Daniella and Gyu heard the rustling of water nearby. She turned towards the dear with a huge grin, before dashing towards the familiar noise. She giggled in delight, stumbling here and there, as the deer galloped beside her, matching her pace.

Before she knew it, she was already beside the small stream. Fishes of different kinds, harmless swam with the current, some stopping and looking up at the merfolk.

She smiled in delight and crouched down. It had been a while since she had seen a body of water. "𝑯𝒊 . . . " she greeted the fishes with a small smile. The fished looked up, it was silent as she listened to their response.

It had been so long since she had spoke her language and had spoken to someone or something that lives in bodies of water. It was so refreshing to her. "𝑰'𝒎 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒃𝒐𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒊𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒚." she simply responded, taking off her sandals. She sat down onto the dry patch of grass.

She was suddenly pulled up by the arms before her feet made contact with the water. She looked up at who was holding her in alarm. "𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈!? 𝑳𝒆𝒕 𝒈𝒐 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆!" she tried to pull away, only to be gripped tighter. The male looked at her, perplexed.

"𝑵𝒐, 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈!? 𝑨𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐-" he stopped as they pulled apart from each other in shock. "Y-You're a merfolk." he pointed towards her as she held a hand up to her mouth.

She nodded her head. "You too . . ." she uttered out, stiff. She didn't expect someone from her species to be on land, like her. The deer was now long gone, frightened away by the noise. The two stared at each other, unmoving, contemplating.

"So, you've been her for two years?" she asked for clarification as they stepped into the lodge of his abode. He nodded his head in response, taking off his coat.

He motioned towards the tea set on the coffee table as she sat down, feeling comfort in being not the only one where she didn't belong. "Tea?" he asked, sitting down two feet from her.

She nodded her head. "Yes please." she said, looking around the lodge in amazement. "How did you get such a place?" she asked in astonishment, a cup being handed to her, which she politely took.

He held a hand up and took a plastic bag out of his back jean pocket. He opened it up and let her peer inside. She gasped slowly and reached a hand in, pulling out a white pearl. He nodded with a hum. "Because of these." he gestured towards the bag full of them.

"But, these are our tears." she blankly stated, making his jaw drop. He sputtered out words, seeming in disbelief. She was do oblivious and uncultured. "This isn't just tears. It's money." he stated. "They're what kept me alive." he finished, as she dropped the pearl back into the bag.

"I've cried a lot of times. I didn't save them." she pouted, looking ahead of him. "I could have given it to Jacob." she sighed out. His eyebrows quirked in interest.

"Jacob? Who's Jacob?" he asked attentively, sipping his cup of tea, eager to listen, the bag of pearls now on the coffee table.

She smiled in thought. "The guy I have feelings for." she laughed out, a lovestruck smile decorating her lips, eyes bright. He sighed in slight concern. She looked at him with a soft smile. "How about you? Why are you here?" she asked, now interested in why he was in the human's world.

"I did to, still have, feelings for someone." he started, tone light and bright, before it turned grim and concerned. "Merfolks that come to land, look for love." he uttered, taking her hands in his. She looked at him in confusion, not getting what he was saying. "A merfolk can only love once. If that love isn't replicated, your heart will slowly turn to stone." he said with the utmost deep sad feelings.

She looked at him, eyes wide. "How long have you been on land?" he asked after. She counted in her head. "A few months." she whispered her response. "Are you making any progress with Jacob?" he quizzed, eyebrows furrowed. She shook her head solemnly.

He shot up, pulling her up too, tea abandoned on the table, empty. "Then you still have time to go back home." he ushered, about to pull her out of the door. She took her hands out of his and shook her head. "There's still hope." she murmured, sitting back down, him doing the same. She hoped so much. He knew she was tempted to stay on land just for Jacob.

"How about you?" she asked suddenly, eyes finding his warm sea green ones. Her eyes widened once again, knowing what his answer was, even though they weren't uttered yet.

"It's too late for me. My heart is reaching its limit. I've been on land for far too long and I've lived my best life with her." he smiled at Daniella who held a sympathetic, sad look.

She just made a new friend and he was leaving soon, not only physically, but mentally and spiritually too. She would be alone again. Just as when she felt hopeful, it got crushed by a small sentence. 'If he doesn't return my feelings, my heart would turn to stone.' the thought repeated over and over again, as she sat in place.

Reference: Legend of the Blue Sea.