Note: And again.. the song was written by me and I'm so embarassed, I'm so bad at poetry >_<

“Every man needs his Siren, to check his courage and strength
When he hears her song, In his travels through the unknown.” 

- Dejan Stojanovic

Seunghyun felt like nothing in his life made sense anymore.

Not that it was making that much more sense before that night anyways, but now…

He sighed…

He felt like a stranger to his own body, he felt like he was living a life that wasn’t his, he felt…

…

… Detached.

Everything was so…

…so

…. Surreal

Wiping the sweat off his forehead, he made his way towards Mr. Zhen, pulling the large wooden bars with him. He promised the older man to deliver them, before dawn, personally.

Hurrying along the landing, carefully avoiding passing people and dodging, flying work utensils, the young man made his way towards his mysterious friend, so old and wrinkly, Seunhyun would almost call him "ancient" looking.

The fishermen had just come back.

Nodding to some of them, more out of courtesy than attachment or genuine friendliness, he neared his destination.

He shot the dark, growling sky one last wary glance, before speeding up even more, almost running to the old shack, which belonged to Zhen.

He knocked curtly, 3 times, as always and was let in by a tired looking, old, grumpy man, in his late sixties.

Seunghyun was the only person in town, old and gruff, Mr. Zhen even bothered to talk to. It was probably due to the fact, that Seunghyun wasn’t a man of many words, never had been and never would. He was more of the brooding, silent type.

Mr. Zhen had always appreciated people who knew when to shut the damn up.

It was an art many people, nowadays, had forgotten about.

He beckoned the young man in and gestured for him to sit down.

Seunghyun complied and smiled in thanks, as a big, steaming mug of tea was sat in front of him.

“You look different.” Came the rough voice of the old man.

“It was pretty stormy so I guess my hair-“

“You know that’s not what I’m talking about, boy.” Mr. Zhen didn’t even look up, saying that.

They sat in silence for a while, the howling wind outside picking up and making the old, brittle shack moan in discomfort.

Seunghyun took a sip of his tea, observing the raging ocean and watching the roaring waves with fascination, as they tossed the boats around as if they were tiny model ships.

“They are angry tonight.”

Seunghyun shifted his gaze towards his old companion, in askance.

“The sirens. They are angry.” Mr. Zhen turned.

“Why are they angry?” Seunghyun swallowed harshly.

 “Angry… hmmm… probably not the right wording. More… frustrated, desperate, full of longing.”

Seunghyun waited, with baited breath, for the old man to continue.

The old man took another sip of his steaming mug.

“Didn’t you ever wonder? Didn’t you ever wonder, why the ocean is so uncanny silent and calm on some days, yet so upset and roaring on others? It is their doing and theirs alone. They want us to feel their grief.”

“Why would they grieve? Why today? The ocean was calm at all days this week. Why would they be upset today?”

“What is different tonight hmm? Where are you, every dawn, when the sun is nearly gone? Where are you and you alone, when the light ceases to be?”  The old man asked menacingly.

“I… I… why would that make them angry?” Seunghyun felt dizzy, all of a sudden.

“Why would they care?” The usually sunkissed skin of the young lad turned pale.

Why would they care…

“It’s not them. It’s him.”

Seunghyuns heart skipped a beat at that.

“Excuse me?”

Mr. Zhen emptied his mug, swallowing the rest in one go.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.

With that, the old man turned to face the window again.

Seunghyun drew in a shaky breath and bid farewell for the night.

“It is him.”

Seunghyun tossed and turned that night, the words of old Mr. Zhen never once leaving his mind, never once letting him rest.

He gave up trying, at 3 am, dressed himself up again and made his way towards the shore.

The wind was raging on and on, the angry roars almost deafening. He was soaked to the bone, within under a minute, the harsh and ice-cold needles of rain almost piercing his skin. As Seunghyun was getting closer to his rock, it seemed to be picking up, even more.

Shielding his face, with shivering hands, he neared the rock, hearing wails of desperate anger, spurring the rousing wind on.

He climbed the rocky landing, almost losing his footing and was met with the backside of a violently shivering Jiyong, his shoulders shaking as angry tears seemed to be making their way out of his eyes, the lithe body wrecked by the harsh sobs leaving his blue lips.

If Jiyong was the sea…

…And he was grieving…

…It was only common sense for the sea, to grieve as well.

“Betrayal…

And it hurts so bad,

You kissed me first,

I kissed you back.

Don’t kiss the one,

Whom you don’t long,

Don’t seal our lips,

And steal my song

Don’t you dare,

To share your warmth,

To hold me tight,

With loving arms

To leave me lone,

And empty here,

Don’t play the heart

Which loves you dear

A song,

A heart,

We had a deal,

Your warmth, for kisses

Make me feel!

I am yours,

And you are mine,

A kiss, a deal,

A lie, a CRIME!”

Seunghyun knew that he should run. His common sense told him to flee, as long as he still could. His heart however and every fiber of his being, screamed for him to stay, screamed for him to ease the pain, the other felt. His soul longed for him to console the boy, to make him smile again.

His common sense screamed, but his heart screamed louder.

I should leave.

He moved closer towards Jiyong, his gaze, transfixed on the beautiful, crying boy before him.

I should… get away from him.

Another step.

As fast as I can.

Two more steps.

I shouldn’t do this, he is dangerous.

Touch

His hands meet soft, frail shoulders.

Jiyongs breathing stops for a moment.

The storm halts.

Tears stop falling.

The rain does too.

His shoulders ease, under Seunghyuns soft touch.

The ocean calms.

He turns around and smiles.

The sky lightens.

“Seunghyun…” He hiccups.

“I thought you wouldn’t come.” He sniffs, helplessly.

“No… No, no, no… Don’t cry.” He sits next to the upset merman, slowly massaging his shoulder blades.

“I’m sorry to be late. I was just visiting a friend and fell asleep after that.” Seunghyun reassured him.

“Ohhh… a- a fri-friend? Is she pretty?” The blonde tears up at that, again, looking at Seunghyun with teary puppy eyes and quivering lips.

“What? Hmmm… I guess she is not too bad.” The older says, tracing the glimmering scales on Jiyong’s fin with his fingers. They feel softer than Seunghyun imagined them to be.

“Ohhh…” The blond male nods in understanding and lowers his head, feeling defeated.

“Except for, that “sheeee” hmm" He smirks. "Is a 67 year old, stinky and wrinkly grandpa.” Seunghyun laughs.

“And no one could be as pretty as you are, anyways.” He adds and the blushing boy’s cheeks.

“Really?” Jiyong looks up again, hope shining brightly in obsidian eyes.

“Mhhh…” Seunghyun hums, gently his hair.

Jiyong leans his head onto the taller male’s shoulder, his eyelids fluttering close, a content sigh leaving his lips.

“You wouldn’t ever leave me, would you?” Jiyong asks, after a while.

Seunghyun knows he shouldn’t make promises, he wasn’t sure he could keep.

Seunghyun knows that promising these creatures something, is never to be taken lightly, he knows that this isn’t some meaningless, cheesy confession or pinky promise you can laugh off, if broken. He knows that this promise is binding, the moment the confirming, reassuring words are leaving his lips. He is very much aware of the seriousness of the situation he is in.

And yet the binding, heavy word is leaving his crisp, thin lips, before he can hinder them to move, or take his promise back.

The silent, yet loud, “yes” is out, before he knows it, hanging heavy in the air between them.

“Yes.”

It rings in his ears.

Back and forth.

And that’s when he knows.

There is no turning back.

The following day blurs past, in a haze.

Before he knows it, work is over and he is making his way towards his grandmother’s house. She lived alone, for a while now. Her husband deceased 2 years ago, ever since then the dutiful grandson had started visiting her and providing her with food and other necessities, weekly.

“Grandma! I’m here!” He called out and sat his bags unto the kitchen table, before stepping into the living room, where his granny sat, enjoying some tea and nibbling on some cookies.

He sat down, across from her and was just about to reach for a cookie, when she called out to him, with a shaking voice, her unfocused eyes fearfully scanning his face.

She looked like a wild, cornered animal.

“You have been kissed by one.” She declared, horror showing on her wrinkled features.

“G-Grandma …?”

“You have been kissed by one… you have been kissed by one…” she repeated the sentence over and over again, anxiously wringing her hands.

“My grandson has been kissed by one…” She started crying slowly.

Seunghyun inched closer, embracing her frail shoulders in something akin to reassurance.

“Grandma… there there… everything is alright…”

She shook her head vehemently

“Does it know your name?”

Seunghyun nodded slowly.

She wouldn’t take his lies for an answer

“Yes…” He admits.

“But I know his name too so its oka-“

“SEUNGHYUN! NOTHING IS OKAY” She howled.

“HOW MANY-“ She took a deep, calming breath.

“How many times have I told you, to never let your name slip, should you ever meet one of those demons! They will take you with them, oh my god they will take you with them! Dear Lord, Christ! Please save my boy! Please save my boy!” She cried into her hands.

Seunghyun, not knowing what to do, watched helplessly as she cried out in grievance.

“You didn’t promise it anything, did you?”

Seunghyun hadn’t had the heart, to tell her the truth, to make her worst nightmare come true. He didn’t want to upset the old lady any more, than he already had.

And so, he did the only thing he could, at this point.

"No." he said, both of them seeing the lie for what it was.

A mean of comfort.

*