Agape Love
Cupid at Heart
“He isn’t dead,” a voice suddenly spoke—one that was awfully familiar in the way it bore dark intentions behind a whimsical tone.
Hyunmi gasped, when all of a sudden, she felt a pair of familiar warm arms wrap itself around her. It pulled her down, pressing her entire weight to fall upon him. As her skin touched his face, she felt the warmth of his breath against her cheek.
“Woohyun,” she cried, realizing he had truly returned. Perhaps it was a dream, but it did not matter, for in this reality they could finally be together.
“Ssh, these tears will taint your beauty, love,” Woohyun softly whispered, repositioning themselves to be huddled on their knees. He stared as she rubbed her own eyes, her chest rising and falling with her sobs. He lied, of course, thinking she was perfectly flawless even with her swollen eyes and nose as red as a rose. He couldn’t restrain himself from wanting to hold her, ignoring the other deities as he reached out to pull her against his chest.
“How is this possible? A minute ago, we thought he had lost his life,” Apollo remarked, his body bouncing with wonderment.
“A minute ago, he did lose his life,” the familiar voice spoke again.
As Hyunmi looked up from Woohyun’s shoulder, she saw through her blurred vision, the presence of Hades and Persephone. The king and queen of the Underworld had gone up to Olympus. For whatever reason?
“We were surprised to see a god’s appearance in front of us,” Persephone began telling the tale. “However, considering this dear mortal had visited us not long before, we concluded what had happened. Cupid explained his situation, confessing he wanted to protect his mortal lover even if he had to die in her stead.”
“Quite a tragic love story where both are willing to die for the other, despite not being able to exist in the living world together,” Hades continued, twisting his lips to a grim smirk. “So Persephone and I decided to give the lovers a second chance.”
Woohyun and Hyunmi stared at the two deities with confusion. They held unto each other’s hands, still knelt down on the floor. Realization began to hit them, knowing they had been subject of Hades and Persephone’s mercy.
“The truth is, we haven’t witnessed a love as pure and genuine as theirs in centuries. For that, we reward them with the greatest gift of all, life itself. We shan’t accept any of your souls in the Underworld.”
“You mean to say they can never die?” Zeus asked.
“Indeed.”
Despite the gods cheering, Hyunmi found a new concern. “But, I am a human. What will become of me if my dead soul gets rejected?” she questioned.
Woohyun took her hand in his, tracing nonsense symbols on her skin as he looked at her with a smile so jovial he could barely contain it himself. “If we were to get married, surely you wouldn’t remain a mortal,” he told her.
“Married?” Hyunmi repeated the word out loud, her face taking on a red color at the thought alone. She had always wished to be betrothed to the man she loved. Her heart began to race in an uncontrollable rhythm, unable to contain her happiness.
“I have discussed it with Zeus during my immobility to visit you. There is a potion that can turn the mortal immortal. We can spend an infinity together if you were to drink it,” Woohyun spoke, showing his excess excitement when he spoke of his ideals. He brought her hand against his lips and pressed a small kiss.
“Immortality,” Hyunmi repeated the word. She did not realize the smile on her face faltering as new thoughts entered her mind.
“Do you not wish to marry me?” Woohyun asked, tilting his head sideways. He unconsciously protruded his lips as a form of protest.
“I would love for nothing more than to be entirely yours,” Hyunmi said, leaning forward to give him a small peck on his lips, reassuring him of her feelings. “But what shall become of my family, my friends, and the kingdom?”
“As an immortal, you have the freedom to stay on earth. They shall age like mortals do, whereas you shall remain youthful forever. It is the only way to be with cupid,” Zeus explained, watching her face occupied by more worries.
“Perhaps, if you’d prefer,” Woohyun suddenly began, biting his lips hesitantly before providing another alternative, “We may find a solution to turn me human.”
“No, I shan’t allow it, son!” Aphrodite yelled, making her presence known to everyone in the room.
Hyunmi was unaware of the treachery committed against her, seeing only a mother’s affectionate love. She huffed a smile, tracing the lines of his jaws with her fingers. “I would much rather spend an eternity with you than limit our time together. All I ask for is for some time to relay the news to my friends and family,” she said, unable to help herself from giving him another peck.
She got up on her feet with cupid’s help who never ceased to let go of her hand. Finally she absorbed the presence of all deities in the room, realizing she wasn’t on earth anymore. A mere human had trespassed the land of the gods, and she suddenly feared some sort of punishment. However, there was something else of much greater importance than her fears. She released Woohyun’s hand and politely lifted the side of her dress to do a deep curtsy out of gratitude.
“I am forever grateful for your help. Despite being a human, thank you for allowing our relationship. I shall repay it in any way I can. Perhaps I could aid in creating new potions,” she said, in her usual convincing yet polite tone. Her eagerness melted the hearts of the others, though the majority of the gods had always supported her endeavor.
Aphrodite stepped forward, avoiding to meet her eyes as she hesitantly rubbed her own arm. “I apologize for my foul actions. You have proven to me that agape love still exists in today’s selfish society,” she said rather hesitantly.
“Agape love?”
“The highest form of unconditional and selfless love. It’s the ability to truly put others above yourself,” Aphrodite said, smiling at the princess like it was their first meeting. “You once told me you’d be willing to do anything for my son’s sake. I now know you are a woman of virtue who keeps her words even in her waking soul. For that reason, I could not have asked for a better companion for my son.”
Hyunmi lifted her lips into a smile, which grew even wider when she felt Woohyun slipping his arm around her waist, lightly kissing the side of her head.
“Indeed, it is this agape love that prompted us to offer you a second chance. Should you have been selfish in your motivations, we would have taken your soul during your second visit. The mermaids make wrong judgements at times, but we believe in what we see,” Persephone spoke, explaining the main reason for her decision to allow the couple to reunite in the land of the living.
Woohyun could not contain his happiness, turning to Hyunmi as he linked his hands behind her back. “Let’s return to Heart,” he said softly, extending an invitation she could not refuse.
Hyunmi nodded, letting him graze her hand as they excused themselves from the presence of the deities. Outside the gates of the building, the pegasus faithfully waited.
“I have to apologize to you first,” Hyunmi said before mounting the animal. Their last meeting ended with open wounds, needing to be healed through a proper apology instead of being neglected. Before she could continue, he had hushed her with his finger pressed against her lips.
“You have earned my forgiveness the moment you were willing to lay your life down for me. It was quite foolish, but I chose to do the same for you,” Woohyun said. He grinned, helping her get on the pegasus first before following behind her.
Hyunmi kept a bashful smile on her face, though he could not see it from behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she indulged herself in his warmth she had missed. He was so quick to forgive, once again showing his unconditional love.
The flight to Heart was much quicker when the pegasus placed excessive force to its speed. They headed straight to the castle, knowing the others had gathered together.
In their waking silence, the pegasus’ hooves landed softly against the balcony floor. Hyunmi accepted Woohyun’s hand as she jumped off the pegasus, chuckling when her lover caught her with ease. They headed to the balcony door, knocking lightly to catch their attention. It took no longer than a split second for the door to be opened, seeing not one, but everyone’s head.
“Hyunmi! Woohyun!” They yelled, jumping up to greet the two. They would’ve mistaken them for a spirit if it weren’t for the feeling of their physical embrace. They were real, appearing before them in flesh and blood. The king watched with a proud grin from the side, whereas Soonkyu and Hyoyeon stayed at the furthest back of the corner with unreadable expressions.
“What happened?” Dongwoo asked, inquiring for some sort of explanation. He needed to ensure death would not chase the two on their tail.
So Woohyun and Hyunmi told the entire tale from beginning until the end, completing each other’s story when the other was unconscious, surprised at the incident during their temporary death. Finally, they told the plan of turning Hyunmi immortal.
“With that, I would like to ask you for your daughter’s hand in marriage,” Woohyun suddenly declared, once again surprising the rest in the room. None could suppress a smile from forming, but Hyunmi anxiously watched her father’s reaction. To her surprise, he laughed a boisterous laugh that rang similarly to Apollo’s. Her father sounded much healthier.
“I suppose you may skip over the courtship, considering she has had her heart set out for you since the very beginning. If Hyunmi desires so, it shall grant my humble wish to see any of my children get married,” the king spoke, glancing at his daughter meaningfully. “Married to the person they love.”
“But you would become immortal. Will you leave us? Who will accompany me from now on?” Seulyi wailed at the princess in agony, supposedly taking the good news in the wrong way.
“Well, Miss Nightgown, I do believe you still owe me your time in exchange for the antidote I handed you. I have come to collect your end of the deal,” Myungsoo spoke, twirling his hand out to her.
Seulyi looked confused for a moment, but shyly placed her hand on his. “In what way could I offer my time?”
“By spending the rest of your life with me,” Myungsoo spoke, placing a chaste yet polite kiss against her skin. “Without the princess, I would be more than happy to accompany you from now on, if you’d allow me to, of course.”
Seulyi was completely flabbergasted, not realizing the dumb smile of surprise on her face. She turned to find Hyunmi, watching her give a nod of approval before Seulyi jumped at Myungsoo, muttering multiple yes.
Over time, one no longer knew whether the love potion’s influence was still on her. It managed to transform into genuine feelings, finally reciprocated by the one she admired the most. Her wish to be with a man outside of the palace came true.
“Sister,” Hyoyeon suddenly called out, catching Hyunmi’s attention.
Seeing the two evil sisters approach, Woohyun hardened his stare. He protectively held Hyunmi closer to himself, attentively scanning the older siblings for possible threats.
“We ask for your forgiveness. We have wronged you in every possible ways,” Soonkyu said, about to fall to her knees as a form of plea, but Hyunmi quickly held her by the arms.
“Do not beg for my forgiveness, dear sisters,” Hyunmi said, gently enunciating every word with kindness. Her previous anger washed away when she realized the truth. “Without your lies, Woohyun wouldn’t have left. If I hadn’t looked for him, Aphrodite would not have given me three tasks. Without those tasks, three of my life’s biggest dilemma would not have been solved.”
Woohyun elicited a small gasp beside her. “You are quite right, love.”
“Indeed. Your mother helped me find a way to end my engagement to Prince Sunggyu, allowed Sir Hoya and Princess Biah to be together, and even recovered my father from his unknown disease,” she spoke, smiling with pride at her sisters. “I realize now, the greatest blessings are disguised as the hardest obstacles.”
The two sisters began to tear up, not expecting their wickedness to be returned with such kindness. They had prepared themselves to be cut off from Hyunmi’s life or be thrown into prison, but instead she showed forgiveness in a way they did not deserve.
Dongwoo did not say a thing, only staring at Hyunmi with his own sense of pride. When she turned to meet his eyes, he nodded his head, acknowledging once again that he had never doubted her once. They did not need a physical embrace to confirm they would always protect each other.
“So, dear princess,” Woohyun called out to her, catching her attention. As soon as her eyes fell on him, he noticed her dark brown eyes softening, looking with such curiosity and affection as it did during their first meeting. His heart still clamored like it did back then, realizing he may have already fallen for her that night. “You must feel quite accomplished being the first mortal to ever entice a god.”
“I heard myself being referred to as cupid’s lover,” Hyunmi said, teasingly grinning at him.
“Which you are,” Woohyun confirmed, reaching out to grab her fingers in her. “And soon you shall be known as cupid’s soulmate.”
“That is quite a big responsibility for a humbled princess such as myself.”
“Are you worried?” He asked, blinking his eyes in confusion. He did not want her to feel burdened, ensuring he had her full consent.
“Not at all,” Hyunmi said, standing on tiptoes as she furtively reached out to whisper in his ears. “Knowing I love you, there is nothing I fear.”
She watched the surprise unfold on Woohyun’s face, hearing a direct confession for the first time. His expression cleared up like mist disappearing behind the sunshine. No words could encapsulate the pure bliss he displayed.
“I fell in love with you by chance, but choosing to love you is a choice I shall never regret,” Woohyun whispered softly so only she could hear his deep voice. He did not care being in front of others as he boldly declared, “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Hyunmi replied, smiling up to him, ensuring he heard her confession.
As the lovers kissed each other to close off the end of their distressing journey, they came to a new realization. Faith, hope, and love shall remain, but the greatest of these is love. For love is the only emotion that builds courage, offers hope, and practices faith. Love allows people to do the unthinkable, to turn the impossible possible, and to call forth a miracle.
Love always prevails.
Fin.
Yes, finally done!
I honestly started out writing this story feeling so excited. But as time goes by, I wasn't motivated because it seems the story was becoming worse and only two or three people were faithfully commenting. So thank you, you know who you are! <3 I'm sorry if the story was bad, or that it didn't meet your expectation. It was kinda painful to see subscribers leaving everytime I updated a new chapter. So for those who stayed until the end, I really really appreciate it. And I shall work hard to write a better story in the future. My current story on AFF will be "Crescendity" so I hope you'll check it out. Thank you! <3
I honestly started out writing this story feeling so excited. But as time goes by, I wasn't motivated because it seems the story was becoming worse and only two or three people were faithfully commenting. So thank you, you know who you are! <3 I'm sorry if the story was bad, or that it didn't meet your expectation. It was kinda painful to see subscribers leaving everytime I updated a new chapter. So for those who stayed until the end, I really really appreciate it. And I shall work hard to write a better story in the future. My current story on AFF will be "Crescendity" so I hope you'll check it out. Thank you! <3
Yay! Won the bid today! I hope you will enjoy the story~ Would love to know your thoughts, so please do leave comments too~ Thank youuu <3
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