“So they’ve said that when a human gives a mermaid a gift tied to a wish, the two become one,” Minhyuk begins to explain after they reached the safety of their cave.

“What do you mean become one?” the younger questions with concern.

Minhyuk bites his lip as if afraid of how to answer. “To put it bluntly, if you die, so does he. And the other way around, too.”

“Then why did he hear my thoughts?”

“You said it was when you were in danger, right?” The younger nods in confirmation. “Then that’s because if you feel like your life is threatened, so does he. Because the gift he gave you has somehow connected your lives. From what I’ve heard, it seems that strong emotions can be shared between you two. If you’re really upset about something, he will suddenly become upset. I think it probably works the other way, as well. If you’re super happy, he will be, too.”

Kihyun shakes his head. “Is there anything else to it? You said if the gift is tied to a wish. What kind of wish?”

The older looks off in thought. “I’m not sure. Did you make a wish or something?”

With darkening hair, the young merman responds, “I did. It’s a human tradition to make a wish on your birthday.”

“Kihyun, you’re not human. There’s a reason we don’t do human things,” he starts to raise his voice. “Then stupid things like curses aren’t cast on us! I’ve told you to be safe over and over again and yet here you are stirring up trouble with a human. You’ve put yourself and him in danger.”

He continues, not letting the younger have a say in this conversation. “He may have given you the gift, but you are the one who got close to him. You got close to a human and now two lives are at stake,” his eyes grow red from tears that mix with the surrounding water.

Kihyun places a soothing hand on his shoulder and sighs. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I didn’t think that there were such things as curses in this world.” He glances behind himself outside the cave. “It’s getting dark. I should go. I need to tell Changkyun about this.”

“You’re going? Even after what I told you? Kihyun, you’re just putting yourself in even more danger,” he emphasizes.

“I need to tell him, Minhyuk. If you’re so worried about me, why don’t you come with? He already knows about your tail,” Kihyun tries.

The older gasps and looks at him in shock. “You told him about my tail?! Not only are you endangering yourself, but now you’re putting me in danger, too. Kihyun, I’ll come with you, but only on one condition.”

Kihyun looks at his brother with curious eyes. “What is it, Minhyuk?”

“After I meet the human, come with me to the Sea Witch. He’ll know more about the curse and how we can break it.”

The younger nods hesitantly. “Okay,” he mouths.

Minhyuk pulls his younger brother into a tight hug and whispers against his hair, “I just want you to be safe.”

◇ \ ◇ \ ◇

The strange, dark merman had left Changkyun alone on the beach about an hour ago and Changkyun is still worried about the absence of Kihyun. His eyes scan the ocean surface as he stands right along the shoreline, toes nearly touching the water.

This time, he sees two small heads far away in the water. It’s too dark to make out what colors, but Changkyun can tell that they are darker than he’s used to.

They come closer and Changkyun sighs in relief at the sight of his friend’s familiar face. Kihyun pulls himself onto the sand and is closely followed by another. Changkyun sits in front of him by his sand castles.

“Hi,” Changkyun smiles as he greets Kihyun.

His attention is then