𝒪𝒸𝑒𝒶𝓃 𝒬𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃

{5}

"Taehyung!" A booming voice yelled behind the swimming mermaid. The water was warm, yet he felt his skin crawl with goosebumps as he came to a halt.

"Father," Tae breathed while turning around, green tail flicking in anxiety.

"You made a fool of us." His father started, swimming closer so the anger in his eyes were visible. "My son suddenly disappears right before dinner?"

"Sorry I kno-"

"You obviously don't Tae! You couldn't even last 10 minutes in that castle before you had to get out?! The prince was nice, what do you have against humans?!" His father asked, eyebrows furrowed in desperation.

"I-I don't have anything against them. I j-just don't wanna get m-married so young." Tae whispered, rubbing his arm for reassurance.

"I understand that honey, but it's something that comes with being a prince." Namjoon sighed as Tae looked down to the sandy ocean floor. "Prince Jeon is a good man, so please, let him prove that to you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tae's head broke through the water, hair dripping. He swam to his  rock, hopping on it and looking at the sunset.

As usual he didn't notice the raven hired prince walking on the seaside cliff. Jeongguk stared in wonderment as the obscure mermaid laid his head into the palms of his hands while the sunlight kissed his soft skin with pure gold.

He was too caught up in his thoughts to notice how close he was to the edge and how his foot slipped easily; body tumbling in the air and crashing into the salty sea. Water broke around him as the ocean swallowed his buff build whole.

Tae flicked his head around when he heard a panicked scream, finding the prince heading down into what he would call home.

"Hm," Tae hummed a couple seconds later, "I should probably go help."  he took one last look at the sunset and dove back into the cold water.

He swam towards where he thought Jeongguk would be and found him thrashing his arms around pathetically, trying to get out.

"Shouldn't princes know how to swim?" Tae asked himself as he swam to Jeongguk, arms out ready to help.

"Calm down," Tae whispered as he wrapped his arms under Jeongguks armpits and swam up towards the surface.

Jeongguk grasped for air and choked on the water in his lungs, causing him to have a coughing fit.

Tae's soft hair was brushing the sides of Jeongguks neck reassuringly as he swam him to the sandy beach by the castle.

"You're okay now," Tae said, trying to be gentle with the older prince.

"Thank you, I can handle myself from here." Jeongguk hoarsely said in that deep voice of his; making Tae shiver in delight.

"Mhm."Tae hummed as he let go of Jeongguk. "Watch out next time," He stood up, thighs eaten up by the water as he walked towards the shore.

"I will," Jeongguk said smiling as he turned around to get a look at the beautiful mermaid. But when his eyes landed on the spot Taehyung last was, he was no where to be found.

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