Walkin My Baby Back Home
((Oneshot, Fem!Minkey, ~1K))
“Gwi, weren’t we supposed to turn onto main street?” Minjung asks as they continue down the boulevard.
“If we wanted to take the quick way home. I thought since our dance got cut short we could take a little walk first.”
(Based on the Nat King Cole song x)
“Baby, the dance is over. Come on, I’ll walk you home.” Gwiboon says as the band strikes their final chord.
Minjung whines but doesn’t resist when Gwiboon starts pulling her towards the door. It’s only 9:30pm; the dance -- which was supposed to go until midnight at least -- had to be stopped early due to electrical malfunctions. After helping Minjung into her coat, Gwiboon links their arms as they head outside of club.
“Gwi, weren’t we supposed to turn onto main street?” Minjung asks as they continue down the boulevard.
“If we wanted to take the quick way home. I thought since our dance got cut short we could take a little walk first.”
Minjung smiles and holds onto Gwiboon’s arm a little tighter. They pass by store after store, street after street. Though Minjung keeps glancing at each crossroad they meet in some effort to predict Gwiboon’s path, Gwiboon simply continues on. They pass by a little restaurant where the jukebox can be heard from outside. Minjung starts to hum along and soon enough they’re both trying to sing the song despite not remembering the words. Eventually the stores and cross roads stop; for all intents and purposes, they’re walking straight out of town.
“Gwiboon, where are we going?” Minjung asks.
Minjung’s attempt at not sounding nervous is endearing to Gwiboon.
“Well, it’s Friday night, so the passion pit is going to be full to the brim. Lovers’ lane is probably fuller than the mall parking lot during a clearance sale. But, luckily for us, old man Jinki said that I can use that old shed on the edge of the farm as my own little hideout so I thought I’d take you ‘round to see what I’ve done with the place.”
“Oh, I see.”
Gwiboon laughs; it’s plain to see that Minjung’s not sold on the idea, but they continue walking on anyway. They continue trying to sing little bits of songs that the band played; it’s all in tune, but they get a laugh out of the mess of lyrics they come up with. After awhile, Minjung stops in her tracks with a gasp. Gwiboon worries that something’s wrong and puts her guard up.
“Look, Gwi! There’s an owl!” Minjung says excitedly, pointing off into the distance.
The streetlamp barely lights the tree where the owl sits. Gwiboon’s surprised that Minjung was able to spot it at all. Though she knows it’s not, Gwiboon could swear that it was giving her the eye. They continue on until the little red shed comes into view. Gwiboon unlocks the door, flips the door sign to “in”, and gestures for Minjung to go inside. It takes her a few seconds to find her lighter and a few minutes to get the lamps lit, but by the time she’s finished they’re both bathed in a warm glow. Half finished projects lay around on benches and the floor and Minjung goes around inspecting each one with interest. While her attention is occupied elsewhere, Gwiboon sets up a blanket in the corner, pulling out her little radio. Minjung gasps and a smile blossoms on her face when she sees it.
“Oh Gwi, it’s so romantic!”
“Just for you, baby.”
Minjung kisses her cheek. There’s an unmistakable glint in her eye and Gwiboon can’t help but be pleased with herself.
“I’m going to take my dress off so it doesn’t get all wrinkled when I sit, is that alright?” she asks, already undoing her buttons.
“Of course, baby, but only if I can get out of my suit as well.”
Minjung simply winks before pulling her dress over her head. Though Gwiboon always claims that she liked best when Minjung wears wiggle dresses to dances, she can’t deny the charm of her tiny waist exaggerated with all those petticoats when she wears swing dresses. Regardless of which she really preferred, at the end of the day, nothing pleased Gwiboon more than the sight of Minjung in her slip and stockings. She fumbles with the buttons on her vest as she watches Minjung slip out of her petticoats. Though she’s felt infinitely better since she started wearing suits rather than dresses, she can’t help but be jealous of the ease of which Minjung can undress.
“Need some help, my love?” Minjung teases.
With Minjung’s help, Gwiboon soon strips down to her shirt and drawers. They sit down and Gwiboon waits for Minjung to cuddle up to her chest before getting comfortable. They enjoy the radio for a while, but it’s soon clear by the lips on Gwiboon’s neck that it’s not enough for Minjung. Gwiboon reaches over to the lamp nearest them to turn down the lights a bit. By the time Minjung’s kisses and pets slow down with sleepiness, half her makeup is on Gwiboon’s cheeks.
“Guess I better actually walk you home now, shouldn’t I?” Gwiboon says, cupping Minjung’s cheek.
“But Gwi, I’m afraid of the dark!”
“Guess I’ll just have to hold you closer to me, won’t I?”
Minjung giggles a little and they both stand to get dressed. While Gwiboon wipes the powder off her nose, Minjung tries to use Gwiboon’s comb to make her hair half presentable again. Once Minjung straightens Gwiboon’s tie once more and they turn the lights and radio off, they set off in the direction of town. It doesn’t take long for them to circle around to Minjung’s house. The lights are all off inside, no car in the driveway. When they get to the door, Minjung searches her pockets for her keys.
“Give me a kiss for my walk home, baby?”
Minjung stops her search to pout at Gwiboon.
“Please don’t go home, Gwi! I don’t want to be here all by myself!”
“Baby, you know I shouldn’t. Come now, give me my kiss goodnight.”
“Don’t kiss me goodnight! I’ll cry if you do!”
From the light of the streetlamp, Gwiboon can see the tears welling in her eyes and knows she’s lost this battle already. She cups Minjung’s face in her hands and presses their foreheads together.
“I’ll stay, baby, I’ll stay. Please don’t cry.”
With a peck on the cheek, Minjung continues searching for her keys. As she unlocks the door, Gwiboon wonders if she should’ve taken up the Choi’s offer of their spare bedroom.
fem!Minkey, ~900 words
Rated ms for magic (supernatural) and smut
Day 3: Sensory Deprivation; Temperature play
The dream machine starts clicking promptly at 11pm. Minho’s in the middle of a chapter and is loathe to stop. The clicking stops but he continues to read until the machine starts beeping annoyedly. With a sigh, Minho puts down their book and walks over to it.
Apartment 25: Kim Gwiboon
Orientation: Pan
Seeking: Female companionship
Act: #156+
Making their way to the elevator, Minho wonders what Gwiboon has in store for today. Out of all the tenants that Minho feeds on, Gwiboon has always had the most variable dreams -- both scenario and position wise. The ride is short and without interruption and soon enough Minho stands in front of Gwiboon’s door. There’s no light underneath the door, but one comes on when they push the lock in. Minjung can tell that Gwiboon is in a dom mood just by the sight of her: she has her favorite black silk nightie on with accompanying black lace gloves, box of toys and accessories sitting open at her side. She sits next to a spread out towel obviously intended for Minjung. She sits down, brushing fingers against Gwiboon’s to start the dream.
“I have a new game for you, kitten.” Gwiboon muses, reaching into the box.
She pulls out a blindfold and some headphones.
“The safe word is geese.” she says with a giggle, tying the blindfold over Minjung’s eyes.
Minjung hums in understanding. Blindfolds weren’t uncommon amongst the dreams Minjung participates in, especially where Gwiboon was concerned.
“If you’re alright with my game, put your hands behind your back, please.”
Minjung does as she’s told and Gwiboon ties her hands with a silk ribbon similar to the blindfold.
“I’m going to put these headphones on you and then go get the rest of my surprise. Be good and stay still for me.”
After the headphones are in place, it doesn’t take long for Minjung to become acutely aware of every sensation on her skin. With no visual or aural input to distract her attention, she feels every breeze, every brush against her skin. For a few moments, there’s only the feeling of air around her; then, there’s the sensation of Gwinboon dragging her nails ever so lightly down her spine. She shudders and lets out a small gasp. Gwiboon’s hand moves up and down and up and down her back until she gets almost used to the sensation. The feeling disappears and she feels warmth on her shoulder: Gwiboon must be trying to give her a hickey. When Gwiboon pulls away, the spot becomes cold. She feels something colder -- much colder -- on her back. This must be Gwiboon’s game: ice. As Gwiboon lets the melting ice drip on her back, Minjung squirms around. It stops for a moment, until Gwiboon presses the ice cube down her spine. She follows the ice with kisses as if to warm Minjung back up. There’s another pause and Minjung is tense with anticipation. She jolts back at the feeling of a piece of ice being held up to each nipple. They harden, goosebumps forming on the rest of her body to match as Gwiboon swirls the ice cubes up and down her torso. When both pieces have melted away, Gwiboon goes about sucking and kissing over each spot she went over. She can feel Gwiboon’s breath on her face and cranes for the kiss she knows must be coming. She’s met instead with ice pressed to her lips. After a moment, she takes the ice into her mouth, sucking on it until it melts. She waits once again for a kiss, but shudders hard when she’s met with ice again. As Gwiboon rubs the ice cube over Minjung’s clit, she can’t help but to wiggle around in an effort to evade it. When Gwiboon swats her ass she does her best to remain still. The ice cube melts quickly -- as expected -- and Gwiboon -- to Minjung’s surprise -- removes the headphones.
“Up on your knees for me.” she says firmly, guiding Minjung up with a finger under her chin.
She reaches and undoes the tie on Minjung’s hands, moving them up so her arms rest on Gwiboon’s shoulders before retying them.
“Stay still now, kitten.”
Finally, Minjung gets the kisses she’s been waiting for: most of them are soft as the caresses have been; a few are rough. As Gwiboon uses her tongue to part Minjungs lips for a deeper kiss, she feels something -- more ice -- parting her lips and teasing at her entrance. She gasps and moans into Gwiboon’s mouth, earning a fond giggle.
“Enjoying it?” Gwiboon asks, though it’s more rhetorical than anything.
Minjung’s gasps and noises pick up as Gwiboon starts to fuck her with ice; she’s switched from little cubes to sizable rods and it’s almost more than Minjung can take. Gwiboon doesn’t pull away when she starts to whine so she wills herself to come faster, hoping that they’ll move on to something more collaborative when she does.
“Finished already?” Gwiboon coos.
She holds Minjung through most of her orgasm, then moves out of her embrace. Minjung listens for her movement, trying to figure out where she’s going, what they’ll be doing next. There’s a scraping sound followed by a sizzle; it’s followed by the scent of phosphorus: matches.
“You look a little chilly, kitten. How about I warm you up?”
Minjung takes a deep breath. It’s going to be a long night.
Jukebox Saturday Night
((Oneshot; OT5 ft fem!minkey; ~1K))
“What’s wrong, babydoll?” Jinki says, wiping grease off his chin.
“They’re already playing music but I’m not done eating yet!”
Jinki and Jonghyun softly chuckle. Out of the five of them, Minjung loved dancing the most.
None of them really remember how it became a tradition. Yet here they are, sitting in the corner booth at Rusty’s Diner, just like they do every Saturday night. Minjung sits on one end, so that her petticoats don’t get deflated too much. Jinki sits next to her, halfway through a double cheeseburger. In the middle is Taemin, math homework spread out as far as the others will let him. Next to him is Gwiboon, working on reapplying her lipstick. On the other end, Jonghyun sits sipping at his sarsaparilla soda. It’s 7 o’clock and other couples are finally starting to file in. Minjung is starting to pick up the pace on eating her cheese fries, seemingly racing Jonghyun.
“You two should be more careful,” Gwiboon scolds. “We can’t have jukebox Saturdays if you two choke.”
Both reluctantly slow and Taemin can’t help but chuckle. It takes another 15 minutes for someone to walk up to the jukebox and start putting in quarters. Minjung pouts as “String of Pearls” begins to play.
“What’s wrong, babydoll?” Jinki says, wiping grease off his chin.
“They’re already playing music but I’m not done eating yet!”
Jinki and Jonghyun softly chuckle. Out of the five of them, Minjung loved dancing the most.
“Finish up and I’ll dance with you starting at the next song, how about that, babydoll?” Jonghyun offers, finally finishing his soda.
Minjung perks up and rushes to finish. Taemin steals a few fries and though she shoots him a dirty look she doesn’t say anything. She finishes just as the last notes play; they quickly wipe their faces and Jonghyun waits for her to properly refluff her skirt as “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” begins. Beside Jinki, Taemin starts giggling again.
“What’s so funny?” Gwiboon asks, now rearranging her hair.
“I know they’re only a few inches apart but it looks like their height difference is a foot or more! He’s singing the song but really he’s the one at the right height for shoulder resting.”
Gwiboon rolls her eyes and Jinki laughs. Jonghyun and Minjung’s relationship was an amusing one: filled with the utmost sincerity, the most tender support, and no shortage of affectionate joking.
“They look so cliche.” Gwiboon remarks.
“How so?” Taemin asks.
“A greaser and a cheerleader? Bad boy good girl has been a cliche for like a hundred years, kiddo.”
Though all five of them were romantically involved in some capacity, Taemin and Gwiboon’s relationship was the weakest. As he finishes his burger, Jinki amusedly watches them squabble: as cliche as Jonghyun and Minjung may be, the nerd and the popular girl was just as cliche in his opinion. After a few more songs, Jinki stands and makes his way over to where Jonghyun and Minjung are dancing.
“May I cut in?” he asks Jonghyun.
He nods and looks over at the table to wink at Gwiboon. She blushes and makes her way over as Minjung and Jinki start to sway.
“Which do you think is more cliche, you and Jonghyun as good girl bad boy couple or you and I as homecoming king and queen?” Jinki asks as the song changes.
Minjung laughs. “You’ve been spending too much time with Taemin.”
“So have you, if you know that he’s the one who brought it up.”
“I don’t know which is more cliche. All I know is I like riding around on the back of Jonghyun’s motorcycle just as much as I like giving you a good luck kiss before the quarter starts at the football games.”
Jinki smiles and reaches up to kiss her cheek. They continue dancing as someone else starts putting quarters in. Jinki’s foot starts to cramp and as if on cue, he feels a tap on his shoulder. It’s Gwiboon.
“Mind if I cut?” she asks.
Jinki disentagles himself from Minjung’s hold and after winking at Jonghyun, goes to sit down. Taemin’s still sitting, content to watch from afar.
“Why don’t you go dance with Jonghyun?” Jinki suggests as he sits down.
“Me? Oh I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“My mama says I have two left feet.”
“Luckily for you, Jonghyun has two right feet.”
Before Jinki can continue to push, however, Jonghyun comes back to the booth, another sarsaparilla in his hand.
“I got thirsty.” he explains.
“The fact that the girls are dancing has absolutely nothing to do with it?” Jinki asks teasingly.
Jonghyun blushes. “No, not at all.”
“What’s Gwiboon doing?” Taemin asks with confused interest.
Jonghyun and Jinki look and can’t help but laugh.
“Gwiboon is trying to feel Minjung up, but Minjung’s got so many petticoats on that she can’t get a grip on anything.” Jinki explains.
“Oh.”
Gwiboon’s skin tight dress is a sharp contrast to Minjung’s 8 petticoats, yet there’s something complementary in the sight of them dancing. Jonghyun and Taemin start talking about something else, but Jinki only half listens to it. He keeps a careful eye on Minjung and Gwiboon’s dancing; not because he finds it exciting like Jonghyun does but more of a preventative measure. Gwiboon and Minjung can dance all night, but they tend to get a little too handsy. When Minjung starts feeling Gwiboon up, he knows it’s time to intervene. He stands and walks over them, cutting in to dance with Gwiboon while yet a third person dumps quarters in. Minjung sways alone for a moment; Jinki and Gwiboon watch as she tries to persuade Taemin to come dance with her. Almost a whole song goes by before Jonghyun eventually pushes Taemin out of the booth. Though he acted as if dancing was the last thing he wanted to do, his cheeks are soon beaming after just a few minutes in Minjung’s arms.
“Regardless of who’s the most cliche couple out of all of us, they’re definitely the sweetest.” Gwiboon whispers fondly.
They dance two more songs, until the head waiter goes over and turns off the machine, announcing that the restaurant closes in 10 minutes. Gwiboon and Jinki walk back to the table to collect Jonghyun, only to turn around and realize that Minjung and Taemin are still kissing in the middle of the dance floor. Gwiboon laughs as she goes over and pulls them apart.
“Put it on hold, you two. We have to head out.”
Minjung looks disappointed, while Taemin’s dazed look and red cheeks show he probably didn’t hear what Gwiboon said. They all head out into the parking lot, agreeing to meet up at Jinki’s house. Gwiboon rides on the back of Jonghyun’s motorcycle and Minjung and Taemin pile into the backseat of Jinki’s tiny car. The clock in the dashboard reads midnight.
“Three hours of music without spending a dime? Can’t beat that.” Jinki says, pulling out of the spot.
Disappearance of a Princess
(Oneshot; fem!Minkey; ~1.2K)
I know you’re tired of princes, Minjung. Tired of stuffy veils and etiquette and being described like some prized piece of porcelain. I’ve watched you grow up, watched you sigh. Why don’t you let me take your mind off these things for a while?
@minhoinator was talking about the lack of fem!minkey fanfic so *shrug emoji*
Inspired by this set of art
Minjung lays down on the dock and sighs. Though she knew that life as a princess was really not that hard of lot, continuous meetings with potential suitors and their families had left her exhausted. A family had not arrived so the afternoon that should’ve been spent sitting quietly in the corner of a room has instead been given to spend at her leisure. Her escape of choice? The hot springs. It’s her favorite place in the Summer Palace. Large trees create huge curtains of flowered vines for sunlight to peak through in warm pink rays. She lays on her back, letting the small amounts of sunshine bathe her in warmth as she tries to nap.
Below her, in the water, bubbles rise from below. A head pops up, peaking at Minjung’s sleeping form through the cracks in the dock. The form moves out from underneath, coming up beside the dock, trying to get a better view of her. The way she’s laying, it can see her face, so it splashes the tiniest bit of water up, hoping she’ll turn. She doesn’t, merely wiping the water off her face. It splashes her again and she sits up. Though her hair is still covering her face, the form shyly moves back under the dock. It moves to the very end of the dock when she lays down again. Minjung rolls over, letting a hand hang over the side of the dock. She draws little designs into the surface of the water. The form blows bubbles towards her fingers and Minjung laughs. She rolls back over, intent on napping again. Blossoms start falling from the trees and the form gets an idea. Blowing bubbles against them, they turn into little fish, which it tosses one by one up onto Minjung. She shrieks, but in odd delight. As she feels around her gown, trying to pull them out to put back in the water, she can’t help but laugh. There’s a odd noise and she turns around to see what the source of it is. Right in front of her, at the end of the dock, is another girl. Her hair is white; big brown eyes staring right back at Minjung. There’s green and purple colored patches of scale like forms on her skin. Though Minjung is terrified, she finds herself drawn to the girl. She drops the fishes back into the water before crawling close to her.
“Who...who are you?” Minjung asks.
The girl tilts her head to the side, resting her chin on the dock.
“What’s your name?” Minjung tries.
The girl’s mouth doesn’t move but an answer is still given.
Gwiboon.
“Gwiboon? My...my name is Minjung.”
Minjung? That’s a pretty name.
Minjung finds herself blushing and the girl smiles.
“How...how did you get in here? Are you from outside the palace?”
No. I live here.
“Here? But I live here. I’ve never seen you here before.”
No. But I’ve seen you before.
“How?”
I live in the spring.
“How...how long have you been here?”
A long long time. I’ve watched you grow from a pretty child to a pretty girl to a beautiful woman.
“How do you live in the spring?”
Gwiboon reaches her hands up and pulls herself up onto the dock and Minjung’s shocked. She’s wearing robes like Minjung’s own, though the color is faded from being soaked. Her body is covered in increasingly more scales, her legs and feet almost completely covered.
“Are...what are you?”
Come now, Minjung. We both know you’ve heard of mermaids.
Minjung reaches out a hand, touching Gwiboon’s cheek. She’s warm and her skin is softer than clouds. Gwiboon covers the hand with her own, turning to press kisses to Minjung’s wrist. Minjung’s breath catches in her throat.
I know you’re tired of princes, Minjung. Tired of stuffy veils and etiquette and being described like some prized piece of porcelain. I’ve watched you grow up, watched you sigh. Why don’t you let me take your mind off these things for a while?
Minjung nods, though she’s not fully sure what she’s getting herself into. Gwiboon puts a hand up to Minjung’s cheek and pulls her in. Gwiboon’s lips soft and inviting and Minjung can’t get enough of her kisses. They stay still for a while, but soon enough Gwiboon is pushing Minjung back to lay down. Minjung does her best to stay quiet as Gwiboon kisses her way down her neck. She brushes Gwiboon’s hair out of the way, stroking her cheek with her thumb. Drunk on Gwiboon’s affections, Minjung can’t help to close her eyes. Every time she opens them, the sun moves further across the sky, across the trees, to the other side of Gwiboon’s face. Time is slipping through Minjung’s hands and she grip Gwiboon’s gown with all her strength as if it’ll make time slow down. All too soon, her name is being called and Gwiboon’s trying to pull away. Minjung begs her not to leave, but Gwiboon’s too strong for her to hold and soon she’s in the water again.
I’ll always be here. Come see me again.
Minjung reaches as far over the dock as she can without falling in and Gwiboon gives her one last kiss before disappearing below the surface. Minjung’s mother and a flurry of attendants come in as soon as Gwiboon’s out of sight. They chastise her for her soaked gown and messy hair -- how can she ever receive the magistrate who has finally appeared for his meeting looking like this -- but Minjung can only focus on the ripples left on the surface on the water.
It doesn’t take long for rumors to circulate around the kingdom. About Princess Minjung, who liked to lay under wisteria trees and the way the hot springs at the summer palace made her lose her mind. How -- on the same day she was engaged to Magistrate Kim -- she left her gowns and jewelry and future on the dock and disappeared into the hot springs. No goodbyes, no letters, no body ever found. The king seals the room off, declares it illegal to visit the place where his daughter died, but the servants claim for years later that on days when the water is high and the sun is warm through the trees, her laughter still drifts through.
Many many years and numerous kingdoms later, the story about Princess Minjung and the cursed spring stays strong. But Junghee is a curious girl and she wants to know what lies behind the wall. It takes her a year to carve a hole into it big enough to get in. The description of the room is exactly the same: red pillars, fine furniture and porcelain dishes, curtains of wisteria trees. All along the dock lie different pieces of silk fabric, the clothes that Princess Minjung left behind. At the very end of the dock, two sets of eyes watch Junghee. It takes her a while to notice them. On the left is a girl covered in purple and green, beside her another girl in blue and yellow. Junghee thinks of the mermaid stories her grandmother used to tell her and she wonders, as she wanders to the edge of the dock, if Princess Minjung was really lost at all.
“I could help you run away.”
“How?”
“I could hide you away for a few days. You’re worried about this husband coming to look for you, yes? If your boat comes home empty, he won’t look for you anymore. Then you can go on to a new town as a new girl. No ties, no worries.”
It’s just before dawn when Gwiboon leaves. She dresses herself as quickly and quietly as she can before she grabs her basket out from its hiding place. She climbs over the fence, fearing the gate with creak too much if she tries to open it. Until she gets passed the last house on the lane she walks properly, dignified. No one should be awake at this hour but she doesn’t want to run the risk of making a scene. Once she’s reached the part of the road where the trees thicken, however, she picks up her skirts and run as fast as her legs will take her. Dawn has come by the time she reaches the edge of the lake. A dense fog covers it, and she almost loses her nerve, but she puts her basket in the first rowboat she can get loose and sets off. Growing up, she’d always been told how important it was to stay within sight of the shore, how important it is not to get trapped in the fog, how the people who ventured too far sent home empty boats. As she rows away from the shore, she goes as far as she can before she turns and travels perpendicular to the shore. The lake is huge, practically a sea, and she wants to get as far away from her town as she can before anyone else ventures out.
An hour later, she can no longer see the dock that she left from nor any similar looking outcroppings. It’s getting brighter out but the fog on the lake doesn’t dissipate at all. Birds flit around in the trees, but none venture over the water. Gwiboon stops rowing and takes an apple out of her basket. She doesn’t have much food with her and even less money, but she’s hopeful that wherever she lands that the people will be kind. After another hour of rowing, she hears a noise coming from the fog. It’s high pitch, almost like the sound of someone crying. Gwiboon keeps rowing and tries to ignore the sound. The fog has her on edge enough and nothing good has ever come from following strange noises. Yet, over time, Gwiboon finds herself peering into the fog, trying to find the source of the noise. The shore gets further and further away until finally Gwiboon turns her boat fully away from it. The fog doesn’t envelop her like she thinks it will; there’s a gap around her, almost as if she’s sitting in a bubble, extending more than an arm’s length beyond the sides of the boat. The noise is getting louder and Gwiboon realizes that it’s not crying, but singing. She gets excited as the song grows clearer. She rows as hard as she can until she seems to find a clearing. The song is loud and wonderful and nearby. She scans around, looking for another boat, looking for the singer. She notices someone swimming around and the song stops.
“Hello?” she calls out.
The swimmer -- a woman -- turns around. When their eyes meet, she swims to the side of Gwiboon’s boat.
“Hello.” the woman whispers, reaching a hand up onto the edge of the boat.
“Are you safe? Where’s your boat?” Gwiboon asks, concerned.
The woman laughs. “I don’t need a boat.”
“Was...was that you singing?”
“Maybe. Did you like it?”
“Oh yes. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.”
The woman beams. “Yes, it was me.”
“What are you doing out here?”
“I’m doing what I please.”
“Oh.”
“What are you doing out here? It’s not often I see girls alone in boats, very rarely so pretty as you.”
Gwiboon hesitates. “I’m...leaving.”
“Where to, pretty girl?”
“I...I haven’t decided yet.”
“Running away, then?”
“Yeah...yeah. I’m running away from my husband.”
“What’s your name, pretty girl?”
“Gwi-Gwiboon.” she says, blushing deeply.
“That’s a pretty name. A pretty name for a pretty girl.” The woman reaches up a hand to Gwiboon’s cheek. “I could help you run away.”
“How?”
“I could hide you away for a few days. You’re worried about this husband coming to look for you, yes? If your boat comes home empty, he won’t look for you anymore. Then you can go on to a new town as a new girl. No ties, no worries.”
“Where would I hide at?”
“I have a house close.”
“How do I know you won’t hurt me?”
The woman laughs. “If I wanted to hurt you, Gwiboon, I would’ve done it already.”
Gwiboon becomes acutely aware of just how far out of the water the woman is, how naked she seems to be.
“Is there...what do you want in return?”
“For hiding you away? A kiss.”
Gwiboon swallows hard. The only person she’s ever kissed has been her husband, none of them ever pleasant.
“Are you...sure that’s what you want?”
The woman laughs. “Yes, I’m sure. Besides, what else have you to offer me? I’m not interested in first borns. I have no use for money. I’m not going to eat you. So instead, just a kiss and perhaps a thank you will suffice for my efforts.”
Gwiboon stays still, trying her best to look away from the woman.
“It’s a fair deal, isn’t it? Just close your pretty eyes for me, Gwiboon.”
Gwiboon looks back and nods. The woman reaches her other hand up, cupping Gwiboon’s face and she does her best to mentally prepare. Kisses from her husband have always been rough, unkind, taken from her. Gwiboon half expects the woman to pull her over the side of the boat in an attempt to drown her. When the woman puts her lips to Gwiboon’s, however, the feeling is completely new. It feels soft and warm and lovelier than anything Gwiboon’s ever felt before. When the woman pulls away, Gwiboon feels herself instinctively try to follow her for more. The woman laughs.
“See? Not so bad, is it?”
Gwiboon blushes deeply again and shakes her head shyly.
“Do you have the strength to keep rowing? My house is close by.”
Gwiboon nods and the woman starts swimming away.
“Just follow me, pretty girl. We’ll be there soon and then you can rest.”
Eventually, they reach what Gwiboon assumes must be the woman’s house. There’s a clearing, right in the middle of the fog, with a large island. On it sits a quaint little house, surrounded by bushes full of roses and strawberries. A forest extends behind it. It’s warm and lovely and looks more inviting than any home back in Gwiboon’s old town. The woman stops swimming a good distance out from the shore.
“I...I can go no further, but my home is yours for now. There’s not much, but you’re welcome to anything you need. When you reach the shore, take your dress off, just the outer layer, and put it back in the boat. Then push the boat back to me. I’ll be back in two days time.”
“Why so long?”
“I’ll explain when I get back.”
Gwiboon starts rowing towards shore, then stops again.
“What’s your name?”
“Minjung. Now hurry. I can’t stay long.”
Gwiboon does her best to reach the shore quickly, removing her overdress and sending the boat back out. It drifts to Minjung quickly and soon she’s waving goodbye and heading back into the fog. Gwiboon stands on the shore for a while, looking at where Minjung’s disappeared. When it’s clear she’s not coming back, she heads inside. True to Minjung’s word, there’s not much inside: a cot, a few baskets of food, flowers drying on a string, a basket of fabric. Gwiboon goes to the food and grabs a roll of bread before sitting down on the cot. She’s exhausted from rowing all morning, so she decides to sleep. After all, she has two days to wait for Minjung to come back.
Gwiboon wakes to Minjung’s song. Thinking she’s come home early, Gwiboon rushes outside. She’s still alone though, the sound simply drifting through the fog. Judging by the amount of light coming through, it’s early afternoon. She walks around the house, inspecting everything she can. She sits on the shore, as close to the water as she can, and closes her eyes, listening to Minjung’s song. When she opens her eyes again, it’s dark, She goes inside, eats something, and goes to bed.
Minjung returns around noon. Gwiboon’s sitting in the doorway, waiting, when she spots Minjung’s head peek up out of the water. She stands and walks to the water’s edge as she comes walking up onto shore. Minjung’s taller than she thought she would be; when Gwiboon realizes that Minjung is in fact naked, long hair clinging to her body but doing little to cover her, she tries to look away.
“I sent your boat back; they stopped looking for you at nightfall.” Minjung explains.
“Did he...was anyone upset?”
“If they were, I didn’t hear it. I heard whispers that they were surprised it took this long. They seem to be under the impression that he killed you.”
Gwiboon looks down at the ground, unsure of what to feel about the situation.
“Do you know where you want to go? From here?” Minjung asks, walking into the house.
“Not really, I’ve never...I haven’t....”
“You’ve never been outside before, have you?”
Gwiboon shakes her head. Minjung sighs and starts digging through a basket.
“Aha! Here’s a map. It’s a little old, so take it with a grain of salt. If there’s a place that tickles your fancy, I’ll take you tomorrow.”
“What if there isn’t?”
“There’s no rush, pretty girl.”
Minjung looks Gwiboon over and there’s something to her gaze that makes her shiver. Gwiboon is still trying not to look at Minjung, though it’s getting increasingly hard.
“Can you...would you mind putting something on?” she asks.
Minjung glances down at herself and then smiles.
“I can if it bothers you.”
“It’s not that it bothers me, I just...it just....you see...”
“Gwiboon, your body is no different than mine. Is it something to be ashamed of?”
Gwiboon feels her cheeks turning red. “How am I supposed to know?”
“Haven’t you seen yourself before?”
Gwiboon shakes her head and Minjung’s shocked face makes her feel even more embarrassed.
“Women aren’t allowed to look into mirrors, in my...in my old town. They say it makes us bad if we do.”
“That’s terrible! Come here, come stand by me.” Minjung instructs, pulling a curtain away from the wall.
Gwiboon does as she’s told but avoids looking at the now exposed mirror. Minjung puts a hand on either side of her waist, positioning her properly in front of the mirror.
“Don’t you want to know what you look like, pretty girl?”
She looks up and tries not to be afraid of her own reflection. She can’t look long at her own face, instead moving down to look at the parts of her underdress. Minjung takes notice and turns Gwiboon around.
“Let’s take these off, yeah? Your town is the only one that refuses to let them go. You might as well get used to it as soon as you can.”
Though she thinks to protest, Gwiboon finds herself allowing Minjung to unlace her corset, untie her petticoats. When she’s naked, Minjung turns her back around. She can’t bring herself to look, no matter how much Minjung tries to coax her to. Eventually she gives up and starts rummaging through the fabric basket again. She pulls out two dresses, much thinner and simpler than Gwiboon’s used to; she hands one to Gwiboon and puts the other on herself. Though she’s the one that asked for this, Gwiboon’s disappointed.
“Where were you yesterday?” Gwiboon asks after almost two hours of silence.
Minjung looks up from where she’s descaling fish. “I was in the lake.”
“But how?”
“Gwiboon, you know the answer.”
When she was little, Gwiboon had heard stories about things -- people -- who lived in the lake. That’s part of why it was forbidden to swim in it. But she never for a second had thought that maybe those stories were true.
“But you’re on land now? If you...how can....”
Minjung laughs. “It’s simple, really. For seven days, I stay in the water. I move around as a please, drown sailors who are foolish enough to try and net me. Then, I get to spend the eighth day on land. I get to smell my roses and eat my strawberries. Wear dresses if I please. Then it’s back to the water to start again.”
“Oh. So tomorrow...”
“Tomorrow noon, I go back for a week. Well, one fo your weeks. My weeks are eight days.”
“So if I don’t know where I want to go, you’ll let me stay until you come back again?”
“Of course. Where else are you going to go, pretty girl? We both know you can’t swim.”
Gwiboon spends the whole night watching Minjung from a distance. They eat dinner together, Gwiboon telling Minjung about the reasons she left. An angry mother, a cruel husband, a lack of anything to do. In turn, Minjung tells Gwiboon about the people she’s seen -- and drowned. When Gwiboon lays down to sleep, she remembers her kiss in payment on the boat. She sneaks glances at Minjung’s lips until she falls asleep, dreaming about their softness. Minjung’s gone when Gwiboon wakes. She feels a pang of loneliness, but tries to get along.
Most of her week is spent in front of Minjung’s mirror. Getting acquainted with every line on her face, every curve of her body. She figures that if she left home for freedom, she might as well exercise it to the full amount. The rest of her time is spent thinking about Minjung. The sound of her voice, the curve of her lips, the shape of her body. She tries to look at the map, tries to find a place to go -- after all, she doesn’t want to overstay her welcome -- but no where sounds appealing.
When Minjung comes home again, Gwiboon’s waiting at the water’s edge. After her week of self-discovery, she’s decided to forgo her dress. She can feel Minjung’s eyes locked on her the moment her head comes out of the water.
“Busy week alone?” Minjung asks as she walks out of the water.
Gwiboon blushes, but reaches out for Minjung’s hands.
“Kiss me. Please. Like you did when you found me. Please.”
Minjung’s hands move to Gwiboon’s face, lips on hers in a second. The warm feeling returns to Gwiboon, just as before, but it disappears when Minjung pulls away.
“Just one kiss, pretty girl?” She asks, keeping her face just out of reach.
“No, not one, as many as you can fit into a day.”
Minjung’s lips are back on Gwiboon’s almost before she finishes her sentence. Gwiboon wraps first her arms around Minjung’s neck, then her legs around her waist. Minjung lets go of Gwiboon’s face in order to support her, carrying her inside. Once on Minjung’s cot, they spend no more than a moment of out each other’s arms. Gwiboon’s unable to stop asking for more and Minjung’s equally unable to stop giving. By the time dawn comes, Gwiboon thinks she might die from so many sweet kisses, so many gentle touches. Even when the lake calls to Minjung, Gwiboon can’t let go. She holds tight onto her, Minjung doing her best to walk backwards into the lake.
“Gwiboon....Gwi you need...you have to go...go back” Minjung instructs between kisses.
Gwiboon ignores her, stealing more kisses as they get knee deep.
“You can’t....Gwi you can’t....can’t swim go back.”
“Don’t...don’t leave”
“We both...both know I...I have to...Gwiboon...go...go back.”
When the water is waist deep, Minjung starts trying to push Gwi away, sets her back on the ground. At chest level, the ground suddenly drops off. Gwiboon goes to wrap herself around Minjung, to stay close to her, but she’s pushed back. The water carries her to the shore.
“I’m sorry.” Minjung calls out just before she dips under the water.
For the next seven days, Gwiboon can only cry and watch the waters. She tries to explore the forest behind the house; no matter how far back she goes, however, she finds herself back on the waterfront. She knows it’s days before Minjung will return, but she can’t help but be on guard at all times. When Minjung does return, there’s something different. Her kisses are still soft, but her body is colder than before, weaker than before. She falls asleep twice and Gwiboon feels guilty waking her up in order for them to have their time. When the lake calls for her, Gwiboon half carries her to the water. The week is spent anxiously; Minjung’s song grows weaker and quieter with each passing day.
She washes up on the shore just after dawn. Gwiboon just happens to wake up in time, rushing out to bring her inside. She’s almost as cold as the lake water, struggling to stay awake.
“Minjung, can you hear me?” Gwiboon asks as she lays her on the cot.
Minjung turns her head, tries to put a hand to Gwiboon’s cheek.
“My pretty girl.” she whispers before coughing.
“What’s wrong, Minjung? What’s happening?”
“I’m a fool.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m dying.”
Tears start running down Gwiboon’s cheeks.
“What do you mean you’re dying?”
“I’m a fool in love and I’m dying.”
She starts coughing again and Gwiboon helps her sit up. When it subsides, Gwiboon does her best to hold her, pressing kisses to her neck and shoulder. She coughs again and pulls away enough to rest their foreheads against each other.
“Gwi...Gwi, my pretty girl, do you love me?” she whispers.
“I do. Since the first time you came back.”
Minjung smiles and starts crying as well. Gwiboon’s confused and frightened and when Minjung starts coughing again, she fears the worst. But like before it subsides, but it’s clear that Minjung’s coughed something up. She holds it in her hand, before offering it to Gwiboon. As Gwiboon looks at it, she realizes it’s a pearl.
“If...if you love me, take it.”
“What do I...do I just hold it?”
“You have to swallow it”
“Why?”
“It’ll bind us together. It’s...think of it as a marriage.”
“What happens if I don’t?”
“If you don’t swallow it, I’m going to die. If you swallow it, but you don’t love me, I’m going to die. This is me giving you my heart. Me saying that I can’t live without you.”
Without a second thought, Gwiboon swallows the pearl.
Gwiboon wakes up holding Minjung. She kisses the top of her head, delighted to feel that she’s warm once again. She reaches down and grabs one of Minjung’s hands, pressing kisses into her palm until she wakes up. She seems surprised, touching Gwiboon’s face as if to make sure they’re both still real.
“When did you know you loved me?” Gwiboon asks softly.
“When I found you in your boat. For us -- for my people --, when you meet the person you’re destined for, you find your song. I’d never sang before I met you. And then all of a sudden, I saw your form through the fog and my heart was filled with song and I knew it had to be you.”
“So if I hadn’t been your...soulmate, then you would’ve drowned me?”
Minjung hums, scooting up so that they’re laying face to face. “I was a fool for you from the moment I saw you. I shouldn’t have kissed you that day. There’s a sort of internal watch that starts ticking down time after the first kiss, only so much time to develop love. I risked so much because I wanted you so bad.”
“I guess it’s lucky for us that I loved you back,”
For the first time since their meeting, Minjung gets shy.
“When did you...when did you know? That you loved me?”
“The first night you came back. When I was trying to go to sleep but was having so much trouble falling asleep because I was trying to will you to kiss me.”
“I guess you don’t have to worry about that now.”
“That’s true.” Gwiboon says, reaching over for a kiss.
Over time, it gets easier to let Minjung return to the water. Out of desperation, Gwiboon learns to swim. Everyday that Minjung must spend in the lake, they meet in the water at the edge of the fog. Days when Minjung gets to come home, Gwiboon meets her out in the water. It makes Minjung laugh, the way Gwiboon pulls her ashore with such desperation, but she’s happy and plays along. One day, Minjung finds a boat. She brings it to Gwiboon and shows her the paths to the towns. Soon enough, Gwiboon’s spending her seven days on the real shore. She takes the little allowances Minjung steals from boats to buy candies and treats and trinkets to take home. There’s whispers about her -- the woman who kisses the water and never stays longer than a week -- but she doesn’t mind them at all. Even when she chances upon her former husband, who runs away at the sight of her, she remains carefree. No matter what happens, she knows that on the eighth day of the week, she gets to go home to their island and be loved.
After running into a bookstore with friends, Gwiboon finds herself hoping that Minjung is at their 5 year high school reunion.
(Based on the J Geils Band song of the same name)
(Rated s for smut but actually just mentions of nudity)
“Do you think she’ll be at the reunion?” Taeyeon asks, sipping on her milkshake.
“Who?” Gwiboon and Junghee ask in near unison.
“That girl in homeroom that you cried over like everyday.”
Gwiboon feigns ignorance. “I never cried over anyone.”
Unfortunately, Junghee’s memory is vaguely better than Taeyeon’s.
“Oh my god! The tall one, with the long hair and the doe eyes that wore like exclusively soft sweaters. She looked at you and smiled once and you literally went and cried in the bathroom for like 10 minutes because you’re a disaster gay.”
“I am and have always been a distinguished gay so I don’t know what or who you’re talking about.”
Both Junghee and Taeyeon give her a pointed look and though she tries to keep up her front she begins to falter.
“Ok maybe I did have a crush on a tall girl that was in our home room but I never cried.”
Junghee laughs and shakes her head, pulling out her phone.
“What are you doing?” Taeyeon asks, trying to look.
“Finding the pictures I have of Gwiboon crying in the bathroom over what’s-her-name.”
While Junghee looks, Gwiboon pays the bill for their lunch.
“Anywhere else we want to go while we’re over here?” she asks, trying to distract the other two from their quest.
“I need to go to the bookstore if you guys want to tag along.” Taeyeon says, eyes not moving from Junghee’s phone. Gwiboon looks at her watch.
“Can we go? I have to be back soon.”
Junghee reluctantly puts away her phone, promising Taeyeon that she’ll send the picture to the groupchat if she finds it. The bookstore -- Abacab Books -- is just across the street.
“So what are we looking for?” Gwiboon asks, closing the door behind them.
“Uhh officially we’re looking for a book on bird watching and nests.”
“And unofficially?” Junghee asks, though from the glint in her eye it’s pretty clear she already knows the answer.
“Maybe it’s just me but I can’t stop by Abacab without going to the corner room.”
It doesn’t take Taeyeon long to pick out her bird books: there’s only one shelf’s worth of books on the topic and she already owns most of them already. Books in hand, they make their way to the corner room -- the little blocked off area containing all the adult content books and magazines. Gwiboon waits inside by the entrance while Taeyeon and Junghee browse.
“Choi Minjung.” Taeyeon says.
“What?”
“Your homeroom angel. Her name is Choi Minjung.”
“What made you remember that?”
“Uhhh...”
Junghee moves over to look at the magazine. “Oh...my god. Gwi...Gwi you have to...oh my god.”
Though Gwiboon was always much more particular and private with her choice in porn, she decides to humor the others and walks over. The magazine is turned to the centerfold. Taeyeon’s hand is in the way of the face so Gwiboon examines the rest first. Miss June is written at the top of it in big flowery letters, equally matching and contrasting the rest of the background. There’s long, long, tan legs, a cute ass, long black hair cascading down a back, and perky breasts all surrounded by flowers. THere’s something familiar about the figure but Gwiboon can’t put her finger on it. When Taeyeon finally moves her hand, GWiboon’s breath catches in her throat. THere’s no denying the plump lips, the doe eyes in front of her. She feels a hand on her shoulder.
“You good, Gwi?” Junghee asks, trying not to laugh.
“Me? Yeah. Fine. Never better.”
She snatches the magazine out of Taeyeon’s hand, gripping it tightly.
“TO think, all those years all that body was hiding under cashmere.” Taeyeon laments.
“Now now, Tae. WE can’t talk about Gwi’s homeroom angel like that. She may have gotten a bangin bod after we graduated for all you know.”
“She always had that good a body.” Gwiboon says, trying to hide her blushing with the magazine.
“Oh? And How do you know that?”
“We had gym together and I accidentally saw her changing. All the girls shared the locker room but she’d go hide in the shower part to change.”
Taeyeon and Junghee share a look and Gwiboon feels her cheeks burning.
“WEll, I’m good to checkout.” Taeyeon says, heading for the main part of the store. “You going to buy that?”
“What, this magazine that’s flipped my mostly innocent memories of high school upside down? Absolutely.”
*
A week later, Gwiboon finds herself at the reunion. After an hour and no sign of Minjung she’s ready to leave; after all, Junghee and Taeyeon are the only people from high school that she really had any interest in talking to and she sees them on a daily basis. She gets one last plate of food, telling herself that if Minjung doesn’t show up by the time she finishes it she’ll leave. Just as she takes the last bite of her cookie, Junghee comes practically running up to her.
“Gwi, she’s here! Minjung’s here!”
Gwiboon shushes her as she points out where Minjung’s coming in. She’s glancing around as if looking for someone; the sight of her -- mostly unchanged from graduation -- makes Gwiboon’s heart flutter. Junghee starts pushing her towards Minjung and after straightening herself she walks over.
“Hey Minjung.”
“Oh Gwiboon! Hello!”
“How’ve you been? Long Time no see.”
“I’ve been good. You probably haven’t seen it, but I’ve gotten into modeling.”
“I’ve seen your pictures, they’re lovely.”
There’s a glint in Minjung’s eye that’s unfamiliar to Gwiboon. It doesn’t make her nervous, but it’s definitely odd. They continue making small talk for a while, other classmates bumping into the conversation at random. Almost an hour later, Minjung leans in whisper in Gwiboon’s ear.
“Would you...like to go somewhere a little quieter? My motel is walking distance.”
“With you? Absolutely.”
Minjung takes Gwiboon’s hand and leads her to the door. They pass Junghee and Taeyeon as thye walk out; they both give her an excited thumbs up once Minjung has passed them. Minjung leads her up a few blocks and across the street. WHile it’s not the nicest hotel in the area, it’s still fairly nice. They get in the elevator and Minjung hits the button for the top floor.
“Reserve the penthouse suite?” Gwiboon teases.
“But of course.”
There’s intention beneath Minjung’s sweet smile and Gwiboon shivers at the thought of what’s waiting for her in Minjung’s room. She sends Junghee and Taeyeon a text with the room number -- 615 -- in case anything happens. Minjung waits for Gwiboon to move into the room before putting the “do not disturb” sign on the door handle.
“I...I didn’t want to say this at the reunion but I...I saw your photos. In that magazine. Just yesterday.”
“Oh did you? And what did you think of them?”
“I-I think your the most beautiful woman to ever walk the earth.”
Minjung smiles, blush just peeking through, and reaches out for Gwiboon’s hands.
“You didn’t have to see those pictures to think that though, did you?”
“No...no I didn’t. I...I’ve always thought that. Since the moment I first laid eyes on you Freshman year.”
“That’s funny...because I thought the same about you since then too.”
Minjung pulls her sweater up over her head, pulling Gwiboon’s hands towards her button-up shirt.
“Wanna help me?”
Once it processes through her brain, Gwiboon wastes no time undoing all the tiny buttons. She’s almost afraid to pull the shirt apart until Minjung holds her hands and does it for her.
“So, is everything up to your expectations?” Minjung asks with a smirk.
Gwiboon lets go of the shirt, bring her hands up to cup Minjung’s breasts.
“Not at all, it far exceeds them. the real thing is much better than in the photograph.”
“I’ve watched you, for so long. Tasted your tears that fell into my waters. Watched you toss pieces of your broken heart into the sea for thirty years. Your town is so small, you know there’s no one harboring love for you in it. But I do.”
((Based on the comic “The Fish Wife” by Melanie Gillman))
Gwiboon stares over the edge of the dock, looking at her own reflection in the water. She contemplates falling in, not fighting the tide that would surely drag her to the bottom. Leaning further and further, she stops just a few inches from the surface of the water. Her reflection starts to change and soon she realizes it’s a mixture of her own with a different face coming up from below. Thinking it’s someone drowning, she pulls herself back up and moves to stand. She stops, however, when she feels a wet hand at her wrist.
“You don’t have to run from me, love.” comes a voice from behind her.
Gwiboon wants to turn and see who the silvery voice belongs to but finds herself somewhat paralyzed with fear. The hand pulls her around and she finds herself face to face with a mermaid. Her long dark blue hair sticks to her skin, which itself is a much lighter blue and spotted with little scales. The mermaid pulls herself up onto the dock, sitting opposite Gwiboon.
“I’ve watched you, for so long. Tasted your tears that fell into my waters. Watched you toss pieces of your broken heart into the sea for thirty years. Your town is so small, you know there’s no one harboring love for you in it. But I do.”
Gwiboon’s unsure of how to take the information. Tomorrow is her 30th birthday, marriage no longer a viable option for her. Autumn has come, both in the year and in her life. It was the whole reason she’d come down to the dock. She examines the mermaid’s face, notes the pretty eyes, the full lips, the soft cheeks. Seemingly noticing her struggle the mermaid continues on yet again.
“I make you an offer, for your hand. For one year, I’ll be your wife. Provide you the love and happiness you’ve always looked for. But if you still love me in a year and a day, I will ask for your heart to give to my children.”
Gwiboon gulps and looks away in the direction of her hometown. Nothing was waiting for her, save a life of loneliness. She might as well accept, have one year of happiness. Considering she had come down to the dock with half a mind to die anyway, what was the harm in simply putting it off a year? She moves her wrist around so she can try to hold the mermaid’s hand. Without another thought, she nods. The mermaid smiles, brings Gwiboon’s hand to her mouth to kiss it. She reaches over the edge of the dock where something is bubbling up from below. The first thing that comes up is a dress, not wholly unlike Gwiboon’s own. The second is a small urchin of sorts.
“Our wedding customs are different then your own, Gwiboon.”
She’s surprised at the use of her name, not having divulged it to her, but doesn’t interrupt to ask how she learned it. As she watches, the mermaid cracks the urchin open, pulling out soft pink flesh. It’s torn into two pieces, one half being given to Gwiboon.
“We each eat our half, and then we kiss, and then the deal is done and we go home. Are you ready?”
Gwiboon nods and they both eat the urchin. It’s not as unpleasant as she’s expecting; the texture is far less slimy than it appears and seems more like a spoonful of custard than raw seafood. She closes her eyes to savor the taste and is surprised when she feels the mermaid’s lips pressed up against her own. The mermaid lingers close even after the kiss ends and Gwiboon opens her eyes. Eventually she pulls back enough to slip the dress over her head. Her gills close up, webbing between fingers disappears, long tail shortening before turning into two legs. Gwiboon looks her up and down, surprised but in some small way pleased that her colors haven’t changed at all.
“May I know my wife’s name?” Gwiboon asks, speaking for the first time.
The mermaid smiles, pressing her forehead to Gwiboon’s.
“You may call me Minjung, love.”
*
Gwiboon’s cottage -- left to her by her parents -- is thankfully close to the shore. They walk back, hand in hand, and Gwiboon spends the afternoon acquainting Minjung with all the workings of it. When they go into town, so Gwiboon can buy some produce for the week, the tiny village has all their eyes on them. There’s whispers -- lots of them --, but with Minjung’s hand tightly holding her own, Gwiboon can’t bring herself to listen or care. They go back to the dock and Minjung catches them two fish. They keep them in a bucket so that they stay alive: Gwiboon remembers the second part of their deal as she watches Minjung eat the fish alive.
Autumn passes apprehensively. Everyday they go down to the docks so Minjung can fish: though she tries to eat what Gwiboon cooks, she can still only eat fresh fish. Gwiboon notices the rows of pearly teeth and wonders how many teeth Minjung’s children have. Everyday, Minjung points at one of the shells adorning Gwiboon’s cottage and recounts the story of how she found it and when she left it on the beach for Gwiboon to find. It makes sense now, that Gwiboon was always the best at recovering shells. Every night when they go to sleep, Gwiboon thinks to slip out of bed and escape. She doesn’t.
When winter rolls around, Gwiboon finds herself becoming comfortable with her wife. The dry air makes it hard for Minjung to breathe; her gills appear once more -- though much smaller than when they first met -- and she labors to run warm water over her neck when they sit inside. Though it would be easy to take her water away, to kill her in order to save her own life, Gwiboon finds herself tenderly helping Minjung. Learning the best angles to pour from, the right temperature to keep the water at, even going to the point of braiding Minjung’s hair every morning to keep it from getting in the way.
By the time spring comes, Gwiboon finally allows herself to be happy. Minjung can breathe easier now and they spend more of their days outside playing in the surf. It no longer scares Gwiboon to see Minjung’s teeth when she laughs, nor does it scare her when she feels Minjung kissing at her neck and shoulders at night. Minjung’s hair and skin -- which had become silvery during the winter -- return to their blue hue, glistening like the sea in the sunlight. No one from town stops by to gawk anymore. The preacher doesn’t scream outside their window for Gwiboon to repent anymore either. Whether it’s because they’re tired of doing so or because they caught sight of Minjung’s teeth, Gwiboon doesn’t care.
Gwiboon loves Minjung best in summer. Her hair is bright, skin soft and glowing. They laugh and kiss and make their days merry. When she thinks back on all the years spent crying over worrying about marriage, she laughs now. Her marriage with Minjung is happier than any she would’ve had with any man from the village. They collect more shells, collect more kisses, and though she thinks about the impending end less and less, she wishes she could also collect their time into little bottles.
They sit on the dock on Gwiboon’s birthday, just as they had met. Their feet dangle over the edge into the water, Minjung softly kissing at Gwiboon’s shoulder.
“Gwiboon, do you love me?” she asks softly.
Gwiboon turns to her, kissing her once, twice.
“I love you every day, and today is no different.”
Minjung pulls away, pulls the dress over her head. When she throws it back into the water, her gills, webbing, and tail return. She slips back into the water, keeping a grip on Gwiboon’s wrists.
“It’s been a year and a day, love.”
Gwiboon’s heart is immediately filled with dread. How could it have been a year already? She feels Minjung pulling her into the water and almost tries to fight back.
“How...how do you know your children will want my heart?” Gwiboon asks, trying to buy freedom.
Minjung simply laughs. “Of course they will, love. Now come, there isn’t much time.”
Still afraid but unable to fight any longer, Gwiboon allows Minjung to pull her into the water. She’s surprised when Minjung embraces her. Her scales, much fewer than when they’d met, start flaking off and drifting around. Minjung wraps her tail around Gwiboon’s legs as she pulls her dress off. There’s a prickly sensation when Minjung starts kissing her neck and soon her lungs start to burn.
“Breathe, love. You can, I promise.” Minjung whispers.
Tentatively, Gwiboon takes a breath and is surprised. Her hands move up to her neck and realizes that she has gills now, similar to Minjung’s. Her legs start to tingle and she looks down to realize that they’re fusing into a tail. Afraid of her transformation, she looks back up at Minjung. She’s smiling, hair drifting and floating in the water. Little guppies are swimming around in it, somehow resembling fireflies. When her tail is finished, Minjung loosens her grip.
“Why are you doing this, if your children are going to eat me?” Gwiboon asks, examining herself as best as she can.
Minjung looks troubled. “Who said that my children were going to eat you, love?”
“Isn’t that why you wanted my heart? So that they could eat it?”
Minjung laughs in relief, guppies still flitting around.
“These are my children, love.” She says, pointing at them. “They’re not going to eat you or your heart.”
“Then why did you want my heart for them?”
“A mother should always give her heart to her children, shouldn’t she?”
Gwiboon’s mind is equally filled with relief and questions, but as she feels her cheeks being dotted with tiny kisses from their children, she knows that all her fears were for nothing.
