Somewhere in Erebus...

Calix woke up with a start.

- My Prince, you're finally awake!

He looked around him and sighed of relief when he found out that he was in his room and his old nanny was looking at him with great concern.

- Zosime Calix said, I had that weird dream about me becoming a mortal and then I met this guy called Chanchan and...

- My Prince, please don't stand up. Let me go get the queen.

- Why would you go get mother? I...

- Just go back in bed Calix. You should not move much. If your essence is captured, the hellhounds will come for you.

Calix went back to his bed without a word and his mother came to seat next to him. She put a hand on his forehead before smiling.

- Your fever went down. Now stay still while I give you some life force.

Life force? Hellhound? !!

- It was not a dream?

His mother took his wrist and began to transfer some life force to him. Calix immediately felt better. As expected of Panacea, the goddess of universal health.

- It was not a dream. You are a still a mortal and I took you to Erebus in your spirit form. You could be considered dead and the hellhounds will hunt you if they smell you.

- Is that why that incense burner is spewing this sickening scent in my room?

- It's rose and lilies... but yes son... You should stop using the golden whistle that Zeus gave you.

- What? Why?

The Erebus queen put down his son wrist with a sad smile. Calix was always so rebellious, so straightforward. Never taking no as an answer... A pain in the , like his dad...

- It's a heavenly weapon. Even if Zeus put your powers inside, you are mortal now. Every time you used it, your life force will be severely damage and your mortal body might not recuperate. If you die while being mortal, you will become a demon.

- Then... how do I save that boy? How do I save Yoda? I'm... I... Mother... I can't do anything in the mortal realm... I'm...

- I gave you enough life force for you to be able to sustain using it 3 times. But each time, your body will be deteriorating and child... I will not be able to save you. Just stop using that whistle.

Calix's hand went around his neck and he clenched on the golden whistle. Stop using it? He wanted too, he didn't want to die before the 90 days and it seemed like the Morai had already started making their moves... But without it, today, Chanchan would have die for nothing.

- Mother, do you know why the dead angels attacked someone who is not even related to the bet? They came for that boy...

- Your Chanchan?

Calix felt himself blushing. Was he really talking about boys with his mother? He cleared his throat and looked around.

- Well... yeah... him... Park Chanyeol.

- They attack him because he's important to you. You should stay away for him

Calix rose defiant eyes to his mother.

- I'm saying it for your sake and also for his sake, son. You used the heavenly weapon for someone who is not even the boy you need to save, and being close to you make him have your scent... A mortal with your scent. He will attract every bad being from the underworld. From hellhounds to death angels... to Tyche...

Tyche!! That capricious dispenser of good and ill fortune... but mostly of the later ...

- I'll go talk to Hades! He can...

- He can't. You know the rules.

Calix dropped his head and bite his lips. Yes, he knew the rules. He used to laugh so hard at the pitiful souls who will get too close to what they call magic, allowing death aroma to be attach to them...

- I'll sent Zosime over to stay with you in the mortal realm soon, son. Now go and take care. Remember: no more Chanchan.

His mom gave him a last smile before touching his forehead.

- You're awake!

Calix opened his eyes and blinked at the bright light.

- Baekie, can you hear me? Are you in pain? Sehun-ah, go get the doctor. I saw him moving.

Baekhyun was back and the hand crushing his was Chanchan's... "They attack him because he's important to you. You should stay away for him"

He opened her eyes and slapped Chanyeol's hand away.

- I'm fine. Stop yelling. I don't need a doctor.

He had to stay away from him. He had to... Baekhyun's mind went blank when Chanyeol suddenly hugged him.

- I'm so glad you're awake. Those bastards told me that you were bleeding but there is no blood on you and you don't even have a fracture. You only have that tiny scratch...

- And we already explained that because of his condition, even the tiniest scratch will bleed like he cut an artery.

Baekhyun opened big eyes at seeing the doctor. Why was his aunt here? The Greek goddess of recuperation from illness, Iaso smiled at him.

- You're fine boy. You can leave the hospital tomorrow.

Chanyeol stood up and bow to the doctor, thanking her. Iaso nodded to the boy and winked at Baekhyun. She mouthed "τόσο όμορφος (tóso ómorfos. So handsome)" in Greek to him before leaving the room. Baekhyun rolled his eyes: why was everybody thinking that there was something between him and Park Chanyeol?

- Your uncle will come get you tomorrow and bring you back to the school. We can...

- Why you're here? he interrupted Chanyeol, feeling pissed off.

- Well, Yeollie was the one who insisted on bringing you to the hospital explained Suho.

- He was almost going crazy looking for you when Lay came to find us. He said that you had passed out and was looking for him added Sehun.

Baekhyun turned his head away.

- Well... that was before...

- Are you made because of the breakfast? I'm sorry. I'll buy you sandwiches, tteobokki, dumplings and noodles every day for a month...

- Do you really think that you can get me with food?

- Yes! The 4 boys responded at the same time.

Baekhyun could not help but giggle. How could he stay away from them? He would have to make sure that his smell doesn't get on them and not used the golden whistle to save Chanchan. Simple. But first, he needed to find how to remove the scent already attached on him.

- By the way, I'm on your group for the social project.

- ! We are going to fail.

He rose his hand and flick Chanyeol's forehead.

- Little Zeus is in too...

- I haven't looked at our subject yet Baekie, I'm sorry... I guess I got caught up in practice and...

- I don't care. I already did most of the work and it will work out just fine. I have a schedule for the 3 of us to meet and...

- Why are you calling him Little Zeus?

Baekhyun stopped and looked at Chanchan who was pouting. The other 3 boys looked at each other before leaving the room quietly.

- Hum?

- Lay Zhang. Why are you calling him Little Zeus? Why does he have a nickname?

- Well... he has some common traits with Zeus, so he's little Zeus and... you have a nickname too and...

- It's just that... You went to him on the field, you went to him in the nurse office and... I didn't know you guys were that close.

Baekhyun snorted and turned to look at the jock.

- So what? You left me bleeding and broken on the field to go with Kim Ye Jin! Why? I didn't know you guys were that close!

Chanyeol felt his face becoming all red.

- Well... we're not... But Ye Jin pushed me out of the pole way. I'm safe because of her.

Because of her?? Ye Jin pushed him away?? That moron! He had used the golden whistle for him, lost his life force, almost died and became a demon and he thought that he owes his life to that !! Baekhyun was already opening his mouth to explain when the unmistaken smell of sulfur invaded his nostrils.

- What is wrong with the air con? Whispered Chanchan getting up and looking at the device. Why is it suddenly so hot?

Sulfur and suffocating hot hair only meant one thing: Hellhound!

Baekhyun sat up on his bed and got up. Not again!

- I... I need to go... I can't stay...I...

He quickly went to the door and Chanchan rushed after him, holding his arm.

- Even if you're fine, I don't think you should be running around like that. You...

- I... I need to get out. I have to contact my... friend...and... I had a life before you too Park Chanyeol! Leave me alone!

He pushed him away and left quickly, almost like he was fleeing.

*********

There was a hellhound after Chanchan... no, after Park Chanyeol. His mother was right - that actually bothered Baekhyun a lot to admit- but he needed to stay away from him, for his own protection. Baekhyun's pace got faster as he tried to get away from the hospital.

When did Park Chanyeol became so important to him that staying away from him would trouble him so? And even more strange, were they even that close that the jock even picked up his essence? How should he save him? He needed him to be protected while he was busy with Little Zeus... By the way, something was not right about this either: as per Mount Olympus, the boy he needed to save was Loey, Little Zeus real name was Lay Zhang... well he did explained he was form China and his birth name was Zhang Yixing but... was Loey an alias? Like Little Zeus's friend named Kai but his real name was Kim Jong In, the same for D.O and Suho too...

Then why would they give him an alias? Were the Morai trying to screw him over? He grunted. That would not have surprised him at all but no way Zeus, his parents and even Theseus will lie to him. The person he needed to save was Loey and he was 95% sure that it was Little Zeus... but again, his name was Lay Zhang...

Baekhyun stopped at intersection and pulled on his silver hair. ! Everything was getting so complicated. The mortal realm was so complicated, South Korea was so complicated, Seoul was so complicated... and he was so ing lost... Where the hell was he now? He looked up and down and scratched his head.

- My mom said that a gentleman should always his friend to his door step.

Baekhyun retained a yelp and almost threw a fist in Park Chanyeol's smiling face.

- What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you following me??

- You reacted like a normal person!! I wanted to scare you to see if you can keep your cool, but you're a sacredly cat! He said, laughing.

Baekhyun did not know how to react to that. He wanted to punch Chanyeol for scaring him but he also wanted to laugh with him... Byun Baekhyun! You need to stay away from him!

He turned away, continuing to walk, lips in a tight line.

- Is everything okay? Chanyeol asked after a while, making him turned to look at him.

- What? Why are you asking?

- Well, you're lost right? But, ... why do I have a feeling that you are running away from me? Why didn't you just come for me?... Why don't you use me when you need me?...  맙소사! (Mapsosa. Oh, my God!) Are you still mad at me?

Baekhyun finally stopped to look at the guy that had a panic gaze on his face.

- No, I am not mad at you Park Chanyeol. I actually have no right to be mad at you. No right at all. We have met each other like... 3 weeks ago?! So you don't own me anything and you can go with Kim Ye Jin anytime you want!

He felt good saying that because Chanchan leaving with Ye Jin this morning actually had bothered him a lot. He didn't like the pretty cheerleader. Not at all. And now that he remembered that Chanchan had taken his food away to give to that made him hate the girl even more. He stopped in front of a park, disturbed. Why the hell should he care about that? He have been bullying the poor guy into buying him food, treating him like a slave, like he was Zosime replacement on earth. He...

- 가자! (Gaja. Let's go)

The sudden hand yanking on his left him speechless, that's the only reason Baekhyun let himself pulled away from by Chanyeol. He did regain some of his composure after a while, he could have taken away his hand - Chanyeol was not holding that tight - he could have demanded him to take him back, he could have done all of that, but he only asked.

- 어디로? (eodilo? Where are we going)?

Hands still entwined, Chanyeol turned to him with that contagious smile that he was getting used to.

- Let's go for some ice cream. 

 

 

"You have to keep breaking your heart until it opens"