Chapter Text
The sky transforms into a perfect shade of pink as the sun begins to fall asleep for the evening over Jungmun Saekdal Beach, blue waters fading to grey and a noticeable drop in temperature when the breeze picks up. Taehyung shivers despite wearing a hoodie over his shorts, the dark blue fabric hugging his upper body in softness and comfort. He takes wisps of black bangs and folds them around his cheeks for warmth, pleased that he’s recently been growing his hair out despite his mother’s complaining that it’s too long now.
A trio of surfers swim back to shore, their chatter excited and happy for another day of catching waves. He stares at them wistfully, wishing he could share in their excitement.
But unfortunately Taehyung doesn’t swim.
At the age of three, his parents had enrolled him in swimming classes but all he can remember is screaming and crying until the teacher grabbed him up into the safety of a warm towel. The experience of being the only child in his class who didn’t know how to swim caused Taehyung to cry many tears as a young boy, but no matter how much he wanted to swim, his fear of water was too great to overcome.
Once the family moved to Jeju, Taehyung eventually grew to love the sea, but only from a safe distance on the beach. Its beauty, tranquil yet fierce, became a force of nature he gravitated towards. There was something special about it, something unexplainable that pulled Taehyung in its direction like a magnet despite his fear. Nearly every evening he returned to absorb its majesty and power, gazing across the vast water in wonder.
Calming waves lap ashore, the whoosh so relaxing that Taehyung doesn’t realize how close the water has moved towards him until his feet get wet. He squeals at the shock of cool water and scoots his butt further back on the sand, quickly reaching for his flip flops before the tide takes them out to sea. Once he is out of harm’s way, Taehyung stares at the coastline of hotels, restaurants, markets, and coffee shops, their lights glowing like little beacons in the twilight.
He notices they still haven’t lit the torches positioned along the edge of Magic Coffee Shop’s outdoor seating area. Somehow he knows in about two minutes Namjoon is going to sweetly remind Jungkook to pay attention so their customers don’t have to drink their strawberry matcha lattes and americanos in the dark. Taehyung shakes his head, imagining Jungkook’s soft, “I’m so sorry, Namjoonie-hyung. I’ll light them right now” and Namjoon’s, “It’s okay, baby, I know you’re trying.”
They are sickening.
Romance has never been easy for Taehyung. He dated a total of one person in high school for a record-setting three weeks and his boyfriend in college turned out to be a jerk who broke his heart after a two year relationship.
He giggles at the thought of his two best friends now dating after knowing each other most of their lives. It warms his heart that they found love with each other and gives him hope that someday he will find a special someone, too. So far the only special someone Taehyung has found is his dog Yeontan, and despite how cute and cuddly Tannie is, it’s definitely not the same thing.
The sound of Taehyung’s laughter carries across the water, and then back again, only this time with a higher pitch and a sort of cackling. He swings his head back and forth, glancing over to the vicinity where he thinks it came from, near the large rocks along the beach, now cast in shadows and hard to see. In the opposite direction a couple share a selca against the pretty skyline, but Taehyung is almost certain the laughter originated near the rocks.
His heart beats fast, palms suddenly sweaty, and his gut instinct is to leave right away. But the sea somehow paralyzes him, calls to him. He stands up and shakes the sand off his yellow shorts, threading his toes through the flip flops before walking towards the rocks.
As he nears closer to his destination, Taehyung sees the outline of a person with some sort of ornate cuff on their upper arm. Tiny sparkles like jewels catch the light along their head and frame it into a strange crown, their silver hair ghostly in the moonlight.
“Oh.”
“Aaack!” A surprised little squeak and the person falls into the sea.
Panic grips Taehyung. “No!” He runs forward and leans over the rock, staring into the black waves but not seeing anything.
“Help! Somebody help!” Taehyung shouts. “Please! Somebody help me!”
His screams draw the attention of the surfers and they run across the beach in his direction.
“What’s wrong?”
“Please, someone fell in. They were sitting on the rocks and now they’re gone. Oh, my god. I couldn’t save them.”
Two of the surfers dive in but their search is short and fruitless as twilight succumbs to night and it becomes impossible to discern anything through the darkness.
A security guard from one of the hotels calls 1-1-9 and he waits with Taehyung and the surfers for the emergency workers' arrival.
“Taehyungie!”
Taehyung looks up to find Namjoon and Jungkook sprinting across the sand. As they get closer he can see both of their faces frowning with worry.
“What happened? Are you alright?”
“No,” Taehyung whimpers and grabs on tight to Namjoon’s neck. “I think someone drowned. I couldn’t save them. I couldn’t -” Words give way to choking sobs as he buries his face in Namjoon’s chest, the helplessness overwhelming and suffocating.
“Shhh...it’s okay,” Namjoon soothes, stroking Taehyung’s back. “You’re shivering. Let’s get you inside and I’ll make you a cup of hot tea.”
“No, I want to stay.”
The security guard reaches out and taps Taehyung on the shoulder. “The police and rescue crew will be here any minute and we need to give them space to do their jobs. Why don’t you go on ahead to the coffee shop and I’ll direct the police there for your statement once they get here.”
“Thank you, Mr. Lee,” Namjoon says. “We’ll take good care of Taehyung.”
Magic Coffee Shop not only employs Taehyung but he considers it a home away from home. The smells of coffee and tea and sweet cakes along with the sound of chatter among the customers gives Taehyung a comfortable and familiar feeling.
He never wanted a stressful corporate job after graduating university last year. The opportunity to help launch Namjoon’s coffee shop was too attractive to refuse. Not only is Taehyung learning each role within the business, from barista to bookkeeping to even mopping floors and floral design, Namjoon also puts Taehyung’s degree to good use by incorporating his art and photography in their marketing campaigns.
Surrounded by large pane windows, the view of the beach is normally a peaceful and welcoming sight to Taehyung, but tonight he watches the waves in distress as the rescue crew sets up a perimeter around the rocks with lights and safety equipment.
He sips his tea and stares out at the sea, answering the police officers’ questions when they come to the coffee shop looking for him. They don’t seem very optimistic of finding anyone but instead rather skeptical of Taehyung’s report. His spirits begin to sink deeper and deeper into despair. Somehow he feels responsible and a crushing dread takes hold of him.
“Hyung, don’t be sad,” Jungkook says as he places another pot of tea down on the table. “I believe they will find them. You just need to have hope.” He ruffles Taehyung’s bangs with affection.
“Do you believe me?” Taehyung looks up through the fringe into Jungkook’s big eyes.
“Yes, I do. Absolutely. And I believe you’ll find out they’re okay. This is a magic coffee shop, you know,” he laughs.
“Hmph.” Taehyung rolls his eyes but smiles anyway as his heart begins to lift just a little bit.
☼☼☼☼☼☼
Twinkling lights from the busy markets and restaurants on the shoreline give way to harsh lights near the water’s edge along with people in strange clothes walking around on the beach and other people in even stranger clothes diving into the sea with light sticks searching for something.
Hoseok wonders if they may be searching for him.
The human had surprised him. Hoseok is always careful not to be seen from the safety of his rock but this evening he had gotten careless, too wrapped up in all the pretty lights and people eating and drinking and walking along the beach to notice that he’d grabbed the human’s attention.
He always imagines strolling along the shops, a wonder of dizzying colors and textures and smells and sounds. People smiling and laughing as they explore the marketplace offerings. Some wear hats and dark glasses during the day, and at night a few shimmer like pretty gemstones in the dark, their garments sliding along their bodies like a second skin. It’s a visual feast that Hoseok wishes he could experience for himself, walking among the humans and admiring them and all the market goods up close instead of far away.
But unfortunately Hoseok doesn’t walk.
The capability to walk exists when Hoseok emerges from the water onto dry land, his purplish-blue tail and silvery-blue fins transforming into smooth golden legs and other human male body parts. Yet Hoseok has been sheltered his entire life and only recently he’s begun to sneak away to spy on the human world, his interest piqued by listening to the elders’ tales about their human encounters long before the Jung clan came into power.
Once Hoseok’s family inherited the throne of the In-Eo Kingdom, it became forbidden to socialize with humans even though all In-Eo young ones learn about humankind during their lessons. Hoseok’s clan viewed humans as untrustworthy predators, capable of destroying their way of life.
A month ago Hoseok had attempted to walk for the first time. It had been late and most of the artificial lights extinguished, not a human in sight as Hoseok scanned the beach area, his vision extra sharp through the darkness. He flopped onto a rock and the transformation occurred, skin glistening in the moonlight while Hoseok massaged and wiggled his toes in anticipation of feeling grains of sand cradling his feet.
But as he stepped off the rock, he landed flat on his face, spitting out a mouthful of sand. Hoseok pushed with his arms to haul his body up and take a step forward but once again he fell to the ground, never gaining any sort of sure foothold.
It seems strange that he finds it so difficult. Hoseok is known far and wide for being agile and graceful, one who excels at everything he does. Golden. But being out of the water isn’t in Hoseok’s comfort zone and no matter how much he wants to see the human world, it’s still frightening. Perhaps his underlying anxiety holds him back from the successful navigation of dry land.
Three other times during the month Hoseok had tried to walk on the beach but he ended up crawling back to the rocks and jumping into the sea, temporarily losing the battle but refusing to concede the war.
Some day Hoseok hopes to achieve the mystifying skill of walking on two legs, exploring the human world, and conquering his fears.
He keeps his distance from the men in the water, knowing he should just go home but too curious to leave. An octopus nearly collides into him, thankfully not shooting dark liquid while jetting away through the water as if Hoseok has marked them as prey. It reminds Hoseok he hasn’t eaten yet, although the last thing he wants to eat is octopus. He prefers mostly seaweed, oysters, rockfish, sea urchin, and sometimes shrimp.
The sudden movement of water captures the attention of the humans and two of them swim in Hoseok’s direction. Without warning Hoseok is pulled straight down deep under the sea. He twists and grunts to get out of the strong hold and then finds himself face-to-face with one of the King’s guards.
Prince Hoseok.
Let go of me, Jimin!
Hoseok squirms until he is out of the guard’s grasp.
You need to come back home before the King notices you’re gone. Plus the humans are swimming deeper than usual. It’s not safe for you here.
I’m fine. I’m just watching them. I want to see what they are up to.
It looks like they’re hunting. You need to come with me now. Please.
Jimin is Hoseok’s favorite guard, maybe because he turns a blind eye to Hoseok’s explorations on the beach. But more likely because they practically grew up together and Hoseok trusts Jimin to have his best interests at heart. Being a prince of the In-Eo Kingdom hasn’t always been easy from the many expectations placed upon his shoulders, yet Hoseok thrives in his role and takes pride in how the King relies on his counsel.
I’ll keep my distance. I promise. I just want to watch them.
Very well, but move further out. You’re too close. And I’ll stay with you.
No! I’m capable of doing things on my own. Go back to the palace and report that I’m not feeling well.
You would have me lie to the King, my Prince?
No, I’m actually not feeling well. I’m hungry-
Then come home.
I will. Soon. I promise. Please, Jimin. I’ll see you soon.
If you’re not back by the time the Sun Coral celebration begins, I’ll come get you and drag you back.
Hoseok’s eyes grow wide and he half smirks at Jimin’s insolence. He knows his friend is only looking out for him and he also knows if he doesn’t show up to the nightly ritual of singing and dancing among the vibrant colonies of sun coral the King will notice his absence, seeing as how Prince Hoseok is the dance leader of the festivities.
I’ll be there. And you must promise to sing for me, my sweet Jimin. Hoseok smiles.
Yes, I’ll be happy to sing for you. He grins bashfully and bows his head, reaching for Hoseok’s hands and kissing them, first the left and then right palm, the custom of reverence for the royal family. Be careful.
Jimin swims away, his purple fins shining like a brilliant trail of amethysts from a pirate chest of jewels, deeper and deeper into the sea until Hoseok no longer sees the glimmer of his tail.
With Jimin gone, Hoseok cautiously swims up to the surface and watches the humans. They begin to move back to shore, scurrying around to pack their equipment into large bags. The bright lights are soon turned off and the beach eventually returns to darkness, waves crashing across the sand, a lullaby of gentle murmurs that still manages to mesmerize Hoseok.
He switches course back to his rock. Perhaps after all the unusual upheaval, tonight is the night Hoseok will finally walk. He grasps the rock and launches himself up, shaking water from his silver hair, the dazzling diamond and sapphire stones of his crown clinking like music.
Tingles travel up and down Hoseok’s tail as his lower body changes into a man, the transformation tiring yet Hoseok’s excitement for success gives him renewed energy. He massages his bottom, legs, and feet, hoping to gain strength and vitality for his task. The skin over his feet turns red by the vigorous rubbing and he stares at the way tiny little veins pop up beneath the surface.
“Oh, my god, are you okay?”
Hoseok yelps and pivots to dive back into the water, when all of a sudden a very large and powerful hand grabs his arm and pulls him up and into a set of slender yet powerful arms.
“Oh, my god, you’re naked!”
The human from earlier releases him and once Hoseok’s feet touch the sand, he falls into an ungraceful heap.
Only a faint glimmer of moonlight pierces the night but it’s nearly bright as daylight for Hoseok. The man stares at Hoseok with a puzzled look, lips upturned on one side, eyes squinting in the darkness but it obviously does nothing to aid his vision. He is tall and lean with shiny black hair and a stunning face despite the awkward expressions. His eyes are not only beautiful but Hoseok sees a depth of kindness in them.
“I was so worried about you,” he says, bending down until he’s kneeling before Hoseok. “The police didn’t believe me but I knew you existed. My name is Kim Taehyung. What’s yours?”
Hoseok clears his throat. “Uhm…” Although he knows the human’s language, Hoseok isn’t used to verbal communication. His voice sounds frail and scratchy, very different from his thought transference timbre. “I...I must leave.”
A deep breath and Hoseok begins the arduous task of crawling back to the rock.
“Wait! Where are you going? Please! Stop!”
One last grunt and Hoseok catapults himself from the edge into the water.
“No!” Kim Taehyung cries and leans over just a little too far, slipping and falling in.
Hoseok watches for him to come back up but he doesn’t break the surface. With a slight panic, he dives down and finds the man floating in the water, arms splayed wide and barely moving. His eyes are open but it doesn’t appear that he sees anything, as if he is frozen in fear. Hoseok quickly wraps his arms around him and surges back to the rock, laying his body across it. With his lower half in the water, Hoseok hangs onto the rock with one hand and puts his other hand on the human’s back, patting him as he turns him on his side.
“Wake up. Wake up, Kim Taehyung.”
A loud cough and water sputters from his mouth. He blinks quickly and water trails down his face like he’s crying. “What...what are you?”
Hoseok realizes the human will be okay and he lets go of the rock, dropping into the sea and racing home, knowing he screwed up by letting Kim Taehyung see him.
Jimin is not going to be happy.
He arrives home just in time as the Sun Coral celebration begins with the customary toast of sea water to the King’s good health. Sliding in-between Jimin and another guard, Hoseok folds his hands outwards into an elegant cup position and brings his hands to his mouth, sipping the water and bowing his head. Jimin pinches his side and smiles.
I was worried you wouldn’t make it.
I told you I’d be here.
What’s wrong?
Unfortunately Jimin can nearly read Hoseok’s mind just by looking at him but Hoseok isn’t ready yet to confess what happened on the beach.
Nothing. I’m just hungry.
Hoseok swims over to one of the hors d'oeuvre stations. Delicious bites of red seabream, oysters, shrimp, and rockfish wrapped in seaweed swim in woven seagrass cages decorated with purple-tipped anemone. He carefully opens the cage and plucks out a morsel of rockfish, popping it in his mouth and nodding his head.
Good.
The pout on Jimin’s face indicates he isn’t quite finished with their conversation but suddenly swarms of bright sun corals glide in with undulating tentacles. A slow and delicate dance commences with their orange bodies and translucent yellow tentacles illuminating the deep sea in happiness as a choir of thought transference voices break into a jubilant song.
Hoseok joins the dance, front and center, his arms sweeping through the water gracefully and tail swishing in a happy and yet somehow provocative way, the purplish-blue of his tail glowing and silvery-blue fins pulsating to the beat. His golden spiral arm band glows through the water, the tail pattern spinning so fast it looks as though Hoseok has a tiny companion on his right side. Song after song brings a euphoric wave of joy for everyone as Hoseok leads the sun corals with finesse and precision, vivid colors swirling through the water in a dazzling spectacle.
He smiles at his father, draped in jewels acquired by pirate shipwrecks that were passed down from many generations of the royal line. The King blows a kiss through the water, the pride on his face warming Hoseok’s heart as he twirls and twists and performs for a delighted audience.
Jimin’s ethereal voice takes over on the outro, the tempo changing to a somber and soulful song of the Sirens, the soldiers of old who sacrificed their lives to protect the In-Eo Kingdom. It’s a sad song, filled with emotion and heartbreak, and Hoseok stills in the water to let Jimin’s angelic voice wash over him.
A beautiful dance, my Prince. Jimin returns to Hoseok’s side after the performance is over and takes his hand.
And a beautiful song, my lovely Jimin.
Jimin smiles and bows his head. Shall we continue our conversation?
If you must know-
I must.
Then I’ll tell you that a human almost drowned. And I saved him.
What?
It’s fine. I won’t go back to the beach. I’ll never see him again. He will eventually think it was a strange dream.
But somehow Hoseok knows he will find himself back on his rock, watching the humans and wishing he could walk among them, tasting their food and wearing their clothes. Fascination with walking on legs and the human world is something that Hoseok can’t get out of his head. Nor can he forget about the entrancing Kim Taehyung.
Hoseok will just need to be more careful next time.
☼☼☼☼☼☼
Sunlight flashes through half-open blinds, settling into the corner of Taehyung’s right eye. He groans and squints, turning over to the other side, away from the brightness. The bed is really soft, way too soft, the normal lumps of his mattress nowhere to be found. Startled, Taehyung sits up and looks around, noticing he’s wearing Jungkook’s t-shirt and a pair of red and white plaid pajama bottoms.
“You’re awake,” Namjoon says, walking into the bedroom with a breakfast tray. “How are you feeling?”
Taehyung reaches for the tray and begins devouring fresh strawberries, hotteok stuffed with sweet, gooey syrup, and a cup of green tea. “I’m hungry.”
“I can see that,” Namjoon laughs. “Do you remember much of last night?”
“Ehh…” Taehyung hesitates, non-committal.
“Jungkook and I found you sleeping on the beach after we closed up shop for the night. It looks like you’d been crawling around. You were wet, sand sticking to you everywhere. We tried to clean you up so you didn’t drag sand all over the apartment. Did you go out drinking?”
“What? No. No. I don’t know what I was doing. I had a crazy idea to go back and see if I could find -” He stops, unsure of himself.
“Go on.”
“It’s nothing. I guess I was just really tired. Thanks for picking me up.”
“You’re welcome. You need to be more careful, Taehyung-ah. What would your mother say if she knew you slept on the beach?” He smiles, his lecture delivered with gentleness rather than with a bite. “We worry, you know?”
“I know. Thanks, hyung.” Taehyung sets his tea cup down and leans over to give him a hug. “Where’s Jungkook? I didn’t mean to take his room.”
“Jungkook doesn’t really sleep in here anymore.”
Taehyung wiggles his eyebrows. “Oh, I see, I guess it was only a matter of time.”
“Yeah,” Namjoon giggles and a faint blush flares up on his cheeks. “Actually he’s already gone to open the coffee shop. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Mmm,” Taehyung nods. “I need to go home and shower.”
“You can shower here. We have clothes you can borrow.”
“No, I need to check in with my mom and dad. But thanks for everything.”
The hot shower feels good along Taehyung’s back as saltwater and remnants of sand in crevices he didn’t know he had are washed away by fruity-scented shampoo and soap.
Thankfully he has the entire day off. Despite almost drowning last night, Taehyung is anxious to return to the beach. He changes into a red tank and white swim shorts - like he’s going to play in the ocean, knowing full well he won’t but his ass looks good in them anyway - and he packs a waterproof beach bag with two bottles of water, freshly washed strawberries, slices of juicy watermelon, and a pack of roasted seaweed. After a quick check of necessities he throws in some earbuds, his phone, sun lotion, and a towel.
Taehyung heads for the door and passes his mother on the way to put his flip flops on, kissing her on the cheek. “Bye!”
“When did you get a swimming suit?”
“I bought the shorts last year but I’ve never worn them before.”
“Where are you going? Make sure you stay out of the water.”
Taehyung smiles, his sunglasses hiding the amusement in his eyes.
“Taehyung-ah! Listen to your mother!” she shouts as he walks out the door.
“I’m fine, Mom. Love you!”
“And you need a haircut, young man!”
He blows her a kiss and smiles, knowing that no matter how old he gets his mom will always treat him like her little boy.
Once he parks his car and begins the short walk to the beach, Taehyung searches for the familiar rock and makes his way over there. The sun is bright and the beach is busy. Lots of kids run around, although this beach is more suited for surfers rather than children. Colorful umbrellas and chairs are set up randomly along the sand with adults either relaxing or yelling for their children to stay out of the water unless they put their life jackets on. Seagulls grace the sky with their calming song.
He sets up camp on the rock, like an explorer planting a flag, and slathers on sun lotion. It’s hot but there is a nice sea breeze and Taehyung basks in the sweet relief as he digs into the bag for something to eat and drink.
“Taehyungie!”
Taehyung has to shield his eyes from the sun despite wearing sunglasses to see who it is.
“Seokjin-hyung!”
Seokjin and Yoongi walk towards him, carrying surfboards underneath their arms.
“And Yoongi-hyung! It’s a nice day for surfing.”
“What are you doing out here by yourself?” Yoongi asks with obvious concern in his voice.
“I’m having a picnic.”
“I think you’re a little too close to the water.” Yoongi steps nearer and reaches his hand out. “Come on, have your picnic a little further away. Hyung and I will join you.”
“No, no,” Taehyung waves. “You and hyung go have fun. I’m fine right here.”
It’s kind of cute how Taehyung’s friends baby him, like he’s incapable of taking care of himself. But sometimes it can be a little annoying even though they mean well.
“Taehyungie, at least put on a life jacket,” Seokjin says. “We don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I’ll be alright. I’m just going to sit here for a while and people watch. Besides, I didn’t bring a life jacket.”
“We have an extra one in the car,” Yoongi says. “I’ll go get it.”
“Really, hyung, it’s fine. I’m going to be very careful. I’ll just eat my lunch and sit here for a little while. I won’t be too long.”
Several hours later Taehyung sees the first signs of the mysterious creature. A silver/blue/purple swish of water - too precise to be just an aimless wave - nears the rocks and stops.
“Hello!” Taehyung shouts like a man possessed, waving his arms and almost losing his balance again.
A head pops up from the water and startles Taehyung. Somehow he isn’t sure if he really is dreaming or not. They stare at Taehyung, teal eyes shimmering like flecks of diamond dust settled into the irises.
“Please don’t fall in the water again, Kim Taehyung. Be careful.”
“Oh, my god. I can’t believe you’re real. Who are you? What are you? Are you a mermaid? Or...er...man, a merman..person? Merperson?”
A long, hesitant pause and Taehyung wonders if he’ll get an answer.
“I’m from the Jung clan, Prince Hoseok of the In-Eo Kingdom. And I shouldn’t be talking to you.”
“A prince?” Taehyung grins with excitement. He looks exactly like what a prince of the sea should look like in Taehyung’s opinion: handsome yet delicate, otherworldly eyes and hair. And the rest of him. Taehyung leans over even further to capture a glimpse of shimmering colors blending together and glowing like treasure beneath the water.
“Why shouldn’t you talk to me?”
“It’s forbidden.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I’m not supposed to be here.”
Taehyung stares at the prince, clearly troubled by defying some sort of edict of the sea, his pretty mouth almost frowning/almost smiling and lovely little dimples popping up in his cheeks. “Why are you here?”
The question seems to catch Prince Hoseok off guard. “Erm...uh...well, I wanted to learn how to walk.”
The memory of smooth skin darts through Taehyung’s mind, long legs tangled up in the sand and the way Prince Hoseok crawled back to the water earlier.
“You can’t walk? Does it hurt?”
Prince Hoseok laughs. “Only my pride. I just can’t do it. I’ve tried again and again with no success. But I’m not giving up. Jimin would say I’m too much of a perfectionist.”
“Who’s Jimin?”
“My best friend. And one of the Royal Guards.”
“Wow! Royal Guards! I’m just-” Taehyung takes a deep breath and smiles. A real live prince. It’s unbelievable. And yet so real.
“I will try again and again until I succeed and walk upon the sand.”
His determination is admirable. Setting a goal and achieving it through hard work and dedication is a quality Taehyung can appreciate. It reminds him of his efforts at university to excel in all of his classes.
But it also makes Taehyung think of his epic failure regarding swimming and how he gave up so easily, the fear from a young age just too much to handle despite his desire to swim. His parents couldn’t teach him to overcome his fear, the swimming teacher couldn’t help him. Perhaps-
“Why don’t we make a pact?” Taehyung grips the rock until his knuckles turn pale as he leans over to look straight into the Prince’s eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“A pact, you know, a bargain. A deal. I’ll teach you how to walk and you teach me how to swim.”
“Uhhmm…”
“Please say yes. It’s a great idea and we’ll both get something we want.”
“I don’t think that’s a great idea. I’m not supposed to consort with humans.”
“Consort?” Taehyung grins. “It’s a way for us to learn a new skill. That’s all. It may even be fun. Maybe.”
He looks out at the water and a familiar fear slowly creeps its way over his skin. Can he really trust this creature to keep him safe?
☼☼☼☼☼☼
“I brought you some clothes.” Taehyung leans down and places a pile of clothing on the rock. He’s wearing white shorts, a blue patterned shirt with buttons down the middle, and slide sandals.
“Clothes? Oh, yes, yes. I can’t be seen in my skin.” The more Hoseok speaks the human's language, the more stable his voice becomes.
Hoseok peeks over to find sneakers, a white t-shirt, and bright orange shorts on the rock. The clothes aren’t nearly as lovely as Hoseok has seen humans wearing while dining or shopping, but he supposes that for just walking on sand one doesn’t have to look pretty. Once he learns how to walk he can go to the marketplace shops and find something pretty for himself.
Hoseok frowns when he remembers that he will need human money to get clothes. Despite the many riches he possesses, it does him no good on land.
“I forgot socks. I’m sorry, Prince Hoseok.”
“Hmm...Oh, no, that’s alright. And please call me Hoseok. I think calling me Prince Hoseok will draw attention to me.”
“Yes, of course. I didn’t think about that. You can call me Taehyung.”
“Taehyung. Shall we get started?”
Taehyung nods his head. “Do you want me to turn around?”
“Do you want to turn around?”
“No, I’d love to see...if...if you don’t mind.”
It’s early, barely sunrise, and only a few humans are out: some shopkeepers getting everything ready for today’s marketplace and four sun worshippers on the beach reaching their hands to the sky and bowing in various positions.
With a swish of his tail, Hoseok jumps up on the rock and stretches out, the transformation beginning as he dries with the tingling sensation gliding over his body. He rocks back and forth as human skin slowly replaces his iridescent tail and fins.
“Ooohh.”
Hoseok turns to see Taehyung’s eyes wide and mouth open while he stares at Hoseok’s body metamorphosis. The awestruck expression gives Hoseok a feeling of pride. Taehyung looks at him in wonder, not distaste for being a different species. When his very male body part surfaces, Taehyung quickly turns a shade of pink.
“Oh, my god,” he says and shifts his gaze out to sea.
“What? Is something wrong? Do you not have one of these?”
Taehyung giggles. “Um...yes, I do. I just don’t usually go around staring at other guys’ um...Anyway, you are so beautiful. I mean...um...nevermind. Okay, here are the clothes.”
He shoves the pile of clothes into Hoseok’s face.
“Ah...thank you.”
Hoseok grabs the shirt and puts it on, then he begins to massage his lower body up and down to get the blood flowing.
“What are you...what are you doing?”
“This helps to walk. Well, I think it helps. Well, so far it hasn’t really helped. Actually I’m not sure why I do this. It feels good. Do you not massage your body?”
“Er...yeah, I guess sometimes.”
“It feels good?”
“Mm...yeah.” He takes a deep, shaky breath. “Okay, let’s get your swim shorts and shoes on and hit the beach.”
“No, I don’t want to hit the beach again. I want to walk.”
“Yes, sorry, that’s what I meant. Let’s get started.”
Hoseok slips the swim shorts and shoes on, swinging his legs around to a sitting position on the rock. Just as he is about to stand-
“Wait! You need to take this off.”
Taehyung reaches for his crown.
“No!” Hoseok draws his head back. “I’m not taking this off.” The jewels dance along his head, dazzling blue and white light in his peripheral vision. “This was given to me by my father, placed upon my head by the King of In-Eo as I was crowned Prince along with this.” He sticks his arm out and gestures to the elegant arm band, the spiral tail design a symbol of the Jung clan.
“I’m so sorry,” Taehyung says and bows his head. “I didn’t mean to offend you, Prince Hoseok. It’s just...people will look at you. You’ll stand out because of wearing the crown. Maybe not so much the arm cuff but the crown definitely. But that’s okay. They would look at you anyway because you’re so…”
“So?”
“Um...well, you’re just very pretty.”
“Oh? Do you like pretty things?”
Taehyung opens his mouth but nothing comes out. He ducks his head and mumbles.
“What?”
“Ahhh...I like pretty things,” he says, still staring at the ground.
“Maybe you could take me to find some pretty clothes?”
“You don’t like the clothes I brought?” He looks up with a worried expression in his dark eyes.
“No, no, they’re fine. I just thought I would like something prettier. Something...sparkly or...I don’t know. I’d like to go to some shops and pick something out and maybe eat some food, too. Once I can walk, of course.”
“Yes!” Suddenly Taehyung seems much happier. “I would love to take you out. I mean...shopping and dinner. Or...er..lunch...yeah. Okay, I’m going to shut up now.”
Hoseok laughs. “You don’t have to shut up. I like you, Taehyung. You’re very kind. Thank you for helping me.”
Taehyung grins. “Okay. So...I want you to slowly get up. May I?”
He gestures to his hands and Hoseok nods and reaches out. They hold hands and Hoseok feels a slight pull as he stands to his feet.
“Great! You’re standing.”
“But for how long?” Hoseok laughs nervously.
“Just feel the ground, the way the sand will give with each little movement. Rock back and forth from one foot to the other. Just feeling it. Don’t worry, I won’t let go of you.”
The sand feels unstable beneath Hoseok’s feet but he does as Taehyung asks, applying pressure to the left then right foot, trying to get a feel for it. He holds onto Taehyung’s hands tightly, hoping that he isn’t hurting him but Taehyung doesn’t seem to mind if his large smile is anything to go by. Taehyung’s hands are soft and there’s a faint scent of coconut and the sea breeze on his skin.
“It’s actually more difficult to walk on sand than on a flat surface but this will be good for you to learn the basics. Now I want you to take one step forward with your right foot. Just one step, and then bring your left foot up even with your right. I’ve got you so just concentrate on your steps. Don’t worry about falling. I’ve got you.”
Hoseok breathes a few deep breaths. “Okay.” He lifts his right foot up and moves a step forward, squeezing Taehyung’s hand so hard that he notices Taehyung slightly wincing between the boxy smile and encouraging nod.
“You’re doing good! Now your left foot.”
The left foot sort of drags across the sand but Hoseok manages to maintain his balance with a little help, or a lot, as he leans into Taehyung. His left foot comes even to the right, putting him back in an upright position.
“Look at that!” Taehyung beams. “You are standing! And walking! How do you feel?”
“I’m not sure. It seems like I’m not doing it properly but I’m making progress, I suppose. I’m certainly in a better position now than when I tried by myself before.”
“Let’s keep it up. Come on, you can do it! Again!”
Right foot forward, bring up the left even. Right foot forward, bring up the left even. Hoseok’s focus zeroes in on his feet, picking them up in a more controlled way. Right foot forward, bring up the left even. The death grip loosens on Taehyung’s hands the more Hoseok feels comfortable. It’s like Taehyung’s presence is melting his fears away.
“Look!” Taehyung shouts.
Hoseok looks up and sees that he’s about ten meters away from the rock. “Oooh!” He begins to lose his balance.
Taehyung moves forward and wraps his arms around Hoseok. They’re so close that their noses are almost touching. Taehyung turns his head away. “No falling.” Taehyung backs out of the hug but squeezes Hoseok’s hands for reassurance.
“Thank you, Taehyung.”
“You’re welcome. Are you up for more walking or…”
“Yes! Yes! I can do this!” Hoseok feels strong with Taehyung by his side.
“Let’s go!”
“Are you okay?” A human female walks up to them, one of the sun worshippers from further down the beach. “I noticed you’re having trouble walking. Did you hurt your leg?”
“He’s okay,” Taehyung says. “It’s...like...it’s physical therapy.”
“Oh, I see. I just wanted to help if I could. Have a good day!” She waves and walks back to the other side of the beach.
“Okay, where were we?” Taehyung says.
Right foot forward, bring up the left even. Right foot forward, bring up the left even. Hoseok’s steps become more confident, more fearless, and more certain with each successful stride forward. He wonders what Jimin would think if he could see him now. He can’t imagine he’d look any more proud than the way Taehyung is looking at him.
“Okay now let’s keep stepping without stopping. So right foot step, left foot step, right foot step, left foot step. Just smooth, one step right after the other. It will be a little faster but you can do it. I believe in you.”
Warmth settles into Hoseok’s chest at Taehyung’s sweet words. This human has to be the kindest person in the world. So encouraging and helpful, positive and charming. And patient. A true delight to encounter. How lucky that Hoseok found him. Or that he found Hoseok.
“Hoseok? Are you alright?”
“Yes,” Hoseok says with a smile. “I’m perfect.”
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