My Little Mermaid :: hyunin

chapter O2 :: the change

10:09 PM, June 20th.

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"So, I give you...my voice, and you give me the ability to be a human?" Jeongin found the deal to be quite odd, and he questioned why Mizu would want his voice of all things. Jeongin had talked over the deal with her for a few hours, but he was still awestruck by the cave around him. The walls were a deep mauve, and lined with shelves containing objects from the human world. There were things even Jeongin hadn't seen before, and he had quite the collection of human things back home, his collection of whozits and whachamacallits that had continually grown as his time observing the humans also grew.

"Yes, exactly my dear!" Mizu said with a mature excitement, and offered a flat, smooth, plaque-like piece of rock in his direction. The bit of rock was quite small, and the little square could easily fit in the palm of his hand.

Mizu opened a small jar of what appeared to be a slimy black substance. She threw the cap to the side, and held it beside Jeongin's free hand.

"Now, just cover your thumb in this, and print it right there." She spoke with some kind of tone Jeongin couldn't quite understand. The woman pointed to the center of the rock, where a thin layer had been scraped off. Dipping his finger into the goopy substance, Jeongin felt a wave of nerves and nausea-like thrill rush through him. Once the pad of his thumb was thoroughly covered, he placed his thumb onto the rock and pressed down.

Jeongin gasped as he pulled his thumb away. His limbs felt heavier, and the spot where he placed his thumb light up, shining a bright yellow color.

"That's it! It's done!"

Should he be feeling as nervous as he is?

"Wait!" Mizu gave him a look of interest, wanting to hear what he has to say.

"What if I want to come home?"

Mizu laughed.

"Oh, that's an easy one, dear. There's only one way to come back. You think you love that boy, no?" Jeongin nodded sheepishly.

"Well, seeing as he is most of the reason you want to leave here and find a new home, he is the way you can come back," Jeongin looked utterly bewildered, "If you two shall kiss, and one does not love the other, you will have to return home. And, not on your own terms." Jeongin gulped.

"Sound fair?"

"Um...yes."

"Oh good! Now, you may want to go tell your friends goodbye. You willl turn into a human at midnight and it's now," Mizu peaked her head outside of the cave for a moment, "About three hours until midnight."

Jeongin's eyes widened to nearly double their normal size, and he rushed to thank Mizu and tell her goodbye before he swam out of the cave at lightening speed. He went as fast as his body could manage, and he could feel cramps forming from the act.

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10:57 PM, June 20th.

"Oh hey Jeongin you're finally—woah, hey are you okay?" The look on Yeonjun's face went from happy to concerned in mere seconds as he saw the boy look around nervously. There was Yeonjun, and Soobin, and Taehyun, and Beomgyu, and...

Where's Kai?

"He's about to go to sleep, most of us are. Are you alright Innie?" Jeongin hadn't even realized that he'd thought out loud until Yeonjun answered him.

"Yes, I'm okay. Just, stay here." He said, before zooming around to find Kai. When he did find the cherry-tailed male, he was engulfed in a hug.

"I know I was bratty but I want to thank you anyways! Thank you for taking me to see the humans, even though I bugged you, and I cut your time short, and—"