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Reimi waves goodbye to her sisters, biking down the familiar path near the water’s edge. She allows herself to breathe in the deep sea are, laughing as the breeze runs through her short red hair.
She tries to recall what Eiko told her, imaging her adopted sister’s voice in her head. “Reimi,” the brunette says, firmly but gently. “Remember what I told you. As long as you stay on the path and bike past Yuuma’s little house, you should be fine if you take a-”
And that’s where her memory falters.
The redhead groans, stopping in front of the older man’s house. He’s on his porch, teal hood pulled far above his head. Reimi smiles at him.
“Good morning, Yuuma!” She exclaims, waving. He nods at her, closing his book. After prolonged silence, Reimi blushes. “Would you happen to know where the flower parlor is? I have an order to pick up!”
He quirked an eyebrow in her direction, tapping his chin. “If you continue along this route, the parlor shouldn’t be too far from here.”
Reimi grins. “Thank you, sir!” She calls, turning the pedals on her red bike with her feet. Yuuma waves after her, and she smiles, standing on her bike as she breezes down the path. She should be there soon.
~*~
Reimi is anywhere, but the flower parlor.
She knew she wasn’t going in the right direction when the sea air got too strong, but continued biking down the path like an idiot.
The girl groans, throwing her bike on the sand as she trots down to the waterside. She huffs, kicking off her shoes, only to wade in the water right after. Reimi can’t help but sniff, shoving the heel of her palm into her eye in an effort to stop the tears.
All she wanted to do- all she had to do- was pick up the flowers for mum. Eiko had the cake covered, and their little sister, Koko was in charge of the card. They even asked Reimi if she could do it, but she affirmed them that she knew the town on by the back of her hand.
She just wanted to prove herself and she failed… again. And soon enough, the tears are cascading down her face, and Reimi doesn't try to stop them.
So you can’t blame her when she jumps at a new sound.
“Are you alright,” a quiet voice asks, and Reimi looks behind her, confusion settling over her features when no one’s there. Then someone clears their throat, and her eyes turn to the water.
And there in front of her was the prettiest thing she’s ever seen.
“Y-yeah,” she stutters, rubbing her neck. He nods slowly, and she watches as his beautiful white tail swishes back and forth in the crystal water. She looks him over, taking in his pale white skin, equally white hair, and dark, dark, eyes.
Reimi gestures in between her and the creature, stuttering. “You- you’re- mer-”
He laughs softly, and Reimi finds her cheeks heating up. “Yes, I’m a mermaid. My name is Iishiro.” He says, and she nods.
“My name is R-Reimi,” she replies, walking farther into the water. “I live with my mum and sisters. My mum actually has a preschool that she runs, so we help out there and at the post office,” she explains, and Iishiro nods again.
“Our town is actually really small, so everyone knows everyone,” Reimi says, and Iishiro hums. They’re are quiet before she flushes.
“I’ve been talking this whole time!” She gasps, amber eyes blown wide. “What about you?” Reimi asks. “What do you do?”
Iishiro looks down at his hands, observing them as the move to keep him elevated. “I… defend,” is his answer, and Reimi nods slowly.
She sighs after a beat, pulling away. “I just realized it’s almost noon,” Reimi mumbles, ringing the water out of her skirt when she’s on the sand. “I’d better go find that parlor before my sisters start to worry,” she calls, picking up her shoes as she walks towards her bike.
“Bye, Iishiro,” Reimi calls, and she waves at him until his figure becomes too small to make out.
~*~
“What took you so long,” Eiko asks, coming up to the foyer with flour caked hands. Their sister, Koko, peeks out of the kitchen, indigo eyes impassive.
Reimi blushes, sliding off her shoes. “I took a wrong turn, and it took awhile for me to get back home,” she lies, walking to the kitchen sink.
Koko nods. “See, Eiko- I told you she would be fine,” she states, turning her head back to the dough on the table.
The eldest sighs, but returns to her own dough, smiling as all three of them find something to do.
~*~
Her sisters aren’t concerned when Reimi takes one too many trips to the sea, giving her curious looks when she packs trinkets into a little bag.
She takes it upon herself to bike down to the water to see Iishiro whenever she can, bringing him human foods and objects to look at.
They begin to favour the docks, too, as it’s easier for Reimi to speak to him.
“And this is a rubber ducky!” Reimi exclaims, throwing a small yellow bath toy at him. Iishiro catches it easily, placing it to float among the other bath toys the redhead gave him.
She points at it, kicking the water with her feet. “You should name him!” She says, and he nods slowly.
“I’ll call him Sully,” he replies, and Reimi smiles happily. “That’s so nice, Iishiro!” She says, and he smiles with her.
“Thank you, Reimi,” Iishiro whispers, and the girl tries her hardest to ignore the heat in her cheeks. Then he’s diving underneath the water, leaving Reimi curious where she sits.
After a few moments, he surfaces, holding a dusty yellow seashell. He swims over to her, pulling himself up on the dock’s edge. “Here,” he offers, extending the hand that holds the gift.
Reimi blushes as she takes it, turning it over in her hand. “Why yellow?” She asks, positive her face is beginning to match her hair at how close he is to her.
He points at her face as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Well, it matches your eyes.”
~*~
“Eiko! Koko! I have a problem,” Reimi yells, skipping down the stairs in their home. “Eiko?” She echoes, poking her head into the living room. She jumps when she sees her mum, but smiles back at the older woman nonetheless.
“Hey mum,” she greets, taking a seat in the sunroom with her. “Hello, my dear Reimi! How are you today?” She asks. “You seem quite insistent on finding your sisters.”
Reimi nods, and her mother, Miyuki, pats her knee. “They went to town before you woke up, but should be back in an hour or two,” she explains. Looking up from her laptop, Miyuki’s eyebrows furrowed together. “Unless you want to tell me,” she offers, and Reimi looks up at her.
After a beat, the redhead sighs.
“It may sound dumb but… I- I saw a mermaid.”
When Miyuki stays silent, Reimi groans, covering her eyes as if to conceal her embarrassment. But then her mum laughs, much to her confusion.
“I thought it was something worse,” Miyuki says, honey blonde braid falling over her shoulder, and Reimi huffs. “Don’t fret, love. Mermaids are not too uncommon,” she begins, patting her daughter’s arm. “Only a few lucky folk get to see them, but when you do, it’s a mystical sight.”
Reimi frowns, looking at the distant look in her mother’s eyes. “Have you met a mermaid, mum?” She whispers, and Miyuki hesitates before sighing.
“I have. He was the sweetest creature I had ever met…” she says, smiling, but it does not reach her eyes.
“What happened?” Reimi pushes, taking Miyuki’s hands in hers. Her mother shrugs, darting to wipe a stray tear. “He just left one day, that’s all,” she promises, and Reimi sighs knowing that’s not it but also knowing that her mum won’t share anymore.
Her mother’s smile is radiant once again.
“As for you, Reimi, you never let go of that mermaid, alright?” She says, and Reimi nods. “If he’s special to you, let him know.”
And Reimi copies Miyuki’s smile, squeezing her mum’s hands.
“I promise.”
~*~
“Iishiro!” Reimi calls, jumping off her bike when she reaches the seashore. “Iishiro!” She yells, running down to the docks where she usually meets the white tailed mermaid.
Reimi comes to a stop when she reaches the part where the man made dock meets the water’s edge. Placing her hands over her mouth, she calls again.
“Iishi- ah!”
She looks down at the water to see a different mermaid… well, not too different. He’s still has a white tail, white hair, and black eyes, except, he’s holding a spear and there’s blood around his floating form.
Despite this, her smiles, sending Reimi a sweet look.
“Are you looking for Iishiro?” He asks, as if she wasn’t screaming his name a few moments before. Stooping down, Reimi takes a kneel on the dock to speak to the mermaid better. “I am,” she affirms.
The mermaid tilts his head, messy white hair falling in his eyes. He taps his chin, before his eyes brighten up with an idea. “I could take you to him!” He exclaims, and Reimi frowns at him.
“I don’t even know your name,” she mumbles. “How can I trust you?”
He nods excitedly, rubbing his neck. “My name is Haku! I work with Iishiro and my friends under one of the queen’s regiments,” he explains, shifting his spear in the water. “He’s… kinda busy at the moment, but if I take you there he should be free by the time we arrive!” Haku explains, flashing Reimi a winning smile.
She picks at her finger. She really does want to see Iishiro, and Haku seems kind enough… Reimi sighs, taking her shoes off to put her feet in the water.
“Fine,” she says, and Haku grins, turning over to help her on to his back. She squeaks when his hands slide under her thighs in an effort to keep her up, especially since he’s holding a spear.
They swim for a while, and Reimi watches her hometown get smaller and smaller until Haku stops swimming. He props her up on a little buoy, smiling at her before diving under the water. When he doesn't;’t resurface, Reimi screams at the spot where he left, gripping the buoy with all her might as the current rocks it.
“Haku!” She screams, amber eyes fierce. The redhead scans the water, hoping he’ll show up, but groans when nothing bubbles along the surface.
And then she sees the red colouring the water before Iishiro’s familiar face pops up.
“Reimi!” He exclaims, visible eye wide. She flushes, looking down at him. “Hey, Iishiro,” she mumbles, and he smiles.
“I can take you back to the shore if you want,” he offers, swimming closer to the buoy. She takes his extended hand, jumping into the water.
“I would like that very much.
~*~
“So why did you come out all that way?” Iishiro asks, whispering his thanks to Reimi as she pulls him onto the dock. “I wanted to talk to you,” she replies, twisting a short lock of red hair around her finger.
Iishiro hums, and the both watch as his shimmering white tail makes soft ripples in the water.
“About?” Iishiro inquires, and Reimi blushes, opening her mouth to speak when the voices of her sisters become loud and clear.
“Reimi!” Eiko yells, and she turns around, eyes falling on the two girls approaching where she is. At the same time, Iishiro dives back into the water, ignoring her as she screams after him. “Reimi, there you are,” the brunette exclaims, running across the sand.
“Iishiro,” she screams, watching as the merman takes off into the night. Suddenly Eiko and Koko are in front of her, with the latter shaking her shoulders aggressively.
“Reimi, wake up!”
~*~
The redhead sits up way too fast, holding her head as a throbbing pain rushes through her. Opening her eyes, her gaze meets Koko’s, who was currently yelling at someone nearby.
Miyuki rushes over, patting her daughter’s head.
“Reimi,” she chastises. “You need to pay more attention when you’re riding your bike. You’re lucky that young man found you!”
She tries to look in the direction her mother points in but then Eiko is in her face. “You were passed out for over an hour!”
Reimi flushes. “I was…”
She jumps when she sees a familiar looking face standing next to Yuuma.
“Iishiro!?” She exclaims, causing the white haired man to flinch. He waves slightly at her, adjusting the cap on his head.
“I’m glad you’re awake,” he says, smiling slightly, and Reimi looks away, covering her cheeks. Eiko raises and eyebrow at her.
“You two know each other?” She asks, much to Koko’s curiosity.
Reimi blushes, rubbing her neck, as a sheepish grin tugs at her lips.
“Yeah,” she whispers. “Something like that.”
~*FIN*~