Shimmering Tides

Just a bit Sweeter

Yuta slung his backpack over his shoulder and took one last look around the room. He had collected everything he needed for school. The last thing to do was leave.

This time Yuta was prepared.

He had walked with Jungwoo to school the day before, and the day before that, but not this time. Today he was leaving early and he was sneaking out the back door.

Yuta slinked out the back door stealthily, and took a moment to look around his backyard.

Nothing.

He sighed with relief and began his morning walk to school.

"Rise N shine!"

"God fuck-DAMMIT!" Yuta dropped to his knees and beat the ground with his fists. Jungwoo walked up to his side like nothing just happened.

"Ready to go to school?" Jungwoo asked while Yuta slowly clambered to his feet. He only grumbled in response and started walking with his head hung low.

"So how was your night?"

Yuta glared at the footpath in front of him and didn't respond.

"Did you do any of your homework?"

Of course he didn't.

"Did you have a fun time with your dad?"

Yuta froze in his path and whirled around to face Jungwoo. "What!?"

Jungwoo looked at him innocently, "You're dad. I saw you walking into the house last night with a guy."

"Oh." Yuta turned around and started walking again. "That was my friend Johnny. He's not related."

"Oh." Jungwoo said. "So then did you at least have a good time with your actual dad?"

Several seconds of uncomfortable silence fell between the boys until Yuta remembered something.

"You know I'm starting to question if I share a curse with you at all. Since I got sprayed with water the other day and I didn't change. Also when I got home that night I took a shower and nothing happened. I'm starting to think there's no curse and that I should kick you out."

Jungwoo looked a little offended by Yuta's statement. Yuta grimaced in annoyance at the pang he felt in his chest at seeing Jungwoo look like that.

"Well," Jungwoo started, "Maybe you haven't seen your tail yet, but it is there. Normally with this curse the tail would gradually grow while the person is touching water. It seems that because I didn't use my shell the traditional way, the curse didn't happen perfectly. You will probably only sprout a tail while completely submerged in water while I seem to sprout a tail when I get even a little bit of water on me."

"You're saying that the next time I go swimming I'll become a fish?"

"No, I'm saying you'll become a mermaid."

"That's what I was saying too dumb ass."

Jungwoo shot Yuta another offended look which caused Yuta to grimace again at the pang in his chest.

A grumble in Jungwoos' tummy caught both boys' attention.

"Did you eat any brekkie?" Yuta asked Jungwoo who shrugged.

"I usually have a shellfish N seaweed wrap but I was in a rush this morning to catch up with you." Jungwoo explained.

"Yeah, how did you know about me leaving early by the way?" Jungwoo asked.

"I don't know, I just had a feeling." Jungwoo smiled and attempted to skip past Yuta, but he stopped him from doing so by grabbing his wrist.

Jungwoo looked back at Yuta, confused. Yuta took a moment to check his watch.

"I think we have enough time." He said as he turned back to Jungwoo. "I know a good juice bar on the way to school. Why don't we stop there and I'll get you something?"

"Why do you care if I'm hungry or not? You're not getting attached are you?" Jungwoo wriggled his eyebrows at Yuta.

Yuta's eyes widened and he quickly let go of Jungwoo's wrist and waved his hands back and forth.

"No! It's just going to be hot today! If you don't eat then you'll get tired and grumpy and you're annoying enough when you're fed. I don't want to imagine what you're like when you're hot and hungry."

Yuta felt a pang of annoyance when Jungwoo didn't look convinced.

"Whatever you say sailor!" He shouted. He grabbed Yuta's wrist and began walking again. "Off to the juice bar we go!"

"So what'll it be?"

"Hm." Jungwoo tapped his chin with his pointer finger while examining the menu. "I'll have a medium sized Mango Surprise please!"

"Coming right up!" The waitress said, making Jungwoo smile. The two boys sat down and sure enough the woman came right out with Jungwoo's drink shortly after. It was early and there weren't too many others in the store after all.

While Jungwoo happily sipped his drink, Yuta leaned against the window; bored out of his mind. As much as he didn't like it, he needed entertainment and at the moment his only option was Jungwoo.

"So Jungwoo,"

Jungwoo peered up at Yuta curiously through his lashes. "Hm?"

"Have you dated anyone before?"

Jungwoo took a moment to stop drinking so he could respond. "Well yes actually. I recently broke up with my long term boyfriend; Lucas."

"You had a boyfriend?" Yuta asked in surprise.

"Yes. Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, it's just that gays are a bunch of pussies in my opinion but aside from that there's no problem."

Jungwoo didn't so much as flinch. "Well, I think if you gave it a chance you might like it."

Yuta glared at him and went back to looking out the window. "Fat chance."

Jungwoo only slurped up the last of his mango smoothie as a response. Once he drank the last of his smoothie he made a satisfied 'ahh' sound. Then he triumphantly put the now empty glass on the table and jumped back up.

"Time for another day of productive learning!" He skipped out of the bar earning a few weird looks from passersbys. Yuta groaned and facepalmed with both hands.

"This is gonna be a long day." He said before he reached down to grab his school bag and followed the boy who was still skipping along to the beat of his own tune.