Leo woke up one morning, dreaming of a fish. he then went to the sea and experienced fishing for the first time; then, after two hours of waiting impatiently, his fishing rod suddenly move. Now what?

                 Leo woke up one morning, dreaming of a fish. It was huge and tall as him; and it was squirming on top of him then, it stopped suddenly. He then got the time to take a look at its shiny tail and it was, well, very shiny, ocean blue and teal in color, glowing and sparkling indeed. He had touched it, curious as he was mesmerized by its glowing tail and it felt cold and slimy to the touch. His hand glossed down due to the slime it produces and then he heard a moan coming out from somewhere. He was sure it didn’t come out from his own mouth and so, he moved up his focus on the fish’s tail to take a look at its head and then, he just suddenly woke up from the dream.

                Leo never felt bothered by a dream he will never remember later on before until the said dream got him unsatisfied just because he didn’t have the opportunity to look at the fish’s head. He then got the urgency to fish which he has never done before.

                And so, without further ado, he got dressed and headed straight to the sea after borrowing some tools for fishing from his friend. Then, after settling down behind a huge rock, far from any form of distraction (his friend told him concentration is one key to fishing) and, seated on a rather small one with the fishing rod in his hand, he started reeling it down with a worm as his bait.

                Tick, tock, Leo waited and, waited, and, impatiently waited but nothing is reeling on his bait, even though he pierced it alive earlier.

‘Must’ve been dead by now,’ he thought.

                  It was now over two hours since he started fishing but, he guessed nothing comes easy with this kind of hobby. And so, he got up and stretched, putting his fishing rod in between his knees and moved up his tired arms and lifted it up high, groaning as he goes, stretching.

                He thought about going home and just buys something (probably a fish in the market) for consolation of not reeling even a tiny fish. But, then a sudden shake between his knees surprises him making the fishing rod fall into the water.

                With a fast reflex, he jumped onto the sea and caught the fishing rod that almost got away as it got pulled toward the deeper part of the water. He too got pulled with a strong force which made him think of catching a large fish. He then started thinking of ways on how to eat it when—

                 He started pulling it, reeling the string back toward him with all his might as he exerted more force on his knees and feet that is trying to hold onto the sandy floor that gets his feet embedded each time he fights back with this so-called ‘big fish’. And with one more pull—

                —Leo then heard a snap and as the broken string flew right above him, passes him and then, both the string and him fell down at the same time into the water with a big splash.

                He then quickly gasped up top for air, cursing as he goes and take a look at the broken string of his fishing rod and cursed once more.

                Not only did he get the fishing rod broken, his friend would most probably get mad at him; he also got wet and without a fish in his hand too.

                Leo went back ashore, hopeless; he lied down the white sand and look up the sky. Without watching the time, the sun was now almost down, ready for the sun to set; the clouds darken with hints of orange, pink and purple.

                With a sigh, he got back up and rummaged his bag for some spare clothes (‘cause his friend predicted he’s going to get wet today and he was damn right about it) and took all of his clothes off behind the rock and changes into new and dry ones.

                Leo then started preparing a tent he also borrowed from his friend without a word (because he said camping after fishing is good). He decided to stay the night because he still feels unsatisfied and thinking about staying to camp out in the sea will make it up for the ‘big fish’ he’s supposed to catch today.

                After a good one hour of finishing camping out on a deserted place (nobody still seems to be around but himself); he took a sit on the sandy floor with a long stick on his hand he just picked up on the ground, staring at the bonfire blankly.

                After some time of blankly watching the fire dances in his sight, his eyes moved to watched the now dark sea in front of him. The moon was just starting to rise up, slowly lighting up the night sky.

                Leo suddenly thought of singing and then, his lips moved on its own accord after his head plays a wonderful melody.

                He started singing.

Sometimes, there are those days
When I miss you even more
I can’t explain any more, I’m fall in love
Like a boy in love
The more time passes, I lose my rationale

I only want to be with you
I only want to hug you
I don’t care about other’s eyes
As if we’re alone right now

Lalalala (lalalalala)
Lalalala (just you and me)
Lalalala yeah

                After he sung the first part, Leo noticed something moved into the water. Thinking, it was his fish going back (which was ridiculous by the way but his spirit heightens thinking it would be true), he lightly steps into the shore still with a stick in his hand.

                He then continued singing the last stanza of the first part as he goes softly into the water. Then, just in front the huge rock facing the sea, he saw a familiar light. It brought him back to his dream earlier this morning and with a great anticipation smeared onto his lips, a smirk, he excitedly run into the water that is going deeper by the moment he marches his way towards the light and then he stopped midway as soon as he heard a voice singing the same part of the song he just sung earlier.

And then it goes over and over.

Lalalala (lalalalala)
Lalalala Lalalala

                Leo’s brows turned to a frown as he get curious at the beautiful voice that just came out from where the light is shining from. His lower part that was submerged into the water moved once again, this time a bit faster than earlier and with a stick in his hand that is now ready to aim his target, a shriek came after and Leo swore that he had never seen any fish like he’s now staring at before.

                It started squirming hastily soon after their eyes met each other but Leo, was too quick to revered back and pierced the stick in his hand to its tail so it doesn’t move.

                Then, it stops and looked at Leo horridly.

               Leo, with his hand still holding a stick and his eyes was still staring at the horrid face of a person—no, it’s not a person, well, it’s kind of a person. Its upper body is well, from a human but the other half of him is from a fish.

                 Leo’s eyes then roamed his eyes all the way down to its tail and without realizing the stick stuck on its tail, his other free hand moved on its own just like from his dream and touched the tail making the owner let out another shriek.

                And just like his dream, Leo also felt the same feeling he remembered in the dream, same cold to the touch and sticky. But he never would’ve guessed the one thing he was feeling unsatisfied for. It wasn’t what he expected but it is beyond his wildest dreams.

                Leo was too absorbed in his dreams getting real that he forgot the voice, a beautiful voice, started speaking.

“U-um… d-do you mind t-the uh, um, m-my tail?” it said.

                Leo then woke up from his trance and stared right back at the fish-slash-person in front of him then to what it was eyeing to: the stick that pierced its tail.

                With a flush face, Leo finally detached his hand on the stick and again, the tail started squirming. Leo looked at the fish-slash-person once again and finds out that it was still waiting to be un-reeled from the stick.

                Leo thought for a second and hold the stick again, staring at its shiny and shimmering tail and spoke.

“If… I free you, will you run away?” He said then looked at its eye with hope it wouldn’t run away but it nod his head in reply.

                Leo sighed. “Then, I won’t let you get away.”

                The look on the fish-slash-person once again turned horrid making its tail to started squirming.

“P-please… l-let me go.” It pleaded.

“I promise,” Leo spoke, looking intently in those eyes that he found out it’s the same color as its tail, and “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“B-but y-you already DID!” it yelled and tears soon began trickling down its—Leo realized it has a beautiful, probably super smooth skin— face.

“I’m sorry but you said you’re going to run away.” Leo calmly retorted back, not wanting to add fuel to the fire he already created looking back the stick he’s holding.

“P-please, I n-need to go now—“

“I’m sorry. I can’t let you.”

“B-but—“

“Can’t you just stay?”

                Leo can’t explain and he didn’t know why, just why does he didn't want the thing to get away. Is it because he finally had caught something? Or, is it because he wants to know this fish-slash-person that was the same thing that appeared in his dream?

“If I take this out now, will you still run away?” Leo asked, eyes pleading while looking straight to those ocean blue orbs.

                With a small shake of its head, Leo brightly put up a wide toothless smile as he took out of the stick and finally freed it. But seconds later, the fish-slash-person quickly took off, swimming past him.

                Leo was astounded and so without thinking twice, he swims fast to catch it and together with his fast reflexes and a gold medal he got in a swimming competition during his junior year, he luckily caught the runaway fish and with his super strength, he quickly brought it with him onto the shore.

                He catches his breath as he pulled the fish out of the water so it couldn’t escape and before he could almost remembered back the thing about the fishes (it could die on land), Leo got a shock as soon as its tail vanishes and changes into a milky pair of legs.

                Leo blinks and blinks and blinks for the nth time while staring at the now fully developed human in front of him. On the other hand, the fish-slash-person-now-turned-into-a-real-one coughed up water and started shaking upon feeling the cold night breeze.

                It seemed Leo almost forgot about he too feels the cold piercing his skin as he was too busy staring at the jittery human and couldn’t seem to understand the magical moment he had witness.

“I-i-it’s so cooold,”

                With hearing its beautiful voice again, Leo finally snapped after hearing the magical human spoke. With a quick wit, he run fast to his tent to get a blanket and covered the magical human in it.

                Finally, Leo, who also now feel cold, sneezes not once but thrice and goes back again to get himself another blanket. He went back to where the magical human is and with his fast reflexes, Leo caught him in his arms just right about when the magical human tried to stand up but couldn’t do so.

“A-are you alright?” Leo asked and the magical human nod his head in reply.

“I-it’s just… I-I’ve never had l-legs before.”

                Leo smiled and he couldn’t understand why he feels so happy. Sometimes, he just couldn’t understand his heart.

“Cling onto me.” Leo said.

“N-NO!” The magical human abruptly shook his head, instantly blushing hard.

“But I need to carry you over to my tent.”

“B-but—“

“Do you mind?”

                After finally getting another nod from the magical human, Leo carried him bride-style toward his tent and let him seat on a stool in front of the bonfire.

“T-thanks.” The magical human mumbled softly after Leo put him down.

                Leo then softly smiled then goes inside his tent to get another set of dry clothes which he thankfully brought an extra but, rummaging more to his duffle bag, the only extra left that is dry is the white oversized shirt and nothing else. With a sigh, he goes out and takes a look at the magical human and then knelt in front of him with an apologetic smile.

“Well,” he started and showed his shirt to the magical human. “This is the only dry shirt that I have left. I’m sorry I didn’t bring extra underwear.”

“U-underwear?” the magical human asked back, clueless.

                It made Leo smiled and with a towel, he started drying the magical human’s hair which he only notices its color just now.

“Is your hair color natural?” Leo asked as he dries off the magical human’s hair.

“Y-yeah. It’s pearlescent white.” He answered. W-why do you ask?”

Leo shakes his head. “Nothing.” and then smiled.

                After Leo dried his hair, he clothed the magical human and wrapped him with a new set of blanket that he just tossed inside his bag earlier as he gets ready for a new adventure.

                Leo then stood up and changes his clothes too and sat beside the magical human who was watching him the whole time. He put up a smile and reaches his hand on the back where his pack of marshmallows was. He then grabbed a stick on the ground, brushed the sand off and pierced a piece of marshmallow in it then, gave it to the magical human who is now astonished while curiously looking at Leo’s every move.

“It’s a marshmallow.” He explained as he got one as well. “It’s good, especially when it becomes gooey.”

                Leo then grabbed a hold of the magical human and chuckled when the other gasped with his sudden movement and placed the marshmallows above the fire.

“Try it.” Leo offered as soon as the marshmallows become soft and gooey.

                The magical human’s blue eyes open wide as he tasted something he has never tasted before. He looks at Leo with glossy eyes.

“It’s sooo good!” It says, teary-eyed as he finishes off the rest of the gooey and warm marshmallow on his stick.

                Leo chuckled and eat his own. He doesn’t understand the feeling of contentment he is feeling at this very moment. At first, he was upset that he didn’t reeled a fish and even broke his friend’s fishing rod but, looking at the blonde beauty of a mermaid in front of his sight makes him feel contented and satisfied.

                Well, technically he caught a fish, a big one indeed but Leo couldn’t eat him, would he? He’s not a cannibal and he would never dare to eat such beauty, no matter how delicious and smells like fish he is.

“What’s your name?” Leo decided to ask as he watched the man cooking and eating the marshmallow in glee. “Do you have one?”

“Jaehwan.”

Leo blinks.

The mermaid looks at Leo curiously.

Leo smiled. “You have a beautiful name, Jaehwan.” He called.

Jaehwan, the mermaid gasped as he heard his name being called out by the human. He stares back at the man.

He went near the shore upon hearing a beautiful voice singing a beautiful melody. He couldn’t help but to swim nearer and nearer until he couldn’t take it anymore and started singing the lines that got stuck in his brain, the lalala part.

                It was already too late to stop when the man already caught him and even sent him to the shore, giving him a pair of human legs.

                Jaehwan knew about that. His kind walks from time to time in the land of humans before. But, he wasn’t used to it and never dared to try walking on land that’s why he wasn’t used to walking therefore, he needs an assistance the human offered to him earlier.

“What’s yours?” Jaehwan asked as he stares intently at the human who seems to get startled by his sudden question.

“Huh?”

“Name,” he said and the human finally composes back to his poker face, face.

“Leo.” Leo answered and Jaehwan smiled at him, making him surprised his cheeks turned pink.

“It’s beautiful.”

“What’s beautiful?”

“Your name too. You said mine’s beautiful so I said yours too is beautiful.” Jaehwan answered and both chuckled.

“You have a beautiful voice too. I couldn’t help but to sing back.” He said and he looks at Leo who blushes at his remark.

“Yours is much beautiful.” Leo retorted back, still with a blush.

Jaehwan giggled.

“Do you want to sing again?” Leo suggested and looks at Jaehwan who gave him a delighted smile.

“Together?” Jaehwan asks, hyper.

Leo nodded and both began to hum a melody only they both know and understand.

Time quickly passes by as they both forget everything was still revolving around them. Jaehwan started yawning as Leo puts more and more wood onto the fire in front of them.

“Sleepy?” Leo asked and Jaehwan cutely nod.

“Can you walk to the tent?” Leo asked again the sleepy mermaid and, looks at the open tent just behind the them, a couple of feet away but, since Jaehwan can’t walk earlier, Leo thought it would be a stretch so he asked.

Jaehwan shakes his head sleepily.

“Carry me?” he cutely asked and Leo chuckled at the aegyo.

Leo stood up from his seat and lowered down and take Jaehwan’s awaiting arms, lifting him up in the air, forgetting the blanket.

Jaehwan shivered in the night air.

Leo holds him firmly, closely.

He then settled Jaehwan inside his tent then goes back with his blanket.

“You’re not going to join me?” Jaehwan, once again, cutely asked as he yawn one more time.

Leo smiled and without thinking twice, slightly rub Jaehwan’s soft cheek with his thumb.

“I’ll go get my blanket.” Leo replied and Jaehwan sleepily nod as he gives in to the warm comfort of Leo’s tent.

Leo watched as the mermaid covers himself and enjoys the warmth his tent is giving. He then crawls back and grabbed his blanket before he scurried back to the tent.

                He then swiftly lay down beside the already sleeping Jaehwan and covers himself with his own blanket and stares at the round ceiling of his tent, thinking.

                His mind drifted off about how this day has finally come to an end. He went to fishing because of a sudden dream but he caught none to eat for supper and his dinner ended up eating a pack of big white marshmallow instead. He looks over to his side and watch as Jaehwan’s breathe in and out in his sleep with a content smile on his lips. Well, he had caught himself a mermaid, does that count?

With that thought, Leo smiled and finally closing his eyes to sleep but his hand roamed inside Jaehwan’s blanket and he wrapped his hand in Jaehwan’s and, then finally falls in a deep slumber.

The next day, Leo opens his eyes as he hears the birds chirping aloud near his tent. He wriggles to turn to the side but felt that the side he thought was not empty, is now empty.

Leo’s body shoots up to sit as he eyed the empty side next to him and thought of Jaehwan as another beautiful dream but, seeing the used blanket next to him, he knew Jaehwan is real to believe in.

He then quickly runs out of his tent, eyes looking for a certain mermaid but the place is still as empty as it was yesterday.

Leo sighed and took a sit to his chair, facing the wide beach in front of him, loneliness creeping up on him. He was used to being alone but why does he miss Jaehwan whom he just met last night?

Leo couldn’t give a straight answer but Jaehwan make him feel like he doesn’t want to live alone anymore. And he heaves a sigh once again as he realized, Jaehwan is a mermaid and could never stay with him no matter how much he asks. And, the fact that the mermaid suddenly leaves him makes him super sad.

Leo then sadly turns to the empty seat next to him and he was surprised when found something sitting on it and its sparkling. He swiftly reaches his hand onto the thing and he lifts it up, eye level and take a good look at the thing in his hand, shimmering as the sun shines on it. The thing is a big, round and glossy mix color of blue, teal, violet and green fish scale glistening in his eyes. He remembered Jaehwan’s tail and it was in the same color. It was his.

Leo smiled abruptly as he stares and stares at the scale. He couldn’t believe that Jaehwan would leave him with something before he disappeared.

 He stood up from his seat, face brightened up as he secured the scale in his pants’ pocket. He then finally decided to pack up, leaving the place full with short, yet warm memory he will never forget.

The end.

Jaehwan woke up and he shudders at the coldness of the air coming inside the open tent. He quickly shifted closer to Leo who groans but didn’t wake up and Jaehwan watches the man’s sleeping soundly next to him.

He couldn’t understand but something about Leo, may it be his face or personality, that makes everything warm and, Jaehwan don’t understand why his heart beats fast toward the sleeping guy. But, he likes it. He really likes it a lot.

Jaehwan purse a smile as he lifts up his hand on Leo’s face, touching and tracing every part of Leo’s face with his fingertips, remembering everything about Leo while his other hand still was preoccupied with Leo’s warm hand.

He giggled when he heard Leo’s purr against his touch and Jaehwan’s fingers traces downward until his hand met Leo’s slow and calm beating heart and smiled. He then reverted back his eyes to Leo’s face and he stare at the man’s lips. He leaned closer and closer until he can feel Leo’s warm breath on his face and Jaehwan pucker his lips to enclose the short distance and chaste a kiss on the sleeping man. He moved back up and smiled as he stare at Leo’s sleeping face, pleased at what he has done.

Jaehwan then sits up, decided it was time to go home before everyone thought he was missing the whole night. But he does—anyways, he went out of the tent and watch as the dawn creeping out of the sky and he inhaled a lungful of air with a smile.

He took a sit to where he sat last night and watch the ocean with a calm, satisfied smile. He then realized that he should be leaving already and so, he stood up and turned his head to look back at the open tent and watch Leo one last time.

Jaehwan blew a kiss toward the tent’s direction before walking toward the shore, walking uneasily to the place he and Leo met for the first time.

He stops in front of a huge rock boulder and started walking toward it. He stops as his feet crashes onto his forgotten scale and his lips abruptly smile as he took one piece and quickly runs back with difficulty back to Leo’s tent.

 He was about to wake up the man but decided not to. Jaehwan decided to leave the scale, his scale on top of his chair and walks off again. Obviously leaving a trail behind. He flinches as the cold morning air hits his flesh and even so as his body meets the cold water.

Jaehwan shivers as his half body finally entered in the water and he leaned over to the rock as the water glows and his feet and legs turned back into his colorful tail.

His tail wiggles happily as the water surrounds him, hugging him. His shiver stops as his body temperature changes with the ocean.

Jaehwan then sadly turned to the shore, the sandy floor he will surely missed. Though he couldn’t see from where Leo’s tent is, he offered him a silent goodbye before swimming away, back from the depths of the water, farther and farther away from Leo.

a/n: yeah, I'm crazy for over-sized T-shirts, forgive me. XD i wrote this last year but it was left incomplete. so i decided to finish this one and post it! Also, don't get me wrong for they (KEO) didn't have a happy ending but a wonderful mermory at least. I was thinking of turning Ken into bubbles, obviously blaming my murderous intent but I didn't. i stopped myself because i love Ken too much lol.

it has been very long since I have updated anything. And, I will update stories whenever my brain starts running in writing department. thank you for reading this fic! i hope you enjoyed it as much as i was in making this story! Please comment down below and upvote if you want! *sends flying hearts*