Chapter 3

“Persephone?!” Youngjae almost shouted, he glanced around at the boys quickly and cleared his throat.  “As in Hades wife?”

“I’m surprised you have heard of me,” Persephone smiled, a slight smirk forming at the left side of .  “I hope all good things.”

“I like to know a little bit about everything,” Youngjae blushed some, biting his bottom lip and casting his eyes to the floor.

“Well, tell us,” Himchan said, pushing Youngjae in the arm, to get his attention.

“You guys don’t know anything about Greek Mythology?” Youngjae looked at each one.  They all had heard about Hercules but other than that, they all shook their heads.  “It’s a lot of stuff to talk about; maybe I’ll explain it to you guys later.  As for right now, I’m starving.”

Once Youngjae had mentioned anything about being hungry, the other guys rubbed their stomachs whining about being hungry as well, Zelo sticking his bottom lip out in a very convincing pout toward the girls.  Persephone chuckled while the smallest girl giggled, her dark auburn hair moving a bit from the action; the other two girls rolled their eyes as they made their way around the kitchen, the boys sitting at the table.

The guys watched the girls closely as they prepared food for them.  The boys had offered to help, but since they had just come back from the dead thing, Persephone decided it would be better if they just sat with her at the table and talk.

However, the boys didn’t stay in their seats for long; Persephone smirking a bit watching the boys hurry over of the stove from her perch at the head of the table.  The aroma of the spaghetti sauce and noodles cooking quickly made the boys crowd around the stove, irritating the two taller girls.  Being the smallest of the girls, Tai easily stepped out of the way, letting the boy’s crowd, a slight pout on her lips.  The tallest of the girls, Vanessa smacked as Zelo’s had when he tried to snatch up a roll that was fresh from the oven, sending a glare his way, her pale green eyes piercing from the annoyance.

“It’s still hot,” Vanessa scolded, trying to shoo them away, her curly ginger hair bouncing when she tried to shove a few of them.

“But I’m hungry,” Zelo whined, a pout forming on his lips as he glanced at Yongguk to help him out.

“I am too, but maybe we should let the girls do their thing,” Yongguk smiled and ruffled the boys hair.

“If you don’t sit down, then no dinner,” Natalie stated flipping her strawberry blonde hair behind her shoulder, resting her other hand on her hip.

The boys bowed an apology and rushed back to the table, Himchan almost colliding with Tai, who held a spatula close in front of her, like it would protect her.  A slight blush had formed across her face when he grabbed her shoulder gently, to steady himself.  An embarrassed smile formed on his face and he side stepped her quickly to sit next to Yongguk and Daehyun, both nudging him from the event.  He just shook his head and shrugged.

Persephone made sure the girls made it as fast as they could since a few of the boys looked like they would start eating the napkins soon.  Surprisingly, they waited for everyone to have a plate before four of the boys started to dig in, shoveling food into their mouths.  Yongguk and Youngjae were the only two that after a few, more civilized bites set their sights on Persephone.

Persephone sat back in her chair watching them.  She seemed to be amused by how hungry the boys where.  She, nor the other girls, had a plate, which struck Youngjae as weird.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Youngjae asked, putting his fork down.

“I ate earlier, and they don’t eat human food,” Persephone said as she waved her hand the girls, who were lined up by the stove.  “They aren’t exactly human.”

From that phrase, the other four boys slowed their shoveling and glanced to the girls then back to Persephone.

“Aren’t human?” Yongguk asked, creasing his brow a bit.  “What are they then?”

“Furies,” Persephone smiled, glancing to Youngjae as she did.

“Furies?” Youngjae almost chocked on the water he was drinking.  “But I thought they help souls reach the underworld and they also punish the bad ones?”

“That’s correct,” Persephone’s smile deepened and she leaned forward, placing her chin on her clasped hands, intrigued by their reactions.

The boys were silent.  They weren’t sure how to take what they just heard.

“I’d like to know if each of you remembers how you died?” Persephone broke the silence, making Daehyun jump a bit.

“When we first woke up, we didn’t,” Yongguk started, glancing around the table quickly.  “But I think we all saw something in that room or at least I did.”

“What did you see?” Persephone stared into Yongguk’s dark eyes with her light brown ones.  Even the three girls seem to lean forward a bit to listen.

“I remembered I was outside of a bank,” Yongguk started, swallowing hard, his Adams apple bobbing a bit, before he began again.  “There was a kid running from the building, followed by four men.  I think I tried to stop two of them, but my head started to hurt too much when I tried to remember more.”

“And the rest of you,” Persephone sat back, slouching in the chair, eyes shifting between each boy.  “What do you remember?”

“I remember there being a kid with me, too,” Youngjae stated, looking at Yongguk with wide eyes.  “But I don’t think he was there when I died.  I remember being on an operating table.  I think that’s where I died.”

“That’s so weird,” Himchan grabbed Youngjae’s shoulder quickly, making everyone look at him.  “I think there was a fire and I had seen Daehyun on the floor with a kid near him crying.”

“Did we all see the little boy?” Zelo ask, before he started to cough; Jongup smacked his back a few times to dislodge the food the younger boy didn’t swallow full before speaking.  “That kid gave me water and I think I died from it.  It had a bad taste to it and the next thing I remember was waking up in the morgue.”

“And I saw him run in the middle of the road and I think I was hit by a car when I tried to save him,” Jongup stated, still patting Zelo’s back.

“Do you know who the boy could have been?” Himchan snapped his gaze toward Persephone.

The woman thought for a bit.  The boys nervously glancing between each other, Zelo and Himchan started to fidget as they waited for an answer.  They started to panic a bit when they saw Persephone flag the three girls over and they talked in a low tone, the guys straining to hear; Himchan almost crawling across the table to listen.

The girls whispered with each other some, glancing at the boys a few times.  Himchan started to chew on his finger nails while Zelo was chewing on his bottom lip.  Daehyun flicked his tongue over his lips nervously and Youngjae started to rip his napkin into small pieces.  Yongguk was the only able to keep his composure, but he did watch the girls intently.

“Well,” Persephone stated as she sat back, the girls taking their posts at the stove.  “I don’t think the boy was a good omen.  But I’m not sure who has the power to change destiny, or project themselves that way.  The Gods do disguise themselves when they come to earth sometimes, but none of them come in a form of a child.”

“So if we find out who this kid is,” Daehyun asked quickly before any other boys could speak.  “Will we find out who killed us?”

“I don’t know if we will ever figure out who the child was,” Persephone frowned a bit.  “The whole situation has made a big stir in the Underworld and at Mt. Olympus, that whoever did disguise themselves as the child, would be a fool to do so again.  I think we should focus on other questions that maybe I can answer.”

“Okay, I have one,” Zelo raised his hand quickly.  “Why do we all have the same hair color?  I mean we are all Korean but we have blonde hair, and mine is all natural.  I’m thinking it’s the same for them as well.  Wait, I know I’m speaking Korean and I can tell that you are speaking in a different language; how can we understand each other?”

“Well, even though you asked two questions,” Persephone smiled and patted the boy on the head.  “I can answer both with one answer; you all share the same father.”

“WHAT?!” they all shouted quickly, making the older female jump a bit.  The reaction seemed to startle the furies as well, they took a step closer as if to guard Persephone.

“The father you all share is Zeus,” Persephone waved the girls off and stared back at the boys.

“This has to be a joke,” Jongup said, standing slowly.  “My mother and father are happily married and I have two older brothers.”

“Do you show any resemblance to your brothers?” Persephone asked, watching the younger boy.

“They look our father and I take after my mother,” Jongup said, his voice guarded like he knew what she was going to get to next.

“Just because your parents are happily married and love each other, doesn’t mean you six aren’t brothers,” Persephone said, a smirk starting to form on the side of .

“So are you trying to say my mother cheated?” Jongup asked, anger starting to coat his voice.  Zelo rested a hand on Jongup’s arm, trying to calm the boy.  Jongup gently pushed Zelo’s hand off of him, not wanting to take his anger out on the younger.

“Zeus can be… persuasive at times,” Persephone stated in a gentle voice.  “That subject is something to bring up to Zeus himself or your mom, if you ever get the chance.”

“Will we ever be able to see our family again?” Zelo asked, his eyes growing a bit wide as he thought about his family.

“I can’t see the future,” Persephone frowned a little from the look in the boy’s eyes; Jongup taking his seat again, the anger gone from his face.  “It all depends on the rules the Fates put in place for you boys.  Everyone you used to know thinks you all are dead.  Even if they see you, they won’t recognize who you are.  It’s the only way to keep us God’s safe.  Yes you learn about the mythology, but the world would go nuts if they knew it was all true.”

“If our father is a God but our mothers are human does that make us Demi-gods?” Youngjae scratched the side of his head.

“What?! Like Hercules?” Zelo shouted, dancing in his chair.

“You could say so,” Persephone laughed from Zelo’s reaction.  “I can’t say what powers you boys will have, but don’t let that all go to your heads.  You are still human, you can still die.”

“How do we know what powers we have?” Himchan asked, seeming to become just as excited at Zelo.

“It will come to you in time,” Persephone stated, but she lost the smile on her face and looked at the boys seriously.  “There is more at stake than learning your powers.  Hades wants me to watch you boys.  He still doesn’t trust you, and frankly I don’t know what is up Zeus’s sleeve.  There might be a lot of people out to get you boys.  Whether it be evil forces or good, either way, you need to lay low and not bring attention to yourselves.  You can still die, and if you boys do die this time; I don’t think there is any way of bringing you back.”

Zelo lost the excitement in his eyes and Himchan sat back in his chair looking defeated.  They all knew that the situation was serious, but they needed something to look forward to or they might not be able to endure what their imaginations thought up.

“Also,” Youngjae piped in, seeming to lighten the mood in the room.  “If Zeus is our father, then we are related to you?”

“How are we related to her?” Daehyun turned to Youngjae, curiosity covering his face.

“Well, that’s hard to explain too,” Youngjae shifted his eyes to Persephone for help, and pouted a bit when she grinned but kept quiet.  “Well, Zeus is Persephone’s father and her mother is Demeter.  But Zeus and Demeter are siblings, so Zeus is also her uncle.  So, she’s our sister and cousin at the same time.”

All the boys stared at Youngjae, confusion pulling at the features as they tried to piece out what all he had just said.

“And my husband is also my uncle,” Persephone chimed in, the boys shocked faces snapping in her direction, their mouths starting to hang open.  “Welcome to the family.”