He stayed this time. A few months had passed and he found himself living off of fish and water—not that it was any different from his previous life, but he felt at ease for once in his life. All the bills he had to pay and the bothersome elderly at the fish market was enough to drive him mad, but still there remained something in the back of his mind that never really was clear enough for him.

He was perched up on that oh too familiar rock, staring off into the distance, waiting for her to return. It was nearing an hour and he felt as if she’d never return. It was then he spotted her on the far end of the small lake.

“Ahreum!” He called out. She turned a bit surprised and rushed in whatever she seemed to be doing. He jumped in the waters and swam towards her, encircling his arms arm her torso, making her flinch at the sudden contact.

“Ahreum-ah, what’s wrong?” He tried to face her, but every time he attempted to, she brushed him off or turned away. She would only shake her head in response, biting onto her lower lip that was soon sure to bleed from the pressure she was applying to it.

“Then why won’t you look at me? Ahreum, what’s wrong?” He continued to ask until she finally turned to him with a black and blue eye, along with a bleeding lip and scratches that trailed from her cheek, down to her collar.

Minseok gasped, fists trembling and eyes watering, “Who did this to you?!” He voice echoed throughout the trees, making her cower. Seeing this side of Minseok frightened her. But again, she only shook her head in response, letting the tears she held back, fall into the lake.

He softened and pulled her into his arms as she wept, swimming closer to the edge of the lake and sitting her on a low rock that allowed her to be within the waters, but emerged enough onto land so that he could examine her.

His heart felt heavier as he noticed the scratches on her fin deeper and longer.  His eyes met with hers, as if asking who had did this, but she looked away from his questioning gaze. Cupping her cheek, he whispered loving words before leaving a small kiss upon her cheek and diving into the depths, grabbing a handful of kelp. He placed the bundle on a rock next to him and began placing them over her cuts and bruises. Pulling out his knife, he cut out a smaller piece and held it to her cheek, gently caressing it over the red marks and it with his thumb. Her tears had stopped flowing and she engulfed him in a hug, mumbling words he could not understand into his ear and showering him in small kisses along his neck.

He pulled back with a gentle smile, taking her hands in his, “Ahreum, who did this to you? Was it...was it because of me?” He pointed to her cuts and back to himself. Her silence gave him the answer and he looked down.

“Go to sleep, Ahreumah.” Was all he could manage, humming her song against the warm air, holding her in his arms.

She woke up the next morning with a smile. She peeled off the kelp that stuck to her, satisfied that the scars were starting to fade. With her arms above her head, she stretched, pretending to grasp the sun.

She dove inside the waters, back towards his campsite, but was at odds.

Where was his tent? His equipment?

Where was he?

“M-Minseok?” Still no answer.

“Minseok?” Nothing.

“MINSEOK!” Hearing a ruffle of leaves, she turned her head quickly, only to see birds fly off into the sky.

“…Minseok…”

While she lay in a peaceful slumber, he looked at her with sorrow in his eyes, quietly making his way back to what he called home for the last few months. As quietly as he could, he began packing his belongings, taking them back to his small boat.

He ree last time and placed a loving kiss against her forehead, whispering his goodbyes with tears in his eyes.

“I don’t want to cause you anymore pain, I’m sorry.” He left that night. He left his happiness behind and returned to the world that he dreaded to face.

Day after day and night after night, she sat on that rock, singing his favorite song, waiting for his return. The song once filled with so much life began sounding like a nightmare that wasn’t supposed to happen. She didn’t eat, tried not to sleep, and became very weak. It wasn’t until another fin tangled with hers did she ever move.

(Just pretend they’re speaking in a weird language.)

“Let go of me.”

“Not until you come back home.”

“This is my home, Luhan. Now just leave me alone.”

“He’s not coming back, Reumie.”

“YOU DON’T KNOW THAT! IT’S THEIR FAULT HE LEFT IN THE FIRST PLACE.”

“He’s a human! Get it through your head, he will never be accepted with our kind!”

“He’s different!”

“He’s no better than the man that killed our mother.”

“Take that back, Luhan.”

“It’s the truth! You’re so blinded by his kind acts, you don’t even know his true motive! What if he captures you and sells you off like some fish?!”

“Then so be it! I don’t care! I don’t care if he takes me away! I don’t care if he uses me as some type of speculation! I don’t care! I don’t care, Luhan!!!” She cried into her palms, screaming into nature. Screaming his name at the top of her lungs. What did it matter? She was slowly beginning to believe he wouldn’t come back, but she still held on.

“Why not, Ahreum?” He barked back, anger etched on his face.

“Because I love him.”

A/N: 15 Years later...LOLHIGUYS^^