the Deep Ocean || Meanie

02

Mingyu was now standing in the middle of the market. There was a lot of small tables with different stuff on them and people standing behind the tables, selling the stuff. Mingyu had never seen some of the things that they were selling. Jewelry made out of pearls and shells, clothes made out of seaweed, colourful makeup and different types of weird foods. As Mingyu was looking at the food he got hungry, even though he didn't know what the food was it looked good.
Mingyu walked around at the market and admired all the stuff there was. However, he could notice that a lot of people were looking at him when he passed by them. Mingyu understood why this was, as he was wearing the diving suit, plus he was bare feet.
The people around him were whispering to each other and Mingyu tried to ignore them. Maybe they recognized him as 'The Kim Mingyu', he thought.

"Oh, here you are! I was looking for you" Mingyu saw a boy, who looked around his age, coming towards him. Mingyu tried to look who the boy was talking to, but it seemed like it was to Mingyu. He was going to answer, but the boy continued.
"You can't just walk around in this outfit. People are going to get a wrong idea, silly" The boy spoke loudly, as if he wanted others to hear, and Mingyu could see the people aroud him getting more relaxed again, and continuing their shopping.  The boy chuckled as he grabbed Mingyu by the arm and pulled him away from the market. Mingyu followed the boy, it's not like he could get away from his grip, the boy was too strong.

When they were at a small alley, the boy turned to look at Mingyu. Now that Mingyu could see him better, he noticed that the boy had blue freckles on his cheeks. The unknown boy had blue-ish hair and baggy clothes, like everyone around here apparently.
"Who the hell are you?" The boy asked, making Mingyu suprised at the same time. Mingyu thought that the boy looked too innocent to use those kind of words.
"K-Kim Mingyu" Mingyu cursed himself for stuttering. The boy was staring at him intensively. Even though the boy was shorter than Mingyu, the look on his face made Mingyu uncomfortable.

"Who sent you? How did you get in here?" What did he mean by that, Mingyu thought. Was this place somehow secret? The boy was clearly waiting for an answer, but Mingyu couldn't say anything.
"I got lost while swimming, and got here accidentally" Mingyu said and watched as the boy's features changed from anger to confusion.
"How am I supposed to believe you?" The boy asked again, before looking at Mingyu from head to toe. Seeing that Mingyu was genuinely confused as well, the boy calmed down a little. Mingyu watched as the boy took a blue stone out of his pocket and put it near Mingyu's forehead.
"I guess you really don't know, otherwise the truth stone would've showed it" The stranger sighed. Mingyu was so puzzled and he didn't know how to react to anything that the boy was saying or doing, so he just stared at him.

"A long ago, everyone wanted to find this place and they started a war with us. Some humans are still trying to find 'the lost city', so we need to be careful" The boy told Mingyu, now clearly trusting Mingyu a little bit more.
So that explained the werid looks he was getting at the market. He felt a little embarrassed by thinking, that it was because they knew who Mingyu was.
"What is your name?" Was the first thing Mingyu could get out. He had so many questions, but it was easy to ask this one fist.

"My shin-name is Adazel, but my real name is Joshua Hong" The boy answered. Noticing the confusion on Mingyu's face, the boy continued. "Aah, you don't know yet.. Everyone here has a shin-name, so that you can be adressed more formally, but you can use your real name with the people who are close to you or around the same age" Mingyu nodded as he listened to the boy explain.
"So, call me Joshua. What was your name again?" He asked and Mingyu answered quickly.  Mingyu wasn't used to that people didn't know who he was, but it didn't bother him the slightest. He was glad to have a little break from the fame. "I'm Kim Mingyu, nice to meet you" Refreshing experience for Mingyu to say his name aloud and having no reaction. No screaming fans, no paparazzis. Mingyu would love to live like this.

Mingyu and Joshua decided, that Joshua was going to buy new clothes for Mingyu, so that he wouldn't stand out too much, and after that Joshua was going to show the city to him. Mingyu waited at the alley while Joshua bought the clothes. He returned with blue baggy pants and a green top. When Mingyu had changed into the new clothes, they started walking.
Joshua explained what everything was, when they saw something that Mingyu was interested in. Sometimes their communication would be a little hard, because they had lived so differently. As for example when Mingyu had asked about the fish, and how they were swimming in the air, Joshua's answer was "What else would they do? Of course they swim there"

"Ooh, What's that?" Mingyu said and pointed at the big castle that was placed in the middle of the city. Joshua turned to the directon where  Mingyu  was pointing at, but then sighed in disappointment.
"That's King Lilium's castle. He is the one who rules the whole city and decides for everything" Joshua answered, but Mingyu was still curious.
"Then, why do you sound disappointed?" Mingyu asked again. "I'm not disappointed, it's just that King Lilium is a bit... crazy, nowdays. When the war started, he wanted to protect his people so badly, that he killed half of the other army by himself and then decided to hide the town, so that no one could see it again. That's why we're underwater" Joshua kept explaining and Mingyu listened closely. It was all so interesting to him.

"Now, he is doing the same thing to his poor son, Prince Yriailé. The rumor is that King Lilium doesn't let his son out of the castle, at all, because he wants to protect him. However, my friends who work in the castle as servants, have told me that King Lilium is doing everything else than protecting the Prince" Joshua continued to speak with a mournful expression.
"Is there a queen? Can't she help the Prince?" Mingyu wondered. Joshua shook his head. "Queen Lilium died in the war. It was one of the reasons that drove the King mad. Now it's just Prince Yriailé who needs to tolerate the King's behavior"
Mingyu looked at the castle again. He felt sad for Prince Yriailé. Alone in that huge castle. If the rumours were true, of course.

"Joshua! We're done for the day!!" They heard someone screaming from behind them. When Mingyu turned around, he saw two guys running towards them. The two males ran to Joshua and hugged him from both sides at the same time. "Oh, I missed your smell.." The other one of the males spoke. Joshua giggled as he kissed both of the guys on their cheeks.
"Right.... Mingyu, these are my boyfriends" Joshua turned to Mingyu and pointed at the males. Both of them bowed to Mingyu and he did the same.

"Hello, I'm Amirel. Real name's Yoon Jeonghan, nice to meet you" One of the guys spoke and shook Mingyus hand. Mingyu smiled at the male. He had long blue hair and a beautiful face with an adorable smile.
"Hey, I'm Nataeol. Also known as Choi Seungcheol" The other male introduced himself. The Seungcheol guy was a bit more muscular and he had a cute gummy smile.
Unlike Joshua, these guys didn't have freckles on their cheeks, but Jeonghan had a star under his left eye and Seungcheol had two thin blue lines on the side of his nose bridge.

"The face marks present the clan we belong in" Joshua whispered to Mingyu, as he saw Mingyu looking at them. Mingyu nodded and did a quiet 'Oh' with his mouth.
"Hey, can you tell Mingyu about the castle?" Joshua asked from his boyfriends.
"Of course!" Jeonghan said exitedly. "We both work at the castle, I as a cook and Cheollie as a waiter, so we know a lot. What do you want to know about?" Jeonghan continued. Mingyu thought for a moment, before speaking.
"The Prince, I want to know about him"

"Prince Yriailé? Hmmm... Maybe Seokmin or Soonyoung could answer better for that, but we'll try" Seungcheol spoke.
"The Prince is really quiet from what I know. But he's really kind. I sometimes deliver his food to him and he always says thank you politely" Mingyu listened while nodding. He really wanted to meet the Prince..

"But didn't Seokmin tell that he get's mad quickly?" Joshua asked. Mingyu was thinking who this Seokmin person was.
"Well, only when his father, The King, is around. Those two really seem to hate each other.." Jeonghan answered to the question.

"Mingyu, why don't you come to spend the evening with us? Seokmin will probably be there also, so he can answer to your questions" Joshua smiled. Mingyu did trust Joshua, even though they just met. Joshua seemed like a good guy. He could also hear more about the castle and Prince Yriailé.
So Mingyu didn't have to think any longer before answering.

"I would love to come"