Legends were legends.

           Were they fiction? 

           Or were they not?

           Out of the uncountable legends that roamed the seas of the merfolk, one stood out. There were two variations - that particular legend. One was told to every child, causing them to giggle, look up at the top of the sea in wonder, and sleep with dreams of meeting the creatures that were able to walk on land. 

           The other one was also told to every child. 

           That one caused them to keep mum, look up at the top of the sea in terror, in curiosity, in comfort that they were deep down in the sea, and sleep with nightmares of meeting the creatures that were able to walk on land.

           The little mermaid swam up, emerging out of the sea, sat up on the rocks and sang, melodious voice flowing and capturing the attention of a prince. She saw the prince, and fell in love, but dipped back into the depths of the sea in anxiousness and fear of the tales she was told. In hopes to find the man she fell in love with, she took the offer of the sea witch. She traded her fins for legs that would allow her to walk on land - she traded her voice for legs. 

           A kiss before sunset and she would get her voice back, keep her legs.

           A kiss after or no kiss at all, and she would return to her former form, lose her voice forever.

           Of course, the legend that caused children to dream of meeting these two-legged creatures  ended in happiness - in happily ever after, where the little mermaid ended up with her prince in the end. 

           The other one however…

           It was a tragedy.

           Similar start, the little mermaid saw a prince and fell in love, giving her voice as payment for legs, but this time…

           To get her legs, she would feel the sensation of a sharp sword slicing her tail in half. Her movements on land, although graceful, would feel like knife blades pricking through her feet all the while through. To give her voice, she would have her tongue cut. And unlike the little mermaid in the other legend, this little mermaid, once turned to human, cannot ever turn back to her original form.

           Marry the prince and she would stay human, tongue still cut.

           The prince marrying someone else however, then the little mermaid’s heart would shatter the next morning, she becoming nothing but foam of the sea.

           The little mermaid later had the option of killing the prince before his marriage to another. 

           But the beauty without fins watched as her prince exchanged rings and smiles.

           And of course.

           Kim Taehyung, prin- one of the two princes that had the legacy to take over the throne one day, didn’t let the latter legend ruin his enthusiastic, never-ending curiosity of the people who walked on land.

           Of humans.

           “Can you stop it already.”

           “Hyung.” The younger whined, latching onto his brother’s arm with a seemingly permanent pout on his face. “Just one more time.”

           Seokjin let out an exasperated sigh, turning around to finally face the male with the glistening, hopeful eyes. “I regret letting you go up there in the first place.”

           Taehyung simply shrugged, shiny blue tail making the seaweed dance, smile smug, “It was my birthday.”

           When Seokjin displayed that defeated fall in his face, Taehyung bit back the excited grin threatening to surface.

           “Just one more time.” 

           It had been the youngest’s one and only wish to go up and explore what was above the deep blue sea they call home. Despite his father’s disapproved grunt at the request, his father was a softie, and he loved his sons. Therefore, he allowed Taehyung to go up for the first time - with Seokjin as company (a bodyguard more or less and making sure that he held Taehyung from exploring, only taking in the view). It wasn’t that Taehyung couldn’t defend himself, it was more of the fear that the boy bursting with endless curiosity would go further, and further, and further away from their safe spot behind the rock, and maybe - just maybe - get spotted by a human.

           Taehyung sulked - because that was what he wanted to do in the first place.

           He hadn’t even spotted one himself, but the thought of actually meeting one sent his adrenaline pumping.

           “Hyung.”

           Seokjin grunted in response, not bothering to turn back as the younger tugged on one of his fins. 

           “Hyung.”

           Another tug.

           Seokjin sighed this time, stilling as he looked back at his brother, “What?”

           Taehyung swam up to level his height with Seokjin, boxy grin plastered onto his face, “You can go back now, I can take it from here.” He ignored the older’s gape. “I know the way to the rock.”

           Seokjin folded his arms across his chest. “If you think I’m going to let you go wander off by yourself, Tae, you’re out of your mind-”

           “Hyung.” 

           It was that tone again, that whine.

           “I’m old enough now.” Taehyung’s brows furrowed, almost convincing Seokjin. “I can go there by myself.”

           Seokjin let out his nth sigh, “Tae-”

           “You can trust me, hyung.” 

           The pools of hope indebted deep in the younger’s glistening eyes were quite alarming - even though Seokjin expected that much. He was scared his little brother would do something he would regret… but he was also afraid that his little brother would give him that look, that look where the corner of his lips would pull down into a permanent frown, replies barely above a whisper, conversations fluctuating down a minimum to none…

           The grin Taehyung gave next was one of the brightest he’d seen yet.

           Past the reefs, green and pink. Past the two arches and the wrecked ship. Up the sandhill where the stingrays peep. And forward, and forward, till the enormous rock was visible, aged with cracks, algae making it home. 

           Taehyung grinned, reaching his arms up till they were out in the heat, pressing his palms on the weathered, barely wet rock, and pushed himself up. 

           Actually, there wasn’t really much to see besides replicas of the rock in different shapes and sizes leading towards the sand filled area, and the glimmer of the place where Seokjin and his dad said the humans resided - a building of some sort, gigantic and grand, much like his palace. Taehyung squinted, taking in the distant view, ran his gaze pass the dozens upon dozens of windows, the inside of some draped with an eggshell coloured fabric of some sort, some not and displaying all contents inside… if only a merman’s sight could be that good.

           A merman’s sight however, allowed him to catch a figure in the distance, hauling itself over the wooden barrier of a fence and landing on the grainy platform. 

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