Shimmering Tides

Curse or Blessing

For the record this book is set in Sydney, Australia I am not an Aussie nor have I ever been to Australia. My Bostonian ass is gonna try my best for this to be accurate but I'm sorry to any of my Aussie readers for any inaccuracies. :/

"Bum me a dario while you're at it!"

"Why the living fuck would I do that!"

"Well since you're already kissing my brother's ass for free drinks I don't see why you can't just help a mate out too!"

Yuta sighed but eventually slipped a Winfeild out of his pack and handed it to Doyoung. "Here you go you asshat." He scoffed, trying to save a shred of his dignity. But Doyoung was right, he liked his drinks and he wasn't quite of age yet.

He leaned back in his chair, away from his friends loud banter, so he could take in his surroundings. It was rush hour here at Johnny's as it always was on a Saturday night. Unfortunately no one around really suited his fancy. He sighed and leaned back in. Doyoung had dragged a poor Chinese exchange student to the bar and was currently peer pressuring him into taking shots.

"Kun, Kun, Kun!" Everyone was banging their fists on the table. The boy looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but there. Once Yuta caught wind of the fact that he wasn't into it; he decided to be the adult in the room.

He swung an arm around the timid boy's shoulders.

"Lighten up you tight ass. Try and keep us entertained and drink the goddamn alcohol."

The boy looked as if he was about to scream. But instead, he reluctantly picked up the glass of vodka and downed the whole thing, then the one after that, and the one after that.

The table was cheering so loud Yuta's ears hurt.

"我想吐了。" Kun said as he clung to Doyoung's side.

"What'd he say?" Yuta asked Doyoung.

"I don't know. I don't fucking speak Chinese." Doyoung shot back.

"But you take Chinese." Yuta countered.

"You think I pay any attention in that class?"

"Fair enough." Yuta sighed. It was a beautiful night, the sky was clear and it was a full moon. He would've been home by now sitting by the shore enjoying the view but this Chinese freak was slowing the group down.

They passed by a pile of pillows that someone had left out for the rubbish disposal which gave Yuta an idea.

"Hey." He turned to Doyoung, "Leave Genghis Khan on those pillows. He can make his way home when he wakes up."

"Isn't Genghis Khan Mongolian?" Haechan asked.

"Do I look like care?" Yuta countered. Haechan shrugged and kept walking. Yuta helped dump the poor boy onto the pillows.

"妈妈我觉得我屎我的裤子。" The boy muttered.

"Now that I understood." Doyoung shook his head at the boy. Yuta patted his shoulder and the two started to walk away along with the rest of their group.

Eventually they came by Yuta's street. He waved goodbye as the group walked on, leaving him standing alone. He was about to make his way home but something told him to look back.

He turned around slowly, facing the open water. At first he saw nothing.

But then he saw it.

"Holy shi-"

🧜‍♀️🧜‍♀️🧜‍♀️

"There, that one."

"Really? Him? But Taeyong I-"

"No buts Jungwoo. You said you would do anything to redeem yourself and this is what I've given you."

"How am I even supposed to lewer him here? My shell's broken."

"Your singing voice isn't that bad, and there is one way for you to pass the curse onto him without speaking into the shell."

Jungwoo looked confused for a second but eventually his eyes widened in understanding. He sighed loudly but before he could protest Taeyong patted his shoulder lightly.

"I trust you Woo." And with that he sped off, leaving the distraught mermaid alone in the water.

Jungwoo sighed again before he started to get himself into position.

"Alright let's get this over with." He said.

He hovered around the surface of the water, waiting for the strawberry haired boy to separate from his friends. Once he did, Jungwoo slithered out of the water and carefully crawled to the edge of the shore. The boy had his back facing Jungwoo and was about to start walking away when Jungwoo began to lightly sing.

"I saw an angel~" The boy turned around and started squinting at the shoreline, looking for Jungwoo.

"Neol cheoeum bwasseul ttae~" The boy's eyes fell on Jungwoo.

"Holy shi-"

"Haneureseo naeryeoon cheonsagachi bitnasseo~" The boy's eyes glazed over and he began to slowly walk towards him.

"I'll be your morning star~" The boy kneeled down to be face to face with the mermaid who was propping himself up in an upward dog position.

"And you are my angel~" Their faces were inches away from one another.

"You are my angel~" The boy's eyes fluttered shut as he continued to lean closer and closer to Junwoo.

"I'll be your morning star~" The boy puckered his lips.

There was a beat of silence. Nothing moved, the world had stopped and it was just the two of them. 

Now! Jungwoo thought. Without wasting a second chance, he adjusted his grip on his broken shell and swung his arm in front of him to smack the boy in the face with it.  His head snapped to the side and his cheek started to turn a light red.

At first nothing happened, at least nothing magical. The boy's eyes refocused and he looked back at Jungwoo with a mix of anger and confusion on his face.

"What the hel-"

Beautiful lime green lights began to emerge from the ocean and surround the two. The boy looked confused and maybe even a little scared, but Jungwoo was laughing hysterically.

Let the curse commence.