As they had been doing for a while now, IU's dear eels, Hyolyn and Bora, were spying on Jungkook as he swam back to Atlantis with Jackson and Hoseok. And of course, IU was seeing every little thing from her own dark lair where she found herself coming up with plans recently to do as she had intended to do years ago before Namjoon had taken his place on the throne.

"Pretty little mers, it's always with them, isn't it? This is all so familiar..." IU said with a wicked smirk. She muttered a few words and caressed the crystal ball to reveal a beautiful male sitting in a cell.

IU’s laughter erupted as she crossed her arms, "Oh how Namjoon is going to love this! His baby son in love with a human? Oh how sweet this tastes! Payback is the most enticing thing in the world, I swear!"

IU stared at her "garden" of lugworms. On the floor of the entrance were wriggling lugworms that weren’t their original forms. Not all of her victims ended up in the garden. The pirates she had met eleven years ago, involving the one and only queen of the ocean, had been turned into krill. She hadn't taken them with her but by now it was probable that they had been gobbled up by a whale.

She disclosed that it wouldn't have been such a waste to have just taken the youth of the queen. The merfolk weren't wrong when they had proclaimed that the Greek goddess Aphrodite must've personally created Jin due to his loveliness. Namjoon's and Jin's eldest sons had become handsome but there was Jungkook who had the same natural beauty as his mother had been granted with.

A menacing plan was hatched as she well thought-out Jungkook's circumstances. Once she got the young prince in her hands she'd undeniably be stealing his youth. She could do the same to the queen too. Hell for the fun of it she might make Jin watch for her enjoyment.

Jungkook was going to be Namjoon's downfall. IU didn't know how she'd get the throne, but she was going to be the queen of the ocean soon. And she could only show gratitude to the red-haired prince.

"Finally, I will get the crown and throne I deserve." IU said as she sneered at the lugworms.

✯✯✯

The blue haired prince was once again working on his song that he composed himself. Taehyung prepared to sing it at the concert, but then Jungkook ruined that so now the event would have to be planned again. It was exasperating since Chaeyoung would be squabbling about decorations when the event was organized.

A few mermaids passed by while he gotten the correct tune he wanted. He took a breather when he saw them giggle and wave at him. Taehyung smiled gracelessly at them. If he had been attracted in a mermaid someone would know. There was no interest he held for any of them. The mermaids reminded him of when Chaeyoung would try to charm his father. The more she tried the more pitiful it got.

No one can take Umma's spot, Taehyung thought possessively. He was older and they were improper thoughts, but he wasn't going to lay them to rest.

"You're emotionally disabled, Tae," the blue haired merman flinched when he heard Yoongi right behind him.

Taehyung felt slighted, "I'm taking that as an insult, Yoongi. And I don't appreciate it, FYI."

Yoongi didn't care. He took a seat right next to Taehyung, "You've created your heart song, but you haven't sung it to the one who has your heart."

Taehyung wouldn't state that aloud, not that he was mortified for fancying mermen over mermaids. He wasn't even mad that the merman who had his heart wasn't a high status mer. It was something else entirely.

He didn't want to bear rejection. He didn't want to stop the cheerfulness his merman was born with. Taehyung didn't want to bring him down, not that he'd ever try to do so intentionally, but still.

Taehyung knew who his destined mate was when he first met Hoseok. The green tailed mer was Jungkook's friend and he was dreaded that possibly Hoseok and Jungkook would far along become a thing. It was a relief that the two were just good friends.

It troubled him that Hoseok has not once provided him indications of desire. Nevertheless, Taehyung couldn't say anything since he’s done the same; no signals. He was lost at what to do. He composed his heart song and his fear caused him to want to sing it for the concert.

"What am I supposed to do, Yoongi? I'm not confident like you, Kookie or..." Taehyung didn't even want to mutter the mer's name.

Yoongi proposed, "Hoseok?" Taehyung kept his hands in his lap. Yoongi came up with a plan, "Kookie was reproached. He's developed a strange liking for humans."

Taehyung rotated to his brother, "How do you know? Appa just stated he liked going up to the surface. That doesn't mean he's meeting up with humans."

"No, but we don't ever want it to get that way, now do we?" Taehyung narrowed his eyes, speculating what would come out of Yoongi's mouth. "Hoseok has no issue. It feels like he's cheering on our baby brother."

Taehyung disagreed. Hoseok adored Jungkook. He wouldn't ever want his red haired friend to get wounded by those brutal humans.

"I doubt that. Hoseok wants Jungkook safe." Taehyung said.

Yoongi nodded, "That's true. The fact that he isn't telling Kookie that it's bad is what's encouraging, Tae."

"What are you getting at, Yoongi?" Taehyung asked his older brother. He could only imagine.

Yoongi draped an arm around Taehyung's shoulders, "Maybe, just maybe, if Hoseok was sidetracked and swayed, Kookie wouldn't be going to the surface so much."

"What kind of distraction?" Taehyung pondered.

Yoongi picked up a close oyster and opened it up to expose a shimmering pearl. "How about a proposal?" Taehyung widened his eyes. He hadn't even considered that.