#emikosuke

ohoho, I can't tell you how many times i've started answering this only to get distracted, dear asker~ it do be like that sometimes (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠)

..not. I'm so sorry. i have no excuse, just poor focus and memory and forgetting that i can save drafts hehehehenyways~

Marine Biologist Kosuke, our beloved! A man of science, the Geek God of the Sea™️ (pls go back just to be sure your eyes didn't trick you--yep, thank you~). The Son-In-Law of the Ocean, lover of red-haired, rebellious mermaids (yes, Emiko is very much Ariel-coded here HAHA. Honestly I wanna make them like a 90s couple, but somewhat I tend to set the SatoRisa story in a different, older, more RomFan-esque era. Just imagine tho, GenZ Princess Risa meets Merprince-of-the-Kdramas/Manhwas/Booktok Satoshi??? chaos. rip, boy.

Sorry back to Kosuke-- he is in love with the ocean, facts, mysteries, and all! Can tell you how many hearts an octopus has, or which sea slug can photosynthesize, but he only deals with anything empirical. Things proven or otherwise hinted at by evidence. He loves diving! Was first thought by his dad, and that's how he just became so comfortable and at home in the ocean.

So imagine his (kind/bordering worried) skepticism when this young lady approaches him, tells him she doesn't know who Ariel is and what movies are 'cuz, quote, "she had strict parents aND SHE HAD "NEVER BEEN ALLOWED UP HERE." Up here, where? Kosuke wonders. The university? The market area? The resorts? Either way, that's concerning. Is she being abused by her parents?!

But then she clarifies that she meant out of the sea. Haha. hahaha. good one. On top of looking like that animated mermaid from that new Disney movie (which his colleagues jokingly sent him a VHS of), she is also claiming to be an actual mermaid! Haha! Hah--hey, what are you doing with my wat--IS THAaat...

After passing out from witnessing a strange lady ✨ grow scales at will :D ✨ (haha. this has not been a good day for Kosuke so far), he tries to calmly hear her story. And, despite her very existence being a drillship poking massive holes into everything his education stood for, he just, surprisingly, makes peace with it. Afterall, Kosuke IS in love with the ocean, facts, mysteries, and all.

--

After meeting the mermaid Ar--uh, Emiko in real life, Kosuke had made it his mission to protect marine life and habitat the best that he could. They had to also keep their rendezvous and later on, their relationship~ a secret, with only Emiko's cousin Rio and her betrothed, the court adviser/sorcerer, as their confidants in the matter.

It was chaotic at first, especially with Emiko in line to inherit the throne from Daiki. And, with their experience with other humans, they fear what the merfolk's reaction to Kosuke would be. Merfolk surfacing to live among humans is not unheard of, but they usually cut off all contact underwater afterwards, for the safety of the people. But this was the princess! How could she abandon her duties and her home?

But she did. And the succession was passed on to Rio's line.

Emiko and Kosuke had to live as humans. Daiki is not entirely opposed to his daughter's decisions cuz she was already of age (not a teen like real Ariel), but he was also not very supportive of it. Before Emiko went to the surface, Daiki had one conversation with Kosuke.

Despite living away from the depths, Kosuke did not stop doing things for his wife's home. Eventually, from his research, the area became protected from overfishing, whale-hunting, and it became turned into a protected marine sanctuary. His revolutionary work also earned him a spot as a royal instructor to the princess~

While all this was happening, crown princess and her prince consort Kei, were making merfolk understand how Kosuke played a huge role in protecting their home. This eventually led to a council vote to make Kosuke an exception to the no-humans rule and he got invited to an audience with the King and the royal council~ (which he needed to dress--uh, fish up for lol).

Tl;dr, Kosuke started being viewed with skepticism and even disdain by some, but being the caring and gentle soul he was, he eventually became the darling of the ocean. lol he stayed there a few weeks and they didn't want him to return to the surface (Kosuke is thrilled, but then he remembers all the work waiting for him... 😭).

I guess Daisuke could have been born in the sea and grown up in the royal palace, but away from home, idk yet~ Maybe he'd be the first generation to have been allowed to treat both land and sea as his home. All I'm sure of is that him and Satoshi would grow up close. Would also be fun if he had already met and played with Risa from childhood since his dad was her tutor.

“This is so refreshing.” Emiko commented, lying in the shade of the tree.

“Isn’t it?” Kosuke commented, turning to face her with a smile.

It’s at times like these that the woman could see how different the other was from the other men she had dated.

Most of them couldn’t bear to put up with her personality. They would all claim that she was overwhelming as well as over the top.

“Kosuke-san, do you ever think I’m too much?” Emiko spoke, sounding a bit serious for once.

He hummed in deep thought.

“I honestly don't think it’s a bad thing. I admire how you think.” 

Hearing those words made her smile once more.

Pacing around the room, Kosuke quickly glanced at the time.

2:00 PM

Emiko had told him that she would be here in a half hour.

Not to mention of all days, today was the day that he'd propose to her.

Sighing in relief as he felt the box in his pocket, the man looked at door once more.

Hearing the door open, Kosuke immediately rushed over only to trip over his own two feet.

"…Are you alright?"

Falling onto his back, he laughed nervously as Emiko helped him up.

"Sorry about that, Emiko-san."

Valerian - There will never be a right time. But c’mon, NOW?!?!

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Perhaps she would be more obvious about it. Except just how exactly was Emiko supposed to go about that?

It wasn’t until that very day did Kosuke finally get the message.

“…Kosuke-san, my water broke.”

Emiko managed to say.

“W-Wait…Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”

Her husband blinked, slowly processing the words.

She had to admit out of all the things that were planned, this child would definitely be quite the surprise for the two of them.

Myrtle - Whacky shenanigans leading up to the wedding vows ══════════════════✿══╡°˖✧✿✧˖°╞══✿════════════════