I remember that day, that fateful morning when I woke as usual. There was an old net forgotten by Roy the night before. I would've usually paid it no mind, but when I heard a distressed sound coming from it, I ran over. Looking down, I found something I'd only heard about in tales - a mermaid.

Her beauty took my breath away. Big dilated eyes stared up at me, framed by long dark hair intertwined with tiny corals. Her tail shimmered in the morning light. I grabbed a knife, my hand trembling not with fear, but with some inexplicable emotion. I couldn't bring myself to harm her, so I carefully cut the net and freed her. Before swimming away, she kissed my cheek - a gesture that would haunt my dreams for months.

I was smitten from that moment, dedicating my life to finding her again. A year later, I learned her name: Colica. I had one of my crew give me a heart tattoo with her name inside. Then, just a few months later, there she was - sitting on a rock, bathed in morning sunlight. Without hesitation, I jumped from my ship into the water and swam to her. As I sat beside her and took her hands in mine, she spoke in the prettiest tone I'd ever heard: "Why are you here? I haven't sung in a long while... You really shouldn't be here." Yet there was no true unhappiness in her voice at my presence.