“Um, is Lee HyoRi there?” I heard someone ask the teacher. “Oh, Miss Choi, it’s always a pleasure to have you here,” Mr Park said before turning to us. He gestured to the teenager by the door and said,” Class, this is Choi MiYeon, the principal’s only daughter. She helps with the guidance counsellor of the school. If you have any problems, you can approach her or the student council president.”

MiYeon smiled sheepishly and waved a bit to the class. Everyone had their attention on her. She was cute, according to a human’s point of view. She was kind of short and had hair curled at the ends. Her uniform fits her well and she looked responsible and kind. Just like how I first met her.

“Anyways, seonsaengnim, I have to talk to HyoRi-ssi,” MiYeon said respectfully. “Miss Lee, come here. You don’t have to worry about any activities because we won’t have any today. We’ll only discuss Matter and Energy. Please review that once you get home,” Mr Park said. I looked around and saw people whispering.

“I heard MiYeon-sunbae only calls for children who need help.”

“I knew she was weird.”

“What did that weird girl do on the first day of her schooling?”

I decided to ignore those comments. I don’t know why I feel affected but I decided to ignore it. Father taught me how to ignore other emotions such as sadness and regret when I was young. He told me if I lost control, my powers could be dangerous. I stood up and took my backpack with me when I went to the door.

“What is it?” I asked her in the most respectful tone I can do. She only smiled a bit at me. “Come with me. We have to talk about your… existence,” she said, leading the way. I hesitated on following her but my mind had other plans and made my feet move to her direction. “Where are we going?” I asked. “Guidance Office,” she answered timidly. “Why?” “Secret,” she said with a teasing smile.

We went through a lot of hallways decorated with stainless steel and silver. There were paintings of various gods and goddesses of various mythologies. There was a shield where the battle of Troy resides. There was even a sword below it. The floors were covered with black tiles. There were a few lockers which had their own spotlights. And finally, we reached a wooden door with a stained glass in the middle.

“This is the Guidance Office. This is where I talk to children with special cases when I was of the right age. Before, Minseok-oppa was the one explaining the rules to the children and before him, it was my father. And no, Minseok-oppa is not my brother but you’ll know about him later on when it’s dismissal. I can’t disturb him when he’s studying. He hates that,” she chuckled a bit after sharing that. She slowly turned the knob and opened the door.

Inside, there was a sofa at the side and two single-chaired couches. They were all brown. In the middle was a table with a fire flickering. It had a beautiful color. Maybe, it was around red or orange or yellow. There was a bookshelf at the left of the room. And near it was a picture hanged and I figured it was of MiYeon and her friends.

She went ahead and sat at the sofa and patted her side. “Close the door and sit beside me. I’ll explain things you need to know about XOXO,” MiYeon smiled at me. I was actually compelled to sit beside her and listen to what she has to say. “Did you do this to the other students?” I asked as I closed the door. She shook her head. “Usually, Suho-oppa does that because he’s in charge but I handle the special cases,” MiYeon explained.

“Special cases? What do you mean?” I narrowed my eyes at her. She chuckled. “Just listen to what I have to say. I can’t hurt you. Especially here, since school is a child’s second home,” she told me. The way she said home was like Hestia would say it. MiYeon had a twinkle in her eyes when she said it and she looked like she knows what a true home was and how she treasured that four-letter word.

I slowly went to her side and she looked into my eyes. In just a second, I thought hers changed its color into the colors of a flame. “I know what you are,” MiYeon told me. “What?” I blinked my eyes. “You’re a demigod. You practically don’t belong in this world,” MiYeon continued. “Thanks for pointing out I don’t belong here, sunbae,” I frowned. “But I don’t belong here too. Along with other special cases like you but we don’t look like we don’t belong right? Unless, well, the others can be triggered,” she continued.

“Demigods reside on earth and not in Olympus because their humanity can’t handle a god’s true power. They would literally burn to death just by seeing them transform into their true forms. But you’re different, completely different. You were able to live in the Underworld with your father and well,” she avoided my eyes, and I knew she was pertaining to Persephone, I mean Mother.

“I call her my mother. Go on,” I told her. She looked at me again and continued without a smile on her face. “Anyways, you are very powerful to even be able to live all those years in your father’s realm. You were sent here to control that power stored in you. The Rich One himself said that,” she went on. I kind of cringed when I heard the familiar nickname my father has. My father was after all The One Who Can’t Be Named but that’s too long so they call him The Rich One. If you ask me, that’s better than calling him Death since that was Thanatos.

“If you were trapped in the Underworld, some other force might get a hold of you. Specifically, well, monsters are there. Tartarus was just below you. He was more awake than his wife, Gaia so you’re safer here,” she explained further. “Wait a second, sunbae. Are there other demigods here?” I asked. She nodded. “EXO and a few other students,” she answered.

My whole world froze when I learned EXO was here. Sure, they were my entertainment back in the Underworld because of their stupidity but they tend to drag every demigod they can get into trouble. They were too noisy and childish. And they were too much like their parents.

“Anyways, you’re not allowed to use your powers here. It’s too dangerous. The principal prepared consequences for those who go against it. Luhan-oppa has gone through it before. You know who he is right?” MiYeon asked. I remembered when the rose thorns blocked my way at the garden. “I guess you don’t,” she continued when she noticed my silence.

“He’s known for his looks and he’s an Aphrodite child so his charms never fail against normal humans. He used that to take advantage of a transferee who was Hypnos’ daughter and he got her… well it wasn’t her ity but more of dignity I guess since Luhan-oppa is still a . He only like goes halfway always. And when the principal found out that was the reason why she transferred to another school, Luhan using his charmspeak in a lustful manner, he locked him in this very room,” she told me.

“What’s with this room?” I asked. MiYeon slowly shook her head with a smile on her face. “No demigod can use his powers here. Not even a child of Zeus can use his powers here,” she answered. “Then? What was his punishment?” I asked, anticipating the answer since it might be used for blackmail purposes. “Hecate was called out to help my father. She made Luhan think he was so ugly. He had wrinkles and a fat body. He had pimples on his face and his hair was a disaster but of course, Aphrodite put a stop to it. But I guess he learned his lesson,” she said.

No, don’t say that was such a lame punishment. Aphrodite children care all about their appearances. The only thing they have is their faces. Those pretty faces were their only rise to popularity. Not like the other demigods who have really useful abilities used in battle, Aphrodite children can only charm their enemies and fool them with enough willpower.

Someone suddenly knocked on the door. “Jagiya, it’s me, Jongdae!” The voice from outside shouted. For some reason, that voice was annoying for me. MiYeon smiled sheepishly at me before answering the voice,” Yah, jagiya, I’m busy! I’m talking to someone!” “That makes another reason for me to come in! If you don’t let me in, I’ll call a Janus child to open this door!” He said.

MiYeon lifted her hand and twisted her wrist. The door unlocked and opened. There standing was a young man with curled up lips. He was short for a male. His smile was contagious actually. He had brown hair and when he entered the room, I smelled the sea. I was sure of it. This was a Poseidon kid.

“You must be a demigod. Nice to meet you! I’m MiYeon’s future husband, Kim Jongdae! I guess I’m your sunbae too!” He said as he offered his hand. I furrowed my eyebrows and then glanced at MiYeon. She was telling me with her eyes to shake hands with her (annoying) boyfriend.

“I’m Lee HyoRi,” I muttered. “And which child are you?” Jongdae asked. “Daughter of Hades,” I said in almost a whisper. His smile suddenly disappeared and his hand slowly went back to his side. MiYeon bit her lower lip as she watched Jongdae.

“So you’re that death god’s daughter huh…”