The next day, Namjoon was in the library, picking a book for Jin to read.
His father was there too. He looked at his son with a raised eyebrow. "Are you gonna let Jin read stories?" The king asked out of the blue,making the prince jumped and looked at his father.
"Y-yeah, Jin is curious." He said and the king chuckled walking up to his son. "Jin is always curious about everything."
The king then looked at the books and took one out. "By the way, we'll roam around the kingdom to check the people after you give Jin the book; I'll wait for you outside." The king said, walking out of the library with a book in his hand.
Namjoon nodded and he finally took out a book that caught his eyes.
The book was light blue with gold letterings that titled, "Fault In Our Stars".
He walked out of the library with the book, heading back to his chamber. He opened and closed the bathroom door to find Jin humming with his eyes closed.
"Jinnie."
Jin opened his eyes to see Namjoon on the steps. He smiled and crawled towards him.
"I'll be gone for a while with father. I brought you a book to read so that you won't be bored." He said and handed it to Jin.
Jin looked at the book cover with curiosity. "Fault In Our Stars?" He questioned while reading the title.
"You'll find this interesting once you read this." Namjoon said. "It's a romantic story." The prince stood up and fixed his clothes.
"I have to go, my father is waiting for me." He said and Jin pouted.
"I wish I could go with you." He said sadly. Namjoon kneeled in front of him and grabbed his chin, lifting it up to face him.
" I wanted to take you with me but you should know that the people here in Royaume would kill you once they'll find out." He said and stroked Jin's cheek.
Jin sighed sadly, nodding his head while looking down then he looked back up at him.
"Please come back here when you're done." Jin said with pout that the prince couldn't resist.
Namjoon nodded while patting his pink hair. "I will, Jinnie." He said and walked to the door.
"Be safe with father, Joonie." The Merman said and the prince smiled at him, before he left.
Jin sighed and looked at the book again and he stroked the cover with his fingers, before opening it to read.
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Namjoon and his father were inside the carriage as they travelled around the kingdom to check the people. Namjoon spotted a flower shop from the carriage's window. He thought about giving Jin a bouquet so he told the coachman to halt, making his father confuse.
"Why are we stopping, my son?" The king asked.
"I'm gonna buy a bouquet for Jin since he loves flowers." He answered sheepishly while rubbing his nape.
His father laughed and nodded. "Go ahead and buy one."
The prince went out of the carriage and headed inside the flower shop. He admired the colorful flowers while walking to the counter. The old lady, who was the shop owner, smiled and bowed to the prince.
"Your highness, it's an honor to meet you." She said with a soft voice.
"The honor is mine." He replied as he nodded.
"What can I get for you?" She asked.
Namjoon looked at the flowers around him. He wanted to give Jin a bouquet that has a meaning behind it.
He was in love with Jin, yes.
His bond with him grew stronger for the past ten years and grew closer to each other. Namjoon never gets tired to see Jin smiling making the prince forget his worries of his people hating his kind.
"A pink bouquet."
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Pearls are everywhere in the tub as Jin was crying while reading "Fault In Our Stars". He was a crying mess.
"Why did you even die and leave her?" He whined while wiping his tears, sniffling.
Jin seemed having the time of his life.
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Namjoon went back inside the carriage with a bouquet that has lots of pink flowers gathered.
The king raised his eyebrow while looking at the bouquet and at his son who was blushing.
"You're in love with him, aren't you?" He asked and his son looked down, admiring the pink flowers that reminds him of Jin's hair.
"You caught me." Namjoon said. His father shook his head while chuckling at his bashful son.
"You remind me of my young self. I also did the same to your mother." He said with a smile but then it turned into a frown.
"But you should know that the person you fall in love is a merman if people find out—" Namjoon then caught off his father.
"If people find out, I will send him back to the sea so that he'll be safe just like you said before but," he then sighed, looking down at the bouquet again, "I don't know if I will be ready to let him go." He said softly.
The king saddened to see his son worried of what will happen if they would end up together and the people trying to kill him.
"Well, I guess you should spend your life with him as long as you can."
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Jin sighed and put the book on the dried steps and leaned his back against the tub. He looked down at his long pink tail with sadness. Jin could never what Namjoon told him about his kind.
FLASHBACK
Jin was wondering why people hate his kind. Namjoon walked in the bathroom and leaned his back against the bathtub. "Joonie, I was wondering." He said while stroking his blonde hair from behind. "What is it?"
Jin took a deep breath and sighed. "Why do your people hate mermaids like me?" He finally asked and he could feel Namjoon tensed. The prince looked at him and sighed. "I guess I should tell you." He said and turned his body to face the merman. Jin leaned closer, showing that he's willing to listen. " Many years ago, mermaids were keeping drowning the sailors until today. They say that they are getting revenge but I don't know what it was." He said with a shrug. "My grandfather ordered the mermaid hunters to wipe them off from earth." Jin gasped while covering his mouth, terrified at the explanation. "He said that it was the only way to protect humanity from monsters like them."
"Like me?" Jin asked, raising his eyebrow. Namjoon's eyes widened and shook his head. "No! No! No! I would never see you as a monster, Jinnie." He then raised his hand and stroked Jin's cheek. "If only there is a way to stop it without killing each other." The prince sighed while looking at his eyes.
"If there's still a king in the sea until today and if I were one, I would end it." Jin said with confidence, making the fourteen-year old prince laugh. "If only you were raised in a royal family."
End of Flashback
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After roaming around the kingdom, the king and the prince of Royaume returned to the castle. Namjoon immediately went back to his room with a bouquet in his hands. He walked inside his room and locked it. Namjoon put the bouquet on the bed and headed inside the bathroom.
"Joonie! You're here!" Jin exclaimed with a smile as Namjoon sat on the steps like usual.
"So, how's roaming around the kingdom?" Jin asked.
"It was fine, nothing bad happened today since the sailors and fishermen decided to stay close to the kingdom." He explained and looked inside the tub to see pearls scattering in the tub.
"I guess that book brought you in tears." Namjoon chuckled and Jin slapped his arm.
"Why did you let me read that? You know I'm sensitive." The Merman whined while pouting.
"But I'm confused about something." Jin said while scratching his head.
"What is it, Jinnie?" Namjoon asked.
"What is the difference between a peck and a kiss?"