Aok swam around for a while, his green-blue tail gliding effortlessly through the clear water. Every now and then, he would dive beneath the surface before emerging again a little farther away. Kui simply watched him from the shore, still lost in his own thoughts, until Aok finally swam back toward him.
"Kui, come closer."
He leaned against the edge of the water, resting his arms on the shore as he beckoned Kui over with a small smile.
Suspiciously, Kui moved closer, though he kept a safe distance between them.
"What?"
Before he could say anything else, the mer suddenly reached out and grabbed his foot.
"What are you doing, you—let go!"
Kui instinctively tried to pull away and was about to kick him, but Aok didn't seem to have any intention of teasing him. Instead, he gently cupped Kui's foot in both hands and began washing it with the cool water.
Kui's face immediately flushed.
"I-I can do that myself."
