Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The first thing that comes to mind when hearing the word princess is luxury. A princess life is not a normal one, but that does not mean it is not a fancy one either. They are brimmed with everything they want. High quality food, elegant clothes, great servants, and the list goes on. Princesses are showered with love for as long as they can remember, and that is just a simple price for the amount of work they must put in for their kingdom. They let go of their life and dreams for the sake of their race, so it is only logical that they receive pretty much everything they need to live up to that important role, with no restrains or struggles.

Except for the Cursed Princess, Nene.

While all princesses give and take something in return, Nene only takes, but gives nothing. She is not allowed to give, for her servants fear she might bring a disaster to the kingdom. A cursed being… that is who Nene is. The word Princess is only a title given to her from a young age, but she has never lived up to it. She has never got the chance to anyway.

Nene is the only princess of her kingdom. The kingdom itself does not exactly consider her someone it cannot live without. After all, her role was merely empty with no real value. The only thing her servants ask Nene to do is to stay hidden inside her chambers, where it is safe and she cannot be found or seen by the merfolk. They provide anything she wants, so she never finds herself in need of something. However, and no matter how many things her servants bring her, they can never give Nene the one thing she desires the most.

Freedom.

Nene wants to roam the vast ocean freely just like every mermaid out there. She wishes to explore the kingdom she has never seen thoroughly before. There are certainly various creatures to see, and many merfolk to befriend. Being a cursed princess prevents her from doing all that and more.

So what is this curse exactly? Well, one might think it is nothing to be worried about, but her servants think otherwise. Nene always fails to comprehend why can such a curse cause so much panic. True, losing that much of sꟷ

“Holy carp! Why are they so persistent?!”

The doors to her chamber suddenly flows open. A pufferfish with a funny looking mustache enters; fuming with anger it is comical that his appearance enhances the overall image better. He continues his complaints, paying the princess no mind whatsoever. Nene is a princess that only takes, but no one has said whatever she receives is of great value. Her servants for example, are not exactly educated enough to understand what it means to be in the presence of a royalty. Not that Nene really dislikes them for that though.

“Those idiotic shrimp brain merfolk do not listen at all, nor do they get the hidden message we keep sending their way. Don’t you think so prinꟷ Oh cuttlefish!” He stops midsentence, a bit taken back by what his round black eyes is seeing.

Nene knows, however, the reason behind his shock, but pays it no mind as she continues to look at nothing in specific.

The pufferfish lets out another curse. He wastes no time to address the princess, casting aside whatever has bothered him a while ago. “Princess, you are thinking of freedom again, aren’t you?”

Nene prefers silence as an answer to that question.

The pufferfish takes it as a chance to examine the princess. Nene is sitting on the chamber’s windowsill, looking out absently. Her cream tail that fades into teal near the end of it up to her fin is rocking slowly to either sides. She heaves a sigh, preparing her mind for what is coming.

“Princess, you know that you must not think of that, or else your curse will activate. You must never let emotions control you.”

He casts his gaze downwards, taking in the jumble of red fish scales under the windowsill, then up again in annoyance. “Look princess, your scales are falling again, and they are crimson red! Oh for fish sake!”

Nene’s curse is quite interesting you see. It never did harm to other mermaids. If anything, the only mermaid affected by the curse is Nene herself. Yet her servants think otherwise. They believe it might bring forth some kind of a disaster if seen by the kingdom's inhabitants. Some even fear it is contagious, hence why she is locked inside her chamber for good. Only a handful of servants are allowed to see her.

Flailing her fin back and forth a bit faster than before, indicating that her patience is running low as the pufferfish continues to scold her effortlessly, Nene finally moves her body upwards in a standing position. She paddles away from the window to the bed sitting in the farthest corner of the chamber, the scales falling from her tail and slowly changing color to red ends up making a trail behind her.

“No one is here to witness the ugly state I am in except you and the other servants anyway, so why bother me about it?” She flops on her bed, facing the ceiling. Her tail does not stop fidgeting around.

She hears a gasp, as if she has just said a taboo word or something. The pufferfish swims fast, closing the distance separating the two, completely unhappy of what she has just said.

“Bullshark! Princess, you are beautiful, not ugly in the slightest.”

Nene scoffs, “Right, go ahead and call a mermaid that loses millions of her scales beautiful. They don’t even keep their original color when peeled off.”

“But princess!” The pufferfish swims towards Nene’s fin, where many red scales laid around. He collects a bundle, and then throws them upwards, causing the scales to descend in a slow motion, like leaves falling off a tree in fall. “They are only mere scales. True, the change in color is a bit,” He stays tight-lipped, thinking of a good and less hurtful way to describe it without saddening the princess, “disturbing, yes.” Obviously, he does not succeed, but Nene appreciates the gesture.

“But look at how fascinating your gradient tail is,” The fish swarms around her tail. Nene lifts her upper body to sit properly, leaving her tail dangling from above the bed. Her servant pushes himself until he is behind Nene. He points towards her hair next, happily expressing how much he likes it. “Look at your cream hair that matches the colors of your tail so elegantly!” He swims around, facing Nene once again, who shows no signs of being moved by his flattery. “Your magenta eyes are as stunning, princess! The curse be damned, you are our lovely princess, and we all love you regardless.”

“If you do, let me out.” Nene crosses her arms, demanding. The pufferfish immediately grows nervous. Nene raises her brow, “See, if the curse can be damned like you say, why not allow me to go out?”

“Because princess!” He starts, but only to be silenced by Nene.

“No one should know about the curse, for they might panic and what comes after panic? 'Disasters'," She air-quotes disasters for good measure, then immediately exhales in annoyance,  "I know this mantra already.

Nene swims far from the bed towards the window again, looking in awe at the outside, like a child too eager to leave his house after being locked inside due to the stormy weather.

“But we all know this curse is harmless! You are locking me for no reason!” She complains.

The pufferfish gasps again, stunned. He flails until he blocks the view of the outside from Nene and argues. “But it is for a reason, princess! If the merfolk knows their princess is cursed, what will they think? Oh my cod they will lose their fins over it! A war might start for all we know.”

Nene scorns, clearly not convinced. She retreats from the window, back to her bed, leaving a new trail of red shiny scales behind. “No one will know. I can disguise myself. Besides, even if they see my face, they will not even realize I am the princess.”

“That is too risky, princess!” He throws both of his fins towards the trail of scales Nene left behind, as if showing it to someone. “Your bloody trails are not something to be hidden easily. Besides, what if the sea witch accidentally sees and figures out your identity? We cannot let that happen, ever!” He emphasizes on the last word before starting to collect the forgotten scales on the chamber’s floor.

The sea witch, according to her loyal servants, is capable of performing black magic, and is the reason behind Nene’s curse. Funnily, the princess is forbidden from seeking the witch as she might endanger her life in the process, and the kingdom cannot afford to lose their only princess.

Truth be told, Nene does not really believe in the existence of the sea witch. She believes the curse is something she was born with, nothing more, and nothing less. Nevertheless, she will not deny the fact that she is curious, and wishes to prove her point one day by looking for the witch.

Unconsciously, more scales starts to peel off of Nene’s tail. The pufferfish, now that he has finished cleaning the floor, notices the new red scales lying around the princess on the bed. He shouts in frustration. If Nene is not thinking about freedom, the only other thing she thinks of is the sea witch. Her servant figures that is the thing she is thinking of right now, considering he has brought up the subject himself just moments ago.

“Oh cod! Princess I beg you, control your emotions!”

Chapter Text

“This is so wrong.”

A groan of frustration escapes the purple haired mermaid as she and Nene continue to march forward, disobeying the rippling current. Taking a side-glance, but at once looking away to study the area ahead, the mermaid speaks.

“Princess, for the millionth time, it is going to be alright.” She meets Nene’s troubled stare for a second, smiling sweetly, “Trust me.”

Nene purses her lips in disapproval, breaking the eye contact. Never slowing down lest she is left behind, Nene throws her arms on either side. “What if…” Sensing her whole body tensing up as her mind begins to recall something; she comes to a halt, the water surrounding her blubbers as a result. The other mermaid, realizing her princess has stopped, pushes herself using her purple glittery tail backwards to stand in front of Nene. The latter’s pupils go wide, as if she has discovered a shocking truth.

“What if we turn into foam the moment we enter that place?” She whispers in fear. The scales of her tail starts peeling off like popcorn, acknowledging her concerns.

Her companion only sighs, chuckling right away. “Oh cod, Princess, you do not believe those silly rumors, do you?”

Nene glances sideways, catching a smirk striking her friend’s lips as she crosses her arms. Mouth agape, Nene cries, feeling betrayed. Her hand jerks up to point at the mermaid accusingly, forming millions of bubbles around. “You’re the one who always fills my head with them, Aoi!”

“Oh Princess!” Aoi uncrosses her arms to clutch Nene’s hand. Squeezing to make sure the princess senses the reassurance she is sending her way, she says, “Rumors are just rumors until you find proof they are right.”

“That’s…” Nene creases her nose, scowling and tumbling with the words she has just heard to scoop up the hidden message they are carrying.

Aoi does not give her a chance to finish her sentence, as she keeps ahold of the princess’s hand with one of hers and pulls them forward again. Nene, staggering from the sudden pull, gasps, realization finally hitting her, “That’s not helping at all! You’re basically saying we are about to prove them right!”

“Don’t be such a guppy, Princess. Besides,” She turns her head around to smile at Nene, “You wish to be free, and the sea witch can help!”.

Nene scoffs soon after her brain registers those words, “There is a difference between can and will.” Looking down while letting Aoi pushes her smoothly towards their destination; Nene notices a thread of red scales connecting her tail with the nothingness of the vast ocean beneath them.

Aoi is the only mermaid servant Nene has. The two mermaids have formed a secure friendship throughout the years that Nene does not consider Aoi a servant anymore, but a dear friend. The only friend Nene could ever have, really.

Being her closest friend, Aoi knows how much Nene wants to be just as free as every mermaid or fish in the kingdom, hence why she has never given up on finding clues regarding the whereabouts of the sea witch. Rumor has it that the sea witch is the reason behind the princess curse. Although Nene has yet to be persuaded that might be true, she does not mind looking into the matter. The circumstances under which she lives are not quite suitable for her to go on an adventure, so she leaves the investigation to Aoi. Her friend has been eager to help, and Nene is truly grateful, but somewhat worried about the outcome.

True, Nene is a prisoner of her own castle, but thanks to her mermaid friend, she always manages to sneak out and explore the ocean Nene has been yearning to see. It has proven a bit difficult to erase any evidence implying Nene has been going out, what with the many red scales shedding off her tail constantly to match the excitement enveloping her every time she visits a new place. However, and with Aoi by her side, Nene’s delight outweighs anything else.

When Aoi tells her that she knows where to find the sea witch, Nene’s emotions tremble weakly against a new ruler. Fright. Oh karp! I am not ready yet! Nene thought when she heard the news. Nevertheless, her friend did not listen. So here they are, on their way to meet the mysterious sea witch.

“Okay, we are here!”

The announcement comes too abruptly Nene’s brain fails to catch up with the new information. Swimming on a slow pace, the two mermaids take in their surroundings as they approach the eerie cave positioned under a pointy mountain, as if hidden deliberately. A chill runs up Nene’s spine replacing it with ice as she observes the scattered corals on both sides of the cave’s entrance. She scans the area for any signs of life. When she recognizes they are probably in a very isolated place, Nene gulps nervously. She grips Aoi’s hand harder the moment they are almost near the entrance, to which Aoi pauses.

The whole atmosphere snaking around the two is ghost-quiet it grants Nene’s heartbeat a steady access to ring higher in her ears.

“Aoi…” Nene is not surprised her voice weavers when she calls.

Aoi tilts her head, showing no signs of being scared, and hums, encouraging Nene to speak.

Nene focuses her stare on Aoi, ignoring the growing apprehensive silence taunting the way she is panicking like a child.

“A-Ask me if I am ready.” Nene stutters over the first word as her eyes lose their concentration again, and she regretfully casts her gaze on the darkness lurking inside the cave, pitifully trying to make sense of the inside to no avail.

Aoi snorts, but complies anyway. “Are you ready, Princess Nene?” She retorts sarcastically, but it goes unnoticed by the too shaken princess.

“No.” Nene replies, to which Aoi crosses her arms and Nene realizes the warm caused by Aoi’s grasp is slipping away.

“Right." One of Aoi's brows perks up, "Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Well.” Nene raises her fin as much as she can, then clutches the end of her tail and points it awkwardly towards Aoi. “I am too terrified my scales are not even peeling off.” She huffs, letting go of her tail, and continues, “I think my emotions are completely numb.”

Nene stares blankly at Aoi for a couple seconds, considering how she should convince her friend of her newborn wish. Eventually, she resorts to the one thing she funnily deserves but does never use, “Therefore, I, Princess Nene, declare myself, emotionally and mentally, unprepared to meet the sea witch.” She whirls around almost instantly while casually saying, ‘Let us leave.’ but before she can even paddle any inch further, a hand clasps her wrist firmly. Aoi practically yells in surprise. “Woah! Hold your fins, Princess!”

Nene tries to wiggle her body free to no avail. Aoi only strengthens her grip and exhales. “Princess, listen to me.”

Instead of an answer, all her ears catch is burbling. At least Nene stops flailing, Aoi notes as she switches her position so she is facing the princess.

“Nene,” She calls with both hands clutching Nene’s shoulders delicately. The addressed lifts her head upwards, however tongue-tied. A tiny smile crosses Aoi’s lips as she speaks gently, “Just remember why we came here.”

Nene blinks. She looks beyond Aoi, towards the gloomy cave. The silence is calling her name. Her mind plays around with her, creating an image of two shiny orbs representing eyes. They are observing Nene, waiting and itching for her to become the prey of the day. She shivers, feeling uncomfortable. Fists forming in an attempt to free the tension boiling inside of her, Nene sets her gaze on her friend again. She reminds herself of the possibilities she can get access to with no shackles binding her to a cage when she gains freedom. The thrill of going wherever, having no burdens or fears of being caught for doing something that is originally one of the many rights others have robbed of her. Nene inhales, and then breathes out as her hands loosen. She embraces the resolve creeping through her veins and thus soothing her muscles.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

Aoi beams at her in satisfaction, and together, they enter the ominous cave.

Chapter Text

Despite that the cave is roomy enough to fit a group, the walls seem too close for comfort Nene imagines they might slowly close in on them if they paddle deeper. Various seaweeds peek out of random spots on the rocky path underneath the two mermaids. They resemble shy petals of a flower that is not ready to bloom just yet. The princess’s fin brushes over them unconsciously as she swims, causing them to ruffle away. Nene casts her gaze upwards wearily and she notices that the ceiling of the cave is gradually descending; indicating that at some point the path will get narrower. Sure enough, they find themselves swimming one behind the other through a cramped passage, Aoi leading. A quiver assaults Nene’s body as she keeps up with her friend. Either Nene’s anxiety grows too big it actually affects her body’s temperature or the place itself does not preserve any heat, if it gets any at all when the current changes its direction. She cannot expect anything less though. This is the sea witch lair after all.

Nene lets out a sigh of relief as soon as the tight pathway they are traveling through ends. They are now in a wide opened area. Apart from the hole they have emerged from, there are a couple on the other side ahead of them. The holes do not match in size, and Nene wonders if they lead anywhere important. She prays there aren’t rotten fish or worse, dead mermaids, inside. Some knife-edged rocks of different sizes are strewn around, specifically in the corners of this round shaped place. Aoi draws near one of the holes on her left to peek inside, mirroring a cat jiggling its small frame deeper into a box.

Nene nervously pushes herself so she is in a standing position next to her friend. Just when she opens her mouth to demand the mermaid stops this action of hers, Aoi props her head out. She swims towards the centre next, where a big rock resides, failing to notice Nene’s groan of dissatisfaction. Aoi deems the rock fitting and thus flops on it, her tail swaying sideways as she looks around the whole area, inspecting it once more. Finally, she meets Nene’s eyes.

“No witch in sight.” She shrugs.

Scoffing, Nene marches forward until only a couple inches stay between the two mermaids, leaving behind a red trail.

“What did you expect, the witch smiling by the entrance then hugging us warmly?” She looks around uptight, “I don’t know Aoi, this place is silent, too silent it creeps me out.”

Her servant waves her off nonchalantly like a mother getting sick of her pestering child, “Let’s just wait for a bit. Maybe she went on a stroll outside?” Aoi’s nose wrinkles in disgust as she observes the area, “I would if I were living here to be honest.”

“Not a fan of this cave?”

Aoi hears the question, and answers eagerly to relieve the itch she is getting from her desire to complain, “Totally! It is suffocating and cold. There are too many holes I feel like I am inside a nasty sponge, no offence to the sponge race. I could swear I saw something, or an army of things, moving from one hole to another in the blink of an eye, but I did not want to say that lest the princess─”

Wait a second.

Aoi zips her mouth shut as the gears in her head rotates in response to her attempt of recalling something. She steers her attention away from a random spot she’s been observing to look back at Nene, who somehow seems, edgy.

Aoi frowns, her tail freezes in place, “Princess, am I imagining things or your voice seemed a bit off when you aske─” She notes Nene isn’t really looking at her. Eyes widening in realization, Aoi whispers, “You were not the one who asked, were you, Princess?”

Nene reluctantly shakes her head no.

Aoi gulps down a lump she does not realize has been there. She pushes her body away from the rock. Nene finally proves she has not turned into a statue by jerking back in fear of something, and Aoi supposes whatever that thing is, it is currently standing behind her, or probably trying to get closer.

Aoi turns cautiously as Nene’s fingers brush hers. They hold hands, sharing the remnants of courage the two still have. Behind them, a lone figure with choppy black hair stands. The big rock covers his lower half. He inches closer, and then lays both of his arms on the rock, crossing then resting his chin on them. A grin takes over his expression as he speaks up casually.

“How rude, to make fun of others’ homes.” He does not seem threatening at all, yet Nene thinks otherwise as she gulps. The boy might have pouted in displeasure, and a crazy thought such as he looks harmless may have crossed Nene’s mind around then, but she tosses it out instantly. Now is definitely not the time to admire cute boys. She sticks close enough to Aoi, hoping the boy will not hear them as she hushes into her friend’s ear.

“Aoi, something’s fishy about him.”

To Nene’s surprise, Aoi snorts, “Princess, as much as I like puns, now is really not the time” She doesn’t look away from the mysterious guest.

Through gritted teeth, Nene speaks again, “That was not my intention! He seems fish─”

“Do I look like a fish?” The boy asks her, suddenly occupying the space between the two mermaids and staring intently at the princess. Both flinch backwards in utter shock, albeit belatedly, not sure how the boy has managed to appear magically between them. Only when the two cast their eyes downwards do they finally see he is actually a merman.

Nene hides her mouth behind shaky fingers as she addresses the grinning boy. “You can’t be the sea wi─”

“No fishing way!”

Aoi’s voice cuts Nene’s at once. She swims closer to the boy, proving he is no longer a threat. Nene fails to understand her friend’s reasoning. Surely being from the same race is not enough of a reason to consider him friendly. Aoi points towards his brown tail while he watches her in curiosity.

“This young merman can’t be who we’re looking for. He’s a he, Princess!” She taps her chin with her fingers next, shutting her eyes and letting the flow of water draws her sideways. “Rumor has it that she is an ugly creature, with red tentacles and eyes that match their color.”

The boy hums in agreement, like a student trying to prove he is still following what the teacher is saying. He matches Aoi’s movement, asking the mermaid, “Like this?”

Aoi opens her eyes. The boy no longer has a brown tail, but red tentacles instead. His eyes, that match the crimson color of each tentacle, hide under long bangs. The ends of his now long hair are tangled together, flowing gently just above his shoulders. This new look of his matches the image Aoi had in mind perfectly. One might think the boy has taken this appearance only after he looked inside her brain. She comes to a halt, and acknowledges happily, “Oh fish! Yes!” The fact that this boy has changed his entire being slips her mind as she stares in amazement.

“But doesn’t the rumor say she is a mix of a weird creature resembling a shark with its sharp teeth, and an octopus with its black tentacles?” Nene states. Apparently, she has not recognized the change the boy has gone through during these mere seconds either. The boy barely manages to hold himself from letting out a snort. Oh his new visitors are interesting. He thinks as he stops his movement. He can’t figure out if they’re blind or just stupid.

Aoi stares at Nene in disbelief and cries, “Bullshark! That rumor is outdated, Princess.”

Nene scorns, clearly not convinced and is ready to argue back. “No it isn’t! You told me about it last week!”

Aoi sighs, “Princess, last week is too long ago. Do you know nothing about how rumors work?”

“Well excuse me for being cursed and trapped in a fancy cage.”

The two almost headlock, pouting at each other and completely forgetting their new company.

Nene suddenly senses the presence of something just behind her. If the bubbles forming around her waist and burbling intensely is any indication. Taking a glance behind her friend, she notices the boy is no longer in sight. Turning around, Nene realizes she has missed a unique transformation.  

The boy’s red tentacles have become black. They wiggle around as he flows upward. When their eyes lock, he throws a shady smile, showing two sets of sharp teeth.

Nene’s mouth fails to stay closed for approximately 30 seconds afterwards. Funny, how the picture she had in mind of the sea witch thanks to her ‘outdated’ rumor has materialized in front of her. Even funnier is the fact that this boy has altered his… race, somehow. Now who can do such a trick? Tough question.

On the other hand, the boy, pleased with his new look, speaks up. “I actually like this look better.” He fights the urge to laugh upon seeing the terror reflected in the princess’s eyes.

Aoi crosses her arms as she examines the boy. “You certainly look creepier.” She approves, but then shakes her head, “Still, not accurate.” Nene turns to face the mermaid, eyes growing wide in puzzlement. Her jaw might as well hit the ground. For fish sake how can Aoi talk casually about this magic show like it is the most normal thing?

The boy’s shoulders hunch downwards, clearly disappointed. A tentacle reaches out, as if sensing his fake sadness. He grasps it, bringing it closer to his chest and hugging it like a pillow.

Even though her throat becomes dry, and the words barely manage to connect with each other, Nene takes it upon herself to warn her oblivious friend.

“Aoi, h-h-he ch-chan─Kyaaaaa!” The princess yells mid-sentence, her body launching upwards like fireworks, resulting in most of her scales littering the place. Not looking around to check whatever that has caused goosebumps to appear on her skin, she swims fast to hide behind the big rock in the centre. Aoi has shouted a Karp! What’s wrong?! frantically just after Nene’s cry of panic. The princess hugs herself and squeezes in terror, her head peeking from behind the rock. “S-Something p-poked me!” Nene mutters as she surveys the area, trying to find the culprit. It must be a poisonous creature of sort or one of the witch’s loyal guards.

They hear the boy giggles, and the moment their eyes meet his, two small petite fish emerge on either side of the boy’s arms.

Okay, maybe not. Nevertheless, you cannot decide whether something is trustworthy based on cuteness. Never decide based on cuteness.

 Aoi lets out a breath she has not realized she has been holding.

“Oh cod, Princess, they are just tiny fish!” She scolds her, throwing her arm towards the fish to make sure Nene sees them and be ashamed of herself.

Nene observes her adorable attackers as they swim around the boy. They are both white, but what distinguishes one from the other is the color of their eyes, as one fish has green eyes, while the other has red ones. They seem harmless, but the damage has been done. Nene does not trust them, let alone that shapeshifter to emerge from her hiding spot. Nene concludes that she is so done with this whole venture, so her eyes start roaming the place and finally sets on the exit. Okay, she can make it. She just needs to grab Aoi’s hand and swims as fast as she can until they are out. The mermaid might protest but Nene is determined to leave even if it means knocking her friend out.

Of course, the plan is flawless, and could have worked if the one she has to deal with is not… well, him.

“They will not hurt you, Prin-cess!” a voice announces gently. Nene instantly spins around, the scales peeling off her tail scatter around. When did he appear behind me?! Wait, how did I not notice his disappearance? Nene sucks in a breath, her brain fooling her into thinking she suddenly cannot breathe if the boy is only 2 inches away from her face. He grins at her smugly, and Nene now notices his brown eyes and the square white seal with some kind of a red-colored writings on his left cheek. Belatedly, she realizes that he has changed appearance; for she swears his eyes were not brown before. His hair is short and chubby again. Something tickles her fin at that moment. She glances downwards, and sees a brown tentacle trying to wiggle its way around the end of her tail.

The little mermaid shudders as a wave of butterflies invades her stomach. Normally, the princess’s reflexes are top-notch. A tiny occurrence can derive a fast reaction out of her. It is like turning on a light source, one click and the room is illuminated within a second. That is why the servants have never caught her whenever she explores the castle or the area surrounding it with Aoi.

Being in the presence of this boy however, is different. Nene feels as if his eyes have captured her as their prisoner. Unable to escape, her body seizes any movement as if invisible strings surface off her limps. The one in control of shifting them around is no other than him. The boy, clearly not educated enough about personal space, continues to shorten the distance between them. Nene hears the gurgling of water around her as he inches closer. Closer, closer, and closer until their foreheads are almost touching. Something inside her head shouts orders of backing away but none of her brain cells even attempt to decipher those commands for her muscles to follow them. Nene, much to her retort, becomes a statue. The boy’s grin widen teasingly. He finds her reactions enjoyable and so he thirsts to see more. If Nene could take her eyes off his to look down, she would have seen how his tentacles have captured her tail firmly. Should Nene tell him she does not really taste good? Offer him a fancy dinner back at the castle instead? Her lips part, acknowledging her wish to state her thoughts, only for them to shut again. She finds herself not fairly sure what they are anymore because fishing karp the boy might as well blend his face with hers at this point. If he inches a little bit closer than this, she will faint. Literally. Her surroundings are already becoming hazy.

Much to Nene’s relief, she has been spared when both of them hear a clap. Aoi, growing tired of waiting, has paddled towards the two hiding behind the rock, peeking from above it as Nene faces her. The boy breaks his hold of the princess and settles next to her. His tentacles brush over Nene’s tail multiple times and the mermaid doubts it is unintentional. If the smirk she sees, right when she glances sideways is any indication. But she busies herself, gathering what’s left of her soul.

“Are you the sea witch’s discipline?!” Aoi asks excitedly. Nene can’t decide if Aoi is masking her shock of finally recognizing this bewildered ability the boy possess, or the realization has simply not fazed her one bit. She silently votes to the latter. She also needs to convince her friend that the sea witch might in fact be this merman- octo-shark, or…hm. Nene adds a new task to her mental to-do-list: ask about this boy’s race. If she survives, that is.

The boy tilts his head, acting confused, “discipline?”

“Seeing that you can do magic, she must have taught you!” Aoi uses her tail to push herself upwards in a half circle motion until she settles behind both of them. “Will you call her?” She asks him politely.

The boy’s body rises upwards as he lets the current carries him smoothly to nowhere in specific, contemplating over the request. He shrugs after a while, pushing himself away until he disappears inside one of the many holes he can fit through. Aoi smiles in delight, supposing he has gone to call the witch.

Aoi faces Nene then, smiling, “See, Princess, it is all going according to plan. You will tell the witch about your curse and she wi─” Aoi stops as she senses someone tapping her shoulder. She turns around, only to find the boy is back. It has only been less than 5 seconds! Aoi thinks, confused. She considers for a moment whether he has not left at all, but crosses that possibility out, as it does not make any sense. The two have seen him disappear inside that hole after all. Well, Nene is not surprised at that point because she has already decided something is %100 wrong with this boy. Making a show of going away only to prove the opposite is no big deal especially after witnessing him alter his… race.

“You are… back.” Aoi states, blankly.

The boy raises one finger, as if to say something important.

“I cannot call the sea witch.” He explains.

The mermaids share a confused glance, and then Aoi furrows her brow. Nene mentally prepares herself for what is coming next. “Why?”

The boy smirks, amused, as he paddles closer. “Simple,” He throws both arms on either side, “I am that witch.”

Chapter Text

“WHAT?! The sea witch is really a boy?”

The first thing echoing inside the cave soon after the boy's declaration is Aoi's shriek of astonishment. Whereas Nene's expression remains the same. To the princess, it is like telling an over-used joke. No amount of adjustments will make it as hilarious as the first time. Besides, the boy has already thrown many hints their way it is stupid not to believe him.

In comparison, the boy ponders over his visitor's reaction. Surely, it is obvious to conclude he is different from the merfolk, unless they have acquired magical powers somehow. Growing tired of the idea like it's an old toy, he drags it out from the deepest corner in his mind. The witch sweeps by the two mermaids until he reaches the rock, where he usually spends most of his time, his two tiny companions follow along. He rests his tentacles on top of it, and relaxes back on his palms.

The purple-haired mermaid swirls back and forth, mumbling like the boy’s announcement is offensive, probably more to her precious rumors than her. A heart-throbbing thrill sneaks through his veins as he wonders how many more rumors he can prove wrong, resulting in a wicked smile ruling over his lips.

The princess on the contrary, does not seem alarmed, the boy notes as he switches his attention towards her. His tentacles tickle him subsequently, eager to take possession of her two-toned tail again. At some point, her companion’s mumbling becomes audible until it transforms to a series of complains, but to the boy, and perhaps the princess too, it is more of a muzzy noise as it goes in one ear and out the other. It is like listening to a song while working on something, you focus more on said thing than the lyrics themselves.

“I cannot even believe this! The one being who─”

It is when the two lock eyes that the background vibrates around them. Instead of the witch’s cave, they find themselves alone in an area robbed of anything else except for them and the rock the boy is sitting on. His knowing smile unwavering. A heart-fluttering panic works its way up Nene’s chest as she decodes his look. The princess can’t help but experience something that she considers foreign. It is too much of an enigma that no word arises inside her head and deems itself a suitable name for it.

 “There is no fishing way you are the sea witch. That contradicts the rumor I have heard. I mean─”

One of the witch’s long tentacles crawls forward, its blindness the only thing stopping it from finding its prey. The act itself still succeeds in sending a shiver up the mermaid’s spine and forces her to hug herself securely, thinking by doing so that an invisible shield will appear out of nowhere to keep her safe. Those damn tentacles… Nene squints, sulking. The boy’s smile turns into a toothy grin. She soon drowns in her own thoughts, as Aoi continues to blabber away.

“I mean, the whole kingdom knows the sea witch. It is impossible─”

Come to think of it, is that appearance his real form?

“─and then you come and tell me you are not a she! My resources are never─”

 What will happen if I ask him? He will not curse me for crossing some invisible line, right?

“Oh my karp if they know about this they will think I─”

Wait. I am already cursed. Can one be double-cursed? N-No way.

“─that will make me believe you? Give me a break, you─”

Is he a merman, or what exactly?

“Huh?”

Nene twitches.

She blinks; questioning herself about the cause behind the silence engulfing the whole place unexpectedly, not realizing she has cut Aoi’s string of complains. She was too immersed in her cluster of thoughts that they overflew and escaped her lips.

“Princess, what in the fish are you talking about?” Aoi creases her brow in confusion. The young mermaid shows no signs of annoyance over the fact that the princess wasn’t listening at all.

Even if she wants to scold her for that, it certainly is not what’s tearing Nene apart now.

It is probably fine though. Aoi is standing close to Nene, and thus can clearly hear the princess if she so mutters a word. So no way he─ Nene blinks again, gulping down an irritating lump lurking in her dry throat. Where is he?

“Hm, you wish to see the merman me again?”

The addressed yelps timidly then chokes as a result. She senses something cold stroking her fin and instantly figures out to whom this tentacle belongs.

Well, at least Nene will please her curiosity before she dies.

“Don’t you like my tentacles?”

No, Not really. I do not, however, like how they keep caressing my tail like some unwanted lover.

An ‘ahhh’ of realization resounds around the group. “Speaking of wishes!” Aoi bursts out, steering their attention back to her once again.

My tail is being sexually harassed and you shrug the matter off like it’s nothing?

“Princess! Gender aside, our goal remains the same. Tell him your wish!”

Right. That. Nene kind of wants to change it. She just wishes to go back to the castle, forget the existence of the weird sea witch, wizard, whatever, and happily accept her faith of being a cursed princess. She is even willing to build a collection of red scales like one of her ‘loyal’ servants suggests.

“Come on Princess!” Aoi encourages her kindly.

“Yes Princess! Go on, name and wish please!” The boy matches Aoi’s tone. A scrap of paper and pen show up in his hands. One might think they’re ordering a meal, with how casually he says that.

Nene’s brow furrows. Oh must she even question that?

She sighs, inhaling and then backing just a bit to break the contact between her and those persistent tentacles that have been seconds away from clutching Nene’s tail securely. Even after doing so, one or two tentacles still try to reach out. Although that does not stop the princess from speaking up, she struggles in keeping them away.

“I am Princess Nene,” She draws her tail sideways just before a tentacle brushes over it, “and I want this curse of mine,” She pauses, huffing in frustration while moving her tail to the other side, now that another tentacle tackles her, “gone.” She finally declares. For a second, she doubts the witch is following along, what with the fact that harassing her tail is apparently more important than listening to some princess he has never met before, but Aoi’s reassuring smile that she sees when she locks eyes with her is contagious that Nene smiles back.

“Hm, yes, curse.” The black-haired boy thinks deeply as he stares at her tail, or more specifically, the pile of scales underneath it. The boy has realized long ago that she is indeed cursed. He is not blind not to notice how crimson the floor of his home has become thanks to the million scales shedding off the mermaid’s tail.

Nene awaits anxiously. For what exactly? Well, maybe the boy will start chanting a mantra and the next thing she knows, a sudden cloud of nothingness envelops her body until it disperses, stealing the curse away with it.

“Okay! I will grant your wish!” Nene beams unconsciously, unable to mask her relief upon hearing that answer, and Aoi rushes to clasp their hands together in delight.

“Oh my cod wonderful! Will you break the curse using your dark magic?”

“Will it hurt?” Nene asks soon after, her expression shifts in concern. This is the witch whose tentacles have been all over her. The one who feeds off the irritation Nene shows whenever he teases the two of them. The princess’s mind scolds her for getting carried away just because he accepts her demand.

“No and maybe.” Comes the boy’s answer as he shuffles around, as if looking for something.

Nene grimace as her heart dangles from its place, threatening to fall at any second. She shouts in shock, albeit slow, “What do you mean may─ Why the cod are you holding a knife?!”

The black-haired boy simply tilts his head to the side.

“Your scales are the problem, yes?”

When Nene nods nervously, he beams at her in the shadiest way to ever exist, and gets too close for comfort. He points at her tail with his weapon, which Nene does not know where it has come from. Perhaps the witch has a hidden black hole where he keeps various weapons of all─ Wait. This doesn’t matter right now! Is this boy thinking of what Nene is thinking of? No way he is going to─

“You are not going to… skin me like some dead fish, are you?” Nene allows her darkest thought to be free, too tired of how loud it has been ringing inside her crammed head.

“My, you are very intelligent, Prin-cess.” He coos lovingly, praising her, to which Nene gapes in bewilderment.

Okay. He is going to peel her scales off. Manually. With a knife. He can change his whole being using magic, but cannot lift a curse. Some witch he─.

Wait.

Nene jerks away just before the tip of the knife touches her tail, barely manages to avoid the disastrous outcome of such contact. The moment her back hits the wall filled with holes on the other side, successfully putting a 20 feet or so between her and that shapeshifter, she cries in terror. “Oh my holy carp are you even sane?!”

The boy grows genuinely baffled. He dares even pout at her, to which the princess widens her eyes and rubs her arms repeatedly in an attempt to make the goosebumps go away. Her tail twitches in place and the scales literally stop shedding from the shock the witch has given her.

Nene cannot even fathom what is going on anymore, and what’s even worse is the tiny snort that echoes in the cave seconds later. Nene assumes it’s the witch, considering he’s the craziest of all, but to her utter disbelief, it is none other than her oh very dear friend. Just one glance at the mermaid and it is very clear she is trying to control herself lest she cracks up completely and upsets the princess. If hiding her mouth behind her hand and looking away, shoulders shaking slightly are any indication. Nene is about to be skinned, alive, and her friend just finds it funny.

When her intent glare reaches Aoi, the mermaid finally clears her throat. She seizes her giggles until they disperse entirely. Only when the young mermaid believes she can speak normally does she address the witch.

“Okay, for starters, can you tell us your name?”

“And put that knife away.” Nene calls from far away; the glare shifts its direction towards the addressed.

Shrugging, he dismisses his weapon. Nene does not move an inch to gather her broken trust in the boy, let alone get closer, and thus stays still. As much as she hates standing just behind the mysterious holes behind her, she does not want to be near the witch, now that she knows he has a weapon.

“Hanako.” The boy answers, grinning innocently.

Aoi smiles compassionately like she is about to convince a naughty child not to pull any more pranks. Fat chance.

“Okay, Hanako, see, our Princess’s curse is quite unique. The scales fall as a result of any change in her emotions, and they do not preserve their original color after falling. The servants believe she must not be seen lest it causes an outrage of some sort in the kingdom, and so she had become a prisoner of her own castle. We heard that the sea witch can lift the curse using black magic, and so we came here.”

At some point, Nene finally musters up enough courage to swim closer, but not too close lest Hanako attempts another mind-blowing thing. Fish only knows what he might do next. He may even think of cutting her tail off completely. Nene shivers at the thought.

“So, can you please do something about it?”

Hanako crosses his arms. He locks eyes with Nene. The mermaid jolts, halting her movement because she thinks the witch might approach her. He, however, only wrinkles one brow, asking, “You sure you do not want your tail skinned? I promise it will not hurt.”

He tilts his head, a shady smile looms over his expression as he reconsiders his choice of words, “Well, I promise it will not kill you.”

Oh fish have mercy.

“Those scales are the reason why I am trapped inside my own castle but that does not mean I want to be shaved! What even makes you think that will stop the curse anyway? What If I lose a limp or two instead the next time my emotions go wild?” The princess cries desperately, unable to control her temper anymore. Her curse resumes its effect on her scales, making them fall in response to her outrage, but that does not stop her from complaining some more.

“I want to be free like every mermaid in the kingdom. I don’t want to be a spoiled princess inside a dollhouse.” Something tickles her eyes as she speaks, and she chokes on her next sentence, trying hard not to trigger the tears. “I just want to be free.” She concludes, fists forming in hope she can release as much of the negativity that is currently clutching her heart like chains as possible through them.

Hanako simply hums, but Nene doubts he understands, if the tone he uses to reply next is any indication, like a manager not concerned in the slightest about kicking out one of the employees due to their unprofessionalism. “Well, that is quite unfortunate. Because I cannot break the curse.”

“You can’t break the curse?!” Aoi interrupts the two, completely taken aback.

The boy nods once. He goes back to the rock and rests on it. Only when he finds himself comfortable does he explain why. A tentacle brushes over the seal on his cheek as he talks.

“I cannot break the curse simply because I was not the one who cast it.”

Nene thought the witch wants to have fun first. Only when he is satisfied will he consider granting her ultimate wish. However, not being able to lift the curse is one outcome Nene did not foresee. So she has been right all along. This curse is not related to the sea witch like everyone assumes. It is something she was born with. An inevitable part of her fate that she cannot fight back, nor ask a witch to rid her of it. How childish of her to let hope lingers deep in her heart.

“That is impossible! The rumor says you are the one who cast it on our Princess. Surely it is not wrong too!”

“It is not.”

Well… figures, since─ huh?

Nene’s eyes widen in disbelief. “It is not?!”

The boy nods, grinning. “You have certainly been cursed by the sea witch.”

Aoi crosses her arms, completely puzzled. “And you are?”

He better not dare. Nene threatens.

His eyes enlarge in confusion, “I am the sea witch.”

I swear to Poseidon… “So,” Nene starts, not realizing she is actually shrinking the distance between her and Hanako for the first time. Even Hanako himself is taken aback as she paddles closer. “You are saying that I am cursed by the sea witch. That’s you, but you are not really the one who cursed me?” She brings both hands close to her head, flipping them as if stating how that makes zero sense, hoping the gesture alone is enough for her message to reach him.

Hanako makes an Oh! face as he suddenly understands something.

“You don’t know?” He makes victory signs with both hands, bringing them near either cheek, “I am not the only sea witch.”

Chapter Text

The world slows down and everything around the two mermaids become soundless, even the burbling of water coming from the movement of the witch's two fish guards.

The rumors say the sea witch has cursed the princess since birth. The whys and hows have never been discussed or explained by the servants or the princess herself, not that she has an explanation to offer anyway. As an outcome, merfolk start to gossip among each other. Gossips develop overtime, similar to a tadpole changing to a frog. The two share no resemble to one another. Yet none of these evolved rumors ever mentioned the existence of two witches. The princess and her servant find themselves speechless. The words inside their brains float around in different directions like magnet pieces of corresponding ends that will never collide.

Aoi manages to collect her thoughts first and break the ice, albeit cautiously, like if she speaks any higher she might alert an invisible enemy lurking in one of the holes in the cave.

“There are...” She holds up two fingers, “two witches?”

A smile creeps on the boy’s face.

“And the other witch is the one who cursed the princess?”

Hanako lays on opened palms and his tentacles rise for no reason. His expression remains the same. “That’s what I said.”

Aoi glances to the side, at the same time Nene does, and they blink once to bask in the confusion cloud surrounding them. The curse is not something the princess was born with, considering Hanako himself confirms that. The witch’s statement makes that rumor a part of reality. With what little information presented to her, Nene gathers the remnants of doubt scattered inside her head and tosses them out. What comes next on the list of questions with no answers is figuring out why the sea witch has cursed her to begin with. Princess Nene’s highest priority is freedom. If she doesn’t achieve that, at least she wants to know why the other witch cursed her.

“Mind you the other sea witch is unapproachable.” He flops down to cover the remaining distance between them, cutting her string of thoughts and pulling her back to reality. “That witch wouldn’t smile by the entrance then hug you warmly, prin-cess.” The moment Nene fails to resist a blink, and exactly 2 seconds later, a voice resounds near her ear, “Only I would do such a thing, if you wish.”

The sudden closeness between the two shakes her, but to her utter disbelief, her tail refuses to budge. Nothing is actually holding it. One push and she should be safe and far enough from the witch. Yet Nene is paralyzed, not even a muscle in her body works its way to make it jostle away. The princess tosses the blame on the witch immediately. Maybe he is using magic to keep her a hostage, make her an inferior being who is unable to mutter a word of objection, let alone attempt to run away.

A seductive crackle echoes in her ears next, followed by his next words. Slender arms circle around Nene’s shoulders to capture her from behind while slimy tentacles clutch her tail. A whimper breaks free and pleases the boy, which allows a smirk to take over his lips. Blood rushes to the top of her head in such speed it deteriorates her vision. Nothing but gibberish connects with her ears. He is giving me a back hug. Me.

“So, have you changed your mind?”

Nene risks a glance despite their awkward position. Hanako’s expression fills her with an intimidating kind of emotion but she doesn’t break the eye contact. Is he about to do what the princess has not imagined the witch would do when she got here? Wait, he is already doing it. The hug. Not the smile, the hug. That devilish smile does not count. Definitely the hug. So what does he mean by that?

“I mean, my first offer.”

Nene widens her eyes in suspicion. Have I said my thoughts aloud again?

Hanako’s smile vanishes and his lower lip thrusts out in fake displeasure. Each tentacle rubs her tail in a slow motion. The touches cause an electric shock that only fuels the mermaid’s heart to beat faster. The boy divides his reply into parts; providing every one of them with a stroke. “You know,” stroke, “your tail,”, stroke, stroke, “shaved.” squeeze. The last part is an exclusive, as he whispers it just a millimeter away from the princess’s ear. It is louder in volume than the bubbles forming around them, louder than the mutter coming from the princess’s companion, and even louder than the mermaid’s heartbeat.

Those words do not register inside the princess’s head right away. They are not exactly brimming with passion but that goes unnoticed by the mermaid. Hanako does not move away. In fact, he only stares back, eagerly waiting for a reaction. It is when his lips curve in what seems to be his usual teasing grin do the words finally make sense to the princess. She at once pushes him away, struggling along the way as his tentacles hold her very securely. He scowls at her, but Nene pays it no mind as she crosses her arms in annoyance. “I think we have already established that I want to keep my scales?” There must be a switch inside her somewhere, one Nene clicks whenever she wants to conceal her true feelings. It is a shame her heart does not support the idea though. Definitely a shame her cheeks become red.

Hanako only coos at her bitterly. He really wants to give her another back hug just to witness another captivating reaction.

Aoi shoves herself between the two though, ruining the witch’s plan. “You said that was your first offer.”

Hanako stays tight-lipped, encouraging her to make her point.

“Does that mean there is a second?” Her eyes glitter in anticipation. What Aoi is suggesting might be true, so she shouldn’t really deny the possibility. Is it worth it though, to let hope grows inside her again? Life is two-faced, and right now, the shiny one is the stronger of the two.

Hanako smiles at them. That simple action of his confirms the existence of the first root of hope.

Aoi beams and repeats her question because she prefers a reply instead of a reaction.

“Well yes,” black eyes lock with magenta ones for a second, “There is an alternative solution.”

During a fateful blink, Nene misses the moment he disappears. Hanako will show up somewhere entirely different now. Funny how Nene has a dim faith that he will not choose to linger right in her face again. That is a mistake she should not have made.

A hand suddenly grabs her chin and pushes it upwards. Her skin sucks its temperature at once. If her body were to protest, it would stop reacting to the witch’s actions because really now, how many times has he caused a shiver to rule over it? The culprit’s fingers creep higher to brush over her cheeks. Hanako drags them closer to her lips and admire the pout he creates.

“Although I prefer my first offer as it is faster, I have no choice but to tell you about what else you can do to break the curse yourself, princess Ne-ne” The boy stretches the second syllable of Nene’s name as he drifts closer to her face.

Nene wiggles her tail around in protest but remains in place. She’s evaluating the best approach to make at this point. The mermaid wants to break the contact because her heart might burst. At the same time, that foreign emotion causing butterflies to hover inside her stomach urges her not to pull away just yet. Why though? Perhaps due to the fact that Nene is starting to embrace this enigma of an emotion. Perhaps because she likes the way her heart reacts to it. Or perhaps because Hanako’s way of calling her is quite special. Of course, that is only a speculation because there is absolutely, certainly, one hundred percent no way Nene likes this touchy-feely situation the witch keeps putting her through. Her heart disagrees but the princess is unaware of that.

“Bear in mind that this method depends on how you perform.” Hanako’s eyes go sideways for a second before an innocent grin paints his lips, “Actually, you might perform greatly, but the outcome won’t be what you expect.”

A muffled reply escapes her squashed cheeks, “In other words, it is solely based on luck.” Hanako gives her his best toothy smile before releasing her. He giggles at the way Nene rubs her cheeks with a real sulk this time.

You see, one should always give anything the benefit of the doubt. If that thing is related to the sea witch in any way, that step becomes obligatory. Too bad this simple fact slips Nene’s mind. Must be that damn bud of hope she keeps watering.

“Princess, you just need your true love’s kiss to break the curse.”

Well, Nene does not care about that bud anymore, so it shatters away. Life then, shows her its other face.

Chapter Text

When Nene was only a child, a particular incident happened. Half of the blame fell on the adventurous side she often kept in control. Nevertheless, ‘often’ meant that 40% of the time, that side went on a rampage, causing a high damage to the logical one.

The other half fell on the ones in charge of keeping the princess safe. Words are bubbles of different sizes. Being the opposite of delicate when touching one results in it popping. It is important to pick up the right words when speaking to others, specifically those who must do something you think is the best for them without explaining why. Our nature is brimming with curiosity after all. We either fear the unknown or want to find out more about it. So when the princess heard words like “Do not let any-mer see you Princess!” or “You cannot leave the castle Princess!” and was left with not a single excuse, her prideful side awoke, and caused ravage to her mind. It changed the flow of her thoughts from ‘staying obedient’ to ‘living up the role of a spoiled child’. It made Nene eager to do the opposite of what her servants demanded.

That was when her wish of becoming free saw the light for the first time.

So what is this incident you say? Well, the princess managed to escape the castle one day. It took many mishaps, knocking fish out and sneaking around like some criminal. She was still young and naïve, the only energy she fed on was coming from her deepest desires. Hence why she never gave up on fulfilling her wish and leaving the castle. No-mer or fish had the right to alter her fate. The princess just hoped to prove their beliefs regarding the curse were wrong, because she didn’t want to allow them to stain her life for eternity.

That day ended up being one of her greatest nightmares, for she barely avoided jumping from the fate of a cursed being, to the fate of…well, food.

And right now, Nene is coming in contact with a feeling she has never thought would consume her again. A feeling she left behind when she was saved that day.

Fright of death.

“Oh young child, we are not going to hurt you!”

“Silly you, we just want to help.”

“Dear lord, maybe we need to take a different approach?”

Multiple shouts resound from the other side of the room. A knock or two follows each shout. All that combined have the effect of drops of water on heated oil.

Nene casts her eyes around, matching a goldfish that wants to hide its presence in a kelp forest, and away from predators. The princess spins around to move away from the door but suddenly finds herself face to face with the floor.

Albeit slow, Nene raises her upper half, depending on her arms to lift herself up. Her body sways like seaweed. It is itchy all over due to the pain of hitting the ground. With a face ripped of all emotions, she glances sideways. There lies the cause of her fall.

Legs. Nene has legs. Not her two-toned broken tail, but human legs, hidden underneath the piece of fabric covering her body. The girl outstretches an arm to touch her right foot. The sensation of touching a part mermaids lack tickles her.  

“What should we do?”

That question speaks to Nene. Now is not the time to admire her new self, isn’t it? The servants won’t rescue her this time, as to them, the princess is ‘supposed’ to be inside her chamber. The girl snorts, shutting her eyes. You don’t comprehend the value of something until it is gone.

“Do you think we should tell them about this?”

The hushes from the other side continue to go through whatever openings there are to reach the ears of the blonde-haired girl. At once, she musters enough power to stand and manages to push herself away from the cold floor. Shaky magenta eyes wastes no time in surveying the area next. There is a round shaped object in the centre of the room. This is what the humans call a ‘bathtub’. It reminds Nene of a smoothed out clam shell that is big enough to fit not only her but also four others. Apparently, humans use it to clean up, hence why it is filled with water. Water.

Snakes of dread creep around her limps in a couple of seconds it pushes the princess to hug herself. The act doesn’t send those snakes away nor does it calm her down.

“You should not come in contact with water, Princess.”

The warning bells chime inside her head and paralyze her. What comes in line next is a thought she fights against lest it spoils her mind. Alas, the winner of that battle crushes the other in no time. The voice speaks again, not caring in the slightest about the cracks it’s causing.

“Or else, you will turn back into a mermaid. What follows if that happens you say? The humans will feast on you.”

Without delay, Nene looks around some more, hoping to find an escape route. The rampage of emotions increasing her heartbeat stands in the way like a persistent bodyguard not allowing her to determine what the next move should be. They say if you take a deep breath and exhale, it should help you settle your thoughts. Thus, Nene inhales, and then breathes out slowly. Now she should feel better, right? A solution will present itself, now that her mind is clearer.

Wrong.

Inhale and exhale? Well, that is some fancy bullshark. All the princess has done is breathe like a normal person, and not someone running a marathon.

“Dear child, are you okay?”

Nene twitches and at once staggers backwards. She finds herself out of balance as her noodles of legs hit the bathtub. A series of mental nononononononono- blares inside her head like sirens. She directs her upper half away from the bathtub by flapping her arms repeatedly in air to give herself an extra boost. The princess succeeds in keeping her human form, but sadly is face to face with the floor again. This time however, she does not even trouble herself to stand up, and simply groans. Even as a human, her lower half is a wrecked mess.

“I understand the human world has many fascinating features, but to think the floor is your favorite of them all.”

Nene identifies the owner of that voice in a matter of seconds. Whether it’s from delight knowing she isn’t alone anymore or anger that she is in this mess thanks to them, the princess wastes no time in lifting herself to meet the boy. Or well, his face. The boy’s body hides underneath the ground just inches away from the princess, and only his head is visible. She staggers backwards until her back hits the bathtub. She even forgets for a second how nonfunctional her legs are and pushes them to the limit, putting a good distance between her and the witch.

Nene captures two sets of white teeth before he emerges from the ground. The rest of his body peels away like it weighs nothing.

“What is it Princess? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” The princess’s shock is nothing but random, yet he retorts sarcastically to absorb his usual share of Nene’s reactions.

Nene’s lips part after she frowns, but she finds herself unable to make any sound. Trembling fingers creep towards her neck. The realization hits like a wave and drowns her. Her mind mocks for forgetting such important facts like having legs and lacking a voice yet does not stop itself from replaying a scene in her head to remind her of how all of this has started.

Nevertheless, the hot breath that grazes the girl’s neck forces her back to reality. She regrets glancing sideways because the action only lessens the distance between her and the boy occupying the small space on her left.

“It is okay Princess.” He grabs her hand. “Even without your voice, we can talk.”

Nene chants to herself that Hanako invading her personal bubble is not a new occurrence. This is not the first time he shoves his face this close to hers. If only her heart listens.

“How exactly can we talk if I don’t have my voice?”

Hanako clears her confusion immediately. The boy raises his forefinger and touches her forehead. “I can hear your thoughts clearly.”

Oh. That shouldn’t surprise her, what with all the tricks she has witnessed. If only her mind listens.

“We need to unlock this door.”

The details of what the humans are planning to do go unheard by the princess as panic grips her heart. She throws both hands to capture Hanako’s shoulders and gives them a good shake. “I need your help! Please!”

The princess stands, not really a fan of being on the floor. Her weight shakes her legs and they threaten to lose all sense of power to carry it. Thus, she keeps her arms hovering on either side for balance. If she had time, she’d practice walking some more, but the knocks never stop and each one of them is a reminder of her current life-threatening situation.

“Just after they brought me to the castle, the humans demanded I clean up, because I smell like…salt.”

Hanako moves closer. The only reason stopping Nene from flinching away is the fact that she focuses her attention on balancing her body. Thus why she does not notice his movement. Her shoulders twitch exactly when the sound of sniffing reaches her. Magenta eyes lock with brown ones while the thoughts form inside Nene’s head. “What are you doing?”

Humming echoes in the empty space surrounding them. A sneer creeps across Hanako’s lips. “You smell like salt indeed.”

Is the witch doing this on purpose?

Cod yes. Her mind retorts sarcastically.

“What is going on here?”

A new voice resonates outside. This time, Nene does not brush it off. Her attempt to steady her body crumbles away like sand and she stumbles backwards. A hand supports her from behind so she doesn’t fall.

“Prince Teru! You will not believe this!”

“We wanted to assist the girl but she suddenly freaked out!”

“She sent us away and locked herself in the bathroom.”

Nene turns around fast enough it actually forces Hanako to jerk back. All distance between them vanish. Unsteady hands clutch his shoulders. Hanako resists the urge to stop her from stating her next thought because her eyes convey it perfectly.

“Please. Help me!”

The witch finds himself unable to paint his response with sarcasm. It actually dies before it sees the light and leaves him a prey to a far-off memory that suddenly interrupts his thoughts.

“Please. Help her.”

Something shakes him, bursting the bubble of the past before it increases in size.

Yet Hanako’s vision fails to clear up. He doesn’t even know why it has blurred to begin with. Whatever that memory is, it is trying to wake up. Hanako accepts it and starts to connect the shattered pieces together. Just when he’s about to attach the final piece, something pinches both of his shoulders. A panicked voice fills up his head then, sending back that memory into a coma.

“Oh my cod, can’t he hear my thoughts anymore?” The girl releases his shoulders to pace around, albeit awkwardly. She is not used to having human legs just yet. Whatever idea occupying her mind is probably why she does not realize her pacing is funny. A smirk plays on his lips as more of the princess’s thoughts reach him.

“I shouldn’t have listened to Aoi’s suggestion. Why did I think this plan would work? Now they will know I am a mermaid!” She cubs her cheeks and her eyes widen, “Is it even possible for a human to love a mermaid?”

“It’s alright.”

As if on cue, that gentle voice from before returns. Nene looks back towards the door, expecting to find it open with the prince standing by the doorframe. Yet it isn’t.

“Let her clean up and change herself. She is probably shy around others.”

“But prince Teru!”

“Did you leave garments for her inside?”

The maid stutters a bit, “Y-Yes, we did.”

“Good. Then, leave her be, but make sure to assist her if she needs anything.” The three maids surrounding the blond nod. His lips curve in a sweet smile and he walks away, but he halts after taking two steps and looks back, “I am fine with delaying lunch so you don’t have to rush the girl by the way.”

Nene follows the sound of footsteps until they are gone. One of the maids speaks through the door, telling her they’ll be around in case she needs any help. Silence takes over afterwards.

“See, it is possible.” Hanako’s voice pulls her out of her daze and she glances sideways to find him standing beside her.

When brown-eyes meet hers, she frowns. “What is?”

He twists his body so they are facing each other. Hanako brings both hands towards his face, fingers making a victory sign. “Your love story.”

My love story…

“Don’t worry, Princess. I am sure you will make it happen.” Hanako walks away to face the door of the bathroom. His hands interlock behind his back. He mutters something, but Nene fails to make sense of it though the tone of his voice sets her off. For some reason, his figure seems fragile, like a dandelion flower fluttering away because of the wind. She calls him in her mind, asking Hanako to repeat. Instead, he spins and starts surveying the room. Once his eyes find whatever he is looking for, the witch disappears. Nene doesn’t resist a blink. She rubs her eyes yet the scenery remains the same, with the boy no longer in sight. The princess doesn’t need to look around for long though, because the moment she faces the other direction, a silhouette fills her vision.

The witch’s face hides behind a long piece of cloth that he is holding from both sides. He lowers it moments later and beams at Nene. “Princess, if you want to live with the humans, you need to act like one.” He cuts his speech, shifting closer to the girl. “Did any of the humans you saw so far wear such clothes?”

His smirk plays as a reminder of her current state. The lame excuse of garment she is wearing to be exact.

After Hanako’s declaration back in the cave, the two mermaids reconsider their options. Aoi then, comes up with a plan. According to the witch, the princess must find true love, but her friend thinks she doesn’t need to look anywhere because Nene has already found him long time ago.

“That boy is perfect Princess! And you already like him!”

Nene agrees. She likes the blond ever since the two of them have seen him a while back. Admiring him from afar has become a part of her routine that she usually sneaks out just to see him.

However, he is a human. Their love story is an incomplete picture. The missing fragments are scattered around due to a storm caused by none other than their race. It has nothing to do with confidence more than it has with revealing her true nature to the boy.

"Then become a human."

Hanako suggests nonchalantly. His expression mocks her worries. It comes to her then. The sea witch has altered his nature twice. Doing the same to the princess shouldn’t be a hard task, right?

Nene gives her voice away as a price though. She has hope becoming a human, even if temporary, will help her forget about the curse. Yet that isn’t an option of the bargain between her and the witch.

A tug brings her back to the present. Hanako displays the white piece of garment in front of her once again. "Princess, I don't need to remind you that this quest of yours to get your true love kiss is timed, do I?"

Nene takes the item from him, and the witch holds up three fingers. "Three days, Prin-cess. Don't forget."

Three days to win the love of a human boy. Three days to claim freedom. It isn't easy, but it isn’t impossible either. Right?

xXxXxXx

"I just find it weird. Your situation I mean."

Nene chokes on thin air and the tool humans call a fork that she's been trying to hold slips from her hand. One of the maids standing nearby rushes to her side and urges her to drink water. The princess does, and the maid rubs her back. The speaker regards her for a couple of moments with a crease in his brows.

"Weird, how?" He takes his eyes off the startled girl to face the other sitting on the chair next to him.

"She suddenly showed up on the shore this morning, with no memories of herself, life or anything." The boy with spiky blond hair looks back at their visitor. "Not to mention she's…" mute. He gulps down the final word and shrugs. "Isn't it weird?"

"It is."

Nene's heart does a flip when the other blond confirms his brother's statement. She doesn't have time for panic though, as the boy, or Teru, offers her a smile. The relief building up inside her heart then is as cool as ointment on wounds. "That is why I am looking into the matter. We will help you, I promised to find your family."

Taking in a stranger without knowing anything about their circumstances is no simple task. The two princes however, accept her with open arms. Guilt sneaks through her veins at the thought. The princess is not someone lost for them to find her family, nor is she in need of help. The two humans are basically wasting their time looking for information regarding a family that does not exist. She can't tell them that of course. Literally. Nene wouldn’t anyway, even if she has her voice.

"I asked the maid to prepare the guest room for you. Once we are done, I will guide you there."

Lunch goes on without any further issues afterwards. The princes do comment on her not eating much and the only thing Nene offers back is a smile. Cod knows what kind of food they eat. Rumors regarding the disappearance of mer-folk have crossed her mind the moment they’ve brought lunch. One of the maids tells her weird names while pointing to the many plates but Nene understands nothing. The green meal she calls ‘salad’ reminds her of the ocean, so she satisfies herself with that.

When Teru escorts Nene to her room, he tells her about an upcoming ‘festival’ in town. Nene makes a face at that, to which Teru laughs. “Maybe it is better if you see it yourself. I will make some time tomorrow so we can go.”

He states that he has some work to do for the rest of the day and apologizes for not being able to give her a proper tour but the princess shakes her head smiling. He excuses himself then and her eyes do not leave him until he disappears behind the aisle at the end of the hall.

Words won’t be enough to describe how beautiful the guest room is, even if you spray them with gold. What catches her attention first is the big window facing the door when she enters. Nene moves towards it, suddenly eager to look at the ocean. Not a lot of time has passed since she’s been turned yet here she is, missing the vast sea. The princess takes huge gulps of fresh air and allows the gentle breeze to embrace her cheeks. The smile leaves her too soon though. What’s in the depths of the ocean isn’t visible, but its image that’s stored inside her head invokes her peace. Nene prays silently that Aoi manages to keep the servants at bay. The last thing she wants is them finding out about her current plan.

The princess leaves the window open and takes a step back. She satisfies herself with a quick look over the spacious bedroom, admiring the furniture. Nene walks towards the double bed. She flops on the baby blue comforter and spreads both of her hands on either side.

This is where she will rest for three days, and Nene is thankful for the kind hospitality. Well, figures, considering the princes are a part of a high class. Weird thing is she doesn’t compare her state to theirs at all, despite the similarity. She is a princess, yes, but those two have something she lacks.

Freedom. Being normal.

Out of the corner of her eyes, her legs cover part of her vision. The dress she’s wearing reaches her knees so they don’t escape her sight. Nene glances downwards for them to come in full view. Unlike the maids she has seen, her legs are… different. They are fat around the calf up until her feet. Nene bends her body to caress them. They are weird. Did the prince think they are weird too? Nene’s current appearance does not reflect the real her. Her human form is imperfect. Perhaps it is the curse stubbornly proving to the princess it will never be erased that simply. It still haunts her even as a human. Not only does she have different legs, but she is also not supposed to touch water lest red scales invade her skin.

The bed suddenly dips from the other side. The princess straightens herself and shifts in place just to see her visitor casually sitting cross-legged on the bed like he has been there all along and─ Wait, cross-legged?

“You are a human too!”

A snort comes to existence soon after the witch lets his eyes widen for a second. “Was I not before?”

No?

Nene contemplates arguing about that for a moment but thinks better of it and silences her growing bewilderment. This is not the first time she sees him. Perhaps the state of panic she’s been under before lunch time has clouded her sight. Besides, this is the sea witch. Nothing is normal about the sea witch. Taking the form of a human shouldn’t be shocking.

The bed slightly stirs again. Hanako is now lying on his stomach close to the princess as both of his hands cradle his cheeks. “How are things going with your human prince?”

If it’s someone else asking, like Aoi for example, Nene would have answered. However, something at the back of her mind whispers to her that Hanako is already aware of everything going on. If that smirk painted on his face were to speak, it would only prove her point.

“Apart from the fact that I was about to become food, not bad?”

“Food?”

Nene looks over the confused boy. “If I didn’t shut those humans out back then, they would have seen me turn into a mermaid, and then… then…”

“Then?”

The princess does not have it in her to say it so she stares at the witch. Oh he knows what she means. He is the one who’s warned her about humans and how they eat─

A laugh cuts her line of thoughts. “Princess, did you really believe that?”

Oh carb… Red tints her cheeks and she immediately breaks the eye contact. Oh carb, why did she even believe the witch to begin with?

Nene does not remember agreeing to the witch tagging along, which arouses a question in her head and she lets it out, hoping a change of subject would give her enough time to shake the embarrassment away. “Why are you here anyway?”

“To support you of course.”

Her brows furrow then, but she does not get the chance to think of a reply because Hanako continues. “Though you don’t seem like you need any kind of support, I see. You didn’t need me back in the bathroom after all.” Hanako grasps the teal ends of her hair with his left hand. He twists the strands around his fingers. A fond smile decorates his face, looking at nothing in particular.

For some reason, Nene doesn’t find herself irritated by the touch. She does not even twitch when her eyes capture the movement of his hand at first. The witch likes to tease the princess. He communicates with touches and prefers his emotions to take form instead of being handled by words.

Why is it that a wall of some sort stands in-between the two of them now, making it difficult for the boy to state his thoughts freely though? Like Nene has suddenly escaped the bubble he wants her to stay inside longer. Is this all an assumption from Nene’s side built upon an unstable base? Either way, the princess does have one thing Hanako must know. Therefore, her mind speaks up.

“I am happy you are here.”

Those teal strands slip off his fingers when that thought registers itself inside his brain. The princess isn’t looking at him, but he doesn’t take his eyes off the girl as he reads more of her thoughts.

“Prince Teru is kind to me. His brother, the maids, and everyone I met so far are too.” Nene lowers her head, looking at her feet again. “All of them make up such a beautiful picture. One I don’t see myself a part of.” She lets out a soundless chuckle and squeezes her interlocked hands resting in her lap. She doesn’t mean to act depressed or show any signs of regret over her decision. She still wishes to be free. If becoming a human is the only way to achieve that then so be it. The ghost of uncertainty still lingers near though. The key to defeating it is somewhere to be found but she has lost her way towards it.

She locks eyes with Hanako, who she finds staring at her. What resembles anticipation shines in those brown eyes. “Your presence reminds me that I have a place to go back to if this plan fails.” Her brain catches up with what her heart is guiding her to say, so she pauses. Nene bites her lower lip.

Oh Poseidon, did I really just say that?

She is happy he is here, though. That much is true. So she doesn’t take anything back.

A shadow casts over her figure then, and when she tilts her head to the side, she finds Hanako standing in front of her. Only a couple of inches separate the two. Oh, when did he change position?

Hanako binds over until his breath tickles her face. Her heart skips a beat. The embarrassment attacks again, though for a different reason this time. Being this close to the boy stirs that foreign emotion from before. Nene is no longer in control of the swarms of butterflies in her stomach.  

When his nose bumps hers, a smirk tugs the corner of Hanako’s lips. “You’re welcome.”

Chapter Text

Yearning to see home and feeling sentimental about it after not being part of it anymore is normal. Nostalgia infects the mind in a matter of seconds. It redirects the flow of thoughts towards one point: home.

Is it possible to feel the same if that home is also a prison though?

The girl heaves a sign, while her shoulders hunch downwards. One hand escapes from her lap and its fingers dive into the sand. Her other hand soon follows suit, shuffling around aimlessly.

If being here of all places does not answer that, then what does?

She is a human now, temporarily, but still, and yet.

The sun, wishing to greet the sky again, rises from the other side of the world and paints the blues with gold. Under the sea, merfolk don’t consider such a scene important, let alone fascinating. The surface is where they shouldn’t go because humans live there and humans are dangerous.

Are they?

Nene pulls her legs until they hug her stomach and then wraps her arms around her knees. The waves answer her inner voice. They rise only to collapse on the yellow image painted by the sun. The image fritters for a second, but the sun brushes over the water again with threads of light. Another wave attacks the surface, and the iris of fire redraws.

As a princess, Nene has never got the chance to interact with the inhabitants of the kingdom. Even on days when she manages to sneak out. The chances are endless, yet something pulls her away every time she attempts to talk with any of them. Whenever she asks herself why, the red scales falling off her tail come to existence, and she accepts them as an answer.

Blaming the curse has become a habit.

She fails to sing along the mermaid in the square of the kingdom who welcomes her kindly. It is the curse.

She finds it impossible to join a group of merfolk chatting about their day. It is the curse.

She paddles away once a mer wishes to speak to her. It is the curse.

The curse.

The curse.

The curse.

Her interlocked fingers turn white upon the thought. A bigger wave disperses the hues of pure light again.

Staying away from the kingdom might trigger something inside of her. Longing for the place you have been trying to be part of your entire life might help, right?

Not really.

If anything, the rift separating Nene from her home is only increasing in size and she cannot imagine herself part of the human world either. It is why she is stuck on the road in-between.

Is it still the curse?

Is finding true love the real answer to freedom? What comes after that is found then? Is she going to live happily ever after with the prince in a world big enough to embrace everyone but her?

If Nene has her voice, a chuckle would have joined the sound of the waves.

"Oh."

Startled by the familiar voice, Nene looks to the side. Standing a good distance away is none other than the prince she admires. It comes to Nene that this is around the time he walks around the shore. The princess doesn't sneak out too much, mostly once every while and only when the servants are asleep. One benefit of being a cursed princess is solitary. The servants check up on her rarely, and those visits have become less after assigning Aoi as her right-hand. They believe the princess’s wish to go outside is nothing but talk, especially after getting close to death that one time when she was younger. Meeting the prince was never supposed to happen if Aoi did not urge her to sneak out with her to see the surface.

"You are up early." His steps whisper to her ears. The sound is far away, but is coming closer with each crunch his feet make. Nene pulls herself up and faces the approaching boy clad in two pieces of white. The girl isn't familiar with what humans wear, but she has seen him in similar clothes whenever he runs around the whole beach. It is not his usual attire, but what he dresses in for walks.

Silence reminds Nene of the present. The distance between the two is barely visible now. Her lips part like a goldfish to reply, but she shuts them after only a second. “I couldn’t sleep.” She calls in her mind, then remembers this is not Hanako. Her thoughts go unheard. Nene offers a smile instead, which is immediately reflected on the boy.

Teru faces the ocean, and enjoys the battle between the sun and those excited waves. "Nothing beats waking up for a walk this early in the morning." He shoves both hands in his pockets and lets out a chuckle. "Kou thinks it's nothing special, but I disagree." He turns his attention back to Nene and catches her off-guard. "Don't you think so too?"

Well, Nene cares less about the ocean and more about his beautiful features. The prince is only an arm length away. Her inner self complains then, pulling Nene’s gaze towards the ground. Towards those weird legs, and she doesn’t take her eyes off them for the next few seconds. If Teru finds her reaction odd, he doesn’t show it. Instead, he turns his head back to the scenery ahead.

You are different. Her inner self reminds. You are not a human nor are you part of his world. It hisses at the girl, whose grips turn white. Her inner self takes form of a shadowy silhouette after obtaining enough from the girl’s bowl of insecurities, and Nene trembles in its presence. How dare you, it starts, think it is possible to win his love when, it closes on Nene as she lowers her head and cradles it with shaky hands, you don’t even love me?

Nene wants to lull her inner self and digest its anxiety. In return, she will earn peace. Yet she bends even further and covers her ears once the accusations grow harsher.

You don’t belong anywhere.

A sudden surge of terror swoops in, to which her eyes widen and she finds herself pleading. Don’t say it. Please.

You are cursed!

Nene shuts her eyes and repeats that sentence to herself. She doesn’t accept it, though she welcomes it. It is the truth after all.

Teru lets out an Oh of realization and she finally looks up. Right, she’s not alone.

“I told the maids about the festival this evening so they will prepare a suitable outfit for you to wear.” The few inches between their feet shatter when he steps closer to Nene, whose shoulders flinch.

“You seem..” blue eyes capture magenta and the words pause in his throat. Lost... and disconnected. His head deems these words unnecessary so he swallows them and a small smile appears on his face. “This festival will surely be refreshing for you.” Hesitantly, Nene smiles back but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She is thankful for the distraction at least.

Teru talks about the fun activities the festival offers and how it is a way for strangers to meet and befriend one another. It is similar to how merfolk spend their days. Most of the times, there are small gatherings in the square of the kingdom. Mermen and mermaids alike meet up in one place to sing and dance. Nene always wishes to join them every time she visits the square, but fails to break the distance. What if they see my tail? What if they find out I am different? Such thoughts invade her mind when she attempts to get closer to them.

She is a human now though. Sure, her legs are a bit weird, and yes, she doesn’t have a voice, but Nene has a bigger chance than before, one she will not waste. Freedom is not her only goal because finding that also leads to self-satisfaction.

Something irritates her neck and she flinches.

“Oh, sorry.” Teru’s voice comes as a response to her reaction.

The boy drops the item he’s been holding and it falls back to Nene’s chest. He chuckles then. “Your necklace is quite lovely. I noticed it before and thought it was unique so I wanted to take a closer look.”

The girl’s hand holds the necklace, raising it for a better view, as if this is the first time she sees it. “Is it inherited?”

Nene has had this necklace for as long as she can remember. Never has its origins crossed her mind. One does not question why they have eyes or hands for instance. That’s just how neutral Nene is regarding her necklace.

With Teru’s question, the door to curiosity is slightly ajar, and Nene finds herself inching closer to peek.

The girl cradles the ruby colored shell-like ornament in her hands. Is there a reason behind her possession? Does it really have any importance? Who gave it to her? One question drags the other. Eventually, the questions blend in together to form a mini tornado and it surrounds the blonde girl.

Nene’s life has revolved around the curse and nothing else. Not a single day would pass without her wondering about it. It’s like you are given a picture of someone and you constantly ask about the artist, instead of the identity of that person. In actuality, both are of equal importance.

This whole time, the princess craved for more information about the curse, when she should have also looked into the past. Nene is the sole princess of the kingdom as of now. What about the royal family though? Why is it that none of the servants have ever brought up the subject? No, why is it that this has never crossed Nene’s mind?

It is the curse.

“Are you okay?”

Something caresses her back the moment those words escape Teru’s mouth. The gentle movement has been almost nonexistence. Nene brushes it off at first. It is probably a whiff of the wind attacking her for no reason. One persistent part of her heart disagrees. She turns her attention away from Teru to the farthest spot of the beach, where a clutter of trees and bushes rest. Nene squints, not even sure what (or who?) she is looking for. Teru repeats his question, but without actually saying it. The boy only touches Nene’s shoulder and she meets his eyes again.

“You should go back. I doubt you ate breakfast.” His smile finds its way to her heart, kicking out the sudden intensity trying to claim her body as a permanent home.  

Teru steps back after he receives a nod from the girl, reminds her to eat then rest until they meet up again for the festival, and walks away to begin his morning routine.

The princess raises a hand to where her heart resides, clutching the soft fabric of her nightgown. An image of a certain boy who lacks the principles of personal space flashes through her mind and for some mysterious reason her heart skips a beat. She tightens her grip then and her eyes widen.

If Nene has learnt anything, it is that being around everyone doesn’t stir her heart this way. Not even Teru.

The witch though? Hanako’s presence makes her uncomfortable, but not in a bad way. The boy enters her heart like it’s his home. He shatters the peace with ease and causes all sorts of emotions to run wild until nothing makes sense anymore. He doesn’t leave after turning that place upside down. No, he dives even deeper. Once he is in the depths, where he’s sure not a single soul will kick him out, he finally settles down.

The sparks assaulting Nene whenever her eyes picture Hanako are nonexistence if she’s with someone else. Just what does this mean? She blurts in her head.

Nene hides the chaotic pile of thoughts with a blanket of apathy. This does not matter now. The prince does. Her freedom does.

With that in mind, the princess finally walks away from the shore.

Chapter Text

Nene remembers going back to her room. She remembers eating breakfast with Teru’s younger brother. She remembers meeting Kou’s friend, afterwards, and enjoying the bickering between the two boys. She remembers the maids helping her dress for the festival, and Teru coming to escort her like the kind prince he is. The two of them arrive at their destination, and the princess remembers the ecstatic feeling pulsing through her body when she sees the place. The people, the music, the colors. She remembers Teru’s laugh bouncing around because she’s gaped like a fish out of water.

However, Nene does not remember doing anything that’s worth… whatever the kelp is happening right now.

Multiple gasps echo at the same time. Her heartbeat accelerates like a mad engine, indicating the start of her race towards something she doesn’t name. The girl’s gut tells her it’s nothing good, and doesn’t explain why. Nene has to accept it just like that.

Similar to a helpless child lost in the crowd, Nene looks for someone, anyone, who would gladly explain the situation. It’s like your mind is going somewhere else while someone is speaking to you and the moment they ask a question it hits the brakes too fast, putting you on the spotlight. Two- no, so many figures loam over the blonde girl. Her gaze goes upwards, instead of forward. When did she fall? No, wait, she fell?

Murmurs whisper to her, not quite answering those questions. Hungry eyes roam over her face and body. She’s naked and powerless, or so her heart thinks. Nene’s gaze falls immediately. The looks she is getting are far too much and they make her nauseous. Funny, mermaids shouldn’t feel this way.

No! You’re not a mermaid anymore! Her brain reminds, and the poor cells try their best to control the situation after its outbreak. They guide Nene to rise her arms. For what, who knows? Maybe one touch from them would give her back those ugly legs she hates. The action only worsens the state Nene is falling under though. If only those cells foresee the future.

Red scales taint random spots on her arms. One scale peels off, and falls. Another does. And another. And another. They don’t stop. Their downfall aggravates her senses. Why do they descend like leaves? Maybe they shouldn’t fall faster. Fast is not good. If things go fast, Nene will fall behind.

Or is she already behind?

“Make way!”

A figure emerges from the cluster of people surrounding Nene. The girl swears one of the audience has been a couple inches away from poking her tail.

Blond hair shines under the colorful strings of light decorating the area. It is the prince. Thank Poseidon someone she knows. If Nene asks, Teru would explain the situation then whisks her back to his castle. The latter is preferable to occur first actually.

Except she does not, because the way Teru’s eyes widen just like those bystanders screams at her no. The one person, the only person, Nene relies on is standing far enough from reach, but before she attempts anything to urge the boy to come closer, a voice calls.

You are different.

She stupidly lends it her attention. The current moment is far more important than listening to the dark side of her soul yet she gives up before even trying to fight it back.

You are not like them.

No, I am not, but I am trying to be one!

Nene protests before the voice continues with its list. That does not change anything. The voice just shouts back, jumping straight to the cruelest accusation of all.

You are cursed!

Oh.

The girl breaks the eye contact between her and Teru, looking towards her two-toned tail. She does not remember why she’s sitting in a puddle of water. She does not even recall being separated from Teru.

The red scales keep falling. They don’t care about Nene’s sudden outburst of emotions. They don’t care about the tears pricking the edge of her eyes. They don’t care about the fact that she’s been exposed.

Instead, they exist to haunt the princess. Every fall adds to the crack in her heart. They just fall. And fall. And fall. Nene does nothing but mourn that heart before its breakdown.

Something pokes her shoulder, startling Nene, and shattering her control over the volcano of emotions. They don’t come out. Yet. They just hang on the tip, ready to slide down her eyes at the right sign.

“Are you okay?”

Nene immediately scolds her mind. Surely that must be some kind of hallucination on its part. The cells inside her brain retort, for how could her brain do that when it’s suffering from an outbreak? Blame the heart!

“Hey, it is okay.”

Okay? Nene looks back to the red pile on either side of her body. To her visible tail. Humans don’t have scales growing over their skin like an unknown disease. Humans don’t have a tail.

They have legs instead. Pretty legs.

“Look at me.”

Her head shots up at the command, as if the caller pulls it manually. Teru is crouched in front of her and he smiles when their eyes lock. Smiles. It lights fire throughout Nene’s veins, and they spread too fast for her nerves to understand that her body is actually getting warmer. Her fin flickers, and so do her eyes. The scenery around them fades into nothingness. The shocked murmurs tone done until they dissolve like foam. The audience’s faces blur and Nene doesn’t differentiate one from another anymore because they all look the same.

It is only Nene, her broken tail, and the prince.

“It is okay.”

Her magenta eyes look around, capturing hazy silhouettes with open mouths.

“It is okay.”

The boy grips her hand harder but it doesn’t hurt. Uncertainty threatens to set the hysteria sirens on. A part of her wants to be hopeful, another refuses to follow the light. The voice of her inner self speaks to her. It tells Nene nothing is okay. Nothing will ever be okay.

You are exposed now.

“It is okay.”

Nene doesn’t muster enough courage to deny. Denial is the right answer, because there is no way in fish’s kelp it is okay. A handful of humans have seen her. They have seen her true form. Teru has seen her true form. No, it is not okay.

So why is it that Teru keeps repeating that as he guides her towards his chest? Why is it that his hands are soothing her back in a circular movement? That won’t change her back. It won’t send those humans away. Nene sure wants the ocean to send one of its biggest waves to force her back where she belongs because apparently her prince isn’t planning on doing that.

Take me away.

Something distant echoes at the thought, “Who are you demanding this from?”

Teru. Her brain retorts sarcastically. Who else is there anyway?

Please, ask them not to look at me.

Teru is blocking her vision, but the stares don’t melt away. They are still lingering around, itching to reach out and prod her everywhere until they satisfy their curiosity, like they have never touched a sea creature before.

And the blond boy chooses that exact moment to pull Nene away from her temporary hideout.

Except it is not Teru.

“It is okay, Princess. You are still okay.”

Everything around Nene suddenly starts spinning. Or is it her vision that’s messing up her surroundings? She breathes like there is a big hole in the centre of both of her lungs. The oxygen keeps leaking from it so she gulps even more to cover up for the loss instead of fixing the hole. Bubbles of serenity pop out whenever they touch her heart. Nene forms fists to squeeze the panic out like lemon juice. The hand holding hers squeezes back. The girl looks to her left. Whoever is besides her is unrecognizable. Just a black figure. What is wrong with me for cod’s sake? She squints, praying her brain would power up enough to clear the image. It does, albeit slow, but the outcome counts.

Brown eyes meet hers at that moment.

Hanako. Nene breathes out like the world is on slow motion.

“Finally. You are awake.”

Nene frowns, not at the smirk tugging the tip of his mouth. She glances away and what meets her is the white ceiling and the beautiful chandelier shining in the middle. She relaxes the grip of her unoccupied hand, and spreads her fingers to let the soft sheets of the bed stroke them. Nene tries to wiggle her tail, except she can’t because it is not there. It is nonexistence.

Her body darts up like someone has lit flames under her back.

Her legs. Her weird looking legs. They are back.

The room is empty, save for Hanako. Wriggling her head for the information to come out does nothing. Okay, baby steps. Nene stands up. At first, she doesn’t trust her legs to hold her weight. Nothing is moving like jelly anymore, but her legs sure are. So Nene gives them a minute. Maybe they need to heat up or something. Humans are weird. Why do they have legs?

She steps forward once. She doesn’t fall. The princess takes another step. And another. Level one: complete. She doesn’t even need her hands for balance.

Hanako follows her movement with his eyes until Nene is standing in front of the mirror in the farthest corner of the room. Her reflection tells him the girl is working on a complicated puzzle in her brain. Nene twists her body to the side to scan her exposed arms. The white short dress she wears flutters along with the movement. She repeats the process, twirling to the other side and examining her other arm in the mirror. The object presents the truth. Not her magenta eyes that match the color of those cursed scales. Nene just wants to make sure not a single one exists on a spot of her skin that is hidden from the eye.

Finally, the girl walks back to the bed and sits next to Hanako, who is lying on his stomach with both hands cupping his cheeks. Both sides of his lips tug upwards creating a smile. At least someone is comfortable.

The witch thanks Nene secretly for the earlier show. Nene is no mind reader like himself, so silence doesn’t have to give its crown away just yet. His hand sneaks to the girl and snatches strands of her hair. They swirl around his fingers. Silence continues to enjoy its new position as king.

However, that only lasts until certain words are finally set free.

“A dream.”

Silence hands down its crown, a bit upset words that state nothing but the obvious steal it that easily. 

She remembers now. After helping her with the dress, the maids inform Nene that Teru will be a bit late because an urgent matter has occurred. Being a mismatched puzzle piece that doesn’t fit anywhere, she decides shutting her eyes for a bit won’t hurt. She hasn’t slept enough last night anyway. Nene would certainly like to be 100% awake and energized when Teru comes back.

Ironically, and instead of regaining energy, her brain decides to put her through a nightmare. Terrific indeed.

“Did humans feast on you in that dream?”

Nene looks sideways. Her mind casually goes Oh, the witch is here like it’s the norm. And he is playing with your hair. It emphasizes, but Nene pays it no mind. Nightmares feed on you alive and then throw what’s left of you aside. If there is anything left to name of course.

Hanako’s hums at her, and only that reminds Nene he has asked a question. The princess shakes her head no. She doesn’t comment nor contemplate on whether he is being serious or trying to taunt her. In the witch’s case, it can be both.

“Did the prince reject your love?”

 Another headshake.

“Did I skin your tail?”

Nene drags both of her brows upwards. Hanako snickers. He guides the hand playing with the princess’s strands of hair back to cradle his cheek, but doesn’t let them fall.

“Well, whatever that dream is, forget about it.”

Forget about it? Forget about being exposed to a bunch of hungry predators? Forget about Teru finding out she is not of his world? Flush the emotions of her terrified heart during that moment down the drain like they mean nothing? Nene gapes at the witch. She makes a fist and her fingers dig deeper in her palm.

“No, Princess,” The words pause in her mind. Words that are itching to connect with one another and show how much that one short dream has affected her. “I am not saying your emotions are disposable.”

Hanako glances sideways, “Your emotions are real, but the dream itself isn’t. What happens in dreamland should stay in dreamland. If it’s good, let it embrace your heart, and if it isn’t, leave it behind.”

The next thing she knows, two hands cup her cheeks and draw her head a bit higher. Nene doesn’t process that Hanako has stood in front of her and shoved himself right in her face in the blink of an eye until his forehead gently touches hers. She holds in her breath. This is not the first time Hanako shakes the distance between them. He is always close, too close it is impossible to breathe. One corner of his mouth twitches upwards. It is not the usual sinister smirk though. This smirk actually erases the pile of words strewn inside her head.

In what way exactly should she describe the look Hanako is giving her right now? Like a mother admiring her newborn? Like a father too proud of his eldest son for achieving one of his greatest goals? Like a lover crying happy tears after being reunited with his lost love?

Yes. No. Maybe?

The point is, that stare challenges the warm sunlight, taking its role away. It hugs Nene with invisible arms and binds her soul and Hanako's together.

“What’s your goal, Prin-cess?”

Nene misses the way Hanako calls her teasingly. She blinks, pupils growing in size upon the thought. Her mind distracts her to answer the witch’s question, and she does, except the words aren’t ready to take form yet. The outcome? Just imagine someone sleep talking and slurring over every syllable.

“B-Breaking t-the cur-rse?”

Oh cod that is pathetic. Fresh stupidness coming right up.

The smirk infects those brown eyes and they shrink happily. “And how do you break the curse?”

His hands fall off her face. Just when her body is about to welcome the peace it has missed for a good two minutes or so thanks to Hanako’s unawareness of personal bubbles, he puts his forefinger and thumb on each side of her mouth and brings them closer. That doesn’t suck the air out of her lungs. No. What does that is Hanako drawing his face near hers. Nice, at least her body is immobile, because one wrong move, one tiny wrong move, specifically forward, and…

“You kiss the boy.”

That’s it. This boy needs lessons. First being “The principles of personal space.”

But first.

Nene raises both hands and pushes the witch away. A giggle announces itself, rolling about the room. The princess caresses her cheeks. Oh if she looks in the mirror she’ll just shock herself. Better not.

“You’re pretty fun, Prin-cess. The prince should be than─” Hanako cuts himself, upsetting his desires in the process, for they have been too close to see the light. This is not about him.

Emotions tucked under the blanket of ease, Nene stares at the witch. She is intrigued by the way Hanako pauses in his speech and looks away. Her heart opens the door to déjà vu. It sends her back to the beginning, on her first day as a human. It plays the scene in which Hanako has looked distant. Almost lonely. That heart of her suddenly skips a beat. It’s trying to communicate with its owner. It’s as if both Nene and her heart are separate entities. They find themselves somewhere dark. The first one to find the light towards the exit is her heart. Instead of tugging Nene along, it goes ahead, leaving the girl behind. It badly wants Nene to be with it, but not without her finding the light herself.

“─day, Prin-cess.”

Nene is brought back from the dungeon of thoughts when her ears catch only the ends of whatever Hanako has said. “What?”

Hanako hides his arms behind his back. “It is your second day.” When Nene tilts her head, the boy explains. “As a human. Princess, make sure it counts. You need to get your true love kiss before the sunset tomorrow.”

“What if…” A pause. Nene doesn’t need to continue though because Hanako catches what she wants to ask.

“My magic will wear off by then.”

Oh. It means no freedom. For a mermaid whose ultimate wish is to be free, just thinking of failure gives birth to a gloom cloud. That cloud should be present at this point, bathing Nene from head to toe.

Why isn’t the cloud there though?

Nene makes a fist. That doesn’t matter. The curse matters. Teru matters. She mutters to herself.

“Hanako.”

The boy hums at her.

“I have been meaning to ask.”

There is a crease of amusement at the corner of Hanako’s lips. Has her mind accidentally let the words out without her consent?

“Why are you wearing… that?”  She points at the two black pieces of clothes Hanako is wearing. “What is that?” Humans are weird. They have to wear so many layers and pieces of garment.

The boy just holds the hem of his jacket. His lips slightly part to explain, but he shuts them as he thinks of a better answer.

The next second, Nene faces nothing. It is only a second, before two slender arms crawl over her shoulders and interlock right over her chest. A whiff of air passes by her ears when Hanako murmurs. “Do you like what you’re seeing, Prin-cess?”

This doesn’t matter. The curse matters. Teru matters.

The witch doesn’t matter, right?

Chapter Text

The scenery congests people’s bodies with excitement. It derives chatter and laughs off their throats and they orbit in all directions. They weave a blanket of peace big enough for everyone to hide under. Amidst the crowd, fear strings wrap around a figure. They leave marks over her fair skin. Magenta eyes match the size of an egg. Either Nene's nightmare has fused itself with reality or good luck despises her.

Something steals her attention when it touches her shoulder.

"Is something wrong?" Concern reflects on the speaker’s narrowed blue eyes. "If you're not feeling well, we can go back." The boy’s lips form a smile.

Nene blinks. Her head moves like a fast pendulum. The reassurance of her smile nestles over Teru's shoulders.

This is her second day as a human. Aka, her final chance to win the prince's heart. She shouldn't count tomorrow because it's only until sunset and then back to the sea she goes, carrying bags of defeat and failure she will not unpack. Nene shifts in position, facing the entrance of the festival. Her mind mothers her heart. It feeds it with encouragement; It's going to be okay, you are a human now, and Teru is by your side.

"Maybe she's overwhelmed by the cliché decoration people still use." The speaker's face crinkles as if in pain. "I truly relate."

The boy standing next to him snakes one arm around his shoulders. He connects their hips. "You still enjoy the festival Mitsuba, or else you wouldn't come here with us every year."

Mitsuba pushes the blond boy away. "You mean be forced to come here every year. I never said I like this stupid fishy festival."

"Fine.” Kou grabs Mitsuba by the wrist, “Then you like our company." He drags him to where two high pillars of concrete lie on either side of the dirt road leading inside. "We’ll go ahead before this baby runs away. You two have fun!"

Mitsuba attempts to draw his hand back but Kou strengthens his grasp. The toothy smile sticks to his face as they march forward. Not even a “Let go you blond ball of idiocy!” stops Kou from pulling Mitsuba along. Nene stares at the back and forth bickering that takes place past the entrance after Mitsuba succeeds to separate himself from Kou.

A fuzzy shape shrouds the corner of her eyes and suddenly seizes her awareness.

"Well, shall we go too?" Reassurance conceals Teru’s suggestion. Nene shoves her wish of fleeing to the back of her mind and takes his hand.

The fish hung by the mouth on either side of the two pillars flutter with the cool breeze. They glower at the approaching couple. Guilt creeps on the girl's heart. Will her prayers sooth the victim's floating spirits? At least they’ve died beautiful.

"It’s not a festival without the carp-streamers." Her eyebrows squish together. The statement wheels Nene’s rounded eyes away. Well, it explains why the fish shimmer with colors.

"Everything we use to decorate the whole place is fish themed."

A fish themed festival. Nothing is better than to spend time with your crush surrounded by fake fish.

The pair make their way through the crowd. They walk at a slow pace, which gives Nene a chance to look over the various stalls on either side of the road. Loud voices bounce around, mixed with laughter to create a perfect image of happiness. People of different ages pass by. Children race to try games unknown to Nene, while others shop for items. There are stalls which sell food too. The princess’s head tumbles in a mini waterspout before she checks anything in person.

Teru halts, and Nene stops herself from colliding with the boy's back at the last second. She follows Teru’s sight to his right, where a tube-like object lies. It’s a bit longer and thinner than the bathtub in the castle.

"Would you like to try that game?"

A bathtub means water, and the witch forbids it. Nene wants to shake her head and tugs the prince away, but her magenta eyes fall on a couple crouching by the end of the bathtub. Her legs dash towards the stall. Once the distance shrinks to nothing, horror creeps over her body.

One of the couple, the girl, has a goldfish inside a plastic bag. She giggles as proud looms to praise her catch. Her partner rubs her back with a cheeky smile planted on his lips. Nene outstretches an arm like she's within reach to stop them from walking away. “That’s not going to fill you two anyway!”

"Would you like to try, miss?" The human who sits on a plastic chair behind the tube startles Nene. He extends a round plastic frame with a handgrip. Her eyes stare at the swarm of goldfish inside the tube. None of them is aware of what fate holds in store.

"Yes, please." Teru says. He exchanges the tool for a coin. When he crouches, the blond urges the girl to do the same.

"Use this frame to catch a goldfish, but be careful; otherwise the paper on it will tear. It’s fragile.” Teru hands her the frame.

“You can catch as many as you want so long it doesn’t break!” The man cheers.

Nene’s eyes grow three sizes. How many goldfish have the humans eaten so far? Her breath hitches. Goosebumps abuse her skin. Those fish belong to the sea.

Determination fuels her limbs. Nene takes the frame from Teru. She isn’t an expert at catching fish. Merfolk don’t fish. However, she wishes to save as many of these goldfish as possible. The girl would have asked them not to struggle if they could read her thoughts. While one hand grabs the edge of the tube, the other inches closer to the surface of water.

“I’d worry about saving myself if I were you, Princess.”

Her hand halts just an inch above the surface when a voice barges in her head. A voice too familiar she would never mistake it for anyone else.

His warning bowls over Nene’s face. “Don’t you see these poor fish?! What’s the point of being a princess if I don’t save them?” Her fingers crush the handgrip.

Hanako stuffs her mind with a giggle. It results in a chill to seep into her spine. “Well, if you insist on joining them, I won’t stop you.”

Nene’s expression pinches. Her lips form an ‘O’ and suddenly, the princess springs up. The forgotten frame falls and disturbs the water surface. Water counterattacks with soaring drops but Nene whisks herself to avoid them. Her knees buckle from the movement so Teru bolts upright to still the girl. He asks if something’s wrong, but it goes in one ear and out the other as Nene reprimands herself. An image of crimson scales descending one after the other ambushes her senses.  Anxiety extracts sounds from everything around to torment the girl with a song.

“Relax Princess. You’ll be fine.”

The witch’s words diminish her worry. They guide the stolen sounds back. Teru tugs Nene's hand. She bites her lower lip. None of the goldfish pokes their heads out to carp at the princess for being useless. She delivers an apology anyway and lets Teru lead her away. The boy apologies to the vendor before leaving.

The food stall Teru stops by along the way unnerves Nene. Uneasiness jabs the pit of her stomach. Her heart plummets to the depths when Teru orders for them. The person behind the stall grabs two pieces of fish. He wraps each with white paper and hands them to the pair. The fish represents a red seabream except it is brown. It gawks at her. Nene's brain growls. It's not real fish. It shouldn't distress you.

Hanako’s snort rattles her thoughts like a shark attacking a swarm of sardines. Her figure flinches. Is the witch living inside her head now? “Princess, you won’t get cursed for eating that. Just look at your prince.”

Teru has already taken a bite of his piece. A brown substance fills it. The prince regards the girl’s untouched food. An encouraging smile brushes over his face. “Try it. It’s sweet.”

Albeit slow, Nene heaves the food closer to her mouth and nibbles a bite. The outer layer crunches under her teeth. Nene takes another bite once she gulps down the first. The sugary flavor washes over her taste buds. Her lips part the same way her eyes enlarge. Teru's smile doesn't ebb away as he nods when their looks find each other again. His chuckle snuggles its way to her heart. “Glad you like it.” He says, and the girl munches on her meal. He orders more sweet fish before they continue their stroll.

They follow a path, which ends in an area with a circular object in the middle. The place branches into three paths. Teru moves towards the circular object. It is an identical version of a bathtub, except bigger.

A mermaid statue resides in the centre. Wavy hair arches itself around her lean figure. Its ends flop on the rock she sits on. Her slim hand hovers while the other's fingers loosely rest in her lap. Her weightless gaze wafts to the sky.

“This is the Mermaid Princess.”

Nene snaps her head to the side she almost hurts her neck. Skin tingles from the adrenaline spike.

“They say the Mermaid Princess rules a kingdom under the sea. The details regarding the nature of that princess vary though.”

The boy sits on the edge of the big bathtub. Small statues of opened shells surround the mermaid and splatter thin lines of water around.

“Some say the Princess helps whoever gets lost and returns them back to land. Others say she hypnotizes humans to curse them into becoming one of her servants.”

Humans choose a being they know little about as an epitome to conduct an event and celebrate its existence. A figure half of them believe evil ignites her soul. Observant stare settles on the still statue again. Humans are weird.

A chuckle pierces through the silence, which cloaks the area. A melody, Teru’s words serve as its lyrics. “A Mermaid Princess,” He casts his sight toward the statue, “I'd like to believe in her goodness, if she's real.”

Said princess worries her lower lip. How would Teru react if Nene reveals her true nature? Would it change anything if they come from different races anyway? Curiosity is but a key to open Pandora box, in which more questions pop out and strangle the girl. Strife clogs her heart with what-ifs. She fidgets and clasps her hands together. Those legs make her uncomfortable. Unwanted and different. The first layer of her disguise as a human flakes and she lacks the power to mend it.

Something presses itself on her back. A sense of security washes over her stiff body. When she takes a glimpse behind, nothing meets her magenta eyes. Her deathly grip loosens though.

"Let's check more stalls." Nene nods once. Her lips twitch but she manages to smile back at Teru.

One of the games they come across requires using a weapon to shoot a line of bottles and win a prize. The prince takes a stance to aim. His shot strikes the first bottle and the rest topple like dominos. The vendor doesn't fret over the crease when it crosses his forehead. He points to the displayed items on four shelves, which lay next to the ones with the bottles. A child passing by the stall with his mother calls them ‘plushies’. Each one resembles a sea creature. Mermaids, goldfish, sharks, dolphins. Her magenta eyes fall on a certain plushie. It tugs the strings of her heart. Nene stares long enough the vendor makes the decision for her. He drags his body to grab the item and hand it over.

“It’s a cute octopus.” Teru’s statement shakes her core and the girl hides the doll behind crossed arms. Her brain repeats the word octopus even after Teru suggests they check other stalls nearby. She follows him blindly, mind still on pause. Her lower lip curves downwards. It strikes Nene that her disappointment for lack of tease over taking interest in the octopus plushie has no base to destroy. The girl builds a tower of excuses for the new resident of her brain anyway. Maybe he is busy. Maybe he doesn’t think it’s worth commenting on.

Maybe Nene misses his voice.

The princess clasps the octopus harder. Even with that thought burning in her head, she doesn't receive a comment.

They meet Kou and Mitsuba after trying two more games. The group takes a path leading away from flickered lights and people clamoring for attention. They reach the edges, where fences separate the area from the cliff looking over the ocean. Kou gushes over stalls he has come across with Mitsuba. A cringe upsets the latter's face when Kou dives into unnecessary details. Nene admires the smile that grazes Teru's lips. Their voices mix in with people standing on their right side. A cool breeze blasts the ocean's saltiness into the princess despite the distance. Her arms squash the octopus. Its soft fabric caresses her skin.

"The fireworks will start soon!" Kou says. He leans over the fence. The starry sky glints in his eyes.

"Nothing to thrill over." Mitsuba shifts from one foot to the other.

"Right.” Kou titters.

"To think the sun has already sat." Teru fixes Nene with one of his smiles.

The blonde-haired girl presses her new possession against her chest. Her fingers trail over its round head. She absorbs the spiritual strength attached to it. Time doesn’t wait for you to catch up, but drags you along. Nene’s train of fate speeds through life. Her mind ushers the girl to get off the next stop, where Teru awaits. However, a mist of doubt shrouds the train and she loses her way. Nene’s heart doesn’t skip a beat out of fear though. Missing the next stop doesn’t conceal her with worry. Maybe another stop exists for her to explore.

“Princess.”

Nene’s stomach twists. A sigh hurls out of her throat and suddenly, she mutters a relieved finally before answering the voice inside her head.

“Come closer to the cluster of bushes to your left.”

The boys engage themselves in a conversation. It gives Nene an opening to sneak away.

“Go through them.” Hanako says. Nene peers over her shoulders and catches Teru’s back. The other two hide from her view. She gulps down a lump in her throat and weaves her way through the bushes. Branches sweep across her legs. She wiggles her body and hopes none of them leaves marks on her skin. Hanako meets her on the other side.

She misses that smirk.

Pink strokes her cheeks upon the thought. She fiddles with her doll. The witch’s steps carry over. His presence closes in. It heats the air surrounding Nene.

He pats the octopus’s head once. She finally eyes Hanako, whose grin bestows on her. “Is that supposed to be me?”

Nene stiffens. She hesitates for two seconds. When Hanako’s grin changes into a smirk, a frown ambushes her forehead. “No!”

A chuckle dances in her ears. Hanako doesn’t back away, but erases the smirk off his face. “Princess, I have something I need to do.”

Nene tilts her head to the side. The seriousness of his tone shoos the remnants of awkwardness away.

The corners of his lips tug upwards again. “I won’t be able to communicate with you, though I am certain you don’t need my help.”

I don’t?

Two hands grasp her shoulders. “You have left quite the impression on Teru.”

I have?

The warmth fades away as Hanako’s hands fall back to his sides. He smiles. It doesn’t reach his eyes anymore.

Nene strains her brows. “Are you coming back tomorrow?”

No space exists between their faces, and suddenly, hot breath nuzzles her face. It’s difficult to make sense of Hanako’s expression, but the tone of his voice gives it away. “Aww, you want me to stay that bad, Prin-cess?”

Nene doesn’t wrestle away. Red splashes over her face. “Th-Th-That’s not‒” The stammer worsens until she gives up and flattens her lips.

Time turtles its way afterwards. Nene controls her desire to lock eyes with brown ones. The ground interests her more at this point. Her octopus supports her to keep herself together.

Her body jerks when it collides with something. Nene’s back tingles from light strokes. Two bodies jam the octopus. Its presence does nothing to separate them. Hanako rests his chin on Nene’s stiff shoulder. Opened palms rub Nene’s back and the touch pumps her with heat.

This is goodbye. The thought manipulates her soul.

“Don’t worry.”

His whisper should engulfs her with relief. But it doesn’t. It sets that manipulative thought on fire. Her soul is burning. Nene desires to create a space between them. Her heart hurts and she doesn’t have a cure because the source of that pain is indefinable. Instead, she buries her fingers in the doll.

“You will be fine.”

Nene balks at him. A frown nestles itself on her face. Confidence drips from the assumption. It bewilders the girl to no end, for why does the witch predicts an outcome without any evidence. Nene doesn’t deny the affection and care Teru grants her on a silver plate.

Love, however, is not part of it.

Hanako offers a squeeze before he scoots away. A cold whiff numbs her muscles. Even hugging the doll doesn’t replace the witch’s warmth.

Hanako’s lips part but no words are born. Thinking better of it, the boy’s lips twist to create a fake smile. It irks Nene to the core. His lower body fades. It blends in with the background in a slow motion. Magenta eyes widen as she takes a step forward. However, a rustle from behind steals her attention for a second.

“Oh. There you are.” Teru emerges from between the bushes.

Nene spins her head back to stare at nothingness. That second costs too much.

“Is something wrong?”

Yes.

Nene silences her head for good. Even when it tells her she should nod that yes, because Teru is not Hanako. She turns to trick the boy with a combination of a shake and a smile. It works, for he returns her fake smile with a genuine one.

Teru’s gaze falls on the octopus. It stays there long enough Nene fears her act hasn’t convinced him. If the change of his expression is any indication.

“You know, there is something I want to tell you.”

“You’ll be fine.” Hanako’s words stumble over her head. Her heart skips a beat when Teru grows quiet. His blue eyes search for an opening in hers.

The sky interrupts the silence when it explodes. Nene flinches. The octopus almost slips from her fingers. Colorful sparks illuminate the darkness above. Multiple tiny objects soar until it blasts and create more sparks. Nene dazes at the scenery, mouth agape. Cheers emit from the other side with every explosion.

Teru’s chuckle draws her attention back to the ground.

“I guess I’ll tell you later.” His hand rise to offer an open palm. “Let’s go watch the fireworks with the others.”

Nene looks away for a moment. The spot where Hanako has been remains empty. The emptiness grips her heart and it writhes in pain. Her heart scolds its owner for attempting nothing to stop the inevitable. For being silent when she should have released her hidden emotions.  

Nene takes Teru’s hand. The touch causes her heart to mutter.

You have fallen in love with the sea witch.

Chapter Text

Footsteps play a slow rhythm on the ceramic floor and the sound rules the hallway. The castle adopts silence before sunset as the maids busy themselves with preparations for dinner. Nene reaches a white door at the end of the hall. Her hand poises two inches away. Each heartthrob kills more specs of silence to pursue control over the lobby.

Two knocks stir the air.

“Come in.”

Nene grips the handle. She fills her lungs with one final gulp of oxygen before she enters. A cool breeze ruffles loose curtains and kisses her skin. Teru steps away from the window to straighten himself and smile at his visitor. “Good evening.” He blocks the orange sky from view.

His smile infects her lips and tugs the corners upwards.

“Yesterday was eventful. I hope you liked our festival.”

The girl nods. She likes the festival, minus the fish theme. A bit disturbing for a mermaid. Her mouth waters when she recalls the sweet fish from yesterday. Nene would have dived too deep in her daydream but the memory shies away as her eyes register Teru’s movement.

Teru stops within arm reach before Nene. Her foot twitches but she clutches the hem of her dress and holds her ground. Stay still, it’s fine.

“Sorry for calling you suddenly. I have something important to tell you.”

The fabric wrinkles under her grip. Better let the tension out in a different way than allow it to pinch her face, right?

“I wanted to tell you yesterday, but the timing wasn’t perfect.” Teru laughs.

Timing is perfect now. There is no one around. No witch to linger in her head or hover above her shoulders. Physically. Nene’s dream is about to come true. Her prince, the boy she likes will break the curse. Her happily ever after is within reach. Kou did say, and Nene quotes, Teru has something really really important to say and it will surely make you happy!

Hence why her heart is nursing more emotions than Nene can ever handle. And the thing is, none of them radiates clarity or resemblance to one she’s familiar with. But this feeling should be good, right? Her mind reminds of the endless possibilities a human has access to. Freedom is what the princess wants, and she has finally reached the end of the road. It is foolish to turn back. To go back where her prison is. For what reason even? Whatever reason her coward side comes up with, she will deem it invalid. Nene will handle this like a pro.

Blue eyes gaze at Nene. She busies herself with her fingers and twirls them around each other. When Teru’s chuckle pierces through silence, Nene quells the movement.

“I did not realize this would be hard to say until now.” He rubs the back of his head.

Pressure transfers itself to her feet and she shifts from one to another. She sucks in her lips. The blonde argues with herself, for it is impolite to admire the ground when someone wants to talk with her. She will handle this. Like a pro.

The sun continues to descend. It leaves splotches of oranges and reds around. The scenery pulls Nene's attention from the corner of her eyes. Time pushes forward. It doesn't wait for anyone to get ready.

An intake of breath catches Nene’s eyes again.

Teru’s expression sharpens. “This might be sudden, and too soon, considering you’ve been here with us for three days”

A smile cracks his serious mask, “Or well, two days and a half.”

Oh kelp why does her heart beat like it wants everyone’s attention?

“I think…” Teru must know her nerves are flaring. It explains the mini pause in his speech, and the way he studies her gestures.

It also gives Nene a chance to run away.

And she takes it.

Do pros run away when stress gets to them?

If Nene had a voice, she would have muttered a quick sorry before bolting out the door and leaving a stunned prince behind.

Nene trips three times on her way out. A maid, who comes out of one of the rooms on her way catches her fall and tries to help but Nene pushes herself to the limits and escapes before the poor woman attempts anything.

Half of the sun peeks from above the ocean when Nene’s finally outside. It will declare her failure soon. A broken tail will be the punishment.

She doesn’t care.

Nene follows the ocean’s calls. She reaches the wooden pier at the beach and climbs it. Her steps alerts silence with multiple taps. Magenta eyes daze at the shy sun. Two fists form as Nene looks behind. She will not wait for Teru to catch up and show disappointment.

I’m sorry. Her lips part. Magenta eyes shrink and her grip strengthens. I am sorry for using you.

Nene jumps off the pier.

Needles poke her legs under water. The sensation spreads in her body and she shuts her eyes as a reflex. When Nene opens them, a familiar two-toned tail glints in her eyes.

Nene surges to the depths without any pauses. Water gurgles and bubbles drift around while she swims. Her heart has been begging for attention and she wants to award it for its patience.

The familiar cave entrance flashes in the distance. A weird mix of excitement and nervousness pushes her fin to flit faster. Nene gushes through the narrow path. Her fin smacks the seaweed strewn along the way.

Emptiness awaits Nene inside. No witch to welcome her return. Nene paddles towards the rock in the centre. Frantic stares roll around the holes of the lair.

“Princess?!”

Nene whips her head behind. Her heart might as well burst out. Hanako wears shock on his eyes. No wonder, a certain princess should be with a certain prince, not here. His tentacles don’t push him forward though. He speaks but the words trip on their way out.

“W-What are you doi‒ Why are you here?”

Nene’s mind gives up. It draws a blank and refuses to lend any ideas. Her punishment for not listening to reason. Follow your heart, they say. She wants to try that now.

Nene clenches her hands.

“You shouldn’t be here.” Hanako says.

Nene paddles forward. Tail paints her trail with red.

“The sun hasn’t sat yet. Princess, you still have time.”

The princess lips part to answer, but her throat betrays her. The effect of Hanako’s spell won’t wear off until after sunset. It’s okay. Her heart assures. This is Hanako.

“I must get my true love kiss before sunset to break the curse.”

Nene breaks Hanako’s personal bubble.

Hanako’s tentacles flail around. His brows frown. “Yes, which is why you‒”

Softness shuts the witch. Everything spins as he digests the source. His eyes react and widen.

Nene breaks their connection. Her fin sweeps to prevent her body from descending along with her heart. The witch’s stare hits Nene with a train of what-ifs. Suddenly, awareness of the situation creeps over her.

What if he doesn’t feel the same? What if he gets mad and curses her instead? As far as Nene knows, rewinding time isn’t possible. Merfolk don’t possess magical powers like Hanako does. No, she doesn’t want to take this‒ this kiss back even if she has a second chance. She likes Hanako. Her heart approves with a quicken beat.

 “This.. This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

The words Hanako blurts out only enlarge the pressure she holds. Nene steps an inch away. Her inner self snorts. Its laugh echoes in the girl’s head. It deteriorates her vision and splits the image of the witch to uneven pieces. Hanako flails his arms and tentacles and suddenly inches closer. “No, Princess, you don’t understand…”

Her body stills as something holds her wrist. Nene doesn’t shake his hand away. Magenta eyes lock with concerned brown ones. Hanako’s lips part to answer, but something pierces her tail at that moment. It shifts her attention downwards. Crimson scales form a pile underneath her.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen here!”

Hanako’s cry jolts her shoulders and Nene looks up. Words flutter in her throat. What wasn’t supposed to happen? Another wave of pain pierces through her tail again.

Familiar pain.

Nene doesn’t remember having legs. Under water.

Shock tries to derive confusion out but the moment her lips part, water travels down her throat. Nene moves her hands to cradle her neck. Such act doesn’t comfort her lungs. Her body loses its momentum and falls. Her magenta eyes perform poorly and register hazy images so Nene shuts them.

“Princess!”

A shout rings and causes her eyes to twitch. Temptation to keep them closed affects her reason. Something cool presses on her cheeks. A figure in front of her throws a relieved smile when she squints.

“Hanako…”

Has she passed out?

Hanako caresses her cheekbones with his thumbs.

“I guess I need to explain things after all.”

That drives drowsiness away. Nene steals a glance downwards as she tilts her body to straighten. Her brows crease and she looks back at Hanako. The witch heaves a sigh. A human sized bubble surrounds the two of them. It provides a safe space for Nene to breathe.

The princess bends and reaches out to her feet. Her frown deepens upon the touch. “You‒” She rises her head, “You said finding true love will break the curse.”

“And that it did.”

Nene gapes for a second. A thought crosses her mind and she lets out a gasp. "I have to become a human if I want to break the curse?”

A short laugh escapes Hanako’s lips. “Not exactly.”

“Then ho‒”

“There!”

Nene shuts her mouth when a voice interrupts them. Magenta eyes widen when she turns to survey the cave’s entrance.

“Sea witch!! How dare you deceive our‒ Oh my cod, Princess!”

The blowfish stills in place. His halt causes the other two servants to collide with him. They both gasp and hide their mouths with tiny fins.

“Hanako! I am sorry, they found out‒” A figure approaches the group. Only mere seconds pass before Aoi’s eyes widen “Oh Princess…” Has she assumed the plan failed, or those legs take the blame for shocking her friend?

The blowfish huffs as he swims closer to the pair. “This wasn’t the deal we had, sea witch!”

Hanako moves his body to block the princess from her servant’s view. His tentacles rise but he provides nothing. The blowfish stops and lets the tide carry him sideways as his lips part. His companions join him but tremble under the witch’s glare.

“Deal?”

The three turn their heads towards the princess. “What deal?” Nene finally regains enough strength to swim closer to Hanako, albeit slow. She grips his wrist, her daze unshakable. “Hanako, what is going on?” This mystery grows bigger with every passing second and hope of solving it slowly slips away from Nene’s grip.

“Princess, do not let this devilish witch deceive you!” The blowfish twirls around Hanako to lock eyes with Nene. “Look at what he did to you! Your beautiful tail is gone! Instead you have those ugly human legs!” He makes a face as his eyes fall on said legs. Nene’s soul shudders and she stares at them. The word ugly swells within her head.

“This is why we keep you at the castle Princess!” The blowfish faces Hanako and points his fin at the boy. “To protect you from him! The sea witch is treac‒mmf” The servant’s eyes grow wide. His tiny fins scramble over his mouth. He tries to part his lips to no avail.

“You know…” Hanako closes the distance between him and the blowfish. Two tentacles brush over his yellow skin from behind. The corner of his mouth curves into a sinister smile. “I never, liked you” Hanako’s tentacles clutch the servant and push him aside. The other servants catch him with eyes the size of an egg.

Hanako locks eyes with Nene again. The princess’s shoulders jolt at that moment. Her legs float in a circular motion, while one hand grips her necklace. The witch’s features relax. He paddles towards the girl but keeps a safe distance between them.

“Princess, that ki‒” His lips pause on that word for three seconds. Nene’s cheeks warm up as the memory of their kiss crosses her eyes. “That kiss has lift the curse.” He points a finger towards Nene’s legs, “And having those legs proves it.”

Another crease ambushes her expression. “But that doesn’t make any sense. I just want to be like any mermaid out there. I don’t want a broken tail, is all.”

“But you are not like any other mermaid, Princess.”

Hanako erases the serious look and smiles. “You are originally a human.”

A gasp from Aoi fills the area. More muffles escape the blowfish’s throat as his companions hold him in place.

Hanako takes a breath, “On the day your family was sailing in the sea, when you were a baby, two events occurred.” Hanako raises his forefinger, “One, a storm crashed your family’s ship,” Another finger rises, “and two, the real Mermaid Princess disappeared.”

Real? Isn’t Nene the Mermaid Princess? What in Poseidon’s sake is Hanako talking about?

“The servants happened to witness the ship drowning while looking for their Princess and they managed to save you.” Hanako turns around to said servants. “An orphan was perfect as a replacement.” He leaves bubbles behind when he vanishes, and suddenly shows up behind the three fish. His tentacles surround them from all sides. “So they came to me,” Tentacles twirl around their bodies, “Curse the girl, they said. Turn her into a mermaid.” One of the two servants wiggles his petite body to escape the witch’s clutch. Not to exactly answer his plead, the witch disappears again to show up in the princess’s personal bubble.

“Princess, I only did because I thought it was a better option than to leave you.”

If this is true, if Nene really is just a human, it explains why sense of belonging to the kingdom has never flowed through her.

“Then,” Nene chokes. This is all too much information for her brain to process. For her heart to accept. Terror fuels her nerves. Those in return force her limbs to tremble like noodles. Hanako has put half of the puzzle pieces in place. If Nene must accept the truth, she at least wants the full picture. She doesn’t wish to take in one half and lets it strangle her for a lifetime only for the other half to hit her in the face after a while.

Nene inhales and squeezes her necklace. “What about the red scales?”

The princess has a vague understanding of the matter. Her gut lays the answer to that question on a silver plate. Still, Nene wishes for Hanako to confirm her doubts.

“That is your second curse.”

Oh fish, the irony.

“The servants asked me to cast another on you. They wanted a good excuse to prevent you from leaving the castle.” Hanako exhales a long breath of nothing but regret, “I didn’t accept their request, so‒”

“They went to the other sea witch.”

A nod gives Nene the clear about her doubts.

“The second curse affects your life as a mermaid. I knew one day you will look for a way to break it. When you said you wanted freedom, I thought it was finally time. Once you break my curse, the second will not be an issue anymore.”

“So you wanted me to break the curse and live with Teru.” The volume of each word Nene blurts out rise until she starts shouting. “You never wanted to explain things!” Tears burst out and run a stream over her cheeks. Hanako jerks away, eyes wide. His words has broken the jar, which contains Nene’s enraged emotions. Now they are free to litter her heart.

“I was supposed to yet again live a life others chose for me.”

The witch’s lips part twice. Each time he collects enough words to put out Nene’s flames, they grow bigger and he deems them useless.

A figure shows up in the corner of Nene’s eyes. Aoi mutters her name.

“I lived my whole life asking myself why I was cursed; only to find out that curse wasn’t even the only one.” Nene pays her friend’s attempt to cheer her up no mind and locks eyes with the silenced witch. “I didn’t feel like I belonged to the sea. I thought being with humans would fix that.”

“Princess,” Aoi’s voice breaks through again.

Nene continues. “But it didn’t.”

Nene’s arms drop to either side. She clenches her hands. If only those angry bits of feelings slip off fingers like those cursed scales. “I don’t belong anywhere.”

“That’s not‒” Hanako’s hand itches to touch Nene’s. He wants to erase the whiteness of her knuckles and gently brushes comfort over them.

The blowfish muffles interrupt silence’s attempt to rule the area.

“Princess, your‒” Aoi tries again, “your legs‒”

“I know!” Nene finally locks eyes with her friend and cries. “They’re hideous, I know!” Those muffles test her patience.

“No, that’s not‒” Aoi says, but Nene turns her attention towards her servants.

“What? You are eager to tell me you were right? That I should have stayed in my prison and never dreamt of freedom?” Nene growls. Her arms jitter around and cause angry bubbles to form. She points at the blowfish. “Come on, say it!” Nene cries, “Tell me that I was foolish and ignorant!” Her throat tingles. It burns, boils along her emotions. Nene doesn’t let the pain stop her though. Her storage of distress and anger overflows and she wants to clear it.

A hiccup cracks her voice for a second. “What’s wrong? Catfish got your tongue?” Nene turns around and meets brown eyes. She worries her lower lip, takes a breath, and points at her servant. “Let him talk. Let him tell me how I shouldn't have ever left the castle to find you!”

Hanako doesn’t do that. Instead, he tsks and vanishes. Nene glares at the empty space. Oh right, the witch’s business is over. The curse is broken. Therefore, he doesn’t have any obligation to clean up this mess.

“Princess, I know this is all too sudden and surreal but‒”

“No you don’t know, Aoi.” Nene mutters under her breath. Her purple-haired friend heaves a sigh.

“Nene, okay, I don’t but‒”

Nene parts her lips to cut in but her friend reacts faster, “Will you please stop and look at your legs!”

A crease crosses over Nene’s face. Why the fuss over her legs? It’s not like this is Aoi’s first time seeing them.

They are fat.

They are ugly.

They are red.

Wait.

Why are crimson scales crawling over her feet like worms? She is about to gasp when a figure appears and blocks her view.

“Princess, I know you hate me now but this is urgent.”

Nene doesn’t even get a chance to protest. To tell him there’s no way she hates him when her stupid heart skips a beat from his breath, which hovers over her lips.

Because Hanako kisses her. Hard. Not a tiny peck like the one Nene has placed on his lips earlier. She gapes and a shudder runs up her spine. Hanako takes it as a chance to slide his tongue inside. Good thing she’s under the sea because her legs give out. Hanako doesn’t break their kiss until whatever he pushes over her tongue slides down her throat.

Hanako move an inch away to gaze at her eyes.

And he dares smile at Nene.

Nene doesn’t push Hanako away. Concern contains her because suddenly his face blurs and silence mutes her ears. Is she dying? Hanako closes on her again. His arms creep around her back and he whispers near her ears.

“Sleep, Princess.”

xXxXxXx

Nene's body floats. Water wraps her in a cool cellophane until her limbs become one with it. It soothes Nene, but regardless, a crease hits her brows. She attempts to open her eyes yet they don't cooperate. Why do you want to wake up? Her inner self asks.

Sleep, it says. Remember the stupid tantrum you pulled. Do you really want to wake up and face the outcome?

Oh. Her body gives out.

Yes, good. Her inner self compliments. Sleep. It urges again.

Something stirs her side and she groans. Static washes over the new voice, which is trying to reach out to Nene. It disturbs her.

“Wak‒‒, ‒‒ess.”

Another voice mixes in with the first. Nene twists her face as her head starts to throb like it holds her heart there. Her shoulder scrunches. Both voices overlap in the next moment. She pinches her expression and whines. Stop.

“Nene!”

A gasp thrusts itself out, and suddenly she’s sitting. Nene takes huge gulps of air. Her eyes meet the ocean. Its waves drench over sand and kiss it with their salty lips.

“Oh, what a relief!”

Teru is kneeling to her left side. A smile pinches the corner of his eyes.

 To say Nene is confused is an understatement.

“Are you hurt?”

She’s not gulping oxygen anymore because her lungs operate decently again. So apart from the headache, nothing else pains her.

“Good.” Teru says when she shakes her head no. “You disappeared for a while and we all got worried.” A sigh interrupts him.

Nene lowers her gaze and fists her hands in her lap. Teru’s disappointment blinds her. Why and how has she got back to the surface? Water gnaws at the sand again with a wave and it captures her attention.

A human. That’s who Nene really is. A memory surges inside her mind. She worries her bottom lip as she tries to digest all the information it brings back.

Tries.

“I am glad you are okay. I thought‒”

Nene meets the other blue again.

“I thought Kou accidently blurted out something about your family before I got the chance to, and you panicked and‒” He pauses, eyes grow wide. A chortle rushes out soon after. “Look at me, I strictly told him not to say anything and leave the explaining part to me but here I am exposing the surprise in a rush.”

Nene widens her eyes. She parts her lips to ask because‒ Did he say family? Teru stands before any word escapes her mouth though.

“Wait here, I will go and inform everyone that I found you.” He bends to ruffle her hair and beams, “I am glad you’re okay. Don’t worry, I will explain everything.”

Nene does nothing to stop him. The gears in her head rotate repeatedly they almost fall off place. Another wave ruptures serenity, attracting the girl. Her mind chooses that moment to play old scenes again.

Nene heaves a sigh. She brings both knees closer to her chest and hugs them until her knuckles turn white. So what now? Is she supposed to accept her new life? Wear it like a new pair of clothes and move on? She is originally a human. A lost child. Teru must have found out more about her family.

They are alive?

The tide growls, more waves wash over but never reach her. Nene shakes her head and curls up some more. Maybe this is afterlife. Whatever Hanako made her swallow must have knocked her out for good. Maybe it’s for the best. Maybe‒

“You are not dead.”

A silhouette causes sand partials to rub together and squeak as it appears from behind the blonde. Normally, his sudden appearance erupts a reaction, but Nene must be broken because she doesn’t even take her eyes off the sea.

“I am sorry‒” Hanako cuts his sentence too soon. Sand squeaks again. The boy exhales, which makes the princess turn her head.

“I am sorry,” Hanako starts again, “I promised to help you break the curse.”

Nene senses the but shoving itself between his words. “Didn’t you?”

A shake.

She turns; her legs lay on the sand now. “But I am a human.”

Hanako walks towards water. He bends and spoons a hand under it. A whiff of air attacks her side, and suddenly, Hanako is beside her again. He rises the hand he emerged in the water above Nene’s arm. Three drops of water fall on her skin, and immediately cause scales to appear.

“What…” Nene breathes out. Fingers brush over the scales at first, but eventually the motion intensifies until she attempts to rub them away.

They don’t disappear.

“Your second curse‒” Nene looks at the boy with wide eyes. “Your red scales curse, which we thought was harmless, isn’t.” Her hand stops rubbing as Hanako grips it.

“It is supposed to take effect only when the first curse breaks.” Hanako doesn’t state the obvious afterwards.

“I looked into it.” He squeezes her hand and looks away. “I believed breaking my curse would be okay.” Nene purses her lips in a thin line. Guilt materializes itself on his expression and begs her for comfort. “I didn’t‒”

You didn’t think it would kill me. It finally hits her. She has only seen Hanako panic once, and that was when red scales were trying to eat her alive.

She doesn’t know if her thought reaches him. If it does, he doesn’t react.

“How did you stop it?” The boy steers his eyes back to Nene, “I am not dead, aren’t I?”

Silence.

“What did I swallow? Some kind of cure?”

“A scale.”

Her ears are clogged. Certainly clogged.

“A scale from the Mermaid Princess.” Hanako adds. He even tilts his head, confused by her reaction. Nene doesn’t want to ingest this revelation. She can’t.

The witch’s mouth forms an ‘o’ as he points a finger at her. “Remember the Mermaid Princess’s legend?”

“It’s true?!” Nene blurts out, brows risen.   

“Yes and no.” Hanako chuckles when the girl pouts. “The Mermaid Princess does help humans, but by offering them a new life if they are struggling with theirs.”

“If they swallow one of her scales, they become a fish. Serving her is a way to pay her back, if they desired.”

“And you made me swallow one of her scales?” Hanako nods.

“I thought if you become half a human, the curse wouldn’t be threatening anymore.”

“So‒” Nene’s lips part, the remaining words linger on the tip of her mouth. They itch. They want to be free, and besides, imprisoning them won’t change the truth.

“‒I am a fish.”

“Half. We are‒” And he chooses that moment to shut his mouth. Specifically when Nene is one step away from falling off a cliff towards madness.

“We are what?” Why is Hanako even worried about revealing more of what’s inside his bag of surprises anyway? One more fact won‒

“We are bound by a contract. To keep your human form.”

Nene groans loud enough for any bystanders to hear. She throws herself on the sand.

Half human, half fish. And she has been trying to accept the human part. Not to mention she manages to keep it thanks to whatever contract she and Hanako shares now. In one single day, her world flips upside down, and she has to clean up the mess.

“Are you mad?” Hanako hovers over her face. Their breaths mingle together. Once upon a time, Nene wanted to teach him personal space.

Is it even necessary? Yes, embarrassment bangs her heart. And yes, she does shriek when Hanako shoves his face too close to hers.

But Nene won’t deny anymore. Deny that his closeness keeps discomfort away. She won’t deny the swarm of butterflies in her stomach, which wrap her in warmth.

Cod, Hanako doesn’t make it easy for her to stay mad, does he?

“Prin-cess.”

Nene sucks her lips. “I am not a Princess anymore, remember?”

“Says who?”

“Says life.”

A smirk pulls at one corner of his mouth. Her stomach does a flip. It does a double flip when Hanako grabs a strand of her hair and twists it around his finger.

“Still a Prin-cess to me.” If Nene wants to keep the last tiny bit of sanity, she should change the subject. It’s night time yet she’s melting as if the sun is glaring at her.

“I am not.” Hanako rises one brow at her.

“I am not mad.” Nene says, and finally manages to look away.

“I still need time to accept everything. Changing from being a Mermaid Princess to a human to half-fish in one day is‒ a lot.”

Hanako understands. He proves it when he lets silence rules over. Nene likes the way he continues to play with her hair. The action clouds her worries. It’s temporary. It won’t last, but she appreciates it for now.

“I do remember this certain Prin-cess shouting at me and saying she regrets ever finding me.” Nene steers her gaze back to the boy.

A mistake on her part.

Hanako’s smirk widens from ear to ear when they lock eyes.

“I wonder if she hates me.” The witch wipes the smirk away to pout. “I really, really, really‒”

She didn’t gulp too loud, did she? Why is Hanako inching closer with every really he says?

“‒really, really‒” Nene cups a handful of sand as she tightens her fists.

“Like her too.” Hanako finally ends his long sentence, but only after making sure Nene won’t be able to look away anymore.

And his smirk taunts her again.

He likes her too.

He likes the human slash fish Nene. Oh co‒cuttlefish!

“Nene?”

Hanako’s hold on her hair loosen and the strand falls. Two hands crawl to her face and cover half of it.

Hiding one’s face should help with embarrassment.

Or not. It makes Hanako snorts actually.

“I mean, you left a prince behind to find a witch and kiss him.”

Hanako moves an inch away, not to give her space but to poke her cheek from the side. “It’s a bit late to be embarrassed about it, don’t you think?”

Suddenly she has her own personal bubble again, as Hanako stands. He reaches out a hand. It’s not going to bite you, her brain provides, so she reluctantly takes it. He helps her up, but draws her inside his personal bubble.

Hanako squashes both of her hands together with his as he drifts closer to her face. Nene does nothing but swallows the lump in her throat.

“You are part of two worlds, Nene.” Hanako says. He’s not smirking anymore. His expression tells the girl this moment is different.

“You belong to both.”

His words wash over her heart the way waves do sand. They lighten the weight on her back, and trigger her eyes to vent away. Hanako doesn’t say much. A hand escapes to brush the tears away. He connects their foreheads. His smile overwhelms her. It encourages her lips to reflect it.

So much has changed in such a short time, and Nene doesn’t even come close to processing it all. Worries and fears nestle deep inside her. The roots might take longer than expected to pluck out. To accept something is no simple task. Nene is not a Mermaid Princess. She is not completely human either and she has to live with that now. She has to build her world from scratch.

It’s fine though. Because Nene isn’t alone. On one handle lies her insecurities, which weigh way more than the leftovers of confidence on the other. Nene will face her inner self. She will add more to the lighter handle until it outweighs the other.

But before that‒

Nene rests her head on Hanako’s shoulders, arms circle around his waist.

“Thank you, Hanako.”

Hanako returns the hug by bringing her even closer.

“You are welcome, Prin-cess.”