“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Bewilderment appeared on Erich’s face as he put his face to his cheek to kiss him. However, Rayan was serious in his own way. The whole time, he was brooding over what Erich had said before.
Erich said he was kicked out of this place, and he said he would covet his father’s place. If so, eventually Erich will return to where he originally came from.
At that time, he was sad and angry on behalf of him who remained calm, and on the other hand, he had no time to think deeply about it, because he was managing his emotions that were overflowing with his words. However, the conversation with Asha reminded him of that fact.
Erich was the one who would move forward. He had already grown to the point where he was a finger and a half taller than him, and he would grow even more.
On the other hand, Rayan was the one who was stagnant here. If he left, he couldn’t go to meet him. Erich said that he had to wait for him every time, but Rayan was in a position where he had to stay in his world and wait endlessly for him to find him if he didn’t come forever.
Without growing like this. Without moving forward.
“Rayan.”
Do you have to go? The words rising from his heart rose to the top of his throat.
“Rayan?”
“Well, I dozed off a little now and I had a dream that you were going somewhere alone.”
But he swallowed those words. Rayan didn’t want Erich to abandon his resolution with his own selfishness. He had the right to do with his life.
“It’s a silly dream. What are you dreaming of?”
“I know right.”
He was quick-witted and read Rayan’s expression so well that he was nervous, but fortunately he didn’t seem to notice.
“Wait a moment.”
He took something out of his pocket. It was a round bracelet with an opaque gem embedded in it.
“What’s this?”
“I don’t know if it will work where you live, but it’s kind of an artifact.”
Erich lightly grabbed Rayan’s hand and fastened his bracelet. A silver bracelet, as pale as his own skin, fit perfectly on his wrist.
“If something happens to one of us, the color of this gem will change or crack.”
“… … .”
“It won’t happen, though. It’s just like a keepsake that I give to you.”
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.
It was difficult to make, so he boasted, saying that he had been immersed in making it all day, but Rayan didn’t hate it. He looked at what was in his hand and what was on Erich’s wrist for a while, then lifted himself up and hugged him tightly.
Sglmt, ktb ibra tlr yjijcmf lc jc lcrajca, mbiijqrfv jcv qiecufv lcab atf rfj.
“… Tbe.”
Sglmt ilutais ygertfv tlr kfa ojmf jcv tjlg ogbw ojiilcu lc atf rfj.
“P ilxf sbe.”
“… … .”
“C iba.”
Ktja’r kts tf tjafv atf qjgalcu atja kbeiv mbwf rbwfvjs jcv klrtfv atfs mbeiv yf ybecv abufatfg. Lf kjr lc j vloofgfca wbbv atjc ktfc tf rfca Ciif jkjs. Qtfc tf rfca Ciif yjmx ab tlr mijc, tf tjv ab ojmf atf ojma atja tf kjr vfofmalnf bcmf jujlc, yea tf kjrc’a atlcxlcu atja tf vlvc’a kjca ab ifa Ciif ub. Dea tf kjcafv ab xffq Sglmt ys tlr rlvf obgfnfg.
“You say something like that… Give me a heads up.”
Erich, who was held in an uncomfortable position due to the difference in body size, muttered with his chin resting on the top of his head. It looked like an angry tone, so when Rayan looked up at Erich, his neck was red.
“Why?”
If you love someone, isn’t it natural to want to express it? Yuri said it was like that, and every mermaid with a partner was like that. No, every species in the sea expressed their feelings openly.
It was the same with Rayan. Expressed what he liked and what he didn’t liked. When Erich gave him sweet treats or showed him something strange, he clapped his hands enthusiastically and his eyes lit up, and when he played a prank, he splashed water on him or glared at him. He just expressed his positive and negative feelings, not to mention love.
“Are you embarrassed?”
“Uh.”
“Erich is too shy. How can you be so shy? Or are all humans naturally shy?”
Rayan continued to chatter. Maybe it was to avoid the sad thoughts that crept in every time he shut his mouth.
Rayan raised his head and kissed Erich on the cheek. Chu-. It was a different feeling than when he kissed him to breathe in the sea. He also liked the feel of his cheeks pressed against each other when his lips touched.
As he squatted with his bird’s beak, Erich slipped his hand between his armpits and abruptly lifted him up and sat him on a rock. Rayan’s eyes widened.
“Who the hell is shy?”
Erich looked up at him with bold eyes and wrapped his arms around his neck. Even though it wasn’t a cold touch, the hair on his neck stood up. Erich put his hand on his neck and brought his face closer. His breath made his eyelashes quiver. Rayan closed his eyes.
“…”
However, even after waiting, there was no sensation of touching his lips. what. When he narrowed his eyes, Erich was looking at him with a suspicious expression.
“Rayan. You, you’re sick?”
It’s true that he was sick, but was this the time to talk about that? And he wasn’t even so ill that he couldn’t control his body. Rayan bit his tongue and shook his head.
“No?”
“What ‘no’. Like yesterday, your body is obviously hotter than usual. The face also looks bad. Even though you’re sick, you’re pretending that you’re not showing signs of being sick right now. You.”
He was a little curious about why Erich did not nitpick at his clumsy excuses earlier, and on the other hand, he was relieved.
“Just lightly, a little?”
Erich still had a disapproving expression.
“Look. You said it’ll change color, but it’s fine.”
Rayan shook the bracelet he was wearing. The opaque jewel, as white as a pearl, was no different in color from before.
“It doesn’t change with a small thing.”
Erich tapped the jewel with his hand and said firmly. Rayan looked at it blankly, so he grabbed Rayan’s cheek and turned it toward him.
“Don’t be sick.”
“I’m fine.”
It’s just a passing fever. It wasn’t anything to worry about. When Rayan smiled, Erich watched blankly, then suddenly made a serious face.
“Don’t smile.”
“What?”
“No. Don’t smile at others. Especially to Ayla.”
“Why not Ayla?”
He tilted his head, unable to understand why Ayla’s name was popping up here all of a sudden. Aside from telling him not to smile, he specifically mentioned Ayla whom Rayan occasionally only mentioned a few times in passing when talking about Atisa, instead of Alle whom Erich wasn’t on good terms with.
Was there a reason he hated Ayla? At best, he only talked about small squabbles in his childhood. He searched his mind, but nothing in particular came to mind.
“No… Just forget it.”
Neither this nor that, Erich clicked his tongue and corrected himself while Rayan was engrossed. The way he grunted seemed strangely ashamed.
Rayan didn’t understand until the end and lowered his head to kiss Erich’s lips. When his lips met, Erich also raised his chin. His black hair fell down to his shoulders, obscuring his sun-blonde hair.
It would be nice to be able to trap Erich like this. He was seldom seized by such urges.
His hand, resting on his pelvis, slid up and wrapped around his back.
***
It was more like a friend than a lover, and there was a strange atmosphere to be a friend, but it was a little strange to share a close breath. Even though they were talking small things as usual, when their eyes met, he kissed him and intertwined his fingers. He even rubbed the webs gently between his fingers. Then they kissed again.
Then, beyond the dark sea horizon, the reddish sun was about to reveal itself. On the other hand, it was surprising that they stayed up all night, but the short time allowed was cruel and regrettable.
A corner of his heart was still heavy, but Rayan smiled and promised for the next time. Erich was growing up day by day, but he was still a weak human being. Parting would be far away. He reassured himself like that.
Rayan tapped his bracelet as he went. In the deep sea, the jewel looked a little blue. Would this work well? In the past, Erich said that he was frustrated because he couldn’t contact him.
Of course, no contact with the outside world could reach Atisa, which was immersed far below. Even when he was in Atisa, Rayan, who had been secretly expecting that he would be able to exchange conversations with Erich, had to feel regret.
It didn’t work then, but he hoped this would. Even if he were to part with Erich, he could look after him and take care of him.
Rayan put his lips on the jewel as if he was treating him. The warmth of his lips moved to the cool jewelry.
After a brief kiss, Rayan moved more slowly. Atisa was just a little further away. It would be difficult if the guardian mermaid caught him.
Rayan, who looked around closely, felt a sense of incongruity.
The closer he got to Atisa, the more there were other races or one or two guardian mermaids, but it was very quiet. He circled towards the poorly guarded barrier, but it was strange that he didn’t even run into other races.
He checked just in case, but Atisa’s protective barrier was as solid as always, so he couldn’t find any traces of intrusion.
A strange feeling of uneasiness swept over him. He seemed to have to go back to his place quickly, though he didn’t want to go in forever.
He couldn’t even do this or that, he was wandering around and eventually crossed the barrier.
Atisa was still.
He couldn’t hear the sweet songs of the young mermaids.
“Rayan.”
As he entered Atisa’s Plaza anxiously, someone called his name. It was Ayla. She looked at him with confused eyes.
“… It’s not true right?”
“What?”
“Did you really go outside to meet humans?”
He stopped breathing for a moment. Rayan inadvertently covered the bracelet Erich had given him with his other hand so that she could not see it. Ayla, not paying attention to his actions, couldn’t overcome the frustration and opened her mouth again, but the guardian mermaid standing behind her lowered their head with a cold face and said,
“The Great Mer is looking for you.”
Oh no…
Thanks for the chapter 🌹
Oh shit.. >___>
Thx for the ch ٩(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )و