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Ever since he was a child, his father would always take him gently by the hand and walked in the shoreline of the beach. Soft waves caressed both of their feet as he matched his father’s footsteps. Constant breeze tickled his hair and the crisp scent of ocean lingering in his smell.
His father would always hum some random tune and closed his eyes to face the afternoon sun, basking in its serenity. He always copied his motions for a second and immediately tug his father’s hand out of boredom. And yet, the hymn seemed familiar to him. It shrugs a memory out of him but forgot about it when a certain wave clashed their feet once again.
He shrieked in joy as the warm water splashed in his legs and followed it as it went back, letting go his father’s hand. Not caring for his already soaked shorts, he met the waves with open arms. His father bellowed a laugh.
“Careful there Takemichi,”
“Is’ safe Papa, the sea’ so warm!” He laughed,
“I know goldfish but I am a little worried if the ocean might not give you back to me.” His father said it so humourlessly but if Takemichi had look closely back then, he might have noticed his father’s melancholic expression.
“Silly Papa, the sea wil’ aways’ brin’ me bac’ t’you.”
“Promise goldfish?”
Takemichi nodded enthusiastically and went back to fetch his father’s calloused hand. He swinged it back and forth; beaming at his old man. Signifying as to say ‘see, I went back to you as promise’. This action prompted his father to reciprocate his beaming smile and continued to hum the random, familiar tune.
o0o
He did not really understand what his father meant back then, not until he turned eight. His old man did not spend more time at the beach as of lately. His father’s current job kept him from strolling in their usual shores. And Takemichi does not really mind, he understood the importance of his father’s occupation. To compensate his father’s hard work; he always brought some pretty shells for him, telling him his day, feeling the rough sand as he scavenged for the said shells.
It started when a whispering sound tingling in his eardrums. At first he just brushed it off thinking of it as nothing but then it grew more persistent.
A distant longing lodged in his chest. He kept hearing the sound of the waves and there is even one time a humming lullaby escaped from his mouth as he kept thinking about the whispering sound. His father noticed it after getting home from his work, dinner prepared at their table.
“Takemichi?” His father started.
“Yea’ Dad?” Unlike his father, Takemichi did not stop eating his dinner.
His father seemed to hesitate to follow up the next conversation. Takemichi scanned his father’s face to being worried and then something akin to acceptance. Assuming he’s done something wrong, or worse for he has such a soft heart; Takemichi felt his eyes getting teary.
“Hey, stop with the waterworks goldfish. I just wanted to ask if you wouldn’t mind, could I join you in the beach tomorrow?” His father asked him with a smile. Takemichi erased his panic outburst and slammed the table. “Of course I wouldn’t mind! Let’s go together Dad.” He grinned.
His father smiled at him in return and the both of them continued their dinner with a cheerful thought in mind.
As they went to their usual spot; Takemichi felt so antsy. He wanted to touch the water so bad. He felt like jumping out of his skin until he submerges himself into the warm embrace of the salt-water. As soon as his feet connected with the sand, he leaped hastily.
Before he could join the pilfering splashes of the sea; his father grabbed the back of his shirt. “Whoa goldfish, not so fast.” Against his sudden urge to leap across the vastness of the sea, he stopped and studied his father.
He realized the odd feeling that made him feel weird since the time he kept hearing those hushed longing. “Dad, what’s happening to me? It feels so itchy all over.”
Instead of answering, his father held out his hand for him as he slowly guided him to the water. As Takemichi stepped on the water. He felt electrify, the tips of his toes felt like tiny needles pricking up all the way to his legs. A shimmer of gold covered his lower waist as he was gingerly soaked by his father into the water.
“Dad’s what happening!?” He questioned in fear, grabbing the sleeves of his father tightly. Pinpricks of tears started on his eyes.
“Hey, hey, It’s okay Takemichi it’s alright just relax my son.” His father cooed with reassurance. “Calm down my goldfish, it’s not really painful is it?”
Now that he thought about it was not really painful nor strange, it was somewhat complete. He did not feel any longing anymore. He felt content and right. The water surrounding him calmed his racing heart and instead it was filled with satisfaction.
After the gold shimmer, he looked to see what happened to his feet and his fear went back to a hundred percent, a couple of tears finally leaked from his eyes.
A tail replaced his once legs. A fish tail of gold scales reflected from the sun making it shined so bright decorated on his missing feet. Mesmerizing blank ink of swirls etched from his waist down to the ends of his tail, making it more captivating. His fears tone down a bit when he watched his legs—tail swirled aimlessly in the water.
“Dad what’s…what’s happening to me..why..how….what am I?” His tears finally gave in as he sobbed heavily.
“Oh Takemichi, you’re a child… you’re my child... it’s just—" And then his father left him speechless as he explained a revealing truth. His mother was a mer, a child of the sea. Who can hear the songs and the sonnets of the waves. A woman who loved him very much, so much that she left the longing enfolds of the ocean and chose to stay his father for love. So much that she chose to give birth to Takemichi even it traded her life as a result.
He cried so hard at the revelation but his father just squeezed him with a loving hug. Whispering adoring words in his sobbing face. Reminding him it is not his fault and there is nothing wrong with him. Doing this while rubbing Takemichi’s shaking shoulders.
o0o
After the truth was all said and done, both his father and him tried to figure out how to shift his tail back to human legs.
They discovered if he could just focus on thinking about land and the happiness that he entailed on walking he could go back and same would happen if he thought about the ocean. His golden tail would shimmer back.
Discovering he was a mer, was the most terrifying and beautiful moment of his life. A puzzle piece was finally placed in his missing board. He already liked the ocean but now, he loves it from the bottom of his heart.
He would swim for hours, testing the new him in the depths of the ocean. He could breathe underwater and feel the songs of the creatures below. He sometimes felt that he could live like this, just swimming endlessly in the deep blues. Hearing the calls of their hymns.
He discovered new things about himself everyday like how any forms of water he could reach would energized him or even healed his finger from an accidental cut with a knife. He admitted there were some tears shed but it was all forgotten when upon seeing his bleeding finger not so bleeding anymore. His skin was spotless.
As much as he was a child of the sea, he was also a child of the land. He did not break his promise to his father. After a long dip in the ocean he would always come back in time for dinner and there was even one time his father rented a boat so they could go to a private location in more deeper waters so both father and son could enjoy without any onlookers.
Every day, Takemichi grew confident and knowledgeable about his other self. Spending his free time in the beach and shifted into a mer, gathering shells and knickknacks from the ocean.
He even realized the random tune that his father would hum to him every time they were on the shores. It was the song from the sea; the sound from the waves, the melody from the depths and the cry from every creatures habiting in the waters.
He loved the songs, the shells and the ocean. He loved it so, that without his father he would probably would have left already and permanently reside himself on it. But his love for it vanquished, for the ocean is also cruel to a child like him.
o0o
He lost his father right after meeting the person he would come to love the most – Mikey.
He was shifting back to being human after a fun dive at the sea. He was in the middle of putting his pants, humming the familiar tune when a voice blurted out, almost made him had a heart attack.
“Huh, you had a tail.”
Takemichi yelped, tumbling from his pants. His snapped his head to the owner of the voice, heart racing. “What!..Um…no! I didn’t….what?”
Takemichi started to feel his sweat on his brow. His mind was raising as an individual saw his most hidden secret, a child nonetheless probably around his age too.
“You don’t have to lie you know. I saw you transform earlier.” For a child who just saw him transform from a mer to a human he seems pretty calm about it. The boy’s light hair swayed as the salty breeze passed in their direction. Dark obsidian eyes locking with Takemichi’s own sapphire blues.
Takemichi remained speechless, too afraid to escape from this confrontation. Words got stuck in his throat as he felt the need to find some excuse to flee from this dire predicament.
The boy on the other hand seems to be at ease. He’s got a soft smile and a look of wonder on his features. “I always thought you’re a bunch of bull that my big brother made up. He’s always telling me how you exist and how very real you are. You’re a mermaid aren’t you?"
“I’m a merman er…well half.” Takemichi promptly replied, wondering where his courage to speak suddenly showed.
“Really?” The boy’s eyes sparked in amazement, roaming his dark eyes over Takemichi’s legs without any malice.
Feeling conscious Takemichi tried to curl when he realized he was still half naked. He blushed and hastily put his clothes on.
He tried to control his blushing as he regarded the boy a question. “How did you find me?”
“Oh, I just heard singing and followed it.” The boy answered. He had his hands stuffed on his pockets.
Is my voice really that loud? Takemichi tried to salvage his situation by crying, fat tears finally rolled down his cheeks. “Are y-you gonna tell everyone?” He cannot have that; people would force him away to be experimented with or worse they would snatch him away from his father.
“Nah, you can stop crying now. Your secret safe with me, half merman.” The blonde kid faced him nonchalantly. He kneeled right in front of him with his arms tucked under his chin. With an easy smile the kid roamed his eyes in wonder “Your tail was really pretty,”
Flushed with embarrassment, Takemichi tried to control his tears by clearing his throat. He looked at the boy and saw his shameless smile, he felt heat in his face picturing it as red as a tomato. He covered his face with his hands.
“Haha, now, now don’t hide your pretty face from me.” The boy laughed tilting his head so he can see more of Takemichi’s covered face.
Takemichi peaked at him from his fingers and mumbled something.
“What? Can’t hear you,”
“Y-you can’t say something like that!” Takemichi exclaimed,
“Like what?”
“L-like m-my tail was…”
“Pretty?” The boy continued, “Well it’s true, anyway your face is pretty too so don’t hide it.” He cheekily said as he tried to pry Takemichi’s hands from his face.
Takemichi leaned away as the boy tried to enter his personal space. He eyed him and ponder his declaration, this only made him blush more. He can’t find himself to agree with that reply when obviously the dark-eyed boy was the one who’s prettier than him. Wait what?
“Wow, you’re redder by the minute, must be all the sun right." The boy slyly commented as if he was oblivious to Takemichi’s embarrassment.
“Please stop teasing me,” Takemichi sighed,
“Okay, okay but I was really not teasing you before.” The blonde replied seriously, “You really are pretty, especially with the tail and all.” He dropped his seriousness and offered Takemichi a genuine smile.
This prompted Takemichi to ducked his head and brushed off the sands that lingered in his pants. He hesitated for a moment and then said. “Promise me you won’t tell anyone else that t-that um… you know…”
“Well…” The boy’s smile turned into a smirk. Takemichi blanched at his response, heart suddenly drumming so loud. “I promise you, if you promise me something in return.”
“W-what?” He shouldn’t probably make any deals with this pretty kid, again wait what?
“Come back here tomorrow,”
“You w-want to see me again,” takemichi stuttered,
The blonde boy could only shrug and a red hue filtered in his pale face. “Yeah, and I want to talk to you more.”
Takemichi stared at his face with contemplation. Realizing that he was being creepy for staring too long he averted his gaze and hastily brushed his clothes for the nth time that day.
"Okay, I promise to come back." He shyly agreed and raised a hand to wave good bye to the strange boy who witnessed his secret.
"You better, half merman," The boy waved back with a contented smile.
As much as Takemichi dread the thought to see a person knowing his aquatic biology, he was somewhat relieved that other than his dad knew about it. And maybe he could make a potential friend with the boy.
He was almost at his house when he just realized that he never knew the boy's name. Stupid Takemichi that's like rule number one in common courtesy! He sighed for his inadequacies and vowed to himself to get the boy's name tomorrow. With that thought in mind, Takemichi proceeded to the front gate of his home only to meet a couple of adults dressed in suits greeted him.
o0o
His dad won't come home anymore or that's the gist of his knowledge. They tried to be gentle in delivering the news that his father was dead, there was a storm they said, his father was one of the victims that regretfully died in the shipwreck.
The sea claimed him,
The men in suits offered their condolences with sincerity, furthermore explaining his future living arrangment. His aunt -- his father's estranged sister is willing to take Takemichi under her care and figure out the necessary obligations for his father's sudden passing.
He could count how many times his aunt visited him and his father. They were not particularly close but they are still family nonetheless.
When his aunt found him though, fully seeing the reality that his father was really gone, he bursted into tears. Large droplets of water falling from his cheeks, his sobs muffled by the dampening shirt of his aunt as he clutched tightly to her.
His aunt could only hugged him in return, rubbing his back as he continuously cried his grief. Never ending tears poured over, a lingering fear and disbelief flowered towards the once loved waters that claimed his father.
After a much thorough explanation of their circumstances, Takemichi could only nod to all of his aunt's words in a blank state.
Not to pressure his grieving nephew, his aunt just brushed his bangs and wiped the tears that still present on his sorrowful face. "Takemichi, you are so brave,"
Takemichi felt his lips trembled at those words, not believing her in the slightest.
"It's okay to cry Takemichi, no one will berate you for crying." Her voice echoed in his mind shaking him off in his blank state for a moment and observed his aunt fully.
He cried all over again and still, true to her word his aunt did not scold him for all the snots and tears he gave her.
His aunt carefully disclosed him about their living arrangment. He has to move out from his family home and be with his aunt in her home city for a while because she has to take care some things first before they can settle back here.
Takemichi felt unhappy at the thought of moving out from his homey house, his bedroom where all of his treasured shells and knickknacks from the ocean tucked in his shelf.
Thinking about the ocean made him sick so he shook his head and eyed his aunt, giving her the indication of understanding the reason behind the move out and also because he needed the space to clear his mind without the harboring grief of his new thoughts of the sea.
But the only thing he dread as he ponder the relief of the thought of distancing himself, is that he will break a promise that he made with the dark-eyed boy.
Thinking of breaking a promise for the first time and knowing that he will never come to know more about the pretty boy, he bursted into sobs again.
He never even knew his name.
o0o
His father's sister must have not known the full heredity of her nephew nor of her sister-in-law for she did not even mentioned it in any of their interactions. She was always busy handling her work business because of his new addition and Takemichi respects her wishes.
He helped with the household, opting to take charge in the cooking department for his aunt does not have the time to do that herself. He was her attention for the first month but after getting the hang of taking care for him and making sure he's alright, she started to prioritize her neglected work.
Takemichi does not mind it all. He gets it and tried to lessen the workload of his new guardian.
Back to his deduction, his aunt was clueless and did not know about him being a half merman or she was just being oblivious until Takemichi starts to open that conversation himself.
Still he played it safe and kept his secret for now. Speaking of his other half heredity, he did not shift, not once back into a merman. He disregard the muted calls of the sea even though he's far away from the waves. How come he still can hear it, he does not know.
Honestly, he wanted to forget all of it. The tune, the familiar itchiness of submerging oneself into the salt water and swimming as fast as he can.
He thought he can do it as he passed another month of not jumping out of his bones and drifts himself out in the beach. He was proud of himself but then his aunt decided one day if he would like to go back with his old home.
She reassured that it is okay not to and not to push himself so hard for a decision.
He really appreciate the kind gesture of his aunt because it sure is really hard to decide such a big settlement. The distance between his childhood home spared him the depressing thoughts of his late father on the other hand not going back there is like forgetting all the memories he had with his old man.
Face with such conundrum, Takemichi agreed to go back at the end even though it made him teared up a bit.
His aunt chuckled at his expression, a look of understanding featured on her eyes. "You really are brave Takemichi."
This made him only cry more to which his aunt ruffled his hair.
He still does not believe her though.
o0o
Stepping back into his old bedroom after two years feels like something lodged out from his chest. He inspected the dust covered shelf and the things he left behind. He shouldered up and started cleaning. As much as he wanted to curl up and cry again, he would rather do something productive.
Losing his father was really heavy on his part. There were even times he would cry at random moments just thinking about the things that they would like to do together.
But he was getting better, accepting the reality to which is the final stage of grief.
And yet, he still can't stomach the action of basking the ocean once again. Preventing himself the nature of his other life.
He kept himself distracted, denying his urge to shift and allowing to be lured by the familiar tune of a song.
He pursued things that interests him without thinking the sweet call of the waves and the cool feeling of water in his dry legs.
Now that he thought about it, he feels so dry and warm all over. Fatigue was on the edge of his vision but he put it aside as he met up with his new proclivity -- delinquency.
Being a delinquent seemed to be a cool addition in his life. He dyed his hair into a color which he thought was badass and tried to unbutton his uniform to showcased how much of rebel he was.
His aunt left him be, happy enough that his nephew started to become a teenager that he was supposed to be. Still always busy and not always at home due to her new promotion but nonetheless Takemichi is also happy for her.
Another addition of his life in being a 'minor criminal' was having a great gang he called friends.
Meeting up with Atsushi, Takuya, Makoto and Yamagishi was one of the best moments of his life.
Being with them made him feel like he could get used to being a delinquent. Having friends like them who cared for his well being did not miss the fatigue that constantly surrounds their friend.
"Hey are sure you all right man?" Akkun asked him as he was munching his own burger.
Takemichi snapped at the attention. "Mmh, y-yeah of course, I'm fine Akkun."
"I don't think so, you've been looking tired all this past few weeks Takemichi."
"Maybe we should cancel this fight if your feeling sick." Takuya added.
"Ah, no, no I'm really okay guys and besides we've been looking forward to this fight." Takemichi did not have the heart to pass this opportunity for them. The guys wanted so much to prove themselves and he'd be lying if he doesn't want this fight to happen too.
So he pushed back his tiredness and put up a smile to boost his friends' confidence.
"Seriously I'm fine, let's focus to our upcoming fight instead."
Yamagishi raised his fist, mouth still full with food. "Yeah! Let's crush em!"
Makoto joined him in his yell to which Takemichi hesitantly followed. Feeling powerful together with his friends at his side.
o0o
Takemichi gasped as an another brutal kick smacked his stomach.
He would never thought he would be in this situation. Hunched down in a protective position as he met up kick after kick.
He can already feel new bruises on his old bruises. His body was still battered after a past beating with Kiyomasa.
Kiyomasa, the delinquent that held all of their leaches. The upcoming fight that they were so excited to participate ended in disaster. They were crushed by their seniors who were all brutes. Showing no mercy in beating the hell out of them, especially their leader Kiyomasa.
The fight resulted them to be made a servant and meet their orders whenever they want.
One of their orders is to fight in an underground fighting ring.
"Huh, are you dead already? Where's that punk ass attitude earlier." Kiyomasa looked bored as he kicked Takemichi again. "Regretting for taking place of that weak loser?"
Takuya flinched at the statement and Takemichi hardened his resolve, not regretting one bit for taking Takuya's beatings. He pushed out his pain and his already weakened body.
"Pathetic, oi you there come here. Let's fight next and if you put out a better fight than your pathetic friend over there I'll let your other friends get off the hook." Kiyomasa pointed at Takuya, who somehow hid his fear and faced Kiyomasa with determination. Akkun glared so much at their situation and the treatment of Takemichi
But before Takuya could enter the ground, Takemichi spoke suddenly.
"Oi, oi, oi, I'm not down yet Kiyomasa. Is that all you've got." Takemichi grinned with blood flowing down his face.
Kiyomasa scrunched his face in anger and immediately punched Takemichi in the face.
Expected that Takemichi will be flat out of his ass, Kiyomasa stopped but then Takemichi didn't and faced him more with determination.
"I'M NOT GOING DOWN!" He yelled, making Kiyomasa panicked and the onlookers stared at him in disbelief.
Takemichi felt dizziness combined with the tiredness that he's been feeling and the bruises from the punches, he might've wanted to retract his declaration. He might actually pass out.
Bracing himself with a yet another vicious punch from Kiyomasa, so color him suprise when none came to hit him. He opened his eyes not knowing he closed them in the first place.
Everybody was bowing down including Kiyomasa. He looked for the source of their new changed of attitude and met two figures approaching his beat down.
There was a tall blonde person with a menacing tattoo on the side of his head and a short blonde one who lackadaisically passed Kiyomasa's lowering body.
He entered Takemichi's personal space making him fall on his butt. He touched the back of Takemichi's head pulling him nearly in the smiling face of the stranger. He suddenly felt a bit hotter, adding to his already burning body.
Takemichi got a close look on the boy and gazed at his familiar black eyes.
Those obsidian eyes look so familiar to him, skimming his memory at a fast pace trying to point where did met those eyes before.
He completely ignored how Kiyomasa was beaten down by the tattooed man and focused his attention in finding the memory of the boy in front of him.
And then suddenly he remembered, the boy in front of him was the dark-eyed boy he met a few years ago at the beach where everything was still fine.
"You! Y-you're the boy who saw me with my ta-." He cut himself before anyone else could hear him.
"I finally met you again, half merman." The boy smiled that intimate smile of his, a bit sly but still genuine.
Seeing that again brought him the memories of his promise and he immediately decided to heed his question back then.
"I've never got to ask, what was your name?" Takemichi rushed out his desired question to which the boy laughed at him.
"I'll tell you my name if you tell me yours first."
Takemichi could only stare at the familiar reply and he blinked at the tears as memories and a hint of a knowing tune echoed in his mind.
"It's H-hanagaki Takemichi,"
"Takemitchy," The boy tested his name and butchered it already, Takemichi is about to correct him but then the boy nodded and looked at him with a full smile. "Nice to meet you Takemitchy, you can call me Mikey. From now on you're my friend okay."
At that proclamation Takemichi heard something, a tune that he used to ignore suddenly blared at his eardrums. The burning sensation flared up making him dizzy once again.
"Takemitchy are you okay?"
Takemichi covered his ears and tears flowed heavily now on his face. "I can hear it so loudly,"
"What is it?" Mikey seemed concern at his expression.
"The song," Takemichi answered, trying to wiped his never ending tears.
Mikey helped him at wiping away his tears, carefully avoiding some of the bruises on his face. "You're burning up Takemitchy,"
"The song of the o-ocean. I-I can hear it, I miss it so much. So, so much." At his confession, he realized how relieving it was to utter the truth. No matter how much he denied himself with the sea. The hatred and fear, he still can't avoid the love that he always felt for it.
Mikey observed him for a second and grabbed his hand to drag him up. "Do you want me to take you there?"
Takemichi looked at Mikey with a sudden light. He bit his lips from trembling, and he nodded his head as a fresh batch of tears poured over.
"Okay, let's go Takemichi." Mikey did not let go of his hand as they walked their way through the crowd.
Mikey met Kiyomasa on his way and the Toman commander gazed down at the kneeling delinquent.
"Mike--,"
Kiyomasa was strucked down by a sudden punch and was grabbed by the ends of his hair by Mikey.
"Who are you?" Mikey smacked him again and again as blood worked down from Kiyomasa's broken face and dropped him simultaneously on the ground
"Toman does not tolerate these kinds of behavior, all those who participated on this kind of activity shall be punished accordingly." The tattoed man shouted with authority. Everyone bowed down again and yelled in unison as their vice-president declared the order.
"Ken-chin, Takemitchy and I have to go somewhere."
"Takemitchy?"
"Mmh, it'll be just the two of us so you can go wherever you want Ken-chin." Mikey passed with Takemichi on his tow, still holding his hand.
Takemichi must've not completely lost his sense of reality to sea coco land because both he and the tattoed man said at the same time.
"Wait! Seriously Mikey--."
"Wait hold on!"
Mikey stared at the two of them, "I thought you wanted to go now?" Mikey addressed first to Takemichi, who reddened at the attention. "Well, yes I want to--."
"Where the hell are you two even going?"
"It's a secret Ken-chin,"
"Oi Mikey,"
Both Mikey and 'Ken-chin' eyed each other for a while. A silent conversation seemed to work between them. Takemichi was fidgeting with his other free hand, nervous at the two blondes' serious eye gazing.
And then finally the man named Ken-chin sighed. "Fine, don't be late before dinner though or Emma's gonna fly a pan right out of your face."
"Yeah, yeah," Mikey passed him with a contented smile as he dragged Takemichi with him.
"Takemichi?!"
Takemichi turned to face his friends who were panicking. Godsmacked expression displayed all over.
Yamagishi whose jaw was open managed to ask in concern.
"T-takemichi, are you gonna be ok?"
Takemichi observed their worried faces and he felt appreciative from his friends' disquiet apprehension. It was also good to know that his gang was finally safe and free from that tyrant Kiyomasa.
"Don't worry, I'll be okay. I'm gonna be fine Akkun, I'll see you tomorrow." He left them with a genuine smile, especially to Akkun who is one step behind from leaping and drag him himself.
With that out of the way, Mikey and him walked further away from the group. He can feel his itching urges to burst out as the thought of meeting the sea once again.
o0o
He stared at the horizon and his hair swayed at the breeze. Caressing soft touches at his skin. He breathed the saltiness and the familiar smell of the beach.
He opened his eyes and gazed at his shoeless feet; on the sand where the edge of a wave barely touched him.
"I never thought I'll see this beach again."
"Me either,"
Takemichi jumped as he forgot that Mikey was there with him. The dark-eyed boy was also barefooted and was tucking his hands in his pockets. He smiled at the water as it splashed a little on his feet. He was a bit closer to it than Takemichi.
"Why do you think you'll never see it again?" Mikey asked,
Takemichi paused at the question. Even though he barely knew Mikey, heck he even talked to him two times in his lifetime, and yet there is something about him where he can talk about everything and anything to him.
"The thought of coming here again made me feel depressed." Takemichi admitted, he thought about how he blamed the body water of denying his father's presence to come home.
As the idea flashed, he also remembered another regret that also made him dejected at the thought.
"I'm sorry Mikey, for that day I didn't come back. I broke our promise." Takemichi felt shame as he looked down more at his feet. Not brave enough to face Mikey.
"I'm sorry too."
"Huh?"
"I also didn't come back to see you." Mikey stopped his inspection on the water and eyed Takemichi instead. "I couldn't come here again that day because..."
Takemichi finally looked at him and waited for his words. Not daring to interrupt Mikey's thoughts. Hope was building at the concept that Mikey was not disappointed at him for breaking their promise.
"I lost someone important to me that day, so I broke the deal we had. But I came back the next day after that, hoping you know... You might be there but I guess I was aiming too much."
Takemichi froze at the end of Mikey's confession. Mikey lost someone too, he immediately felt sorrowful for thinking such things. Tears already forming at the edge of his eyes. "
"Takemitchy, are you crying?"
Takemichi did indeed was crying. "Thank you Mikey-kun for telling me." He sniffed,
Mikey chuckled at him, "Why are you even crying?"
"Because you are so brave!" Takemichi answered, "You even came back even though it's hard for you at that time."
He rubbed away his tears so he can talk properly. "I didn't come back on that day or the following days after that, because I lost someone dear to me too." He admitted, "Coming back here reminded me of him so much that I can't stomach it." He finally wiped away all of his tears. "But being here again, I can say it is mitigating. To feel something so free and soothing."
Takemichi gave Mikey a beaming smile. "Thank you for bringing me here again Mikey-kun."
Mikey's eyes widen as he gazed at Takemichi. A red hue featured on his face but before Takemichi could look into it more, Mikey averted his face, a hand covered his sudden cough.
Takemichi was about to asked him if he was sick or something when a flare of pain ruptured on his leg section. He yelped and collapsed on the sand.
"Takemitchy! Shit, you okay?" Mikey went down with him in concern, cradling him so he can sit up.
Takemichi flinched as another sharp pain flared. He touched his legs and felt something.
It's the familiar sensation of shifting. His body was forcing himself to shift.
"Takemitchy what is it? Are you okay?" Mikey was shaking him to get his attention.
"I'm turning,"
"What?"
Takemichi rubbed his legs as he assessed the limbs. He shyly turned to Mikey and mumbled something.
"My legs are shifting into a tail,"
"Oh,"
Takemichi side eyed Mikey and blushed at the look of wonder on the blonde's face.
"You're gonna turn into a mermaid?!" Mikey asked with stars on his eyes.
Takemichi blushed even more, "A merman Mikey-kun!"
The wonder on Mikey's eyes did not seem to disappear at Takemichi's screeching. In fact, it further elevated his amazement. Feeling conscious, he poked Mikey's arm to bring him back to reality.
"Um... M-mikey-kun could you um... Not look at me when... When I you know shift."
This seemed to shake Mikey out of his reverence. "Feeling shy, Takemitchy?" He teased Takemichi.
Takemichi could only spluttered, "Of course Mikey-kun! Y-you can't say something like that!"
Mikey laughed at him and turned his back at him. "I'm not gonna look Takemitchy, so go do your thing."
Takemichi would prefer if Mikey was not here at all to witness him shifting back into a merman after a few years.
But he can't seemed to deter Mikey out so he hastily completed his transformation. He set aside his clothes for later use and shifted his legs.
The sensation at first was painful but the later he fully shifted without denying himself again, lessen the aches and the tweaking of his bones. It's like finally taking off a stuffy suit that tightly latched onto him.
As he completed the shift, fully displaying his shimmering golden tail; he exhaled a deep breath. He never felt so liberating.
"Are you done Takemitchy?"
Takemichi glanced at Mikey's back feeling conscious once again. "I-i'm done, you can look now Mikey-kun."
Mikey turned to him and froze for a moment. He was speechless and his jaw was slacked a bit.
Takemichi never seen Mikey's obsidian eyes sparkled so much. His tail was a lot bigger than he remembered. It was more detailed too. Silver scales cascading on his golden tail with black as ink swirled on his midriff down to the end of his flicker. Gold and silver scales were also on his arms and chest area.
Feeling uneasy at the blatant staring, Takemichi crossed his arms acrossed his once knees. Curling as small as he can managed.
Sensing that Takemichi was feeling uncomfortable, Mikey stopped his staring and invaded Takemichi's space with an excited beam.
"Wow! You really are so pretty Takemitchy!" Mikey exclaimed. "Although, I liked your black hair more than yours now,"
Takemichi did not know what to react on the onslaught of compliment and the shade of his hair at the same time. So he yelled at Mikey.
"Stop teasing me Mikey-kun!," Mikey could only laughed at his reddening face.
"Takemitchy, can I touch your tail?" Mikey asked him.
Takemichi startled and then shyly nodded for permission. Mikey slowly lifted a hand and softly touched the glimmering scales.
"Huh, it's silky I thought it would be rough."
Takemichi blushed again at Mikey and refused to make eye contact with him to which Mikey chuckled in delight.
Takemichi twitched at the water that sprayed a little on his tail. It is beckoning him to submerged after years of avoiding it. He looked at it with contemplation, he was feeling a little bit tired and sore from all the beatings he had to endure. He was about to drag his aching body to a crawl when Mikey hooked an arm on his once leg and under his back.
"M-mikey-kun! W-what are you doing!" He yelled, he hastily grabbed Mikey by the shoulders as he was hoisted by the chuckling blonde.
"It looks like you're about to keel over Takemitchy so I'm carrying you." Mikey carried him to a more deeper area. Mikey's clothes were drenched as the water leveled on his hips.
He released Takemichi more gently like a treasured thing into the sea.
As Takemichi was let out into the water. He felt a warm embraced liked the ocean was welcoming him home. His bruises on his knuckles started to heal as he wriggled it into the water.
He felt unbound, as much as he wanted to spree out of the shallows and into the deep, he can't forget about Mikey, the person who reminded him again the love for his beach.
"You're humming it again,"
"What?"
"The tune you've been singing when we first met." Mikey clarified.
Takemichi blinked, surprised that he unconsciously sang something he forgot.
"It is the song of the shores, who sang it to my mother, then sang it to my father and now to me." Takemichi rubbed his neck sheepishly. "And I unconsciously sang it to you," He ducked, feeling awkward.
"Keep singing it for me, it's pretty." Mikey grinned at him, "You're not burning up anymore, I guess all you need is the water."
Takemichi shook off his daze at Mikey's earlier compliment of his singing. "Oh yeah, I guess all that pent up sickness was just me not releasing my true nature." He concluded.
"Mmh, so you're leaving now?"
"What! Um..." Mikey was right, he was leaving, he can't wait to swim and apologized for avoiding the ocean for so long but. "I'll come back Mikey-kun..."
Mikey snickered, "Don't look so dejected Takemitchy, I'll wait for you."
Takemichi gasped and clutched Mikey's hands, "Really?!" Realized what he had done, he let go of Mikey's hands as if he was burnt. His face turned into a shade of red again.
But Takemichi was astonished when Mikey grasped his hands again. "I promise, if you promise to me in return."
"What is it?"
"Promise me you come back sooner okay," Mikey replied with a knowing smile on his face.
Takemichi squeezes their hands together and answered. "I promise, and this time I'm gonna keep this promise Mikey-kun."
"Me too," Mikey said as he looked at Takemichi in wonder.
He stared at Mikey with the ocean water surrounding them. The waves splashed at them with a gentle current as if to not disturb them with their moment. The song that continued to hum at the back of his head and the promise that he vowed to keep in front of him. Takemichi decided that this is one of the dearest significance that he would like to protect.