Sungyeol was bored. Incredibly bored.

He had been sitting in his office for the past hour with absolutely nothing to do. He even woke up early that morning and reported for duty, only to be told by Mi Seon, that there wasn’t anything they needed him to do. There never really was anything for him to do anyways.

The only jobs he ever got were miniscule and demeaning. Like helping some gnomes cross the street or cleaning up local rivers and lakes after sea mutants had polluted them with their…excretions. He hated going for meetings the most. Especially with the hunters, because they just turned him into their personal butler, forcing him to get them drinks and such.

He never complained though. Sungyeol was grateful for even getting any missions at all. He knew he wasn’t as good a fighter as Woohyun, or as resourceful as Dongwoo. Even though no one had said it straight to his face, he was aware that he lacked in many areas. It was something that he told himself everyday.

He attempted to balance a pencil on his upper lip, but dropped it, when there was a knock on the door. He immediately opened his laptop and pretended to look busy. “Come in.” He said. The door opened slightly, and Myungsoo poked his head in.

“Working hard?” Myungsoo grinned and came inside the office, shutting the door behind him

“What’re you doing here?” Sungyeol stared at him wide eyed. “If someone sees you—.”

“Its fine…” Myungsoo had his hands in his pockets, as he walked up to Sungyeol. He glanced at the blank computer screen and tilted his head. “What’re you doing?”

“Nothing…” Sungyeol sighed, and closed his laptop. “Like always. Anyways…what’s up? Was your dad mad about you missing the dinner?”

“…Yeah…” Myungsoo touched his cheek, absently.

“I told you we shouldn’t of watched “The Notebook.” Sungyeol scolded, his eyes full of concern.

“Its ok.” Myungsoo said, not wanting Sungyeol to worry. “He wasn’t that bad actually—.”

“Don’t make excuses for him.” Sungyeol sighed. “…I didn’t want to get you in trouble or anything because you were hanging out with me.”

“Yeol—.”

“Look if it’ll make it easier, maybe we shouldn’t—.”

“No!” Myungsoo cut him off, grabbing onto Sungyeol’s arm. He looked into Sungyeol’s eyes and shook his head. “No…I don’t want to leave you…” Sungyeol paused for a moment.

“You didn’t even let me finish.” He said. “I was going to say that maybe we shouldn’t sneak around like this anymore and just tell your father that we’re friends and that he can it!”

Myungsoo propped himself up on Sungyeol’s desk and smiled slightly. “We should…”

“Great!” Sungyeol shot up from his chair. “Then let’s do it!”

Myungsoo grabbed onto his wrist to prevent him from leaving. “But we can’t…”

Sungyeol frowned. “Why not? If he kicks you out, you can just get your own place…or you know stay with me if you want.”

Myungsoo blinked. “With you?”

“Yeah sure.” Sungyeol grinned. “We can be roommates. Ah but I only have one bedroom…well you can sleep on the sofa I guess.”

“How would that even work?”

“My sofa’s pretty comfortable you know. All you need is some blankets and a pillow—.”

“No I mean, how would I tell my dad all that?”

“Its easy. You say, ‘Hey guess what daddy-o, I’m best friends with that awesome SC officer Sungyeol, and I don’t give a what you think about it. Oh and I’m also moving in with him…” Sungyeol paused. “Well maybe you should wait for his reaction before telling him about the moving in part.”

“I can’t say that…you know I can’t.” Myungsoo got off the desk.

“Then why did you even ask?” Sungyeol crossed his arms and sank back down on his chair.

“Sungyeol…”

“There’s only so much I can do, if you refuse to do anything.” Sungyeol grumbled.

“Its not like I don’t want to—.”

“Then why don’t you?” Sungyeol cut him off. “I’ve offered to talk to him for you. I could come with you when you tell him…just tell me what to do to help and I can—.”

“I can’t!” Myungsoo slammed his hands on the desk. “You just don’t get it…I can’t tell him that I…I…” Myungsoo looked away, bitterly. Sungyeol just stared at him, confused. “Forget it…” Myungsoo shook his head. And before Sungyeol could say anything, Myungsoo had his hand on the doorknob.

“Wait…” Sungyeol tried to say. “Myungsoo, I didn’t—.”

“I’m sorry…” Myungsoo murmured, still facing the door. “I’m sorry Sungyeol.”

And then he was gone.

♦♦♦

“Ok you guys just be quiet and let me handle this.” Sunggyu instructed to Woohyun and Sungjong. The three had gone back to the bar that night after finding out that the bartender might be a merman, while Dongwoo patrolled the beach, just in case.

“Why should you handle this?” Sungjong frowned.

“Because I talked to him yesterday, so he knows me.” Sunggyu said, “I’ll try to have a casual conversation with him and get him to admit he’s a mermaid…err merman.”

“Ok, good luck with that Gyu hyung.” Woohyun patted him on the back.

Sunggyu eyed him. “You don’t think I can do it?”

“I didn’t say that.” Woohyun replied.

“But you were thinking it!” Sunggyu pointed an accusatory finger at Woohyun.

“Hyung I wasn’t—.”

“I’ll show you.” Sunggyu vowed. “I’ll show both of you.”

They headed for the bar, and Sunggyu leaned against the counter. The bartender noticed them and smiled at them. “Hey…” Sunggyu greeted him.

“We meet again.” The bartender grinned at Sunggyu.

“I was just wondering…” Sunggyu began. “What time do you get off work?” Woohyun and Sungjong stared at Sunggyu wide eyed.

“Well you don’t waste anytime do you?” The bartender chuckled. “But didn’t I see you here yesterday with a girl?”

“Oh that…was nothing.” Sunggyu answered, attempting to sound mysterious.

The bartender laughed. “You’re cute.”

“W-what?” Sunggyu almost slid off the counter, while Woohyun glared daggers at the bartender. “That…was not what I was going for.” Sunggyu sighed.

“Oh it wasn’t?” The bartender asked, clearly amused, until he noticed Woohyun glaring at him. “…Is he ok?”

Sunggyu glanced at Woohyun, who then turned to Sunggyu and gave him the hurt puppy dog face. “Hyung…” He whined.

“What do you mean?” Sunggyu forced a smile at the bartender, while grabbing Woohyun into a headlock.

“Well he was kind of glaring at me…”

“Oh that…well you see he has this eye condition that makes it look like he’s glaring, when he’s actually smiling!” Sunggyu lied.

“Is that so?” The bartender nodded, obviously not believing Sunggyu for a second.

“Yeah…so anyways what time do you—?”

“Look, I don’t really know what you’re trying to do…” The bartender began, “Making your boyfriend jealous or something, but I’m not really willing to be a part of—.”

“B-Boyfriend?!” Sunggyu gasped. “What are you talking about?”

“That guy…” The bartender gestured towards Woohyun, who Sunggyu had finally released from his death grip. “Isn’t he your boyfriend?”

“No!” Sunggyu shouted. “Damn it…why does everyone keep saying that…?”

“Are you sure…?” The bartender gave him a suspicious stare. “Because the two of you looked pretty cozy yesterday, when you were huddled together in the corner.”

Sungjong gave Woohyun and Sunggyu an evil grin that said he demanded to know the details.

“C-cozy?!” Sunggyu blushed. “We weren’t huddled together! I was just trying to tell him something, but he couldn’t hear me because it was so loud, so that’s why I—.”

“Ok well whatever you two are…” The bartender looked from Sunggyu to Woohyun. “I’m not getting in the middle of it.”

♦♦♦

“Great plan hyung.” Sungjong smirked, after the bartender went off to make someone else their drinks.

“Shut up…” Sunggyu grunted.

“I really wanted to punch him.” Woohyun muttered.

“Wow jealous much Woohyun hyung?”

“I-I wasn’t jealous!” Woohyun replied, defensively. “He was just a douche…”

“Well douche or not…we still can’t prove he’s a merman.” Sunggyu sighed.

“Let me handle this.” Woohyun suddenly grinned, making Sunggyu and Sungjong nervous.

Woohyun slammed a palm on the counter, garnering the bartender’s attention. He then propelled himself up and over the bar counter, so that he was face to face with the bartender.

“You’re not supposed to be back here—.” The bartender tried to say, but was smashed face first against the wall, with his arms behind his back. Woohyun lifted the bartender’s shoulder length brown hair up to see a blue teardrop tattoo on the back of his neck. Woohyun smirked and whispered into the bartender’s ear, “So you’re a merman? Want to tell me about that?”

The bartender gulped. “…Fine. But let’s talk outside.”

♦♦♦

Dongwoo yawned and pulled his jacket closer to his body. The beach at night in autumn was too cold for his liking, and made him crave a hot bowl of soup, or at least some coffee, to warm him up. He picked up his binoculars for the umpteenth time and scanned the area for any signs of the mermaid, but there was no one around for miles. He started to wonder if it really was the bartender. “Wait does that mean it was a man luring all those other men to the beach and drowning them? But why would he—.” His thoughts were cut off, when he felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket.

It was Hoya.

Dongwoo paused, contemplating whether he should answer it or not. He pursed his lips and rejected the call. Hoya had made him wait for two years. He could wait until Tuesday, Dongwoo figured, but then immediately regretted it. He thought about calling him back, when he spotted something by the ocean from the corner of his eye. He grabbed for the binoculars, but dropped them, and then fell over. He scrambled to his feet, and adjusted the binoculars in front of his eyes, and saw someone walking along the beach.

It was a woman with long fair hair, blowing in the wind. She wore a tight fitting neon green dress and sky high heels that looked anything but practical. Dongwoo noticed that she wasn’t going anywhere, but appeared to be waiting for someone. She paced back and forth, running a comb through her hair, and adjusting her skin tight dress. Dongwoo tilted his head in confusion. “What is she doing?”

♦♦♦

Woohyun shoved the bartender against the dirty brick wall in the back alley behind the bar. “We’re outside now talk.” He said as Sunggyu and Sungjong stood behind him with their arms folded. Woohyun glanced at the bartender’s name tag that read Lee Hyun Jae. “Lee Hyun Jae…if that is your real name.”

“Ok look, I didn’t know those men were going to die…I didn’t think she would kill every one of them.”

“What are you talking about?” Sunggyu questioned. “If you didn’t kill them, who did?”

“It was…just someone I know.” Hyun Jae looked away, uncomfortably. “She told me to bring her a good looking guy from the bar so I did. I told them, I knew this place that had really hot girls who were lonely. You’d be surprised at how easily they went for it.”

“Somehow I’m not surprised…” Sunggyu sighed. “But continue.”

“But when each guy saw her, they…well they weren’t exactly impressed with what they saw and since most of them were pretty drunk, they let her know it.” Hyun Jae explained. “She couldn’t take their drunken insults and threw them into the water…I’m sure you know the rest.”

“But I have a question,” Sungjong began. “Who is this woman, and why did you do what she told you to?”

Hyun Jae didn’t answer and just stared at the ground.

“You should probably answer the question.” Woohyun warned.

Hyun Jae was about to speak, when Sungjong’s phone started to ring.

“Hello? Dongwoo hyung?” Sungjong answered, “There’s a strange woman standing near the ocean?”

Hyun Jae looked up. “She’s waiting…she’s waiting for the next man.”

♦♦♦

When they got to the beach, they could see someone standing in the distance.

“Is that her?” Woohyun asked. Hyun Jae nodded solemnly. They headed towards her, and she greeted them with a smile.

“Oh wow this time you brought three…and they’re gorgeous! Well I guess this is to make up for not bringing anyone yesterday!” She squealed, as she glanced from Sunggyu to Woohyun to Sungjong.

From, afar, one would think she was in her early twenties, with her tight short dress and long hair, but up close that was clearly not the case. She had lines up and down her sun spot ridden face, which she tried to poorly conceal with globs of caked on makeup. Her hair was a tone of blonde not found in nature, and her skin sagged in all the wrong places.

“No…” Hyun Jae shook his head. “I didn’t bring them for that. They’re SC officers…they’ve come to arrest you.”

“What?!” She gasped. “How could you do this to me?!”

“I’m sorry…” Hyun Jae frowned. “But I couldn’t let you just keep doing this mom.”

“Mom?” Sungjong blinked.

“I told you not to call me that!” The woman screeched, and grabbed onto Hyun Jae’s arm. “Don’t you remember Hyun Jae? You were supposed to call me Noona?”

“Mom…” Hyun Jae’s eyes were watery. “I’m sorry this is my fault…”

“It makes me feel old remember? That’s why I told you not to call me that.” She nodded, oblivious to Hyun Jae’s saddened expression.

“Its because I used to say you were ugly isn’t it? It’s because I said I hated you isn’t it?” Hyun Jae cried. “I didn’t mean it mom. I’m sorry so please stop acting this way.”

Police cars began rolling around the lot, and officers were coming towards them.

“Hyun Jae, what are you—.”

“You don’t need those stupid jerks. And you don’t need all that make up or those revealing clothes.” He begged, tears streaming down his face. “Please mom…I think you’re beautiful. Isn’t that enough?” Hyun Jae’s mom froze, finally hearing what her son was saying, just as the cops slapped the cuffs on her wrists.

“We’ll be transporting her to the Supernatural detention center.” The officer informed Woohyun, who nodded and watched as they loaded the mermaid into the backseat of the car. She was wide eyed, tears trickling down her cheeks.

“Hyun Jae…I’m sorry.” She said softly.

“No! I’m sorry mom! I’m so sorry!” Hyun Jae tried to get to the car door before it shut, but the officers held him back. “Mom! Mom…” He fell to his knees as the car drove away.

Sunggyu walked up to him and helped him up. Hyun Jae wiped his eyes and nodded curtly at Sunggyu, who gave him a small smile in return.

“Son, we’re going to have to take you in as well.” An officer put a hand on Hyun Jae’s shoulder. He nodded and followed the officers.

Sunggyu watched him go with a somber expression. Woohyun stood beside Sunggyu and watched the police cars drive away.

“…Are you ok hyung?”

“Yeah…” Sunggyu nodded. “I just…it made me think of my mom.” Woohyun looked up at Sunggyu, who kept his gaze forward. “I also made my mom cry.” Woohyun didn’t know what to say, so he grabbed Sunggyu’s hand and squeezed it. Sunggyu looked at him and smiled slightly. “But not anymore. You know that’s partly because of you.”

“Me?” Woohyun blinked.

“Yeah…” Sunggyu grinned. “I think having you around to help with the cooking has really taken a load off.” Woohyun shoved him playfully, but when he met Sunggyu’s gaze, it was warm and they both smiled at each other.

“Hyungs!” Sungjong interrupted, coming up to them. “Are you just going to stand there making googly eyes at each other all night?”

“We’re going back first~” Dongwoo sang and swung an arm over Sungjong’s shoulder, as the two waltzed off.

Sunggyu rolled his eyes at the two, and then nudged Woohyun. “Let’s go.”

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Finally the mermaid case is over! I'm still working on the next couple of chapters so it might take a little longer to update.

Thanks for subscribing and commenting <3

Celebrity appearance: Lee Hyun Jae, an actor. He was in one of my favorite dramas, Shut up flower boy band with Myungsoo.