Celix's POV :
The salty breeze kissed Celix's face as he walked alongside Maxim, dragged out to the beach against his will. Maxim had insisted he come out, hoping that fresh air and a little company would pull him out of his thoughts. Celix hadn't argued much maybe he did need a distraction. Ever since yesterday, though, his mind had been restless, looping over the same unanswered questions. What had he seen in the water? Who had pulled him out?
Ren, as usual, was his carefree self already surrounded by girls, casually flirting and tossing around easy charm.
Maxim nudged Celix suddenly, his voice full of excitement. "Hey, look! That girl
she's stunning. Her eyes, her hair, her smile
she looks like a fairy. I swear I've never seen anyone like her around here before."
Celix barely registered the words, until something nudged him internally, compelling him to glance up. And when he did, time slowed.
She stood a little distance away, not with the crowd, but not too far either watching children play near the shoreline. She wasn't laughing, not drawing attention, yet something about her glowed. A quiet magic. Her soft smile. Those delicate features. The wind playing with her hair. Celix's breath caught. She did look like a fairy.
And suddenly, memories surged.
The water. That strange, beautiful face just before he blacked out. Those eyes. Could it be…?
The girl turned toward him and her eyes widened.
Serrira froze the moment her gaze met his. She knew that face. How could she not? Just yesterday, she had pulled that boy from the ocean, saving him from drowning, leaving him unconscious and alone on the shore. She'd taken a risk revealing her secret form just enough to rescue him. But had he seen her? Had he remembered?
Why is he staring like that? Did he recognize me? Panic flared in her chest. What if he tells someone? What if they find out what I am? They'll fear me. Hunt me. I can't let that happen.
Serrira forced herself to break eye contact, turning away quickly, heart pounding.
Celix was already stepping forward, drawn toward her by something he didn't understand. "I know that face…" he murmured. "Those eyes… that same color…"
Maxim gave him a confused look. "What are you talking about? Where did you see her before?"
But Celix didn't answer. He was already walking, his gaze locked on the girl who was now trying to disappear into the crowd ahead.
Seeing him approach only made Serrira more nervous. Her instincts screamed for her to run. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Celix moving closer. She turned sharply, slipping through a group of teenagers dancing near a loudspeaker. Music blasted, lights flashed, but all she could think about was getting away.
"Serrira?" Celix called out, unsure if that was even her name, but it felt right in his mind.
"Celix! Where are you going?" Maxim called after him.
"Just a second!" Celix replied without turning back.
Maxim frowned. "Okay, then… guess he's gone."
Celix pushed past the dancing crowd, scanning for her. His heart thudded harder with every step. Who was she? Why did he feel this strange connection? And why had she run?
Serrira reached the edge of the beach where the crowd thinned, and the waves lapped quietly. Without hesitation, she rushed into the water, her breath shaky. I have to get away before he catches up. Before it's too late.
She reached into her shirt and clutched the small pendant hanging around her neck a shimmering seashell imbued with ancient magic. With a soft whisper and a shimmer of light, her legs shifted into a sleek mermaid tail. She dove beneath the waves just as Celix stepped onto the shore.
He scanned the water, breathing heavily. "Where did she go? She was just here…"
Nothing. No trace. Just the soft whisper of waves and the moonlight dancing on the surface.
"Why did she run away like that?" Celix whispered, baffled. "Did I scare her? Was it something I said? Or… does she know something about yesterday?"
A strange unease settled in his chest, and his mind kept turning the pieces over. The eyes. The way she looked at him. That fear. It wasn't just coincidence.
He stood there for a while longer, but she didn't come back.
Eventually, with a heavy heart, Celix turned away, not knowing that deep beneath the ocean surface, Serrira swam far from shore still trembling from the close call, still whispering to herself:
He didn't recognize me… right? I'm safe. For now.
Celix's eyes remained fixed on the girl across the courtyard. Something about her tugged at a place deep within his memory—unfamiliar yet hauntingly familiar. It wasn't just the way she carried herself, or the fluid grace in her movements—it was her eyes. That color. That exact shade.
"I've seen that girl before…" Celix murmured, almost to himself. "Those eyes… I know them."
Maxim, standing beside him, frowned. "What are you saying, Celix? Where did you see her?"
Celix didn't answer right away. Instead, his steps began to move of their own accord, slowly closing the distance between him and the girl—Serrira, if he remembered the name correctly.
Serrira's heart stuttered as she noticed him approaching. His gaze was intense, searching. Panic surged through her chest. Not now. Not here. Her breath caught as she turned quickly, scanning the crowd for an escape.
"Celix," Maxim called, puzzled. "Where are you going?"
"Wait. I'll be back," Celix replied without turning.
Maxim threw up his hands. "Great. Just walk off without an explanation, why don't you?"
But Celix wasn't listening anymore. His focus was locked on Serrira, who was now slipping through the crowd, trying to vanish among the music and laughter. Something wasn't right. Her reaction wasn't normal—not fear of a stranger, but recognition.
The music grew louder as he entered the heart of the party. Bodies swayed to the beat under string lights and pulsing colors. Laughter and chatter masked the sound of his steps, allowing him to move quickly without drawing attention.
Ahead, Serrira was nearly at the edge of the beach, her breath ragged, eyes wide. She didn't dare look back.