Work Text:
Today was one of those days when Yeosang just wanted to be left alone for a while. Just disappeared for a couple hours before returning to everyday life, a little time to unwind on his own in his secret hideout.
Well, secret might not be the best term for his hideout.
It was a train station that was close to the sea. It had been closed around 2 years ago, when the new train lines started working in a most effective way, leaving that place at the mercy of time and salty air.
When Yeosang discovered he could still get inside, it became his hideout. He also shared this place with San, Mingi and Jongho. He kept the secret to Hongjoong, because he knew that his hyung would tell them to stop going there, because it could be dangerous.
But, even if it was dangerous (That it wasn´t, Yeosang had already checked), there was something in that place that brought peace to Yeosang.
Maybe it was the way that wild life slowly made its way into the station, with the weeds climbing through the walls and bird’s nest resting comfortably on the beams, how the light entered through the crystal ceiling or how it had a perfect spot, that work almost like a dock, to see the sun drowning in the horizon as the night came in.
Yeosang finally got to the station, and went directly to that spot. He texted San, telling him that he was on the station, and wanted to disappear for 2 hours. San quickly replied, telling him that he was going to order some take out for dinner from when he arrived, and that he was going to be checking the phone if Yeosang ended up needing something.
With a soft smile on his face, Yeosang put a timer on his phone. Resting his back against a wall, sliding down until he was sat down, he took a deep breath.
Yeosang didn't know why he was so tired that day, but he felt so tired and overwhelmed with… everything. All he needed right now was to listen to the gentle murmur of the sea and maybe draw something, before he could get back to the chaos of the city.
He took out his sketchbook from his backpack, ready to finish some draws he started earlier that day. Yeosang rested his head against the wall, looking at the beautiful waves of the sea and closed his eyes for a second, to better enjoy the sound.
He must have fallen asleep, because when he opened his eyes again, he saw the last rays of sun disappear over the horizon.
Passing a hand over his face, he stood up and stretched his arms. That wasn´t the most comfortable position to sleep in, if the cracking noise his back was making was something to go by.
Yeosang checked his phone, and noticed that he still had 20 minutes before he had to leave the station and text San that he was on his way. So, he lay down to see the night sky a little longer.
Yeosang was lost in his thoughts, wandering about all the stars and galaxies that were so far away that he couldn’t see, when he heard voices close. He quickly stood up and looked around; it wouldn't be the first time another group of teenagers entered the station at night, probably just looking for a place to create havoc, but there was something off in the voices.
They didn’t come from the inside of the station, but rather from the sea.
Yeosang slowly walked towards the end to see who was there, when he saw a sack flying over him and landing with a heavy sound in the place he was resting seconds ago.
“What the heck!” Yeosang hissed, looking between the sack and the place it came from.
He took a step closer to the sack, nudging it slightly with his foot. When nothing came out of it, Yeosang kneeled in front of it and decided to open it.
Inside the sack were several pointy rocks, white as the snow with an almost celestial light coming out of them.
Yeosang hissed when he tried to touch one; they were hot as a red frypan. Curious, he touched the sack, with more precaution but, to his surprise, the cloth was barely warm. He inspected the sack a little, admiring the mysterious cloth it was made from, when he heard the voices again.
“Why did you throw it?!” a voice asked, clearly stressed.
“You were the one who dared me!” Another voice answered. “You said that I wasn't strong enough to throw it over your head”
“It wasn't meant for you to actually throw it!” The first voice hissed, and then sighed. “Help me get out so we can go fetch the sack before hyung is back”
“If it's for that we don’t have to worry, you know he’s always late”
“That’s not the point, we have to…”
“Excuse me,” Yeosang interrupted their discussion, “are you… ah, looking for a silver sack?” He asked, unsure of what type of answer he was expecting.
“There’s someone there” The first voice muttered, as if he had been caught doing a mischief.
“Yes! That 's ours!” The second voice said. He sounded a lot more relaxed, as if he had just saved himself from a long explanation. “Would you mind throwing it back to the sea?”
“To the sea?” Yeosang asked back, as we walked closer to the edge of the dock.
Once there, he stretched his head to see who was there, finding 2 pairs of star-shaped eyes looking at him from the water. Yeosang couldn’t see the rest of their bodies, but he knew that there were no legs, just fish tails with the colors of a galaxy.
Night sirens, if Yeosang had to guess, or as most people called them, starry sirens.
That would explain the weird rocks inside the sack.
Yeosang took the sack carefully by one of its strings, dragging it across the floor until it was in reach of the siren with orange and blue scales. The siren hugged his sack tightly with a mischievous grin on his face.
“You have no idea the scolding you save me from, thanks” he said, gills flaring happily.
The one with purple and blue scales cleared his throat. “Umm… you’re not… scared of something?”
Both sirens looked at him a little confused. Even if there were a lot of magic creatures in their society, there were a lot of rumors of how cruel and cold-blooded some sea creatures could be, so most people tended to avoid getting close to the water if it had a big magic concentration.
Come to think of it, maybe the magic concentration of the station was one of the things that made that place special for Yeosang.
“I don’t really believe in rumors, honestly.” Yeosang answered, and sat on the edge so he could see the sirens better. “I work in a café in the middle of the magic district, seeing ‘evil creatures’ is something I do everyday”
Relief washed over the purple-blue siren face and he smiled. “That 's… new. Thanks”
Yeosang let a smile slip into his face, and did a tiny bow to the sirens.
“Hey, what is a café?” the orange-blue siren asked.
For the next couple minutes, Yeosang talked to the sirens, explaining some mundane things he did daily on land. In exchange, the sirens shared some things they did normally after their duty in the sky was done, as well as their names.
Wooyoung, who was still hugging his sack, and Yunho, who was resting his arms on the dock as they talked.
Yeosang’s alarm sounded, startling the 3 of them.
The sirens looked at the sky and let out a curse, in a language Yeosang didn’t understand, and turned to see him.
“We have to go” Wooyoung said, adjusting the string of his sack, “but, it was a pleasure to meet you”
“Thanks for helping us with his stars, and for explaining… well, everything we asked'' Yunho said, rubbing the back of his head as if he was a little embarrassed by his own curiosity.
“It was nothing,” Yeosang said with a smile and then looked at his phone. He thought his next words for a moment before speaking again “I also have to leave but, if you don’t mind, I would love to hear more of your stories other time”
Wooyoung nodded excitedly, and promised that he would return to that place the next week, and that he would drag his hyung and Yunho with him. Yunho was also happy with the idea of changing stories with someone from land.
And with that, they said goodbye.
As the sirens entered the sea, Yeosang texted San that he was on his way and that he had met some new friends.
He could wait to see them again.