The sound of the crashing waves seemed to have woken up Kyungsoo, that and the uncomfortable ground on which he slept on. He groaned, wanting to roll onto his back when he felt something move behind him. Still tired he peeked over his shoulder to find Taura curled up against his back. He softened and rolled onto his back carefully while keeping Taura close to him. Eventually with his back on the sand, the girl came closer to him laying her head on his chest. He sighed deeply, trying to relax. Kyungsoo was not used to such contact with the opposite and was afraid that if he moved he would just wake Taura and lose a moment that probably wouldn’t come again.

“You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?” Kyungsoo mumbled as he raised his arm to cover his eyes from the sunlight that was raining down through the foliage above them while his other arm was wrapped around Taura.

The mermaid could feel something tickling her arm and furrowed her eyebrows at the sensation. What’s touching me? She slowly opened one eye slightly to see that she wasn’t lying completely on the ground but on someone’s chest. She could feel her body slowly rise and fall as the person breathed. Kyungsoo? She realized that what was tickling her was his hand as it ran up and down her arm. Her heartbeat accelerated at the realization when Kyungsoo could feel the subtle beat against his side. He smiled. “You’re awake?”

Taura’s eyes widened upon hearing his groggy voice but she hid her face in his chest from embarrassment. He sat up a bit causing Taura to sit up as well. Hiding her face with her long hair, Taura slowly turned her body away from Kyungsoo as he sat up and watched. Uh, how did I end up on his chest? I remember sleeping against him, not on him. Ugh, what is he going to think?

Kyungsoo wasn’t mad. He was for lack of a better word extremely happy and flattered. Despite the situation they were in, he wanted to run around and scream with joy. He slowly inched towards her seeing that her hand was buried in the sand. With his hand out in front of him he slowly buried his own hand with hers and pulled up with their fingers interlocked. Taura felt all prickly once he touched her and looked at the boy through her hair only to see him smiling at her, “Come on, let’s wake the others.”

He stood up ruffling his hair before brushing off his pants as he tugged at Taura’s arm. Little did he know, she was completely fazed by his subtle actions and had trouble moving. “Taura, come on.”

He called her name once more and held her tighter, He’s trying to kill me.

Once everyone was up, all the men had gone to the ship to prepare it for departure. Taura had been reluctant to leave Kyungsoo’s side but as soon the boy she had saved yesterday woke up he had clung to Taura’s side like glue.

“Noona, I can’t thank you enough for saving me. I owe you my life.” Taehyung beamed as the two of them sat below deck on their respective cots that now were right beside each other. Taura found Taehyung to be quite cute since he clung to her and no one else. She must have really left an impression on him.

“Kyungsoo told me that you can’t talk, and that your name was Taura?” Taehyung had asked in confirmation of the older boy’s claim. Taura nodded.

“I see.”

Taehyung made the move to lay down, but the mermaid could see it was a struggle for him and helped raise his sprained ankle to the bed while he settled in, “Thanks.”

Taura felt bad for not being able to say anything but once again flashed a bright smile.

“You know, this whole trip. I feel like it’s been one giant trap for all of us to just die.” The mermaid’s smile di