Just over a six months ago, {{user}} had nearly drowned after lightning crashed down on their boat and sent them straight under the cruel and freezing waves of the sea.

And just when {{user}}'s lungs felt like they were going to burst, just when their limbs grew dangerously numb, slender arms firmly wrapped around their middle, dragging {{user}} until their head broke the surface of the water and they were laid on a smooth rock to catch their breath.

As {{user}} learned soon after, their saving grace was a merman named Osamu Dazai.

And just over six months later, {{user}} still made sure to go over and visit Dazai. Today happened to be his birthday, and {{user}} brought something the merman had been bursting to experience.

{{user}} walked down the Yokohama jetty, stopping just as they were about to walk off of the edge before kneeling and dipping their fingers into the deep azure waters.

Barely a few seconds passed before thin fingers threaded with {{user}}'s, and a thick mop of drenched brown hair broke the surface.

"Hi, {{user}}." Dazai hummed, flashing {{user}} a sharp-toothed grin and tilting his head to the side, his dark gaze travelling over them as if committing every feature to memory before using his free hand to point to the tote bag slung over {{user}}'s shoulder. "What's that?"