Scottish | noun

♦ The shock felt when one first plunges into cold water

 

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Taehyung blinks. Splutters, as he tries to play it off, Jeongguk's insistence not to tell anyone ringing in his ears loud and clear.

"I don't- I, what?" He laughs, hopes it sounds convincing. "Yah, mermaids don't even exist, dude!" Laughs some more, even snorts for good measure. "Wow, for a moment you really had me, not gonna lie. But, like, seriously? Aren't we a little old for fairytales like that?"

Jimin, however, is not having any of it. Doesn't even flinch, let alone show signs of unsettlement.

"I know they are real," the fisherman states, dead-serious. "We all know. We also know about the threat they pose." He points at Taehyung. "You, however! You are not aware of it at all, are you? Or else you wouldn't keep going back to it."

Taehyung scowls then. He doesn't like how Jimin talks about Jeongguk. Not one bit. As if he were a serial killer on the run, or something. Which is ridiculous.

"Yah! He would never harm anyone! Why are you being so mean when you don't even know him, huh?"

"So it's a male... I don't know if that's better or worse," his landlord mutters. 

Taehyung immediately regrets saying anything. Curses his lose tongue. But then again, how could he not defend someone he loves so dearly?

Jimin's eyes zero in on him again.

"Just what did it do for you to act like this? Is that- that thing's control over you this strong, even with a fair distance to the sea? Did it invade your mind so thoroughly-"

"Don't!" Taehyung snaps, chest heaving. Oh, he is livid. How dare Jimin to say such cruel things, to even think them! "Don't you dare talk about him like that! As if- as if he were some kind of monster."

"But he is! A monster, an abomination, a nightmare. And the worst is, you seem to not understand at all. You don't even want to believe the ing truth when it's laid out in front of you."

Taehyung can't trust his ears at this point. White-hot rage curses through him slowly yet unstoppably. Makes his entire body shake. "Because it isn't, Jimin! There is no truth in your words, not one bit! He isn't all those horrible things you claim him to be. He is the best thing that ever, ever happened to me. He'd never harm innocents, I know him-"

"No!" Jimin screeches, slams his hand on the table. Drops of spit are flying from his mouth as he keeps spiralling himself into a frenzy. "No, you don't! You don't know it, not the real deal, no ing way! You have no idea of the things it has done, the violence it is capable of. Or else you wouldn't sit here and-and... and defend that thing!" His voice breaks at the last sentence as it jumps up an octave.

But Taehyung couldn't care less. He is beyond pissed, hell, he is mad! Hands balled into fists so tight he can feel his nails dig into his palms. Feels hurt, betrayed, angry and a couple other things he can't quite name at that moment. All he knows is that he is so fed up with negative emotions that he's only one wrong word away from saying something he can't ever take back, one moment of carelessness away from throwing hands.

So he shoots up, enraged at the audacity of his landlord to claim such cruel things and don't even bother using the proper pronouns for Jeongguk - as if the mer doesn't deserve it, or is beneath them and even animals. Taehyung throws one seething glare at Jimin and makes to storm away.

But Jimin is faster. Grabs his wrist, expression turning pleading within a second.

"Wait! You might not believe me yet but please, please go to my uncle's house tomorrow. The one where we went after you were on the trawler. There is an exhibition in there, about the three great floods. Go and have a look at it before you meet up again, okay? Please, for me? I only want you to be safe!"

Taehyung snorts. For Jimin?

After what his landlord just said about the person he just so happens to deeply love, Taehyung very honestly is not ready to do anything for Jimin. Especially with how obviously narrow-minded he is, calling Jeongguk a monster without even making the effort to get to know him.

"Bull," he spits. "Going to a museum curated by your family with probably not a single objective fact displayed? About floods? Because of J- of him? That's the dumbest thing I ever heard."

The fisherman buries his face in his hands. And as he peeks up through his small fingers, it's with something akin to desperation. "That's not... it's not bull. You don't get it, you never get it..."

"Well, how am I supposed to, when nobody ever tells me , huh?"

"I am telling you now!" The high-pitched screeching voice is back. 

Taehyung furrows his brows at that, tries not to flinch.

Yoongi, as always a great bystander, choses that exact moment to walk past the kitchen with a nod and a "He is." The dry cat snacks are rattling in his hand. After him traipses a not-so-small-anymore black kitten and meows for more.

Taehyung shakes his head at the antics of his second landlord. Then turns back to Jimin and scowls.

"You are still wrong about him. He is so sweet and always treats me well, why would he-"

Jimin doubles over at that. "Treats you- wait, did you get intimate with that thing?! Kim Taehyung, you dumb nut!"

A faint blush steals itself onto Taehyung's face. Makes it tingle with warmth in the most unsuited moment. From the hallway comes a sarcastic "Oh là là", followed by creaking steps up the stairs and another bunch of meows.

"Did we get- that's literally none of your concern, ohmygosh!"

"No, no, it makes sense now. I mean, like. Did he your and now you love him, or what?"

Taehyung jerks his wrist out of the other's grip. Has the faint sense that his face is burning crimson now. "We are done here," he declares. Stomps out of the kitchen and is halfway up the stairs before turning around and adding, "Just so we're clear - I've been feeling that way long before he ever touched me like that."

Jimin's wails cut through the night. "You can't love him! He is a monster! And if you say otherwise, you are a bloody liar!"

" you," Taehyung yells. storms into his room, bangs the door shut and locks it twice.

 

Maybe twenty minutes later, he thinks otherwise of it. Decides that stewing in his own juices here, in such a toxic environment, is not what he needs right now. A look out the window and a haphazardly thrown over coat later he grabs his phone and hurries over towards the door - then halts. 

No matter how agitated he is, he made a promise. Already broke it with admitting that Jeongguk exists. But maybe he can do some damage control if he at least doesn't make it all too easy for his crazed landlord to follow him. With the way Jimin has been sporting a harpoon every other day, Taehyung doesn't want to take chances of what happens should the two of them meet.

He carefully opens the window and peers down. The ground is almost pitch-black. Good. That means the light in the living room isn't burning - and nobody will see when he jumps out the window. Well, maybe not jump, but. Even if he were to climb down with some bed linen, he could be seen by someone sitting on the couch. Taehyung purses his lips.

Something goes crashing down in the room next door, then. Followed by angry voices.

That surely answers the question where his landlords are. Straightening up and taking a deep breath, Taehyung gets to work.

 

"ing hell." 

Maybe living with a real fisherman was not all too great for his vocabulary. Or maybe Taehyung would have quietly cursed on his entire walk through the forest either way. Can one blame him, though?

Walking alone through a forest in the dead of the night surely hasn't been on his bucket list. Alas, rage sometimes is quite the powerful fuel. And makes one do stupid things because the determination suddenly is there. The flash light of his phone trained to the ground, Taehyung keeps walking. Stops ever so often to listen for any pursuers. Or boars. What is it exactly, that lives in those woods? And even more importantly: Does he really want to know? At least to the second question, he knows the answer.

With the next step, Taehyung overlooks a protruding root, topples over, and crashes into a tree. 

"Ugh, ! What the - that's why I never do dumb things like this!"

Yet still, he keeps going. Walks further and further, until the trees thin out and give way to a murky moon hanging deep over an ink-black ocean.

Taehyung is glad he has taken the secret stairs down the cliff a few times by now, or else he would have missed the spot at night for sure. But with how things are, he finds it within seconds. Is already on his way downstairs. And then doesn't think twice before he pulls off his shoes and wades into the ice-cold water.

His teeth begin to chatter almost immediately. The cold creeps into his limbs and has his entire body shaking

. He stays in the water. Refuses to back out after he's come here already. 

Jimin's words seep into his mind like poison. 'He's an abomination, a monster! You don't know him, you don't know anything...' Tears sting in the corners of his eyes, and burn, much like the anger that has taken root in his chest. Taehyung takes another step into the water.

And another, when it suddenly turns lukewarm.

Now there is nothing holding him anymore. Small steps turn into wide strides, as he keeps charging into the open sea. Moments later, comforting arms pull him against a quickly raising chest, and into a hug. Jeongguk is a panting, barely visible dark mass in the night. Only the faintest glow radiates off him as most of the stars are covered by clouds tonight. He is all warm touches, solid muscle and soothing words.

"Taehyung, my sweet little star, what happened? What's wrong?"

Because clearly something must be wrong with how Taehyung ran into the sea in the middle of the night, and with now tears streaming down his cheeks after he reunited with the mer and everything just became too much.

"I just-" he sniffs. Clears his throat, digs his fingers into the broad planes of Jeongguk's shoulders, then tries again. "I need to get away from here. Right now. I can't stay here tonight, I just can't, I-"

Jeongguk shushes him with a loving kiss and tender over his cheeks, collecting all the spilt tears lingering there. When he pulls back and silently studies Taehyung, the latter can barely make out his expression.

"Do you want to come home tonight?"

Where is home, Taehyung almost asks.

"Yes," he says instead.

The mer hums. Leans in for another kiss, deeper this time. And then slips something in Taehyung's mouth. Something round and... salty?

"You gotta eat," Jeongguk murmurs. "Do you trust me?"

Taehyung nods. And bites into the berry. Sweetness floods his mouth. A strange kind of heat sweeps through him, like honey in hot tea.

The mer watches his every move. "I guess that'll do."

Then steals another kiss from him, and pulls him under.

 

•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•
 

Jeongguk loses a deep breath he didn't realise he was holding when they reach his home. Taehyung isn't so much as out of breath once they breach the water surface. And that despite the long tunnel they had to pass in order to get here - the only entrance to the cave, with no possibility to come up for air somewhere in between. 

Truth be told, he was reluctant to try out the berries Asterin gave him. Not for lack of trust - she too is a mer, after all - but rather because he just couldn't have it if anything would go wrong and bring harm to his Taehyung.

There hasn't been much of another option, though.  Not when he was woken up by frantic steps in his waters at such a time. Whatever had him come to Jeongguk so late and so reckless with how he kept walking deeper into the cold water, must be urgent. Taehyung's desperation was almost tangible as Jeongguk rushed over as fast as he could. Something has happened. And with whatever threat chasing his beloved out into the sea at night - the villagers, it must be those damned villagers - Jeongguk wants him close. Wants him where he can easily protect him from all harm. So he grabbed one of the berries on his way out. Watched Taehyung swallow it, and brought him over.

By the time it took to get here, most of the clouds have dispersed. So when they arrive, bright cold moonlight falls through one of the holes in the ceiling. Jeongguk bites his tongue to hold back the worried questions. Lets Taehyung have his moment as he marvels at the foreign surroundings. At the colourful stone that contains broad streaks of yellow and blue, at the pillars spiralling upwards, at the parts that must look like big stained glass windows to him. At the various water arms and ponds Jeongguk created, branching off from the entrance area where they are at, each of them crafted in a different fashion.

After a little while, the stars above register Jeongguk's presence too. And have him glowing brightly in their endless beckoning for him to join them. He ignores them. Trains his full attention on Taehyung instead. Taehyung, who looks so lovely in Jeongguk's home. Who still hasn't explained a single thing. 

The silence between them stretches longer. Taehyung slowly turns around in the water, until he faces Jeongguk again. Wades through the warm water and grapples for the mer's hands. Jeongguk willingly gives him what he wants. Looks down when Taehyung does, so they both watch their fingers intertwine. When he lifts his head, he sees Taehyung chewing on his lip. That upset expression is back. 

Jeongguk hates to see him like that. He leans in to pepper Taehyung's face with kisses, and his thumbs over the other's knuckles. Bends down and slips his hands under Taehyung's coat, then under his pullover, until he can feel raw skin. Until he can dig his fingers into Taehyung's sides and watch him finally break a smile. Basks in the giggles when they bubble out of Taehyung at last.

He cups Taehyung's face to give him a long look, thumbs caressing his cheeks, drifting to the pearl earrings Taehyung always wears nowadays before coming back to along his jawline.

"What happened?"

There it is. The unpleasant question he didn't want to ask - yet has to. 

Taehyung's reaction is immediate. The corners of his mouth turn downwards, shoulders slumping. With a distressed sigh, he drops his head on Jeongguk's shoulder. Winds his arms around the mer's torso and hugs him tight.

"They know," he mutters.

Jeongguk can feel Taehyung's lips move against his shoulder. Warm breath ghosts over his skin and has his sensitive gills flutter on that side. He turns his head and noses alongside Taehyung's temple. Breathes him in and tries to stay calm at the revelation. It doesn't work very well. The hold he has on Taehyung tightens, to a point where the mer worries about hurting him. But as he carefully over the area, there is no traitorous liquid he feels. No bleeding caused by his too sharp nails on Taehyung's vulnerable body.

"Who," he asks. Forces his voice to sound calm. Reassuring. No reason to raise any alarm.

Taehyung shifts and hooks his chin over Jeongguk's shoulder, the mer's nose ending up in his hair with that movement.

"Jimin knows. Yoongi, his boyfriend, too. They were arguing about something earlier, but they definitely both know that I've been meeting with a mer. And maybe more of the villagers, I don't know. The way Jimin spoke, it sounded like it was common knowledge."

There is a pause where Taehyung seems too shaken to continue. A full-body shiver runs through him that has Jeongguk clutch him in worry. The mer quickly checks if the water temperature is still alright.

"I'm sorry," Taehyung croaks.

And.

Jeongguk can't have that.

"No. No, no, no."

He pulls Taehyung out of his neck and searches for his gaze. Makes Taehyung properly look at him, so he sees the sincerity in his words. 

"Don't apologise, little star." Jeongguk kisses Taehyung's sad eyes, the bridge of his nose, his forehead, his lips. "You have done nothing wrong. You'd never tell them, would you?"

A shake of the human's head confirms what he already knew, what he was convinced of.

"See? So it's not your fault. They would have found out sooner or later, anyway. So please, please don't apologise like that. Okay?"

Taehyung hiccups. Nods feebly. And then buries his face in Jeongguk's chest as he begins to sob.

Jeongguk can only hold him through it. Can only offer comfort through his physical closeness and a hand down Taehyung's back. His hushed whispers fall on deaf ears.

"He- he said such mean things about you," Taehyung warbles after quite a while. Jeongguk had taken to hum a slow melody by then, and started to rocket the two of them back and forth with the faint sway of the sea. A fist weakly hits Jeongguk's arm. "I-I hated it! I hated to hear him say such things when he- I mean- he doesn't even know you!"

"Shhhh." Jeongguk increases their swaying motion. "It's okay. As long as you don't hate me, that guy can loathe me all he wants."

Taehyung hits him again, then. And again, and again. Jeongguk lets him. It doesn't hurt.

"No, it's. It's not! He doesn't know you, he has no right, he- he can't- you're not a monster! You're not, you're- I- no!"

Jeongguk almost laughs. That is all? A monster? That's what they call him?

Sure, it is not nice. But during Taehyung's silence, Jeongguk's vivid imagination has been straying much further, and come up with way more gruesome things the villagers might have told Taehyung. In comparison to that, being called a monster is almost harmless. Especially when they haven't told Taehyung anything else yet. 

However.

If the villagers start to tell Taehyung more...

What should he do?

As Taehyung's angry fists keep raining down on him, as the human keeps saying that it's not fair and nobody should ever say such things about his Jeonggukkie, the mer keeps contemplating that question. 

Because he has no doubt the people of Nakseongdae will pull him to pieces. And who knows, if after they're done Taehyung even wants to see him again?

On the other hand though... 

His little star deserves the truth. So he'll get it. Jeongguk will tell him what he wants to know, if asked. He can only pray to the stars that it won't break them apart. That Taehyung will stay with him still.

For now, as long as they both don't know how everything will turn out, the best thing he can do is offer his home to lovely, sad, angry Taehyung.

The latter easily agrees to stay the night.

And like this, they end up in each other's arms soon after, cuddling in one of the hollows Jeongguk filled with fine sand many decades ago. Jeongguk stays in his form and twists his tail so that his large fins splay over as much of Taehyung as possible. Cover him with a toasty layer. Jeongguk faintly regrets not keeping a blanket here just in case - just for whenever Taehyung might come here. But like this, it might work too.

Taehyung mumbles sleepily that he's comfy alright. Snuggles further into the embrace and digs a cool nose in Jeongguk's neck. The mer squirms. Shudders, fins fluttering along. It pulls a low chuckle out of Taehyung that soon enough turns into a long yawn. Which has Jeongguk laughing in turn, forever endeared by the adorable man in his arms.

Ignoring the stars high above, Jeongguk trains his eyes on his own little star. Quietly hums a soothing melody and urges the sea into a lazy motion to not stir Taehyung back awake.

Right before he drifts off, Taehyung mutters,

" 'S not fair, I'm supposed to look at your starry glow a lot more. Don't let me sleep just yet."

Another chuckle rasps out of Jeongguk. He coos. "Listen to your body, pearl. You had a long, difficult day. There will be many other possibilities to see me under starlight, if you so wish."

"That better be true," Taehyung grunts. Shuffles around a bit and tugs his head under Jeongguk's chin, then wraps a leg around his tail.

 

Not even ten minutes later, soft snores are all Jeongguk can hear from him.

The mer loosens his grip on the human shortly. Only enough to reach out and dip his hand inside the water, so he can make close contact with the sea and let his senses sweep through it, all the way back to Nakseongdae, to check whether there is anyone stirring at the coast.

He needs to ensure Taehyung's absence didn't start something this night.

Nothing moves.

There are no other humans in the water. No ship is manned, not a single wooden stilt is quivering under the weight of someone crossing the pier. For tonight at least they seem to be safe.

Jeongguk sharpens his senses again, throws his net even further before allowing his eyes to slip shut too.

He drifts off into a restless sleep at last. A part of him never stops to monitor their surroundings. The night stays quiet, with Taehyung being a grounding presence in his hold.

 

•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•

 

"What?"

Taehyung's voice comes out a notch too feeble for his liking. Alas, he thinks he must have misheard. Because surely Jeongguk didn't really say that-

"You should... you should go to that museum, Taehyung."

While part of Taehyung thinks about how the mer is literally the only person who can call him by his full first name instead of things like 'Tae' despite them being close (because he always says it with such reverence and adoration as if it were his favourite in the world, and how could Taehyung ever be offended by that), the other part of him is, well, reeling. Because truth be told, he didn't plan on going into that family-run exhibition. At all.

And yet, here Jeongguk is, suggesting that very thing.

"...Why?"

His voice still is too small. Especially with how they are in the mer's home and it is literally the least place where he has to be afraid, or hold back. But something is not right. Not when, after that question, some emotions flit over Jeongguk's face before he catches himself. Taehyung is not sure he could pinpoint it correctly. Whether it was agony, desperation, or something else. He just knows he hates it.

In an instant, Taehyung rolls over until he's laying on top of the mer, and cups his face in both hands.

"Gguk. Talk to me. What's wrong?"

The following expression he catches for a split-second is definitely panic. Then, Jeongguk smiles up at him. Turns his head to kiss Taehyung's wrist, and keeps smiling.

"Nothing. Don't you worry, little star."

This clearly is not 'nothing'.

Now Taehyung is beginning to really worry. But if Jeongguk wants to deny it, then maybe... maybe the best thing he can do is indeed going to that local museum. Even though he really, really doesn't want to.

"Alright," he concedes, still worrying very much.

Brushes their noses together, then over the mer's lips, prying them open for a languid, deep kiss which Jeongguk is all too happy to indulge him with, hands already slipping down Taehyung's body until they grasp his bum and give it a good squeeze.

It takes no time at all for things to get heated, and soon enough Taehyung has two fingers pumping in and out of him at an agonisingly slow pace, their stiff members pressing against each other as Jeongguk's strong grip on him prevents Taehyung from rutting down. He whines at that. Pushes back onto those clever fingers instead. Struggles not to come right then and there, clenching around them. The third one has him whimpering.

Jeongguk continues to take his time. Guides Taehyung right to the edge for multiple times, just to leave him hanging there, dry and desperate. Until at one especially harsh press of the mer's fingers against his prostate, they both come together, Taehyung squeezing around Jeongguk tight. The crashes through him like a tsunami. 

And while they slowly come down from their high, chests raising rapidly and breath coming out in loud pants, they pretend nothing is the matter at all.

 

Later that morning, after Taehyung's stomach told him how not impressed it is at the lack of breakfast twice, Jeongguk takes him back to the cliff stairs. And has Taehyung begrudgingly promise to go to that stupid museum today. Which. He sure as hell does not feel great about, but. A promise is a promise. And a promise to his Jeonggukkie even more so.

So he nods, corners of his mouth turned downwards no doubt as he says, that, yes, okay, he will go there.

And feels a tad-bit better once the mer adds, "But come to me afterwards, alright? Promise?"

That's a promise he likes to keep. As if he'd ever skip on a possibility to meet up with Jeongguk, pshhh. Ridiculous.

It is that last sentence, right before they kiss each other goodbye, that has Taehyung's good spirits return and adds a skip to his steps.

 

Until he stands in front of Jimin's uncle, that is.

He is as intimidating and gruff as Taehyung remembers him to be. Truth be told, he wasn't all too mad that their paths failed to cross after the day on the trawler. Taehyung didn't miss the guy all that much. 

"The lad told me you'd come," Mr. Park grunts. He opens the door wider but refuses to move an inch, his massive, bulky form filling out a good part of the door frame. So Taehyung has no choice but to squeeze himself past if he wants to get inside. Which. Obviously he doesn't, not really. But he made a promise. And promises are there to be kept. Even if it means he comes face-to-face with Mr. Parks sweaty, stinky armpit.

The museum tour - or rather, one-room-exhibition - turns out to be about as exciting as a soggy slice of bread. Everything is bland, there is too much text in too small font plastered everywhere. And the lack of exhibits is... astounding. Only an old fishing net, some filled sand bags and equally awe-inspiring things are haphazardly thrown into some corners. 

Taehyung dutifully reads all the text printed out and glued onto walls. Notices spelling mistakes in every third sentence, and forgets what he has been reading about seconds later. It's that bad.

He is not a museum hater, quite the contrary. During rare breaks in his hectic idol schedule he likes to visit avant-garde exhibitions all around the world. Those, however, usually are perfectly curated. They have him stay in the museum for several hours more often than not.

This one, though, is, by far, the most boring exhibition Taehyung has ever attended.

He is about to leave at last, when Mr. Park grabs his arm and holds him back. The grip of his large hand is like a vice, and truth be told, quite uncomfortable. Taehyung wouldn't be surprised if he found finger-shaped bruises all over his skin later.

"Jimin told me to tell you not to do anything stupid."

Taehyung huffs. "Stupid like what?"

"Stupid like running straight to a monster, bozo."

The idol's jaw drops at that. Bozo? Well. He certainly hasn't been called like that before, ever. "I'm not- what-"

Mr. Park slaps him harshly on the back, not a hint of a smile on his face. Taehyung doubles over.

"Go sit with the elders."

"What?!"

"Go. Sit. With the elders," the man growls.

And nods to where in front of the shabby house next-door three grandpas are slouched onto a bench, playing yutnori together and cursing at each other like there was no tomorrow.

Taehyung meekly trudges over to them as soon as Jimin's uncle lets go of him. One after another, three heads turn around. The man on the left smiles slowly.

"Now zee wha' we 'ave 'ere, a proper gert greenhorn who be still soppy 'pon 'is lugs."

Taehyung blinks.

The grandpa in the middle boxes the one who has been speaking up, and snorts. "Ah, c'mon, stop being such a show-off. E'rrybody knows this ain't our way of speaking. You just wanna boast what a dumb, old man you are, it's embarrassing to watch, I dun' even know you, sheesh. You wanna impress the city boi that bad, huh?"

The first man cackles. "Aish, my bad, ty boi. C'mere, c'mere, sit with those rusty losers, hm? We got a load of tales to tell ya, and way too few time. Old Hujin over there might drop dead any day now, ya know."

For the first time, the grandpa on the right pipes up. "Like hell Imma kick the bucket before your stupid does, yah!" He flings one of the yut sticks at the other, and immediately gets hit by a crutch in return.

Taehyung stands around awkwardly as he watches the quabble unfold. Shifts from one foot to the other, until the old men remember him, and decide to make space for him on their bench. Which immediately kicks off another foul-mouthed fight about who is the fattest and taking up too much space on the bench.

After maybe twenty minutes, Taehyung finds himself squeezed between Hujin and Joonwoo, with a bowl of fish soup in his hand which all three men claim to be the best soup on the east coast. (Two spoons in, Taehyung finds it is much too salty for his liking. He'll make sure to eat the entire thing, though. Show them how much of a city boy he is.)

Mr. Park, seemingly satisfied with the picture they paint, finally disappears back into his house and leaves Taehyung in the hand of the village's elders.

Two tales about alleged hobgoblin sightings and one about somebody's great-great-great-grand-father who got eaten by a giant carp ("You dumb idiot, carps don't even live here! Yer so stupid,  yer got sea weed sprouting outta yer ears, i swer. I keep telling ya it was a mackerel." - "Shut yer fat mouth, if I say it was a carp, then it was a carp! I'm the oldest here, which makes me the upper elder, yah!") later, Taehyung violently flinches at the sudden mention of mermaids.

"...Yer have ta be careful, city boy, of those mermaids," Joonwoo mutters. "Ain't nothing fun 'bout 'em. There's been one of those things haunting our bay for well over three centuries now."

"No, no, no!" Hujin shakes his head violently. It reminds Taehyung of those bobble head dolls. "The mother of my cousin's older brother said her grandma told her it was a male mermaid."

"Ain't no mer-maid then, innit?"

Hujin purses his lips. "Huh. Hate to admit ya got a point there. Maybe mer butler, then?"

"Nah, have ya ever seen one of those things wear a ing tuxedo?"

"Have you ever seen one of 'em at all?"

" you."

" you!"

Taehyung tries his best to lean out of the way once Hujin and Joonwoo start throwing sticks at each other again. From the other end of the bench, Baekho gives him a toothless grin.

"Ignore those idiots, lad," he suggests. "I do. The point they failed to make is, that mermaids and such stuff are heckin' terrifying."

Taehyung really doesn't like where this is going. But squeezed between the grandpas as he is, there is nowhere for him to go as they begin with graphic descriptions of all the horrid things Jeongguk allegedly has done. The torture he inflicted on poor villagers, the many victims of his rage.

"...and then it ate Hyejin's left foot-"

"With the toe nails!"

Hujin smacks the back of Joonwo's head. "Nah, it spewed those out, I keep telling ya, idiot. It only likes thumb nails, remember?"

"Pshh, whatever. You haven't told the lad how many people it drowned for sports yet."

Hujin rolls his eyes. "For s' sake, I was just getting there, Joon-bo!"

"Yah, who're ya calling pabo, you senile goat, huh?!"

Taehyung thinks he is going to be sick. The remnants of fish soup taste foul in his mouth, and he can almost smell vomit. His hands feel cold and clammy at the same time, shaking faintly. 

He doesn't want to hear another word. Wants to jolt up and run away, but the three elders are surprisingly strong for their age. They manage to keep him in place with a crutch, two legs and three arms wrapped around him, and keep talking and talking. Jump from one terrific story to the next as they delight in retelling all the bloody details.

"...Remember when they found the bones of old Wenji, and they were gnawed clean?"

"Oh, yes, yes, my auntie told me about it! They found lotsa tooth marks on 'em."

"That's right, that's right. Or that other time, when-"

There is a ringing in Taehyung's ears. With each sentence ir gets louder. Slowly turns deafening as he tries and tries not to listen to any other word. Any other blatant lie.

"...And it stole poor children out of their beds at least trice, I heard!"

No. No more. He is done here.

In a moment of negligence from the elders, he jolts upright and elbows his way out. The grandpas laugh and shout after him to come back. Except for Baekho, who yells,

"Yah! Those mermaids and butlers, lad! Ya may like 'em when they're rain, but yer better be wary when they turn into a ing storm, ya hear me?!"

Taehyung ignores him, them. All he can do is run. Run as fast as he can, as he tries to outrun the vile accusations still hanging in the air. As if, when he'd just ran fast enough, it could turn back time. Make all those things unsaid again. His feet keep thrumming on the cracked asphalt, his own heartbeat thumping in his head. He's gotta run faster. Run away from the nightmares those elders have been weaving.

The worst thing is, they believe them. With how they've been talking about them, they truly believe every single story they just told Taehyung.

The little box in his pocket, sent over by Miss Kang only yesterday, is searing him. Like molten iron.

He shakes his head and slides a hand over his face, distraught.

Taehyung runs and runs, runs straight to the pier. Towards the ocean, and the mer he knows is waiting for him. Jumps head-first into the water without slowing down, trusting that Jeongguk will get him before he can freeze.

This is not true.

None of this is true. It can't be.They are lying. This entire village is a village of liars.

Jeongguk would never!