Tails and Toes • Jikook Mermaid AU

Chapter Nine

Jimin was restless the whole ride to Busan. He wasn't just staring out of the car window, he was also jamming along to the songs on the radio. He didn't knew them, but that didn't stop him. The mermaid loved music, because he liked the fact that everyone could express their feelings into songs they loved. Jungkook enjoyed seeing Jimin happy, so he didn't stop him from turning the volume of the radio up. Jungkook was suprised that Jimin even knew how a car radio worked, but it was probably caused by the fact that Jimin pushed all the buttons for trying everything out. Jungkook lowered the volume when they drove into the city of Busan. Jungkook didn't drove that much because he didn't visit places. He would never leave the little beach town he lived in, but that all changed because of Jimin. The mermaid made him come out of his shell and Jungkook had never experienced something like that before. He parked the car in a parking lot that was a few streets away from the shops. They got out of the car and Jungkook locked it, while he looked curiously at Jimin. The mermaid was fascinated by everything that was unknown to him. ''Let's go.'' Jungkook said and Jimin immediatly followed him. What Jungkook didn't expect, was that Jimin grabbed his right hand and intertwined fingers with each other. Jimin smiled at him and looked around to get a glimpse of everything of the city. He checked himself out in shop windows and almost tripped over the pavement, because he was so focused on the weird colourful orbs that were tied to a fence by one shop. Jungkook followed Jimin's eyes and found it cute that Jimin was so fascinated by every little thing in the human world. ''What are those?'' Jimin asked his human friend and squeezed his hand a bit. ''Balloons. You want one?'' Jungkook asked and the mermaid immediatly nodded with his head. ''I like this one the most.'' Jimin said and held the white string of a red balloon in the shape of a heart. Jungkook paid the owner of the shop for the balloon while Jimin winded the long string around his right hand, so that the balloon wouldn't fly away. Jungkook walked out of the shop and got the biggest grin on his face when he saw Jimin playing around with the balloon. They resumed their walk through the street full of different shops. One thing Jimin didn't fully understand was that Jungkook got very overprotective when they passed two girls who giggled when they laid their eyes on Jimin. He didn't really care though, he was in love with the city of Busan and all the little shops with different items. Jimin saw so many things he wanted in the shop windows and he knew Jungkook would buy him everything, but he didn't want Jungkook spending his money on him. It wasn't worth it and it was already enough that Jimin got to see all those wonderful things. ''We need to buy you some clothes. My clothes don't fit you.'' Jungkook said to Jimin and he spotted a clothing shop at the corner of the street. Jimin laid his hand on Jungkook's chest to stop him and the black-haired boy looked suprised at the mermaid. ''I don't want you to spend your money on me. I'm not that important. I'm already thankful for the fact that I can walk around here freely.'' Jimin said, his hand was still on the chest of his friend. ''Don't be so weird, Jimin. It isn't about money, you deserve more than you think, but you're too kind to see it.'' Jungkook answered and Jimin sighed while he took his hand of the chest of his human friend. He didn't protest anymore and followed Jungkook to the clothing shop. Jungkook picked out different clothes for Jimin, but the mermaid didn't like to wear clothes. But he knew that humans always wore clothes and that it was really weird and rude to not wear clothes in public. ''What do you think about this?'' Jungkook asked Jimin who was clearly dozing off. ''Oh, lovely.'' Jimin muttered while he looked at the dark-blue T-shirt with a modern print on it. ''Are you sure? You don't look very happy, what happened with the excited Jimin from a few minutes ago?'' Jungkook looked worried at the mermaid who shook his head and smiled again. It wasn't a big smile, but atleast it was something. Jungkook was the one who picked Jimin's clothes, because the mermaid hated shopping for clothes. He tried to act like he was interested and he was happy again when they came out of the shop. With a big shopping bag full of T-shirts, pants, shorts, briefs and a sweater for the night in one hand and the string of a red heart-shaped balloon in the other hand, Jimin walked next to Jungkook. ''Wait, I have an idea.'' Jimin said and before Jungkook could ask his red-haired friend what he meant, the mermaid snatched his wallet out of his pocket and ran to one of the shops they already passed. ''Jimin, come back!'' Jungkook yelled, but the boy didn't listen and disappeared into one of the shops. Jungkook stood in the middle of the street, clueless as he was. Did Jimin just run away with his money to buy something for himself? Jungkook didn't knew and he waited till Jimin returned. It took five minutes for the red-haired boy to buy something and return to his waiting friend, who looked quite irritated at him. Jimin handed Jungkook the bag with clothes and then he revealed why he took Jungkook's wallet. ''And exactly why did you do that?'' Jungkook asked the red-haired boy who also handed him his wallet. ''I wanted to buy something for the both of us.'' Jimin answered and showed Jungkook what he bought. It were two silver bracelets, one with the symbol of a little mermaid tail on it and the other with the symbol of two little feet. ''This one is for you, so you'll always remember me. Even when I'm gone. So, you can remember my tail-'' Jimin pointed at the little silver mermaid tail of one bracelet. ''And I can remember your feet.'' Then he looked at the two little silver feet of the other bracelet. Jungkook felt like he couldn't breathe and stared at the bracelets while biting his lip. He found it so sweet of Jimin that he bought bracelets for the both of them, so they could always remember each other. They put the bracelets on each others wrist and Jimin found it adorable that Jungkook looked at him like he was his everything. ''Let me show you a place.'' Jungkook said to Jimin and grabbed his hand. Their fingers intertwined and Jungkook guided his red-haired friend through the rest of the city. When the duo finally stood still, it was at the side of a beach that was bigger than the beach of Jungkook's town. It was beautiful. Not only the beach, but also the skyline of all the buildings and green hills behind them. The rocks next to the beach were almost sparkling by the rays of the evening sun. They stood at the boulevard that was connected to the beach and the main walk for most of the people that lived in Busan, because it was kind of busy. But now it was quiet. Most people headed to their homes from their work, because it began to be evening and everyone would be home by then. Jimin was stunned by the beauty of the city and looked everywhere he could. As for Jungkook, the black-haired boy stared at Jimin without him noticing. Jimin was stunned by the beauty of the city and Jungkook was stunned by the beauty of Jimin. He was gorgeous and the most beautiful person Jungkook had ever laid his eyes on. Mermaids had that kind of beauty that were also present in fairytales, what couldn't be real, Jungkook thought before he met Jimin. They were elegant creatures and were known for their tempting looks. ''What do you think?'' The words that came out of Jungkook's mouth broke the calming silence, but Jimin didnt't mind. He was enchanted by the human world. ''I can't thank you enough for being here with me.'' Jimin whispered, his soft words were taken away by the oceanwind into the sky that slowly became a deep purple colour. ''Ofcourse.'' Jungkook answered with a smile and was still looking at Jimin. He didn't want to look at anything else, he was afraid to lose a moment of Jimin's beauty. The red-haired boy finally caught Jungkook staring at him and locked eyes with him. ''Your eyes.'' Jimin said to Jungkook and tilted his head. ''What about them?'' Jungkook asked curiously, staring at the dark brown pair of Jimin. ''They're beautiful.'' Jimin answered with the wide smile he always had on his face. Jungkook felt flustered, but he didn't look away. The dark brown eyes of Jimin held him captive in a prison of his feelings towards the boy. ''Do you think-'' Jimin began and turned his head towards the sea. Jungkook did the same. ''That they are happy for me? That I've blended into the human world so well and live with you?'' Jungkook could tell that Jimin was always thinking about his mermaid friends at home. ''I think that they are not only happy for you, but also proud of you. Jimin, they wanted you to have experiences like this. They wanted you to be free and careless, not being bound to the sea.'' Jungkook answered and the mermaid gave a nod with his head. ''I guess you're right.'' Jimin muttered and then he turned his head to look at Jungkook again. The salty breeze of the sea played with both of the boys hair. ''Let's go have some dinner. I'm getting hungry.'' Jungkook suggested and Jimin immediatly nodded, he was really craving some human food. They walked hand in hand over the boulevard, while the sun slowly started to go down.