Moonlit Shores

𓆉 Chapter 9

That night, Jeonghan drifted into a familiar dream, one that had visited him nightly for days now. He found himself beneath the waves, the vibrant ocean stretching out like a sapphire field all around him, soft light filtering through. And there beside him was Seungcheol, not as a human but as a merman. His dark hair floated smoothly and his deep brown eyes sparkled with a warmth that made Jeonghan's heart feel weightless.

They drifted together through the coral reefs, laughing as schools of fish swirled around them like living clouds. Seungcheol's hand was warm in his, and he guided Jeonghan through hidden caverns and colorful forests of underwater plants. Jeonghan felt as though he could swim like this forever, side by side, with Seungcheol's hand never leaving his.

Then, they stopped, and Seungcheol turned to him, his gaze steady yet soft. "I don't want to go back to land, Jeonghan," he said, his voice low but echoing like a soft wave. "I want to stay here with you... in your world."

Jeonghan's heart raced at the words, and he felt warmth bloom in his chest. He glanced down, realizing that Seungcheol had intertwined their fingers, holding him close. "Are you sure?" Jeonghan asked, barely daring to breathe.

Seungcheol nodded, his face earnest. "I want to see the ocean the way you do. I want to know everything about your world... and about you." He leaned in closer, his forehead brushing Jeonghan's, their breaths mingling as if even the water between them had vanished.

They began to sink gently, drawn deeper by the currents, but they didn't let go. Seungcheol's arms wrapped around him, holding him like they'd never have to part again. In that moment, Jeonghan felt the peaceful pull of the ocean as if it were blessing them, surrounding them with stillness, and he closed his eyes, feeling utterly content.

But then, as with every night, the dream started to fade. The colors of the ocean dimmed, Seungcheol's hand grew colder in his, until Jeonghan was left with nothing but the soft echo of Seungcheol's promise lingering in the darkness.

𖢖⪻𓅢⪼𖢖

Jeonghan woke up in a daze, his heart still racing from the memory of their meeting. But by mid-morning, he was up and moving, heading out to meet his friend Soonyoung. They'd planned a trip to the local market- a sprawling place under the sea where merfolk could find anything they needed, from crafted accessories to vibrant fabrics, jewelry, and more.

The two of them swam from shop to shop, eyeing different clothes and seashell accessories. Jeonghan tried to stay present, listening as Soonyoung talked about a new dance he was learning, but he found his thoughts wandering back to Seungcheol more often than he wanted to admit.

Eventually, they got tired of browsing, and Soonyoung suggested grabbing some food. They each bought a drink and a snack, and when Soonyoung started looking around for a table, Jeonghan cleared his throat. "Actually, want to just swim and eat?" he asked casually, though the suggestion was unusual.

Soonyoung raised an eyebrow. "Swim and eat? Since when do you not want to sit down?"

Jeonghan just shrugged, hoping Soonyoung would drop it. But he should have known better.

The two drifted along, nibbling their food and sipping their drinks, until Soonyoung finally asked, "Alright, what's going on with you? You're acting weird today."

Jeonghan glanced around, making sure they were alone. When he was satisfied no one else was in earshot, he lowered his voice. "I... I've been meeting with a human." He kept his tone calm, though his heart thudded with excitement.

Soonyoung's eyes went wide. He choked on his drink, letting out an audible gasp that made a few nearby merfolk glance their way. Jeonghan waved his hand, signaling for Soonyoung to stay quiet. Once the curious looks faded, Jeonghan turned back to his friend. "Only you and Seungkwan know," he said firmly. "You can't tell anyone else."

"Are you kidding me?" Soonyoung's voice was a barely contained whisper. "Where did you even meet him? Why have you been sneaking up to the shore? Wait- did you turn him into a merman?"

Jeonghan laughed a little, shaking his head. "No, nothing like that. I met him when he was drowning. I... turned him into a merman temporarily to save him, and since then, we've been meeting by the shore behind the rocks."

As Jeonghan explained, Soonyoung sipped his drink thoughtfully, but his gaze never left Jeonghan's face. Soonyoung's eyes sparkled with mischief as he noticed Jeonghan's pupils dilating with each mention of the human. "Wait... you like him, don't you?" Soonyoung said with a grin. "You totally have a crush!"

"What? No, I don't! I'm just... interested in his world, that's all." Jeonghan's voice was defensive, but he couldn't hide the blush spreading across his cheeks.

"Oh, come on. You're lying to yourself," Soonyoung teased, nudging him with his elbow. "What's his name?"

Jeonghan looked away, reluctantly answering, "Seungcheol..."

With that, Soonyoung went into full dramatics, clasping his hands and pretending to swoon. "Seungcheol! What does he look like?"

Jeonghan's face softened as he began to describe him, oblivious to Soonyoung's grin. "He has these deep brown eyes, a really nice jawline... strong arms..." He paused, going on a tangent about Seungcheol's warm smile and the little gestures he'd noticed, like the way he'd push his hair back or laugh when he was caught off guard. As he talked, he felt a strange thrill run through him, almost like he was sharing a secret he'd held close for far too long.

"Yep, you're completely infatuated," Soonyoung declared, breaking Jeonghan's focus. "I bet you've even had dreams about him."

Jeonghan fell silent, the blush on his cheeks growing deeper. Soonyoung noticed right away and burst into laughter, poking Jeonghan's side until he almost dropped his food.

They kept swimming until they reached Soonyoung's house, where they lounged in his room, chatting about anything and everything. But it didn't take long before Soonyoung brought up Seungcheol again, asking, "So, has he given you anything yet? Because if you'd bought that bracelet yourself, I'd bet we'd have matching ones. You never leave me out."

Jeonghan fumbled, a mixture of embarrassment and defensiveness taking over as he touched the bracelet on his wrist, avoiding Soonyoung's gaze. Soonyoung only laughed, smiling fondly. "I've never seen you like this, Hannie. I've had crushes before, but I've never had to deal with your crush. And you're acting like I did when I was twelve."

Jeonghan could only laugh, ducking his head to hide the blush on his face. "It's not like that, Soonyoung," he muttered, though they both knew that wasn't true at all.