Then someone came to my rescue. That someone was neither a human nor a fish, but the mermaid I had longed to see so desperately.
The mermaid rescued me as I struggled in the sea. She picked me up, swam to the surface, and carried me back to my usual spot among the rocks. I took deep breaths, finally calming myself down. The mermaid who saved me is still sitting in front of me.
After coming to my senses and rubbing my eyes, I looked at the mermaid who had saved me. It was truly a beauty beyond words. Her blue scales sparkled in the sunlight, making her even more beautiful. And, as expected, she had gills on her ears, and her appearance was also exquisite. I lost myself in her gaze, staring intently at her face and tail. She blushed shyly.
"Okay, is this yours?"
"Uh, thank you..."
The mermaid handed me Kim Min-gyu's handkerchief. I accepted it and stared at her, half-asleep. Unable to bear my gaze, the mermaid covered my eyes. Only then, coming to my senses, did I wonder why the mermaid was above the water, right in front of me.
"Are you a mermaid?"
"Isn't it dangerous for a mermaid to come up to the surface of the water?"
"Ah... I came to return something I lent you 11 years ago."
"I'll come back down when I find it."
"So, while I'm here, keep it a secret from other humans."
"Of course! I keep my mouth shut! Just trust me."
"But what's your name? My name is Kim Da-won."
"I'm Yoon Jeong-han! Please call me Jeong-han."
"Yeah, you can call me Dawon too."
I took a towel out of my bag, wrapped it around my body, and continued talking with Jeonghan. Jeonghan said he came from a mermaid kingdom deep under the sea and that the item he'd lost was a beautiful, shining blue necklace. Jeonghan said he'd surfaced without the other mermaids knowing, and he also knew the legend of the mermaids of Noul Village.
"You know the legend of the mermaid?"
"Yeah. There are mermaids who live in the human world. Of course, in human form."
"Does it make sense for a mermaid to transform into a human???"
"What's not possible? If there are mermaids, then magic can exist."
"No, but rather. You're a mermaid. Don't you resent humans? Don't you hate humans? "
"Of course I don't blame you. You killed our princess."
"But it's already been hundreds of years."
"And I like humans."
" why? "
"Humans are beautiful."
***
"Huh, huh, hey, Kim Da-won!"
"Ah, uh, yeah, yeah?! "
"Aren't you focused? Our team is going to lose because of you!"
"Please let me get some ice cream!"
"Oh, sorry, sorry."
Since meeting Jeonghan, I've been spacing out more frequently. With the number of times I've been spacing out increasing, Sunyoung naturally thinks I'm weird. Whether it's during class, when I need to concentrate, during physical education, when I'm getting scolded by my mom, or when I'm alone, my mind is filled with thoughts of the mermaid, that is, Jeonghan.
Kim Min-gyu must have been bothered by my constant absentmindedness, so he even tried to pick a fight with me. But I ignored him, my mind wandering to the mermaid. I wanted to brag to everyone, but I couldn't, because we had promised not to talk.
***
"What are you thinking? Are you a man?? Do you like someone???"
"Oh, what are you talking about? That's not true at all."
"Then don't worry. Hey, are you going today?"
"No!"
"I'll go first~!"
"Hey! Then when are we going to go!!"
Today, I broke my promise with Kwon Soon-young and ran to the beach to see Jeong-han. It was quite a distance from the school to the beach, so I ran there sweating profusely. Jeong-han, as if it were a given, was waiting for me where I always sat.
"Are you here?"
"What's the school day like today? Did you go there?"
"Huh! Have you been waiting long?? "
"No, I was playing with the fish and just came up so I didn't have to wait long."
Jeonghan and I met here every day after school, as if it were a given, and we chatted. Each time, Jeonghan would talk about the ocean, and I'd talk about school. It didn't seem particularly interesting, but Jeonghan would laugh at my words. And I listened intently, intently. The ocean stories were so fascinating.
"But do you like that friend named Sunyoung that much?"
"Of course. He's my friend."
"He's my only friend."
"Me? Am I also a friend of Dawon?"
"Of course!! Kwon Soon-young, I like you more than him!"
"Really? I like Dawon too."
This liking doesn't mean romantically, but as a friend. And I asked Jeonghan all the questions I was curious about, and he asked me questions about people, too. I tried to answer those questions with sincerity and detail.
"Jeonghan, you said you came up here to get back the necklace you lent me 11 years ago, right?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"So you met a human 11 years ago?? "
"Do you still remember that kid's face?"
"Of course I remember."
"But I don't think that kid remembers me."
"Huh?? You think I don't remember you?"
"Hey, no way. Who would forget you?"
"It's true..."
"But Dawon."
" huh? "
"Why do you always come here and cry?"
"What happened?"
"Oh, it's just... nothing!"
"But... since when have you been watching..?"
"Maybe... about a month ago?"
"It's been about a month since I came up to the surface."
"So you've been watching me all this time..?"
"Yeah... You look so sad..."
"Why were you crying?"
"Ah... It's just... family matters."
"But but we're meeting here tomorrow too, right?? "
"Yeah! Of course!"
Was there more writing than conversation this time too..?
Hmm... I can't help it. I can't give it to youππ
Oh, should I give you a bonus??
And then you went to a snack bar haha