A seed of love.

In a seaside town, a girl named Julie came rushing downstairs in a beautiful gown, her hair flowing freely in the breeze.

“Dad, I’m gonna play with my friends!” she called.

Her father handed her a box of fried chicken.

“Julie, take this with you and share it with your friends. Come home soon, and be careful while you’re playing.”

Julie grabbed the box, hopped onto her bicycle, and rode away. Along the way, people greeted her warmly.

“Hello, Julie!”

“Don’t get hurt while you’re playing!”

She replied to everyone with a smile. Julie had grown up in the town by the sea, so almost everyone knew her from childhood.

Eventually, she reached the beach, where her five friends were waiting. The moment she arrived, they rushed toward her and nearly knocked her over.

“Hey! Careful!” Julie laughed.

They eagerly took the fried chicken from her and began eating.

“Wow! This is so yummy!”

“No one can make fried chicken like your father!”

“Thank you, Uncle!”

The group had been friends since kindergarten. There were five of them—two boys and three girls. One of the boys, Nick, had a soft spot for Julie.

 Everyone in the group knew it, so whenever they formed teams, they always made sure Nick and Julie ended up together.

That day, they played happily on the beach, laughing and teasing one another. During one game, Julie nearly fell after being hit by the net, but Nick quickly caught her and helped her regain her balance.

The others immediately started teasing him, winking at each other.

Nick blushed.

Julie, however, only smiled innocently. To her, Nick was simply a good friend, and she had no idea why everyone was teasing him.

Not far from the shore, beneath the sparkling surface of the sea, three young mermaids were racing through the water.

One of them, Marik, had a dazzling golden-blue tail and was far ahead of the others.

“Marik! Stop!” shouted Yash, whose purple tail flashed as he hurried after him. “It’s dangerous! Your father forbade us from crossing the boundaries. Come back!”

Marik glanced over his shoulder.

“As his son, I’m the one who should know what I’m capable of. I want to find out how dangerous it really is. You’re the son of a general who has won countless wars, yet you’re afraid?”

Yash sighed.

“Just follow me, Yash,” Marik said with a grin.

Yash shook his head.

“I wonder how I’m going to work with you in the future.”

Marik laughed.

“We’ll see when the time comes.”

As they lingered beneath the water, Marik suddenly noticed someone on the shore.

Julie.

She was playing with her friends, laughing as the wind swept through her hair. Marik found himself mesmerized by her.

He watched her for a while without realizing how long he had been staring.

Julie suddenly felt as though someone was watching her.

She looked around.

“Is someone there?”

Yash noticed Marik staring.

“Marik, come on!”

But Marik barely heard him. His eyes remained fixed on Julie.

Who is she?

At that moment, Julie stepped into the shallow water.

The sunlight reflected across the surface, but beneath it, her eyes appeared an enchanting blue.

For a brief moment, Julie looked directly into Marik’s eyes.

Neither of them moved.

Then—

THUD!

A ball struck Julie on the head because she had forgotten to hit it back.

“Ouch!”

Her friends burst out laughing.

Julie rubbed her head and went to retrieve the ball. As she approached the water, she caught sight of those mysterious blue eyes again, hidden beneath the surface.

She stared.

But before she could understand what she was seeing, Yash grabbed Marik and pulled him away.

“Let’s go!”

Marik resisted for a moment before disappearing into the depths with Yash.

Julie looked around in confusion.

“Where did he go?”

She blinked.

“Maybe I imagined it…”

As Marik swam away, he glanced back toward the shore.

I don’t know who you are, girl… but whenever you step into the sea, I’ll find you.

By dawn, Julie had returned home.

She helped her father at his fried chicken shop, just as she always did.

Her father was famous throughout the town for his special fried chicken, made with a secret recipe. Everyone loved it and claimed it was the best fried chicken in the world.

Julie dreamed of taking the family business to the next level someday.

But fried chicken wasn't her only passion.

When she entered her bedroom, she was surrounded by beautiful paintings covering the walls.

 Julie was a talented artist and worked with her friends as an interior designer. She had a natural eye for colors, designs, and beautiful spaces.

Later that evening, her father came to speak with her.

“Julie, I want you to take the next step in your career. Go to the city. You’ll have so many opportunities there. Don’t waste your talent by staying here forever.”

Julie frowned.

“Did my friends say something to you?”

“No. This is what I think is best for you.”

“I’m happy here, Dad. I’m not going anywhere and leaving you alone.”

Her father sighed.

“You have a future, Julie.”

“And you’re my family!”

Their argument grew more heated until Julie finally became upset.

Without another word, she left the house.

She rode her bicycle toward the beach.

Whenever she was upset, the sea was where she went to clear her mind.

That night, she sat alone on a large rock slightly away from the shoreline, surrounded by the gentle waves.

Meanwhile, beneath the sea, Yash received a message from a crab.

Marik’s father wanted him to return home immediately.

Yash found Marik arranging a stack of books.

“Marik, your father wants you to come back.”

“I’m not in the mood.”

Yash stared at him.

“You know something is bothering you. We’ve been here for too long. We were supposed to return after your cultivation training.”

Marik remained silent.

Yash narrowed his eyes.

“It’s that girl, isn’t it?”

Marik looked at him.

“You know humans are monsters.”

“Have you ever seen a monster that looks as beautiful as she does?”

Yash groaned.

“Oh, stop talking nonsense! If your father and mine find out about this, they’ll kill me!”

Marik smiled faintly.

“Didn’t you notice her smile?”

Yash stared at him in disbelief.

“Have you lost your mind?”

Before Yash could say anything else, Marik suddenly darted away.

“Marik! I’m talking to you! Where are you going?”

But Marik was already gone.

He had sensed her.

Julie had stepped into the water.

Marik swam toward the shore and found Julie sitting sadly on the rock.

Julie felt his presence.

Instead of looking around, she spoke calmly.

“Come out in front of me instead of hiding.”

Marik froze.

She found me.

Slowly, he climbed onto the rock and sat beside her as casually as he could.

Julie turned.

Her eyes widened.

She rubbed them once.

Then again.

She stared at him in disbelief.

“I thought it was an illusion…”

But it wasn't.

Those same blue eyes.

Those shimmering scales.

The upper body of a man and the tail of a fish.

“A mermaid…”

Marik watched her carefully, expecting her to scream.

Instead, Julie's face lit up with excitement.

Under the full moon, Marik’s golden-blue tail shimmered brilliantly, casting dazzling reflections across the water.

Julie couldn't take her eyes off him.

After a moment, she hesitantly asked,

“Can I touch your tail?”

Marik was stunned.

Then, unable to hide his happiness, he nodded eagerly.

He had expected her to be frightened.

Instead, she was fascinated.

Julie slowly reached out and touched his scales.

They were soft, smooth, and glass-like beneath her fingertips.

Marik tried to remain still.

But the sensation tickled.

He laughed quietly.

Julie smiled.

And for the first time, the human girl and the mermaid sat beside each other beneath the moonlight, neither of them realizing that this strange encounter would change both of their lives forever.