You sat in her single canoe on a warm summer's day as she slowly rocked with the sea. It was a sickening side to side motion for many, but to an experienced fisher like her it was a comforting feeling.

She waited patiently for a fish to bite and bring her some form of excitement in her day.

She had on her signature straw hat along with her shorts topped with a loose blue shirt. Her feet were kicked up onto her small canoe, sitting back to relax. In her hands laid her nearly worn out ukulele, slowly being plucked at by the passing minutes.

Her fishing rod rested near her, being held down by her thigh. Though the method wasn't great, You played the ukulele whenever things got too boring around her. The fish by Kanan's diving shop were just far too lazy to want free bait, it seemed. She would go farther out, or even try different areas, but the harsh sun tired her out so quickly, she figured it was best to just try her luck each day.

You had come out for a while on the east side of Kanan's shop. She would stay for hours on end just practicing some activity of hers, like drawing up costume ideas to think about making later. It wasn't until about mid-afternoon, when the sun was at its peak, that You would see something poke out from the water, almost like a person. It was then that she'd realized it was time to head in.

Going crazy was not on her list of things to do during summer vacation.

You could've even swore she heard a voice at one point, but when she confronted Kanan she was reassured that no one had been out there that day.

Though the idea was horrifying, that someone could be watching her, it was still the only fun You had been having the past few weeks so she took her chances.

While her fingers strummed at the freshly tuned strings, a quick tug on her fishing rod snapped You out of her relaxing stage.

You pulled herself forward, nearly losing her balance, as she grabbed the rod and dropped her instrument in its place.

As she held the pole, whatever had it by the hook was a big one as You had to pull at it with full force. She stretched entirely backwards, almost afraid the rod would snap, using everything she had. Unknowingly though, the grip was slipping from the perpetrator's hands.

In just an instant, the string was released, sending You off the canoe but not before flaring around to keep her balance for a moment.

As soon You fell into the water, she quickly rose to the surface for the air she forgot to grab, splashing at the water around her.

She swam to the canoe, holding onto it as it swayed from the force of You's splash. You rubbed her face as the water around her had gotten into her eyes while simultaneously invading her lungs.

As her coughing began to subside, You looked down at the water, wanting to see what fish made her fall but instead she caught sight of something much different than she had expected.

Though it was just the ending, You saw the scales on the creature's tail that shined just perfectly under water, and it was huge. If that was only the end of the fish, You could only imagine the entire size had to be about her length or more.

Not taking a moment to even fancy the idea of such a large creature, You threw herself and her rod back into the canoe, panicking to quickly grab the paddle with everything moving about. Though her hat had fallen in the water, the last thing she wanted to do was be anywhere near the sea.

As You's arms strained to paddle herself to land faster, a silent head poked from the waters she had left. Her soft amber eyes watched You's canoe go farther beyond her territory, leaving her once more by herself. Bubbles arising from a defeated sigh, she let the waves take her back towards her usual hiding spot, away from the open area.

She gently grazed the rocks against her hands, already becoming familiar with the texture of each one. Her favorite had to be the eroded light grey one. With the sea taking its toll on it, it had developed many holes. The perfect spot to watch from afar as it blended her in with the rest of the rocks that bordered the land.

Out of the sea to watch above her world, her long red hair flowed down, covering her sunburnt shoulders the best it could. She paid no mind to the sun though as she always kept her eyes on that fisher.

Even now she could see her, hauling her canoe onto the land, forgetting her hat and what she was trying to give her.

"Riko, what are you doing?"

Riko let out a yelp before throwing her hands over her mouth. Behind her swam Yoshiko, the mermaid who was a part of her trio that were supposed to be guarding the outskirts of town, definitely not watching humans.

Riko glanced back at You, only to see her talking to the blue-haired diver she had yelled for on her way back to land. You's hands were pointed towards the water as she was frantically going on about something.

Riko would occasionally see the diver, Kanan, but she was always so focused on sea life to notice her.

Scooting them more behind the rocks, Riko put up her finger to Yoshiko,

"Shhh, you can't tell anyone I'm here! I don't come often, I swear!"

Yoshiko only crossed her arms though, seeing right through her lie. Yoshiko was usually one of the easiest to fool, but even she knew what Riko's storage bag looked like as it rested on her shoulders. Plus, Yoshiko had noticed she had been way too excited for such a boring job outside of the city.

Looking behind Riko, Yoshiko caught sight both You and Kanan, obviously staring curiously as to just what was in the waters,

"Which one is it?"

Riko looked away, as she was caught. She decided to tell the truth to her close friend,

"The fisher. The one with grey hair"

Yoshiko looked at Riko seriously for a moment, leaving behind her judgement towards the "land-walkers", as she called them.

"You know that's forbidden right? I won't tell anyone, but that doesn't mean I still won't warn you. Just imagine if someone worse had found you out here?"

Riko's eyes stayed at the water as her fingers made tiny puddles in front of herself,

"It's not like she is seeing me or anything. I stay pretty hidden, unfortunately."

Rather than pushing the situation Riko obviously already felt guilty about, Yoshiko turned away,

"Look, just be careful okay. You know the consequences of such a relationship, right?"

Riko sadly smiled at those words, having already been told the tale when she was younger of banishment, or even death if that friendship turned into more without the proper reciprocation. While it scared her, apparently her heart had no fear, but she couldn't say that.

"I know. I'm careful."

Yoshiko only glanced back once more at Riko before diving back under the water. As she left, Riko dropped her smile as she slowly drifted behind.

Riko watched Yoshiko go back to her usual routes, but as she turned towards where the boat used to rest on the water, Riko saw her envelope floating down into the sea.

Rushing forward, she quickly grabbed the wax paper gently in her hands.

Having stolen it from land, Riko quickly realized she could make a message that wouldn't destroy the paper after staying so long under water. The only problem was everytime Riko tried to hook it on the fisher's rod, You always pulled too hard and Riko couldn't ever hook it on properly. She had been cut a few times by doing so, but Riko simply wasn't brave enough to talk to You herself, even if it were to just be a simple greeting.

Riko stared at the envelope in her hands. Tracing the tiny heart drawn onto the paper with her fingers for a moment, before she placed the letter back in her bag.

It wasn't the first time Riko failed to deliver her message, and it surely wouldn't be the last, but the idea that someday she could talk to the girl that clogged her thoughts was enough to keep her excited about her duties.

But that didn't count as love in Riko's eyes, at least that's what she told herself.

Before she could go though, Riko caught sight of the hat You had dropped. Considering she always kept room in her bag for more items she might find, Riko took the hat quickly from the water, praying no one had seen its disappearance, as she finally turned away.

While Riko went back to her post underwater, even briefly passing by Yoshiko, You was still busy trying to catch her breath after such a scare.

"I-I'm telling you, Kanan, it had to be AT LEAST my height! It was huge!"

Kanan watched You as she went into a hysterical fit, flaring her arms in every direction. She couldn't help but smile at her though, as this wasn't the first time she had done this. Patting her fluffed up hair, Kanan reassured her,

"I'm telling you, there isn't anything in those waters. Are you sure you weren't seeing things again? You're always saying there's someone watching you out there."

You grabbed Kanan's hand atop of her, tossing it away,

"I'm pretty sure there is!"

Kanan only laughed at how frantic You was being. By the look You gave her though, that wasn't something she was supposed to be doing. Clearing her throat, Kanan offered some advice,

"Look, why don't you go and fish by the docks instead? I'm sure you won't be eaten and plus you won't have to constantly swim back to land every time you get tossed off your boat."

You stopped for a moment, thinking about the idea. It was good in theory, and plus it wasn't even too far from her regular spot anyways. Before she could agree though, Kanan continued,

"Oh but you can't be there around lunch time though, that's the time Hanamaru comes around. I'm pretty sure she talks to the water, or to herself, but either way she asks that I don't bother her."

You was going to open her mouth to question it, only to stay quiet. It wasn't her business, so long as she had the early mornings to herself she didn't mind. Instead, she agreed with Kanan,

"Yeah, maybe I'll try that. Lot less chance of being eaten by a shark of some kind."

As You grabbed her fishing rod, she looked back to the water only to realize her hat was missing.

The water couldn't have taken it so quickly as it was peaceful out.

Kanan's words knocked her out of her thoughts though as she began to walk away,

"Well, either way, it's lunch time now so that means Hanamaru will be coming soon. Let's head in and take a break shall we? Got a fresh crate of mikans from the store today so let's dig in!"

As You walked behind Kanan, she looked at her fishing rod that somehow always survived every large fish that came its way. She always noticed that the bait stayed put, almost as if whatever was grabbing it didn't want the bait at all.

While the two girls headed inside, Kanan was sure to keep the mood light and suggested that there were creatures in the water, out to get single pretty girls like You. That didn't calm You at all.

On their way inside they were sure to wave to Hanamaru who had her picnic basket on her way towards the docks.

Hanamaru too had begun her summer by the seaside, recently enjoying her adventurous books in a more realistic setting.

As Hanamaru walked on the docks, she took off her shoes before reaching the edge. Sitting down, she began sorting out her food while double checking to make sure there was no one around.

Once the coast was clear, she reached into her pocket, tossing a single smooth pebble she found on her way there into the sea,

"Psssst, Yoshiko. I brought lunch."

Gleaming red eyes appeared from the water, and though they looked vicious, Yoshiko only murmured out,

"Are there any mikans?"

Hanamaru giggled before grabbing two peanut butter sandwiches from her bag, waving it in front of her face,

"No, I made sure not to bring any this time."

As Hanamaru handed over a sandwich, she leaned back onto one hand, slowly sinking her feet into the water,

"So, anything new happened today?"

Yoshiko grabbed the strange food, observing it from all four corners, before taking a weary bite. Upon first taste it seemed good enough to trust.

She munched for a while on it, savoring the strange flavors humans could make with their delicacies on land that the mermaid people had no access to before finally answering Hanamaru,

"Well, Lily has become quite fascinated with one of your friends. The fisher one, but I already told her mermaids and humans should never interact. Will she listen? No, but hey, at least I tried. She can't get mad at me if she gets banished now."

As Hanamaru ate her sandwich, savoring her first meal of the day, she paused for a moment at Yoshiko's words,

"Wait… We're interacting though."

Yoshiko stopped for a split second when she realized the hypocrisy of her statement. That was before dismissing the idea,

"I'm a Fallen Angel though, according to your books, that's different. I've already been an outcast for so long from the mer-people, so who's to say if it would even be difficult for them to banish me for speaking to another."

Hanamaru rolled her eyes though, already knowing Yoshiko would surely burst into tears at the idea of being remotely in trouble.

"Okay, sure."

Devouring the last bites of her sandwich, Yoshiko placed her hands on the dock as she looked up at Hanamaru in awe,

"Anyways, what book did you finish today? Last one was… interesting, but did this one have heaven or hell in it? I want to know more about those places!"

Hanamaru sat forward, already excited about her recent book she had discovered. She stayed up the entire night to finish it, barely having enough time to pack their lunch before she could leave.

"Yes! I made sure to specifically look for that in the town library! It was a bit complex, so let's start from the very beginning..."

As Hanamaru started on the story, Yoshiko watched in fascination as the books in their palace didn't tell such intricate stories as on land. They were passed down from every generation but only what they wanted to tell. If there were any form of literature that could taint the minds of others it was banished. So, in hindsight, finding Hanamaru was the best discovery she could ever make as she was like a walking library.

Sure, Yoshiko could warn Riko all about the dangers of the human world as they were told to do, but in reality, even she knew some humans weren't so bad.