Tidal-Bore

6. Taɪ̯ʤeɣ

Wooyoung rested better than ever before. After eating Jongho's delicious food, the man had showed them to the corner he had divided off the second story of his house. Yeosang and Wooyoung shared one big bed, Yongguk took the single, and they slept like rocks while Splish Splash hovered in the corner and glowed in the dark. It reminded Wooyoung of his glow-in-the-dark stars he fancied as a child. What a pleasant animal.

When Wooyoung woke, the peculiar pet followed him downstairs where he sat in awkward silence while he ate breakfast with Jongho.

While they waited for the others to rouse, Wooyoung tried to learn bits of their language.

"Hello," he acted out with a bow, giving a wave. Jongho perked up opposite of him and bowed back. It was stiffly formal, but served its purpose.

"Taɪ̯ʤeɣ."

"T-Taɪ̯ʤeɣ," Wooyoung tried. Jongho gave him a little applause before he leaned closer to show Wooyoung how to press his tongue to his teeth. He repeated it, slower. Upon Jongho's satisfied nod, Wooyoung beamed like a Christmas tree.

Yeosang had the unfortunate timing to skip down the stairs right that instant. With a gleeful smile, Wooyoung turned to him.

"Yeosang! Taɪ̯ʤeɣ!"

With shining eyes, Yeosang clapped his hands.

"Taɪ̯ʤeɣ Wooyoung! I see you're learning, setting such a good example." He plopped down at the table and eyeballed Splish Splash by his side as if she would grow a mouth to eat him. With her ambling, they could never tell whether or not she was dormant.

"I need it to seduce people. How could I get my point across if I can't even address my newest heartthrob?"

Yeosang made a face.

"Didn't we settle on not playing around here?"

"That's what you settled on. I get to know a folk best by getting real close and..." He leaned across the space between their chairs to whisper into Yeosang's ear. "Intimate."

Yeosang shoved him back with a blush raging across his cheeks. As he rubbed his ear as if offended of listening to such suggestive words, Jongho studied their foreign mannerisms.

"I would like to see you seduce someone by telling them hello. Never worked for me." Yeosang gave a long-suffering sigh.

Wooyoung scoffed.

"Of course not. Body language is the key, and that's universal. Maybe put those hips to use next time." The gentle slap he delivered to Yeosang's backside perched on the chair made the man squawk. Mortified, he buried his head in his arms while Wooyoung continued eating as if nothing had happened.

Before Jongho had to ask if they were fine, Yongguk arrived. Breakfast ended soon when the girls also came over, and Seonghwa knocked on the door ten minutes later. They assured him of their marvellous rest before they took off together, promising Jongho to return later.

This time, Seonghwa, who came accompanied by his two tall guards, brought them straight down the main road towards the palace. The streets were busy in the early morning as people bustled about for their daily work. They all were blissfully unbothered by the fake sky that spanned above them and accustomed to their remarkable deep-sea surrounding.

Wooyoung watched them interact as they passed through. Atlanteans were no folk of warriors, he most saw farmers and gatherers. Few kids ran around play-fighting as their country had never seen a past that made it necessary. Instead, many young kids helped their parents with work or played with the jellyfish.