One side of Olympus is good while the other side, like most countries and cities, isn’t much of a pleasure to visit. For the other side is the dark side, the side that isn’t that much monitored by the gods or rather, the place where the gods practice their hidden vices. A hidden alley where everything bad, disgusting, vile, malicious, but tempting lurk. Drug dealers, drunkards, es, motels that haven’t been cleaned since the day they were built and are being used as houses by hookers and their customers. This is the side of the city that gods and goddess have turned a blind eye to.
 

 

This side of the city was also home to washed up actresses who were famous only for a short period of time and failed to resurrect their careers, growing old in a sea of vices and eventually ending up poor or worse, dead. Sometimes these actresses would put on small bar shows, entertaining a crowd for a cheap pay. Anything to earn a living and to keep themselves from starving, they would do. Even if it meant competing with each other. Two of the many starving actors in the city were Son Dam Bi, known as Queen Dido and Lee Hyori or Cassiopeia. Both were known for their semi-ographic films that involved a lot of skin showing and action-and it’s not the kind of action with explosives and guns or anything like that, if you know what I mean.

 

 

These two actresses had it all at one point in their lives. They were rich, famous, and lusted after by almost every single boy and man in the town. When they were around, there was never a dull moment but what became the talk of the town, even more than their -fired careers, was their rumoured rivalry.  Dam Bi apparently “hated” Hyori because of Hyori’s popularity amongst men while Dam Bi would just get snobbed. Several media people have tried twisting Dam Bi’s words by making it appear as if she insulted Hyori and said bad things about her. The same was done to Hyori during press interviews, with writers writing something different from what the stars would say. This rivalry had caused a huge drift amongst Dam Bi and Hyori’s fans, often engaging in verbal warfare, debating over who the better, hotter, prettier, richer actress was. None of these made their careers boom any faster.

 

 

Truth is, the two really had some kind of friction between them but not over their careers or their bodies or their money. The friction was about something that most women fight about. A man. In this case, one of the most handsome men in all of Olympus.

 

 

But what in hell’s name actually caused the rift between the two women?

 

 

“Narcissus.” Dido called. “Narcissus where are you?” Dido had just come home from one of her cheap thrill gigs at a local bar, taking home a pay of 500 won. Her husband, Narcissus was nowhere to be found. Usually, the dashing young man would just chill at home, drink a couple cans of beer. It wasn’t very much like him to be out and about, especially at night. Having a nightlife just wasn’t part of him. In fact, he loved the indoors so that he’d be asleep by 10 pm, even before Dido came home and for him to not be home at 12 midnight was just quite alarming to the beautiful actress.

 

 

“Narcissus! Where are you?! Narcissus! I’m home!” Dido dropped her things on the couch and dashed to the bedroom to see if her dear husband had fallen asleep. Dido expected the door to be locked so before bolting in, she banged on the door, trying to make sure if he was there.

 

 

“Narcissus! Are you here?” Dambi called from outside. When she twisted the knob, she was greatly surprised to find out that it wasn’t locked at all. But what surprised her more was discovering that Heechul wasn’t in his room! Not a trace of him. Dambi dashed inside and felt the beds for his body. Heechul was not in his room. The y actress stormed out of the room angrily and worriedly, setting out of her house once again to find her husband.

 

 

[ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN]

 

 

Heechul was actually in the gritty area of Olympus, which ever since the division, has been given to the gods by Hera as a sign and punishment. The handsome Narcissus, who paid more attention to his looks than to the world around him, hence the word narcissistic. Because of his good looks, ladies eyed him wherever he went and he enjoyed the attention he got from them. Unfortunately for Dambi, she had many rivals when it came to her husband and the sadder part of it was, her husband allowed temptation to steer him.

 

 

The handsome man actually just wanted a short walk outside, to feel the cool evening breeze on his skin and to clear his mind of things that he and Dambi  had been arguing about recently. His relationship with his wife had been tumultuous for the past few weeks due to her paranoia about his cheating, her alcoholism, and her lack of a decent job. Heechul had a decent job, though. He worked occasionally as a salesman at a local store and had worked several jobs that required the use of his handsome face such as a waiter and an occasional model. He never really earned much out of his ventures into the economic world. Apparently, he could’ve made loads but was just too lazy to work.

 

 

Because of all the pressures married life had been bringing him, Heechul decided to have his first ever drink in his young life. Sitting at the bar, he called the waitress over to bring him the drink menu.

 

 

“What do you have here?” he asked stressfully, repeatedly rubbing his forehead and temples. It stressed him to think and stress causes wrinkles which would damage his beautiful, milky white skin which he cared for so much, much more than Dambi.

 

 

“We have scotch on the rocks. Best seller.” the lady smiled and winked at him. Heechul scoffed, showing little interest in the haggard, middle-aged waitress trying to score with him.

 

 

“I’ll have that. Whatever sells.” Heechul refused to look at her, fearing that she might eye-flirt with him. The way she looked at him already gave him the creeps and he couldn’t settle for another.

 

 

While waiting for his drink, he noticed a fine looking lady from across the bar, sipping her scotch on the rocks all by herself. She seemed to be in deep thought, judging by the way her face looked.

 

 

She looks so serious. I wonder what she’s thinking. Heechul suddenly found himself interested in the woman. The woman didn’t look far from his wife. Her build was just about the same, with long brown hair and y tan skin. Her eyes had a certain gleam to it that could attract the attention of any man she wanted. And they were starting to work their magic on Heechul when the woman turned to him and smiled a sultry smile.

 

 

“Hey. What are you looking at?” she asked sweetly, her fingers coiling around the ice cold glass of wine. Heechul found himself starstruck and unable to speak.

 

 

“Uhm... uh. Nothing. No...” the woman raised her eyebrow, stood up and sat next to Heechul. Heechul felt goosebumps all over his skin, crawling up to his face. The temperature suddenly went up as the tan skinned woman sat next to him and looked him sultrily in the eye.

 

 

“I’m Cassiopeia. I’m an actress here. I do y and comedy. You must be Narcissus.” she slyly grinned, extending her hand to Heechul. Heechul grabbed her hand which was cold from the glass and shook it, smiling at her, grinning.

 

 

“Kim Heechul. Yeah. You’re right.”

 

 

“I know your name. You’re very famous around here, especially amongst the women. I don’t see why not, though.” Hyori flirtily said. Heechul found himself unable to answer so he just smiled.

 

 

“I don’t know. Women just have an eye for me.”

 

 

“I must say.” Hyori’s finger trailed the edges of the bar table. “Are you doing anything tonight?”

 

 

“Oh, I have to be heading home.” Heechul nervously said, standing up and taking his glass, drinking the scotch to its last drop. Narcissus got on his feet and fled before temptation got the better of him.

 

 

“Where are you going?” asked Hyori. Heechul whipped around and saw Cassiopeia on her feet, her legs crossed and her arms resting on the table, the unfinished glass of scotch still in her hand. Her smile turned into a seductive smirk. Narcissus felt his heart thumping fast, sweat dripping from his temples and his breath short, mouth running dry.

 

 

“H-Home. I-have, have a wife.” he said. Hyori raised her eyebrows and walked to Heechul. Narcissus tried to get away but Hyori grabbed a hold of his jacket which was keeping him from freezing in the cold weather.

 

 

“Oh. I didn’t know a young stud like you was already married. Who’s the lucky lady,baby?” she knew and heard that he was already married but the flirt that she was, Cassiopeia still called him baby and talked to him in a very close proximity.

 

 

“Uhm. Cassiopiea, right?” he asked, verifying her name.

 

 

“Yeah?”

 

 

“I’d be dead if I didn’t come home. She’d kill me for sure. I really have to go!” Hyori got impatient with his excuse. She knew he wanted to come with her, he was just looking for an excuse not to.

 

 

“Might I ask you something?” Hyori traced a line from his neck to his chest. Heechul felt even more goosebumps on his skin.

 

 

“W-What?” he asked nervously.

 

 

“Who is your wife?” Hyori was curious as to why he was so afraid of her.

 

 

“My wife?” Heechul had hints of nervousness and unease around sultry women like Hyori. “Son Dam Bi. Queen Dido.” The smile on Hyori’s face vanished and was replaced quickly by an angry look.

 

 

“Who?” she asked him. “Please repeat what you just said?”

 

 

“Queen Dido is my wife.” he said calmly, more collected this time. The nervousness seemed to have disappeared as he talked about his wife. Her love was enough for him to give him strength in the face of temptation. But Hyori was just too much y for him to handle. She was even ier, especially when angry.

 

 

“Queen Dido?” Hyori’s face was now fully frustrated. Heechul noticed the angry look and asked if there was a problem.

 

 

“Is there something wrong?” he wondered. The y Queen Cassiopeia grabbed him by his jacket’s collar and dragged him to her side.

 

 

“Ouch. Hey! Stop!” Heechul was much frailer than the curvy actress and Hyori was quite strong with her grip, strong enough to drag him to the hidden part of the bar and kissed him passionately. Heechul tried to fight her off but Cassiopeia pushed even harder, inserting her tongue in his mouth. Breaking away a few seconds later, she warned him with gritted teeth.

 

 

“It’s senseless fighting back, Narcissus. I know you want it. I’ve been sensing it from the minute you laid your eyes on me.” At this moment, Heechul was powerless. He’d been found out about. He’d been having this flaming desire to get with Queen Cassiopeia but he tried to suppress it with liquor and thoughts of his wife to no avail. They were right. No one was immune to the power of Queen Cassiopeia’s seduction.

 

 

“You’re mine. Ditch that woman, she’s an !” Hyori spoke ill about Queen Dido. Heechul got hurt. But he knew she was right.

 

 

“Uh...”

 

 

“What?” Hyori grabbed his collar and slammed him against the wall, hitting his back hard. “Have you anything to say or have you realized that I was right all along?”

 

 

“Yeah. No!”

 

 

“You just said it.” Hyori said sultrily before pressing her lips against Heechul’s. This time, Heechul bit back and began to kiss her as well. Both were drunk, both were frustrated. The night was still young and Queen Cassiopeia had the money. More drinks and a night at a motel were what they  needed to cap the night.

 

 

“Come with me.” she dragged him by the jacket. Heechul allowed himself to be dragged and controlled by Hyori. The two left the bar and headed for the nearest, cheapest motel that was in the vicinity.

 

 

Finally! Revenge on Dido! Hyori thought.

Queen Dido was still in their small apartment when she realized that there was no way Heechul was coming back home. Retiring for the night, she prepared her voice for tomorrow or the coming days’ screaming sessions with her husband. Dido laid on the bed and comfortably cuddled the pillow right next to her, pretending it was her husband.

 

 

When I get my  hands on you, I swear I will strangle you. Dambi thought as she tightened her embrace on the pillow, pretending that it was Heechul she was constricting like a python. Dambi woke up in the middle of her rant and realized it was just a pillow. She wasn’t killing anyone. Only her heart.

 

 

“I am getting to the bottom of this.” Dambi pushed the sheets aside and stormed out of the bedroom in her nightgown. Not even bothering to change, she went straight out of the house, putting on slippers. Dambi was determined to find her husband for she had a bad feeling that something fishy was going on.

 

 

It’s not like him to be out this late. As a matter of fact, he wouldn’t even be doing anything! It’s not like he enjoys drinking or women as much as other husbands do.

 

 

Then, the thought hit her. What if he was doing what she thought he was doing. Heechul might’ve acquired a brand new vice out of pressure, the restrictions she had been giving him could’ve gotten the better of him, leading him to explore vices.

 

 

Why? Is he not happy? He has a wife that loves him very much?!?!

 

 

Dambi walked even faster, reaching the city in just a matter of minutes. The weather proved to be such a huge challenge for the lady in a nightgown but no cold winds or hot air was going to stop a woman looking for her husband. Dambi knew that she was going to have to walk more if she wanted to find the place of vices.

 

 

[IN A MOTEL]

 

 

“Oh yeah! Oh My God! Put it down, Narcissus! Ah...” Hyori moaned as a drunken and testosterone-driven Heechul pinned her down and worked his way up, starting from her legs all the way to her chest up to her neck. The handsome Narcissus just made Hyori feel like she was on a cloud higher than the ninth, rocking and making noise the entire night. Since the walls in the inn were quite thin compared to those in hotels, neighboring stayers couldn’t help but wonder what the loud moans and groans were.

 

 

“Maybe someone is being abused...” said one neighboring stayer. They tried not to think dirty thoughts but they knew better than to pass it off as another marital quarrel.

 

 

Dambi reached Gamble District in her slippers. Though it was already gearing past midnight, early in the morning, it was still bright with blinding lights and the streets still had es and drug addicts lingering. Some of the bums that had just drank their 9th bottle of beer walked up towards Dambi and eyed her intently, like they wanted to her.

 

 

“Hey baby, looking for a man to bang?!” one asked bluntly, disgusting the hell out of Dambi.

 

 

“Excuse me, do you know who the you’re talking to?” she snapped back, insulted.

 

 

“Obviously, another hooker trying to show her without being obvious!” cackled the bum. Dambi felt really insulted not only because she was mistaken for a e but because she was an actress and this was proof of how washed up she already was. Nobody knew who she was anymore. To them, she was just another beautiful face good for a one night stand. In her anger, Dambi took her slippers off and threw them at the bum. Not saying a word and just letting the bum have her slippers, Dambi walked away barefooted from him and set out to find Narcissus.

 

 

In the motel, Narcissus and Cassiopeia were sleeping, exhausted from the torrid lovemaking they had just made. The room that was once noisy was now filled with silence. Too  bad the two weren’t prepared for the interruption that was going to turn that silence around.

 

 

Dambi reached the motel next to the bar. With her feet sore and wounded, she marched straight into the bar and hassled the waitress.

 

 

“Hey honey,what can I do for you?” Dambi pounded hard on the table, proving that she wasn’t in the mood for fun.

 

 

“Did a man about 5’10” in height come in here? Shoulder length hair, fair white skin?” Dambi hastily asked.

 

 

“Slow down hun. I don’t have no clue what you’re talking about.” answered the bartender. Dambi was having none of her and pounded harder on the table. There was a familiar scent in the area that she knew belonged to her husband. It was the perfume that she gave him on his birthday.

 

 

“Listen, . I know he came in here. I know he was here. I know his perfume. I can smell it.” Dambi said with gritted teeth. Still, the bartender refused to give her any information.

 

 

“I don’t know-” Dambi angrily lunged forward and grabbed the bartender by her uniform’s collar

 

 

“I don’t give a damn!” Dambi said. “I am his wife and I know if he’s been here or not. Now, if you give me another bull answer, I swear. I am going to rip your head right out of your body!” the bartender looked at Dambi with fear. The beautiful Queen Dido was also a bearer of immense strength.

 

 

“Okay. He was with a woman.” Dambi loosened the grip on her collar and her angry face tamed down.

 

 

“Go on.” she urged. The bartender was too afraid of her sternness.

 

 

“And he and the woman left. I don’t know where they went. That’s all I know.” Dambi released the waitress and sighed.

 

 

“Where did they go afterwards?”

 

 

“I don’t know. But most likely the Lotus Motel. That’s where our drunken customers go with their es. It’s the nearest motel.”

 

 

“Lotus Motel. Thank you.” Dambi said. She dashed out barefooted, her sore feet laden with wounds, feeling the roughness of the floor. The waitress held her neck,trying to catch her breath. The choking Dambi did almost killed her.

 

 

The barefooted wife of handsome Narcissus walked all the way from the bar to the dark alleys until she reached the dingy and old Lotus Motel.

 

 

“Now I know why they bring them here.” Dambi told herself. “It’s cheap. Used to be expensive. But now it’s just ing cheap.” Queen Dido braved the rough roads one more time, her anger overtaking the pain that she was feeling on the soles of her feet. When you’re really driven by intense passion to kill, you go numb. Dambi, clad in nothing but her nightgown, boldly entered the motel and was greeted by the desk clerk.

 

 

“Good morning, ma’am.” Dambi was no mood for good spirits. But in the spirit of being polite, she greeted him back.

 

 

“Hi. Uhm, I’m looking for my husband. Did you happen to see a man, 5’10” in height, white skin, long hair, handsome-”

 

 

“Narcissus?” asked the desk clerk. Dambi smiled. Finally! She found her husband whom she had been looking for.

 

 

“Yes. Yes, Narcissus. Thank you.”

 

 

“Room 894.” he said.

“Was he with anyone?”

 

 

“A woman.” Dambi’s smile vanished. Her fists clenched into balls but she tried to contain her anger for the sake of the desk clerk who was awfully nice looking.

 

 

“What did the woman look like, son?” she tried her hardest to remain calm.

 

 

“Dark skinned, dark hair. Short but very appealing.” Queen Dido’s eyes squinted. This could only be one person.

 

 

Lee Hyori. Goddammit!

 

 

“I’d like to have the keys to that room, please.” Dido requested. Since the desk clerk found her to be very nice and must’ve realized that her sincere way of speaking only justified that she was his real wife, he gave her the spare key to the room.

 

 

“Here you go ma’am.” he handed it to her. “Wait. Say, you look familiar.”

 

 

“You know me?”

 

 

“Queen Dido.” he smiled. “My wife loves you very much. She yearns to be like you.” Dido felt flattered, making her like the man even more.

 

 

“Thank you. So much. Now which way is it?” she asked. The desk clerk pointed to the left and immediately she dashed. He looked dreamily at her.

 

 

Dambi ran to the left wing in desperate search of the room where her husband and his mistress-in the form of her bitter rival Lee Hyori-slept. Dambi was a good person and it was never in her nature to kill people but right now, being cheated on with another woman, she lusted for murder and bloodshed. Not wanting to waste another minute, Dambi ran down the hallway, heavy and burdened footsteps making a huge noise.

 

 

While sleeping, Heechul and Hyori heard angry, running footsteps down the hall. This disturbed them, causing them to get up and want to check it out for themselves.

 

 

“What the hell is that noise?” asked Hyori, pulling the sheets over to cover her body. Heechul put some clothes on before heading to the door. Just in time, as he was about to turn the knob, Dambi was waiting at the side of the door, to surprise them. She must’ve sensed that he was trying to open the door. As Heechul put his hand on the door knob, about to twist it open, Dambi prepared for the attack.

 

 

“Who’s there?” a great surprise came to Heechul as Dambi’s slim body came lunging at him, beating him senseless with her strong fists repeatedly.

 

 

“ YOU, YOU BASTARD! YOU WERE CHEATING ON  ME! YOU’VE BEEN WITH THIS WOMAN THIS WHOLE TIME!” Dambi screamed over and over, pounding Heechul with the strong bones on her fist balls of fury. Hyori wanted to help but she was and couldn’t get up.

 

 

“DAMBI! WAIT! I’M SORRY!” Heechul tried to apologize but Dambi was having none of it.

 

 

“THIS IS FOR LEAVING ME ALONE AT HOME TO WORRY ALL NIGHT!” Dambi raised her fist and pounded heavily on Heechul’s right eye. This alone was enough to knock him out. Not saying a word, rather breathing angrily and heavily, Dambi made her way inside the room despite Heechul’s objections. True enough he was cheating on her. There on the bed was Hyori, and covered by only the blanket.

 

 

“What are you doing here, ?” asked Hyori, obviously afraid. Dambi smirked and replied.

 

 

“? I should be asking you that question. You stole my husband, you !” Dambi lunged at Hyori and removed the blanket, exposing her body. Hyori could only screech in horror. Fueled by anger and intense emotion brought about by discovering that her husband had been cheating on her, she decided to let Hyori feel the pain Heechul felt when she pounded away on him. Dambi just knocked her out with three powerful blows to the eyes and the mouth.

 

 

“You’re so jealous of me...” the anger drove Dambi mad. “That even my man, you had the guts to steal. you. I hope you burn in hell!” Dambi grabbed the nearest pillow and decided that it was time she committed murder. If it meant going to hell, at least she would go to hell with them and see them suffer. Then it would be fair. Queen Dido grabbed the pillow and placed it on Queen Cassiopeia’s face, suffocating her which eventually lead to her death. Dambi removed the pillow from her face and saw Hyori’s dead body, gazed upon her work and smirked. Her conscience wasn’t with her.

 

 

“Now, it’s time for you to die, you .” she said, pertaining to her husband. She looked over to the mini bar next to the bathroom and found a knife. Queen Dido grabbed the knife and walked over to her husband who was still lying down. Heechul opened his eyes and was shocked to see Dambi holding a knife.

 

 

“DAMBI! NO-” giving him no time to speak, Dambi stabbed his throat over and over, making blood pour out. As she was standing, victorious over them, she realized that she had just murdered two people. Her conscience was starting to rise and knock on the doors of her head.

 

 

“No. No. NO!” Dambi cried, dropping the knife and clasping her hands together on her chest while gazing at the bloodshed she caused. Two lives were lost because of her rage and now, her conscience was making her pay.

 

 

“No! NO! STOP!!!!” Dambi covered her face with her hands and repeatedly hit herself in the head, forcing the voice inside to stop haunting her. Finally unable to take it, Dambi raised her hands which held the knife and stabbed herself in the stomach. The death count-3.