❝ Salt? ❞ ❝ Salt.❞       ❝ Let's go on a date, bro!❞
Soohyun was sitting alone in the dark when Jiyeon came in. "Is he sleeping already?" He heard her ask as she switched the lights on.    She jumped when she saw Soohyun. "Oh bro you scared me!"    Soohyun look up to meet her startled eyes. There, he leaned back a little. "Sorry, are you just getting home now?"    "Yeah, Seyeon just dropped me off. What are you doing sitting in the dark?"    "Nothing." Soohyun stood up and Jiyeon quickly made her way over. 
"Soohyun, Soohyun!" She chanted as she stopped beside him, "I'm sorry about the other day. You're not mad are you?"    Soohyun forced a smile as he spun his upperbody around to rest his large hand on her head, "You know I can't stay mad at you."    Jiyeon smiled brightly, "Still I'm sorry....It was immature of me to act so reckless in front of you and that—and her."    Soohyun removed his hand and reached for the luggage in Jiyeon's grip instead, "I'll take this for you." He said. Jiyeon frowned at his tone.    "Are you sick bro?"    "No, I'm fine." With that he lead her to her room, carrying the heavy luggage in one hand.      Seungho set Gain down into the round tub as she slowly pulled her arm away from around his shoulders. "One moment." He said before spinning around on his heels and leaving the room.    Gain observe the tidy and spacious room. The new environment was refreshing. Seungho's place was bigger and almost empty. Anyone could tell he didn't spend a lot of time at home.    Seungho returned with a plastic cup full of salt. Gain eyed the cup carefully but couldn't find the time to ask him any questions.    It felt weird. She could easily ask Soohyun any questions and he would answer her with the funniest reactions. However, the aura that Seungho carried was a lot different.    It was uncomfortable.    Seungho sat on the edge of the tub to face her, "Salt," he started, gaining Gain's full attention, "is the secret to the transformation between human and siren."    "Salt?" Gain asked.    "The ocean is made up of an average of about 3% salt. With the amount of water that's being mixed with the number of salt, it's what keeping a siren from becoming a human within the body of water. But when it's only salt on your skin, then it'll melt your grills and skin away. That's how a siren becomes human."    "Then what makes a mermaid in human form a mermaid again?"    "Salt." Seungho answered calmly, "If you eat enough salt into your system, you'll become a mermaid again."    "Then. It was the salt in the soup made by Soohyun's sister that made me become a mermaid again?"    "Jiyeon only added enough that would be edible. It was me who added more salt into the soup."    "Why?" Gain asked under a whisper.    "It was to see what you really were." Seungho answered while looking directly into her eyes. "I sensed you weren't human. And you weren't. But now I'll help you become human and teach you about humans."    "Why...?"    "You don't want to be human?"    "I do....But why? Why are you helping me if you aren't Seunghyun?"    Seungho thought for a moment. Then he answered after grabbing onto Gain's arm, tightening his grip around her. Her eyes shook before his.    "I'm going to say it one last time. Seunghyun does not exist. He is a myth. Do you understand?"    Gain bit her lips when Seungho released her and grabbed onto the bowl again. "It hurt didn't it? The first time you became human." He asked. Gain nodded. "The pain increases each time you transform between the two. So bare with it for a moment." He said.    Gain was having a difficult time trying to read him. One moment he was rough and then the next he sounded like he actually cared about her.    What bothered her the most was why was Seungho in denial. She definitely remember his face. He was there a year ago, in the cave, at the party. 

The sun was up and over the horizon line but Soohyun was still in bed. He was sulking and he knew why. The house was quiet without Gain and for some reason he missed her endless questions. 

The thought of her asking Seungho those questions bothered Soohyun. Seungho would know the answers and together their conversations may last a long time. But here Soohyun was, alone on his bed. 

"Maybe I should call her...." Soohyun mumbled to himself, "But then Seungho might not let her talk on the phone for whatever reason. I need a reason to call her. What should it be? Maybe I can come up with a question to ask her? But there's nothing I can ask...." 

"Soohyun?" 

Soohyun scrambled to sit up on his bed in a flash, "Yeah?" 

Jiyeon was standing by the door, sending him curious looks, "Who are you talking to?" 

"Um....I was sleep talking?" He answered with a questioning look, hoping Jiyeon would buy it. 

"What are you doing sleeping at this hour? It's breakfast time." 

"Oh really