Romance with the Cursed Siren

CHAPTER 5. First Kiss

Gabriel leaned comfortably against the railings of his yacht while watching Crystal wander around the deck with endless fascination in her eyes.

“So,” Crystal suddenly said while examining one of the polished controls near the flybridge, “how exactly did you get here?”

Gabriel smiled softly at her curiosity.

“The waves brought me here.”

Crystal slowly repeated his words under her breath.

“The waves…”

Her voice sounded distant for a moment, almost thoughtful. Then she nodded quietly.

Gabriel watched her carefully as she stood from the leather-covered couch and climbed down toward the extended platform at the back of the yacht. Curious, he followed behind her.

Crystal sat near the edge and dipped both feet into the cool seawater below. Tiny ripples formed around her legs while she stared quietly at the glowing reflection of the moon dancing across the ocean.

“Do you know,” she suddenly said, “that I’m an excellent swimmer?”

Gabriel laughed softly before sitting beside her.

“Oh, I already figured that out.”

Crystal tilted her head with furrowed eyebrows.

“You did?”

“Of course.” He grinned. “Earlier, you vanished so quickly I thought the ocean swallowed you whole.”

Crystal giggled quietly.

“I suppose living on an island surrounded by water helped you practice.” Gabriel comment ed.

“That definitely explains it.” Crystal answered.

For a few moments, silence settled comfortably between them while the waves gently rocked against the yacht.

But Gabriel soon noticed something had changed in her expression.

Her smile faded slightly. Her eyes lowered toward the water.

“Why do you suddenly look sad?” he asked gently.

Crystal blinked before glancing at him.

“I’m not sad,” she answered softly. “Actually… I’m happy right now.”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow curiously.

“You are?”

Crystal nodded slowly.

“You’re the first person I’ve ever talked to like this.”

Gabriel looked confused. “What do you mean?”

She turned toward him fully.

“I mean… aside from my parents.” She smiled faintly. “You’re the first person who stayed and talked to me for this long.”

Something in Gabriel’s chest tightened unexpectedly.

“You never had friends before?”

Crystal frowned slightly.

“Friends?”

“You know…” Gabriel explained carefully. “Someone you spend time with. Someone you talk to. Like us.”

Crystal pointed between them curiously.

“Like you and me?”

Gabriel chuckled softly.

“Yes. Like us.”

Realization slowly brightened her face.

“Oh.” She smiled warmly. “Then you’re my first friend.”

Gabriel could not stop smiling after hearing that.

There was something painfully sincere about her innocence that made him want to protect it at all costs.

But before he could reply, Crystal suddenly stiffened.

Her eyes widened slightly as though she had sensed something invisible around them.

She abruptly stood up and looked around the platform anxiously.

Gabriel immediately rose beside her.

“What’s wrong?”

Crystal turned rapidly toward him.

“The fish!”

Gabriel blinked with furrowed eyebrows.

“What?”

“The fish!” she repeated urgently. “Did you catch fish earlier?”

Gabriel stared at her in confusion.

“Uh… yes?”

“Where are they?”

Her sudden panic completely caught him off guard.

“They’re inside the cooler.”

Crystal immediately grabbed the front of his shirt.

“What cooler? Where?” she asked hastily.

Gabriel nearly forgot how to breathe again. Her face was so close to his that he could feel the warmth of her breath against his skin. Her eyes searched his expression desperately while moonlight illuminated every delicate detail of her face.

Meanwhile, Gabriel’s thoughts became dangerously distracted.

‘Focus, idiot.’

“The blue cooler behind you,” he stammered quickly.

Crystal released him immediately and rushed toward the storage box.

The moment she opened it, her expression fell. Inside, two large fish lay tightly together.

Crystal looked genuinely heartbroken.

Gabriel stepped closer carefully.

Before he could speak, Crystal suddenly lifted the cooler and dumped both fish back into the ocean.

Splash!

Gabriel stared in shock.

“Hey!”

Crystal turned toward him angrily. “Why did you do that!?”

Gabriel blinked several times.

“Why did I—?” He pointed toward the water helplessly. “Crystal, you just threw away my dinner!”

“You trapped them!”

Gabriel could not help staring at her.

She looked completely serious.

“You caught them and locked them inside a tiny cold box!” she continued, frowning deeply. “They were scared!”

Gabriel pressed his lips together to stop himself from laughing. Unfortunately, he failed. A soft chuckle escaped him.

Crystal narrowed her eyes immediately. “What’s so funny?”

Gabriel shook his head while grinning.

“Nothing.”

“You’re laughing at me.”

“No,” he replied quickly, though his smile only widened. “I just think you’re… very interesting.”

Crystal instantly looked away shyly.

Gabriel’s expression softened.

Carefully, he lifted his hand and gently tilted her chin upward so she would look at him again.

“You really are,” he whispered.

Crystal’s breath caught.

“Yes,” Gabriel continued quietly while staring deeply into her bright silver-blue eyes, “you’re the most interesting and beautiful girl I’ve ever met.”

The world around them suddenly felt slower.

Gabriel slowly leaned closer without even realizing it.

His eyes drifted toward her lips.

Crystal’s heart pounded wildly inside her chest. No one had ever looked at her this way before. No one had ever made her feel this strange warmth spreading throughout her body. But something about the intensity in Gabriel’s gaze frightened her.

Before he could move any closer, Crystal quickly stepped backward.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she whispered shyly.

Gabriel frowned slightly.

“Why not?”

“Because…” Crystal struggled to explain. “Yo-You make me feel strange.”

Gabriel smiled faintly.

“That’s because your eyes are impossible not to stare at.”

His voice had lowered into a soft husky tone that only made Crystal even more nervous.

“You’re making me uncomfortable, Gabe,” she admitted honestly.

Then—Splash!

Crystal suddenly dove straight into the water.

Gabriel blinked in surprise before laughing softly.

Without hesitation, he removed his shirt and shoes before jumping in after her.

The seawater felt cold against his skin, but Gabriel barely noticed. His attention remained completely fixed on Crystal.

A short distance away, she emerged from the water gracefully beneath the moonlight. Half her body rose above the surface while she joined her hands together gently near her chest.

Then she closed her eyes.

Gabriel instinctively swam closer. But Crystal immediately lifted one hand to stop him.

He obeyed.

For a moment, he simply watched her from afar.

The moonlight shimmered across her wet skin beautifully while her dark curls clung softly to her shoulders. She looked less like a human girl and more like a goddess standing within the ocean itself.

Crystal murmured something quietly beneath her breath.

Gabriel waited patiently until she finished.

Finally, she lowered her hands.

“What was that?” he asked curiously.

Crystal glanced toward the moon.

“I was praying to the Spirits”

“To who?”

“The Ocean Spirit,” she answered softly. “And the Moon Spirit too.”

Gabriel blinked.

“You actually believe in spirits?”

Crystal looked at him seriously.

“Of course.”

Then her expression softened.

“I asked them to forgive my friend for hurting the fish.” She smiled gently. “I don’t want you getting punished.”

Gabriel stared at her speechlessly.

She sounded completely sincere.

Before he could respond, Crystal suddenly turned toward him— And immediately gasped.

Her eyes widened in horror. She covered her face instantly with both hands.

“Gabe!”

Gabriel looked down at himself in confusion before realizing the problem.

He is shirtless.

“What?” he asked helplessly.

“Are you out of your mind!?” Crystal hissed while rapidly swimming toward shore. “Put clothes on!”

Gabriel blinked.

Then laughed softly in realization.

“Oh.”

He quickly followed her onto the sand.

Crystal stood near the shore squeezing water from her dress while refusing to look at him.

Meanwhile Gabriel accidentally noticed how the wet fabric clung softly against her figure beneath the moonlight.

His thoughts immediately became dangerous again.

‘Seriously, get yourself together.’

“Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” Crystal complained while still facing away from him.

Gabriel crossed his arms awkwardly over his chest.

“I’m sorry!”

Then he quickly ran back toward the yacht.

Within seconds he grabbed a towel and pulled his shirt back on before hurrying toward Crystal again.

He sighed in relief when he saw her still sitting quietly on the sand facing the ocean.

“I thought you left,” he admitted while slightly out of breath.

Crystal glanced at him and relaxed visibly after noticing his shirt.

Gabriel carefully draped the towel around her shoulders while making sure not to touch her unnecessarily.

“Thank you,” she whispered softly.

He sat beside her, leaving enough distance so she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable again. For a while, they simply listened to the waves.

Then Gabriel sighed.

“I’m really sorry about earlier,” he said quietly. “I wasn’t trying to scare you.”

Crystal glanced at him curiously.

“In the city,” Gabriel explained awkwardly, “people usually swim shirtless all the time. I forgot you’re not used to that.”

Crystal looked genuinely shocked.

“Seriously?”

Gabriel laughed.

“Yes.”

“That’s unbelievable.”

Her innocent disbelief made him smile again.

Trying to change the subject, Gabriel asked softly, “How old are you anyway?”

Crystal brightened immediately.

“I’m turning eighteen the day after tomorrow.”

Gabriel looked surprised.

“For real?”

Crystal frowned playfully.

“Why would I lie?”

Gabriel chuckled.

“Fair point. But I just thought you are way more older than 18.”

“I look old?” Crystal responded with a frown.

“No. I mean, I didn't expect you to be so young, I thought you were about the same age as mine.” He sighed. “It's just that you look more mature than your age.” Gabriel explains feeling guilty after so many thoughts of indecent things about the young lady.

“Anyways, do you have plans for your birthday?”

Crystal nodded happily while drawing shapes in the sand with her fingers.

“We’re visiting my grandfather in Creekwood City.”

Gabriel’s eyes widened.

“That’s where I live.”

Crystal smiled proudly.

“My grandfather lives there too.”

Gabriel looked thoughtful for a moment before asking carefully, “Then why do you stay here instead of living with him?”

Crystal curled her knees closer to her chest.

“It’s complicated.”

“Because of your illness?”

Crystal nodded quietly.

Gabriel’s expression softened.

“What exactly is wrong?”

She remained silent for several moments before whispering, “You wouldn’t understand.”

Gabriel wanted to ask more. But the sadness in her eyes stopped him.

Eventually Crystal stood and returned the towel to him.

“I should go.”

Gabriel immediately looked disappointed.

“You’re leaving already?”

Crystal nodded.

“I snuck out while my parents were asleep. If Da wakes up and realizes I’m gone…” She winced dramatically. “I’ll be a dead fish.”

Gabriel laughed softly.

“Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me.”

Crystal smiled brightly.

“Good.”

Then Gabriel asked carefully, “Will you come back tomorrow?”

Crystal stepped backward slowly while smiling.

“If you’re still here.”

Gabriel’s gaze softened.

“I’ll wait for you.”

Crystal turned to leave. But suddenly—

“Crystal, wait!”

She stopped and looked back.

Gabriel quickly removed the gold bracelet from his wrist and approached her carefully.

“Here,” he said softly. “Happy early birthday.”

Crystal blinked in surprise.

The bracelet gleamed beautifully beneath the moonlight.

“Is this for me?”

Gabriel gently took her hand to place it around her wrist but the moment their skin touched, both of them froze.

A strange electric sensation rushed through their bodies instantly.

Crystal quickly pulled her hand away in surprise and the bracelet fell onto the sand.

“I’m sorry!” she said immediately.

Gabriel picked it up again gently.

“It’s okay.”

He looked at the bracelet thoughtfully before smiling softly.

“This belonged to my grandmother,” he admitted. “I wanted you to have it.”

Crystal stared at him in disbelief.

“That’s precious.”

“So are you.”

Crystal’s cheeks turned pink immediately.

“I mean, I have nothing to give as of this moment since the storm ruined everything. This is the only thing I have.” Gabriel smiled. “besides, I am pretty sure my grandmother won't mind.”

Gabriel carefully offered the bracelet again.

“Please,” he said softly. “Keep it so you'll never forget about me and I could have a reason to return no matter what. It's a promise.”

After a moment, Crystal smiled warmly and accepted it.

“Thank you, Gabe. I'll treasure it with my heart and wait for you.”

Before Gabriel could react, Crystal suddenly stepped closer, rose on her toes, and kissed his cheek lightly.

Then she turned and ran toward the shadows of the island.

Gabriel remained completely frozen with the abrupt action. His hand slowly lifted to touch the place where her lips had brushed his skin.

Then slowly, he smiled.