sorta.” she explained, swinging her legs a bit. “What do you think?”
Angela’s face was a bit thoughtful, but she still had a genuinely sweet smile that made the rest of her face glow. Hana had to stop the sheepish giggles from pouring from her mouth.
“I think I’d like that very much, Hana,” Angela responded.
The two of them both nodded, agreeing silently on such a simple thing. Angela flicked her tail up, then started blowing a few more bubbles out of sheer amusement to the both of them. Giggles filled the bathroom, eventually until there was nothing else that needed saying.
--- --- ---
“Angela! Where are you~?”
Hana was already running out towards the waves, surfboard under arms and wetsuit all geared up to go. She was already waist deep in the water before something out in the calm ocean broke up. A beautiful golden figure made a graceful flip out of the water, fins out and splaying more water. Hana chuckled a little, and once she was too deep to reach she crawled on her surfboard and paddled. Once there was enough ocean around her, she stopped, and the same golden mermaid that did a trick in the water before did so again, right over her.
There was a big splash over Hana, soaking her in seawater that made her shriek. “Angie!”
Angela poked her head out of the water, smiling as she wadded her arms to keep her head above the surface. “Every day you come, and every day i splash you, and every day you shriek as if it is something new.” She smiled. “And every day, it is more amusing and endearing than the last. It’s almost like you shriek to make me laugh.”
“Technically it’s not wrong.” Hana smiled, laying flat on her surfboard to be eye level. “You’re too precious to not amuse.”
Angela smiled, putting her arms up just enough to be seen on the board. For a little while, some soft serenity was there just between them, and the ocean wave swells that rose and dipped the board, just enough to be noticeable to Hana.
After a while, Angela reached forward. She grabbed Hana’s hand and pulled it towards her, smiling gently as she lifted it to touch the top of her head. Hana giggled a little, smiling and running her hands through the blonde mess of salt-soaked hair. The strands felt grain her fingers, but still, somehow it felt as free as the water.
“You really are cute when you act like a little cuddly fish,” Hana commented, brushing some of the bangs out of Angela’s eyes.
“And you’re a cute human obliging in my simple pleasures.” Angela smiled. “Would you show me how you stand on that silly looking thing again?”
Hana chuckled. “On my surfboard? Yes. Don't make me wipe out this time.”
“No promises. I like you better all wet.” Angela responded. With that, she splashed some water up on the surfboard and on Hana, before dipping down into the water. Hana chuckled a little her own self before she started paddling as if she could chase a sea creature on a surfboard.
Thankfully, Angela liked watching her win.