It felt like he would be able to go anywhere. It seemed that if he ran like this, he would be able to break through Artisa’s barrier. Rayan couldn’t bear to hide his giggle that faintly came out.
The heat was still the same, and he felt drowsy, but his mind kept floating. He rubbed his lips for no reason and fell face down on the bed, rubbing his cheek.
‘Close your eyes.’
A low, subdued voice. Strange heat. Even the hand that was resting on the nape of his neck and sliding up through his hair. Everything was as vivid as if it had just happened.
“…”
Rayan couldn’t help but let out a silent scream. His clenched hands pounded on his bed and his fins swayed aimlessly.
He hoped time would pass quickly. He wanted to see Erich at night already. It hasn’t been long since he returned to Atisa, time passed very slowly.
Yuri’s words made sense to him now. ‘Even though you are together with them, you want to be closer, and parting is a pity’. Just seeing him made his heart beat and he smiled.
He wanted to boast of Erich’s existence to everyone living in this sea.
How blue his eyes were, how his long eyelashes fluttered when he lowered them, how high and sharp the bridge of his nose that touched his cheek. Also, how lovely he, who usually had a cold expression, was when he smiled at him.
It would be nice if everyone got to know Erich.
All species living in the sea had been ostracized and wary of humans, but if they got to know Erich, they would realize that not all humans were like that.
Then, Rayan’s expression suddenly became serious.
What if everyone came to like Erich?
If Alle knew, he would have swung his tail and told him to come to his senses, asking what’s so good about a human who pretends to be gentle. Of course, Rayan, who had no idea what Alle was thinking, was quite serious.
He wished everyone got to know Erich, but he wished he was the only one who liked Erich. It was the first feeling of possessiveness in his life.
For decades after he was born, there was nothing he couldn’t have if he wanted something, so he never thought of wanting to have something, and after Mer’s failure, it became a habit to give up. So Rayan was a little embarrassed by this desire.
But, but—
“This is…”
Water droplets rolled in front of Rayan. It was a messenger. He tilted his head. None of the people who knew him—Ayla was the only one in Atisa right now— would send me a messenger. Most of the time, they preferred to come out of nowhere and see his face.
Did Ayla get sulky and send the water droplets because of their little dispute? However, she was not that kind of person, but as he opened his palm and received it, the other person’s voice flowed into his ear.
* * *
“Asha?”
Although he must have noticed Rayan’s presence, Asha tilted his face and wiggled his fingers.
Rayan couldn’t hide his wonder. It was the first time Asha had contacted him first in this way.
Rayan’s visits were very inconsistent, and sometimes, due to various circumstances, he did not cross the border of the Black Sea for a long time, but Asha greeted him with a languid smile whenever he came. He had never called him like this.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Is something wrong?”
“…”
“Cgf sbe qfgtjqr rlmx?”
Qtfc Ejsjc rcbbqfv jgbecv klat j mbcmfgcfv fzqgfrrlbc, Crtj iloafv tlr mtlc rilutais.
“Fcilxf sbe, P vbc’a ufa rlmx, ktja mbeiv tjqqfc.”
“…”
“Qbeivc’a rbwfatlcu tjnf tjqqfcfv obg atf ilaaif wfgwjlv lc ogbca bo wf?”
Qtfc atf ilaaif wfgwjlv gfaegcfv ab atf bearlvf kbgiv, kfjx jcv ilwq, atf cfkr gfjmtfv tlr fjgr atja ijeutafg kjr lc oeii yibbw. Ca atf ktlrqfgfv kbgvr, Ejsjc mbeivc’a tfiq yea ifa bea j ugbjc jcv tlr fzqgfrrlbc gfijzfv ja atf rjwf alwf.
“Well, Erich…”
“Did he accept your heart?”
Rayan averted his eyes up, wiggled his fins, his cheeks twitched, then nodded his head.
“Yes.”
He swallowed because it was somehow embarrassing to even say that they kissed. Asha tilted his face slightly and smiled strangely.
“That’s a good thing.”
“Right? I didn’t expect that Erich would feel the same way as me. Asha. I’m so glad. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy in my life.”
Rayan was so excited that he forgot that he was not feeling well. Unable to control his joy, he went close to Asha and swayed around him, chattering about how sweet he was and how happy he must be.
As Asha knew who Erich was, it was easier to talk.
“You look very happy.”
“I am happy.”
“How about taking care of yourself before that, Rayan. Your human will be sad.”
“Ah. … Does it show?”
“Who do you think knows you.”
Ayla even cheered him up, and Rayan’s fever seemed to have gone down a bit. He touched his forehead and his cheek. With that, he couldn’t tell if he still looked sick or not.
“You’ll be fine if you rest a little longer.”
He would be able to go out only when night seeped into the human world, so he just had to take another nap until then. As soon as he went back to Atisa, he would lie down in bed and go to sleep. That way, the strangely slow time would pass quickly. And that way, he could play with Erich until the sun goes down.
He hoped the full moon would come soon. He wanted to roam around places that were not confined with Erich. Should he ask to go see the fireflies? Around this time last year, Erich had held fireflies in his hands and showed them to him.
‘Well, isn’t it similar to the one I saw at sea then?’
It embroidered the empty space in the night sky with a twinkle. It made him feel like he was swimming in the sea at night.
“But Rayan.”
Rayan, who had been imagining what else to do besides kissing Erich, recognized Asha’s call belatedly that he was in front of him. He was being a little rude. He tried to apologize, but Asha was quicker.
“Will you be okay?”
“What?”
In the end, Rayan had no choice but to ask back at the incomprehensible question.
“He’s human, so he’ll keep growing, year after year.”
“Asha.”
“He will become an adult.”
“…”
“Can you bear it?”
Ah. Rayan inadvertently let out a sigh at the undeniable fact.
This was a fact Rayan had been half consciously ignoring. Until two years ago, when he first developed legs and was able to walk on two legs, Erich was about the same or slightly smaller than him. However, each time the season changed, Erich grew up in strides. To such an extent that he had to bow his head.
‘I can’t sleep at night these days. My bones hurt.’
There was a time when Erich, with an irritated face that didn’t go away, complained. It seemed like this was the growing pains Leah had been talking about. Every part of his body was throbbing and he couldn’t stand it.
Right after he said that, he started to grow bigger. The line of sight, which had been roughly matched between the two of them before, rested on his cheek, then on the nape of his neck, and now on the collarbone. He might barely touch his chest after a while.
“I can bear it.”
“Maybe you can, but what about him?”
“…”
“Does he really feel that way? Rayan. The feeling of love is more empty than you think. Ephemeral and dissipating. Even if that feeling seems to swallow you right now, it will soon fade.”
Asha looked at Rayan with eyes as if he were thinking about the past, and soon curved his eyes.
“I hate you.”
“Is that so?”
“Why are you talking so meanly? It was Asha who asked me to confess.”
Rayan tapped the floor with his tail as if to show that he was uncomfortable.
“Well. I wonder why.”
But Asha didn’t budge. In the first place, he did not expect that he would frighten the young, flawed mermaid and apologize. Asha’s hand touched his cheek. Perhaps it was because of the residual heat, his hands felt very cold.
“Did you want to pry about other emotions as well?”
It was confusing. Anyway, it didn’t mean well, so Rayan avoided touching his cheek and withdrew his body.
“I won’t come any more.”
“I see. For how long?”
“… I don’t know. For a very long time. Until Asha apologizes to me.”
He didn’t say he wouldn’t come very soon. It wasn’t because he was scared. Nor was he worried that sharks and other threats would prevent him from going to and from the sea without his protection. Of course, it wasn’t even because he needed the medicine he made to get human legs.
Even though he said hateful things like that, Asha came within limits. But on the other hand, he felt sorry for him who was in a tedious boredom. Everyone would laugh if they knew that a mere flaw sympathized with the ruler of the Black Sea, but for now it was what it was.
“Oh my. If I apologize right now, you won’t go, Rayan?”
“Don’t make fun of me.”
Rayan hurriedly turned around not to be caught. Behind him, Asha’s deep laughter was heard.
* * *
His mind was disturbed and he could not sleep. In his mind, he wanted to go outside right away, but it was clear that it would be daytime outside, and if he made a mistake, he might be noticed by other mermaids on the way. Besides, it was clear that Erich would not be there even if he went.
‘Someone is in the castle right now. To much of my annoyance.’
He said it was difficult for him to be away for a long time because someone was there.
Rayan, who had been lying on the bed for one reason or another, rolling around and tossing and turning, went out as soon as the time he had promised with Erich arrived.
Erich couldn’t be seen yet. He came out quickly. He still had to wait for the moon to come to the center of the cave.
Rayan rested his chin on the rock between his arms and was lost in thought. Obviously, it was about Erich. If he was immersed in excitement earlier, the difference was that he was now pickled in his troubles. Rayan’s face became depressed.
“What’s with the long face again?”
That’s why he didn’t realize until Erich came up to me and leaned down to make eye contact with him. When Rayan raised his head, Erich lightly kissed the corner of his mouth as if it were natural.
“Erich.”
Rayan reached out and grabbed his hand. Erich obediently offered his hand. He opened his fisted hand and placed his palm on top of it. There was a difference of more than one joint of a finger. Unlike his soft hands, they were hard with calluses. He really wasn’t a little boy falling helplessly.
“Erich.”
“Yes, Rayan.”
“… Are you going to leave after all?”
He was no longer a fragile boy who needed Rayan’s protection.
Thank you for the chapter ♡
Btw, the chapter is numbered 35, but I think it should be 34 ~
ah yes thank u~
My pleasure 😚
They’re so cute 🥰 I’m really curious what Asha will do in the end, I have a few guesses but I’m sure the author will be quite surprised.
Thanks for the chapter! 🌹
‘I’m sure the author will suprise us a lot.’ I wanted to say. Oh, I always make grammatical mistakes and write wrong sentences 😮💨
haha what do u think?
my mind is always full and English is not my mother tongue 😅
».. how high and sharp the bridge of his nose that touched his cheek.« nose was
»That’s why he didn’t realize until Erich came up to me..« to him
It always feels like sitting on needles. Bc of the novel titel I’m always waiting for the bad thing to happen lol And Asha is still on my ‘Not sure what to think about him’-list.
Thx for the ch (ㅅ˘ㅂ˘)
Thanks for the chapter ❤️