Chapter 4
When Kazuha arrived at the ball, she swam back to her table and looked around her. Everything seemed okay. Everyone was dancing and enjoying their time. Even Sonoko was enjoying her time with a handsome muscular merman. Kazuha recognized him as one of the best guards and the strongest. 'I think his name is Makoto.' Kazuha thought.
When Sonoko noticed her, Kazuha smiled sheepishly and waved to her. Sonoko, however, frowned and excused herself from the guy she was dancing with and swam fast to her.
"Where were you? You know your mother kept asking about you! I had to lie to her and lying to the queen is treason!" Sonoko whispered.
"It's okay. She won't do anything to you. You're my best friend after all." Kazuha said and waved it off, then continued, "Anyway, guess what? I met the guy that I saw ten years ago! And guess what else?! He's a prince as well! The prince of the Osakan kingdom!"
"Are you kidding me? That's perfect a prince and a princess." Sonoko said excitedly, but then her excitement died down, "You're not going to leave us like Ran did, right?"
"No way! The main reason that Ran can't come and left us was because she had to choose between having legs or having a tail, but I already have legs and I can breathe underwater and live like a mermaid, which means I can always come to visit you guys and come back anytime I want." Kazuha said, comforting Sonoko, "Plus it's not like we're actually going to be together and get married, maybe we're just going to stay friends, or maybe he just talked to me because he's curious about me. I don't think he likes me that way." Kazuha continued, but somehow the thought of him not wanting her that was made her sad.
Sonoko smiled sadly and hugged Kazuha. She knew how much Kazuha liked the guy and wanted to get to know him and know the people of the land.
Kazuha hugged her back and sighed, "I really hate this place. Let's go back to my chamber."
"Yeah let's go. And I'll also tell you about the hot guy I danced with." Sonoko said excitedly.
-.-
Heiji walked back to his room with a huge smile plastered on his face. On his way to the room, he saw the engaged couple talking and smiling to each other.
"What are you two lovey-dovey couple doing here at this time of the night?" Heiji asks with a smug.
"It's none of your business Hattori." Replied Shinichi then continued, "Were you able to talk to the beach ghost?"
"No, she jumped into the sea and I wasn't able to talk to her, unfortunately." Heiji lied through his teeth. He didn't know why, but he felt like he should keep the little meeting with the half-mermaid, no, Kazuha to himself.
"I told you that you wouldn't be able to meet her or talk to her. I tried so much before Ran stopped me." Shinichi said.
'Ran stopped him? Why would she stop him when all she did was support his detective work?' Heiji thought confused. "Why would you stop him nee-chan? You know that Kudo is very curious, especially because he is a detective just like me, you know." Heiji couldn't keep his thoughts and questions to himself. After all one of his personality traits is that he's very blunt and honest.
"I don't know, she just thought that it was pointless I guess." Shinichi was obviously taken aback by the question, not expecting it.
"Oh." Was all that Heiji said, but he definitely got suspicious when he saw the panic in Ran's eyes before she hid it.
-.-
"Oh wow. I really wonder what the Internet is though. What a weird name for something." Sonoko said after Kazuha told her about her encounter with Heiji.
"I know right. He told me that he would show me if we ever meet again." Kazuha said smiling.
"Wait a second. You're not actually going to the land with him, are you?" Sonoko said, "You can't even walk!"
"I know, but I can learn. Plus Sonoko don't forget that I also come from the land. Even though I'm not technically human but a wizard, but wizards still live on the land. It's my right to go explore it." Kazuha said.
"But your mom doesn't allow it because it's dangerous for you," Sonoko said worriedly.
"What's dangerous? I have legs. Humans a long time ago used to kill mermaids and I don't really look like a mermaid in case you forgot." Kazuha replied to Sonoko.
"But Kazuha you don't exactly look like a human. Your eyes glow and even when they're not glowing they look like a mermaids' eye, sparkling. Plus don't forget your pointed ears, hello!" Sonoko exclaimed.
'That's true.' Kazuha thought. She did have sparkling green eyes and they did glow. She did have pointed ears but they weren't long pointed ears, they were normal sized ears but pointed.
"It's okay, I could use magic to change how I look." Kazuha said, "Plus Heiji saw me in my real form and he didn't say anything about it."
"That's because he knows that you are a half-mermaid and wizard. How do you think his family will react to their son talking to a half-mermaid wizard, huh?" Sonoko said.
When Sonoko said that, it shattered Kazuha to pieces. Sonoko was right. No human will want her, but no merman will want her either. No one wanted her but her mother and Sonoko. And who knows maybe Sonoko will vanish just like Ran did.
Seeing Kazuha get sad after what Sonoko said, made Sonoko feel unbearable guilt. She knew how insecure Kazuha is about herself. She knew that she thought that no merman wants her when that's actually wrong. They all wanted her but they were too shy to talk to the princess. She knew that after what she said that Kazuha probably thinks that no one wants her.
"Look Kazuha-chan maybe I'm wrong. Maybe his parents don't mind having you as his friend or more." Sonoko winked.
Kazuha visibly blushed and slapped Sonoko on her arm. "Stop Sonoko." But then she smiled. 'Yeah, maybe it's okay.'
-.-
Heiji laid on his very comfortable king-sized bed, thinking about Kazuha. She grew a lot compared to when he saw her ten years ago. She grew into a very beautiful girl. He also noticed her curves, and thinking about it made him blush. He's a 17-year-old guy after all. Her beautiful sparkling green eyes never changed. They were still the same as he remembered. 'Ah, I can't wait until I see her again tomorrow night.' He thought before he drifted to sleep.
-.-
"HATTORI WAKE UP!" Shinichi yelled as he pushed Heiji off the bed. Heiji groaned and finally woke up. "Good morning."
"Good morning? The maids kept knocking on your door trying to wake you up for breakfast. Man, you never change. You sleep like a dead person." Shinichi yelled his arms crossed.
"Okay, I'm up now. I'll take a shower and come. Plus you can tell your maids to come to wake me up, I don't mind." Heiji said as he stood up and walked towards the bathroom that was ready for him.
The bathroom was huge and luxurious, filled with golden accessories and scented candles. Well, it wasn't a weird sight for him since he's a prince and he's spoiled that way every morning since the day he was born.
After taking a shower and getting ready he went to the great hall where the Kudo family has their breakfast.
"Good morning everyone." Heiji greeted the Kudo family plus Ran with his usual cheerful attitude.
"Good morning Hei-chan!" replied back Queen Yukiko.
The Great Hall was one of Heiji's favorite places in the castle since it had huge windows that let a lot of sunshine, therefore creating a positive atmosphere. Plus the fact that he gets to eat food with his best friend and his family and now his best friend's fiancé too.
Heiji sat now on his chair and eat the food with a big smile on his face. He was very satisfied with what he was eating.
Everyone on the table talked about their day and recent interesting news that included other kingdoms which brought the conversation of Princess Ooka Momiji of the Northern Kingdom.
"Have you heard that she's coming here to visit?" King Yusaku said.
"Oh yeah! Apparently, you're parents wanted her to come here so that you get to know each other more. They think you two would be great together." said Queen Yukiko.
Heiji groaned and rolled his eyes. His parents have been pressuring him to look for a wife ever since he turned 17 and now that his best friend is getting married they're pressuring him even more. He met Princess Momiji before. He's not going to lie, she's stunningly beautiful, but their personalities just don't align.
Right now all Heiji could think of is when the night is going to come because he wants to meet Kazuha, and this time he's going to bring his phone so that he shows her the internet. He chuckled as he remembered his curious expression when he said the word Internet. 'She's so cute.' Heiji thought and felt his cheeks heat up.
"Look like you're changing your mind about the princess, seeing that you're chuckling and even blushing," Shinichi said with a teasing smirk plastered on his face.
"Oh shut up Kudo."
-.-
It's already night time and Kazuha swam to the surface like usual. Usually, she comes to the surface to look at the moon and stars and sing but this time it was to meet the Prince. They didn't plan on meeting today but she had a feeling that she would be seeing him.
She sat on the big rock she usually sat on and looked around her as she felt the sea breeze touch her soft skin. It was a ghost-quite moonlit night and the night sky hung with stars. She closed her eyes and felt her skin soaking up the moonlight as she sat down waiting. Then she heard heavy footsteps walking towards her, but before she could react she heard a familiar voice say, "Hey,"
She looked at him and smiled, "Hey,"
"Want to go back to the cave, like yesterday, or should I take you to someplace more comfortable?" Heiji asked not wasting time.
"I think I would rather go to the cave since it's more secretive. I don't want people seeing me."
"Okay sure, I got a lantern for just in case you said that," Heiji said with a smile as he held up the lantern.
Kazuha smiled and offered her hand so that he would hold it. He looked confused but he held her hand anyway, and a look of surprise was on his face as Kazuha tried to walk but failed as she fell down on her knees on the hard rock.
"Oh god! Are you okay?" Heiji asked with concern and put the lantern on the ground to help her into a sitting position. "What were you thinking, idiot?"
"I have to learn how to walk. You're not going to keep on carrying me every time we meet, are you?"
"This is not how you learn, plus you are on a rock. Look you injured your knee."
When Kazuha saw some red liquid come out of her pale skin she felt a surge of panic run through her body. "What is this? What is this red thing coming out of my body?! Is it because I'm in the land? Am I going to die?!" She felt her chest tightening and she found it hard to breathe. 'Oh no,' She didn't even realize that she the tears were spilling from her eyes.
"Oh god Kazuha! It's just blood, and it's not even a big injury." Heiji said, which made Kazuha look at him with her big sparkly green curious eyes. Heiji blushed crimson red. 'She's so pretty.'
"Blood? That's blood?" Kazuha said as she looked down at her knees. They took things about blood in school that it runs in their veins and such but she never saw it.
"Yeah. I'll go bring the first aid kit. It's not far they have ones here on the beach."
"No, it's okay. I think I remember a healing spell."
"Oh." Heiji never ever saw magic in his entire life, and as he grew he stopped believing in them, so he was very curious and excited to see magic and how it works.
He heard her softly whisper an 'Episke' and saw green threads of magic come out of her slim fingers down to her knee healing it.
Heiji's eyes widened and he was mesmerized but what he just saw. 'It literally just healed. What in the world?!'
Kazuha giggled at his reaction and slapped his arm playfully so that he would wake up from his shocked state.
"You never saw magic before?"
"I've seen magic tricks but never real magic, and before yesterday and didn't even believe it existed."
"Okay, are you going to take me to the cave, or not?"
"Yeah let's go."
He carried Kazuha bridal style just like the day before then looked at the lantern with concern not knowing how he was going to pick it up since both his hands were occupied.
Seeing his look towards the lantern Kazuha decides to take matters into her own hands and lift it up with her magic and held it.
Heiji looks at the lantern then Kazuha still not used to seeing magic, "Okay…" and continued walking towards the cave.
After they both sat comfortably in the cave with the lantern lighting up the place they started talking about the simple things that happened during that day, and as Heiji was talking about one of the cases that he solved that day Kazuha took the opportunity to observe him since she only saw him in the dark before. He had such a nice skin color and beautiful deep blue eyes. His jaw was more defined and he, in general, looked more mature and masculine.
"Are you listening?" Heiji asked disrupting his observation of his profile.
"Yes, yes," Kazuha said sheepishly.
"Okay, look I got my phone today to show what the internet is and other stuff as well that you probably don't have in the ocean."
Heiji got his phone out of his pocket and showed it to Kazuha who was very confused and curious about what this thing in his hands can do.
"And this is where I download music," Heiji said as he opened the app. Kazuha pressed on a picture that grabbed her attention and loud music started playing from the phone causing Kazuha to back away with a scream. Heiji laughed and lowered the volume.
"It's okay, that's just how we play the music," Heiji said still laughing.
"Oh."
"And look, we have a camera on the phone, so we can take pictures. Do you want to take a picture with me?" Heiji asked them he flipped the camera to the front camera which made Kazuha gasp.
"Oh my god, it turned into a mirror."
Heiji chuckled looking at her with endearment, "Well it's like a mirror but it captures the picture, look."
Heiji took a picture of the two of them together and showed it to her, "Oh god it's just like magic!" Kazuha said with excitement.
"Yeah, but it's technology."
Kazuha looked at him with confusion, "Okay I have no idea what that is."
Heiji just smiled and then asked, "Do you want to see the land someday? It'll be fun,"
"I would love to, but my mother would kill me. She doesn't even know that I come here at night. She thinks I'm sleeping. And if she ever finds out about me talking to you she'll kill me."
"Oh, that's bad. I really wanted to show you around." Heiji said with an adorable pout.
"But you know I'm not really good when it comes to following the rules," Kazuha said with a wink, "But not tomorrow because I'll be busy during the day. Princess duties." she rolled her eyes.
"Tell me about it."
"So tomorrow we meet at night?"
"Of course!"
-,-
I know I haven't updated in a while and that's because I've been so busy with being a senior and all. But now I finally graduated from high school and I'm so happy! I hope that you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing this.
