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The loud sound of seagulls screeching travel through the air, over the sand and water. The crunch of salty chips goes perfectly with the tang of the salty ocean breeze. Seokjin always enjoys his breaks, he loves sinking his toes in the warm sand, watching the waves crash along the shoreline, the feeling of the cool breeze caressing his face.
"Hyung!" Jungkook calls, jogging towards Seokjin. The picnic table Seokjin is sitting on creaks under Jungkook's weight as he sits down across from him.
Swallowing the chip he just put in his mouth, Seokjin waves. "Jungkook-ah! What's up?"
Jungkook leans in close to Seokjin, looking left and then right like he's searching for anyone listening to them. "Did you hear about the mermaid?"
"Mermaid? What mermaid?" Maybe all the sun and exercise have finally made Jungkook hallucinate. It wouldn't be a surprise, especially knowing all the games Jungkook plays.
"On the beach! There's been a mermaid around. Trust me, you can't miss them."
"Now I know you're crazy. There's no mermaid on the beach. I think I would know if there was," Seokjin scoffs, wagging his finger at Jungkook. Maybe Jungkook is trying to trick him, but come on, does he really think he'd be fooled that easily?
Jungkook bats Seokjin's finger out of his face, lips curling into a pout. "Just you wait hyung, you'll see."
Seokjin opens his mouth, about to respond again when Jungkook plants his hands on the picnic table and heaves himself up. With a small huff, Jungkook waves a small goodbye and stalks off, probably to go moon over Namjoon.
Mermaid. Seokjin still can't believe it. There's no way there's a mermaid just casually going around on the beach where everyone can see. Or if for some reason there was, he'd have heard about it before now. Jungkook has to be pulling a prank. It wouldn't be the first time, the little brat loves to mess with him.
A shrill whistle blows, signalling a shift change. Looks like his break is already up. Seokjin sighs as he stands up, scrunching his chip bag into a ball and tossing it into a nearby garbage. Sand shifts under his feet as he walks over to the lifeguard station.
Seokjin climbs up the ladder, sitting on the chair at the top to watch over the beach. The water sparkles under the bright sun, vivid shades of blue shifting as waves come and go. A sigh escapes him, ready for today to be done already. He really shouldn't complain, he's definitely had way worse jobs. Once he was hired to be a balloon artist for a kid's birthday party when he doesn't even know how to tie a balloon shut. That was a bad day.
Honestly, Seokjin has always liked the beach. There's not much wrong with being on the beach all day, besides the fact that he has to apply sunscreen every thirty minutes to protect his glowing skin. He loves swimming as well, ever since he was young he would go swimming either in the ocean or in a pool whenever he could. So, it wasn't a hard choice to make to apply and then accept a job as a lifeguard for the summer.
Children laugh and scream, splashing each other and running around in the water. He watches as a dog runs by, chasing a ball into the water and bringing it back to its owner, barking as it goes. The glistening blue water forms into waves, crashing against the sandy white shore. The breeze carries the smell of sunscreen and salt, ruffling his hair as it goes. He closes his eyes, breathing it in and taking a second to appreciate the beach.
When Seokjin opens his eyes, he sees it. There's a flash of shimmering green scales glistening against the blue water, a large tail fin splashing in and out of the water. And then it disappears. Standing up, he looks for anything abnormal, anything out of the ordinary. He comes up empty, just the usual children and adults relaxing around the beach.
Jungkook must be getting to him, putting the idea of a mermaid in his head and now he's seeing things. There's no such thing as mermaids and there's no mermaid on the beach. Right?
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Seokjin tries not to fall asleep, eyes drifting shut every couple of minutes. He knows it's not the safest, maybe he should have even called in saying he couldn't come into work today, but there's not much that happens on the beach. Thankfully he's not the only one on duty either, Jungkook is also on duty at the other lifeguard station watching to make sure everyone is safe. When he saw Jungkook he also warned him that he might not be at his best today, he wouldn't slack off on purpose or anything like that but he couldn't get to sleep last night no matter what he tried. He couldn't stop dreaming of mermaids and other creatures in the water, both pretty and scary-looking ones.
Shaking his head, Seokjin lightly taps his cheeks, trying to slap the sleepiness away. Maybe he could bribe Namjoon to bring him some coffee, the stronger the better. He could use anything to help keep him awake until he can go back to his small apartment and collapse into his comfy bed.
A shrill high-pitched scream rings through the air. The hair on the back of Seokjin's neck stands straight up from what must be someone crying for help. He launches himself up out of his chair, hearing the chair creak and wobble behind him as it threatens to fall. Clutching his bright orange rescue buoy in hand, Seokjin scans the beach, searching for anyone in distress.
Where are they? He can't see any flailing out in the water or someone waving him over. Another scream can be heard, a shriek so loud it hurts his ears. This time he sees who's screaming. It's a little kid, probably about six or so, getting splashed by an older kid.
Seokjin can finally breathe again, relieved no one is in danger of drowning. He's ready to collapse back into his chair, let his pounding heart calm down, but then he sees it again. There's a green tail fin popping out of the water, sparkling under the bright yellow sun. It disappears and then reappears, almost as if it's teasing him.
He can't let it get away this time. It might be some illusion or a kid messing with him but he wants to know—needs to know. His mind won't settle unless he can figure out what it is.
Standing up, Seokjin climbs down the ladder and hops onto the sandy ground. The water seems to call him over, a cool breeze waving him on. His heart pounds in his ears as he walks towards the shoreline. He would never tell Jungkook because he would never let him forget, but he's a bit nervous. What is he even going to find? What if it's a giant fish he's never seen before? Just because he likes fishing doesn't mean he's not afraid of a giant fish.
Cold water tickles his feet, tiny rocks and grains of sand washing over the tops of his toes. He sees the green tail fin resting on top of the water, attached to a long... tail? But the tail goes up into tan skin, glistening with drops of water. A person? No... a mermaid is floating on the water, red hair fanned out in a halo around their head.
Seokjin must make some kind of noise, a shocked sound most likely because the mermaid looks up, long lashes blinking at him. He's never seen someone so pretty, so gorgeous before. A button nose, high cheekbones, warm brown eyes, heart-shaped lips make up what must be the most beautiful man.
Words get trapped in his throat, so many things he wants to say, but he can't even choke out a simple hello. Heat creeps up his neck, ears burning hot—and not just from the heat of the sun. He must look like an idiot, staring blankly at this poor person, desperate to speak to him but no idea where to start.
"Um... hello." The mermaid speaks to him, arms wading through the water to help him float. His voice sounds like a song, like the perfect melody kick starting Seokjin’s heart.
After too long of a pause, silence stretching into an awkward quiet, only the sounds of the waves splashing and children laughing can be heard. Seokjin coughs, loudly clearing his throat. "Hi! Hello there... mermaid." His voice raises in pitch towards the end, unsure if it's rude to call a mermaid by what they are. Or should he say, merman? Do they have a preference?
Cute high pitching giggles escape the mermaid's mouth, lips forming into the prettiest heart-shaped smile. "I'm not actually a mermaid, as much as I wish I was."
"Oh, you're not a mermaid..." Seokjin whispers. The urge to run away and never show his face again is very strong. He can't believe it. Maybe he can blame Jungkook, say that it's his fault he thought that there was a real-life mermaid just chilling on the beach.
"No, I just work as one. I'm as close to a mermaid as you can get though. I'm Hoseok, your local professional mermaid." The mermaid—no, Hoseok, sits on his... tail? The shallow water pools around his bare stomach, shimmering in the sunlight.
Seokjin steps farther into the water, wanting to get as close to Hoseok as he can without looking creepy. "A professional mermaid, I have to admit I've never heard of that one before. Sounds really fun though. Although, I have to ask, why are you on the beach with your tail on?"
"Oh! I've been practicing in the shallow waves to make sure my movements look as natural as possible," Hoseok explains, adorable dimples appearing as he smiles.
A shrill whistle rings through the air, signalling the shift change. Turning to look behind him, Seokjin sees Namjoon strolling through the beach, tank top hanging off his buff frame. Namjoon waves at him, a dimpled grin appearing as he sees Seokjin with Hoseok.
Seokjin is lucky that his shift ended because now he doesn't have to leave, he can stay with Hoseok—if he lets him, that is. What should he do, what should he say so that he can spend more time with Hoseok? Suddenly, it clicks in his mind. He's got a foolproof way of convincing Hoseok to let him stay.
"You know, as a lifeguard, I really shouldn't leave you here," Seokjin begins, scratching his nose and avoiding looking Hoseok in the eye, "I mean, what if a wave knocks you over and you can't swim well enough with your tail on to get to the shore? So really, for your safety, I better stay here."
"Oh, for my safety, huh?" Hoseok laughs, a strand of damp red hair curling slightly on his forehead.
Nodding, Seokjin slowly lowers himself into the shallow water. He sits in the wet sand, water drifting around his chest. "Yeah, it would be irresponsible of me to leave you here."
"Well then," Hoseok purrs, eyes lidded and the tip of his nail trapped between his teeth, "I'm grateful to have such a strong lifeguard looking after me then."
Seokjin just about chokes on his own spit, coughing to clear his throat. Strong? Hoseok thinks he's strong? He does like to occasionally work out, mostly when Jungkook drags him out of his apartment and to the gym. Plus, he's always liked to try and keep in shape, even when he's swamped with assignments and exams at university. But for Hoseok to say that... He's tempted to dunk his head under the cold water to cool his heated face.
They stare at each other, sitting, listening to the gentle waves rushing towards them. What is he supposed to say now? Should he ask Hoseok something? Or does Hoseok just want to sit in silence? Maybe Hoseok didn't really want him around and he's just bothering him. He's about ready to get up and run away so he can sulk when Hoseok starts talking.
"So, a lifeguard. What's that like?" Hoseok asks, cheeks flushing a pretty pink, complimenting his bright red hair perfectly.
"It's not bad! Most of the time it's pretty slow honestly. We get some false alarms, children panicking that they can't touch the bottom, people that seem to vanish that don't, but overall we mostly just sit there."
Hoseok plays with the water, cupping it in his hands and letting it slowly trickle out. "That doesn't sound bad. Do you work part-time?" he asks, pushing his hair back with a wet hand.
"Ah, I'm working full-time for the summer. Trying to save up as much money as I can before I go back to university, you know?"
"Oh, what are you studying?"
Seokjin leans back on his hands, fingers digging into the soft sand. "I'm majoring in psychology in hopes of eventually becoming a child psychologist." His major is hard but he doesn't regret going through with it, especially if at the end he gets to help people. "What about you though? What does being a professional mermaid mean exactly?"
"Well, at first it started out as a hobby. I used to be a swim instructor after being on a swim team for many years and the gym where I worked was holding a charity event. My boss at the time asked if I would dress up as a mermaid to sit above the dunk tank. I said yes because why not, I've always loved mermaids and it was for charity. But then it inspired other people to ask if I would volunteer as a mermaid for other events. Eventually, I built up such a reputation that people were willing to pay me."
"That's so fun!" Seokjin gasps. He can't imagine the work Hoseok must have done for free. Hoseok probably could've gotten paid before someone offered to pay him, but he's so nice it doesn't seem to matter much to him. "Do you enjoy it?"
"I love it! I get hired for a lot of children's events and the look on their faces when they see me is priceless. There's really nothing I would want to do more," Hoseok gushes, brown eyes holding an entire galaxy in them with how bright they sparkle.
Seokjin wants to lean closer to Hoseok, feel the warmth of his body underneath his fingers. Hoseok is like the sun, brightening everyone's day and bringing them the light they need. Seokjin feels like a sunflower, turning and basking in the sun.
"That's amazing," Seokjin hums.
"Yeah," Hoseok sighs, his lips pursing out into a pout. Seokjin wants to caress a finger against his lips, maybe even brush his own lips against Hoseok's if he'd let him. "I really don't want to, but unfortunately I have to go."
"Oh." Heart sinking into his stomach, Seokjin can feel a frown tugging at his lips. He's had a really nice time sitting with Hoseok, talking to him about whatever comes to mind. Selfishly he wishes Hoseok didn't have to leave, that he could stay longer, but he understands that Hoseok can't hang around the beach all day. He desperately wants to see Hoseok again, to talk to him again. What if... he could get Hoseok's number?
"I'm sorry." Hoseok frowns. "I had a lot of fun talking to you."
Seokjin has another great plan, one that will get him Hoseok's number. "Well, what if you need supervision again, you know, in case you want to practice swimming in the ocean again? Maybe we could exchange numbers so you could contact me, just in case."
"You're right. I might just have to call you to come to keep me safe," Hoseok agrees, slowly nodding his head.
"Why don't I get my phone and I'll meet you back over at the lifeguard station?" Seokjin suggests, standing up in the water.
"Sounds good to me! I have to take my tail off but I'll meet you there."
Seokjin slowly backs away, water sloshing around his legs as he goes. He doesn't want to take his eyes off Hoseok but he does, turning around to walk to the lockers inside the lifeguard station where they keep their things.
The walk there is a blur, he might have even run, wanting to go as fast as he can so he can see Hoseok again. He jogs into the station—a small wooden shack filled with all their equipment and lockers. Opening his locker, he digs for his phone in his bag, making a small happy noise when he finds it.
Sand sticks to his still damp feet, clinging between his toes. Opening the door, he finds Hoseok leaning against the outside of the station, phone in one hand and towel in the other. He's towelling his damp hair dry, rubbing circles into his head with the towel. Seokjin doesn't know where to focus, on the long lean legs, on the tight swimming shorts clinging to tan skin, the drips of water trailing down Hoseok's chest. There's too much to look at that he can't think.
"There you are! Here, give me your phone and I'll put my number in." Hoseok comes closer to Seokjin, holding out his hand for Seokjin's phone.
Seokjin hands him his phone, waiting as he types something in. Hoseok hands him his phone back, a new conversation opened with a contact named Hoseok with a mermaid emoji next to it. He sent himself a message, meaning he really does want Seokjin's number.
Heart beating faster in his chest, Seokjin couldn't be happier. He got the number of the prettiest boy he's ever seen and it seems like Hoseok's interested in him too. Maybe he should thank Jungkook for telling him about the mermaid after all.