Jieun never intended for Dahyun to find out about her encounter with Hades, but Youngjae didn’t keep his mouth shut. He called Jieun’s mother that same evening and told her everything, painting a sinister picture of Hades. It was no surprise Dahyun was overflowing with worry.

“Jieun! I told you to be careful!” she fussed. “How did he find you?”

“I don’t know. He appeared out of nowhere—I have no idea how he found me so suddenly.”

“You have to hide,” Dahyun urged. She put her hands on Jieun’s shoulders, beseechingly staring at her. “I don’t care where we have to take you, but that bastard won’t get his hands on you!”

“No. I won’t hide from him,” Jieun replied calmly, the very opposite of her frantic mother. “It’s not necessary.”

“Have you lost your mind?! He will trap you in the Underworld!”

“He won’t,” she answered, biting her lip. While she did not necessarily like him, she didn’t doubt his sincerity. “He promised he wouldn’t.”

“And you believed him?” Dahyun’s thoughts were written all over her face. “Hades would do anything to trick you. Don’t be foolish! You are the Goddess of Spring, do you have any idea what it would be like to be imprisoned in the Underworld? There are no seasons in Hades’ realm, it’s nothing more than a dead and barren land. You would be miserable.”

Jieun’s decision didn’t change. She knew what was at stake, and maybe she was foolish for tying her fate to a promise of Hades. But for some inexplicable reason, she was convinced she could put her faith in his words. He would never lie to her—she knew. How she knew remained a mystery. Maybe she had inherited this conviction from one of her previous reincarnations. And if this was the case, it had to be the truth.

“He’ll be your demise if we don’t act now! We must begin preparations for your wedding with Youngjae,” Dahyun decided.

Jieun’s heart clenched. She didn’t want to get married—now even less than before. Since there was a good chance she would not end up in Hades’ clutches, why agree to a loveless marriage? She didn’t return Youngjae’s feelings. She never would, but he was too blind to see it.

When the first rays of the morning sun broke through the clouds, Jieun was already awake. Her upset mind hadn’t allowed her to rest, thoughts circling her encounter with Hades and the peculiar deal he had proposed to her. She also felt bad about the dispute with her mother. Jieun loved her very much and disliked arguing with her.

To clear her mind, Jieun went for a walk. Since she lived at the edge of town, she was able to reach the forest within a few minutes. She walked straight into the greenery, the tree branches bowing respectfully and opening a path for her when she approached. The familiar smell of moss and wildflowers reached her nose. She smiled, gazing at the tree crowns where she spotted a few birds. Their cheerful chattering raised her spirits, and her heavy heart lightened. No matter how many times she came here, she would never tire of it. The Goddess of Spring shared a deep connection with all vegetation on the planet, and she enjoyed being as close to nature as possible.

Suddenly, the birds’ joyful songs died. Silence fell over the formerly vivacious forest. She sensed something odd, her body tensing up. Her jittery fingers curled around the edges of her jacket sleeves. She was no longer alone. When she looked over her shoulder, she noticed the shadowy silhouette of Hades between the trees. He studied her without speaking a word and approached her once she had noted his presence. She didn’t sense his frighteningly strong aura, merely saw wisps of smoke following in his wake.

“Hello, Jieun,” he said. His onyx eyes bore into her emerald ones. Something strange stirred in her chest, but she ignored it.

“What a pleasant surprise to meet you here,” she countered, tone dripping with sarcasm. “Awfully convenient. Are you stalking me?”

The corners of his mouth twitched. “No, I’m simply paying my favorite Goddess a visit.”

“You’re a smooth talker,” she snorted, disliking his exorbitant wording. He would have to try harder if he wanted to win her heart. Jieun preferred actions over words since they revealed more about a person’s intentions than words ever could.

“Are you here to flirt with me?”

“Among other things, yes. I told you I don’t plan on losing you.”

“You can’t lose someone who was never yours,” she retorted, her voice sharp as a knife. The poison in her gaze prompted him to stiffen slightly. “I know this is just a silly game to you, but I won’t be your toy. You can’t win, Hades.”

A hint of hurt crossed his face, but he hid it in a blink. “My name is Baekhyun. I would prefer you to use my real name and not my title as a God, Jieun.”

“I will call you Hades,” she insisted, “Because that’s who you are.”

Baekhyun’s onyx eyes dulled a little, enough to be noticeable. “I