Running through the company's hallway, Jeongguk was fuming. He marched his way towards the elevator, rolling his eyes at the way-too-friendly receptionist.

He angrily kept hitting the 'second floor' button, not caring if it would cause some sort of error.

Bursting through his boss's office, Bang Si-hyuk looked up from his paper work.

Enraged.

That's what Jeongguk was.

"Jeongguk, what a pleasure to see you! I heard from Namjoon that your mission failed, what a shame."

He scoffed. "Stop the bullshit and fake acts. The contract. Where is it?"

That's when a laugh escaped the elder's mouth. He clasped his hands together firmly, leaning over his desk.

"What's got you so pressed suddenly? Did you fail to read the contract thoroughly? Unfortunately, I can't hand it over like that. You signed it, there's no turning back now. Even if I'd hand you the contract, you can not make any adaptations."

Jeongguk squinted his eyes. "I want to see what I exactly signed up for."

His boss chuckled.
"Come. I'll show you."

It was at this moment the younger began to get nervous. They stood in front of the locked door in the hallway, the one with bold letters not permitting anyone in.

His boss fiddled with some keys before unlocking the door. He stepped in the room first, flicking on the light.

Jeongguk walked in after, his eyes growing wide at what he saw.

Pictures. Tons of pictures hung on the walls.

Not just any pictures, Taehyung was on every single one of them.

Even the newest pictures which got captured this morning, where there.

On a huge whiteboard was written all kinds of information about the merman, shocking him to the fullest. From the species to his blood type, which they surprisingly had an answer to. Fortunately, there were loads of other questions without.

How in the world?

Jeongguk wore an emotionless expression when he finished scanning through it all. He could easily fill in the missing information, but he would never. He'd rather lose his job.

"Ah, there he is. Hello, Min-ho." A boy stepped in the room, strolled towards the wall and taped another picture securely to it.

When did they even manage take those pictures? Every day, Jeongguk was with him. Yet, he wasn't on there. Neither have those pictures been taken at the time they've met up. They had to be from before that.

How do they know Taehyung's blood type? They needed to have checked his blood for that.

The boy named Min-ho turned around, now Jeongguk could see what he looked like.

"You're the boy from the news! You saw a merman that day! You had been taken to the mental institution!"

The boy rolled his eyes, scoffing. "Yeah, indeed. Damn right I did. Those motherfuckers wouldn't believe me. They thought I was crazy! Can you believe it?! They shoved pills down my throat!"

Jeongguk frowned. "How did you get out?"

"Bang Si-hyuk paid them enough money to let me go."

Jeongguk scoffed, turning to look at his so called 'boss' next to him.
"You mean you bribed them?"

Not receiving an answer, he spoke up again. "I'm telling the police."

"Are you sure about that?" His boss stepped in front of him, smirking. "I can pay you. I can pay you an even higher amount than what you are currently already receiving."

Jeongguk bit on his tongue, feeling like he was going to explode.

"I'll triple the amount you're already earning. If that doesn't sound good enough for you, I'm afraid I have some bad news to share. On the contract you signed, to be oddly specific on the tenth page, is printed in bold letters that you won't be able to tell a soul. Violate the contract and I'll meet you in court. Surely the company will have to deal with some damage, but trust when I tell you that we have an aliby. You're just an eighteen-year-old boy that knows nothing about how the world works. Don't even consider quitting either, the contract lasts up to three years with the risk of getting extended if the company requires it."

Jeongguk stood there, frozen in place. His face was drained from all colour and he was at loss for words.

What was left to say anyway?

Bang Si-hyuk noticed it, smirked, and went to sit behind his desk again. He started continuing what he was doing before the younger stomped in, ignoring the other's presence.

Defeated, Jeongguk slowly turned around and with heavy steps he made his way towards the door.

He almost exited, when his eyes fell upon a familiar fishnet with rips and dried up blood on it. Next to it laid attire that made him scoff out loud.

'Information they weren't allowed to share with the locals,' Yeah, right.

They fooled him.

A sarcastic laugh escaped his mouth.  Pointing at it, he turned to look at his boss who shrugged, the smile on his lips just asking to be punched off.

Now more enraged than ever before, he stormed into the hallway, heading towards the exit.

"Have a good afternoon Jeongg-"
"Shut up." He shot the receptionist a glare, his eyes fuming in pure rage.

Handing the money to the driver -who almost peed his pants because of his demeanor- of his cab when he returned home, he walked into his apartment and flopped down on his bed, staring at the gifts Taehyung gave him.

Hands tugged on his hair, he didn't even blink.

"What have I done..?"

────🐚────

Taehyung panted as he reached his secret hideout, not knowing where else he could go to. His wounds have to heal first, otherwise he can't show himself to the others. He'd get questions, and no matter what he'd come up with -he isn't even good at lying in the first place- you'd be stupid if you would really believe him.

What was he supposed to say? He got attacked by a shark?

Right.

He plucked a fistful of seaweed from the entrance of the cave and he began wrapping it around his tail, some of it on his fins and upper body.

He was still trying to comprehend what happened. He should have never fallen asleep on that beach. It was his fault. All of it.

Not only is he injured, he also hinted other humans about his existence.

Their existence.

Now Taehgung is praying that the news isn't going to spread, that they won't come looking for their world.

Profusely shaking and with trembling lips, the only thought he had was that Jeongguk would protect him. Like he had done twice already.

Reassuring himself, he attempted to sleep for a little while on top of the uncomfortable rock, knowing it'll help to heal him faster.

────🐚────

Jimin innocently swam towards the beach when the time was there, not having any clue of what happened that morning.

Expecting Taehyung to be there, he frowned when he wasn't.

A few questions popped up in his head. Did they agree not to meet today or something? Was he too early? Did something happen?

He then noticed how quiet it was. The water didn't move, no loud sounds from humans could be heard from the distance. Hell, there wasn't even a breeze.

It was simply too silent.

Biting his plump lip, his brows were furrowed as he slowly turned around, not seeing anything wierd or suspicious.

Deciding to just wait, he pulled himself slightly on the sand disregarding his odd gut feeling. 

He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to pick up on any sound.

He shivered when he heard the moist sand swallow in footsteps, like someone was walking towards him.

Expecting it to be Jeongguk, he smiled and never bothered to move. He was sitting up, tail in the water and staring in front of him with more excitement he thought he'd have.

Making himself ready to playfully scare the human when he was near, he focused back on the footsteps.

Until, there were none.

Waiting for a bit more, he was about to turn around when he felt an unbearable pain in his arm. He gasped with wide eyes, shooting his head towards his limb. There was a wierd, long thing jabbed into it, releasing some kind of fluid in his body.

A huge needle with anesthetic.

His vision blurred. He looked back and the last thing he could make out of the situation was that the person behind him could be anyone, but Jeongguk.

Jeongguk wouldn't do that to him.

He trusted him.

Not soon after, everything went pitch black.