"So what do we do now?" Joonmyeon asks, staring at the pink and orange dyed evening clouds wistfully. Chen likes the way the light shines on his face and highlights the straight line of his nose.

"I don't know." Chen muses, "We wait until our time is up? We don't have to waste it worrying, I think we need to be happy. Then, even if I do have to go, I won't feel bad."

"Yeah." Joonmyeon sighs, finally looking back at Chen, catching him in the act of staring at him. He looks away quickly, unsure why he feels like he was just caught doing something he shouldn't have been. He pokes at some seaweed floating on the surface to distract himself.

"If you do become a human, I'd like to take you places. Like- like Spain, I heard it's nice there. Or home, so you could meet my family. Or maybe the U.S.!" Joonmyeon enthuses, eyes glimmering with possiblities,

"What is a yoo-ess?" Chen questions, 

"It's a place, not a thing. A really big place, and there's lot's to do there. There's lot's to do everywhere, but it's very expensive to travel all over the world,"

"Why?" Chen is confused again. He has difficulty comprehending concepts like money, and 'expensive' because they don't exist in the merfolk kingdom. If you want something, and it is not in use by someone else, usually it's just given to you. Especially if you are going to do something useful with it.

"Because the people who make the airplanes charge money to let people use them," Joonmyeon explains, a little weary, as if he knows this is going to be a long explanaition, glad at least they have covered the topic of planes and flying before,

"Buy why?" He frowns, "If people want to travel, why can't they? Why do they need money to go to a different place?" It's so frustrating, and Joonmyeon sighs,

"I don't know, Jongdae, but that's just the way it is. But we'll find a way to pay for a flight to somewhere for the two of us. Somehow." 

"I will look forward to it,"

-

Chen watches Joonmyeon comb the beach for seashells, delighted. He doesn't even understand why he's so happy, although perhaps just being allowed to spend time near him is the reason. Joonmyeon is gathering seashells so he can make pretty jewellery out of them, and sell them on the other side of the island during the tourist season. Though that term might apparently be a little strong, when he says tourist season he means a few people that book a holiday for a week and find out there's nothing to do here and consequently leave a day early.

Joonmyeon paddles back and forth, barefoot and letting the shoreline wash over his toes refreshingly, crouching occasionally to pick up a shell and place it in a bag. Chen remains a short distance away, bobbing up and down with the current. Joonmyeon doesn't seem to have very many shells in his bag, which Chen thinks is both bad and good. Bad because if he doesn't have a lot of shells then he won't be able to sell much jewellery, and then he'll have less money. But also good because tiny creature live in the shells, especially the bigger ones. What could Joonmyeon use for his bracelets and necklaces that's from the beach but also not going to be bad for the environment? 

His crown itches, so he takes it off, and scratches his head. He'd leave it in Joonmyeon's house, but it would just dry out. Chen looks at it, turning it over in his hands, inspecting each twist and curl of white coral.

Suddenly Chen has an idea. He turns tail and ducks under the water with a splash, missing Joonmyeon's startled frown, and heads for deeper water. He's not completely sure what he's looking for, but he'll know when he finds it, he's certain. 

Chen scours the ocean floor, dragging his fingers through the sand and watching as it comes up in clouds when disturbed. He searches through the corals and seaplants, careful not to bother the tiny fish that live there, in search of something he could give to Joonmyeon. He finally finds what he's looking for when he spots five or six oily black scalloped shells. He drifts over to them, smiling, and picks one up, then using a little magic to coax it open.

Shells like these do not take kindly to being opened, so it takes a little while of persuasion, but once it's open he uses his sharp fingernail to slice through a thin membrane that contains a tiny pearl, shaped like a wonky sphere. Chen grins, and soothes the disgruntled oyster letting it fall back to the ocean floor in a cloud of sand. Pearl safely in his hand, he works on the others, only finding two more, but he is still pleased with his success. He holds the three irregularly shaped pearls in front of him, and silently thanks the oysters for giving them to him.

He rushes to the surface, surprised just how far from the shore he had drifted, and begins making his way back to his friend,

"Joonmyeon!" He calls out, waving. Joonmyeon looks up in search of the source of Chen's voice, and waves back, splashing as he wades into deeper water. 

"Jongdae," he calls back, "where have you been all day?" 

"I was looking for these, look," Chen holds out his hands, revealing the three tiny pearls. Joonmyeon gasps, and drops the shell in his hand as he reaches out to cup Chen hands,

"Where did you get those?" He asks breathily, eyes darting up to look at Chen's tiara. Chen laughs,

"I got them from some oysters a little way out. I could- I could find some more if you like?" 

"Could you? That would be great. These are beautiful," Joonmyeon takes the little stones out of Chen's hands and puts them in his bag, "thank you so much," he grins. Chen stares at him for a moment, smiling back, then catches himself and ducks under the water, hearing the start of Joonmyeon's bubbly laughter as he swims deeper.

-

Floating gently just below the surface of the water, Chen plays with a starfish which rests on his stomach begrudgingly. Occasionally he looks over to the shore to make sure Joonmyeon is still there. He'd given him all the pearls he could find, and now he was making jewelery with them, and the tiny shells he procured beachcombing. He says usually he makes his wares inside his house, but he thought it would be nice to make them outside this year, so he brought all of his equipment out onto the beach.

Sometimes Chen hears the shrill sound of a drill- another new word he learned that day- boring holes in shells so that he can thread them together, and it makes him jump. He's pretty sure the other wildlife don't like it either, but Joonmyeon assures him he does all of the noisy stuff on the first day, so it doesn't drag on. Even so, most of the seagulls have already flown off.

The starfish is begining to tickle as it moves further upwards, and Chen takes this as a sign that it wants to be let off, so he rolls over and swims towards the cliffside, depositing it there gently and making sure it's safe before going back to Joonmyeon. He sidles closer, wincing everytime Joonmyeon's drill starts shrieking, and wondering how on earth someone can put up with that noise willingly. 

Joonmyeon waves to him when he spots Chen lurking in the water just a little ways off, and Chen hides, sinking slightly so that only his eyes are above the water and he can still watch. 

It takes all morning for him to finish, but once he has, Joonmyeon wades into shallow waters to show him one of the things he's created.

"This one is from last year, one of the ones I didn't get to sell, but this is the kind of thing I make." He holds out a finely woven bracelet, with shells of pinks and yellows hanging in patterns. Chen reaches out to touch it, amazed that something so pretty could be made without the help of magic, and runs his damp fingers along the lines of thread, leaving a trail of water. 

"It's very lovely," Chen compliments,

"Thank you. Actually- would you like to have it?" He takes Chen by the hand and wraps the braclet round his wrist, tying the ends together. Chen feels his hearts beat faster and his tail spasms in excitement- a gift from Joonmyeon? His soul is singing as he holds it up to the light, and he isn't able to curb the goofy grin. Joonmyeon probably doesn't understand that gifts like this signify deep relationships for his kind, so he doesn't mention it, but he'll pretend that he knows, so he can delude himself into thinking Joonmyeon thinks as highly of him as he does Joonmyeon.

"Thank you so much Joonmyeon, it is beautiful. Yr wyf yn ddioglar derbyn," he clasps his hands before him formally as he says the words that mean thank you in his own language, that means that he is accepting the gifts. Joonmyeon furrows his eyebrows, but doesn't say anything about it. 

"Joonmyeon?" A voice that is neither Chen's or Joonmyeon's echoes across the beach. Both of them freeze, Chen staring up at Joonmyeon in fear and waiting for some kind of instruction. The voice calls out again, this time louder, meaning whoever it is must be closer.

"Jongdae, go hide. He can't see you, ok? Go. Go." Joonmyeon runs towards the sand, barefeet kicking up white foam in his wake. Chen turns tail and flees, wondering how such a sweet moment turned sour so soon. 

From a safe distance, Chen spies Joonmyeon meeting with another human, tall and long haired. They embrace each other, and Chen feels like he shouldn't be watching this, it's too intimate, but then they separate and they seem less like parents, or a coupling, and more like friends. Chen's sudden flare of jealousy dissipates to a dull, petulant undertone.

The two seem like they're laughing, then after the tall one slaps Joonmyeon's back twice- Chen dislikes this human- they both troop into Joonmyeon's house, effectively cutting Chen completely out of everything. Toying with the bracelet that Joonmyeon just gave him, he wonders what he should do. Joonmyeon would probably expect him to just stay put until the other human leaves, but along with still being slightly jealous, he's also very curious. He's never met another human besides Joonmyeon, and it would be interesting to compare the two, see what's the same and what's different.

Steeling himself, he makes his decision. It'll probably hurt but he's going to scale the rock pools again, to see how close he can get to Joonmyeon's house. Maybe then he'll catch another glimpse of this other human, or be able to listen to their coversation. 

Careful not to break or damage his new jewelry, Chen propels himself into the rock pool closest to the shore by swimming fast and jumping out of the water like a dolphin. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the accuracy or precision he needed to, so he lands painfully and has to scramble to find purchase and heave himself up and over. After that it comes easier, though with less pain. He should have gone the easy way, he thinks, but that takes longer. 

Slowly, he slithers across each puddle of water, doing his best to dodge anenomess and crabs as he passes through, until he's about as close as he can get to Joonmyeon's house, without going without the water he needs to breathe. But it's still nowhere near close enough, and Joonmyeon doesn't even have windows big enough for him to look through. 

He looks over his shoulder at his tail and sighs in frustration. Life would be so much easier if he were a human and had legs. How he hopes his mother will find magic that can change him.

Nothing happens for a long time, and the rocks dig into his skin while he waits impatiently for the human to leave so he can get his friend back. The time passes sluggishly, and Chen takes to watching the trees nearby swaying in the gentle sea breeze. The way the leaves intermingle with one another is fascinating, but still it's only a distraction to take his mind off what Joonmyeon and the other human might be doing in there together, and leaving him out of.

He probably isn't actually there for as long as he thinks he is, but when Joonmyeon and the other human do come out, he doesn't think he can even move properly anymore. With some measure of soreness from being still for so long, and from the scrapes lining his stomach, he peeks around the rocks to get a better view of both of them. 

"Yes, well it was nice seeing you again. I don't really understand why you live here like a little hermit, though. You should come visit the rest of us more often," the other human says, their voice of a higher pitch than his or Joonmyeons, then they laugh, eyes crinkling up sweetly. Whoever they are, they have a very pretty face, Chen thinks grumpily. He hopes they leave soon. 

He gets his wish a few moments later, after the hug again, then the intruder turns around and walks up a tiny dirt path that Chen hadn't notice before now, despite having been here for three weeks in total. They turn around one last time and wave at Joonmyeon before disappearing from sight entirely. Once they're gone, Joonmyeon heads straight for the shoreline, splashing into slightly deeper water,

"Jongdae? Where are you?" 

Chen rolls over, intent on getting back to the ocean and meet Joonmyeon like he wasn't just trying to spy on him and the other human, and hauls himself back over the rock pools back the way he came, but misjudges himself, and falls into a crevice that he can't pull himself out of. Sharp edges of stone cut into his shoulder and he thinks he might be bleeding again, and he hates himself for being reckless and getting into stupid situations like this. If Joonmyeon weren't here he would probably die out here, he thinks. 

But he doesn't want to draw attention to himself in this state, it's embarrassing. He tries once again to pull himself up and out, squirming and wriggling to no avail. If he flails any harder his tailfins might tear completely. He sags, listening to the increasinlgy more frantic cries of his name somewhere in the distance. 

Why did he have to do this anyway? He's so stupid, no wonder his family didn't even want him back. He gives up, and lies there, limp like a dead fish, and tries to breathe the best he can. He shuts his eyes and waits for Joonmyeon to eventually find him- he'd shout but he doesn't think his voice would carry. All he can see from this twisted position is the sky, so he resigns himself to cloud watching.

"Jongd- there you are! Jongdae what are you playing at? I've been worried- are you ok?" Joonmyeon pants as he climbs closer. Immediately, he helps Chen out of his sticky situation, scolding him for getting himself stuck here in the first place, but wincing when he sees each new cut adorning his skin. 

"How did you get yourself into this mess, huh? Jongdae? I thought you hated going in the rock pools," Joonmyeon accuses, prising the floaty part of his tail away from the rocks and untangling everything. Chen doesn't want to answer that, but Joonmyeon carries on talking so he doesn't really have to.

"Were you trying to get a look at Sooyoung? I guess that's fair since you haven't met anyone but me, but next time just tell me, ok? I trust her, so maybe we could introduce her to you, instead of you getting yourself hurt- I mean look at all this," he gestures at Chen's torso, which he feels the urge to cover, "you really shouldn't be hurting yourself like this, ok? Don't do it again. Got that?"

Chen nods, chastised. He already regretted doing this, but with Joonmyeon telling him off like this, he feels even worse. 

"I'm sorry," 

"Hey, don't be upset. It's just like the time we met, right?" He adds, "Do I need to carry you back to the water again?" He laughs as Chen curls around himself, shy and quiet, "I'll take that as a yes,"

His hands slip underneath Chen's waist and tail, and he lifts Chen up and holds him tightly as he steps down from the rocks. Chen wraps his arms around his neck to make it easier for him. Joonmyeon smells of something that isn't salt or fish. It's sweet, though, and thick, though he doesn't know if those are words you can use to describe the way something smells. He breathes it in greedily, and doesn't notice how the corner of Joonmyeon's lip curves up.

-

Later that day, Chen drifts on the surface of the ocean nearby the rock Joonmyeon is sat on, feeling the warm air touch his skin. It tickles. The stars glitter and twinkle above them, and Chen marvels at them, so rarely having seen them before. And then the moon is magnificent too. He loves staring at the night sky. He spares a glance at his friend, who is swirling his fingertips in the tiny waves that breach against his rock. 

"Joonmyeon. What does 'y' mean?" Chen wonders, having heard him use it once before, but he has a feeling it might be a bad thing because of the tone of voice Joonmyeon had used when saying it. 

The dark haired boy looks up quickly, affronted, and Chen worries that he's said something awfully rude or offensive for a second, but relaxes when Joonmyeon purses his lips and widens his eyes, looking to the side. Curiously, his cheeks turn pink too. Now Chen really wants to know what this word means, if it makes him flush and act shyly like this. 

"W-Where did you hear that from?" Joonmyeon asks, a little shakily.

"You said it, a while ago. You called your brother's girlfriend 'y'. Or you said your brother thinks she is that. What does it mean?" He rolls over in the water and swims a little closer, so Joonmyeon doesn't have to shout the answer across to him. Joongmyeon hikes his legs up and sits cross legged, wringing his hands together nervously.

"Um. How do I explain this? Uhh." He bites his lower lip, "Do you know what, um, is?"

"No." Chen starts to feel anxious. Obviously this is a sensitive subject, maybe it's taboo? He feels dreadful for making Joonmyeon explain it. But he really wants to know.

"No, of course not. Ok." He uncrosses his legs, and shimmies a little closer to the edge of the rock, letting his legs dangle off and his touch touch the water again, "Babies. It's- It's how babies are made."

"I don't understand," Chen is very confused. Why is procreation making him react like this? Unless there's something more to it. And what do babies have to do with ''?

"Ok, first I need you to tell me how that works for you. Babies, I mean," Joonmyeon says, lips twisted, not entirely sure he won't regret saying that.

"Female mermaids make eggs and the the males make them ...alive? with - I don't know the words. What does that have to with 'y', Joonmyeon?" If possible, Joonnmyeon is even darker red than before, wearing a pained expression.

"It's different for humans. isn't just for making babies for us, it can be for fun, and 'y' means- it's used to describe people you want to do that with,"

"Oh," 

"Yeah," 

"Why is fun?" the sound of Joonmyeon's hand smacking his forehead makes a nearby bird fly off. 

"Because it feels good."

"Oh. Can you show me?"

"No!" Joonmyeon shouts, "I mean, you can't do it with friends- well I mean you can but I'm not that kind of person. And besides: if we did anything that would be and frowned upon by society! Oh god, my life is in ruins," he moans. Chen doesn't understand a great deal of what Joonmyeon just said, but he grasped that is not for friends. He runs his fingers over the bracelet that adorns his wrist. Would Joonmyeon have still given it to him if he knew what it meant to his people?

"Ok. Not friends. Then who?" He asks, determmined to get as much information about everything as he can, even if it means hurting himself in the process.

"People who are in love,"

"But I love you,"

"Yes, I love you too. But to love and to be in love are different. It's hard to explain," he sighs loudly, "Jongdae, it's a very complex topic, we could talk for hours on it. But the short of it is people who are in love want different things from each other than people who are friends. Friends want to spend time together and do fun, happy things, and talk about stuff they like. Lovers want to do that and things like touching and kissing, and. And other things." 

"What other things?" 

"You-" he splutters, "I mean . Things like . Though I guess that isn't required either. I don't know. The feelings are different, I guess. Why do you want to know, anyway?" He asks, deflecting. 

Chen doesn't reply, too busy thinking over what Joonmyeon just said. He wants to spend time with Joonmyeon, so that makes him friend, but he also likes it when they touch, so does that make him in love, too? But he doesn't understand what Joonmyeon means by some of the other things, perhaps it's the way they touch that changes things. His head hurts. Why are humans so hard to understand?

"Have you ever had in love, Joonmyeon?"

"Have I ever been in love? Yes. A couple of years ago. It didn't end well, so I don't like to remember it."

"Oh," Maybe it would be insensitive of him to ask about how it felt, then. "What is kissing?"  

Joonmyeon makes a shocking, gurling noise, and covers his face with his arm.

anyone feel sorry for joonmyeon? hahaha

comments as always would be appreciated and im sorry that this took so long to write again what was it this time like months. sorry.

tumblr | askfm <- if you have any questions about mermaids or their culture or anything like that come ask them!