Under the Sea | Minsung

ψTenψ

When he was younger, a week of his life was dedicated to the art form of ninjas. He had never been more thankful for that short-lived obsession as he was now.

Minho weaved around the clumps of people wandering aimlessly. His foot steps were silent, the weight he placed in the soles of his feet shifted and rolled in a way to ensure he wouldn't make a sound. With his hoodie down and bookbag enclosed tightly in his fist, this was the modern day ninja concealed from the public to not disturb them. Under the cover of the poor lighting Minho continued his journey through the building.

He exited the large room, pushing past the iron doors as he picked up his pace and stumbled through the tunnel. Once again, he was the only one in the viewing for this exhibit. For a while, he would be, until he was reminded of the bitter fact the weeks he'd spent waiting, and the few days he'd been talking with Jisung, were inching them closer to the deadline.

From where he stood the grand tank was empty yet again. Minho slowly trudged closer, meticulously taking in each detail of the exhibit like it was the last time he would ever see it. The current hit gently against the glass, the sand was untounched by the gobies that had claimed it as their home, the coral were still as they held in place, the schools of fish were gliding peacefully along, and the forests of kelp were motionless. With the artificial lights blasting from above the patterns of the water anywhere it could touch the scene was serene, an ideal picture perfect setting of the shallow waters in the ocean. But as beautiful as the sight was it seemed empty like a key point in a puzzle had been missing. Of course something was missing, there was no sign to where Jisung the merman was.

He gazed around the tank once more, seconds away from giving up hope that the other was willing to talk today and go home. Until something red near him caught his eye. At the base of the tank where the wall met the floor, an odd lump of sand that wasn't there before shifting and shedding a layer of the cover. Target spotted.

"Hey, Jisung," Minho suppressed a laugh and tapped lightly on the glass. In turn the lump stirred, another clump of sand falling off the side to the bottom with a poof and revealing the scarlet scales of the merman. The college student spoke again, "It looks like you're comfortable."

The mound grew at one of the ends, the sand toppling over and joining the water before settling down once again. Remaining grains clung to his hair as the merman nodded sleepily at Minho. His eyes started to close by themselves as he let out a big yawn. With minor difficulty he wiggled his arms free and extended them infront of him like a bulldozer, stretching his body out. His tail flopped back and forth to rid of the sand covering it then twisted his hips in a weird way. He settled in a laying position on the sand, arms folded under his head to serve as a pillow. Meanwhile Minho was getting his own self comfortable as he took a seat on the floor, legs crossed and bookbag tossed down beside him.

"Did I wake you?"

"No, not really."

"Liar."

Jisung didn't say more. He squished his lips to the side of his mouth as he balanced his chin on a closed fist. He barely mouthed, "Didn't we have this discussion yesterday?"

"Then you lied yesterday too."

"It's the truth I swear. Cross my heart, hope to die, blah blah blah."

"Right and I'm actually a world famous singer."

"Maybe one day you will be a famous idol, and you'll stand next to your friends, and-"

"I don't sing."

"Lies, I bet your voice is heavenly," Jisung grinned sleepily, "I'd love to hear it one day."

"I don't think I'm that good."

"Same here,"

"Isn't that kind of a mermaid, merman, kind of thing?" Minho clarified, "Singing?"

"My parents are great singers. I mean I sing decently too, but I like rapping better."

"You've heard rap music before?"

"Of course," Jisung smiled playfully, another yawn contorting the smile as he rolled onto his back. He stretched himself out against the floor and turned back to the other, "Anyway, what's in the bag?"

The university student shrugged and dragged his bookbag to be in front of him, unzipping it and shoving his hands into the vortex. He started pulling out the contents and stacking them by his knee, "A notebook, a bag of chips, it's pretty empty."

"What do you write in that notebook? You always have it with you"

"Observations."

"About?"

"Things I see," Minho pressed his lips into a thin line.

Jisung smiled and pressed his hand against the glass barrier. He mouthed hesitantly, slowly, "I guess it doesn't matter then."

Minho in turn pressed his lips into a thin line. He stared at the other, and Jisung gawked shamelessly back at him like they were the only two people in the world. Which was sort of true since they were alone.

It was broken when Minho's phone dinged at him. With a bit of reluctance he pulled his gaze away from Jisung and removed the handphone from his jacket pocket, eyes widdening when he saw the surplus of messages he was sent. The most recent ones were from Hyunjin:

Hyunjin
'Are you almost done?'

Hyunjin
'We give you a ride and now you're staying here all night? No way. Get back here.'

Hyunjin
'Hello?'

Hyunjin
'Nvm, I think we'll just leave your ungrateful ass here.'

The college student cringed, quickly sending a message to the other.

Our adopted child
'Sorry, on my way back now.'

"Jisung," Minho started shoving the stack of notebooks into the bookbag, "Hyunjin texted me, I have to go. It's almost closing time anyway."

"But I'll miss you."

Minho's face became warm. He placed a hand to his cheeks and shoved another notebook in the bag. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the merman slide his hands under his body and push himself off the sandy floor. Minho raised an eyebrow in question but didn't comment as he watched Jisung swim away from their spot. He took this time to admire the way the other's body moved fluidly, tail in tow behind moving up and down like it were a piece of fabric being dragged in the water, the way the fin that stretched from the top of his spine to the end of his tail would move gently with the current, it occasionally lifting up then laying flat as he guiding himself around the tank.

He was mesmerized, not even realising that the notebook he held slipped from his grasp. The thud yanked him back to reality as he snatched it back up, brushed the cover off, and tucked it under his arm. Minho slung the heavy bookbag over his shoulder and stood from the ground with a small frown tugging at his lips.

Again, as he picked the notebook up from the floor, he had to remind himself to focus. A glare pulled his features tense, the stare attempting to stab daggers into the front cover so he might never have to see it again. A knock called his attention away. Jisung knocked at the barrier and gestured for him to hurry along.

Minho smiled gently at him as his grip on the notebook tightened. Maybe he could get a little distracted.

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