Suzy was near the vending machine eating a chocolate bar. Her dream still shook her. It seemed so real. “Hey.”A voice called, making her flinch. She looked up and saw that it was Lay with a concerned look in his soft, gentle brown eyes. He had his hands buried in his pockets and he smiled uneasily. “Hey, oppa.”She said cheerfully. “Suji-yah, don’t lie to me. You’re scared.”He replied bluntly. She was flustered. “How did he know?”She thought. “No, I am not.”She lied with a tight, fake smile plastered on her face. She bit her lower lip. It was a difficult tell but people who knew her knew that.

“Liar. I know it when you you’re telling a lie, Suji-yah. You always bite your lower lip when you do so.”Lay said a matter-of-factly. She blushed. “Yes, oppa. I am scared. But there’s nothing anyone can do about it. I am turning 20 in a matter of three days and the decisions I make will either save or destroy Olympus.”Suzy said. “I know I can’t help in this matter, but I am a great listener. I can be your shoulder to cry on.”He smiled. She melted.

“He’s so adorable.”She thought dreamily. She then flinched in surprise. “Bae Suji, snap out of it. You need to prepare for a war, not drool over cute guys who are your cousins.”She chided. “Oppa, I need to go prepare but thanks for the offer.”She smiled. She then walked away. “Wait.”Lay yelled but by then, she was out of earshot.  “I love you.” he whispered softly.

-

“Crap.”Suzy cursed under her breath. Their spy had just informed them that Kronos’ army had regrouped and was now 5 times bigger than their own. “Can’t we recruit some more demigods?”Piper asked. “In three days? Get your head out of the clouds, McLean.”Krystal said skeptically. “Krystal, don’t fight during this time.”Tao reprimanded. Krystal was about to say something when Suzy got up. “There is one way.” she said. “What is it, Suzy?”Kai asked.

“The curse of Achilles.”She said flatly, making everyone look at her questionably. “Are you crazy? It will kill you.”Krystal yelled. “I almost lost you once. I am not going to lose you again, Bae Suji.”Kai said. “It’s the only option left. And since I am the strongest, it’s only appropriate that I do it.”She said as her shoulders shrugged. “No, I won’t let you.”A voice called. “Who said that?”Suzy asked. “I did.”Lay said, stepping out from his usual quiet corner.

“Oppa, didn’t you hear me? It can kill.”She yelled. Lay nodded. “I am fully aware of the consequences, Suji-yah. Didn’t I tell you-”He was interrupted by a bear hug from the former. “Thank you, oppa but I won’t let you. You’re an asset in this war.”She whispered. Lay broke away and held her by the shoulders. “So are you, Su. And besides, I’ll do this a thousand times for you; the one I love.”Lay grinned as she blushed.

Kai clenched his fists in jealousy but he was comforted by the fact that she had chosen neither of them as of yet. “I’ll take you there, hyung.”He said grudgingly. “Thank you, Jong in.”Lay smiled. Kai smiled back but he was contemplating to leave him there back in the Underworld. “No, I can’t do that. As much as I want to, I can’t.” he thought, shaking his head.

“Hold my hand, hyung.”Kai said as he offered his hand to Lay. The older man looked at him and then grabbed his hand. “Are you sure that you want to do this?”Kai asked. Lay nodded. “For everything and everyone I love.”He said, smiling at the daughter of Zeus who had tear-filled eyes. Kai gritted his teeth but he had to think about Olympus now. His own personal problems will have to come later.

In a few minutes, they disappeared into thin air. In a few minutes, they had reached Hades’ palace. Lay looked around in wonder. “How did you do that?”Lay asked. “Shadow travel. A huge perk of being a son of Hades.”Kai smirked. They entered the palace where they saw Demeter and Hades on their respective thrones bickering. Persephone was rubbing her temples in frustration.

“You could’ve married any god of your choice, Persephone. But no! You had to eat that stupid pomegranate.”Demeter said, rolling her eyes at her brother and son-in-law, Hades. “Demeter, I am being really patient. Don’t push me any further.”Hades growled. “Please. I can take you down in a fight anytime, little brother.”Demeter taunted. “Oh, really? Then, let’s see.”Hades got up, his sword in hand. Demeter got up as well, murmuring a Greek curse which would probably make Hades into a tree.

Just then, Persephone saw the two demigods. “Mother, husband. We have visitors.”Persephone said gently as she smiled at her stepson. Kai smiled back at her. Lay sighed in wistful jealousy. “I wish Amphitrite was like that.”He thought. The two stopped their fight and looked at the two demigods. “Ah, my son Jongin.”Hades smiled. Kai was his favorite, although he never made it obvious. Then he looked over at Lay with disdain. “Yixing.”He said flatly. No one couldn’t really blame him. The guy was fighting with his son over a girl and naturally, he favored his own kid.

“Lord Hades.”Lay said politely as he knelt on the ground in respect to the Lord of the Underworld. “Such good manners.”Demeter cooed. “Quiet.”Hades yelled. Demeter glared at him. “Mother!”Persephone chided with a whisper. Hades then turned back and looked at the two. “What do you two want?”He asked. “Permission to take the curse of Achilles, Lord.”Lay said nervously. He always was afraid of the god. There was something about his crazily intense glare which made him shiver.

Hades looked at the son of Poseidon in surprise. “Are you nuts?”He asked. “No, my Lord. Just desperate.”Lay countered. Hades sighed. “Very well, then. Do it but I hope that you know the consequences.”His intense gaze seemed to pierce Lay’s skull. “Yes, I do. Thank you, Lord.” he smiled uneasily at Hades as he bowed once again to the three gods and walked outside the ‘safe’ walls of the Palace. Kai was about to follow Lay when his father stopped him.

“Jongin, stay.”Hades ordered. Kai looked at his father quizzically. “Why did you bring him here?”His father asked. Kai shrugged.  “To be honest, I am not really sure myself. I have thought about leaving him here to wander around with the souls of the damned, but then I can’t.”He admitted. “Why not, son?”Hades asked, his face twitching with amusement. “Suzy, I guess. She’ll never forgive me if I do that.”Kai sighed.

“Just follow your heart, dear. And you’ll be sure to win her heart.”Persephone smiled. “Thank you, mother.”Kai said as he bowed to the three gods and turned around to catch up with the son of Poseidon. “Young love. Remember, Persephone?”Hades asked with a cheesy grin, making his wife blush. “Yuck.”Demeter muttered as she rolled her eyes at them.

-

Kai and Lay sailed across the River Styx. Lay grimaced at the rubbish swirling around in the polluted river. There was a variety of stuff in the water; broken toys, torn up diplomas, CDs etc. The river was a scrapheap of unfulfilled and broken dreams and memories. “My mom would have had a heart attack seeing this.”Lay thought, shivering. “Hyung, are you getting cold feet?”Kai asked. “No, I am fine. Just thinking about my mom.”Lay smiled uneasily.

“What do I have to do?”Lay asked. “Take a dip and survive. Simple.”Kai instructed. Lay nodded. He said a small prayer and dived into the water. He gasped in pain. It was unbearably excruciating. He wanted to scream out in pain but even that was impossible. The water had made it impossible for him to yell or talk for that matter. Every part of his body felt like it was burning in Hell’s fires. He wanted to give up. He wanted to close his eyes, sink into the river’s depths and die.

But then something stopped him. He had heard a giggle. A familiar giggle. Memories flashed through his mind. He saw the same flawless beauty. He observed her innocently striking blue-grey eyes, her luscious lips, her gorgeous smile, her laugh, her kind and loyal personality and her skills one by one. He remembered their accidental kiss. He remembered the stupid, embarrassing way he confessed to her. A newfound strength came over him. The pain was still present but it was bearable. He swam back up to the surface and was helped back up on the boat by a shocked Kai.

“You made it.”He said flatly. Lay gasped for air. “Yeah, I did.” he grinned, breathing in and out. “Let’s go now. Suzy must be waiting for us.”Kai smiled as they rowed across the river. They landed on the river’s dock where they had gotten out and they shadow traveled back home. As soon as they reached, Suzy greeted them both with a hug. She then hit them both. They yelped in pain. “Do you two know what kind of ordeal you put me through? I was so worried. Don’t you ever do that again.”She cried. The two smiled at each other and hugged the young girl. “We promise.”They said.

-

*October 10^th, 2014*

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Suzy. Happy birthday to you.”They all sang as Suzy blew out the candles on her birthday cake. Cheers followed. “Did you make your wish?”Krystal asked with a giggle. Suzy smiled and nodded, though it was obvious what her wish was. They all were trying to make the birthday as enjoyable as possible before the war started. The citizens of Seoul were still leading a normal life but soon they would all drift off to a peaceful sleep while they fought with the Titans and their army.

Just then, they all shuddered. They looked down at the streets. Everyone who wasn’t a half-blood was in deep slumber. The demigods looked at one another and hugged each other for possibly the last time. The war had begun.