Ashrain

19. Green Hooves

Seonghwa carded his fingers through his hair, mindlessly brushing the long strands while he listened to San. The merman had a lot to tell, and once the depressing parts were over, he bloomed into a rambling boy with an almost child-like glee to have company that listened to him. Hongjoong's head was foggy with the countless stories about the ocean and its beauty San threw at them. He had never been to the ocean and couldn't imagine a body of water as massive as the one San described, but he was fascinated to hear more. San's bubbly personality made it easy to listen to him, and with each passing moment, Hongjoong understood Wooyoung's endearment for the merman more.

As he attended to San's tales, Hongjoong's mind was stuck on the dreadful revelations about the palace and its princes. He had never been in touch with the royal family, for neither his job nor his connections warranted reason to be recognised by them. Back in the day, Mingi had dreamt a lot about marrying the princess and becoming a wealthy man who could eat whatever he wanted any day and never hunger. Now that Hongjoong learned such gruesome things about the mysterious castle, he was glad that never happened. He was deeply unsettled by San's report, and all of this had happened within the past year. The circumstances couldn't have changed yet, and perhaps the royal spies kept their eyes peeled for the missing merman.

Hongjoong prayed they didn't check on the bodies after dumping them. If Wooyoung returned one day and found the pond empty of San, Hongjoong wouldn't know what to do.

Contrary to Hongjoong's brooding, Seonghwa was invested in San's tales. His eyes sparkled with the stories of the far sea and he clapped along whenever San's stories reached dramatic peaks. Whenever San caught a breath, Seonghwa added details about his life and people who were so different from San's but yet similar, for they were man-beasts with a different living space.

As the swamp grew darker with the evening and Hongjoong's stomach rumbled despite the stench, his head was cluttered with new information of countless things he couldn't imagine even in his wildest dreams. San glowed after telling his entire story, and he perked up with random details or memories from time to time. It was apparent how much he missed his home. Seonghwa's empathy exceeded his own agony since San had travelled farther, had been separated from his clan for a longer time, and had fewer options to return.

"One day when I go back, I want to show you everything. You can meet my family and friends, and our pet jellyfish," San said. His dreamy gaze directed only at Wooyoung, who tucked some hair behind San's ear. Dried, it looked like the colours he described the ocean to have. Deep blue and with faint green and purple shimmers depending on what hid under the surface.

"I will gladly accompany you. I am searching for ways to get you home and once we go, I can come along and you introduce me."

Their hands were clasped into each other on the shore. The display was purer than Hongjoong was used to from Wooyoung, but he found the sight endearing. Satisfied, he leaned into Seonghwa's side. The centaur's fur was specked with insects and assumed the swampy green hue of the bog, but they could splash through the river on their way back home.

"That would be a dream," San giggled. His hopes of return shone in his eyes like stars. Pity for him wrenched Hongjoong's heart as he regarded his battered body and the spirit in it that still blazed so brightly.

San was a beautiful creature. But more than that, Hongjoong suspected Wooyoung cherished his resilience.

Wooyoung glanced at the sky, but it didn't show through the thick blanket of treetops. The air had darkened enough they would need a lantern soon.

"Is it time to return home?"

San glanced around before he nodded.

"The way is far; you shouldn't linger. You told me about those vicious creatures with the sharp teeth that hunt at night. Will you be fine?" The last question was directed at Seonghwa.