TAEHYUNG OUT OF WATER | k.taehyung

6: fish tales

I've never seen V this happy since he came to our home. Well, he's generally a jolly kid but not he's not as happy as he is when he is in the water. I sat down by the pool and watched him do somersaults over and over again, flaunting his fish tail confidently. I'm still dazed and confused as to how he came here on land but, mostly because he's so beautiful.

I only knew mermaids from the Disney movies I used to watch when I was young. I never expected that I'd have a chance to see one and even talk to one in real life. V told me stories about when he was young and what's it's like to be in his tail. His stories are all so wonderful to the point that I can actually see myself in it. I used to like being in water too.

"Thank you, Haesung, for letting me use your swimming pool." V swam towards me and flashed me a grin, making my cheeks hot.

"I-It's not mine. It's the property of the school." I told him, "It just so happens that I'm part of the swim team and captain trusted me with a copy of the key here."

He cocked his head to the side with another confused look. "What's a swim team? And what's a captain?"

I sighed, telling myself to be more patient, "A swim team is a group of people who swims and the captain is the one who leads them."

"Oh, like what I used to do when I was young!" He chirped, floating far away again on his back, "Me and my friends used to swim together and I would lead because I swim the fastest."

"Yeah, something like that." I replied to him, but the truth is, I quit the team some time ago.

I haven't swam in a while ever since I lost the competition because of my incompetence. I fainted while swimming. Since then, I haven't had the face to show to my teammates anymore. I stopped coming to practice at one point and, at first, they persuaded me to continue but when soon they got tired and just accepted the fact that I gave up.

V floated near me again, studying the look on my face. "What's the matter, Haesung? You're sad and.. angry."

"What?" I was taken aback, "H-How did you know?"

"I can feel other people's emotions." V stared into my eyes but mine was fixed on some other thing under the water. He just turned his tail into human feet again.

My eyes widened as he pull himself out of the water and sat beside me in an Indian sit. "H-How did you do that? I thought-"

"I can turn my tail back to my feet anytime I want." V explained and I just sat there like a kid, marveling on a soda volcano in a science convention.

"Then why didn't you do that earlier!" I yelled at him and he winced at the shrillness of my voice, "You made me carry you all the way here like a wrapped up sardine."

"Because I can only do it once a day. Sorry, Haesung." He frowned and I felt bad big time. "If my feet get wet again after this, I won't be able to turn it back anymore."

I released a sigh again and reached my hand out to ruffle his hair gently, "Alright. I forgive you."

After V changed into his dry clothes, we headed to the mall, just aimlessly walking around because it's too hot to stay at home. I was a bit embarrassed to be with V since he's behaving like a total country bumpkin who just arrived in the city. He kept on touching things and being amazed by the smallest of things like that water fountain in the center. He almost jumped in it if I didn't drag him away from there.