“But it’s almost morning,” the red-haired merman scolds. “We just got back from a really long swim. You should rest now instead of risking yourself for that boy. He’ll be here tomorrow night and you know that.”

The younger pouts, hair blackening with the thought of not even trying to see his human friend. “I just want to check on him and tell him to go home if he’s still there,” Kihyun tries. Though they’ve already reached their cave, the younger keeps swimming backwards toward the shore.

“Kihyun, I—” Minhyuk’s words are cut off as Kihyun notices the older’s eyes follow something from behind him. Those eyes fill with emotion so suddenly it takes Kihyun’s breath away—he’s never seen his brother look to be in such pain.

He rushes forward to his brother and rests a hand on his thin shoulder. “Brother, what happened?” Kihyun looks around to see nothing but distant waters and the glimmer of the moon’s reflection near the surface.

“I, uh,” Minhyuk starts, eyes frantically scanning the surrounding, dark water, “I’ll be back. Go to the shore, Ki. Just come back home.”

Worried and unsure of the situation, Kihyun hesitantly leaves his brother near the cave and swims to the beach.

Like always, he breaches the surface with just his head and his searching gaze rests upon a familiar sight that melts his heart. He bites his lips in attempt to hold back his smile but completely fails, breaking into a beaming smile that lights up his face—and probably his hair.

The human boy notices and waves exaggeratedly, smiling widely in return.

Kihyun ducks back under the water and swims up to the shore, sliding his body up to where Changkyun was now sitting.

“Hi,” the human boy breathes his usual greeting upon hearing the merman shift on the sand.

“Hi,” Kihyun returns with a soft laugh. He reaches for his friend’s hand and brings it close to him like he did before. “I missed you,” he sighs.

Changkyun chuckles and nods. “Me, too. But it’s only been a day.”

The merman pouts playfully and loo