My days started to be busier by the time we approached my birthday. In addition to making the invitations, buying groceries, and doing all of those chores, I also had to prepare the rooms for our guests. Adding to my busy schedule, we had to seal the windows otherwise salt would come in, and it would be a hassle to clean.

I sighed as I put a box down. Why did we have to throw a party with over twenty people? I couldn't swim well with the weight of the boxes. I kept sinking, and my tail got covered in scratches. 

“My beautiful tail,” I sniffed as I gently took away the sand.

I should get that disinfected, it would be horrible if something happens to it. Since the males kept their chests naked, we took great pride in our tails and appearance. The genders didn't really matter. The more dominant ones had to look strong and capable to protect their mate and children. And for the more submissive one, it was to look beautiful and be able to bear children and take care of them.

“What are you doing on the ground?” asked my mother as she passed through me with some decorations.

“The boxes are heavy, and my tail keeps being scratched,” I complained as I tried to take the boxes upstairs.

“Take this box upstairs, and I'll help you patch it up, okay?” she answered from the kitchen.

Only one last box. I hugged it before lifting it. Rapidly, I made big movements with my tail, hoping it would help me get upstairs faster. Struggling, I finally got all the boxes inside the guest room. I took a break with my mother applying a special oil on my tail. Afterwards, I prepared two guest rooms for my cousins. Finally finished, I went to grab something to eat and did the same for Hiro. Now that my tail was all patched up, I rapidly swam through the door and went to my favourite spot.

Few merpeople actually came here since it's so close to the seaweed forest, but I liked the view. Looking up, I saw the distorted shape of it as the moon started to clear the city. I always wondered what everything looked like from the surface. How did it feel to be out of the sea? What did legs look like? All these questions would always stay unanswered, and I would never dare to ask. The humans and the surface were dangerous subjects.

~ ~ ~

My birthday came quickly, and our house was rapidly full of merpeople. Luckily our house was big enough, or we would all be swimming on everyone’s tails. However, my cousins weren't there yet and my parents started to worry since they were supposed to arrive hours ago.

“Happy birthday Llyr!” Mira tackled me to the grown while hugging me to death.

“M-Mira! You're here!” I choked, happy to see a familiar face.

“Of course, I'm here, you silly. How could I miss my best friend’s birthday?” she hugged me even harder, so hard that I couldn't breathe.

“You're… going to… kill me,” I choked, trying to escape her death grip.

“Oh, sorry,” she got us up with a powerful hit of her tail. “So, where are your distant cousins?” she looked around, searching them with her eyes.

“They are-” I started to answer her as the door opened.  A mermaid and a merman came in with big coral suitcases. “At the front door,” I finished before rushing toward them, but it seemed like my mother bested me.

Getting through the sea of bodies and tails was exhausting and pretty hard to do. When I finally reached them, my father was also already there, taking their suitcases.

“Ah, here he is. Llyr, come and greet the twins. This is Nanami,” my mother presented as the mermaid waved at me with a smile, “And Kaito,” the merman nodded with his hand stretched out. I shook his hand with a smile.

“Nice to meet you guys, I'm Llyr,” I greeted.

“We apologize for our late arrival, the storm created some complications,” explained Nanami while playing with a strand of hair.

“Don't worry about it, my dear. My husband is going to take your luggage to your rooms and Llyr can show you around,” my mother answered before going to tend to the other guests.

We looked at my parents swimming away before Mira joined us. Surely her curiosity was eating her alive.

“I guess I'll have to start with my best friend Mira. Mira, this is Nanami and Kaito. Nanami and Kaito, this is Mira,” I introduced them as they greeted each other.

“So, I heard that your matchmaker went ill, and that is why you guys came all the way here?” Mira asked as soon as every one of us got a drink and was in the garden.

“Yes, and since every matchmaker is linked to each other, she told us to come to this Kingdom,” this time explained Kaito as he looks at me.

“And are you expecting someone in particular as a mate?” Mira continued her interrogation.

“Anyone who the matchmaker sees fit,” answered Nanami.

Kaito stayed silent before giving the same answer, but never breaking eye contact with me. “And you?”

“I-I hope so too,” I mumbled as I felt myself blushing.