The freezing water stung Kai's caramel skin as he sped through a canal within the city. His heart was beating rapidly, blood coursing through his arteries, veins and capillaries quicker than ever. For once, his life depended on how fast he could swim. He flipped his scaly tail up and down, ignoring the sharp, stinging scratches he received when he came in contact with debris. A new law was going to be put in place that day, stating it is to be illegal to kill merfolk. Before coming into effect, many citizens of El Dorado decided to exterminate the race entirely. Kai halted suddenly once he was surrounded by the screams of his parents and his fellow friends. He couldn't move. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. One by one his comrades were caught in fishing nets and pulled up to the surface, which was followed by final screams and droplets of blood falling into the water. And as the myth goes, the final tears of a mermaid turn into aquamarine.

Drip, drip.

The irritating sound awoke Kai to his senses. Within seconds, he had lost track of time, resulting in hours sitting in his pathetic bathtub. In fact, he could barely fit into the porcelain tub, his limbs hanging over the sides. The tanned man sighed deeply and adjusted his position into a crouch, the shallow water only reaching just under his knees. He focused on his legs, his feet and then his toes. What have I done to deserve this? He thought every single morning. Ready to begin the day, Kai pulled the drain plug and watched as the water whirled down the drain; gracefully like a spinning ballerina. He stood up and hopped out of the bathtub, grabbing the white towel on the sink counter. He began to rub the cloth against his damp, brown hair then continued on to the rest of his body. While drying himself off, he briefly eyed his reflection, his gaze narrowing down to his necklace of several aquamarine gemstones.

Once his little routine was complete, he left his rather small apartment for the train station, his swimming bag slung over his broad shoulder. It was a mildly warm evening for June, so he only wore a thin t-shirt and a pair of shorts just like the many taking the train.

"Hey, my little merman!" A deep yet enthusiastic voice called from afar. Kai rolled his eyes with a smile as he waved towards the man with flaming, red hair.

"You need to stop calling me that, Chan," he replied once he met up with his friend near the train tracks. Chanyeol was extremely tall and his arms were long, making his swimming strokes even more powerful.

"C'mon! You ARE the best swimmer on the team!" Chanyeol laughed, nudging his friend in the rib cage. The train sped by and came to a stop within a few seconds.

"Jayu Station," the monotone voice informed through the speakers. With a small ding the train doors opened, allowing passengers to flood in and out. The two swimmers shoved through and were disappointed to find yet again that there were no seats left. With a loud sigh, Kai grasped one of the steel poles for support once the train proceeded on its hourly route. The ride was booming with noise as usual. As Kai took a gander at the passengers in his car, he spotted a couple arguing loudly, a hippie-looking guy playing the violin and a quiet old woman dressed in a green kimono. Mrs. Takada was her name if Kai recalled correctly. She and her husband were of the most feared seven years ago due to their murderous acts towards merfolk. She was always a stern woman, sharp with her words. After the law was put in place, everyone who had some sort of power simply merged in with day to day citizens. It was sad, really.

"Hey. It's Jiyū, our stop," Chanyeol whispered after tapping Kai on the shoulder. The doors opened and many made their way off the vehicle. The duo climbed up the busy stairs and soon reached the street level. Chanyeol and Kai were welcomed by the smell of smoke, many suspicious persons ducking away into the shadows, old buildings and street vendors.

"Aaah...nothing like the slums of El Dorado!" Chanyeol laughed, stretching his abnormally long arms over his head. "Honestly, why couldn't they build the sports complex downtown? This is no place for a fancy gym and pool,"

Kai walked along the nearly crumbling sidewalk with his friend for about ten minutes until they stopped before the only modern building in the area. It was covered in blue tinted glass and it stood out like a sore thumb. The locals of the area always called it 'The Glass Palace'. As the two entered the nicely air conditioned sports centre, Kai looked up at the welcome sign.

"Atlantis Sports Centre,"

The name of the centre always made him sick to the stomach. Getting over the awful name choice as usual, Kai caught up with Chanyeol who was already entering the male change rooms just passed the help centre.

"Who do you think will qualify for backstroke this year?" Kai's red haired friend smiled as he started stripping his clothing and dumping them into his locker. As soon as Chanyeol pulled his cotton t-shirt off, Kai eyed the latter's back, pain instantly filling his heart. A long slash-like scar ran down the length of his back. Chanyeol mentioned that it was from a mermaid accident, but that was all he told Kai. The change rooms for the pool smelled strongly of chlorine and wet towels. The change room was huge, rows of identical lockers lining every wall, nearly every space. Kai felt like he was in a maze when he first registered, in fact, he still felt the same way.

"Not to be biased or anything, but I think you will," Kai replied softly as he pulled his blue and black swimming cap over his head. As Chanyeol pulled his red tinted goggles and let out a low chuckle. "And is that red hair of yours a wise idea? I swear, after two practices, those precious locks will be a sort of rusty orange colour,"

Chanyeol bumped Kai with his hip, causing the latter to stumble to the right.

"You're right! I'm probably going to end up looking like Sehun when he had that horrible dye job last year!" The redhead added, letting out his signature laugh, which sounded like a fit of hiccups. Chanyeol slammed the locker door shut and secured a combination lock onto it. The man began to make his way to the pool, his large feet slapping against the damp tiles. Kai followed closely behind and was soon greeted by the painfully bright lights and strong chemical scent of the pool. Many swimmers were already practicing in the water; synchronized swim teams, relay teams and much more.

"Get moving you sitting ducks! We don't have all day!" Byun Baekhyun, their cute little coach boomed loudly. Chanyeol flinched overdramatically as per usual. Their coach always gave the two and their teammates a fright due to his terrifying tone of voice, which somehow echoed from such a small body. Baekhyun wore his red and white tank top, which read 'Lifeguard' on the back and he wore his possibly favourite pair of maroon swimming trunks. He held a clipboard that held several sheets of paper containing the names of the swimmers. Kai and Chanyeol quickened their pace and joined the group of male racers. "Okay boys! I want you all to line up at the following lanes corresponding to whichever event you're trying out for! We're short on lanes today, so you're only getting timed for one hundred metres. Yes, this means practice is short today, but that doesn't mean you should go slack off or party all weekend! Lane one is freestyle, lane two is backstroke, lane three is breaststroke, lane four is butterfly and I'll decide who's swimming for the relay team!"

Kai and Chanyeol made their way to their assigned lanes. For once, the two were first in line. The tanned freestyler climbed up onto the platform before him and bent down into his ready position while Chanyeol hopped into the 13ft deep pool and grabbed onto the two bars protruding from the platform, his back facing the other end of the pool. The first set of swimmers took their mark and immediately took off once Baekhyun blew his whistle. Kai waved his slender body smoothly through the incandescent water to gain momentum before beginning his strokes. Within seconds, he was speeding past all the other swimmers. It always felt natural whenever he submerged himself in water and swam. The way he would glide through the substance always put a smile to his face. Eventually, Kai neared the end of the pool, motivating him to speed up and slap his palm on the tiles. He breached the surface and ripped his swimming cap off, revealing his soft, brown locks. Jongdae, one of the swimmers who was timing him offered him a hand, which he accepted. As Kai climbed onto the pool deck, Chanyeol and the others shortly completed their length. The redhead climbed out on his own with a toothy grin on his face.

"How's his time?"Chanyeol asked Jongdae who raised an eyebrow with a slight smirk. While Kai was catching his breath on the side, the timer looked down at his stopwatch and recorded the time on a similar list to Baekhyun's. "Mr. Kim here beat his time yet again,"

All smiles, Chanyeol jogged to his friend, almost slipping on the floor in the process. He hugged the brunette tightly as if he was trying to squeeze all the oxygen out of him.

"You made mommy proud!" He squealed, hugging Kai more intensely. The freestyler quickly shoved him away with a laugh. Just then, Baekhyun approached the three with his clipboard and ballpoint pen in hand. Chanyeol gulped nervously once he met their coach's stern eyes.

"Congratulations Kim Kai and Park Chanyeol. Keep up the good work, you'll be representing us this year," the puny lifeguard informed, nodding towards the two participants. "You've improved a lot this time, Park. You may head home now,"

Chanyeol's pale cheeks soon turned into a rosy pink once he heard those words. Baekhyun spun around on his heels and made his way to his office.They watched their coach through the office's large windows where he was offered some Doritos from a co-worker.

"Chan, do you have the hots for Coach Byun?!" Jongdae exclaimed, immediately laughing at his own statement. Within seconds, he was laughing so hysterically he had no choice but to hold onto Kai's shoulder for support. In an attempt to dismiss the idea, Chanyeol stormed off towards the change rooms. The hyena continued on with their laughter as he clumsily followed the giant and the 'little merman,' By the time they reached the crowded change rooms, Jongdae's cackling died off, allowing Chanyeol to take a sigh of relief. Their fellow timer and friend was completely dry, so he simply waited for the two on a wooden bench. As Kai dried his hair with a towel, a smirk appeared on his face.

"So you don't have a thing for Coach Byun?" he inquired as he started drying the rest of his toned body. A bright grin was already plastered upon Jongdae's face even before the question was posed, but instead of a straightforward answer, an awkward silence followed.

"He has a girlfriend," The redhead admitted, his head hanging low. Before continuing, he allowed a few droplets of water to fall from his hair onto his bare chest. "I have no chance, really. I don't know why you bothered asking. The answer wouldn't get you anywhere. It's like asking Kai why he swims,"

"I-" The tanned man started before getting cut off by the latter.

"Before you start arguing with me, tell me again. Why? I still can't wrap my head around that weird answer of yours,"

"Because it's the only thing that feels normal to me," Kai answered confidently. His answer was always the exact same though no one understood how literal the context really was. Everything he did was new to him. Walking, wearing clothing, being concerned about how your hair looked. Kai didn't have to worry about these things prior to seven years ago. He was free. Free to do whatever he pleased. He always found it ironic how almost every region's name in El Dorado translated to the word 'freedom' in different tongues though he felt imprisoned and isolated.

Once the two who swam were dry and dressed, Jongdae stood up and clapped his hands together to gain their attention. Both Kai and Chanyeol knew exactly what was coming. Jongdae was always so fond of parties and celebrations and never ever passed up the chance to drink.

"For a little celebration in terms of you two making the regionals, I think we should do something interesting or adventurous if you see it that way! I suggest Sehun's tattoo parlour!" Their cat-like friend announced before frolicking out of the men's change room and towards the sports centre exit. Chanyeol and Kai looked to one another for reassurance then ran after the over excited kitten. Both Chanyeol and Kai had no idea how their loudmouth friend got acquainted with the extravagant drug addict and artist, but they were grateful all the same for Sehun's hospitality and protection against danger.

"I bet he just wants to check out Sehun's China doll," Chanyeol whispered into Kai's ear in jest. He was right though. Jongdae had a 'thing' for anything in a skirt and Luhan was one of them. The trio made their way through the shadiest areas of El Dorado, passing by possible dealers and the homeless. Sadly, it used to be the fanciest place in the country where the richest and swankiest dwelled with their fancy cars and mermaid canals wove through and around. Now, it was a sort of dump with cigarette smoke clouding the sky and with the canals turned into a garbage disposal. Soon, the group stopped before an old Japanese bathhouse that was practically falling apart. The window shutters were falling off and the wooden structure's red paint was peeling by the sections. Paper lanterns, which hung from the arch above the entrance were dimly lit and swayed peacefully in the evening breeze. Many local folk hustled to and from the place whether to meet with Sehun, visit the spa on the second floor or to have tea and alcohol with their friends in the geisha teahouse on the top floor. The order Sehun arranged the activities was pretty dumb, really. In fact, Jongdae fell down the stairs from the top floor due to his drunken state. Once they entered the stuffy main room, their eyes met the one and only owner of the bathhouse. He didn't seem entirely busy like always since they found him lounging around on the tatami mats with a can of beer at hand. As always, he was dressed in a silk robe of an orange shade this time, the sleeves nearly transparent to show off his art gallery of ink and his hair was yet again a different colour. Slicked back and blonde this time with the sides of his head shaved. Sehun shot up from the floor and opened his arms like he was about to embrace the swimmers. In the process drops of beer flew out of the can.

"Ah! The KimPark gang is here! What can I do for you three?" The blonde boomed happily before snapping his fingers. Instantly, lavishly dressed men and women lined up along both sides of their 'boss'. Among them were professionally trained (or so Sehun claimed) geisha and maiko, spa workers, tattoo artists and even simple kitchen hands. "My family here is at your service!"

Jongdae eyed the crowd and to his disappointment, he couldn't spot Luhan, also known as Sehun's right hand.

"She's upstairs, Jong. That is, if you like tea. I know you're more of an alcohol type of guy, but we need to restock," Sehun informed almost apologetically as he gestured towards the narrow mahogany stairs, which was almost semi-hidden with bamboo stalks and other tall plants.

"I LOVE TEA!" Jongdae shouted, tensing up like a soldier in line. Kai rolled his eyes as he began leading the way, the old steps creaking underneath his weight. As they approached the second floor, an aroma of sweet lilac and citrus from the spa area swept passed them. Peeking inside, Kai spotted many female workers filling wooden tubs with water and bath oils, which also gave off a gentle aroma. The group, including Sehun and his 'family' climbed another flight of stairs and eventually reached a hallway with walls covered in rice paper and was lined with several sliding doors. Sehun pushed through the crowd and slid open the door nearest to them. The walls were decorated in many scrolls of ancient scriptures and watercolour paintings. A low table sat in the centre of the small room and two geisha stood solemnly at the far end of the room. As soon as he stepped in, he kneeled onto the tatami mat covered floor and shuffled to his place at the end nearest to the women. Kai, Chanyeol and Jongdae followed afterwards once Sehun dismissed the rest of his staff. Once the men took their places the two geisha brought out porcelain cups and teapots to the table. The taller one was dressed much more elegantly than the other, her kimono a dark red with gold trimming at the hem where gold lotus flowers climbed up to her thigh area. The same woman's obi belt was also a golden hue, but something peculiar caught Kai's attention. On the right side of her body, a golden pistol was tucked into one of the ribbons around her waist. Once the geisha noticed his gaze, she smiled towards the latter, her painted face glowing brighter underneath the orange, incandescent lights. The other appeared to be a maiko who modelled a bright kimono of blue and red. At the corner of Kai's eye, he could see Jongdae's mouth gaping open in shock, drool almost spilling out and eyes glued onto the taller lady.

"Luhan, please serve my guests," the blonde ordered the geisha in red. Luhan smiled kindly and passed out the porcelain tea cups bending forward to pour each man some tea. As she did so, the expensive ornaments and trinkets in her raven hair made quiet, chime-like sounds. The ladies soon took their seats on either side of their boss. "Did you hear? The Jiyū prison is packed. They have to transfer hundreds of inmates to Jayu,"

Kai froze, his cup of tea only a centimetre away from his plump lips. Everyone else remained silent towards the sudden news or rumour. The sun-kissed swimmer couldn't believe what he was hearing. The Jiyū prison held 90% of the merfolk offenders and they were moving hundreds or even thousands practically into his backyard?

"To be precise, they're being transferred as we speak. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the inmates escape during their move. There's so many, the correctional officers can barely keep track....or they just can't count," Luhan explained, breaking the silence. Her voice was smooth and sweet, making it easy to force any man to turn into Jell-O. No matter how ethereal her voice was, nothing could hide the fact that the villains in Kai's little fairy tale were about to get closer than he ever thought.

Crash!

Sehun shot up from his place and waited for any follow up noises. Thundering footsteps echoed throughout the bathhouse, indicating a large group marching in on the main floor. Chanyeol's eyes widened routinely as he froze in fear. Jongdae sat rigidly, staring intensely at the tea in his cup, avoiding eye contact with anyone whatsoever. All in all, everyone in the room including the maiko and Sehun seemed panicked except Luhan who was abnormally calm.

"It's pay day, Mr. Oh!" a high pitched yet angered voice called from downstairs. Just at the sound of the mystery man's voice, Kai gasped in utter shock. Digging into the back of his memory, he could picture the man whom he had met years ago. Kai clenched a hand into a fist, forcing himself to concentrate and think harder. Whose voice did it belong to? The blonde tattoo artist raced to the far wall and tore down a painting of a red river, revealing a hole carrying a handgun and several cartridges of ammo. The tall man stormed out of the tearoom and pounded down the stairs. Luhan sighed deeply and shut her eyes as if this happened on a regular basis.

"I don't know why you boys hang around Mr. Oh. He's a dangerous man who is involved in a dangerous business....with another dangerous man. Get out of here before I end up with too many bottles of red paint for my art," The geisha ordered the group of three. As she stood up, she pulled out her pistol then hid it in her kimono's left sleeve. "Follow me. There's no other exit besides the front entrance, but I doubt Mr. Zhang will hurt strangers,"

The swimmers immediately stood up and followed the woman downstairs, passing other tearooms and the spa which were oddly deserted upon the commotion. Once the flock arrived on the first floor found all of Sehun's staff gathered in a semicircle formation with their leader in front. On the other side nearest to the entrance, stood Mr. Zhang Yixing with his gang. The Chinese man was dressed in a navy blue changpao and had a nasty scar running from his jaw, through his eye, ending at his forehead. As well, Yixing was showing off a plastic prison ID in between his thumb and index finger. Once the man noticed Kai, he leered evilly along with a teasing wink. This encounter sent shivers down the swimmer's spine. It was him. The man he made a deal with several moons ago. Suddenly, the tattooed blonde spoke up, interrupting Kai's train of thought.

"So you escaped, XingXing?" Sehun asked playfully before snapping his fingers. Right after, a buff man hurried to one of the cabinets near the tattoo stations and fished out a few stacks of paper bills, immediately handing them to his master. Sehun threw them at the Chinese then cocked his head to the side. "Got any more contraband, inmate?"

Yixing shook his head with a smile once he caught the money and began counting it.

"Ariel is hard to come by, my friend. There are no more mermaids left to provide the scales. See? I play fair, Sehun. I'd never sell you all purpose flour or some shit to snort," The man in navy answered, handing one of his gang members the cash. "If you can provide a swimming beauty, I'd gladly prepare it for you,"

Shortly after, Zhang and his group left without another exchange of words. Sehun exhaled deeply and headed for the cabinet that once held the cash that was now in Yixing's possession. The blonde opened the wooden cupboard then reached in to retrieve a small plastic bag of a pale blue powder. Everyone eyed the man clad in orange as he collapsed onto one of the leather tattoo chairs. He ripped open the bag and started dumping it onto the armrest. Promptly, Luhan rushed to his side and grabbed Sehun's wrists.

"You promised me that you'd stop taking Ariel!" The woman in red yelled as she struggled to overpower the latter's physical strength.

"Let go of me, Lu!"

"I'm trying to protect you!'

"From what?!"

"Yourself!" As she fought Sehun, Luhan turned to the three swimmers and shot them a stern look, which was followed by a strict order. "Get out of here, nǐ báichī!" You idiots. Although a geisha's makeup gave them a neutral, plain look, it was obvious that Luhan's true face was crying in fear, screaming for help.

Completely flabbergasted by the sudden tone, Chanyeol sped out of the bathhouse, followed by Jongdae. Just as Kai began tailing his friends, he jumped due to the unexpected sound of a gunshot followed by Sehun screaming from excruciating pain. Kai instantly regretted turning back, catching a glimpse of Luhan staring right at him with a smoking pistol and Sehun covered in crimson.

"You understand the consequences, right?" The man in navy blue inquired as he crafted a wire necklace with aquamarine beads, the tears of Kai's family and friends. The merman before him nodded solemnly before locking his gaze on the stranger."After this, you will lose your merman abilities and your ability to express and feel a certain emotion. In return, you will earn a pair of human legs," Kai studied the black tattoos which decorated his arms, the unique turquoise sparkle that his tail bestowed upon his onyx eyes whenever it hit the light then submerged himself underwater to breathe one last breath of ocean water. Once the navy man completed the piece of jewelry and Kai breached the surface again, he locked it around the latter's neck. The mermaid tears flashed a yellow hue causing the human fish to jolt his tail in discomfort. The tanned man's eyes widened as he felt his bottom half ooze apart, a pair of human limbs appearing. Just as this occurred, the merman wept one final tear of aquamarine and the mysterious man with the nasty scar caught it in the palm of his hand.