Note: Thanks to VenusUnchained for helping me with Nephrite's characterization and thanks to AdriannaSharp for helping me with Kunzite's characterization.

They continued bringing in corpses with their combined water manipulation abilities until it was time for another break as Kǎi notified with his loud voice. Ruǎn yù was going to go off with Lín like he normally did but Zhihao quickly swam to cut him off and Ruǎn yù quickly grabbed Zhihao's shoulders and shook them. "What the hell is the matter with you getting in my way?!"

"Relax, can't a guy talk or is your tail literally attached to Lín's?"

"You!" Ruǎn yù shook Zhihao's shoulders harder.

"Ah! At this rate you're gonna shake my head off!"

"Wanna try me?!"

Yìngyù quickly swam over as he held up his hands. He usually was the one to play mediator between them. "Hey now! Ruǎn yù, let's calm down!"

"Why should I?! This guy is always up to something!"

"Maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt?"

"He just wants to keep me from Lín for some reason!"

"Hey now, I wouldn't be avoiding my precious break time with Qing just to meddle with you for no reason. I'm not stupid."

Ruǎn yù narrowed his dark brown brows at Zhihao while Yìngyù put his hands on the other merman's broad shoulders. "Let's just hear him out first instead of jumping to conclusions, hmm?"

Ruǎn yù exhaled before slowly but surely releasing the younger merman.

Zhihao rubbed his shoulders before smirking "So, I see your appetite for Lín is insatiable."

Ruǎn yù smirked. "Of course, I am. What? Jealous because you can't exactly do that same to Qing yet?"

Zhihao gritted his teeth, unamused that Ruǎn yù turned the tables on him and made a jab about his relationship with Qing.

"Hey, not all of us are incorrigible perverts like you. Yìngyù is with Mei, she'd boil him if he tried anything."

The blond-haired merman frowned at the jab the younger merman made at his expense.

The dark brown, wavy-haired merman smirked. "Even if I happen to be the only incorrigible male in our group of men, at least I'm feeling good and so is she."

The younger merman widened his yellow green eyes in shock.

The angel who had been curious as to why the males had been gathering finally approached and firmly told Ruǎn yù "Stop. Not all of us needs to know your baser nature let alone such details of your relationship."

Ruǎn yù pointed to the younger merman. "Hey, he was the one who had the audacity to point out the nature of my relationship."

"Well, you've made it visibly obvious! Don't you feel even a tiny bit bad for her?!"

Ruǎn yù smirked. "It's a proud display of how she's mine and everyone else here knows it."

Zhihao facepalmed, Yìngyù nervously smiled, and Kǎi frowned.

Kǎi asked "Couldn't you have a bit more discretion?"

Zhihao scoffed "Possessive much?"

Ruǎn yù proudly stated. "That I am but make no mistake. Not only is she mine but I'm hers as well. No other man has any claim on her and no other woman would ever dare to claim me except her."

The three males couldn't help but feel a sense of intrigue when applying it to their own relationships. They would not like the idea of any other man laying claim to their woman and they were undoubtedly loyal to their lady. Out of the others, Ruǎn yù had been in his relationship the longest and he was still in a courtship with Lín. But it seemed likely that he would eventually marry her.

The blond merman with blue gray eyes smiled as he interjected "…So, when's the wedding? I'm invited, aren't I?"

Ruǎn yù swung a muscular arm around his friend. "Of course you are!"

He then had a thoughtful look. By now, there was no doubt that he and Lín loved one another and wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. They had talked about getting married, but they had yet to have serious discussions regarding the topic.

"Hmm. Maybe when the flood finally ends, Lín and I should talk about when we should get married."

Zhihao widened his yellow green eyes. "You're seriously going through with getting married?"

"What? Are you doubting my commitment to Lín?"

"No~, I'm doubting your commitment to being a married man. It's a lot of responsibility you know." Zhihao smirked.

Ruǎn yù pounded Zhihao's head.

"Ow!" The younger merman held his head as he bent over.

Ruǎn yù crossed his arms as he turned to the side. "I'll have you know I'd make a good husband."

Yìngyù smiled. "I'm sure you will."

Kǎi replied "Mmm. I agree with Yìngyù. I wish you two the best of luck with your married life."

"Thanks." Ruǎn yù smiled before quickly turning around to face the angel.

"Hey, why so early? You make it sound like you won't be there."

Kǎi replied with a somber tone. "I most likely won't. When the flood ends, so will our task."

"You're right…"

A solemn atmosphere had fallen upon the mermen. Kǎi was a valuable member of their group and as time passed by, they saw him as a good friend.

Even though Kǎi couldn't attend Ruǎn yù and Lín's future wedding, he and Yue Lao could probably watch it from the elderly god's observation mirror. But he couldn't talk about his relationship with the god of love.

Kǎi firmly spoke. "Let's not dwell on such things. Right now, we still have our task to focus on and we still have time."

Even though he said that he was painfully aware that he would outlive Ai and the others. Their lifespan consisted of a mere 300 years whereas he was immortal. But he wouldn't forget these merpeople for as long as he lived, and he supposed that they would live on in his memory as bittersweet a thought it was.

Zhihao remarked. "Heh. Are you a soldier? Although I guess I suppose I couldn't expect you to be to be the mushy type."

Kǎi gave him an unamused look.

Ruǎn yù hit his shoulder. "Well, we know he means well."

Kǎi gritted his teeth while Yìngyù gave an apologetic smile.

As the sun began to set, Kǎi thanked everyone for their hard work.

"I'm sure you all are aware that once our task is over, I will not be around."

Ai's heart dropped before she swam forward and embraced his lower back, and he held her.

"But rest assured, I will never forget you all."

His wings wrapped around Ai so he could kiss the top of her head and tell her "We still have time. I will see you tomorrow."

Ai sadly nodded and as the angel flew up into the sky after releasing her from his embrace, Ai looked up, realizing their inevitable separation but he belonged to the sky while she belonged to the sea but a part of her would always be with him just as he would always be with her.