When Chanyeol couldn't visit the following Saturday, a week after he had cleaned out the mermaid tunnel, he was sad. He felt like he had let the merman down because he wasn't there, waiting patiently with a knowing smile on his face like usual.

Chanyeol could though, visit the next day, a Sunday and he rushed to the aquarium after he had finished what he had been doing yesterday, studying.

Chanyeol stood in line, head tilted towards the ceiling as he tried to catch his breath, hands on his hips. As he looked forward, he creased his eyebrows. He hadn't seen this many people in line since the announcement of the mermaid.

Correction, merman.

Chanyeol fidgeted while waiting in line, reminding himself to ask the guy behind the counter what all the commotion was. Soon he was at the front, handing over the correct amount and ship card.

"Hey, Suho, what's with all the people? And on a Sunday as well" A wide smile made its way to the shorters face behind the desk, handing him back his card.

"Apparently the mermaid is showing itself, sitting right at the top of the tunnel" Chanyeol's eyes nearly popped out when he heard this, heartbeat speeding up automatically.

"What?!" Chanyeol heard the male staff worker laugh, waving a hand at him.

"Seems you were right Chanyeol, but I'm not too sure, it hasn't moved at all" Suho creased his eyebrows, lips forming a straight line.

"Maybe it's just a statue or something that someone put there last night, either way it's certainly bringing the customers in" Suho took the money from the person behind Chanyeol in the line, the curly haired giant standing there staring at him with wide eyes and mouth open.

"Chanyeol, go" Suho motioned for the male he had come to know to leave, wanting him to stop staring at him with that weird expression on his face and go to his favourite area of the aquarium, the only part he visited.

Chanyeol scrambled of in the direction of the mermaid tunnel, rushing past lots of people in the process. When he turned the corner he was meet with a tunnel full of people, the complete opposite of what it normally looked like.

Chanyeol looked up and saw the merman sitting on top of the tunnel, in plain view for everyone within the tunnel to see. Chanyeol pushed past people, many being parents with their children, going towards where the merman was perched.

Once underneath, he raised his arms like he had done once before, touching the glass that was separating him from being able to touch the purple tail covered in scales that glistened on the floor he was tiptoeing on.

Chanyeol saw the mermans eyes dart down, locking with his own, a bright smile appearing on his small face seconds later. A chorus of gasps were released within the tunnel, children shouting and the whole tunnel becoming loud with noise.

The merman moved.

Chanyeol kept his hands pressed against the glass at the top of the tunnel, a wide smile threatening to split his face in half plastered onto his features. He watched the mermaid swirl around above him before delicate hands landed on top of his own larger ones, thick glass the only thing separating them.

Everyone in the tunnel suddenly quieted down as they watched the magical being swim around beautifully, before coming to a halt and pressing its hands against the glass, on top of the tall boys.

Suddenly, Chanyeol was pushed away, people all crowding under the mermaid and touching the glass above them, wanting to replace Chanyeol's hands with their own.

Chanyeol gasped as he tripped and fell backwards onto the hard ground, eyes locking with the hurt ones of the merman watching the scene from the safety of the water. Chanyeol saw the merman dart his eyes around, many hands stretched up towards him and wanting the same experience as he just had.

They weren't going to get it though because the creature swam away, to the side Chanyeol was closest to, all eyes on him as he floated in the water, watching Chanyeol with hopeful eyes.

Chanyeol got up from the cold dirty floor, pressing his hands against the glass, desperately wanting the merman to do the same. He felt people surround him, hands copying his once again and becoming frustrated with the way these people were acting.

How was he going to get his badly needed one on one contact with the merman if he was forever being shoved out the way?

Chanyeol shook his head from side to side as he watched the merman move backwards, getting further away from him before turning and quickly disappearing just like before.

Chanyeol's flat palms turned into balled up fists, eyebrows furrowed as tears streamed down his cheeks, heart hurting and making a sob escape his throat.

"Hey, it's okay, it probably just doesn't like people" This made Chanyeol cry harder, hands unfolding to wipe at his face, tears blocking his vision.

Chanyeol knew the merman didn't like people right from the start, why would he be hiding if he didn't? But the one thing Chanyeol didn't know was why the merman had decided to come out, to sit right in plain view and let everyone stare at him.

But there was one person Chanyeol was certain of that the merman didn't dislike or hate.

And that was himself.

...................................................................

Chanyeol went back to the aquarium the Saturday after like normal, the aquarium still filled with people like it was a whole week ago. Chanyeol couldn't help but feel sad at all the people only wanting one thing.

The same thing he wanted.

For the first time since the announcement of the mermaid, Chanyeol trudged towards the tunnel, hopes crushed of getting a glimps of the merman because he knew everyone else would be in the tunnel, making the creature scared and want to hide, protect himself.

When he reached the tunnel and looked up from his feet that he was dragging across the floor with every step, he was met with emptiness, silence, just like it should be.

The blues and greens of the water were seen by his eyes once again, something he missed from last weeks visit and the colourful fish swimming above his head, making a small smile grace his lips.

Chanyeol stepped towards the glass, noticing a piece of paper tapped on it with the word 'NOTICE' in capitals at the top. Taking a closer look and letting his eyes read what was written, Chanyeol gasped, a single tear escaping his eye and trailing down his cheek.

'NOTICE

We are sorry for any inconvenience but the mermaid has been moved to the tank at the end of this tunnel, please continue walking and you will soon see it. The reason for this move is because in this new tank the mermaid can be seen.

Thank you for understanding

Head of the mermaid tunnel'  

Chanyeol rushed to the end of the tunnel, eyes meeting with the forms of lots of people just like last week, all crowded around the large but drastically smaller tank at the end beside the exit, leaving the tunnel.

Chanyeol pushed people aside, not caring or saying sorry when they gave him dirty looks and mumbled bad things about him. What Chanyeol saw made his tears fall faster and hands press against the glass harshly.

He wanted to call out to the merman sitting in the middle of the tank but he didn't know what to say, he didn't know if the merman had a name, he felt helpless looking at the back of the small body of the creature within the water.

Chanyeol ignored the 'No tapping' sign in the top corner of the tank and banged on the glass cage, wanting to get the object of his affection to turn and look at him.

Chanyeol saw the merman jump and hesitantly look over his shoulder, eyes showing fear and not wanting to move. The second he realised who it was though, he moved, a shaky laugh leaving Chanyeol's trembling lips.

The merman pressed his hands against the glass, head tilting to the side and eyes looking sad as he saw the tear stains on the humans face. Chanyeol felt shoulders bump against his own, eyes glancing to the side and seeing people surrounding him, looking at the merman with joyful eyes.

The merman was so close yet so far away.

"Hey, you're the same boy from last week, why does it only do that with you?" Chanyeol swallowed, watching the merman trace around his flat hands with a finger on the glass inside the tank.

"Because I was the only one who believed and didn't give up" The mermans eyes met with Chanyeol's making the tall boy smile widely, gaining one back from the beautiful being floating in front of him.

"He only likes me" 

...................................................................

Chanyeol stayed all day outside the tank the merman was in, people coming and going and watching as the creature smiled happily but he didn't make eye contact with any of them or acknowledge them, he only focused on one thing.

Chanyeol.

Chanyeol wanted so badly to jump in the tank that held the merman, to swim with him once again but without the heavy diving gear, just holding his breath for as long as possible as he played with the beautiful creature.

It was nearly time for the aquarium to close for the day and Chanyeol's heart was feeling heavy when he realised what the time was. He didn't want to leave, didn't want to watch the happy face in front of him turn into a frown, not understanding why he had to be left alone.

Chanyeol came up with a plan quickly inside his head, he wasn't going to leave, he was going to hide. 

Chanyeol had some difficulty in leaving the merman, trying to tell him that he would be back later on when the aquarium was shut and all staff members had left and gone home. Chanyeol saw the longing in the mermans eyes as he walked away, the small body pressed against the glass of the corner in the direction Chanyeol was going, not being able to follow.

Chanyeol went into the toilets beside the exit of the mermaid tunnel and stayed in there until all the lights went off, waiting an extra five minutes just to make sure.

He exited slowly, not sure if he would set any alarms off, that is if there was any. As he walked back up the exit to the mermaid tunnel, Chanyeol felt along the bumpy wall to guide him, stopping when his fingers met with cold glass.

Chanyeol made out the being sitting in the middle of the tank just like he had found him earlier on in the day, hand hitting against the glass and getting the mermans attention.

"You're back!" Chanyeol couldn't help but smile when he read the mermans lips, hands on the glass like his life depended on it. Chanyeol nodded his head, wanting to reach out and touch the perfect being on the other side, thick glass stopping him from doing so.

"I'm back" Chanyeol watched the merman swim upwards, face being replaced with shimmering purple scales and the swish of water. 

The merman pressed his hands on the top of the tank, eyes meeting with the male standing outside of the tank watching him. He pushed upwards, wanting to get across to the male that he wanted to get out.

Chanyeol's mouth formed a little circle as he stretched to reach the top, just tall enough for his fingers to fumble about at the edge of the tank, trying to find a latch or something. To his surprise there was a lock, his hand grabbing onto it and tugging a little, not really thinking that it would do much.

It broke.

Chanyeol brought his hand down and looked at his palm, a lock sitting there and broken, rusty and having turned a different colour to what it should be. Chanyeol looked up at the merman with a wide grin, tiptoeing again and trying to lift the top of the tank up with the help of the merman.

The lid leaned against the wall and long fingers held onto the edge of the glass, the mermans head coming out of the water and a splash of the wet liquid falling and hitting the ground around Chanyeol's feet.

Chanyeol looked up at the merman that was looking down at him, a happy smile on both their faces.

"You can breath out of water?" Chanyeol's question was answered with a head moving up and down quickly, "Speaking?" Chanyeol asked the question that he thinks he already knows the answer to, the merman had mouthed words to him twice now.

"Yes" Arms outstretched downwards towards Chanyeol and the tall male could do nothing but stare at the being with half lidded eyes and mouth open.

"I don't like it in here" Chanyeol snapped out of his little daydream, eyes blinking a few times and it clicking inside his brain that the merman wanted to be lifted out of the tank.

"I know you don't" Chanyeol stretched his arms out, hands trying to find a good grip on the merman and feeling slim fingers fall onto his arms, eyes locking with the bright ones of the being.

Chanyeol pulled the merman forward, the smallers body lifting out of the water and tail sliding over the top of the glass, arms wrapped around the merman as he held him up. The creatures own arms going around his neck, faces closer than they had ever been.

"Do you have a name?" Chanyeol whispered, the tail moving around and bumping into his leg, he was the only thing keeping the merman from falling onto the floor. He was made for the water, not for the land.

"Baekhyun" Chanyeol beamed, the wide smile making light giggles leave the merman in his arms, watching as eyes turned into crescent moons and cheeks tinged with pink.

"Chanyeol" Baekhyun stopped giggling and removed his hands from around Chanyeol's neck, instead placing them on the males cheeks.

"Chanyeol, I like you"

"I know, I read your lips when we played in the tunnel" The now named merman nodded his head, arms landing on Chanyeol's shoulders, clothes damp with water from him.

"Chanyeol, I want to be with you" Chanyeol smiled sadly, knowing that he was going to have to address this issue between them sooner or later, "I want you to take me away from this place"

"I'm so sorry Baekhyun, but we can't be together" Chanyeol saw the mermans eyebrows crease, eyes showing hurt and starting to get watery.

"I'm a human and you're a merman..." Chanyeol let his own tears fall down his cheeks, copying those of Baekhyun, both were crying.

"It won't work Baek" Chanyeol placed his face on the pale shoulder of the merman, crying out all the pain within him, "I really want you..."

"Chanyeol, it is possible for us to be together" Chanyeol removed his head from the shoulder he was crying into, meeting eyes with Baekhyun's.

"When I was still in the sea, my mother told me that when I fall in love" Baekhyun let a shy smile grace his lips, eyes looking down, "That all I had to do was kiss that person and I will become what they are" Baekhyun looked back up at Chanyeol, studying the confused look on his face,

"If we kiss, I will become what you are"

"Are you sure? I don't what to rob you of what you are Baekhyun, your beautiful tail" Baekhyun sighed, biting his bottom lip.

"Yes, I want to be with you more than anything Chanyeol" Baekhyun wiggled around, showing Chanyeol that he wanted to be put down, placed onto the ground against the tank.

Chanyeol hesitantly touched the purple tail, scales hard but beautiful non the less.

"Chanyeol, which ones do you like the most?" Chanyeol glanced up at the merman before his eyes looked back down at the long tail, trailing over the shades of purple before pointing one out.

"Take it Chanyeol, pull it out" Chanyeol's eyes widened at this statement, he couldn't do such a thing, not to a creature like Baekhyun.

"I can't, won't it hurt?" 

"Hmm, yeah, but once I become human I can't go back Chanyeol, I want to give you something" Chanyeol's eyes were hesitant as his fingers took ahold of the scale he liked and gave it a little pull, seeing Baekhyun furrow his eyebrows.

"Sorry, I can't" Chanyeol removed his hand from the tail, still crouched down in front of Baekhyun and apologising to him.

"It's okay, I'll do it myself" Baekhyun's pretty fingers grabbed ahold of the scale that Chanyeol wanted, gripping it tightly and giving a harsh tug, the purple scale coming free in his hand.

"Pick another" Baekhyun's face was scrunched up as he spoke, the scale that was about an inch round in the palm of his hand, waiting patiently on the floor for Chanyeol to choose another.

"Baekhyun..."

"Chanyeol, please" Chanyeol sighed, looking at the bright scales on Baekhyun's tail, pointing to a lighter one this time. Baekhyun grabbed ahold of this second scale, doing the same as he did with the darker scale, placing it in his palm with the other one.

Baekhyun stretched his arms out, clutching the scales in his left hand and wiggling the fingers on his right, wanting Chanyeol to hold him up again. Chanyeol held onto Baekhyun, hands holding the area where skin turned to scales and lifted him up from the floor, slim arms going around his neck.

"Chanyeol, will you kiss me?" Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol with wide hopeful eyes, wanting to be with him but still scared about the change that would happen after they kissed, not entirely sure if it would actually happen.

"Is this what you really want Baekhyun?" Baekhyun nodded, tightening his hand around the scales that were digging into his palm, heartbeat racing.

"Yes Chanyeol, I won't regret it, please believe me" Chanyeol swallowed, inching closer to the mermans face, watching his eyes flutter close and long dark eyelashes gently touching his blushing cheeks.

Chanyeol his lips, eyeing the waiting face in front of him, hands gripping tighter onto the merman. Chanyeol felt a bolt of electricity travel up his spine when his lips touched Baekhyun's, wanting to kiss the being for eternity and never let him go.

But Chanyeol had to pull away for much needed air after a while, the scales under his hands disappearing and turning into smooth skin, Chanyeol could feel the change happening.

He also felt fingernails dig into his shoulders, a gasp leaving his mouth at the sudden pain and eyebrows creasing. Beakhyun still had his eyes closed, face scrunched up and probably feeling a bit of displeasure from the change.

"Baekhyun?" Said male opened his eyes, widening them when he felt the coldness from the floor, he was touching the floor. His hands flew down from the tallers shoulders to grab onto his non existent tail, eyes showing disbelief at the two legs he had obtained from nothing more than a simple kiss from the one he loves.

"I-I have legs Chanyeol" Baekhyun his lips, corners of his mouth turning upwards into a wide smile, "I wasn't sure it would work, but it did!" Baekhyun laughed as tears left his eyes, one of Chanyeol's hands leaving his waist and wiping them away from his cheeks.

"Chanyeol, I'm so happy!" Baekhyun cried happy tears, finally able to be with Chanyeol, the one who was always watching him and waiting for him.

"Me too Baekhyun" The two hugged tightly, both crying into one another's shoulders and forgetting where they were. Chanyeol felt Baekhyun start to shiver, clearly cold because he wasn't wearing anything.

"Hang on Baekhyun" Chanyeol pulled away from Baekhyun, watching him sway on his new feet as he stood on his own for the first time in his life, large hands no longer keeping him steady.

Chanyeol took off his jumper, pulling it over his head and placing it over Baekhyun's, the wide eyed male watching intently. Chanyeol brought Baekhyun's arms through the sleeves, the large jumper swamping him and making him look so innocent.

So cute.

"Chanyeol, it's nice and warm" Baekhyun brought his hands up to his chest, sleeves too long and hands just peeking over the ends, the jumper hanging off his body, "Chanyeol, it feels so nice, thank you!" Chanyeol grinned, brushing Baekhyun's fringe out of his eyes, the damp hair stuck to his forehead.

"Chanyeol" Baekhyun brought his left hand forward, uncurling his fingers and showing Chanyeol the two scales laying on his palm, "Here" Baekhyun picked up the darker scale holding it out for the taller to take, keeping the second for himself.

"I want you to have it" Chanyeol felt his heart swell with love for the perfect being in front of him, the once merman now turned human.

"Thank you Baekhyun, I'll treasure it forever" 

...................................................................

A couple walked into the aquarium, holding hands and standing in the short line, waiting to pay. Once at the desk, the taller of the two paid for them both, handing over a membership card as well in the process.

The pair walked slowly through the aquarium, enjoying their time looking at all the species of marine life and just being in each others company. They soon found themselves in the mermaid tunnel, it was free of people, a sign on the tank at the end saying that the aquarium no longer had a mermaid.

Chanyeol smiled and pulled the smaller down beside him on the bench within the former mermaid tunnel, swinging an arm around the males shoulders.

"Chanyeol, did you really wait here for me to show for as long as you said you did?" Chanyeol looked down to his right and was met with large eyes filled with love and happiness. He nodded.

"Yes Baekhyun I did, never once did I give up on you" Baekhyun's cheeks heated up, teeth biting at his bottom lip and eyes going down to the hands fiddling in his lap.

"Thank you..." Chanyeol heard the whisper and pulled the smaller closer to his side, hand going up and down Baekhyun's arm and reassuring him.

"It was my pleasure Baek, really, I fell in love with you more every time I saw you swimming around, in your element" Baekhyun peeked up at the grinning male looking straight out at the clear water surrounding the tunnel.

"Do you still love me now? Even though I'm not a mermaid anymore?" Chanyeol laughed making Baekhyun's cheeks heat up more.

"Of course Baekhyun! I love you so much and you were never a mermaid, you were a merman" Chanyeol smiled cheekily at the male beside him, pecking him on the forehead, "Chanyeol...I love you too" Chanyeol's heart was filled with pride, he wanted to shout out to the whole world that Baekhyun was his, that he worked hard for him and never stopped believing.

"All you need is a little belief and then anythings possible"

...................................................................

Here's the sequel, I was actually going to write one anyway and it was asked for so...here it is, hope it was good.

Baekyeol got their happy ending and I really enjoyed writing this fic, like it made me so happy and yet so sad at the same time during parts of it.

This is the end, finished

Goodnight

PrettyDeadRose11