Ch 3: First Meetings and Explanations
OlympusWooyoung once read a book about Greek mythology for an English assignment; it depicted the gods as 10 feet tall with roguish features wearing togas. Well, whoever wrote that could never be more wrong.
Here they are in front of Suzy and Wooyoung, wearing business attires and looking more like they just stepped out of a photoshoot than those huge and scary beings described in that book. As they sat and listened to the gods discuss as if the twins weren’t there, Woo catalogued their perfect features: perfect faces, perfect hair, perfect height. The part of him that grew up in the human world became self-conscious of this perfection but then he realized he had no reason to be.
He and his sister are just like them.
At the head of the table was a man with arrogant features. He listened to the other gods quarrel with his brows furrowed and eyes glaring. Wooyoung assumed this to be Zeus. Beside him sat a soft-spoken but stern man with changing blue eyes that reminded Woo of Junho. Aside from the hair, he and Poseidon looked so much alike it was uncanny.
Wooyoung studied the other gods’ faces and came to a conclusion about his real parents. There was noticeably one “major” god missing, as was his wife.
Hades.
They’re children of the Underworld.
Before his mind could wrap around the thought, though, Zeus suddenly exclaimed, “Because they could cause chaos! That is a more pressing matter, and you’re all here arguing over petty things. If their supposed powers are true, they could put the whole of Olympus in a mess, or worse, annihilate us all!”
At this assumption, Wooyoung got angry. “What good would it do us to wreak havoc here?” he said shocked and annoyed at the same time. Why would they accuse them of intentionally harming their own family?
He saw several pairs of eyes soften, and it dawned on him that maybe these gods were truly afraid of them. There was a chance that they hadn’t seen this kind of power before, not even from Hades or Persephone. A firm thought then crept into his mind. He and his sister needed to meet their parents. They have several questions to be answered.
“Fine. Enroll them in the Academy. Set them up for the Arena, too.” Zeus finally settled the matter after Hera pleaded their case. Maybe he wasn’t a total jerk and womanizer after all.
On the other hand, despite the knowledge that they would not be shunned from the place, Suzy shivered slightly at the news of being enrolled at the Arena and the Academy. She was sure that she and her brother would be asked to demonstrate their gifts sooner or later. If one would ask her, her ability is more like a curse than a gift especially when compared to Wooyoung’s. A rare nervous sensation settled over her before it was dissipated when she looked up and saw Athena and the rest of the female gods smiling at them softly.
xxxxxxx
It was already late afternoon when the meeting finished and almost everyone had left the Arena. Although the facility had been full of hulking males training earlier, this gym didn’t carry the stench of sweat unlike those of the human world; instead there was an almost freshness in the air. It was a startling difference that only served to highlight the differences in both races.
The twins heard the heavy clank of a door closing. The air in the room seemed to change, and for some reason, they felt relaxed instantly. Someone cleared his throat hesitantly, making them turn their heads around. In front of them stood a tall and handsome man with paper pale skin, silver eyes, and closely-cropped hair with the exact same color as Wooyoung’s. Their hearts skipped a beat in recognition of this man.
It was Hades. Their father.
It hit them so suddenly that they couldn’t help themselves from propelling forward to him. He, too, took a step forward with his arms spread out to welcome them into his arms. “My dear children,” he sighed happily as he hugged them close to him, before cupping each of their faces lovingly. “Wooyoung…Suzy…”
Everything about him screamed power, from the intense features of his face to the crisp black suit he was wearing. Nonetheless, being immortal, he doesn’t look a day over thirty, especially when a huge boyish grin took over his features.
“I know it’s a lot to take in.” His children could only nod in response. It was indeed a lot to take in…but not impossible.
“Why weren’t you in the meeting?” Suzy was the first to speak to their father.
“You are my heirs. My opinion as well as your mother’s wouldn’t have mattered because naturally, we would be biased.”
They followed Hades out of the Arena where Junho was patiently waiting for them beside a black car. “Your house in the Death District is already finished, but I figured you must not want to spend the night alone. Junho here came from Seoul like you, and he is also relatively new to Olympus, so I’m sure you’ll be able to relate with each other. He can explain the basic things to you; I know you have a lot of questions,” Hades explained. He saw a slight disappointment cloud his children’s eyes so he continued, smiling, “Fret not, my children. I will see you tomorrow—we’ll go to our dominion and you will be able to meet your mother.”
This seemed to appease Wooyoung and Suzy, though they were still a bit hesitant. “Well if Junho’s sure we wouldn’t be a burden to him…”
“Psh. I’ve been waiting too long for this! Besides, your accommodations in my house are already arranged. It would be more of a burden if you don’t stay there at least for tonight…” the small god answered slyly.
They got into the car after bidding their father goodbye with promises of seeing him again the next day. As they travelled through the city, the twins marveled at the scenery. It was indeed like Seoul or any other normal city, but there was also a stark absence of fire hydrants, traffic signs, street names, and the like. The cities in the world where they came from wouldn’t be able to function without these things, making them curious how it works here. Another thing they noticed was the lack of pollution; while South Korea was one of the cleanest countries in the world, the air in this place seems purer than pure and untainted by anything.
After almost an hour, their surroundings shifted slightly, losing its modern feel and seeming more like a city in an ancient kingdom. Suzy felt silly; it was like they were transported to the world of Game of Thrones. To her, the place was comparable to King’s Landing, with its dominant colors of brown and red, and with the way the people dressed. Melting pots were scattered around the area and everyone seemed busy with their work.
“We are now passing through the Metal District, also known as the Fire District, Hephaestus’ dominion. A lot of stuff ranging from small accessories to weapons are made here.” Junho saw the mixed curiosity and awe in the twins’ eyes and was glad he decided to take the scenic route.
They drove around for a bit, with Junho pointing things out here and there. Then at the end of the district was what they presumed to be the entrance to the Aquatic District. The car stopped and they got out, standing in front of a gate made out of a thick waterfall. Junho moved through it and the twins followed, amazed that not one drop of the water soaked them. “It is because I welcome you into the area,” Junho said. “Other citizens of the Aquatic District are free to enter as well but those who don’t live here will be frozen by the water unless invited.”
Unlike the other two districts, the Aquatic District had a more relaxed atmosphere. The background of the sun setting made everything seem to glimmer. The grounds were made of marble and sand was scattered here and there, and the streets were lined up with palm trees and white houses with blue accents. A lot of people were outside; most of them had blue eyes and dark hair and were wearing tunics made of soft materials—the perfect embodiments of water. They looked so casual and friendly as they chatted animatedly with each other while the children played near the fountains. “Wow, so beautiful! Why can’t we be Poseidon’s children instead?” Wooyoung joked, and Junho just stuck his tongue out playfully.
They continued walking, and some of the children ran up to Junho asking if he could play with them. The god was evidently respected but also seemed to keep an easy camaraderie with his subjects; he patted the children’s heads with promises of playing with them tomorrow, and smiled and chatted a bit with the older ones.
The group eventually made their way to a small mansion near the coast. Marble pillars wrapped around the porch, and there was another waterfall taking the place of a door. Stepping inside, Wooyoung couldn’t suppress his love for architecture and admired the house’s structure and interior decoration. Matching with the theme of the whole district, the furnishings were mostly white, accented by different hues of blue. The back wall was made of glass, giving them an astounding view of the beach. It was definitely luxurious, but it still had that homey feeling. A perfect fit for Junho—striking and elegant yet full of warmth.
“Don’t you live in your sea kingdom?” Wooyoung asked, a bit confused.
Junho laughed at this. “Yes, our palace is located there but we still have our dominion on land and Poseidon wanted me to manage it. That way, there will be someone to represent him and fulfill several duties without him having to go up so much. Besides, not everyone can breathe underwater, so there should be someone to welcome these guests.”
He gave them a tour around his house and showed them the room where they would be sleeping. “I figured you must want to sleep in one room after today’s events. There is a balcony overlooking the beach, and you have your own ensuite bathroom here. I also got you a change of clothes; they’re already hanging in the closet.”
Suzy appraised the room and was touched by their cousin’s hospitality. It truly was arranged to fit their comfort. “Thank you, Junho. Your kindness means so much to us.”
“Ah, what are cousins for? Now go and get ready for dinner.”
After having dinner they all went to rest. Suzy and Wooyoung laid side by side bathed in moonlight, both of them deep in thought. It was only then that their minds digested everything that happened. They woke up as normal human beings—well, as normal as they can be—and now, they’re actually full-blooded gods, a son and daughter of Hades and Persephone. That was something they certainly did not expect.
“I’m happy that we’re finally here, and I’m even happier that I have you to share this with,” Wooyoung whispered to his dear sister, holding her hand.
“Me too, Woo. Me too.”
xxxxxxx
Junho woke up the next day quite early, wanting to cook breakfast for his cousins. He really was excited about the twins and was determined to become close friends with them. He pranced around the kitchen before finally settling on making pancakes.
“How are our guests?” Junho jumped at the sound. “Why do you always do that?” he whined, clutching his chest while his father merely laughed at him. “They’re still asleep so you better keep your voice down. Jeez, no need to shout; I’m right in front of you! How’s mom?”
“Eh, she’s been missing her baby boy. You should visit her soon, before she goes crazy and wrings my neck for keeping you busy.”
“Serves you right!” Junho stuck his tongue out.
“What are you making? Ooooh, pancakes? Give me too!” Poseidon demanded.
“I told you to keep your voice down!”
“I want blueberries to go with mine!”
“Ssshh!”
Upstairs, Suzy and Wooyoung were awakened by the sun streaming down their faces. At first they were confused as to where they were, thinking they had only dreamed up yesterday’s events. Looking around the room, they realized that everything was real and that they were indeed in Junho’s house in Olympus, and smiled at each other. Excited for what will come, they jumped up to shower and dress. They then decided to go down, following the sound of bickering in the kitchen.
“Honey goes better with pancakes than maple syrup!”
To their astonishment, Poseidon was sitting on one of the stools at the breakfast counter arguing with Junho. Wearing a simple jeans and shirt, the god looked so comfortable—an exact opposite of his strict persona just the day before. Actually, he looked more like Junho’s twin than his father.
“Oh, hello there. Did I wake you up?” he said sheepishly. Suzy and Wooyoung’s eyes widened even more when Junho scolded him for being noisy.
Poseidon ignored his son and beckoned Suzy and Wooyoung forward. “Come here, I don’t bite.”
“Yeah, he’ll just smother you with his hugs,” Junho added teasingly.
As soon as they were in front of him, Poseidon cupped Suzy’s face lovingly and patted Wooyoung’s head, saying, “You look so much like my brother, though you have your mother’s hair. And you, my dear nephew, take after your beautiful mother if you look past the colourings.” He cleared his throat before the lump that had formed makes its way into his voice. “Please, be comfortable. I know I seemed uptight yesterday, but I can’t show them how excited I really am. We’re not in a meeting with the other gods now, so you can relax.”
At that, the twins smiled and sat at the counter. They all had a hearty breakfast together, with Junho and Poseidon still arguing about which syrup would taste better with the pancakes. After eating, Poseidon declared that he had business to attend to and left. The trio then found themselves walking around the district and along the beach.
“What happens now?” Suzy asked their cousin after a moment of silence.
“Well, you’ll be enrolled at the Academy just like everyone else. Athena owns the place. Don’t worry, it’ll just be like studying in a university. There will be normal courses since we have to be updated with the modern world, but the main focus would be on the history and geology of Olympus, how to manage your realm and such. They also special courses for ability training—how cool is that, right? We’ll be studying there for an indefinite time until our official coronation.”
“Aww man, just when we were already in our third year of college,” Wooyoung snickered.
“At first I thought it would be boring, too, but then it turned to be a lot of fun. Since we will be staying in a dorm during the weekdays, we get to interact and bond with the other gods’ children. The other sons and daughters go there too, as well as several demi-gods.”
“Other sons and daughters?”
“Well, yes of course. Although we are the heirs everyone has been anticipating, our parents do have other children. Most of them were born and raised here.”
“Hmm, I wonder if we have other siblings…” Wooyoung mused.
“As a matter of fact, you have one sister—Min. She’s one adorable goofball; I don’t think you’ll have problems with her. Although last I heard, she went on a vacation in Europe, so I’m not sure if you’ll meet her soon,” Junho answered before proceeding to enumerate the other heirs and some of their well-known siblings.
“Hey Junho, where are we exactly?”
“Ah, yes. That’s a good question. The island is located smack dab in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is well hidden by magic, that’s why no one can see it and ships passing through will not bump into it. There are several portals across the world, one of those we passed through yesterday.”
“Does that mean not all of us came from South Korea?”
“No. There are others who came from other parts of Asia like Thailand, Japan and China, then the USA and even Europe. You’ll see who came from where later when we introduce you to the rest of the group.”
The rest of the morning was spent being filled in on the trivialities of being heirs while touring the Aquatic District. Junho told them that every heir’s time comes upon turning 21 years old, and then they get summoned to Olympus for training and eventually, a coronation. They were also informed that while they are technically not required to consume food to live, all the gods love to eat and would frequently hold banquets in celebration of one occasion or another.
After learning so much, they were still full of inquiries, although they knew that certain answers could only be gotten from their parents, and they can’t wait to finally be with them.
xxxxxxx
Hades was already in the house when the trio arrived back at Junho’s mansion. The image that they stumbled upon was comical—much like Poseidon, Hades was wearing casual clothes, trying to be sneaky in tasting the food prepared by the chef. When he saw the three giggling at his antics, he quickly straightened up and put on a poker face before breaking into laughter with them.
“Ready to meet your mom?” Hades asked his children after lunch, and got eager nods for an answer.
“I’ll see you tomorrow. I hope you had fun in the short while that you were here,” Junho said shyly and the twins showed their gratitude by hugging their cousin tightly. “Say hi to Aunt Persephone for me. Enjoy your stay in your true home, cousins.”
A/N: Hi there! The past couple of days have been really hectic I barely had time to write, so being able to post this was like my light at the end of the tunnel lol I hope the long-ish chapter was able to compensate for my lateness!
ALSO, as some of you might have guessed, this is how Poseidon, Junho's carbon copy dad looks like in this story:
Yup, that's Jung Ji-hoon/Rain! Can't help it sorry XD
Hope you enjoyed the chapter~
♥, S.
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