Destiny - Vmin

9. Decisions

Taehyung wakes up in the middle of the night, having had a nightmare. His restless mind leads him to decide to go to the beach. Quickly undressing, he dives into the sea, and in an instant, his human form gives way to that of a merman. The cool water calms him, allowing him to distract himself from his confusing thoughts as he glides through the waves. He spends hours exploring the ocean floor, surrounded by colorful fish and coral, until the first light of dawn begins to illuminate the surface, and he exits the water.

Upon leaving the water, Taehyung uses a simple spell to dry his body quickly. He doesn't master magic with skill, but he knows a few small tricks. Once dry, he returns to his human form. The soft energy of the morning, along with the freedom of transformation, brings a sense of renewal. With a clearer mind, his thoughts return to Jimin. The prince's kindness moves him, and it's hard for him to ignore the confusion it causes. He knew he would miss Jimin when the time to leave arrived.

In the castle, Jimin wakes up and, noticing the empty room, feels a pang of worry. The fear that Taehyung might have disappeared as mysteriously as he had arrived invades him, but he forces himself to stay calm. He remembers how the young man had reacted to the lack of freedom, so he decides to wait patiently.

With the dawn, the castle begins to come to life, and the servants prepare breakfast. Already dressed, Jimin goes down for the meal and finds Taehyung sitting at the table, calm. Relieved, he joins the young man.

"After breakfast, let's go to the center for your final fitting for the gala outfit. If everything's good, we can pick it up today," Jimin says, taking a sip of tea.

Taehyung gestures: [Alright, but I doubt anyone will recognize me at this ball.]

"Of course they will! You'll soon reunite with your family," Jimin responds, but a selfish part of him secretly hopes no one recognizes him, so that Taehyung could stay by his side longer.

The trip to the shopping district was calm. Jimin and Taehyung explored the surroundings, where a procession displayed exotic products from distant lands. Taehyung, fascinated by the colors and shapes, was particularly enchanted by the vibrant, elaborate kites that were on sale.

Noticing the enthusiasm in Taehyung's eyes, Jimin decided to buy two kites.

Taehyung gestured with a smile: [Can we get one for Miguel?] — pointing to a third kite, even more colorful.

Jimin, even though he didn't understand why, felt a slight sting of annoyance when buying another kite for Miguel. The seller eagerly explained how to fly the kites, mentioning that the beach would be the perfect place to let them soar.

"We can go to the beach to fly the kites this afternoon," Jimin suggested, trying to suppress the strange feeling.

Taehyung remembered what had happened in the early morning, but couldn't find a convincing excuse to avoid the outing. Instead, the two continued exploring the city center, trying exotic fruits and soaking in the vibrant bustle around them. Eventually, they arrived at the atelier, where Taehyung did the final fitting for his gala outfit. The tailor made the last adjustments, and both left satisfied with the result.

The return to the castle was quick and smooth. Later, Jimin managed to get a break for Miguel, and the three of them gathered, heading to the beach with kites in hand.

At the beach, they were all entertained, flying the kites as a cool breeze blew. However, the sea seemed stranger than usual, retreating far beyond what would be expected. Jimin was focused on his kite, but a sudden gust of wind yanked it from his hands, causing him to chase after it, leaving Taehyung and Miguel alone at the edge of the beach.

A few minutes later, a large wave, a result of that abnormal retreat, surged with force, breaking near the shore and splashing water onto Miguel and Taehyung. Miguel laughed loudly as he got wet, finding the situation amusing. It was rare to have such moments, free from responsibilities at the castle, and he enjoyed the lightheartedness of the moment.

However, when he looked at Taehyung, something caught his attention. While he was drenched, Taehyung remained completely dry, as if the water hadn't even touched him. Miguel blinked, confused, trying to understand what had happened. He convinced himself that the splashes had passed through Taehyung without hitting him, perhaps a stroke of luck.

But the strangeness of the moment lingered in his mind. Even as he continued laughing and playing, the thought that something was different, that Taehyung was more mysterious than he seemed, wouldn't leave him. The question of how that could have happened hung in the air, leaving an unsettling curiosity.

Jimin soon returned with the kite he had gone after, and the three continued to have fun for a while longer. But as the sky began to change color, signaling the coming of night, they decided it was time to return to the castle.