The Longing Sea

Chapter I

*** A/N: Written for buzie bee.

Loosely inspired by Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" and Brilcrist's "Mermaid A-Han" illustration:

https://twitter.com/agikun/status/1526137663048552449

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"What you wish for is against the law of nature. You are asking for something that is not rightfully yours anymore."

"I'm sorry..."

"It has been so long. He may have forgotten about you."

"...Even so... I wish to see him...even if it is only for the last time..."

".........Very well, if your heart is determined. You ask for time, so you shall be given time. But know that the consequence of your wish will not be light."

"I understand."

"You will be given seven days. From the moment you meet him, you may not tell him who you are, for he must recall on his own accord. If, by the seventh day, he still does not return your feelings, then..."

***

Gong Jun had a dream.

In that dream, he returned to the time when he was still a child.

His parents had brought him to an aquarium. In this small seaside town where they lived, the aquarium was among the few greatest places of recreation that they had. It was always crowded, particularly on the weekends and holidays. Families, lovers, friends... They would flock to the large marine waterpark, watching the various sea creatures of many colors swimming behind the glass, cheering at the seals showcasing their tricks, clapping at the orcas and dolphins jumping in the pool and showering them in huge splashes of water.

Like many children of his age, Gong Jun, too, always beamed in excitement whenever he visited the aquarium. But that day, it just so happened that he had let his excitement soar too high, taking over both his mind and body and most importantly, his better judgment.

The indoor aquarium was like a massive labyrinth with water tanks of various shapes and sizes spread all over the place, each housing different types of marine organisms. Some became walls separating one section from another, others became pillars standing tall from the floor to the ceiling. The lighting inside the building was always kept to a minimum so as to let the illumination within the water tanks shine as part of the interior design. It was gorgeous, but at the same time, it was also the main reason people often got separated from one another and children became lost inside the colorful maze. After all, when their eyes were glued to the exquisite display in front of them, who still had the mind to spare to watch their surroundings?

Because of this, that day, Gong Jun, too, lost sight of his parents.

It took a long time for him to realize that he'd wandered off from the place his mother had told him to wait. Gong Jun didn't have any idea how far he'd walked or where he was at that moment. He couldn't find the signs on the wall that usually marked each section of the marine park. In fact, when he swept a look around, he realized that there wasn't anyone beside him but plain, empty water tanks, so different from the colorful ones he'd seen earlier.

Panic began to take over him. He continued to walk and walk, hoping to find his way back to the crowds. To his left and right, there were unknown devices that looked like some kind of machination. He found more of them the further he walked, but the him of that time hadn't yet understood that things like this were common if one was running a research laboratory. His head was full of thoughts of wanting to return to his parents' side.