Don't own SIH. Sorry for any mistake. This is unbeta.
Chapter 2: Danger lurking everywhere
"AHHHH!" Yelling in frustration, Ritsu banged his head to the desk. It's being a hell week since he met his boss. Now, he understood the feeling of former secretary. He's really hard to work with. Once he told him to copy twenty piece of the document, just to be yelled that he only needed two copies. And he had the nerve to lecture him on the important of using less paper to avoid wastage. Ritsu burned in anger while trying to cool down the burning flame. He tried to think about his family. He was the only one who could take care of his family and had money to buy stuff that was needed to survive. This job is for the sake of his family and he would not let this arrogant man to hinder his responsibility. He would make sure that his siblings would get comfortable life if he needed to work his ass off. Not that he had problem to cook food as he just went hunt in the sea for food. But he also had to buy the necessary items like clothes and medicine. Ritsu lifted his head up, mustering strength to survive another day in the blasted office. He pulled out his planner and scanned the book. Time for work.
A calm, vibrate feeling filled his mind. He felt like he was floating in the sea. The feeling of freedom and sense of calmness soothed him and lulled him to a deeper sleep. Ritsu slowly moved his finger in circular motion, the water glowing in low light. He popped his eyes open when a nagging feeling tugged his heart, telling him to wake up. He directed his sight to the mop of black hair on his right side. 'I had seen it somewhere…' In his daze state and blurry vision, Ritsu raised his hand, trying to reach the mop of black hair. Slowly, he stretched his hand but in second the vision became vivid and the boy was replaced by Takano, shocking the brunette.
"RICCHAN!" Ritsu snapped open his close eyes.
"What-what happen?" Ritsu rubbed his blurry eyes and looked around just to be greeted by fuming Kisa.
"You asked what happen…sigh… You feel asleep. Need me to reminder you that you had a meeting with your boss in less than a minute. (Looking to his watch)
"Damn! You should wake me up earlier, Kisa. Now, that arrogant bastard will tease me and mocking me for coming late. I swear he was a sadist in his past life." Ritsu grabbed his planner and documents that were needed attention while finishing his neglected coffee on the table. He whisked his way to the boss office, feeling dread and sense of coming annoying thinking about his boss attitude. His liking of teasing and playing with him… made him shiver in anger. Anyway, he had worked to do now. He ran to Takano's office, catching his breath before knocking on the door. He entered the office after being told. He expected the same remark and teasing from the man but surprised when the man just silently waved him in and proceed with the daily plan. Ritsu just shrugged and continued doing his work.
"A letter came this morning. Because it looks a personal letter, I didn't open it." Ritsu gave the letter to the man and Takano took it, narrowing his eyes when he read it. Takano crushed the letter, startled the brunette. Not once he saw such anger in those golden eyes. It made him shiver in scare.
"Out" A low whisper, barely able to be heard by Ritsu. Ritsu took the queue, grabbed his planner and made his way out from the office. He breathed in, catching his breath that he did not remember he held it on. Shaking his head, Ritsu walked back to his desk, puzzled with Takano's weird behavior.
~Back to Takano~
'That BITCH!' Takano still crushed the letter, anger course through him. He so called Aunt managed to escape. He had ordered his men to hunt his aunt down. After this long Ten years, he now managed to prove that his aunt is the culprit for the assassination of his parents. He also could be dead if not the merman did not help him. Speaking of that merman, he still could hear his voice and remembered his beautiful long brown hair. The merman mesmerize emerald eyes froze him on the spot. The penetrating gaze felt like he was reading his life just by looking into the orbs. Takano closed his eyes, feeling content with the feeling of the merman that once saved him. He tried to find the merman but failed. Beside, because of the attempt of assassination, he was forced to be keep save in one of the guarded castle. He had to be tutor as his guardian who was his kind aunt, Moriko, did not want to risk his life as Mimie, his father's sister still alive somewhere. Aunty Mimie planned the murder to ensure that the throne was given to her son. There are a few attempts on murdering after that but luckily he managed to escape and survived. After years of gathering evident, he had present the evident in the court meeting, calling for the capturing of Takano Mimie and to be sentenced to death. However, she managed to avoid the capture and now she was being hunt down.
Takano sighed, trying to control his anger. He looked out from his office, feeling dread and uneasy feeling. He was lucky that no one knew that he is the crown prince of Urueazen (in exception of Hatori who was his head bodyguard). A small prosper country situated near the Asia but also near to the Europe. That's why the country was consisted of many different culture and people. The royal family somehow came from Asian descendent. Takano being the son of the past king was appointed as the crown prince until he married which he will ascend the throne and become the king.
He hated the attention given in his country with many young women and men (as the country was opened for the same-sex marriage) tried to win his heart and hopefully become the queen or the consort of the young prince. Takano hated them as he could clearly see the greed in their eyes of becoming a part of the royal family. Urueazen although is a small country, with the gold and silver that can be found made the country one of the rich country. There also abundant of jewel stone making the country one of the large production of jewelries in the world. Added with many shopping centre and unique and interesting place to visit, Urueazen was popular with the tourist, both local and foreign tourist.
Although, the country was a comfortable place to stay, Takano was bored and suffocated with the attention from the media and the people; he made his way to one of his corporation and worked on the problem rise. In this few weeks, he enjoyed teasing and ordering his new secretary. Usually, after a few days of being teased like that, they would surely resign. But not Onodera. Although he could see that the younger man was pissed off by him, he still kept working with him. For the first time, he really enjoyed coming to the work. Added with the little episode in the drug store, he could not help to wonder said brunette. There is a nagging feeling in his heart, telling him that he saw him before. He tried to think back but only blank mind come to him.
Throwing the letter in the dustbin, he continued his work.
Tired from the day work, Ritsu made his way to the small bay a few miles from the office. He was dead tired and he remembered that he had to go hunt for food for dinner today. It's already 5 in the evening. He really tired and did not want to go out hunting. Instead he went to the market and bought some frozen fish along with vegetable. Merman's diet was only consisted of fish and vegetable. They ate fish from the ocean and cooked with vegetable from the sea or from land. They used sunlight to cook while casting prevention charm on the pot to avoid water from getting inside. Magically, their house although was in the water, they still could put things in there as they were charm for water prove and gravity manipulation. Merman was a magical creature. They had magic in their vein to help them live and survive. They also used their skill to avoid getting caught by the human. Merman or Mermaid also had their tribe and the royal family. Onodera's family could be considered a part of royal family but not on the first line of the throne. Ritsu's grandfather married a young mermaid from the royal blood line, thus starting the line of the Onodera as the royal family.
Losing in his thought, Ritsu did not notice a sleek black car followed him slowly. Takano watched as his new subject of interest as the brunette made his way to the empty bay, losing in thought.
~Earlier from Takano POV~
After finishing his work, Takano get on the car and went for a ride. He avoided Hatori, wanting time alone by himself. His mind swayed back to the brunette who somehow unconsciously caught his attention. He really looked cute when he was flustered and angry. His earnestness and his accomplished looked somehow cracked a smile on his face. Never had he met someone so eager on working and doing his best. He secretly smiled when Onodera glared at him for being so difficult and selfish. His mind went to another boy he met years ago. Somehow, the merman he met when he was a child came to him. Unconsciously, he compared both the boy and the man. 'Both had brown hair, green eyes, pale skin and same name…'
Takano put a stop in his drive and shocked with the discovery. 'No way, they were the same person. Well, the boy had long brown hair and had a tail. Onodera on the other hand was a…human, right?'
He debated with himself and looked outside from his car. Speak of the devil; Onodera was walking alone by the roadside. His heart beat louder, his mind trying to made decision whether he should followed him or not.
'You should follow him. Maybe you can prove your theory.'
'Don't be ridicules! There's no way he was a merman.'
'Why you say that? There is no prove that shown he not a merman.'
'And there no prove also indicating he is a merman.'
'Just follow him. It's not that difficult.'
"No way! Don't lower yourself to become a stalker.'
'Follow him!'
'Don't'
'Follow him'
'Don't'
Banging his head to the steering wheel, Takano shut his inner debate. The object of his confusion just a few meters away yet he felt like having a war in the car. Weighing the pro's and con's, Takano started his car and follow the said brunette. Onodera was walking toward the beach, and to the bay. Takano get out from the car and slowly spied the brunette from behind a big crate. He watched as Ritsu put down his bag and muttered something under his breath before taking the bag and made his way to the sea. His heartbeat pounded faster as Ritsu whispered and his once short hair grew until it disappear in the sea. His eyes glittered in the sunset and he immediately dived into the sea, leaving a shock Takano with his prove theory. 'I found you at last…'Takano watched the sunset as the orange light illuminated his pale face. With a smirk, he walked back to his car, planning for tomorrow confrontation. There's no way he will let the young merman go away again.
Diving in the sea, made the young merman calmed. He swam happily with a school of colorful fish. He twisted and wiggled his tail to move faster. He reached home as his brothers and sisters greet him. Ritsu put his cloth in the big clamp which act as the closet and made his way to the kitchen to cook dinner. While cooking, his dream earlier came to him…
'Why I see Takano in my dream…?' He wondered. Somehow, there is an uneasy feeling tugging his heart. He did not know why but he felt there is danger lurking in this near future…
~End of Chapter 2~
AN: Fewh… I managed to write this. Haha. And for a reminder, this fic will be fast pace as I still need to concentrate on my major JR fic which The Symphonia. This writer block really made me nut.
Anyway, Thank you to: Miruco, kuroshiro.19, Windying, Pugslover and a guest for reviewing. And also thank you to people who follow and favorite. Whaa so many people reading, made me soo happy.
There's maybe lemon in the future and yes, this is inspire by a manga named Junketsu Ningyo (?). I read the manga a while ago and started writing this fic as I really love mermaid fic. Hihi
And finally, please review!