VI: Those Who Favor Fire

Shin High School of Gods

“He said nothing:

seldom do those who are silent

make mistakes.”

Neil Gaiman, Norse Mythology

 

 

 

Silence does not mean that it’s okay.

 

 

“Hyung, where are we going?”

 

“Shh! Keep quiet, little Hae. We don’t want uncles to hear that we are still awake.”

 

“But...why are we awake then, hyung? Isn’t it time to sleep already? I want to snuggle with my fluffy wolfie.”

 

“Shh! I said to keep quiet, little Hae. We’re just going to play in hyung’s room.”

 

Donghae’s sleepy eyes were long gone and were immediately replaced by twinkling hazelnut brown eyes. Since he was three, he had always enjoyed playtime, and even now that he is ten, he still enjoyed them the same.

 

“Really, hyung? Are we going to invite Donghwa hyung too?”

 

“No, Hae. Your Donghwa hyung is sleeping by this time, and I know he would not enjoy the game that we will play.”

 

The ten-year-old God of Innocence pouted as they neared the older’s bedroom.

 

“But Papa said that we should not play in our room, hyung. He said that we should only play in the playroom where the faeries can see us.” Donghae was reluctant to enter the older’s bedroom even though the latter was already dragging him inside. He did not want to get into any trouble, and most importantly, he did not want to disappoint his Papa, Daddy, and Donghwa hyung.

 

His frown deepened when he saw no traces of any toys or things they could play with inside. The older boy jumped into his bed and gave Donghae a smile and a nod, almost as if inviting him.

 

“Hyung, there are no toys in here. How are we going to play?”

 

“Oh! Don’t worry, little Hae. We do not need any toys in the game we are about to play. Come and join me here, will you?”

 

Donghae shook his head as he bit his lips. “We’re just going to sleep, hyung? I thought hyung and Hae are going to play?”

 

“Who says we are not going to play? We will play here, little one.”

 

“In hyung’s bed?”

 

The older boy nodded, patting the space beside him. “In hyung’s bed.”

 

Still with a hint of reluctance and hesitation, Donghae climbed up the bed and made himself comfortable beside the older. “What are we going to play, hyung?”

 

The older boy gave him a wide smile, pulling Donghae even closer to his side. “I will make sure the two of us will have lots of fun, little one. But can you promise hyung one thing?”

 

Ten-year-old Donghae nodded.

 

“Keep quiet, little one. No matter what happened, keep quiet!”

 

 

“Hae! Donghae, wake up! Wake up, sweetie!”

 

Donghae woke up and sat on his bed in abrupt. He came face-to-face with his Sungmin hyung who had a worried look etched on the latter’s face.

 

“Try to catch your breath first, Hae. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale,” the older had instructed, and Donghae did just that. The God of Innocence was not even aware that his breath was ragged only to be reminded when a gush of pain was suddenly felt on his chest and near his heart.

 

“Are you okay now? Do you want me to get you water?”

 

Donghae shook his head, clutching the older’s right hand tightly in between his own pair. It was a reflex action that he unconsciously did and all he wanted to do is to drown in the God of Nature’s embrace. When the older pulled him in a cuddle, Donghae’s anxiety evaporated a bit.

 

“Thank you, hyung. Thank you for being here,” he muttered against the silk fabric of the blonde-haired God’s pajamas. Sungmin hummed and caressed his hair gently. Donghae was suddenly reminded of his two fathers who he had left in their castle. He briefly wondered if they were doing well, if his Donghwa hyung visits them regularly, or if his—Donghae shook his head.

 

“That was quite a nightmare, sweetie. Do you want to talk about it?”

 

Donghae bit his lips, hands trembling away from the older’s vision.

 

Keep quiet, little one. No matter what happened, keep quiet!

 

The God of Innocence shook his head.

 

“It’s nothing, Sungmin hyung. Maybe I just missed my parents so much,” he softly whispered with a voice that would rival the softness of the clouds. Donghae was afraid. He feared that just one loud word from him and he would meet his doom. And so all he could is whisper...and pray to the supreme deity that everything will be over.

 

Silence does not mean that it’s okay.

 

Sungmin went back to sleep after Donghae reassured him that he would be fine. But Donghae was nowhere near fine. It was still there. The scorching pain faded in sync with the hands of the clock but he knew it was still there. He can feel it—no! It was embedded inside him. Pressing his cheek against his pillow, Donghae slowly clenched and unclenched his fists against his eyes. He knew the tears were about to make their appearance but he refused to let them fall.

 

Donghae hated this.

 

He hated feeling so helpless especially in the middle of blanketing darkness and overwhelming silence. But at the same time, he knew it wasn’t anything dramatic. Heck! It wasn’t anything new.

 

Silence does not mean that it doesn’t hurt.

 

 

 

It was late afternoon and Donghae found himself taking a walk around the oval with the God of Knowledge. He had actually invited all of his classmates and friends to unwind with him after a long, tiring day full of classes but it turned out they already had plans of their own. They were walking side by side as they took in the wonderful surroundings. Aside from Sungmin, Heechul, and Hangeng, it was Leeteuk and Ryeowook whom he had spent most of his break time with. And lately, the younger God of Wisdom always insisted to hang out with him. The reason though he never knew. He was highly aware that something was bothering the younger but he did not have enough guts to stick his nose into the other’s personal business. He had a hint but he was unsure.

 

That’s the thing with Donghae. He was not as naïve as what the people perceived him to be.

 

“Donghae hyung...”

 

Donghae looked to his left when he heard Ryeowook called his name. The shorter God’s expression was indecipherable—a look something in between worry and uneasiness.

 

“What is it, Wookie? You look troubled.” The God of Innocence smiled at the shorter God and he realized that they had reached the marble fountain. The two of them sat down on the green grass just a few feet away from the beautiful and majestic fountain display. The statue of Odin was meticulously built and placed as a centerpiece and Donghae would not have it any other way. It was absolutely grand.

 

“I have a question but please don’t think too much about it, okay?” The raven-haired God nibbled on his bottom lip, a hint of apprehension suddenly filled the air.

 

Even though Donghae had no idea on what’s happening, he still nodded his head. “Okay.”

 

“Do you promise, Donghae hyung?”

 

He chuckled, “Yeah. I promise. Now, what’s your question?”

 

“Have you been receiving some weird and creepy letters containing vague riddles lately?”

 

Creepy letters? Vague riddles?

 

Donghae was confused. He had no idea of what the shorter God’s talking about. He shook his head.

 

“I don’t think so, Wook. Why?”

 

“It’s nothing, hyung,” Ryeowook gave him a small smile. “But have you been noticing anything weird around you?”

 

“Define weird.”

 

“Like some other Gods are acting weird around you? Or they tend to be more different?”

 

Donghae contemplated for a moment. As far as he had been aware, nothing out of the ordinary had been happening to him lately. All the other Special Gods treated him the same, even Hyukjae who did not fail to ignore him, humiliate him, and make fun of him.

 

“Everyone’s been the same for me. Even Hyukjae’s not acting weird in my opinion,” the auburn-haired answered truthfully. “Why? What’s the matter? Why are you asking me all these things?”

 

“It’s really nothing, Donghae hyung. Maybe it’s best that you don’t know at the moment.”

 


 

 

“It’s really nothing, Donghae hyung. Maybe it’s best that you don’t know at the moment.”

 

Ryeowook is now a hundred percent sure that whoever sent Hyukjae the letter was trying to protect Baldur’s descendant. At first, he was skeptical of the intention of the sender but now he is positive that he is just aiming to possibly alter what was dictated by history and protect the God of Innocence by all means. And whoever was hiding behind that silver-roof-with-gold-pillars insignia is someone the God of Wisdom is willing to help.

 

And Kim Ryeowook was determined to find out and help, even if he had to go head-to-head with Loki’s descendant, Lee Hyukjae. If everything will come down for the worst, then he is willing to play fire with fire.

 

For quite some time the two of them just sat there. Ryeowook let the older God do all the talking and he was in relief when Donghae seemed to have completely forgotten about their talk earlier. He looked so excited that Ryeowook did not have the heart to open up about his concern. Looking at Baldur’s descendant, the God of Wisdom was in awe on how life seemed to be much lighter for him.

 

Donghae hyung at history. Is it possible that he can smile so much because he is unaware that he is not bound to live for a long time?

 

“You are looking at me strangely again, Wookie.” He heard the older laughed and Ryeowook felt a bit shy. “Is this about what’s going to happen to me?”

 

The God of Wisdom was shocked although he tried his hardest not to show it. “W—what are you talking about, h—hyung?”

 

Donghae smiled innocently at him. “Hyukjae’s destined to kill me someday, right? I mean—it’s a bad thing and I’m not really sure what will happen to me. You see, my Papa and Daddy forbid me to attend history classes or read history books before but I still found out. Hyukjae—he’s bound to kill me but I don’t know why or how he’s going to do that. Do you know why and how, Wookie?”

 

Betrayal. Sheer and complete betrayal.

 

The shorter God wanted to shout but he could not find his voice. His heart was stammering rapidly against his chest and all he can feel at the moment is pure determination to keep the other alive.

 

He had thousands of words to say to the other but all he could mutter at that moment were the words:

 

“We’ll keep you alive, Donghae hyung.”

 


 

 

“Stop trying to destroy my swamp, Lee Hyukjae! Go away and never come back here.”

 

Hyukjae scoffed as he continued to throw spells after spells towards the house of the little dwarf. He was well aware that what he was doing is wrong but who the hell cares about what’s right and what’s wrong when you are Lee Hyukjae?

 

The little elf—Leif was it? Hyukjae forgot the name of that grumpy dwarf—was busy trying to save as much of his things as possible. The black-haired grinned as he witnessed how the dwarf was slowly becoming more and more annoyed by him.

 

“Okay, fine! I give up. Destroy everything you want I don’t care anymore. Sungmin is going to come here and fix it anyway.”

 

The dwarf sighed heavily before slumping on the rock near Hyukjae.

 

Hyukjae himself did not even know what he was doing in that lakeside. All he knew was that he needed an outlet to let out his frustration, anger, and annoyance all at once, and doing that to this little dwarf and his self-proclaimed swamp always does the trick.

 

“Yo, dwarf!” Hyukjae called out for the creature’s attention. He saw the other scoffed while trying not to look in his direction.

 

“I have a name, Lee Hyukjae.”

 

“Fine. Leaf...Leif...whatever your name is—”

 

“It’s Leif, you filthy God! Why don’t you try to learn some manners from Donghae? I prefer having that kid come over here all the time than to deal with your bothersome .”

 

Hyukjae froze on his position. Just when he thought he could finally be free from that stupidly innocent God! Oh boy, he was wrong.

 

“You know him? That stupid God comes here often?”

 

The dwarf—Leif—threw a handful of dirt and he scoffed as it barely reached him.

 

“Don’t call him stupid. He’s not. If there is someone here that is stupid, it’s you. Can you now go? I still have to rebuild my home no thanks to you.”

 

“I’m not stupid, that Lee Donghae is,” Hyukjae sighed. “How can he still act kindly to me when he knows what’s going to happen to him?”

 

Lee Donghae will forever be a mystery to him. The more he tried to analyze him, the more he got confused.

 

“That’s just how he is. Of all the progenies of Baldur that I had witnessed and met here in the academy, he’s different. He seemed to be the most special of all.”

 

Hyukjae almost shouted in fear when the small voice suddenly sounded really close. How the little dwarf managed to climb onto his shoulder without him noticing was beyond him.

 

“Special?” he scoffed. “You mean abnormally weird. Don’t make me laugh, little guy! Hey, do you know if—”

 

“MR. LEIF! DONGHAE’S HERE NOW. WHERE ARE YOU?”

 

Hyukjae sighed.

 

There goes his peace out of the swamp!

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Hunnyann #1
Chapter 10: I guess the one behind all those letters is heechul.. sungmin is part of it too
yugy123455
#2
Chapter 10: oooh i wonder what their meeting will be about! thanks for the update!!! ❤️
Yeoliespirit
#3
Chapter 10: Things are becoming interesting, i cant waitttt... Who was that God wookie discovered??? I have my bets on yesung or heechul
sjlurves #4
Chapter 9: WAIIIIT!! I SAW AN UPDATE OF THIS ON MY NOTIFICATIONS BUT WHEN I OPENED THE APP, THERE’S NONE?? Huhuhuhu
Yeoliespirit
#5
Chapter 9: You never disappoint in your works.
Yeoliespirit
#6
Chapter 9: Excited for chapter 9
tamasha
#7
Chapter 9: Please update!!!
yugy123455
#8
Chapter 9: wonder who ryeowook believes is sending the letters... thanks for the update!!
rixra_10 #9
Chapter 9: Wow looks like ryeowook found something! Thanks for this chapter, it's good to know other god's stories