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Emptiness filled the gaps of her pillars– Persephone, the goddess who was cursed to never bore a child. Living amidst the unknown, craving for one story, Persephone had no idea about anything close to her own ‘end’, she had her own assumptions, but expectations? Who knows.
Yet somehow, one being– a singularity, changed something within her soul. A child who she never thought she’d grow to love and care for, a child that caught her husband’s attention.
“If it wasn’t for Hades… I wonder if I will still be given the opportunity to witness this world’s end.” She whispered while watching the children play in a park near her.
Losing your beloved, was a kind of pain akin to death. No, it was death himself. How ironic is it that the man who was once the ruler of the dead, was ruled by death instead? The aching sensation of getting your wings torn apart, the numbness of being left alone in a story she has no clue about its ending.
Persephone has always lived alone with her husband, where the darkest nights existed. But now… The feeling of being truly alone consumed her entire being.
‘I feel… Alone’
“Strange, isn’t it?” An unfamiliar voice from behind spoke abruptly. Persephone was quick to look around, yet there was no one.
“Who are you?” With panic forced hidden, she tried to look for the source of the voice again.
“You will never see me, ‘Queen of the Darkest Spring’. Or should I say… ‘Persephone’?” The voice sure was filled with arrogance, yet the tone seemed to sound unclear to her. Is he being sarcastic? A threat, perhaps?
“Reveal yourself!”
“Did you know how much curse was put on your soul? Unimaginable. Quite unlucky, eh?”
“What are you talking about?” She remained still and looked at an empty space with a glare, her heart beating loudly– If she had one.
“The world hates you so much that you’ve lost everything. Your grace, your power, your authority, your husband. Your home.” Every single world stuck like a blade pierced her chest, causing her to close her eyes at once.
“Who are you?!”
“No why… Well actually, I came here to tell you something interesting.” Deceit. That was what her system told her again and again.
She’s about to get deceived. But why… does she feel the need to listen further?
“You want it too, don’t you? You want something, a false hope, a chance. Tell me, do you want to live your life again?” The voice became serious, as if telling her to listen intently.
With that question, Persephone looked down at her hands. Cold and empty. What a pity.
“I’m living.”
“You are barely ‘living’.”
‘Then… How am I supposed to live my life again? With no regrets?’ She thought to herself, feeling both shame and restlessness.
“I will give you a chance to live again, but– as a mortal, this time. You can even have your husband back.” Her head immediately shot back up to the empty space that she was staring at before.
“What do you mean?”
“Exactly as what I have said. You can live with him again. You can even… have ‘that’ child again.” With the tone of the voice, Persephone was sure that he’s smirking.
She knew that it was a dangerous bet, but what can a woman who’s living cruelly, tied in the past, with an indeterminate ending of her own– do in front of a tempting offer?
Of course she’d take it. Just one chance.
Seeing a face you have longed to glance at again for so long was a feeling Persephone could not quite grasp, he may have had taken on different faces in the past, but one thing’s for sure– This is her husband.
Hades. Standing in front of her. Taking on a form of skin and flesh.
He’s alive.
Persephone couldn’t handle her own emotions and immediately ran close to him, clinging into his body; he now had a heart that she could always listen to.
A beating heart of his own.
No words from her, mixtures of surprised gasps and relieved sighs could be heard now and then, which made the man look at her with a puzzled face.
“Darling, why are you crying? Was moving in together a bit of a rush for us? Are you perhaps regretting your choice to marry me?” He cupped her face and wiped away the tears that made her vision blurred, holding her gently.
Although it was clear that Hades was concerned about her, he could never hide his worried face– about Persephone changing her mind and leaving him behind.
“No, no, I’m just so happy… That we’re now married and we’re finally living together, sorry.” She wiped her own tears too and started laughing it off, making Hades look at her with relief.
“I’m glad. I’m overjoyed too.” Hades wrapped his arms around her and started stroking her hair, both of them wrapped themselves in a tight embrace as they closed their eyes and whispered sweet nothings with each other.
‘This is… living.’
Before accepting the offer, the voice gave her details that she must remember. A few of it even sounded absurd as he continued talking, nevertheless, she chose to agree to it without any questions asked.
One of it is that; She would be able to go to a world where Hades and her had just gotten married as a long-time couple, Hades wouldn’t remember anything about being the ruler of the underworld. They are simply living as humans.
It was already enough for Persephone to get swayed, enough to persuade her and agree to it. A chance finally appeared in front of her, who would be foolish enough to decline it?
“And as for ‘that’ child… Well, just see it for yourself.”
It has been three days since Persephone got transported into this world– with no scenarios. Living alongside her husband without the burden of being a constellation, more so, ruling over the dead– is quite a bliss.
“How about this one? Do you think it suits our bed?” Hades looked back at her and raised the bedsheet on display, colored gray with some minimal design.
Due to the sudden change of her surroundings, Persephone was having a hard time adjusting for her new life. She’s been spacing out a lot of times, and even frowning to herself– Hades noticed. And so, the man that he is, he decided to take her out for a few dates since it is still the beginning of their marriage.
Which is why they are out now, shopping at the mall.
“Oh, whatever is fine, darling. It suits you.” Persephone smiled back and was about to hold the bedsheet when he raised it up all of a sudden. It made her look at him with confusion.
“It suits me? This is for us. Persephone, can you tell me what is bothering you? You’ve been acting… different, I just chose to not say anything about it since it might be because you are still adjusting. But, now I’m sure it isn’t. Hmm? What is our problem?” Hades put the bedsheet back to its rack and then walked towards her direction.
He had the most gentle face, yet it was tainted with worry and uncertainty. It made her feel guilty about her actions, which made her lightly touch the other one’s cheek.
“I’m sorry for making you worried, it will pass. I promise. I just… can’t process things, but it’s not because of you.”
An unforgettable moment. Finally, the emptiness was now replaced by the familiar intimacy.
She’s finally home.
A few months later, both of them are now living the best of their lives. With the two having been in love since ‘high-school’, but it was a different story for Persephone. And one day, when they finally decided to talk about having a child, their answers were both the same.
“Then, should we go to an adoption center?” Persephone asked as they were preparing themselves to go out.
“Mhm, whatever means is fine with me.”
When they arrived at the subway station, the busy people walking here and there greeted their eyes. It was a busy day for the people, yet the noises were kept minimal. Since they both just started working themselves, they could only afford a house. Persephone has heard Hades apologize to her a few times now because he apparently couldn’t give her the luxury to escort her with a car, to which she laughed off and responded with ‘It’s fine’.
But god was it a coincidence that Persephone saw a very familiar child in the middle of the crowd? Is this what ‘that’ voice meant when he said that she must see it for herself? Because if her fate decided on to take this path, then she’d gladly welcome it.
The child is sitting with his school uniform still on.
Kim Dokja.
Words were not necessary at that moment when Hades noticed where she was looking, he immediately knew what his wife wanted. Persephone wanted to take care of that child.
And by the time that they approached that child, he also knew that it would be a path that they’d come to love, for sure. But then he wondered, why does his heart ache so painfully whenever he looks at this child’s eyes?
Was it pity for the innocent one, or for himself? Who knows.
“I’m Ki– Dokja. My name is Dokja.” It was evident that the child was nervous about introducing himself, since he was fidgeting a lot. Even his hands were shaking nonstop. The only response that the couple did was to smile at him– Persephone, at most.
“Yes, you are Dokja. And from now on, you will be living with us, in this house. You can call me mo– no… whatever you like.” She went near him and clasped his hands, telling him that he is very much welcome. Hades caught that last line but chose to ignore anyway, he understood why she stopped herself from saying more.
Because he himself was also scared of it.
What if that child chooses to leave them once he starts missing his parents back? What if that child would never call them with anything close to that of what they call a parental figure?
What if Dokja… doesn’t like them at all?
But those thoughts were immediately dismissed after a week of living together as a family, because one breakfast was all it took for Hades to completely forget about his worries.
“Good morning, mother and father.” The small voice of a child upstairs, unsure whether to walk down to them or to hide with embarrassment.
Persephone and Hades looked at each other with surprised expressions, it was an unexpected thing. Neither of the two of them even thought about a day that they could hear their son call them like that. It was… fulfilling. As if a great burden was lifted from their backs.
Persephone finally had the urge to call to ‘that’ voice and somehow thank him.
For everything.
And their little family would grow together, they would stay with each other through ups and downs. There were times when the three of them were uncertain and were not good at communicating their thoughts, yet they would always end up talking it out anyway.
Dokja would grow. Hades and Persephone would be able to see him grow from a child to a teenager to that of an adult man. They would be able to attend his graduations, they would be able to participate as a family on every family day events, they would celebrate his birthday every single year, they would be able to earn a lot from their business enough to sustain his future, they would be able to send him to serve the military, they would be able to go to the beach on some summer vacations, they would be able to buy him his favorite books, and a lot more things that the three of them could possibly enjoy.
They would be able to live alongside each other.
Dokja wasn't alone, he was simply a reader.
And when he finally became an adult, old enough to manage himself, he decided to talk to them about something.
“Mom, I want to travel around. I… know that you have been thinking about letting me inherit your business but I just don’t think that it is for me.” Dokja gave them a smile, one that expects disappointment to punch him in the face.
“Of course we would never force you… but you want to leave us?” Persephone looked at her husband at once, asking him for help.
“No, it’s not like that. I will never leave you, I just want to go out on my own. Something like exploring the world. ” He said again, but with pleading eyes this time.
“Hades, help me. I know he’s an adult now but what if he meets some shady man and then abducts him? What now?”
“He’ll be fine, let him be.”
“See? Thank you dad!”
But oh well, Hades might have said that out of his impulse to test his own son, but he’s the one stressing over his well-being.
“I’m worried about that child.” He said as he clasped his two hands together, with his chin on top of it.
“But you were the one who sent him out.” Persephone said while staring at her phone– conversing with her son through the phone.
Dokja: Mom! I’m having so much fun, it’s so great! I’ll bring you and dad here some time.
Persephone: Aw you look so cute dear, send me everything okay? Your dad is worried over here.
Persephone: Sent a photo.
Dokja: Is he frowning while sitting at the dining table?? HAHAHAHAHA
It was a life worth living. Persephone is no longer alone. Hades is no longer alone. Dokja is no longer alone. A life where three souls were fated to grow together.
“She’s living her life… hm? Good for her.”