The Tail Of Taekook

13 - Jewel Of The Ocean

We swim much slower after that, allowing Jimin to try and spread his senses out, in order to find his mate. We don't complain or comment at all, knowing that his heart is racing with nerves and apprehension. He doesn't know who they'll be. And that can be scary sometimes.

He stops again at the sight of a mermaid a few hundred metres away, one with a baby blue tail and short brown hair. She's pretty, but not stand-out stunning, if that makes any sense.

Still, he's fine with that, it's safe to say.

She freezes in her place the second she sees him, and I can feel all seven of us holding our breath. Jimin, because he's looking at his mate for the first time, and the rest of us because we just want him to be happy. He raises a shy hand, waving a greeting at her, and she swims over to us, a shocked but curious expression on her face.

"Are you my mate?" she asks quietly, once she's close enough to talk to us without shouting. Jimin manages a nervous smile.
"Can you see my aura?" he asks quietly, and she nods slightly uncertainly, causing his smile to widen. "I can see yours. How old are you?"
"I'm seventeen," she replies just as quietly, "I've lived in the ocean for about five or six years now. But I never thought I'd find my mate."

"Why not?" he asks, and she gestures towards her tail.
"Who would want a submissive that isn't that submissive? Or a girl who doesn't have long blond locks?" she says quietly, and Jimin smiles again, reassuringly.
"Who would want a dominant that isn't that dominant?" he responds, mirroring her action, showing off his tail, and her eyes widen in surprise. "What is your name?"

"Sapphire," his mate returns, "my name is Sapphire Green, ironically enough." I chuckle a little at the word play, seeing her point almost instantly. It is an odd name.
"Which country are you from?" Jimin asks curiously. She smiles shyly, moving slightly closer so that they can have a proper conversation. The rest of us move back a little bit, giving them the space to have a little privacy if they need it.

"My parents were part of the Pilgrim Fathers," she explains, "so I come from the colonies of America. My mother was travelling to Britain to discover her roots, and visit her family, when a storm caused the sailors to turn against her. She was pregnant with me at the time. When she saw the colour of my tail, my name made sense in her mind. My father will never know that we're alive."

"My name is Park Jimin," the sandy tailed merman returns, "and I come from Korea. My parents were both mer, and I'm a second legacy. But that doesn't mean I don't understand why being thrown in was bad. Most of my friends were thrown in. I'm eighteen, so I'm not much older than you."

"What brings you to this part of the sea?" Sapphire asks.
"Two reasons," Jimin replies calmly. "One, to learn more about the ocean and discover how our society can be improved, and two, in order to find my mate. My friends have all brought their mates with them on this journey. I have been alone. But now I've got you."

"Jimin hyung," I say quietly, coming forward slightly guiltily, "she might not want to explore the ocean. If it comes to it, you two can stay here together. She might not want to leave her city. Just keep that in mind." Jimin nods in understanding, turning back to Sapphire, who smiles a little sadly.

"You've got some very caring friends," she comments, and Jimin nods again, in agreement this time.
"They're my second family," he says shyly. "I'm not going to force you to come with us, though. I'm not going to pull out some sort of over-controlling voice that will drag you with us. I don't think I even have the ability to do that, anyway. But I would like you to consider it."

"Leave everything I've ever known for a stranger?" she says ruefully, and he lowers his head slightly, in shame. "Wave goodbye to my mother and my stepfather, who's never gotten over the fact that she had a child before she met him? Give me a few days, if you can spare them, and I will. I need to get to know you first. And I need to say my farewells," she decides after a few seconds, and my eyes widen in surprise.