Hiii Next chapter ^^ Note: A revenant is an old term for Zombie haha

 

 

 

 

 

“The difference between my darkness and your darkness is that I can look at my own badness in the face and accept its existence while you are busy covering your mirror with a white linen sheet. The difference between my sins and your sins is that when I sin I know I'm sinning while you have actually fallen prey to your own fabricated illusions. I am a siren, a mermaid; I know that I am beautiful while basking on the ocean's waves and I know that I can eat flesh and bones at the bottom of the sea. You are a white witch, a wizard; your spells are manipulations and your cauldron from hell yet you wrap yourself in white and wear a silver wig.”
― C. JoyBell C.

 

 

 

Seunghyun wasn't exactly fond of the situation at hand, seeing that he was anything but a good swimmer.

But a probably alive Dongwook was an better outlook than he expected and he really hoped that the accusations of the towns people turned out to be wrong.

 

At least he didn't try to drown me, yet.

 

Seunghyun thought sarcastically.

 

They had passed a great amount of shore so far and the handsome man couldn't help but wonder why they were never leaving the shoreline too far.

“The other sirens usually do not come here.” Jiyong mused. “And the grotto is somewhere along those cliffs, anyways. It wouldn't make any sense for us to move farther away.”

Seunghyun struggled to keep his head out of the water, slightly panicking at the thought of the depths, right below him.

Jiyong's strong grip on his biceps was probably the only thing keeping him afloat, by now.

They came to a halt, uprubtly.

 

“Are we there?”

“Yes. We've got to dive from here on.” Jiyong's eyes fixated the exhausted man, searching for his approval to move things below the waters surface.

Seunghyun hesitated for a moment, the gory horror tales of his grandma, as well as the unpretty things the towns people had observed the night before, flitting through his head.

He sighed and nodded his head in approval, signaling the merman that he'd trust in his words.

Jiyong turned to pull them under when he felt a soft tugging at his wrists.

 

“Wait.”

 

Seunghyun was just as surprised at the words leaving his lips, as the siren was.

Jiyong's curious, yet wary, eyes searched his face in confusion.

Seunghyun hesitated for a moment, before intrusive and pressing thoughts, forced their way out of his brain, down his throat and right out of the entrance, the words leaving his lose mouth, before he had a chance to take them back and bury them in the abyss of his mind.

 

“You know that I love you, right?” He asked, gently.

 

Jiyong's eyes softened.

 

He nodded, intertwining their hands.

 

“I do.” He replied. “And I know it's not me, whom you don't trust. It is my nature. I understand.”

 

Jiyong smiled one last time, but didn't say anything else, before he finally pulled, the both of, them down under and towards the direction of the grotto.

 

Towards Dongwook.

 

Seunghyun didn't know why he said what he had.

He didn't know why his brain decided to trust Jiyong, before he had proof of the latter's allegations.

The siren could easily only have wanted another tasty meal. Even if he had been a good swimmer, there was no chance for an ordinary man to win against a siren, when in the water.

They could easily circle in on and pull him under to drown.

It might have been foolish.

Reckless even.

 

But Seunghyun felt it was important for Jiyong to know he trusted him, at least a tiny bit more than he trusted the towns people.

It was important to offer some of his trust in advance.

He might had proven to be something akin to an imbecile, but Seunghyun knew by heart that he'd never forgive himself if the accusations would've been proven wrong and he hadn't even given Jiyong, the person he claimed to love, so much as a chance to prove his innocence. 

 

If the merman only wanted to drown him, than so be it.

But he couldn't ever possibly live with the guilt, that came with not trusting his love, when he'd show himself to be innocent.

 

Seunghyun saw themselves nearing a bunch of colorful and eerily dancing seaweeds, swarmed by a chaotic group of fishes of all kinds, measurements and color variations.

 

He spotted nothing that resembled a hole or some other kind of hidden entrance.

 

Don't panic.

 

Jiyong wouldn't do that.

 

You love him.

 

And he loves you.

 

Trust in him.

 

He loves you.

 

The grip on his wrist tightened and Seunghyun saw the rapid movement of Jiyong's fin, making them speeding up even more.

 

He clenched his eyes together, tight, preparing for the impact that surely was about to come.

 

The expected and awaited, only didn't came.

 

Before he even had a chance to open up his eyes or think of what was happening, he felt how his head broke through the calm surface and met the cool air, inhabiting the dark grotto.

 

He gasped for air, is face regaining color, as his frantic eyes searched for his friend.

And there he was.

Dongwook.

 

Alive and well.

 

Those lying pieces of bull.

Seunghyun angrily thought as he heaved his upper body onto, the rock hard, ground and out of the unforgiving, ice cold wet.

“Dongwook... you... are alive...” He sputtered, breathlessly.

“Yes. All thanks to your pet fish there.” He grinned cheekily, his remark earning him a slap by his savior and target.

 

“I think we should stay and talk here, for a bit. It's not really comfy but it'll serve its purpose.” Jiyong mused, the air around them turning serious again.

“I think it'll be easy for you to get off the hook, Dongwook. You just have to keep your stance in how much you despise me and all will be good.” The siren continued, smiling sadly.

“I can't do that! You saved me!” The man in question frowned.

“Yes you can. And you will.” The sirens gaze turned unwavering and stern for a moment, before switching to soft again.

“I appreciate our new found friendship and your loyalty Dongwook. But there's no way they'll let you off, easily, if you don't pretend to be scared and disgusted with sirens.” He gave him a pointed look.

“And no. With Sirens I mean A-L-L sirens. Me included, you big doofus.” Jiyong smiled fondly.

“I'd try to talk to them, but I am almost 100% sure that they'll not be impressed with whatever I'm going to say.” He sighed dejectedly.

“That's why, for the time being, the two of you should pretend to hate me guts.”

 

“No. Just no, Jiyong. I can't and will not do that.” Seunghyun crossed his arms.”I've done you enough injustice already.”

 

“Me neither.”

 

“Dongwook, Seunghyun-”

 

“No. You listen to me now. We are going to talk with them. I agree with you in terms of Dongwook pretending to hate you, should the town deny us to hear you out or I don't know keep their stance towards you-”

 

“No. I'll not. We are in this together.” The bartender interrupted.

 

Seunghyun threw him a quick glance before returning to his little speech.

 

“I, however, don't plan on doing so. It's either they accept you and me as lovers, or they don't and...” He paused and took a deep breath. “I'll follow you into the water. You have been wandering this earth so long, you deserve to shed your chains and cuffs. You deserve to be freed of the curse, binding you to the seven seas.”

 

“Seunghyun you-” The siren didn't know what to say or do.

 

Jiyong wanted to die.

 

Finally.

 

He wanted to be redeemed.

 

But he didn't want for Seunghyun to die.

 

“There's nothing holding me back, anymore. I'm ready to go.” Seunghyun said.

 

“But Dongwook-” Jiyong started.

 

“I'm sure Dongwook will manage without me. I was often more trouble than anything else to begin with. Wookie loves to lead that mundane, righteous life of his and I don't really fit the bill with that anyways.” Seunghyun smiled mirthfully, his eyes sparkling with humor.

 

The bartender wanted to differ, to deny.

 

But he couldn't.

 

The moment he wanted to, he realized he had no right to do so.

 

Seunghyun was right.

 

Dongwook was content with the way things were.

He didn't like trouble and chaos.

 

Seunghyun, however, had always had a love for curious, wild, free and strange things.

He never liked things to be ordinary.

 

He wanted to keep his brother save, with all his heart.

 

But he didn't have it in himself to deny his dearest friend the only wish, request he ever out voiced. Seunghyun hadn't ever asked anything of Dongwook. He had always given, never taken.

 

It was time for Dongwook to return the favor.

 

So, he did what any good friend would do, in such a situation.

 

He ignored his crying heart and screaming mind and nodded slowly, smiling a sad smile, never to reach his empty eyes.

 

 

I really hope they are going to accept Jiyong as an miraculous exception.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

 

The door to the bar opened with a creek as Dongwook, cautiously, stepped inside the packed building.

 

At first Dongwook wondered whether anyone would even be in there, or if his father had closed the bar for a day or two, thinking his only son had died.

But the taproom appeared to be as packed as always.

 

Only more silent.

 

Way more silent.

 

About thirty heads looked up, in his direction.

 

Wide eyes, gasps and hushed whispers were shared in the dim room and Dongwook was sure he spotted one woman in the back christening herself and reaching for her rosary.

 

The handsome bartender however, only had eyes for the women sitting at the bar, tear stained faces contorted into surprise and the gruff old man who dropped the mug he was holding, in shock, just like Dongwook had, some nights ago.

 

“Dongwook..?” His sister, Chaerin, stood up abruptly, her stool swaying dangerously and giving in to gravity a second later.

 

She rushed up to him and hugged him close, crying.

 

His mother casted wary looks at the scene.

“He is not a revenant... is he?” She asked cautiously, scared that her son only came back from the dead to haunt them down.

 

“No... He's as warm and inviting as ever.” She laughed, totally at ease now, hugging him even closer.

The rest of the family joined soon and Dongwook felt the calming presence of his mother, rocking him back and forth.

They pulled away after a few moments.

“But how did you escape? They saw you drowning and being pulled down under...” His father asked, still not yet believing his eyes nor trusting his mind.

 

 

“You will not believe what happened.”

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

 

 

 

The paperboy moved around town with an alarming speed, knocking at doors now and then and dropping handwritten notes here and there.

 

Henry Ansbury, the towns major observed the forming crowd at the shore, more and more people joining the already massive crowd. They were coming from all directions and it looked almost like the entire town was on a huge pilgrimage of some kind.

 

His steel blue eyes scanned the area for some thing unusual as he got closer and screwed them up in concentration, trying to make the gesticulating silhouette out, against the dark horizon.

 

No.

 

That couldn't be.

 

His eyes widened in surprise.

 

That couldn't possibly be!

 

He fastened his steps and almost fainted in shock at what he was seeing.

 

Choi Dongwook.

 

The supposed to be dead and most probably eaten, by now, bartender.

 

How was that possible?

 

The tall handsome man stood as proudly and upright, and breathing, as ever, on the landing, his back facing the softly swaying ocean and his face animatedly changing expressions as he talked before the enraptured crowd.

 

He wanted to ask so many question, he wanted answers, he demanded answers!

 

 

There was a splatter and two heads emerged from down under.

 

The first one belonging to an all too well known man and the second one to what seemed to be a young, pretty, man.

He watched as one of the port workers, Choi Seunghyun, made his way out of the water and crawled unto a nearby rock, pulling the smaller one with him.

 

A fin.

 

A fin!

 

A F-I-N!

 

His eyes widened again, almost looking comically by now and his mouth moved close and open in rapid motions, making him look like a fish out of the water.

 

The crowd backed away a bit, closing their lose mouth's as Dongwook motioned for them to be quiet.

 

“This is Jiyong. He is the one who saved me.” The bartender pointed loosely behind his back. “I know you folks are not really fond of sirens, but I owe him my life. If it wasn't for him, coming to my rescue, I wouldn't be standing on this exact spot right now.”

 

As soon as his sister Chaerin heard the words leaving her brothers lips, she rushed to Jiyong, hugging the surprised merman tight and thanking him repeatedly for bringing her brother back, save and unharmed.

 

Jiyong catched the thankful gaze Dongwook's mother casted him and saw the bartenders father nodding at him in gratitude, holding his wife tight.

 

“But he was also the one to pull Elizabeth and Sofia in!” One woman at  the back screamed angrily.

“I only did it to save Dongwook!” Jiyong cried out, in defense.

“But-!”

“And whom's fault was it again, that I was about to drown when he came to save me? Whom's fault was that huh?!” Dongwook intervened angrily.

“Ahh... yes.. right.. how could I forget... yours!” The bartender screamed pointing an accusing digit at the crowd.

Some of the faces in the crowd looked down in shame, others, the majority, however, stood tall and unwavering.

 

A tall man with cunning features stepped out of the crowd.

 

“We did what we thought was the right thing to do, seeing that you obviously succumbed to his spell. They are creatures of hell. The spawn of the devil. It doesn't matter that one saved you. They are what they are. No one can change that.” Seunghyun watched, helplessly, as the crowd nodded in agreement, some even cheering.

 

“You can't do that... Jiyong is innocent...” He helplessly said.

 

“Yeah... As innocent as a wolf with a bloody lamb between his fangs.” One woman scoffed menacingly.

 

“I am not innocent. Not at all. You are right. But I tried hard to go against my nature and change. I didn't attack Seunghyun nor any of the other people here and I didn't try anything with Dongwook even though I had him in my hidden grotto. I love Seunghyun. I really do and it's changed me.” Jiyong pleaded with the town, their unforgiving stares leaving no room for hope.

 

“Lies! You are evil! You are a hell send! There to tempt us to lead a live full of sin!”

 

“I am a sinner! And I damn well know that I am one! I am aware of that! But you, out of all creatures on earth, are telling me just that, pointing your fingers at me in accusation?” Jiyong scoffed, staring them down in disgust.

 

“Look at your own hands. Look at them and see the blood and tears clinging to your skin. See the sin dripping of them. We are all sinners. All of us. The difference is that one of us is being honest about it, whether the other is not. You think I am a wolf in sheep's clothing?” the siren laughed heartily, causing the crowd having shivers running down their spines.

 

“I don't pretend to be a saint. I know what I am and I didn't ever pretend not to be. I know that there's filth and blood all over me. I know that my heart is rotten to the core, except for that last spark of love Seunghyun managed to awake in me. But you, my dear people, how are you able to watch your reflection and pretend all is well. How are you able to face yourself, while your humanity fell victim to the past. I might be a wolf, out for lambs. But you are wolves in sheep's clothing. I might be a monster but I am not a liar. I am not going to hurt any of you. I want to change. The question is whether you want that too, or not.” Jiyong, not having any more to say, let himself plop into the water and vanished into thin air, leaving the crowd, stunned and silent, behind.

 

Major Ansbury decided it was his time to speak up now, directing his words towards Seunghyun.

 

“I'm sorry son. But that thing deceived you. You have three days to decide. Its either you cutting ties with the devil, or us cutting ties with you.” The major threw him one last sympathetic look, before turning around and leaving, weaving his way through the crowd, still rooted to the ground in shock.

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

 

It was around the ungodly hour when Seunghyun moved to find his lover by their usual meeting place.

He didn't need time to decide.

 

He was sure of his decision, the moment the major asked him to decide.

 

“Beautiful, broken, a Heart

full of regrets.

Beautiful, searching, pain is all

that it gets.

 

Is a still standing heart,

confined in a chest,

still worth of love,

or resentment at best?

 

Hurt,

shining brightly,

in orbs,

longing for love

 

Misery,

consuming anger,

a soul as dark and furious,

as the skies,

above.

 

Can a heart, as rotten

and lonely, inside,

regret its own cruelty,

on a cold, sleepless night?

 

Nimble fingers

searching for lies

in your hushed whispers

and wavering eyes.

 

A dead heart is saved,

on a cold, scary night,

a living one sacrificed,

losing the fight.

 

The dead one starts beating,

coming to life

the living one's stopping,

halting in fright.

 

That's the thing about hearts,

not beating the same,

they seldomly do,

beating in vain.

 

There's no one to blame,

There's no one to accuse

Not the priest, in his robe,

not the witch with her toad

not the monster within,

blood coating its skin.

 

No one to blame,

it's just the way it is,

nothing to be done,

fate, sealed with a kiss

 

A living one

can save the dead.

A dying one,

will lose the bet.”

 

“Jiyong...” Seunghyun slid down onto their rock and embraced the other.

 

“Don't.” Jiyong hushed him, silencing him with a chaste kiss.

 

He didn't want Seunghyun to be angry with his people.

 

Jiyong had been angry too, at first.

 

But he understood them.

 

He sighed.

 

“You are different. Not all people are like you, Seunghyun. And that’s okay. You are special. You don’t fear the unknown, you embrace it. They are pathetic, but they can't change it. They are scared. You, however, are peerless, a treasure of no measure. You don't understand their simple mindedness, or their fear.” He let his gaze roam around the ocean, contently leaning back against his lovers broad, strong chest.

 

“They don’t understand the song of a siren, they are lulled by it, but they don’t understand. They are listening, but they are not listening. They are seeing and yet they are not seeing. They think they feel, when they really don't. Those people, they don’t understand how it feels to lose yourself, fearlessly. They don’t understand what it means to care about others, more than yourself. I do neither. But you do.” He finished softly.

 

“That’s not true. You are special Jiyong, so very special.” Seunghyun countered.

 

“No. I am not. You are special and I am special to you. But I am not special. The only difference between me and those people is, that I don’t pretend to be.” Jiyong smiled.

 

“I don’t pretend to care for them or other merfolks. I don’t pretend to feel sorry when I lure them into death. I don’t pretend to be better than the rest. I have given up on that.”

 

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

 

Jiyong knew exactly what those words meant.

 

Knew exactly the decision being made.