Chapter Text
Dokja is currently in the Underworld.
There are no classes because the mortal realm is having their summer vacation and Hyunsung, who teared up when he informed Dokja, will go with his grandfather to some other place for the entire vacation, visiting a relative who got sick. Dokja had to hug him through it, and gave Hyunsung lots of books (and he can read by himself now! Judge-ahjussi helped him with his dyslexia!) and some toys. He even gave Hyunsung’s grandfather stuff too, like ginseng and modern medicine.
Sangah is out of the country. London, it seems. Her older cousin is getting married and they have to stay there, too, and she looks really upset about not seeing them.
Dokja loves his friends.
Sangah and Dokja just promised they will read books from where they are and recommend it to each other when they meet again.
He misses them. He calls them, texts them and even video calls them when the time is right but he misses them. He misses playing basketball with Hyunsung and reading next to Sangah. He misses sleeping next to them when they nap after eating. But they all lead different lives, which is healthy, according to the Internet. Having hobbies outside of one's relationships is heavily recommended.
So, Dokja puts on his big boy pants and lives his own life, too.
Right now, he's trying to understand how the Underworld really works.
He understands the responsibilities they have; helping souls to reincarnate or if they need to repent more. They also handle taking those souls from mortal realms. Their responsibilities is the reason why Zeus and Poseidon have work (Dionysus-hyung's words, not his). He understands these, but understanding and experiencing them are two different things.
When he grows up, and he decides to be the King, he's going to replace his father. Which is a weird concept. His dad is a great king. Everybody loves him, and they think he should have been the one in Zeus’ place (Dionysus-hyung's words again, not his) and his dad loves doing it, too, genuinely enjoys it, even, and taking it from him doesn't feel right. But he never tells this to his dad or to anyone – he knows what he'll hear; you're not taking it from him, he's giving it to you because his dad loves him more than he loves being the King of the Underworld. Dokja doesn't want to take it from his father, though but he also wants to work for the Underworld. He loves it here, and not just because this is home, but because this place is amazing and lovely and the creatures are kind and he hopes others can feel it, too.
But that's for the future. Dokja is ten . For now, he doesn't need to do anything except to be a good boy and learn.
“ – and that's it. The souls will reincarnate just like that.” Hades finishes. “It's a lot to take in, no need to take it seriously for now.”
Dokja nods, because it does . People live. People die. It's a cycle. But there's this section in between those, where there is love, sadness, joy, sacrifices and regrets. Life is what you call it. He realises that's why a lot of gods and demigods alike want to be human. Memories, emotions, ups and downs, most of all, love . Persephone and Hades love each other, they do, but they are anomalies, not the norm, and it is not easy to find creatures you can love in this place. Power is much more important than love, more than anything, and most of them, that is what they seek.
That’s why the minority of them want to be human, because they believe humans are the only ones capable of love.
Not all the time, but it is humanity’s important essence, their core, where they centred their soul.
“Is it a lot, son?” Hades asks.
Dokja nods, dazed. “It’s just – well, it feels a bit weird that gods think humans are below them, but that is where they get the power they want to have so much.”
Hades smiles. “Yes, that’s correct. That’s why we give them the respect they deserve and do our job well. They are a bit complicated, but I have learned to love it. It's easy to do so.”
Dokja admires his father.
Hades carries Dokja as he glides through the corridors. It is time for lunch, it seems. The clock says so. There is no sun or moon and starts to indicate the time and it is a concept lost to Olympus.
Persephone, his mother, is there. Instructing everyone where to put what. Her flowers and Hades’ darkness listen to her. She turns her head to find Dokja and Hades already in the room. She beams at them, and the flowers and darkness seem to grow hands and cheerfully wave.
Dokja waves back.
“You're here,” Persephone sighs happily. “Come. Lunch is prepared. By the way, Dokja, how's the lessons with your father?”
Dokja tells her honestly and finishes it with, “And I love learning, Mom. Will Dad teach me throughout the summer?”
“I'll discuss it with your father, honey.”
Hades puts Dokja down on the chair and they all start eating. They laugh, giggle, and Hades and Persephone offer an amused ohh , and ahh when Dokja tells something. When they finish, Judge-ahjussi takes him for a nap, while his parents have to do their duties for the Underworld.
“Do you want to go to the mortal realm, Your Highness?” Judge-ahjussi asks, probably sensing Dokja is a bit upset.
Whether or not he's upset because he misses his parents or bored, Dokja doesn't know. He does pout, though, and says, “but there's nothing to do in there. My friends are out. I can play with you guys here. It would be better, too, what if Dad needs you?”
“My duty is to protect you, Your Highness, and I enjoy it as much as my other duties.” Judge-ahjussi tells Dokja, lightly. “I will go where you go.”
Dokja blinks, and he hugs the Judge's arm-like limb. “It’s hot in the mortal realm. Summer…” he trails off.
“Her Majesty is as much a Queen of Spring as the Underworld, Your Highness, she would help.”
Dokja hums. “Where do we go…?” he asks, as he closes his eyes.
“The park. The playground. Anywhere,” Judge-ahjussi whispers. “Sleep well, Your Highness.”
Dokja does.
When Dokja wakes up, the flowers of her mother help him change his clothes. Meticulously, and all that. Even Judge-ahjussi changed his form to something more human-like. He sees at least three Knights, a few flowers and some of his Dad's darkness when they're about to go to the mortal realm.
We're with you, his parents seem to say. We love you .
Dokja realises it isn't just his friends he needs to have a healthy boundary from.
The playground is fun.
He likes the slides, the swings, and the seesaw. He also plays with the sand. The darkness that came with him turns itself into a black dog who barks and chases him playfully. He goes back to the sand with Judge-ahjussi as they make a pitiful sand castle. Judge-ahjussi suddenly stops and turns its head to a particular direction. Not danger, the darkness or his mother's flowers would have handled it immediately before Judge-ahjussi reacted to it.
He turns his head and finds a girl. Same age as him, it seems. Her dark hair is tied up in a ponytail and she seems to be carrying a bucket and a small shovel. On her other hand is a little boy. Probably around five of six.
“Hello,” Dokja greets.
“That's a nice castle.” The girl says.
“Thank you.” He pauses. “Would you like to play with us?”
“Yes.” She answers without hesitation. “Are you a chaebol ?”
Dokja almost laughs. Hyunsung has told him about this. “If you'd like to call it that, sure.”
He's not rich . He's… just an adopted child of gods. Is that the same?
“You look like a chaebol .” The girl insists. “Name's Heewon.”
“Dokja.”
“Ah,” Heewon says. “Cool. This is my brother. We call him Tangerine. Because he likes to eat it.”
“That's a cute name.”
“Yeah. I named him.” She tells him proudly.
Judge-ahjussi is just looking at Heewon and Tangerine. He helps Heewon to sit next to them in the sand.
“What's your name, Ahjussi? Are you a butler?”
“Ahjussi is fine. And, yes. Yes, I am.” Judge-ahjussi answers as he helps Tangerine. Tangerine sits on his lap instead.
“I knew it. You're a chaebol .” Heewon accuses. And, “you don't look like an Ahjussi, Ahjussi.”
Dokja does think Judge-ahjussi today is quite young and handsome.
They built another sand castle. This time, just Dokja, Heewon and Tangerine. It's much pitiful than the one he built with Judge-ahjussi, but they still get rewarded with their efforts as Judge-ahjussi takes out some milkshake.
“ Chaebols have automatic milkshake makers or something? How did your butler pull that off?” Heewon asks incredulously. “Your dog looks cute, too. Can I pet it?”
“Sure.” Dokja answers, amused.
It's weird. He has the idea that Heewon is his friend now. Is that easy? To carve a space for someone?
“What’s your pet's name?”
“Darkness.”
Heewon frowns, Dokja can't help but laugh. “How edgy is that?”
It is. It is that easy.