A/N: Double update. ^^

Hyukjae resurfaces, awaiting Heechul’s return.

The water ripples around him, and he waits patiently for his friend. It scares him that the moon dips so lowly, and so fully, and he thinks of Donghae, his sun who brings so much light into the dark underwaters he calls home.

He hears the water swish, and spots a shiny red tail. There was no else like Heechul in his world.

“Where in the world did you find him?” Heechul demands, his blackholes glaring, threatening to swallow Hyukjae in.

“In a storm,” Hyukjae simply replies.

“You shouldn’t be out and about, Hyukjae,” Heechul reminds his young friend. “The human world is dangerous.”

Hyukjae looks down at the black waters, and brings a luminescent arm up. “He is kind hearted.”

Heechul sighs heavily. “I know. He saved me from dying.”

Hyukjae swims closer, and searches Heechul’s eyes. “Really?” An excited smile spreads on his ethereal features. “Did he mention me? Is he okay? Is he still fishing, is he still as tan, and broad and-”

Heechul claps a hand on Hyukjae’s mouth. “All right, you. Enough. He’s fine,” Heechul spits. “He misses you a lot. What have you done to that poor boy?”

Hyukjae looks away, a bit ashamed. “Nothing! I promise. I never charmed him, or anything.”

“He looks for you nightly.”

“I do too,” Hyukjae interjects sadly. “I want to go to him so badly.”

Heechul studies his younger friend. He is really too naive. “I’m not going to forbid you to see him or anything, but he’s human, Hyukjae. He will die of old age in time.”

Hyukjae bites his lip in an effort to hold his tears. “I gave him my heart.”

“And I’m certain he will hold it with an intention to take care of it and to pour his life into it.”

“But?”

“But nothing. He cannot be like us, and you cannot be like him.”

“I know that.”

“Be careful, Hyukjae. You have a pure heart, and it can die from pain.”

The moon shines on Hyukjae’s face, and it touches his eyelashes softly. In his eyelids he can sense the sun-his sun, and he is so bright that Hyukjae cannot forget him. Then they submerge into the only world that welcomes them.

~

And Donghae waits.

Even when so many storms came, and even when the village decided to pack away their lives to put it in another place so it can flourish. Leeteuk decides to accompany his son, he was getting old and did not want to be away from him, so the two of them stayed. Donghae fished for their food, walked for miles to get wood, and even bartered so they can have clothing to make it through the winter.

Hyukjae’s pearls saved them many times from starving, and Donghae continues to think of him. The sea is his solace, and he waits again. He knows that Hyukjae is also waiting, and had a feeling that he’s patiently counting the days until they could meet again. The storms still come, but Donghae could decide to count them if it brings him closer to Hyukjae.

~

Leeteuk and Donghae continue to age.

Donghae builds his own boat, while Hyukjae’s voice pleads in his mind: Don’t forget me, Donghae. With just those words, he breaks his sweat and gives blood to his efforts. He will make the best boat to roam the seas. He works from day to night, while taking care of his aging father on breaks. Once, Sungmin visits them with his expecting wife. Donghae will be an uncle, and Leeteuk comes with his eldest son to be a grandfather.

Donghae is left alone again, with only the sea as his companion. He seeks the shores for Hyukjae, to show him the boat and ask him to travel the world with him, but he doesn't show up. He starts to get restless, and he works through the night.

His boat is almost finished, and he collects the supplies that will be enough for his journey.

Then he sets off to find the owner of his heart.