It was a nostalgic trip. When Dawn exited the airport, Aqua could only rush to catch up with his pace. Dawn hailed a cab and dropped off at different places. They were currently sitting in their third cab, and Aqua vaguely recognised the road this time.
To her left, she could see some boats and the sea. Part of her missed the waters and the salty sea breeze. Despite the cold water, dreary days and worries about food, the mermaid in her missed the sound of waves lulling her to sleep beneath a blanket of stars at night.Dawn studied Aqua silently from beside. His fist tightened in his pockets when Aqua’s gaze was lost to the sea. Although he had resolved himself to set her free if she desired, the selfish and possessive monster in him was dying to lock her up where she would always be safe. It was a struggle as they passed by the familiar bridge that connected their fates.The cab drove across the bridge, and soon, it was out of sight. Aqua watched how they droveThe next few days passed in a flurry. While Aqua learned new cooking recipes from the neighbours, Dawn skulked from alley to alley. Most of his usual informants were missing, probably in hiding after Ricardo’s purge. However, the few who were only loyal to money had yet to come back to him with any new information.Ricardo’s secret contact in the picture that Qian Mo found Ricardo meeting with was nowhere in town. The former mafia boss dug through old documents in some of his father’s archives to see if any mentions of his mother’s side of the family existed.The cartel that Dawn wanted to find was very far out of reach. Even the local police did not have much to offer him. Dawn was grasping at straws, and all his father’s allies could not be found. Those who remained in the Daniels family were either new blood or traitors. Dawn didn’t trust any of them for information. Ricardo wouldn’t trust backstabbers either, despite being one.
Ever since their yacht trip, Dawn became busier. Aqua had gotten used to the new neighbourhood and made friends with the neighbours who told her snippets of Dawn’s childhood with his father. Learning how the reliable man had a reckless and mischievous side when he was younger was refreshing. Part of Aqua was curious about the kind of person Dawn was before his father passed on. Hence, she made excuses to visit the old ladies, not that they minded.“I might be back late again,” Dawn announced before leaving.Aqua nodded and waved to him at the door entrance when Dawn approached her and gave her a quick peck on the forehead. It was something new in their routine since they promised to become each other’s family, making Aqua turn pink each time it happened.Satisfied that Aqua was not rejecting his advances, Dawn smiled and left the townhouse in a relatively good mood. The mermaid was too endearing, getting so embarrassed with an innocent kiss. Th
It was a long drive back after a long talk that rivalled the travel time. Yet, Dawn wasn’t mad. Aqua might be slightly disappointed that he didn’t bring her any of the food because Jim had the liberty of footing the bill and packing the rest of the leftovers back for his supper. He hardly blamed the man for it. The meal was delicious.Returning the rented vehicle was easy. However, returning home after that was harder. The port town wasn’t like the city where Jericho lived. Barely any shops, besides the occasional bars and drunkards, were open this late. The port was quiet at night, with only the waves crashing into the cemented wall and the cold salt wind blowing in his face. Thankfully, it wasn’t too far of a walk back to the townhouse, even without a vehicle. It might take him an hour or so, but there wasn’t any traffic to hinder Dawn. Ricardo and his men didn’t patrol this area either, so there was nothing to worry about.Dawn had wa
Dawn was out late as usual. When he left, he was dressed for the occasion, and Aqua wondered if he would be back before it rained. The weather forecast said it would be stormy at night, but the full moon outside spoke otherwise.Knock! Knock-knock!The sudden sound at the door startled Aqua. However, the strong scent of death terrified her. The last time she smelled this much blood, Dawn was bleeding out in the cold water.Using crutches that she borrowed from the neighbours, Aqua hobbled over and peeked using the peephole as she was taught. She saw a tuft of black hair and a familiar suit. Although the man’s face was hidden from sight, there was no mistaking it. Her human was back!Unbolting the safety lock, Aqua wanted to greet Dawn. However, the red liquid staining the floor scared her into silence.“I’m home,” Dawn whispered weakly as he tumbled into her arms, sending them flopping onto the carpet.Alarmed by how cold Dawn wa
It was only fair for Aqua to learn what Dawn did that endangered his life. Excluding the mermaid who could read the stars and predict the future made little sense. Keeping Aqua in the dark would not make them happy after what happened last night. Hence, Dawn spilt the beans over breakfast about the kind of man he was and what he did before she found him under that bridge in the water.Aqua listened silently, taking in everything Dawn told her. Her expression was frozen, and the former mafia boss had no idea if that was good or bad.“However, it wasn’t until Ricardo shot me on that bridge the night you found me that I realised the truth. My father’s death was staged. He was murdered by that traitor who had been planning for years since my parents got together.”The human world… was truly complex. Aqua didn’t know what to do about everything Dawn told her. She felt helpless even after learning the truth. She had always known Dawn was
“You should hold onto my hand in case you get lost in town,” Dawn convinced, stretching his palm towards her as soon as he left the front door.Aqua did as Dawn suggested without questioning how odd it would be for family members to hold each other’s hands at this age. She liked holding hands with Dawn as it helped her figure out his feelings. Her human rarely spoke, so Aqua had to observe his micro-expressions to learn his thoughts. It could get slightly tiring, especially when there were so many details to pay attention to on the mission. Holding hands helped her focus on finding suspicious humans to talk to while not getting so easily distracted that she ended up lost.While Dawn loved efficient and capable subordinates, Aqua’s focus made the businessman sulky. The pseudo-date lacked romance when Aqua failed to pay him any attention. She refused all his advances to kindle a romantic atmosphere, and Dawn could hardly believe this was the same merm
Something was bothering Aqua, and Dawn tried to figure out what it was. Ever since they finished their ice cream, Aqua was huffy. They were in the taxi on their way to the hotel, where Dawn reserved them a room with fake names and a dinner date at a fancy restaurant later in the evening. With some string-pulling, he found out where these guests would be dining.Sneaking over to grasp Aqua’s fingers intertwined with his, Dawn studied her expressions. The mermaid’s expression morphed from a frown to one of surprise, turning to look at him.“What’s wrong?” he mouthed the words, even though the driver was playing rather loud classical music over the radio.Aqua blinked dumbly and stared at their joined hands. Dawn was truly confused and concerned about her, but Aqua did not know what to tell him. How could one possibly be more than family as a human? She might appear human now, but she was still a mermaid masquerading as one. The only courtsh
The hotel wasn’t as luxurious as Dawn thought it would be. Overall, he would rate the management rather sloppy for the price paid. However, it made sense why these suspicious guests chose it. The security was poor, and everyone turned a blind eye to extra work unless necessary—the perfect place for the shadiest of dealings.“We have some time to rest in the room before dinner,” Dawn explained to Aqua. “I’ll be doing some preparatory work to see where the guests are and figure a way to make contact with one of them for questioning.”Aqua hummed and looked at the clothes Dawn bought for her to change into for the fancy dinner. The dress was very pretty, and it was probably the first time she had worn a gown that showed this much skin. The shoes came with heels, much to her delight, and she couldn’t wait to show off her ability to balance in them.While Aqua showered, delighted with the new bath salts, Dawn borrowed Jericho
“So you’re telling me that she isn’t human and you knew about it?!”Nobody spoke. There were two patients in the room and a storm outside that rivalled Jericho’s rage.After discovering the crazy scene, Jericho dragged and tossed Ricardo’s body over the cliff while his dhampir boyfriend prevented Dawn from hurting anyone else. The gills grew on the side of Dawn’s neck and the bullet wound started closing up, so Melvin dug his nails in to remove the bullet.According to the legends, mermaid flesh was able to grant semi-immortality due to its rapid regeneration abilities. Many merfolks were hunted in the past for their flesh by humans who kept them as pets. As a result, merfolks chose to live in deeper waters, concealing their presence from everyone until they were merely a myth. Only those who lived long enough to remember those times knew about merfolks. Melvin was saved by one of Aqua’s kind long ago and knew a few secrets. Imagine his surprise when he learned how a
The crimson liquid oozed out of his hand, and colour left his face with his brows knitted in agony. Dawn could faintly hear Aqua running over. He made sure to shoot Ricardo somewhere vital when he saw the man look to the side. He knew he was losing blood too fast, even if the bullet missed a vital organ. The closest hospital was about an hour away from this resort. He wouldn't make it even if Jericho arrived within the next minute.“Dawn!” Aqua collapsed beside Dawn, scrapping her knees on the stony ground, but she couldn’t feel the pain.Supporting the man and bringing him away from the dangerous cliff edge, Aqua cried under the waxing moon. Why wasn’t it a new moon? She could be saving him with these tears that fell endlessly.Lying on Aqua’s lap, Dawn studied his beautiful saviour. Now that Ricardo was dead, he was finally a free man. They had to remove the evidence and body before the authorities arrived. It sucked to leave everything
Looking down into the whirlpools beneath, Dawn stopped. He ran to a place without witnesses in the area deliberately. It was only a matter of time before Ricardo caught up with him, and thankfully, Aqua wasn’t around. She would have jumped off the cliff and taken their chances with the deep blue sea instead of giving him a chance with the devil.Now that his heart was out of the picture, Dawn pulled out that pistol he always hid with him. It was a customised pistol made from printed plastic that could only hold one bullet. However, that was enough. After all, there was only one man he wanted to kill. Judgement day came at the wrong time, but it might be for the best. Dawn could only truly live his life like a civilian with Aqua once Ricardo was dead.For the longest time, Dawn waited for this day. He never skipped a day at the gym and continued to polish his martial arts skills because he knew that while Jim was satisfied with the raid, Ricardo was never confirmed de
“Stay close to me,” Dawn commanded, grabbing Aqua’s hand tightly. “We’ll make it out of here alive.”The commotion below died in a few minutes, and Dawn peeked at the lobby. Apart from the establishment staff lying on the ground with their hands behind their head, most customers fled the restaurant. It was unlikely that this was a robbery. A resort with such luxuries must also have a great security system. It would only be a matter of time before the security arrived. All Dawn had to do was buy time. The shooter came alone. He could take that person down with force if needed.“Where is he?!” the crazed gunner yelled at the head waiter. “I know he’s in here somewhere!”When they heard the voice, Dawn turned to Aqua immediately. For some reason, he knew that voice. Although it sounded much more unhinged than the refined, sleazy confidence in his memories, there was no mistaking who the shooter was.R
The sun and beach were not for everyone. Dawn and Melvin learnt that the hard way when they accompanied their overly enthusiastic lovers for a day out in the sand. While Aqua enjoyed the sun through her golden locks and seawater on her skin, Dawn suffered from heatstroke and a terrible sunburn that caused his skin to turn red, peeling in a few days. Likewise, Melvin spent most of his time under a shelter, wearing a copious amount of sunblock. The pale man was often sluggish, even when he hid under his umbrella. According to Jericho, the big man had some sort of allergy to the sun and heat.While the two men spent most of the day indoors, Aqua and Jericho had a blast at the beach. Thanks to the hectic and physically demanding nature of their work in the service line, they had no problems picking up physically challenging sports like jet skiing or scuba diving. Aqua was a natural, and Jericho picked up the skills quickly. They spent a lot of time surfing and eating street food to
Although it wasn’t Aqua’s first time travelling to an ocean, it was her first time travelling to a beach that had sand. She was thrilled when Dawn told her about the holiday idea to travel with Jericho and Melvin. After finding out where it would be, the mermaid started marking her calendar and counting the days. It would be their one-year anniversary as a couple, making this trip more meaningful than all their other vacations.The weeks rolled by as Dawn and Jericho finalised their preparations for the holiday and proposal. Aqua remained blissfully oblivious to her boyfriend’s shifting mood as work occupied her. They had less physical contact during the period, which bothered the mermaid a little. However, Dawn prepared sweet surprises for her regularly, whether showing up during her work, sending her flowers or buying her little gifts. The colleagues around Aqua swooned with envy at the romantic gestures. Even after nearly a year together, the mermaid still
It was nearing a year since Aqua and Dawn officially became lovers. More surprisingly, Jericho snagged himself a cute boyfriend a few months ago. Nobody knew where the bar owner picked his lover from. However, that man was rather odd. Jericho was surprisingly secretive about him as well. All they knew from the gay bartender was his name.“Melvin said this restaurant by the cliffside is famous for its seafood. Aqua likes escargots, so you should book a reservation in advance if you plan to propose. Do you need help with the rings?”Shaking his head, Dawn looked at Jericho’s tall but pale-looking boyfriend. Melvin’s hazel eyes darted to the side as he slouched a little under the ex-criminal’s gaze. It was still difficult to believe Jericho was dating such a wimpy man. Apart from his good looks, Melvin resembled a scared puppy whenever they met up. The two men had been dating for a few months now. However, Melvin had never spoken with anyone else
Dawn had finished about half the bottle of aged whisky that Jericho had brought in. However, the nerves did not disappear, and he was still very sober. Time passed very slowly when he was alone, and the tempo of the music playing did not match his heartbeat.Two almost inaudible knocks were at the door, but Dawn heard it in his hyper-vigilant state. The CEO glanced at his watch and noticed it was about time. Straightening himself, he stood up and opened the door.“Hey,” he greeted, turning into putty when he saw Aqua holding the bouquet he bought. “Did you like the flowers?”Blushing hotly, Aqua nodded. She rushed to get dressed and braided her hair for the date after the accident in the kitchen. Jericho had so many fragrances to borrow from, and Aqua picked something that smelled like flowers. It wasn’t the most original choice, but it was the safest. After all, it was probably better to choose ‘Floral Fantasy’ over ‘Bl
Staring at the two words in Dawn’s chicken scrawl, Jericho inhaled deeply. He didn’t know if he should dropkick his dumb friend or strangle the life out of him. Either way, it was good that Dawn came to him before he could present this bouquet of unique flowers to Aqua.“Have you completely lost all your brain cells?” the gay man hissed. “Be mine? You couldn’t come up with better words? Are you a Neanderthal?! You’re so lucky you showed me this before giving it to Aqua. This is no way to confess to a lady!”As expected, Dawn received an earful from Jericho, who looked like he was an inch away from jumping over that counter and stabbing him with an ice pick. However, the millionaire refused to believe reciting Shakespeare’s poetry would impress the mermaid, who had just finished learning long division.“Then what else would you have me write? She can barely do elementary Math. Her reading skills are slightly a