Chapter Text
A few years ago, in the velvet halls of the Phan estate, a girl named Hyuna was born into a legacy. Her future had been decided before she could even speak marriage to a nobleman, a life of quiet obedience, and the preservation of her femininity. It was what her mother had done, her grandmother, every woman Hyuna had ever known and that's why she smiled when told she'd make a lovely bride. She practiced curtsies until her knees ached and made sure her manners were always perfect. She learned to speak softly, even when her true voice was deep and rough.
But something never felt like it for her fit. Not quite with her current lifestyle, it just wasn't what she was meant to be and she knew it. Not until she was seven years old did she have a clear idea on what she wanted. Not until she saw him.
Now, years later, the estate buzzed with celebration. Nobles swarmed the halls like a herd of sheep, men from all over the kingdom came for this. The king himself had even arrived to marvel at her father's "greatest catch." Whatever it was, it had turned their home into a museum more or less.
Hyun-woo flopped onto the velvet chaise in Hyuna's room, arms crossed, his dark hair tousled from pacing. "Jeez. What's with all these pompous idiots parading around downstairs? We're not even allowed to leave our rooms because they're all obsessed with Father's 'big catch.'" He made air quotes with exaggerated flair. "It's probably just a fish. A fancy fish." He straightened out his expensive outfit as if it was a cheap toy, he was Hyuna's younger brother who tended to have more of a rebellious streak.
Hyuna sat at her vanity, brushing her hair with slow, deliberate strokes that she'd practiced through multiple times with her teachers. Her reflection was perfect, rosy cheeks, demure smile, the kind of girl who never questioned her place. "That's what they do," she murmured, voice like lace. "Celebrate things they don't understand."
Hyun-woo snorted. "Idiotic, if you ask me. I bet it's not even a fish...I even bet it's something dangerous. Something like...hmmm..killer sea man whales?"
Hyuna paused, her brush hovering mid-air. She had to stop herself from laughing at that one, it wasn't unusual for her brother to be this ridiculous. In fact, she envied him more than anything. "Maybe.." she said quietly, keeping composure.
Hyun-woo sighed and stared at the ceiling for a while, oddly silent for his liking. Hyuna was even starting to wonder if he'd gone asleep with his eyes open because one thing he didn't know how to do right was keep quiet. Suddenly, he looked at Hyuna and Hyuna finally reliezed what he was up to.
"You're thinking about it too, aren't you?"
She blinked. "Thinking about what?"
He flopped down beside her, grinning. "Father's catch. Everyone's talking about it like it's some divine miracle from the literal heavens. But we haven't been able to even see it."
Hyuna hesitated. "We're not supposed to, it's in his study. That room's off-limits to us anyways.."
"Exactly," Hyun-woo said, as if that proved his point. "Which means it's something big. Something he doesn't want anyone touching."
She frowned, smoothing her skirt. "It would be disrespectful. He's hosting nobles and we'd be—"
"Come on, Hyuna." His voice softened. "Don't you want to know? Just a little tiny peek. We'll be quiet and no one will even notice!"
She bit her lip. She did want to know, desperately even, but she'd spent her whole life being good, being what was expected. Being good was all she's ever known to do to have it easier, what if though..what if she could be rebellious just this once and finally have something she could choose without consequences. "Fine," she whispered, finally convincing herself. "Just a peek."
That night, long after the last noble had left their home and the halls had quieted, Hyun-woo crept into her room with a candle and a stupid grin on his face. Together, they tiptoed through the darkened corridors, their hearts were pounding with every creak of the floorboards thinking they'd really get chewed out for this one.
Father's study was a cavernous room lined with towering bookshelves, their spines gleaming in the candlelight. In the center stood the tank—massive, glass walls thick as armor, large enough to hold a shark. The water shimmered faintly, casting ripples of light across the ceiling.
They crept closer, their breath held, looking around for what this magnificent thing really was.
Hyuna reached the edge of the tank first. Her eyes adjusted slowly to the dim light.
And then she saw him.
Floating just beneath the surface, curled like a wounded animal, was a boy. Pale skin, tangled blonde hair, bruises blooming across his arms and ribs. His pale violet tail shimmered faintly, scales dulled by injury. He looked their age or maybe even younger. His eyes were red from crying, but even through the pain, his face held an otherworldly beauty. He was the most ethereal and angelic thing Hyuna had ever seen.
Hyuna gasped, hand flying to her mouth.
Hyun-woo stepped beside her, stunned into silence. "He's... he's not a fish."
"No," Hyuna whispered, voice trembling. "He's a mermaid.."
They stood there, frozen, as the mermaid boy blinked up at them through the glass. Not pleading, not angry, but with fear.
And for the first time in her life, Hyuna felt the weight of her family's legacy press against her chest like a stone.
Real in a way nothing else in her life had ever really been.
Her breath caught in her throat. The candlelight flickered, casting golden ripples across his bruised skin and scaly skin. His tail shimmered faintly, a pale violet halo in the water. He was beautiful, so unworldly beautiful. Not in the noble way she'd been taught to admire her whole life but in the way storms were beautiful.
Hyun-woo whispered, "Hyuna... are you okay?"
She didn't answer, she couldn't bring herself to. Her hand pressed against the glass, it wouldn't stop trembling. The cold temperature of the tank bit into her skin but she didn't pull away.
This boy, this creature, shouldn't even exist. He defied everything she'd been taught, her father's world, her mother's rules, the endless lessons on etiquette and obedience. He was proof that the world was bigger than silk gowns and arranged marriages. Bigger than curtsies and quiet smiles. He was proof that survival didn't require perfection, her life had been a lie.
Hyuna's knees buckled, and she sank to the floor, staring up at him. "He's hurt," she murmured.
Hyun-woo crouched beside her, uncertain. "We should tell someone. Maybe—"
"No," Hyuna said, her voice low and fierce. It made Hyun-woo shocked because she always sounded so composed now, "No one can know we were here."
She looked around the study, the towering bookshelves, the huge tank, the polished floors and saw it for what it was. A cage. Not just for the mermaid boy, for her, for all of them.
Her whole life had been a performance, A script written by someone else. But this boy... he was unscripted and if something like him could survive bruised, broken, but still breathing then maybe she could too.
Hyuna stood slowly, her reflection warped in the glass. Her perfect hair, her perfect dress, her perfect posture. It all looked ridiculous now, like a silly costume.
"Let's get him out of here," Hyuna said bluntly, her voice steady and low.
Hyun-woo's eyes widened. "HUH? Are you INSANE? They'll know we were here the second he's gone! How do you expect us to sneak a whole mermaid back into the ocean?"
"They'll never suspect us," she replied, already climbing the steps to the tank. "We're just kids. And he's light—I can carry him. He looks delicate."
Hyun-woo stood frozen, mouth agape, watching his sister ascend like she'd done it a hundred times. "Hyuna! Be careful!" he hissed, voice cracking with panic. "He might be aggressive! You don't know what those fish people can do! What if he bites you or—"
"Shhh," Hyuna said, silencing him with a glance. Her eyes were locked on the boy in the tank.
The mermaid was curled tighter now, trembling in the water like a leaf caught in a storm. His pale skin shimmered faintly under the candlelight, and his tangled hair floated around his face like seaweed. When Hyuna reached out, he flinched violently, letting out a soft, broken sound, half gasp, half whimper.
Hyun-woo groaned, clutching his head. "This is a terrible idea. He's terrified. We're terrifying him!"
Hyuna didn't flinch. She kept her hand steady, hovering just above the surface. "It's okay," she whispered, voice like silk. "We're here to help you. We're going to take you home."
The boy's wide eyes flicked between her and Hyun-woo, then back to her again. Slowly, hesitantly, he reached out. His fingers brushed hers. His were cold, trembling, and impossibly small. Hyuna wrapped her hand around his gently, and he began to visibly relax. His breathing slowed down significantly, his curled body began to uncurl, inch by inch, until he floated toward her like a moth drawn to the light.
Hyun-woo watched with a mixture of awe and dread, it would be all on him if this mermaid decided he wanted to kill Hyuna. "I swear, if he turns into a sea monster halfway through this..."
Hyuna ignored him. With careful movements, she pulled the boy from the water. He was lighter than she expected, so fragile, almost weightless. Out of the tank, he looked even more ethereal. His tail shimmered faintly, dripping water onto the polished floor. He clung to her neck like a frightened child, arms wrapped tight, his face buried against her shoulder.
Hyun-woo's voice dropped to a whisper. "Okay, Okay. We need to move and fast if you want this to work out."
They crept through the corridors, Hyun-woo leading the way with frantic glances over his shoulder every few seconds. "I think I heard something. No—wait. That was just me, right? Okay, keep going. No, wait—Hyuna, are you sure he's not going to scream or something?"
The mermaid boy made a soft, pitiful noise, and Hyun-woo nearly jumped out of his skin.
Hyuna tightened her grip and whispered, "It's okay, You're safe. Just hold out for a bit longer."
The boy didn't speak, he hadn't spoken once even but he buried his face deeper into her shoulder, trusting her with his life it seemed. That was enough for Hyuna to know he would stay quiet.
They reached the back entrance, the one the servants used. Hyun-woo peeked out, scanning the moonlit garden. "Clear for now but we have to hurry."
Hyuna nodded, adjusting the boy in her arms. "We'll make it."
Hyun-woo opened the door, and the night air rushed in—cool, damp, and full of freedom. Hyuna stepped out first, barefoot on the stone path, the mermaid boy clinging to her since it was all he could do. Hyun-woo followed, still muttering under his breath about how this idea was insane and they'd both get stoned by their father by the end of this.
"This is insane....this is absolutely insane...We're going to get caught, we're going to get banished. Or worse...father's going to have our heads mounted next to his stupid trophies. This is SOO out of character for you Hyuna, what changed about my sister??" A lot had changed that night about Hyuna actually, it was so prevalent it was shocking.
Hyuna glanced back, her expression looked free, unkept, uncaring. "Then let him, I'd rather be free than trapped."
The night air wrapped around them like a veil, cool and damp, the scent of salt growing stronger with every step. Hyuna moved swiftly through the garden paths, the mermaid boy cradled in her arms, his tail trailing behind them like a ribbon of moonlight. He clung to her tightly, his face buried in the crook of her neck, trembling but silent.
Hyun-woo darted ahead, checking corners, peeking around hedges, whispering frantic updates. "Okay, coast's clear. No guards. No lanterns. Just keep moving. Hyuna, you good?"
"I'm fine," she whispered back, adjusting her grip. "He's light."
"Yeah, well, you're carrying a mythical sea creature through our backyard. Forgive me for panicking." Hyun-woo said all passive aggressively.
They reached the edge of the estate, where the stone path gave way to sand. The moon hung low over the ocean, casting silver across the waves. The beach was empty, quiet except for the rhythmic hush of the tide.
Hyun-woo stopped at the treeline, eyes scanning the horizon. "I'll keep watch here. Just... be quick. Please."
Hyuna nodded and stepped onto the sand, her bare feet sinking slightly with each step. The mermaid boy stirred in her arms, lifting his head just enough to look at the ocean. His eyes shimmered with something between fear and longing.
She slowed as they reached the water's edge. The tide lapped gently at her ankles.
Hyuna looked down at him, brushing a strand of wet hair from his face. "What's your name?" she asked softly.
He blinked, hesitant. His lips parted, and for the first time, she heard his voice barely louder than the waves, fragile as bubbles.
"Luka," he whispered.
It was the softest voice she'd ever heard, he sounded like a lullaby incarnate. And in that moment, she knew he trusted her completely.
"Luka," she repeated, smiling softly. "You're safe now."
He nodded, his eyes wide, his arms still wrapped around her as if letting go might break him.
Behind them, Hyun-woo paced around aimlessly. "Hyuna, hurry! Someone's gonna notice he's gone and we're all going to die!"
Hyuna stepped deeper into the surf, the water rising to her knees. Luka's tail flicked weakly, sensing the ocean's pull.
"You're going home," she whispered to him. "You're going to be free again."
But Luka didn't respond. His wide eyes stared out at the dark horizon, and then his lips wouldn't stop trembling.
"I'm scared," he whispered, voice so soft it nearly vanished into the sound of the ocean waves. "I've never swum at night before."
Hyuna's heart dropped slightly, his voice was so fragile and full of dread. The ocean stretched out before them, huge and black, and Luka looked impossibly small against it. He wasn't just afraid of the dark but he was afraid of being alone in it.
She didn't hesitate.
Hyuna reached into her pocket and pulled out the small lantern Hyun-woo had given her that night. She lit it with trembling fingers, shielding the flame from the wind. The soft glow spilled across the water, casting enough light to see the translucent water again. She closed the lid to the lantern, knowing it wouldn't last long but it would at least give him some confidence.
She held it out, letting the light dance on the waves. "Follow this," she said. "It'll guide you through the dark tonight as long as you don't let it go below water."
Luka stared at the light, tears slipping silently down his cheeks. Then he looked at her and really looked at her and something shifted in his eyes. Trust, hope, even love. Whatever it was, it was enough.
He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers one last time.
Then he slowly slid from her arms into the water. His tail shimmered faintly as he swam forward, following the flickering light. He paused once, turning back to look at her. His eyes wide, glowing with emotions like hope.
Hyuna waved a small goodbye to him.
Luka swam with the waves, and this time, he didn't hesitate.
Hyun-woo ran to her side, breathless. "He made it?"
She nodded, eyes still fixed on the horizon. "He's gone."
They stood in silence, the lantern flickering between them, casting golden ripples across the sea.
"Did you give him one of my lanterns? You know that'll go out once he's goes underwater, right?"
"I just hope it'll last him long enough..." Hyuna muttered.
Hyuna knew she'd never forget what she saw that night and never will. The bruised boy with the violet tail. The way he cried because he was scared and the way he trusted her when she held him. Simply unforgettable. The way the ocean swallowed him like a the secret he was.
Mermaids were real.
And she needed to know more.
Not just about Luka, but about the sea itself. It's mysteries, it's truths, It's creatures, impossible beauty.
Because once you've touched something that shouldn't exist and helped it find its way home, you can never go back to pretending the world is small no matter how hard you try and forget.
Hyuna didn't feel like the princess anymore.
She finally knew what she was supposed to be in this life and it certainly wasn't an obedient noble girl.
And she finally knew how to live.