Haebin's internship changed the tenor of life at home. She seemed to be busy all the time doing her research and exploring the city. They lived near the sea so commuting to Seoul all the time took an extra hour or two out of her day, she rarely had time for the merman who lived with her. 

Sehun noticed the changes the most out of everyone around her, he would occassionally accompany her during her trips to the city but he wasn't able to make it to every trip. 

"Can I come?"

"It might rain, Sehun."

"Do you need my help?" 

"Aw man, I wish you were able to come."

"I can't?"

"The restuarant has a special VIP room with an indoor waterfall, I don't want anything to happen to you." 

"Haebin!"

"Mm! Let's talk later, okay? I gotta go!"

The merman didn't know what it was yet, but he wanted to be with her wherever she went. Sehun worried for Haebin each time she went alone, she had tons of equipment to carry and a lot on her plate, literally. But she always came back in one piece, exhausted, but in one piece. 

In the two months that Haebin worked as an intern, Sehun had a lot to learn- being that she was gone, he had to hold the fort down. He had figured out how to do all of the house chores including mopping the floors! (The merman did it with boots on and he was very, very careful). 

He had also learned how to cook and do the groceries by himself. Sehun made weekly visits to Mrs. Lee, only when the weather was forgiving of course, and sat with her for hours learning the art of korean cuisine. 

"How is she?" Mrs. Lee asked. "I haven't heard from Haebin in weeks!" She look at her phone. "See? The last text I got from her was four weeks ago!"

Sehun frowned. "Is being an intern different from having a job?"

"Well, kind of, why?"

"Haebin is always tired and I'm sad that I can't do anything to help her. She leaves so early in the morning and comes home so late at night. She'll eat dinner and then work until she falls asleep on the counter."

Mrs. Lee gasped. "My goodness, has she been sleeping on the counter for the last few weeks?"

Sehun shook his head. "I carry her to bed and tuck her in every night." He sighed. "Thank goodness this week is the last week of her internship..." He turned to the middle aged woman. "When Haebin's internship ends, does it mean she will get a job?"

She shrugged. "I have no idea, Sehun." Mrs. Lee wasn't sure. "Companies take advantage of interns since they basically work for free. Interns do whatever they can to secure a job at the company so I wouldn't be too surprised if Haebin is doing all sorts of things on top of her given tasks."

Sehun found it hard to be at ease, the merman would never understand the wrath that is the relationship between companies and their interns.

"Take care of her, like you've been doing."

Sehun smiled. "I am!" He beamed. "I'm like a house-husband."

Mrs. Lee laughed. "What?!"

"Um, sometimes on TV, the wives stay home and do everything to care for their working husbands. Thats me and Haebin!! Except I'm the wife and she's the husband...but you know according to human anatomy, or Baekhyun's teasing, I'm a house-husband." 

Mrs. Lee felt her heart warm up even more to the merman. "You're very sweet, Sehun. How's all the cooking? The cleaning? All the laundry? And the groceries?"

He shook his head. "It's nothing compared to all the hard work Haebin does! She comes home sore and tired everyday, I think it's nice to have a hot meal and a clean place to come home to everyday, after everyone at work tears you apart."

Mrs. Lee almost began crying. "Gosh!!! Where will I ever find a man like you?"

Sehun leaned over. "I'm a merman." He reminded her. 

--- 

Haebin was ecstatic to return home, she was on the bus holding a bunch of bags and two cameras, but she didn't care at all! Today was a different day, her boss finally let her have a day off! 

She picked up her phone and gave her aunt a call. Haebin sighed in relief when she realized that she had an extra day to get all her work done. "Auntie!"

"Oh my God Haebin, I almost forgot what your voice sounded like! When was the last time you called, you wench!"

Haebin chuckled. She had missed her aunt's nagging. "I know! I've been super busy!"

"Aren't you supposed to be at work? It's 9 pm!" 

Haebin scoffed. "What do you mean? It's 9 pm!"

"Sehun said that you've been coming home super late!" Mrs. Lee exclaimed. "He said you would be home at 10 or 11!"

"Ugh, I know. This internship has been a blur, all I remember is working and working. I wake up every morning groggy and confused. I think I started sleep walking, hear me out, I would eat dinner, do some work and then somehow I wake up in bed?" 

Mrs. Lee chuckled. "You idiot, Sehun carries you to bed every night."

"He does?!"

"He told me that you always pass out in the middle of working at ungodly hours so he tucks you in every chance he gets."

Haebin flushed red. "He does?" She asked again.

"Aigoo, how hard is this company working you that all you remember is work, work, and work?!" 

"It's alright!" Haebin said. "I'm very grateful they took me in, and it's fine that they make me do all these extra errands. If I get a job there as an editor, they can't make do that anymore and I'll have normal work hours! I'm not skipping meals either!" She reassured her aunt. Skipping meals was the last thing Mrs. Lee wanted her niece to do. "Except breakfast, sometimes...?"

"Oh, so you're eating well?" Mrs. Lee asked with a grin on her face.

"Auntie! You know I'm eating well, you send me food all the time, no?"

"Only some side dishes, missy."

"What?" She furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?" Haebin asked. "You sent me..." She thought about the most recent dinners she had. "Didn't you send me kimchi stew? I think it was kimchi stew, ah! And soy bean soup?"

"Haebin, I've only been sending you kimchi." Mrs. Lee said. "That's all, I don't send other side dishes anymore."

"Then where..." Haebin gawked. "Oh my goodness, has Sehun...Oh no..." She felt her heart drop. "Has he been spending all his money on food?!" 

"No! Goodness Haebin, sometimes you could be more of a moron than your two best friends are." Mrs. Lee rolled her eyes. "Sehun! Sehun has been cooking for you! He knows how hard you work and how difficult it is to get through your long days. He came to me a few times a week and insisted on learning how to cook." 

"Sehun has?" 

"Yes! He had some trouble remembering ingredients at the beginning but he's doing great! He wrote down some recipes and has been practicing ever since, seeing that you're eating well, you can't tell the difference between my cooking and his, right?" 

Haebin smiled and stared out the window silently.

"Haebin?" 

She shook her head and held back all her tears. "I need to get off soon and I have a lot to carry, I'll call later!"

Haebin hastily made her way home. Her back was sore and her shoulders hurt from all the bags she had to carry but she didn't care, Sehun was the only person she had her focus on. 

Dammit, I'm such an idiot. Haebin sighed. He's been doing so much for me during these two months and I had no idea. 

She put all her things down and unlocked the front door, letting it swing open. Haebin stood by the entrance and noticed many things about her apartment. There was a pile of clean sheets and clothes on the couch. The floors were shiny and her windows were spotless. There were a stack of papers on the coffee table in the living room that had been organized. 

Haebin walked into the kitchen area and opened her fridge. There were containers and containers of side dishes with labels on them in Sehun's handwriting next to a few protein shakes and sandwiches with some dates on them. She knew it was his penmanship since it was messy and kidlike. "Cutie," She mumbled.

He's been packing breakfast for me every morning. 

Haebin sighed. "How did I not notice?" She leaned against the counter and grabbed her temples. "Lee Haebin you're the world's stupidest girl I swear!" She whispered.

Then she heard some shuffling that came from outside. Haebin walked out of the kitchen and into the hallway where Sehun came into view by her doorstep. He held a few bags of groceries. "Haebin!"

She lost her immediately at the sound of his cheerful voice, the voice that she missed dearly. Haebin frowned and covered her eyes.

Sehun gasped and put down all his bags. He ran towards her and grabbed her by the shoulders. "H-Haebin! What's wrong? What happened? Did you have a tough day at work? Did everyone scream at you again?!"

Haebin shook her head and stepped into his arms. "I'm sorry Sehun, I had no idea..." She cried. "Oh my God, I'm so dumb."

"What? Why? What happened?"

"I didn't know you were doing this much for me," Haebin sobbed. "You packed breakfast for me. You made sure I was doing okay. You made us dinner every night and made sure I was sleeping on a bed instead of on my kitchen table. You took care of the house and...you took care of me."

"Of course!" Sehun looked at her. "Don't cry, Haebin. You're working hard, you're chasing your dreams, and you're going through hell just by being an intern with Seoul Magazine. You deserve this, don't worry about me." He held her in his arms and patted her back. "You took me in without a doubt... You taught me how to live on land. You took me into consideration every time you wanted to do something. You have no idea how much you mean to me, Haebin. I'd do this for you over and over again!" 

Haebin couldn't stop crying. She had no idea what she did to ever deserve this. 

Sehun held her close and rocked her from side to side until she stopped crying. "How was work?" He asked. "You're home early."

"Sehun, let's not cook dinner today. Let's order pizza or something and then go for a swim."

"Huh?"

Haebin pulled away. "I got a day off," She said. "Let's forget about me, and focus on you."

"You got a day off? You haven't had one of those in a while-"

"Let's do something you like." Haebin looked at him. "I want to spend time with you." 

"Me?"

She nodded. "You. I want Sehun time." 

"How about Baekhyun and Chanyeol?"

Haebin shook her head. "I want you all to myself. Is that okay?"

"Then I want you all to myself too." 

[a/n]: comments are much appreciated!