Chapter Text
The young man’s body floated in the deep blue water. It moved where the waves took it, no matter how rough or how gentle.
The water was gentle with him, though.
There was something about this young man. It was too soon for him. He still had a whole life ahead of him, and yet here he was, lonely and lifeless, with only the ocean for companion until he ultimately disappears.
As the light slowly lit up the infinite waters, changing it to a lovely shade of glittering sapphire, the floating figure became even more apparent.
Though supposedly nothing more than another plaything for the ocean currents, he was somehow beautiful. The way the man’s body refused to further sink, or to rise towards the surface, but instead hovered indefinitely in its strange new world, provided a breathtaking sight.
He was floating face up, but his back was arched ever so slightly. His arms hung beside him, and his long legs stretched out below, seemingly reaching for the bottomless depths, with one knee slightly bent.
His face, however, was what made the picture as gorgeous as it was.
Stretching back almost like a swan was a long neck, vulnerable and oh, so graceful. The position perfectly showed off his sharp, but not strong, jawline, which was only the beginning of the exquisite features of his face. In his rest, the man’s expression was that of utmost peace and content, but one cannot help but wonder what kinds of torment lay beneath. Perhaps this was how he was in life, as well?
He would have looked even more beautiful had he been smiling, but those small, pink lips were only closed and solemn, making one wonder what sounds used to come from them. One wonders what his smile was like, how brightly it shone, and how often it was seen. What did his laugh sound like? Was it light and melodious, or maybe it was something completely unexpected? And what of his speech? One must imagine that from such a sophisticated figure came tremendous poise and control, or a voice so charismatic it could melt even the coldest of hearts.
But maybe it didn’t, couldn’t, reach those harsh, icy hearts, for people are often cruel.
Below the close eyes with a hint of tired dark circles, was a prominent, but incredibly elegant pair of cheekbones, which, along with the slanting jawline, gave the man’s face an almost feminine look. In fact, upon closer inspection, one can even say this sleeping person’s face appears quite genderless.
And, indeed, could he have been mistaken for a maiden of the depths, for his shoulder-length hair moved as if it itself was an ocean wave. It fell freely over his face, and danced in the water as the ever-changing sea moved. Indeed was it a wave like any other.
How unfortunate it was that such a creature came to an untimely end, for not only was the ill-fated human lovely, one could tell that in life this was a powerful, dignified, and, most importantly, kind man.
The tiredness that his face so subtly hinted at suggested a man who cared so much for others he often forgot about himself. A man who would try so hard to do well, forgetting that he himself was important, too. What if that was, in fact, what led him here, to this faraway place, now?
The ocean felt pity for this young man, but that was only the tip of the iceberg. For, stronger than pity, the powerful ocean felt immense admiration for this relentless who possessed the hidden strength and passion to fight his battles to the very end. The never-ending, ceaseless ocean could hardly believe it would ever meet something more resilient and persistent, yet here he was. The waves thought they danced so beautifully, but were awestruck at this unknown man, who was so effortlessly elegant, even if he was no more.
A temperament like water and the grace of the sea, the ocean decided to bring to this young man a new life. A life where he would spend his days in the depths however he pleased, or go up to the shallows and swim up to shore to watch the world he had left behind. He will have freedom, but also responsibility, as he will watch over the great world below the surface with the love of a mother for her children. He might even find companionship, people for him to love and who love him just as much. He might one day not be so lonely anymore, the ocean hoped.
And so, reborn with a crown of flowing sapphire hair, Park Jungsoo awoke with a new life, and a new name.
With his new powers, he became the ocean’s special one, the one now known as Leeteuk.