Ch. 6: Can We Meet Again Tomorrow?
When Sarasa touched me, I felt a chill spreading on my skin.
Startled by something, Sarasa’s eyes widened, and then he sadly furrowed his brow.
Sarasa: “Actually… I was told touching humans is bad.”
OO: “I-is that so? …. But it seems like it’s all right.”
Sarasa: “…yeah.”
Sarasa nodded, tenderly stroking my hand.
OO: “Are you… checking to make sure?”
Sarasa: “…no, it’s just… I wanted to touch you.”
OO: “Eh…”
As soon as I heard what he said, my cheeks grew hot and I unconsciously averted my eyes.
I could have sworn I heard the slightest chuckle from Sarasa…
…
……
Before we knew it, the sun had begun to set, bathing us in an orange glow.
Sarasa: “Will I see you tomorrow?”
OO: “Yes.”
When we made that promise, Sarasa flashed an innocent smile that made him look so happy.
Ch. 7: A Human's Body
From then on the two of us would meet at the seaside from morning to evening, talking and having fun.
Sarasa: “Once again… time has gone by so fast. You’ll come to see me tomorrow, too, right?”
OO: “Yes.”
And so, the next day, Sarasa and I spent the day together enjoying each other’s company.
But…
OO: “Ah… um… Sarasa?”
Sarasa: “Eh? What is it?”
OO: “When you touch me like that…”
Lately, Sarasa had been touching me without any restraint whatsoever.
(I don’t dislike it, but…)
When Sarasa touched me, I was happy, but it was also kind of embarrassing. I could feel my cheeks growing more and more flushed.
Sarasa: “Ah… so I shouldn’t have touched you in that spot?”
Sarasa touched my cheek with his chilled fingers.
OO: “I… it’s not necessarily bad, but…”
Then…
When I didn’t refuse, Sarasa moved his hand slightly lower.
(Eh…!)
His hand was gently caressing the nape of my neck…
(It tickles…)
Although Sarasa was looking intently at me, I couldn’t bring myself to meet his gaze.
Sarasa: “Oh, right, humans… they can swim, right?”
OO: “W… we can swim, but there are some people who are bad at swimming …”
As if he wasn’t paying attention to my answer at all, this time, he rested his hand on my calf.
OO: “!”
Sarasa: “It’s warm… humans really are warm, aren’t they? It kind of feels nice touching you.”
OO “O-oh…?”
Sarasa: “Yeah… here is probably the warmest.”
As he said that, Sarasa touched my inner thigh.
OO: “….”
When I shook his hand off, Sarasa’s eyes widened in surprise.
Sarasa: “Eh? …are, are you all right?”
OO: “… s-sorry.”
I could only apologize as I pressed my hands down over my reddening cheeks.
Sarasa: “Human bodies aren’t just warm, they’re so smooth… Merfolk have scales, so we don’t feel like this at all. Sorry, I’ll be careful not to startle you, so just once more…”
Sarasa gazed seriously at my leg, then slowly stroked it from top to bottom.
Sarasa: “OO, does this tickle your leg?”
OO: “No, it isn’t that…”
Sarasa whispered as he looked at me, a mysterious expression on his face.
(Was it natural… or did he do it on purpose?)
As I was wondering, he suddenly grasped my hand.
Sarasa: “Now you should try touching me, too.”
OO: “Eh…”
Those words made my heart beat faster. Sarasa took my hand and placed it on his chest.
OO: “Ah…”
I could feel his slightly quickening heartbeat against my palm.
(Sarasa’s heart is also… beating faster?)
When I felt Sarasa’s heartbeat and gazed into his eyes, he responded with a gentle smile.
Ch. 8: Kiss of the Merfolk
The next day…
Once again, I visited the coast.
(I’m so happy, meeting Sarasa like this every day…)
I gazed at the calm and beautiful sea while thinking about those feelings.
I thought of Sarasa as my legs carried me to our usual meeting place.
OO: “Huh…?”
Although he usually arrived before me, I did not see Sarasa.
(What’s going on? I wonder if something happened…)
As I worried, I fixed my gaze on the deep blue ocean.
And then…
OO: “Ah…”
Sarasa emerged from the sea with a splash.
Blue hair dripping, his golden eyes illuminated by the sun’s light…
(Beautiful…)
Even though I’d already seen him so many times, I was mesmerized.
Sarasa: “…come over here.”
Sarasa beckoned to me, and I walked closer to the beach.
Sarasa: “Closer.”
OO: “C-closer…?”
As I crouched down and brought my face closer to Sarasa’s…
OO: “!!”
Sarasa’s lips softly touched mine.
(Sarasa…?)
After our lips parted, I was frozen in place, staring into his eyes.
Sarasa: “… I heard I would melt.”
OO: “Eh….?”
Sarasa: “’A human’s kiss will melt a merperson’, they said. I didn’t melt.”
As he said this, he smiled with satisfaction and swam around gracefully in the ocean.
(No way… I wonder what I’d have done if he actually melted?)
I touched my hands to my reddening cheeks. Noticing this, Sarasa leapt out of the water with a big splash.
OO: “Aah, Sarasa!”
With a chuckle and a smile, Sarasa splashed me again.
We played on the beach like little kids, and then…
Sarasa: “OO, let’s swim together.”
OO: “Eh!”
Sarasa: “Your clothes are already wet.”
Looking down at myself, my soaked and now transparent clothes were clinging to my body, my underwear clearly visible.
(Oh my gosh… I’m so embarrassed!)
In my surprise, I automatically reached to cover myself with my hands, and Sarasa looked at me with a puzzled look on his face.
Sarasa: “OO, what are you doing?”
OO: “Uh… um, my underwear’s showing…”
Sarasa: “… what is underwear?”
Sarasa stared pointedly at my hands.
OO: “Ah… don’t look at me…”
I bashfully turned my back on Sarasa.
Not seeming to care about my predicament, Sarasa called out to me happily.
Sarasa: “Hey, OO, let’s swim together.”
OO: “But I’m not very good at swimming.”
Sarasa: “I will be by your side the whole time.”
Glad to hear those words, I turned to face Sarasa once again.
I made my decision with a small nod, and then…
OO: “Eh!”
(Sarasa, what are you…!)
Sarasa reached out his hands and began undoing the buttons on my blouse, one by one.
OO: “W-wait…!”
Sarasa: “What’s wrong?”
Sarasa looked at me with a soft expression.
OO: “What’s wrong, you say…”
Sarasa: “…when humans get in the water, they get naked, don’t they?”
OO: “Humans don’t get naked when they swim, they wear a bathing suit.”
Sarasa: “Is that so? That’s weird…”
Sarasa looked as though he were disappointed from the very bottom of his heart.
(Somehow, my heart wouldn’t stop pounding…)
Sarasa: “Then, let’s swim together next time. Promise me…”
OO: “…yes.”
After making that promise with Sarasa, we continued to talk…
…
……
After a while, the sky and the ocean became dyed with a dark blue hue.
Sarasa: “It’s already this late…”
As he said this, Sarasa pulled himself from the beach into the water.
Sarasa: “See you tomorrow.”
OO: “Ah…”
Immediately after his goodbye, Sarasa dove under the waves.
(He’s gone…)
Even though I knew I would see him again tomorrow…
Somehow, feelings of loneliness rose within me, and I gazed out at the sea where he’d disappeared from view.
At that moment…
OO: “!!”
With a loud splash, Sarasa appeared before me again.
Seawater sprayed across my cheeks, startling me.
Sarasa: “…”
He caught both my hands in his, and something touched my lips…
OO: “Mm…”
It was a much, much deeper kiss than the one we’d shared before.
(Sarasa…?)
Sarasa: “Sorry… but I wanted to kiss you one more time, no matter what.”
Slowly parting his lips from mine, Sarasa seemed apologetic, furrowing his brow.
Sarasa: “Kissing is nice. It really makes my heart beat fast. Do you like kissing, OO?”
OO: “Eh…”
Being asked such a thing so suddenly, I looked at Sarasa without thinking.
Sarasa: “… humans kiss someone who is special to them, right?”
OO: “Yes…”
Our faces were still close enough to touch, and my heartbeat would not slow down.
Sarasa: “Merfolk express love by intertwining their tails… but, kissing seems like a much better way. May I kiss you again?”
I couldn’t look away, my gaze caught in Sarasa’s large eyes.
When I nodded slightly, Sarasa smiled brilliantly, filled with joy.
END
~Guest translation by Kiesa~