02 November 2016

Seventeen Dorm

Whenever I saw Eunha, she seemed sadder than usual, putting more effort into wearing her mask of happiness. It would crack sooner or later but I couldn't train her if she was distracted. She would change the topic in our texts and was now hanging out with the other idols in our lineup- overcompensating her desire to be alone with her thoughts. I would broach the topic with her before we went to the training grounds.

The first few minutes on the pier were absolute silence, save for the mews of the seagulls, scavenging for sweet potato chips, the most popular delicacy here.

"Your mum's condition has worsened, right?" I looked at her startled eyes, confirming my guess. "I still want to train," her fingers curled into fists, as the singer readied to fight with me.

"When our choreographers correct you, I've noticed that you get your game face on and improve instead of letting it distract you," I held up my hands, trying to placate her. "I admire that and I just want you to let it out of your system, instead of letting it poison you."

"The doctors don't know how long we have until she enters a vegetative state," the brutality of the words stung me. "Can we not move up the day of getting the scales?"

"The reason I chose the date was that one, we might get kicked out by our agencies if we don't perform at awards show and if we hunt earlier, our wounds may not heal in time. Secondly, late December is the hibernation time of the leviathans and they'll be at their most docile state. Finally, we both need more time to train. You for your role as bait and me as the hunter, since I have the most speed and experience."

Noona accepted the reason, knowing that she couldn't change it.

"Let's go- today will be a splash in the deep end," I gave her a sea berry and dived.

We left the coast miles away and entered the corrals of HRH Soyong's boot camp for teens. I presented the permit for Eunha to train with the beginners while I joined the intermediate league to learn the spear and trident.

She was in good hands so I shook my head to clear it of thoughts worrying about her. I would be with exuberant meryouth and had to watch my tail.

My arms ached from swinging weapons around for half a day and our instructor dismissed us. I immediately swam for my trainee and stopped to watch her. She used her feet as an advantage, ensuring not to step on sharp rocks and the fish with poison spines who somehow found their way here, despite repellent weeds being planted all over. I whistled- for a landlubber, she was aju nice.

The singer swam to me with a certificate- she had cleared the obstacle course and could train with the spear and trident if she wished to.

"I'm proud of you," I held up my hand for a high five- and she surprised me with a hug. "You're the one who helped me pass," the idol's pearly whites had me mesmerised.

"Since you say so," I was glad that the manner in which light travelled through water hid my blush, "how about private sparring before you join me for the combat lessons?"

"Yes," she nodded before grabbing my wrist and we swam to the surface. I was glad that her mood was buoyed after receiving acknowledgement that she was a great swimmer.

"I see you less often than the rest of your family so I'm glad that you use visiting me as an excuse after you train your friend," Kyuhyun ahjussi smiled as we had beltfish and seaweed stew with rice.

"My agency is more like a dungeon," I had told him of how Mrs Hong wasn't allowed to see Joshua hyeong despite her willingness to cross an ocean to do so. He was an only child and now that he was a part of Seventeen, his 12 brothers also shared his pain.

"I hope you can escape someday," we toasted our cups of overly sweet tea.

(A/N: Heyo. If you have fanart/edits of HANSOL as a merman, please DM them to me on Twitter @JJudisu or https://twitter.com/JJudisu. I would like to showcase it at the end and will credit you for your hard work :))