From behind one of the boats Mark watched as Jinyoung (assuming that’s his name since that what his friends were yelling that name) was carried away. He smiled, happy to know that he would be taken care of.

“Whatcha lookin’ at?” A voice said from behind him, Mark jumped hitting the boy with his tail, “OUCH!”

“You deserve it for sneaking up on me like that BamBam” Mark frowned. BamBam pouted rubbing his stomach while Yugyeom laughed swimming up next to them, “Where did you two even come from?”

“We waited for you at our spot but you never showed up, so we’ve been looking for you.” Yugyeom explained

“Why are you here anyways, are you tryin’ to get caught?” BamBam asked

Mark glared at his friend, “No, one of the humans fell off a boat and got tangled in some seaweed so I saved him.”

BamBam and Yugyeom gasped, “He didn’t see you did he?” Yugyeom asked worriedly 

Mark sighed, “He might’ve seen me” he said sheepishly. BamBam and Yugyeom groaned, “Yah I didn’t expect him to wake up so soon” he argued

“Yah if your mother and father found out you were seen by a human in your form they-” BamBam started

“They won’t find out and that guy doesn’t even know what I look like.” Mark interrupted, “Also I’m older than you and your prince.”

“Oh please like you care” Yugyeom snorted

Mark shaked his head regretting telling those two they don’t have a bow or call him by his respectful title, “Whatever let’s just go before we are caught” he said before swimming away in the ocean with the two following them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After two days in the hospital, Jinyoung was released from the hospital and headed back in his dorm. He packed up his stuff since after every year they change dorms. Jinyoung planned on staying with parents for a few weeks and then stay at Jackson and Jaebum apartment since they were also going to travel to go see their own families. 

However his parents heard about the incident so for the rest of the summer he had no choice but to stay in his home. His parents wouldn’t let him near any large bodies of water; even though he explained to them it was because he was caught by seaweed they still wouldn’t let him anywhere near it. So any plans for pools, or going to the beach with his friends was out of the question. 

For days Jinyoung couldn’t help but think about that merman, it was still unbelievable that he actually met and was kissed (even if it was on the cheek) by a merman but it made him wonder if there were mythical creatures that were as real as the merman. He spent majority of his day doing research on both merman and mermaids, only to compare the findings on both.

According to the research merman and mermaids were quite similar in the legends. Many depicted them as evil creature who lure men and women to their deaths or using their power to summoning storms and drown the people that entered in their waters. But Jinyoung was convinced that was real; after all if that were true wouldn’t that merman leave Jinyoung to drown? Why would he save him?

While looking at the pictures of mermen it seemed most of the older depictions showed as ugly men with beards yet the more current modern ones from the movies or TV shows were handsome men. Jinyoung sighed sadly since he didn’t get a good look of the merman. It would be nice to know that the merman that kissed his cheek was a handsome man. 

After a three weeks of imprisonment home, Jinyoung was sitting on his bedroom floor drawing in his art book when Jaebum and Jackson came up to his room, “Hey dude, it’s been a while” Jackson smiled moving to sit on Jinyoung bed while Jaebum sat on the chair by his desk. 

“Hey you guys are back already?” Jinyoung asked looking up from his book. Jinyoung wasn’t surprised by their barging in since he knew the couple got in using a house key Jackson copied back in high school. Even though he took back each copy, Jackson seemed to have plenty more.

“Dude it’s been three weeks” Jaebum chuckled

“Has it?” Jinyoung questioned looking completely confused.

“Jinyoungie when was the last time you left this house?” Jackson asked looking concerned.

Jinyoung looked at the calendar on the wall, “Uh three weeks ago” he smiled and Jackson shaked his head.

Jaebum snorted, “Still banned from the water huh?” He asked

“Yeah and it totally ” Jinyoung sighed, “I can’t even go near the beach or any pools.” He said crossing his arms.

“How long did you wait before you asked to go?” Jaebum asked

Jinyoung said thinking about it, “A week, I think”

“That’s way too soon, you should’ve waited a little longer” Jackson shoved his shoulder playfully.

“Maybe” he sighed looking back at his art book. 

Jackson took a peek at his book and gave a side glance to Jaebum, “So I see you’re still thinking about your mermaid”

Jinyoung rolled his eyes; he knew this conversation would pop up, “It’s a merman since it was a guy”

“Jinyoung-” Jaebum began

“Guys stop I know you think they don’t exist but I know what I saw.” Jinyoung argued

“Okay, okay” Jackson said putting his hands up, “It’s just—you weren’t in the right mindset and you were drunk so” he said trailing off

“I know but” Jinyoung breathed “he is real and you guys saw the tail and even the doctor said there’s no known animal with a tail like that.”

“Okay, maybe there is an unknown animal but it wasn’t not a merman” Jaebum argued

“Jaebum please-” Jinyoung groaned

“Alright let’s see what this guy looks like” Jackson interrupted 

Jinyoung turned his head, “Well I didn’t get a good look at his face because it was dark” he argued

“Just show us Jinyoungie!” Jaebum sighed and Jaebum groaned silently before turning the book around and showing the two. There was two pictures on the top right and bottom left of what it looked to be the same person however his face was shadowed. The merman however was beautiful drawn with a slender yet muscular body top body with golden blond hair while the bottom half was a blue-greenish scaled tail.

“Wow I hope he has a handsome face because it has to match this gorgeous body” Jackson smirked in awe 

“Oh so is that your type?” Jaebum said raising his eyebrow, Jinyoung snorted.

“I-I love you babe” Jackson smiled nervously giving Jaebum finger hearts and making a heart with his hands.

Jaebum’s face was neutral, “Ahuh, maybe he has a friend for you since you like men like this”

Jinyoung turned his head to hide his smile; he knew Jaebum didn’t care but Jackson could never tell, “But I love you and your beautiful body” Jackson pouted

“Ahuh” Jaebum deadpanned and at that moment there was a knock at the door. 

Jinyoung muttered a ‘come in’ and his mother came into the room, “Oh hello Jaebum and Jackson I didn’t know you were here.” She smiled

“Oh yeah we climbed up the window” Jackson smiled and Jaebum kicked his shin, “OWW- she knows I was kidding”

Mrs. Park laughed, “Well anyways I’m happy to see you boys again and maybe you can take Jinyoungie out with you” she smiled, “He hasn’t left his room in weeks” she added

“Mom it’s too hot to do anything outside, and besides I’d rather be at the beach than anywhere else” Jinyoung complains

Mrs. Park crossed his arms, “Yah Park Jinyoung-” 

“Mom I was caught in seaweed” Jinyoung countered “If you let me go to the beach or the pool, I promise to stay in shallow water” She sighed but the three had a feeling they was finally getting through to her.

“Mommy Park, Jaebum and I will be with him every time he’s near any bodies of water” Jackson pouted using his cutest puppy dog eyes. 

She sighed again, “I’ll alright I’m leaving Jinyoung in your hands and Jinyoungie you better stay in shallow water” she threatened 

“We promise” the three smiled, Mrs. Park sighed and walked out the room and down the stairs.

“This is awesome, I was worried we might have to sneak you out to the beach party tomorrow” Jackson cheered

“Beach party? What beach party?” Jinyoung asked tilting his head.

“The university is hosting a four-day beach party madness starting tomorrow.” Jaebum explained

“Is this a new thing? Why am I learning about this now?” Jinyoung frowned getting his phone to search for it online. He was surprised the university would actually host something like that.

“The president of Student Government thought it was a good way for students who finished classes in the spring to celebrate passing and for those who are taking summer classes to relax.” Jackson explained and Jinyoung still looked lost, “If you go check on your SNS you would see that practically everyone is going.” Jackson huffed. 

Jinyoung took out and phone and lo and behold, Jackson was right; everyone was going to the beach party, “Do you think Youngjae?” Jinyoung asked after a moment.

The two sighed, “Jinyoung I thought you were over him?” Jaebum asked

“I just want to see him, I mean we’re friends after all” Jinyoung defended going back to drawing in his book while sulking.

“The kid didn’t even call or text you after the incident, what friend does that?” Jackson argued getting a little angry.

“Maybe he didn’t know” Jinyoung countered but the couple knew Youngjae knows since they were the ones to tell him. “So do you think he’ll be there?”

“Yeah maybe” Jaebum said rolling his eyes and Jinyoung smiled slightly to himself.

“Anyways let’s go shopping. Knowing you, you need new swimming clothes” Jackson said

Jinyoung frowned, “Or I can wear my stuff from last year”

“Ew Jinyoungie gross, how are you suppose to attract your merman with old clothes?” Jackson cringed

“First of all I’m not attract to him, I just want to thank him” Jinyoung defended crossing his arms

“Jinyoung you don’t draw tons of pictures of a person if you’re not a least bit attracted to him” Jaebum argued 

Jinyoung pouted, “I don’t have tons of pictures” he countered but he had to admit that the guy was beautiful but he wasn’t Youngjae. He didn’t have that cute light brown hair that shined in the sun or that smile that made you want to smile back. However that merman made him feel good and that kiss still warmed his cheek but he wasn’t even sure if he would ever see the guy again. 

Jaebum raised an eyebrow and got up from the chair, he walked over to the closest and pulled out a large portfolio filled with multiple sketches he made of the merman. Jinyoung opened his mouth to ask how he knew but Jaebum beat him to it, “You used to hide the sketches you made of Youngjae in here.” 

Jaebum was happy to see that there was more sketches of the merman than Youngjae but he was still worried about the fact that Jinyoung actually believes they were real. “Thats an invasion of my privacy” Jinyoung frowned 

Jaebum and Jackson rolled their eyes, “We’re best friends, we don’t have privacy from each other” Jackson scoffed “Now get changed cause you’re not going looking like that”

Jinyoung looked down at what he was wearing, a grey T-shirt with yellow basketball shorts, “Yah what’s wrong with what I’m wearing ?” Jinyoung glared

“Everything, you look like a homeless person.” Jaebum frowned, “Now go get changed” he said pulling Jackson out the room and going downstairs.

Jinyoung rolled his eyes and looked in his drawers for something different to wear. After 10 minutes he came down wearing the same shirt but with blue shorts. After getting the boys approval they walked out after yelling their goodbyes to Mrs. Park and Jaebum drove them to the mall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After an hour of getting pulled into eight different stores by his friends, Jinyoung was sitting in the food court with his bags waiting for the couple to finish while drinking a vanilla milkshake. Jinyoung was just looking around the court when he spotted Youngjae but he was next holding hands with some other guy, laughing at whatever he was saying.

Jinyoung groaned, he should’ve known Youngjae would quickly move on from their relationship; but it’s only been three months. Isn’t there some period where you’re suppose to wait before getting into another relationship? Jinyoung rolled his eyes and continue to sip his shake hoping Youngjae wouldn’t see him sitting alone in the food court.

Thankfully or not he saw that the two were in their own world and didn’t notice Jinyoung and continued to walk pass by the food court. 20 minutes later Jaebum and Jackson came by and Jinyoung hurried them out the mall before they could be spotted again. He gave them no explains except to just bring him home. He couldn’t tell them that he got jealous seeing his ex with another guy and felt slightly saddened by the fact that was probably over between the two.