Seashell Promise

Taishi grunted as he stomped out of the school gates. Just why did the Student Council president need to scold him while he was minding his own business? It didn’t matter that he was a delinquent, he had done absolutely nothing wrong that day.

Being that angry he already knew just where he was heading to before going home. The empty beach. It had become an habit for him at this point. He even started wearing swimming shorts underneath his clothes instead of his normal underwear.

That beach wasn’t very far away from his school, so he got there pretty quick. He looked around to see if anyone was there. Empty as always, good.

He stopped walking once he reached the wet sand, then taking off his uniform until he was only in his swimming shorts. He put his clothes and glasses inside his school bag and left it right there at the sand. He had gone there enough times to know that no one would show up to steal it.

He entered the water, feeling a chill up his spine from the coldness. But it disappeared quickly. He had been getting used to this already. The first time he went there he wasn’t even able to enter fully on the first try. But now even if it was unbearably cold he wouldn’t turn back, since what came afterwards was definitely worth it.

As soon as he was deep enough for him to be able to sit down on the sand without the waves bothering him, he whistled loudly towards the sea.

In just a few minutes he could he heard some splashes and could see a small pink blurr in the distance and a waving hand. He waved as well and the blurr disappeared into the water. But someone appeared in front of him soon enough.

There he was, a boy with short, messy pink hair, a wide smile on his face. He could see a mermaid tail in various shades of pink underneath the clear water.

“Hello, Taishi!” The merman greeted him cheerfully.

“Hi there, Ichiro.” Taishi greeted in return, a small smile appearing on his face.

They had been done this for about a month already. It all began one day when he just ended up going to the beach one day, thinking that maybe seeing the waves would make him feel more relaxed. But it was on that day that he found Ichiro there, at the wet sand trying to get out of a fishing net. Taishi helped him out, and he left quickly.

After that he started going to the beach about two or three times a week. At first it was mostly just in the hope to see him again to make sure it wasn’t just a very weird dream. And it turned out real. Ichiro was very distant at first but they started opening up to each other with time. Taishi really didn’t expect for them to grow that close.

“I already know that you’re gonna complain about school all day.” Ichiro said as he looked through his pink bag. “So I brought some stuff to cheer you up.” And then he took some stuff out of it. His hand was now filled with lots of pretty, shiny seashells. A red one, an orange one, a green one, a blue one and a pink one. “My cousin helped me look for them. I thought you would like them.”

Taishi took the pink one, analysing it close. “They really are beautiful.”

“Right!?” Ichiro took the blue one in his other hand. “I think this one is one of the prettiest.” He smiled at Taishi. “So, what happened today?”

“The Student Council president came to bother me even though I didn’t do anything today.”

“What did he say?”

“Something like ‘You would be a great student if you weren’t such a delinquent’. I honestly didn’t pay much attention but I’m still pissed.”

“I wish I was there.” Ichiro sighed.

“You wouldn’t want to be bothered by the Student Council, trust me.”

“I meant I wish I was there for you.” Ichiro looked at him, the wide smile on his face now gone. “If I was human I could go to school with you and be there for you whenever you needed. And you wouldn’t need to come here all the time.”

“You don’t need to worry. I like coming here.”

“It’s not just for you. I used to think all humans were bad, but then I met you. I want to meet more nice humans like you.”

“I’m not that great.”

“Yes you are. You’re best friend even though you’re a human! I wish I could be there with you for at least one day.”

Taishi remained silent for a moment before smiling. “I actually wouldn’t mind that.”

Ichiro sighed again.

“But is it possible for you to turn human?”

“I mean, there are rumors and legends but I never heard of anyone actually being able to do it.” Ichiro looked at the sky as he thought. “There is some sort of fairytale about a mermaid that turns human, right?”

“I wouldn’t recommend doing what she did. I’m pretty sure she died.”

“But I might find something similar somehow.”

“Please be careful so you don’t get hurt.”

“You would be worth it, believe me.” Ichiro gave him a small smile.

Taishi blushed lightly. “I appreciate it but I wouldn’t want for you to turn human if it means you’re gonna suffer because of me.”

“Fine.” Ichiro sighed and pouted. “Then I’ll try to find a not painful way.”

“Tell me if you need help.”

“Then it’s a promise: I’ll try to find a way to turn human and you’ll help me if I need it. And we’ll keep the seashells to remind us of that.”

“That sounds good to me.”

Ichiro smiled and held out his pinky, which Taishi did as well. A pinky promise.

A breeze came by and Taishi felt a chill down his spine. He only then noticed that the sun had started to set already.

“It’s getting late.” He said.

“I have to go home too…” Ichiro sighed.

“I’ll see you some other day, then.”

“Sure!” He smiled widely once again.

Taishi dried himself and got dressed again. Ichiro was already in deep water and waving at him with a smile. Taishi waved back as he turned around to leave, thinking that maybe he would start showing up even more often after that.