„Hyuuuungs!“ Taemin yelled and ran down the stairs with the speed of light, almost stumbling over his own legs in the process.

“Geez, Taemin, slow down. What is it?” Jonghyun asked the hyper maknae who panted since he ran all the way from the city up to their house and in the basement where they worked on their researches and stored all the important documents.

“I-I think I found som-something interesting,” the youngest panted and held up a piece of paper. As they saw this the older three came over to him and Onew took the paper out of his hand, reading it out loud.

“New found and never seen before creature captured in the depths of the sea. New Qarry Aquarium presents their newest discovery on June 16^th during an event on the Aquarium’s ground. We invite all scientists to a special price and they will get further information about our discovery. Inlet from 2 o’clock pm on.”

Onew crooked one eyebrow and looked up from the paper at Taemin who grinned.

“Sounds interesting, right?” he asked. “I think we should go there. If it’s just fake or nothing interesting for us we’ll just go home again.”

The other three looked at each other and then back on the paper. “Newest discovery” stood there but Jonghyun didn’t really know what that should be. It could be everything: A fish, a coral, a sea star…….but what if it really was something interesting for them?

“Well I don’t care if we go there. If it’s nothing important for us we just spend some time outside,” Minho said and shrugged. “And besides; it’s not like we have something better to do down here.”

Onew sighed and nodded. “Okay then we’ll go tomorrow to that special even to see their newest discovery.” He turned to Jonghyun who also nodded and with that the thing was settled.

You may wonder why they were talking about interesting for them and stuff. Well it is because they are scientists and they research about sea creatures. But not any kind of sea creatures, no, they search for special creatures. Something that the world hasn’t seen until now but some believe that it exist. You got that one right: Mermaids.

It may sound ridiculous that 4 males in their twenties spend their times with researching about mermaids but it is that they do and they like their job. Okay maybe they don’t spend all their time on it. They also have a real live and are not some crazy people that are scared of the sun. No, they are pretty normal……well as normal as they could be I guess…..

Back to the topic: These four have been friends since middle school and they always believed in creatures that had no one ever seen before. Their goal was it to prove that mermaids did exist or to find out something about them but they also work on other things. They investigated all kinds of fishes, sea stars, corals and sea ​​urchins.

So they decided that they would go to that scientist-even at the aquarium tomorrow and hoped that it really was something special and not just a fake yet again.

The next day the four friends go ready and packed their bags with notepads and pencils, cameras and everything else they would maybe need. Around 1pm they took off and went to the center of the city. It was a rather hot day so they all wore light clothing and flip flops. They looked like some kind of tourists group that visited the city but they didn’t care.

The arrived at the aquarium 20 minutes before the event would start and Onew went to buy their tickets since he had their papers. Not everyone could simply attend an even which was only for scientists.

“You got them?” Minho asked and Onew nodded, holding up four white tickets.

“Okay then let’s go. We need to go to the back of the building,” the leader announced and they took off once again, meeting another little group of scientists once they reached their destination. Together there were around 20 people that were waiting for someone to let them in. A tall fence separated them from the other area where the little event would take place.

After some more minutes two tall security guards came and opened the gate to let them in. They were guided to a place (still outside) where a board was set up, probably to write things down. They had to stand which Jonghyun was not happy about but he shrugged it off. They waited and waited until finally two men came out of a door which led inside of the aquarium.

“Ah good morning gentlemen,” the taller man greeted them and the men that had gathered said their greetings back.

“I am Mr. Choi and this is my assistant Mr. Park. I’m going to tell you everything we found out about our newly discovered creature so far and it actually should be here by now…” the man looked around.

“Ah yes, there it is.”

Jonghyun turned around to see what was coming. There were the two security guards from before but now they pushed something that looked like a water tank. It wasn’t that big but a human would fit in it comfortably. Sadly they couldn’t see what was inside since a cloth covered the tank.

The guards pushed the thing until it stood next to the two men that stood at the front. They didn’t utter a word and went away again, doing their job and guarding the aquarium.

The scientists had started to talk with each other about what that creature could be and Jonghyun turned to his friends.  

“Do you think it could be…..” Taemin trailed off.

“I don’t know…..but there is a chance….” Jonghyun said back and looked at the front again as Mr. Choi cleared his throat to get the men’s attention.

“Well then let’s start. We found this creature three days ago as it got tangled in one of our fishing boat’s nets. It almost tore it apart but we managed to catch it and now we a proud to present it to you. To be the first ones that capture-“ Mr. Park laid his hands on the cloth over the tank.

“…a real living-“

Everyone held his breath and stared at the water tank at the front.

“Mermaid!”

The cloth was yanked down and everyone gasped. Jonghyun’s eyes went wide and almost popped out of his head. They were right…….that was……definitely a mermaid…..

The scientists clapped and the two men at the front bowed.

“It is a huge step for the science of the see and we’re honored to be the first ones that caught such a being,” Mr. Choi said and Jonghyun felt a little tug at his chest. The tank was too small for a mermaid, it almost couldn’t move and its fin was curled.

“But what am I talking so much? We should get a closer look at it and I am going to explain everything we know so far. Please be carefully since it is a bit aggressive and dangerous,” Mr. Choi explained and he pressed some buttons on top of the tank. One side opened and the water flowed out, dragging the mermaid with it outside on the rubber mats which were spread out there.

The scientists immediately started to talk and tried to get a good look at it. Jonghyun tiptoed to see something and his breath got caught in throat. That creature was simply…….beautiful. He finally got a better view at it and he was overwhelmed. The creature had blonde hair which went down to the middle of its neck. One strand was longer and braided, decorated with some shells and sea stars at the side of its head.

Jonghyun couldn’t see the mermaid’s face but it probably would have been too much for him anyway. He looked over the milky white and smooth skin and noticed the golden bracelets that circled around his arm. He stared in awe until he noticed that its hands were tied together on its back. Again he felt a slight tug at his heart but he couldn’t do anything.

His gaze went lower and the creature’s curvy hips came into his view. That was where the abnormal part began. The skin turned scalier until it formed real golden/orange scales which created a beautiful tail where a human’s legs should have been. It was a beautiful mix of golden, yellow, orange and red at the fin and the sight reminded Jonghyun of a sunset at the beach, so breathtaking and simply matchless beautiful.

The fin flapped against the ground and it showed that it wasn’t something fake because it could curl almost completely into a circle.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Mr. Choi asked like he just presented a crystal and not a living being.

The group of men agreed and cheered but calmed down once the man started to talk again.

“Okay now I need the help of Mr. Park.”

Said man went over to the creature which was still lying on the ground and kneeled next to it. He help it down with one knee pressed down on its lower back and Jonghyun could hear it growl lowly.

“Please don’t come any nearer,” Mr. Choi warned before he went over to the mermaid.

The scientists had taken out their notepads and pencil, ready to write down every single detail about the being.

“First of all it is more than two meters long and weighs about 85kg.”

*scribble* *scribble*

“If you would be so kind, Mr. Park?”

Mr. Park nodded and grabbed a handful of the creature’s blonde hair. He pulled on it and lifted the mermaid’s chest of the ground do that its face became visible.

Jonghyun had imagined everything, really everything, the worst even. But what he saw was……beauty, simply stunning beauty. The mermaid’s face was nothing like he had heard with pitch black eyes or scales all over it; no, it was nothing like that.

Besides that he noticed that its chest was flat, meaning that it had to be a boy. He felt kind of angry that the men at the front still addressed him as an it.

The mermaids face looked like a human’s at first sight but then again was it totally different. The skin was flawless, without any kind of scar or uncleanness. The boy’s bangs fell in his face and almost reached his stunning feline eyes. Those teary eyes were hypnotizing with their almost glowing gold/brownish color. Some golden vines seemed to sprout out of their corners and twined themselves a bit down his cheeks and over to his temples. His lashes were long and dark and glistened with little water droplets.

He had high cheekbones, a cute button nose and bow shaped pink lips that were slightly parted since his breath was labored. A slim neck followed and after that his creamy shoulder came into view. Around his neck were two necklaces. One which seemed to be a simple pendant out of a light colored shell and another one which Jonghyun could identify as a complicated silver key chain which laid right under his collarbones. The sight really was breathtaking and the only thing that destroyed it was that the blonde boy was pulled up by his hair, that he was held down by the same man and that his hands were tied and he couldn’t escape. Like a helpless poor fish on land.

Mr. Choi put on some gloves and approached the mermaid which had his gaze fixed on him. He went back to explaining some things and pointed at them. He also pulled the boy’s lips apart to show his little fangs. The mermaid tried to yank his head back but it didn’t work so he went on with growling as a threat.

Jonghyun didn’t really listen to Mr. Choi’s words but had his gaze fixed on the blonde boy on the ground. It was like a spell was casted over him and his heart beat faster. He wanted to jump at the two men and free the mermaid from their hands and bring it back to the sea. He wished he could do something but not now. Right now he could only wait until it was over and hope that the boy was alright.

After explaining and explaining the mermaid head was put back on the ground again and Jonghyun breathed out, happy that that part was already over. But then something even more horrible happened.

“Okay everyone, please make a line. We’ll hold it down and every one of you can touch its tail to sea that it indeed is a real creature and not some fake.”

The scientists were excited about this news and quickly made a line. Jonghyun didn’t want to but he probably would have been the only one so he let Onew drag him to the end of the line and waited for his turn.

He didn’t like how the men touched the boy’s tail without any care and pawed all over it. Once only a few men were in line in front of him he was next to the boy and got another look at the side of his face. His stomach dropped as he saw how crystal like tears were flowing down his cheeks and his eyes were pressed shut, his lip being bitten by his teeth and his shoulders tensed, almost shaking.

Jonghyun gulped and looked away because he would have run to him to comfort him if he saw that heartbreaking sight any longer. But he couldn’t do this now. He tugged at Onew’s shirt who was standing in front of him and nudged his head in the boys direction once the older had turned around. Pity filled his eyes and he looked at Jonghyun, silently telling him that they would talk about this once they were out of here.

It was Jonghyun’s turn and the kneeled down next to the glowing tail, admiring it in awe.

“Just put your hand on it, nothing can happen,” Mr. Choi said with a stupid grin and Jonghyun wanted to rip his head off. Nevertheless the still extended one hand and let it travel over the scaly tail carefully. The muscles underneath that layer immediately tensed once his hand came in contact with it. It felt cold and a bit slimy like dolphins but in no way disgusting. He withdrew his hand quickly and stood up again, looking at the boy once more.

He had opened his watery eyes again and gazed into the distance without any expression. Jonghyun wondered if he could talk and wanted to kneel next to him, comforting him and saying that everything would be alright. But he couldn’t and he hated himself for it.

“Okay gentlemen, we thank you for your attendance and your patience. Please do not take any photos and don’t tell anyone about this creature since we’re planning to do another event where families can come and learn more about it. Thank you.”

The group of scientists clapped and Jonghyun breathed out once to calm his nerves. How could they handle him without any care? He was a mermaid, yes, but still a living being and not some attraction. He saw how the boy was forced back into the water tank which had been filled again and how he was pushed back into the aquarium.

Jonghyun took his bag and went out of the area with his friends. They didn’t utter a word before they were home. They gathered around the table and first only silence was heard.

“That was definitely a mermaid,” Taemin whispered and the others nodded.

“I don’t like how they handle him,” Minho said firmly and crossed his arms, a frown shown on his face.

“They handle him like he’s not even a living being,” Jonghyun said angry.

Onew sighed. “Then what should we do?” His friends looked at the oldest like they didn’t know what he meant.

“You’re planning to free him?” Taemin asked and Onew nodded.

“No one should be handled like that. Not important if a creature of the sea, a human or an animal. Everyone has rights and that was far away from any of them.”

The maknae grinned and hopped in his chair. “Yay a real liberation mission,” he cheered. “Like a real ninja!”

Eerrrrrr……sure…..

Jonghyun chuckled lightly but came back to reality again soon afterwards. “How are we going to do this?”

Silence

“Well first of all we need to know how we can get him out of there,” Minho said and the others agreed.

“I guess that the only way is to break into the aquarium and for that we need to turn off the security cameras,” he added. Minho was surprisingly good at making a plan.

Onew nodded. “Yeah and the easiest would probably be to do all this at night….Taemin, can you hack into the security system of the aquarium?”

The all knew that Taemin like computers and that he could use it not only for online games. He thought for some seconds and then nodded.

“That shouldn’t be such a big problem,” he said and grinned.

Jonghyun was happy that his friends shared his thoughts from before and wanted to help. He could have never done it all alone.

“Good, then Minho, Jonghyun and I are going inside and try to find that water tank.” Onew explained and this was where the difficult part started.

“How do we get him out of there?” Jonghyun asked since he didn’t know any solution plus: It had to look like there had never been a mermaid in the first place. “And what do we do after that?”

Of course they wanted to bring him back to the sea but that would be difficult too since it was quite some time away…..And how the hell would they get a mermaid out of the aquarium? It’s oblivious that the boy needs water so how should they do this?

“Don’t we still have this big handcart?” Taemin peeped up and Jonghyun didn’t know what to think.

Really? They should transport a mermaid in a handcart from the museum up to their house without anyone noticing in the middle of the night?

“Well that is the best idea I heard so far,” Onew said slowly and Jonghyun gaped at him.

“How the hell should we transport him in that? Do you think he will lay in that thing voluntary?” Jonghyun asked and the oldest rolled his eyes.

“Of course not. We would have to stun him.”

………

Jonghyun put his head in his hands. “Oh boy…”

Several hours later it was dark outside and the four friends were on their way to the aquarium, all dressed in dark colors and Minho pulling the handcart with Taemin’s laptop and a few blankets inside.

“Guys, seriously, this is the craziest plan for a liberation I’ve ever heard of,” Jonghyun muttered.

“Well at least you have something to tell your children later,” Taemin said happily and ignored Jonghyun’s stare.

Sure he wanted to help the mermaid but he doubted that it would work just like that. It was too easy; there had to be something that they missed. Or he just thought about it too much, like Onew had said before they got ready.

Anyway they arrived at the aquarium some time later and Taemin started his laptop, typing all kind of different codes of numbers and letters to get access to the security system. He bit his lip and everyone held their breaths, not wanting to disturb him and to risk their chance of freeing the mermaid.

“I’m in,” Taemin announced quietly.

Phew, first step was a success.

“Can you turn off the cameras?” Onew asked and looked at the screen. Not that he could do much with the image anyway.

“I think it would be better if I shut down the energy but then you have to hurry since they will come to look what happened,” Taemin said and typed some things down. “Hyung, do you still know where the tank was taken inside?”

Jonghyun thought for some moments. He looked at the door and there were some number next to it but which one? He scratched his head.

“BE006  if I’m not mistaken,” he said carefully and the maknae nodded.

“Yeah that could be. I’m going to open that door before I shut down the energy. After that you probably have around 10 up to 15 minutes until someone comes. If that was not the right door, we’ll have to try again but the risk of getting caught is higher.”

The older three nodded.

“Okay then, open the gate first.”

Minho took out a piece of wire and twisted it inside of the gate’s lock. It took him a few minutes but the gate opened.

“Are you ready?” Taemin asked.

“As ready as we could be,” Jonghyun answered and grinned.

“Okay. 3,2,1.”

A low sound was heard and suddenly all the lamps turned off. Thankfully it was clear night and the moonlight helped them to see everything. Minho, Jonghyun and Onew entered the aquariums secured area and ran to the door. It was the one, it was door BE006! They entered quietly and found themselves in a big hall where all kind of things were stored: From food to water to plastic landscapes and a “little” ship for the bigger aquarium inside.

They looked around, carefully no to be seen if someone was here but they were lucky. No one was in the hall except for them and they started to search for the water tank. What if it wasn’t here anymore? What if someone caught them? Jonghyun shook his head and banned those thoughts. There was no time for this.

Suddenly he was what they were searching for: the water tank. He waved over Minho and Onew and the oldest took out a little shot where some anesthetic was filled in. Jonghyun gulped as he took the cloth down from the tank and his breath caught in his throat just like this noon.

Inside was the blonde boy which looked up at them shocked through the glass. His hair danced around in the water and his tail was curled since the tank was too small far him. Minho went over to the side and tried to figure out which button he should press. He chose one and the top glass slid apart.

The boy didn’t know what was going on so he pressed himself further against the ground, hoping to get out of reach from the humans.

“We have to pull him up,” Onew said and Jonghyun nodded. He didn’t want to scare the boy further but there was no other way and no time. He reached into the tank and the mermaid tried to get away which was hopeless in such a small object.

His arms closed around the slim waist and the boy yelped, some bubbles escaping his mouth before he was pulled up to the surface. He squirmed, growled and hissed which sounded like a hiss from an angry cat. He wasn’t that strong so Jonghyun could hold him for some time.

Onew approached them and inserted the shot in the boy’s neck. First he trashed around even more and Jonghyun feared that it didn’t work but after some moments his movements got weaker and weaker until he hung in his arms like a rag doll, his eyes falling shut.

Huh that was close. The three hived the boy out of the tank and his fin plashed against the ground once he was completely outside. The guys put him in the handcart as careful as possible and laid a blanket under his head so that he would bang it against the walls during the travel. They curled his tail slightly to hide it more and covered the mermaid with some blankets, leaving some holes for air to get through.

“Hurry, I think I heard someone,” Onew said and they took handle and pulled the cart out of the hall, closing the door behind them quietly. The cart was quite heavy because of its freight but they managed.

They walked back to Taemin in a rush and the maknae looked up from his laptop and smiled.

“You got him?”

The males nodded and the youngest nodded. “Okay then I’ll turn on the energy again.”

He typed some things down and the lamps started to turn on again one after one.

“Come on let’s get the hell out of here,” urged Minho and they took off.

They didn’t run since the boy could get hurt but they rushed their steps, hoping that no one would see them because it might seems a bit strange that four boy in the middle of the night all dressed in black are pulling a handcart with blankets put over it…..

Jonghyun couldn’t believe how easy the whole thing had been as they reached their home without anyone noticing them. They pulled the cart inside and pushed it to their whirl pool which was behind a folding screen which they laid aside.

They switched on the lights and took the blankets off the cart. The mermaid was still unconscious and the four friends lifted him carefully and sat him in the whirlpool which was already filled with water and untied his hands. Jonghyun laid his head on the set-in pillow and all they could do now was to wait until he woke up.

“You think that someone saw us?” Taemin asked and Jonghyun shrugged.

“I don’t know but I’m just happy that we got him out of there. Who knows what they would have done to him otherwise or what they already did.”

A bit later Onew went to the kitchen, saying that it probably would take some more time before the boy woke up. He made something to eat for a late night dinner and came back with instant ramen and some other simple things.

Jonghyun hoped that they would manage to explain the mermaid what exactly was going on but they didn’t know if he could understand them. He looked at him sometimes and just had to admirer his beauty. It looked like he was some kind of fantasy creature, which looked like a human at first sight but the longer you looked the more you noticed that he was too perfect to be a human being.

They heard how the water splashed a bit and immediately sat their bowls down, turning around and seeing how the mermaid’s fin moved softly. He shifted and his eyes fluttered open slowly, still drowsy from the anesthetic. His eyes wandered over the celling down to his own body and stared at it, like he couldn’t believe that he wasn’t in that tank anymore. He lifted his hands from the water and rubbed the over sore spots where the rope had almost cut into his skin. He was so fixed on this that he didn’t even notice the four males that stared at him.

But it seemed like reality had hit him as he froze in his movements, eyes as wide as dining plates and gulped. He turned his head slowly to the side until the four boys came into his view.

They stared back and no one dared to say something until Taemin couldn’t hold it anymore.

“Hi,” he said and waved; wanting to be polite but the mermaid only screamed in a high pitched voice and dived under hurriedly.

The humans didn’t even have time to react as he already came up at the side across from them and coughed his lungs out. It didn’t sound healthy at all and Jonghyun grew worried. Did the drug have a bigger effect on him? Was he hurt? Did the people from the aquarium do something to him?

The mermaid calmed down again and took a deep breath, looking at the water bewildered. So it had to do something with that? He tried one more time to dive under only to get the same result.

The four friends look at the mermaid which had his arms on the edge of the pool to stead himself and then at each other.

“Should we try to talk to him?” Taemin asked carefully.

“This is all your fault!” Jonghyun snapped at him. “If you hadn’t been so impatient he maybe wouldn’t be so scared of us now.”

Taemin pouted. “I just wanted to greet him.”

“Yeah and you see what you did with that.” Jonghyun rolled his eyes and went on with being angry at the maknae.

“Okay, okay calm down.” Onew lifted his hands as to arbitrate.

Both Jonghyun and Taemin huffed and glared at each other.

Minho shook his head at these two. “Should we just let him be and go to bed?” he asked but Onew shook his head.

“Who knows what he would do then. We need to tell him what is going on and that we only want to help him.”

They went on with discussing what they should do as a clear of a throat let them shut up and look over to the mermaid who was sitting there with his arm crossed over his chest and his beautiful eyes focused on them with a piercing stare that send some shivers down their spines.

“I’m not dumb you know.”

……………….

WHUT?!

The four humans gaped at him, their jaws falling on the ground.

“Y-y-you c-can t-t-talk?” Taemin squeaked.

“Obliviously,” the boy shot back and rolled his eyes.

His voice was so unique, something that couldn’t be human. Hell he wasn’t a human but a mermaid! Maybe all mermaids were like this but for Jonghyun he was so special and his voice sounded like a melody in his ears.

The four humans didn’t know what to do now. He could understand them and he could talk, meaning he understood everything they just said.

“S-so you know why you’re here?” Onew asked carefully.

“Kind of but what was that thing you injected in my neck?! Just so that you know: That hurt.”

Onew chuckled nervously. “Ah….well…..that was anesthetic. It makes you unconscious for a while,” he explained.

“Humans and their stupid inventions,” the blonde muttered. He yawned and stretched his arms behind his head, his fin flapping against the water’s surface and Jonghyun couldn’t resist and stared at it. So beautiful.

“Don’t stare like that,” Kibum said and pulled his fin close as if to protect it from Jonghyun’s stares. He was surprised how lithe he was but okay he was a mermaid. Jonghyun looked up with a grin and noticed the light pink shade that spread over the boy’s cheeks. His grin got even wider.

“Why not?”

The mermaid grumbled since he didn’t know a reason which wasn’t embarrassing and Jonghyun smirked, knowing that he won that round.

“So do you have a name, Mr. Mermaid?” Jonghyun asked and the boy let go of his fin, letting it splash back in the water and glared at the male. You could almost see how he steamed in anger.

“Yah, do I look like a maid?!”

Jonghyun acted like he actually thought about it and the boy looked like he was about to explode.

“Okay then Mr. Merboy since you totally don’t look like a man.”

The blonde snorted and looked in another direction. “Key,” he mumbled and Jonghyun wanted to squeal. So adorable! But instead he nodded.

“Okay then Key, the guy that gave you the shot is Onew, this beanpole is Minho, that hyper kid is Taemin and I’m Jonghyun.”

Key nodded and wagged his fin. As the four only stared at him a bit dumbfounded he crooked his head. “You don’t do that?” he asked bewildered and the humans shook their heads. “Then what do you do?”

“Come here and I’ll show you,” Jonghyun said and Kibum eyed him for some moments before he pushed off the wall and swam over to the others.

Jonghyun took his hand from the edge of the whirlpool and shook it. “That’s what we do,” he explained and Key looked at his hand and then back to Jonghyun’s.

“Humans sure are strange,” he said and the four friends chuckled.

Taemin yawned loudly and rubbed his eyes. “Gosh I’m tired. Can’t we discuss this tomorrow?” he asked and the others agreed.

“Do you need anything?” Onew asked Key who shook his head.

“No but thanks that you got me out of there.” He shivered as he remembered the small tank and all the people that had touched him.

Onew smiled. “No problem. If there is anything wrong just scream bloody murder and someone is going to save you.”

Key snickered but nodded. “Okay.”

They said goodnight to the mermaid and went upstairs. Jonghyun couldn’t believe that they had actually managed to get him out of there and that he even understood them. When did they get so lucky?

He went to bed after changing and it didn’t take long for him to fall asleep, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. Little did he know that one floor below a certain mermaid fell asleep just like he did.

The next morning Jonghyun woke up with a growling stomach. He groaned and rolled out of his still warm and comfortable bed, almost falling on the ground. He stood up and ruffled his messy bed hair, hoping that he didn’t look like some kind of zombie or like he just put his hand inside of a socket.

He sighed and opened the door of his room and went downstairs, still drowsy from sleep and almost falling down the steps. Everything that was on his mind was food, food, food.

He arrived at the bottom and went around the corner where he saw Onew, Minho and Taemin standing at the corner and peeking around it where the whirlpool was. They noticed him and he stared at them blankly, too tired to from any kind of question what the heck they were doing there.

Taemin laid a finger on his lips, telling him to be quiet although he didn’t even talk. He waved him over and Jonghyun toddled towards them, curious why was so amazing that they hid behind a corner.

“Look,” Taemin said and pushed his hyung to the edge so that he could look around it. Jonghyun did what he was told and his brain needed some moments before it registered what he saw.

In the whirlpool was Key, just like they had left him yesterday. But now he was sitting on one of the seats inside, his back leaning against the wall and his fin hovering above the surface, moving up and down gently. He played with his hair and the water, looking at his nails and renewed his branded strand.

Just now Jonghyun noticed the soft but still strong melody that filled the room. It was like you were hypnotized the longer you listened to it. It was breathtaking and amazingly beautiful and there was only one creature that would be able to create an atmosphere like that just by singing: A mermaid.

Key really was the one that sung the light melody. It weren’t really words or maybe just not in their language but it still held a message that everyone could understand without a lyrics. Jonghyun didn’t know that even a male mermaid could sing like that but he didn’t mind it at all. He could have sat there for hours and just listen to his voice.

Then the melody changed to something different. It couldn’t be put into words neither could he describe the emotion but he knew that there was a lot of meaning behind it. Maybe humans couldn’t understand a mermaid’s song. Maybe they weren’t meant to understand it or not worth it to be part of such a perfection. Jonghyun didn’t know but he only wanted to listen to it.

Key picked up the little sea star that had been in his hair before and it once gently. The little creature lifted one of its arm like wanted to Key too and it looked rather cute. The blonde tugged it back in his hair to secure his braided strand and the star made sure that it stayed that way.

Suddenly the melody stopped and it was like Jonghyun was pulled out of his trance harshly.

“To eavesdrop on people is not very nice,” Key said and the four guys behind the corner looked at each other panicking.  

The slowly went around the wall and Key crooked one eyebrow at them. “So it is right that we have an effect on humans if we sing….” He nodded his head. “Interesting….”

Jonghyun stomach growled loudly and Key laughed at him. His laugh was beautiful too, everything about him was beautiful and the brunette couldn’t get enough of it. To think that the poor boy would have ended as family attraction in aquarium was a horrible thought.

“I’ll get something to eat,” he said and turned around to go to the kitchen. “Who else wants to eat something?”

The other three immediately cheered and screamed that they were starving. Jonghyun turned to Key who nodded shyly.

Jonghyun went to the kitchen and got everything ready and while Taemin, Minho and Onew ate at the kitchen table, he went back to the whirlpool with a few more toasts than normal and sat down next to Key who was resting his head in his arms on the edge.

“So what happens next?” the mermaid asked as he inspected one of the toasts judgingly.

Jonghyun swallowed his bite before he answered. “Well we’ll bring you back to the sea but we have to figure out how we do this and I actually……” he trailed off since he didn’t know if Key would be happy to hear this.

“You what?” the blonde asked and took a bite from the toast and munched on it, looking at the piece in his hand bewildered as he tasted it. Not as bad as he thought human food would be.

“Errm…..you know, we have been researching bout sea creatures for years now and our goal had always been to find out more about mermaids/-boys and now that we have one in our whirlpool I kind of want to know more about you.”

Key crooked one eyebrow. “I’m twenty-one years old, I like sparkling things, I’m often mistaken for a girl,” he narrowed his eyes. “I love to watch the sunset and I don’t understand humans.”

Jonghyun chuckled. “Okay but what about your biological properties? How can someone breathe underwater? Why do you have a tail? What are the differences between us?”

“Why do humans have legs? Why don’t they live underwater? Why are you a boy and not a girl? Why are you interested in sea creatures?” Key asked back and smiled as Jonghyun sighed. “I think there are some things that we can’t say for sure or which we just don’t understand.”

He reached out and touched Jonghyun’s hand where a prickling feeling spread over the other’s hand.

“Basically we’re all the same. We both breathe, we are made out of flesh and bones, we can communicate, we have feelings and we can learn things.”

Jonghyun was amazed by Key’s words. He never thought about it that way but he was right. Why did he need to know how Key’s tail work? How he could breathe underwater? It was like that so why did he need to question it.

“Wow these tosty thingies are awesome!” the mermaid announced happily and took another one from the plate, leaving Jonghyun’s hand which he was kind of sad about. But he shrugged it off and also took another piece of toast.

He talked some more with Key and noticed how comfortable they were around each other and how well their personalities fit together. Why felt he so relaxed and happy around him? Why did his stomach feel like a bunch of butterflies was inside and wanted to be free?

“Jonghyun?”

His ears ringed. His name had a whole new sound as it rolled from Key’s lips so smoothly.

“Yeah?”

“What is up with this water?”

“Huh?”

Jonghyun looked down at Key who was once again glaring at the water.

“I can’t breathe in it. Whenever I try I just get water in my lungs and have to cough it out again. That never happened to me before,” the mermaid said and pouted.

Jonghyun scratched the back of his head and looked at the water like there was a solution for the problem. Then suddenly it hit him. Of course!

“I guess it is because this water has no salt in it,” he said and Key frowned.

“How can water not have any salt in it?” he asked and Jonghyun thought about a simple way to explain it to him.

“Well humans dink water but salty water doesn’t taste so good for us so we separate water and salt so that we can drink it. We also do this for the water that comes out of our water taps because…….yeah it just is like that.”

“Okkaaayy……you’re all strange,” Key stated and Jonghyun laughed.

Later the four humans discussed a way to bring Key back to the sea and decided that they would do it this evening. They explained the mermaid that they would drive by car and that he needed to hide in the trunk.

Key scrunched up his nose as they explained what exactly it was but it was the only way. So it was settled and the blonde agreed after some minutes.

That evening they covered their trunk with blankets and towels and carried the mermaid over to it.

“Really guys, you owe me something,” Key muttered and Jonghyun petted his head.

“You’ll get something once you’re back in the sea.”

The blonde grumbled and they shut the door softly. Onew drove as carefully as possible since they didn’t want Key to get hurt. They drove along the coast and tried to find a place where no people were. Once they found a little bay he parked the car as near as he could and turn of the energy.

They got Key out of the trunk and carried him to the water. Once it reached up to their knees they put him down.

“Finally sea water,” he cheered and splashed it with his fin, looking like a baby dolphin that wanted to play in the waves.

But just now Jonghyun noticed what this would mean. This was the goodbye. He would probably never see Key again. His stomach dropped and a sad smile appeared on his face as he watched how the younger dived under and swam around happily.

The four humans sat down in the water and watched how graceful the mermaid glided through the water like he was a part of it.

Key appeared in front of them once more and steadied himself on his hands.

“Thank you for this. I don’t know what those other people had done to me if you hadn’t freed me yesterday,” he said and smiled.

“And we would do it again,” Onew said and smiled back.

“But we hope that we don’t have to,” Taemin added.

“You know, I haven’t said this before but….” Kibum looked at the water for some moments before he continued. “If you help a mermaid, you’ll get a whish granted. Just one and I can’t promise you anything since I’m not that good with this stuff but I’ll try my best.”

A whish?

“Everything we like?” Taemin asked excited and Key nodded. “Okay, okay then I wish that my banana milk will never be empty.”

Key frowned. “What the hell is a banannananana milk?”

“I would have showed you but it is really delicious,” Taemin said and had a dreamy look on his face.

The blonde chuckled but nodded. “Okay if it is nothing else.” He looked at Minho who seemed to be deep in thought. “And what about you?”

“I wish that I’ll find my true love soon.”

Key took a deep breath. “Love is something that can’t be controlled and I can’t help you with that but let me tell you that inwardly,” he pointed at Minho’s chest. “You already know who you special one is.”

He glanced at Taemin for a second and Minho and the youngest gaped at each other. “What?!” they yelled in unison but Key ignored it and went over to Onew.

“I wish that I can eat chicken whenever I want to,” he said firmly like it was the most serious topic in the world. Key didn’t question it since Jonghyun already told him that he was a chicken maniac. He only nodded and lastly looked at Jonghyun.

“I still wanna have my reward,” the blonde said and Jonghyun chuckled. He leaned forward and Key’s eyes got wider. He took his chin in his hand and pressed an innocent kiss on his smooth, bow shaped lips.

Jonghyun leaned back again and grinned as he saw Key’s shocked face and his red cheeks.

“Y-yah! How c-can you steal my first k-kiss?!” the mermaid yelled and hit Jonghyun’s shoulder.

“You wanted your reward and you got him,” he said and smirked at the flustered blonde.

“Stupid human,” he muttered before he shook his head. “Okay and what about your wish?”

“Stay.”

“Huh?” Key looked at him a bit confused and Jonghyun smiled.

“I want you to stay here or at least come back again.”

Key looked down in the water and sighed. “I wish I could but…” he lifted his hands from the ground and immediately started to drift towards the open sea. “My dad is calling be back and I have to go even if I don’t want to.”

He reached behind his head and fiddled with the lock of his key necklace and took it off. He took Jonghyun’s hand and laid it inside.

“Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not in a week, maybe not in a year but…” he looked up at the male and closed his hand around the key chain. “I’ll come back and we’ll meet again, I promise.”

He pulled away and looked at the older. “Take good care of it. It’s very dear to me and I wanna have it back once I return,” he said and grinned.

Jonghyun smiled and nodded. “Don’t worry; I’ll cherish it like live itself.”

The four friends stood up and Kibum started to swim in the direction of the open sea, his frame glistening in the sunlight because of the water droplets on his milky skin. His fin flapped against the water surface as he speeded up a bit.

He turned around once more and his frame was almost black since the sun was barely above the water. His fin wagged a bit and the humans smiled.

“Until next time!” Key yelled and dived under, fin raising one last time above the water before he was gone, becoming one with the sunset.

I just finished this so please excuse my many mistakes. I finally managed to complete my first mermaid fanfic so please tell me what you think about it.

Thanks for you support~

Bye

7,855 words