It took me a while to notice how much of a freak I probably looked like.

 

But when I did, I figured it was too late.

And besides... You couldn't not act like this when you're on the verge of confirming mermaids existed.

Which I had.

 

The mermaid girl stared at me, dumfounded.

"I can't believe you... Aren't you freaked out? Not even scared? I'm a mermaid. All those childhood stories of Ariel you humans have... That world of half-fish and half-humans is real."

She tilted her head to the side, observing me.

"I'm surprised you didn't run away the second after."

I shrugged, leaning back onto the rock we both were sitting on.

"There's no point in running away. I saw your tail that proved it. The truth is the truth, no matter how impossible it seems."

She gave small nods, thinking about what I said.

 

The next thing I knew, she stuck her hand out.

"It's Yoosol. Park Yoosol."

Yoosol.

I shook her hand with a small smile.

"Oh Sehun."

 

And that was how I officially met Park Yoosol, the mermaid.

 

"How old are you?" She asked.

"20. You?"

It was after I had asked the question when I realized how stupid it was.

 

Of course she doesn't have an age! She's a mermaid, you idiot..

 

Yoosol smiled at my expression.

"Relax~ I age the same way as you do.... I'm actually nineteen. Mermaids aren't immortal. We're almost the same as humans... Just with a tail and the ability to breathe under water."

I blushed with slight embarrasment at my mistaken idea. "Oh.."

 

Looks like I had a lot to learn about mermaids.

 

The time passed by quickly, with so many conversations and words being exchanged. We both talked about one thing, which led to another, which led to another entirely random topic.

Maybe it was because I was a human and she was a mermaid. There was a lot to be said, and all of our thoughts seemed to just easily spill out of our mouths right away.

 

"But what are you doing out here on the beach? Shouldn't you be in the water?" I suddenly asked.

"Just to cool off.... It's interesting to be outside of the water. And also..." She looked up at the upper part of the beach, eyes sparkling. "The place up there is a good view to watch. Even though it seems so foreign... It's pretty interesting.."

I watched her watch the people walk back and forth from above us, taking in her every feature.

 

Maybe I could take her up there one day.

Just maybe.

 

We talked more, casually asking questions and laughing at random things.

I began to realize that the key to all this talking might lie in Yoosol herself. She was no doubt a very bright character, and just seemed to giggle rainbows whenever she opened .

It was the way she talked. Somewhere inside of me, I felt something light up.

 

Which wasn't a bad thing.. right?

 

It was weird how the sky was so suddenly orange. Had time passed this quickly? Had I really spent the day just talking to this girl?

And yet, I didn't have an ounce of regret.

 

"I think I got to go now..." I muttered reluctantly as I looked at my watch.

Yoosol looked up at me curiously.

"Oh... really?"

I nodded, trying to hide the sadness written all over my face. I didn't want to look like a five-year-old departing from the playground.

 

Yoosol smiled and stood up, walking closer to the water.

"Alright then. It was nice meeting you, Sehun."

I smiled as I took a few steps back on the sand.

"Yeah.. It was nice meeting you too."

 

She took a step into the water, only to turn around with her bright smile once again.

"See you later?"

YES.

"Y-Yeah..." I bit my lower lip to keep in my happipness.

Yoosol finally dove into the water, not beeing visible again other than the tip of her tail flicking from the water's surface.

 

I stood in the same spot for a few moments, taking in the beautiful scene I had just seen. When I walked away to get back to my car, a mirror hanging from a shop caught my eye.

My own face surprised myself.

I looked so different than I had been in the morning. The lifeless eyes, the light shade of dark circles, the unpleased face expression...

It was all gone, and a happy, amused boy was replacing all of it.

 

I smiled for what seemed like the hundredth time today.

Because I knew I was going to come here again tomorrow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Sure enough, I practically jumped into my car and stepped on the pedal right after my proffesor walked out of the classroom.\

 

"Yah Oh Sehun!" A familiar voice stopped me.

I my heels to see Jongin hyung raising his eyebrows at me.

"Where are you going in such a hurry? Did Jiwon want it that bad?"

I blushed and threw my backpack at him, giving him an annoyed glare.

 

"No, and make sure to bring that back to the dorm!" I called out as I ran outside to my car.

The ride seemed to be less than five minutes by the way I was speeding through the streets, but I didn't care.

The thought of being able to spend time talking to Yoosol the mermaid excited me.

 

I was at the place from yesterday in just a blink of an eye. And there she was--Park Yoosol, sitting on that same rock, staring off into space.

With a smile, I walked up to her with my hands in my pockets, tilting my head and wondering what she was thinking about.

 

"What are you staring so intently at like that?"

She jumped from my sudden voice, gasping and widening her eyes. Her huge reaction made me smile, and I plopped down right next to her.

"Gosh... You scared me..." She muttered.

I raised an eyebrow.

"How do you deal with the sharks under the sea if you're scared so easily?"

She crossed her arms, frowning at me.

"Sharks are deeper into the sea. We mermaids are in a whole nother part in the waters. Get your facts right."

I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I deserve to lose my voice and turn into an air bubble."

"Eh.... That story is just plain sad... It made me cry. How can a story be so unrealistic?" She pointed out.

 

I listened to her ramble on and on about how 'The Little Mermaid' never could've happened because of this and that.

The whole time, I smiled. I liked watching her talk.

 

Which was why I came here the very next day. And then the day after that. And then again. Then again.

Each day after classes ended, I would pack up and head straight for the beach, plopping down next to Yoosol and hanging around there the whole time.

Once, I brought in a chocolate bar by coincidence, not realizing that it was a foreign object to her.

 

She had observed it intently, eyeing it and sniffing it.

I laughed.

"It's not poisonous, I promise. Just take a bite."

She had frowned slightly right before opening and beginning to stuff the fully-wrapped choclate bar in.

Luckily, I stopped her just in time, and voluntarily unwrapped it for her before letting her take a bite.

 

She finally bit down on it.

And just like that, her bright eyes lit up even more.

"This is amazing!"

"It is, isn't it?"

"Yeah! It's like... It's like whole new world...."

I smiled. I had introduced her into a whole new world with a single bite from a chocolate bar.

 

I felt proud.

And happipness was something that quickly came each time I disappeared to the beach right after my classes.

 

It was stupid of me to not realize how Jiwon would notice this.

 

"Sehun!"

I froze, my hand on the car's door handle. I turned around, wide eyed.

"Jiwon?"

It was then when I noticed how long it had been since I had last seen her.

 

She ran up to me, looking worried.

"Sehun... Where are you going? Where were you for the past few weeks? Is something wrong? Why didn't you contact me?"

This was bad. Jiwon wasn't the type of girl to bombard the boyfriend with questions. So right now, something was up. Definitely up.

 

I hid the beach sandals showing through the window of the car.

"I... Um... Sorry. I was really busy for the past few weeks, and I couldn't find the time to contact you..."

I gave an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry..." And I really was.

 

It was just that...

I wanted her to go so I could go the beach quickly.

 

Wait, what?!

"No, it's fine... It's just that.... I sort of missed you, that's all." She said with a smile.

With a sigh, I took a step and embraced her in a hug, strangely feeling every hair on my skin go against it.

 

The only thing I could think was What was wrong with me?

 

I felt more than sorry. I had practically forgotten about my girfriend for the past few weeks, and was wanting to avoid her even now as I apologized.

What had happened to me? What was happening to Oh Sehun? What was happening to the Oh Sehun who was able to live a perfect life with a perfect relationship?

 

And what would Yoosol be doing right now?