Prologue

"RICE CAKE! SWEET RICE CAKE!" In a breezy morning, a young man shouted. He was there, in a market. So many people gave attention to him when he yelled. But no one bought his sweet rice cakes. Without any costumers, he still tried to sell.

Hours passed and still, no one bought his rice cake. He was on the verge of giving up, the light that he once saw is fading.

Until a few people went near him and buy those delicious rice cakes. He can't help but have an innocent and sweet smile on his face whenever someone buys his goodies. He wants them to buy all of his rice cakes, not because he wants it but because he needs it.

"Kailangan kong kumita para kila inay at itay. (I need to earn money for my parents)" The boy whispered using his native language. All he ever wanted was to help his parents. He yelled again and again so he can be noticed by the people passing by. Some people who heard him bought his homemade rice cakes.

He didn't give up; he keeps on thinking about the sake of his family. Every time his family comes to his mind, he gains the strength to sell again and never give up in life.

Hours passed by and there were only five remaining rice cakes. He was so happy that he sold most of his rice cakes. Proud of himself, he tried to sell the remaining rice cakes again.

As he continues to sell his delicious homemade rice cakes, he can’t help but remember the time wherein he decided to stop studying and chose to help his family in selling their rice cakes. Maybe he’s in middle school right now if he just continued his studies. 

The sun is setting but he's still in the market, wishing that someone will buy the remaining five pieces.

"How much is that?" The young man heard a sweet, gentle voice. He turned to his back; he was stunned with what he saw.

Her face is as beautiful as a princess, the porcelain skin that made her more beautiful, and her body that looks perfect for someone at her age. She was like a young goddess.

The girl smiled at him. Till now, he was still mesmerized by her beauty. It was late but he blushed right after when the young girl smiled. He looked down, his heart pounded so fast, loud enough for him to hear. The young man guessed that she's at the same age as him. 

When he regained his consciousness he finally spoke.

"T-This? T-Ten Pesos." He answered, trying to speak a language that he's not good at. He knew some words in English but he's not fluent at it.

The girl was confused for a moment but when she understood what it meant, she softly laughed. The young man tilted his head, clueless why she laughed at his response. Then, he wondered if he said something wrong.

"I will take 5 of those." The young man is now the one who is confused, unable to understand what she said to him. It was clear on his face that he does not understand what is being said.

When the girl saw the boy's expression she spoke again. Perhaps she found out that the young man could not understand it. "Five, kukunin. (I’ll take those 5 pieces)" 

The young man nodded as a response that he understood what the girl wanted to say. He took a plastic container and put the five rice cakes inside. When he was finished, he gave it to the buyer.

The girl gladly accepted it and reached Five Hundred Pesos to the boy. "Keep the change." She said then she run fast like someone was chasing after her. The young man was stunned for a moment unable to move from his place. He watched the girl run until she disappeared from his sight.

He did not understand what the beautiful girl said, so he took the change and run into the direction where the girl ran to. 'Bakit siya umalis? Hindi niya kinuha ang sukli niya! Kailangan ko itong maibigay! (Why did she leave? She didn’t get her change! I need to give it to her!)' He thought, confused why she ran and didn't get her change.

He ran trying to find her. Until he realized that he was no longer in the same market. He was in a forest and at the end of it was a big sea. It is a very peaceful place; weak cricket sounds can be heard all over.

He did not know that there was such a place in their province. He's not familiar with the place like he just saw it today. He's amazed by the beautiful view of the setting sun together with the tide of the sea.

He was breathless because of running. He turned at all directions, trying to find the girl to give her the change. He can’t find her; he was about to return and just wait for the girl to come back and pick up the change when he heard a beautiful and soothing voice.

The voice is so pleasant to the ear while singing. As if you are in a beautiful dream that you do not want to wake up again. Like all your problems and worries are gone in an instant. He searched where this voice was coming from. When he looked back to where the strange voice could be heard, his two keen-black eyes widened.

There, he saw a young lady sitting on a big rock. She was facing the sun while singing. She was just like any other girl, but you can't see legs and feet on her lower part. Instead, a beautiful tail like the setting sun replaced it.

 'S-Sirena?! (A m-mermaid?!)’  He panicked when he realized that it was a mermaid! The young man did not know what to do. He was stuck in his place! 'Lalapitan ko ba?! (Will I go near her?!)' He didn't know if he’ll get near it or not. He was confused!

His heartbeat quickened when the siren faced her. She smiled at him and in an instant, all of his exhaustion because of running faded away.

'Siya ang babaeng iyon! (That’s the girl at the market!)' He thought, wondering how is that girl he saw in the market looked exactly like the mermaid.

Unconsciously, his feet walked down near the mermaid.

As he approached her, the mermaid held out her hand to the young man and helped him climb the large rock on which she was sitting.

Just after the boy sat down on the rock, the mermaid faced him. The mermaid’s mouth opened but no voice came out, she doesn’t have the strength to ask him. It’s her first time to see a human who’s not afraid of her.

A moment of ear-piercing silence rang out. Until the mermaid broke it.

"You're not afraid?" The mermaid asked, then pointed at herself. The boy seemed confused, cannot understand what she meant.

"Oh, I mean, hindi takot? (Oh I mean, not afraid?)" Then she pointed at herself again. The boy shook his head, trying to say no.

'Paano ako matatakot? Kung ganito kaganda ang kaharap ko? (How can I be afraid of someone so beautiful?)’  The boy thought. He was not afraid of her. Instead, he was amazed by her beauty. 

On the other hand, the mermaid can’t believe that someone’s not afraid of her. Commonly, everyone that saw her will freak out. But this boy is different. When she started thinking that there’s someone who’s not afraid of her, the corners of her lips rose.

The boy saw how she smiled. Without even knowing why he also gave her a wide smile. 

From that day, a special bond between them was created.

Days passed and they become best friends. In the morning, the boy sells rice cakes and when the sun will set, he would go to the mermaid’s place. Sometimes, he would get scolded by his parents, especially if he would go home late at night.

Every day, the boy always tells stories to make the mermaid laugh. It seems that he doesn’t even fail, because you can always hear a faint laugh from the mermaid.

Since then, the relationship between the two became stronger, they did not realize but as time pass, a link between them was born. Like there’s an invisible string that connects them, a strong string that nobody can break.

But one day, on a cold, freezing night, the girl just disappeared. No one saw her anymore, she vanished like a bubble. Months passed, but there was no sign of the mermaid coming back. Until on one fearful afternoon, because of an unknown reason, he forgot about the existence of that mermaid.

End of Prologue

DISCLAIMER:

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Author's Note: I'm still a newbie writer and still improving, I hope you can support me!