The Lonely God (Rosekook)

18

 Only few people realise that Olympus is actually right above Seoul—the whole place is shrouded in magical mist that us magicians have a job to maintain. The people below think we just stay holed up in Zeus' temple in the mountains. Maybe in a couple hundred years, the Gods will leave again and move on to the next civilisation and the cycle goes on..."

"Oh...so that's a bit like Percy Jackson then...." Chaeyoung nodded. 

"I don't know him, but I do know a Jackson Wang," Jeongguk offered, "funny guy, he's a famous actor in the plays they host down in town."

 She merely shook her head at him in amusement and then went back to musing, her brow scrunching up in thought. "But maybe new Gods will crop up, from different countries. What happens then? Won't there be a clash in beliefs?"

"Frankly not my problem," Jeongguk shrugged, "if anything, having rival gods should be a good thing...they," he pointed a thumb over his shoulder at the dark passage, "always harp on about democracy and bla bla, but I'd like to see them deal with other deities, that would be the most chaotic thing ever."

As soon as the words slipped from his mouth he bit his lip. "Uh...maybe too soon to wish for chaos huh?"

"You really don't like them huh?" Chaeyoung asked gently. He sighed as he turned to face the silent stars. He could name all the constellations by heart. On a sudden inspiration, he asked: "Did you have star signs in your universe? Do you know what they are?"

"Oh. Yeah, mine is Aquarius, the water-bearer."

"That would be your zodiac constellation then," he said, pointing.

She squinted, attempting to follow his finger. "I can't see, there's so many stars—"

She gave a sharp intake of breath when he shimmied closer and took her hand, methodically prising open her index finger and pointing at the sky.

"There."

"Oh," was all she could muster to say and he took a moment to register her breathless tone, suddenly aware of their close proximity as he leaned over her to show her where exactly the cluster of stars were located.

"Oh," he said quickly retracting himself, "sorry about that..."

"It's okay..."

A pregnant pause followed, heavy with intention as they waited for either side to break the tension enveloping them.

Jeongguk wondered if perhaps they should stop tiptoe-ing around each other and approach the impending issue head on. He cast about him for inspiration, his eyes drawn to a bat flitting overhead. Suddenly, he smirked as an idea struck him.

"Hey Chaeyoung, check this!" he said and stood up on the balustrades, spreading his arms wide.

Her eyes widened as she slid off her stone seat. "Kook wait, no, you'll fa—"

"Whoaaaaa!" Jeongguk disappeared over the side, tumbling into darkness.

"Kookie!" Chaeyoung squealed in terror and scrambled to peer over the side to find him slowly rising up level with her, a broad grin pasted on his face as his robes fluttered and rippled in the air. She pouted as he chuckled and turned himself upside down, doing acrobatics in mid-air.

"You're too easy," he teased. She batted his arm and huffed, folding her arms as he landed next to her.

"Well you certainly haven't changed much," she mumbled, "still the same weirdo... why did you even do that?"

"Actually, my birthday was like...three weeks ago now?" he laughed, "so your argument is invalid, I've changed, I'm a year older, even if I didn't get to celebrate. And I did that because I missed teasing you, Chipmunk."