The Little Merman Demands Legs from the Sea Witch - Chapter 24
A few weeks passed. Fortunately, Kashmir didn’t attempt any more surprise kisses, nor did he call her cute again. Thanks to this, Iko’s heart no longer raced in a way that made her uncomfortable.
She felt relieved, believing that she was smoothly breaking free from the curse. Her days returned to a peaceful routine.
Today was the day she planned to go to the surface, sell the potions she had been making, and buy the supplies she needed. The potions she made from the Kashmir’s scales had become known for their effects, and last time someone had even offered to pay extra. She wondered if it would happen again this time.
Thinking about the potential profit made Iko’s heart flutter with excitement. In moments like these, she realized that money was more appealing to her than Kashmir. This realization reassured her that she was keeping her emotions in check.
“Are you going to the village?”
Kashmir asked as he watched Iko prepare for her outing by putting a magic fishbowl over her head. She needed the fishbowl to breathe underwater until she reached the vicinity of Kokoya Village.
“Yeah.”
Iko replied as she retrieved the magic bicycle she kept next to the house and began to push it. Kashmir followed her out.
“I’ll come with you part of the way. I’ll be going there soon myself, so I want to know the route in advance.”
Kashmir sounded confident now that he could walk a bit more on his own. When Iko allowed him to join, he happily followed her along the path.
As they traveled, Kashmir swam beside her as she pedaled, chatting nonstop. He asked if cycling was difficult, whether he could try it sometime, what she planned to buy today, and reminisced about something tasty he had eaten before.
The path from the sea witch’s house to Kokoya Village was one Iko had traveled alone since Dalibaya’s health had rapidly declined.
Though she had never admitted it, she had been lonely. But now, talking and traveling with Kashmir, Iko felt a sense of joy she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
‘Now I think I understand why Dalibaya treasured Bollo so much,’ Iko thought, beginning to see Kashmir as a friend and understanding her mentor’s heart.
“Just a bit further, and we’ll reach the beach at Kokoya Village. Think you can remember it?” Iko said as she felt the water get shallower.
From this point on, there was a risk of being spotted by humans, so it was dangerous for Kashmir, as a merman, to go any further with her.
To avoid drawing attention to herself as the woman who rode a bicycle out of the sea, Iko would also need to leave the bike behind and walk the rest of the way.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“Wait, Iko.”
Kashmir called out as she was about to dismount and leave. He cupped the fishbowl on her head with both hands and looked at her.
“I’ll be waiting, so come back quickly.”
He said this, then pressed a light kiss to the fishbowl and smiling brightly. Then he waved and began swimming back the way they had come.
Iko froze in place, stunned by the sudden second surprise kiss. Even when she shouted after him, asking why he kept giving her kisses, Kashmir was already too far away, swimming out of sight.
Though Iko couldn’t understand why he was acting this way, she resolved to tell him not to do it again when she got home. She planned to explain that his casual actions were startling to her.
After regaining her composure, Iko resumed her journey to Kokoya Village. She sold the items she had brought in her bag, purchased what she needed, and returned to the sea.
‘Why is pedaling so heavy today?’
Iko wondered as she paused to catch her breath. The pedals seemed fine, so she suspected the large bag she carried. It was only natural for it to be heavy after shopping, but it felt even heavier than usual.
“What’s making it so heavy?” she muttered, opening the bag to check its contents.
There were just a few herbs, some flour, the rum that Kashmir liked, the melon he wanted to try, the meat pie he said was delicious, clothes that she thought would suit him…
Kashmir, Kashmir, Kashmir…
Realizing that the bag was filled with things she had bought for Kashmir, Iko hastily closed it again. The moment she recognized her feelings, her face flushed with embarrassment.
Seeing the evidence of her emotions right in front of her eyes left her feeling confused and flustered. She felt a sense of foreboding, as if something significant might happen once she returned home.
But what could she do? She had no other place to go.
“Calm down. Just calm down.”
Iko muttered to herself as she slowly began pedaling again. As she approached the large fishbowl she used as her home, her heart grew heavier.
Then, a dark figure swam quickly toward her from beside the fishbowl.
“Iko, I’ve been waiting for you.”
Kashmir greeted her with a bright smile. Iko’s heavy heart sank even further, making it feel heavier than the bag she carried. Her heart raced, and her face turned red.
The words ‘I’ve been waiting’ filled her with so much joy.
