The Siren's Curse ✓

36. Fates Intertwined

"How is this even possible?" I asked, running a hand through my hair, "I mean, we were so close to meeting even as children. You worked for my father. Years later, I happened to jump into the ocean at just the right time for you to see me and try to kiss me-"

"I did kiss you, it was just too brief for the curse to transfer," Jimin corrected me quietly. I bit my lip, still not over the fact that he had kissed me in the water that day and I nearly became a siren.

"Okay, so you kissed me but it didn't work. Four years later, we somehow happened to cross paths again. Out of a huge swarm of sirens, we managed to catch you and bring you into the ship, where you recognized me as the person you'd kissed before. And you knew that I could help you break the curse even out of water because we had already started the process."

"And since I never finished it with you the first time, I could only become human if I was able to find you again. You were my only hope," he added, his face serious and thoughtful.

"Jimin, how are you not more surprised? Aren't all these coincidences strange to you?"

"I don't know. I'm a little surprised about knowing your father, but I've already thought for a while now that our fates are... intertwined."

Fates intertwined.

It sounded so mystical and romantic and I wasn't sure what to think. Were our paths really destined to cross? It seemed like every time we had gotten in close proximity, we were pulled apart and the universe had to work to bring us back together again. First my father, making an unlikely decision to hire a small boy to help him with weapons. Then the ocean, pulling me towards it so Jimin could find me. Then the storm that drew the sirens to us, where we were able to capture Jimin so he could have a chance at becoming human with my help.

It was too much for me to wrap my head around in the moment, and I knew that what I was about to ask next would probably only make things even worse, but I couldn't help myself.

"You were there with him every time he went to the shop. Do you know what happened to him?" I stilled as I waited for his answer. He didn't seem surprised that I'd asked, but it was clear how much he feared telling me what he knew.

"Are you sure you want to hear it? It's going to be difficult for you," he said gently. I nodded.

"I'm sure. I need to know."

"I'll try to keep it short," he sighed, leaning his head back while he thought of the past. "Your father pressed me about my situation for months until I finally told him the whole story about the orphanage. I think he felt bad for me, because when he found out that I was living on my own, he promised he was going to teach me swordsmanship and fighting skills so I could stand up for myself if I ever ran into trouble.

"He trained me a lot, and he even took a few days off completely so he could practice with me. One day he took me out so we could spar on the hill behind his shop. He brought me up the trail that led there and we fought for hours. On the way back, we were walking down the side of the cliff when I realized I stopped hearing his footsteps behind me," he paused, shutting his eyes. "I don't know if it was intentional, if he tripped or if his heart gave out on him, but it doesn't matter. When I looked over the edge, he was already in the water."

He fell from the same cliff I jumped off of.

My chest throbbed painfully, aching with misery. I whimpered as a picture of my dad falling into the water filled my thoughts. I saw his terrified face as he realized he might never see me or Anna again, and the tears started falling. I hated that I'd been crying so much lately, but having confirmation for the first time that my father was dead - not alive like I'd always hoped - was devastating. I felt sick to my stomach knowing that he was gone, that he was taken so suddenly from this earth.