The next day Melody swam to the cove. Her heart was beating fast. She tried to calm herself down. There was no guarantee Jungkook would be there

after all. Every sea creature knew humans lied even when they didn’t need to. That made them slipperier than the average fish. But her heart wouldn’t

listen. There was just something about his shy smile that made his front teeth stick out a little and the way his eyes seemed to somehow hold the

moon and the stars. She swam up to the cove and her heart dropped to her stomach. Jungkook was there drawing random lines into the sand. She

tried to feign nonchalance.

“Oh hey. You’re here.” Jungkook looked up startled, but gave her a shy smile once he realized it was her.

“Hi. Yeah I said I would be. I’m a man of my word after all.”

“Sorry it’s just humans are notorious where I’m from for not being the most upstanding creatures. Excuse my pun.” He let out a small laugh.

“It’s fine. I know there are people who are like that but not everyone is like that. So I was wondering would you mind telling me more about what’s it like

to live under the sea?”

“Sure. If you tell me more about the human world.”

“Deal.”

“Hmm I guess I’ll start first. Well first time in the sea flows differently than the human world. That’s why I wear this necklace.” I said touching the silver

pendant wrapped around a smooth sapphire around my neck. “It lets me feel the flow of human time while I’m in the ocean. It’s how I know to come up

to see the sunrise. A human lifespan isn’t very long to us sirens.”

“Then why do you come up to see it so often?”

“There’s just something so beautiful about something... so fleeting. I guess it adds to the beauty of it that it is something we have to wait for and it won’t

always be there. Don’t get me wrong. The ocean is a beautiful place but the coral reefs, the sea creatures, just everything has and will always be there.

It sounds a little weird I know. Everyone in the village thinks I’m a little strange because of that and the fact I’m the weaponsmith.”

“No that’s not weird at all. I understand what you mean. It’s sort of why I come here, too. I can’t really see this from home and it’s a nice escape from

the usual walls of my home.”

“What’s your home like?”, she asked.

“It’s really large, but it’s so empty. Instead of nice things filling the rooms, I would like it better if music and laughter filled my home.”

“That sounds like a beautiful dream.”

“It’s a dream I intend to turn into reality. How about you? What’s your home like?”

“I live in one of the caves on the outskirts of the village so the clanging from my workshop won’t disturb the villagers. They tend to stay away unless they

need a new weapon or need me to fix something. My neighbor is the only one who comes over often. Her name is Merlissa. She’s a sea witch.”

“Aren’t you lonely?” She thought about it.

“Well I never thought about it, but maybe I am. But it is what it is. At least me and Merlissa have each other.”, she shrugged.

“Do you ever wonder what it would be like if you were more like the other merfolk?”

“I won’t lie that it hasn’t crossed my mind, but I wouldn’t be me then. I don’t think I would really be happy.”

“That’s really admirable.”

“Is it? Merlissa says I have an old soul, wise beyond my years.”

“Oh does she? So you’re basically saying you’re an old woman?”, he joked.

“Hardly. I’m only 19 in human years.”, she rolled her eyes.

“Oh we’re the same age.”

“Really? I could’ve sworn you were younger.”, she teased.

“If you keep this up, no one is going to take care of you in your old age.”

“That’s what’s wrong with this generation.” They both burst out laughing.

All too soon Jungkook had to leave.

“Same time, same place tomorrow?”, he asked.

“Yeah. Why not?”

“Great. Don’t be late, grandma.”, he grinned.

“Kids have no respect for their elders these days.”, she couldn’t help but smile.