The End of Gods (A Welcome to the Underworld Novel, Book 4) (44 page)

“You would risk everything for him,” Yoori clarified slowly, “even if it means you would be miserable for the years to come if he leaves you?

“Wouldn’t you be miserable if you never went back to him?” Jin Ae shrugged, amazed herself that she was encouraging this relationship. “I’m no expert in love, but I think there are three different types of loves in this world: the ones you give up on, the ones you hold onto forever, and the rare ones that go beyond love, the kind where you find something else—something better than love.”

“
Once-in-a-lifetime love
,” Yoori mindlessly finished for Jin Ae.

In that dreamlike instant, it felt as if dawn had spread over her dark world, illuming over the shadows that once filled her mind with abject misery. She could feel the emotions within her spark up into life, blossoming with renewed hope.

“You would have to be human to get once-in-a-lifetime love,” Yoori mused to herself. Knowing what she had to do to make her final decision, she turned to Jin Ae with keenness. “Every gang member is given a lecture on ‘love’ when they enter the Underworld. I know your uncle must’ve given it to you because he hates anyone who falls in love in this world. Do you mind repeating it to me? So I can be reminded why all of this is a bad idea?”

When Jin Ae gave her a strange look, Yoori said, “Please?”

Despite being slightly perturbed by Yoori’s strange request, Jin Ae conceded.

While she spoke, Yoori was reminded of that one special memory she had with Tae Hyun, where she gave him pearls of wisdom of her own. Like an epic duel, the notions clashed with one another, battling with each other to win what was left of Yoori’s soul.

“Our world isn’t a society where love conquers all.”

Paris
is the city of love . . .

“It is a cruel world where the heartless and vengeful are revered like Kings and Queens—and the weak, the distracted are punished without mercy.”

You can’t go to Paris unless you’re madly in love with the person who is taking you.

“May the Kings and Queens who had fallen before you be your examples, may their demise dictate your choices in life. You may have been born human, but you are raised to be a God. You are raised to rule over this world, not succumb to its weaknesses.”

And not just the type of love where you tell one another that you can’t live without each other.

“If you are weak, then you are not fit to be a Royal. And if you are not fit to be a Royal, then you are no longer a God. We have no room for humans in our society, for we are plagued with the never-ending pursuit of power—morals cease to exist here.”

No . . . not that type of love . . .

“When you become human, then you have become a parasite. In our society, parasites must be punished—they must be exterminated. Remember that the next time you become tempted, remember the stories you’ve heard of all the legends that fell from grace. If you go against our bylaws, you will never be the exception. You will be made an example of, you will be punished, and you will regret ever being born. This is a world where Gods walk amongst humans—”

“—Once you’re in, the only exit is death,” Yoori finished for Jin Ae. “You can run, you can hide, and you can fight all you want, but the inescapable truth is that your blood belongs to this world. No matter where you go, we will find you. No matter where you hide, we will drag you back. No matter who protects you, we will annihilate them. You were born into this world, you lost your soul in this world, you became a God in this world—it is only fitting that you see your end in it,” Yoori concluded, feeling no more hesitation as her own words filtered in and out of her mind.

The prospect of death could never compare to that once-in-a-lifetime moment when you are given the gift of falling in love with someone who loves you unconditionally. Yoori realized this all but too clearly as she placed aside the horrors of the Underworld and focused on her relationship with Tae Hyun.

“Love is every God’s worst nightmare,” Jin Ae continued, “every God’s death sentence.”

But the type of love that is unconditional—the type that is undying.

“It is the one human aspect that is strong enough to break Gods—and make them human again.”

You know . . . the type that can withstand anything . . .

“Yet every one of us continues to seek that forbidden fruit . . .”

One of those once-in-a-lifetime love . . .

“Because it’s the only thing that makes us human—it is the only thing that makes life worth living.”

Yoori’s heart expanded. She had never seen things more clearly. She had never felt braver as she stared out that snow-streaked window.

Her decision had been set.

Her lips quivering, she felt the hope grow stronger in her once embittered soul. She no longer cared about the dark possibilities. All she cared about was her timeless distraction. All she cared about was her once-in-a-lifetime love.

Welcome, Paris . . . to my Underworld
, she thought breathlessly, thinking of Tae Hyun.
Thank you for staying despite all the hardships I’ve caused you. Thank you for being with me until the very end.

Nothing mattered anymore. The impossible didn’t matter anymore. Revenge on her brother didn't matter anymore. Revenge on Ji Hoon didn't matter anymore. The threat of the Underworld didn't matter anymore.

Nothing mattered more than loving him and being with
him
.

Nothing mattered but Kwon Tae Hyun.

Jin Ae smiled favorably, noting the new glow that took over Yoori’s face. She illumed in a way that only a person in love could when they gave their entire heart to someone.

“Looks like you’ve already made your decision,” Jin Ae observed warmly, ending the last encounter the girls would have with one another. “Is Kwon Tae Hyun worth it?”

“Every stubborn inch of it.”

“You’ll tell me what it feels like, right?”

24: Welcome to My Underworld

He was quiet as he stood there, his eyes running over the snow that cascaded from the dark sky. Beside the peaceful lake, the white gazebo glowed like a beacon in the snow-covered night. Icicle lights twirled all around the pillars of the infrastructure, converging together with the green leaves and snow.

Standing in the center of this picturesque scene was Kwon Tae Hyun.

He wore a black hoodie and blue plaid pajama pants, simple clothes that did little to help ward off the winter chills. Although his face was pale, he did not allow the unforgiving weather to deter him from his purpose. As though expecting someone special to join him at any moment, he continued to stare straight ahead at a dark pathway, his eyes teeming with hope. Not once did he budge from his position.

During his wait, several elderly couples stopped by to ask whom he was waiting for. Always the gentleman, he smiled and told them he had just gotten into a fight with his girlfriend and that he was waiting for her to come back to him.

“You’re sure she’s coming in this weather?” they asked, staring at him with pity in their eyes. It was palpable that he knew what they were thinking. He was aware that they wanted to tell him: “
If she hasn’t arrived by now, then she’s not coming.”

Paying no mind to what they were thinking, he merely nodded and said, “She’s coming.”

And with that, he continued to wait as the minutes passed him by.

One hour turned into two hours and six minutes.

Two hours and six minutes turned into three hours and fifty-eight minutes.

Three hours and fifty-eight minutes turned into six hours and forty-three minutes . . .

At six hours and forty-three minutes, he remained where he was, his pale face as determined and hopeful as when he first stepped foot into the gazebo. The winds of the snowstorm picked up in acceleration, bringing a stampede of snow into the gazebo. Even though it felt like everything around him was conspiring in forcing him to leave, he easily ignored all these distractions.

To him, nothing mattered more than waiting for the one he loved.

Then, as another cold breeze tumbled into the gazebo, warmth presided over him once he felt a pair of arms wrap itself around his stomach.

An elated smile appeared on his face when she rested her head against his back.

He closed his eyes, never looking happier as he reveled in her company.

“I just wanted you to know,” Yoori began softly, tears filling her eyes as she held the love of her life close to her, never again wanting to let him go, “that no matter where life takes me, no matter the distance, no matter the length of time, no matter the obstacles—I'll
always
come back to you. Even if I, myself, am not sure if I'll come back—in the end I'll
always
come back. ‘Cause that's the thing about boomerangs, right? They come back even if they feel they shouldn't, they come back even if the world tries to stop them, they come back because they ultimately know
where
they belong . . . and
who
they belong to.”

At her words, he expelled a joyful breath.

Tae Hyun turned to face her. Warmth and love emanated from him while he cupped his hands over her cheeks. He stared deep into her eyes, his emotions overfilling him, just as they were overfilling her.

“It feels like it’s been a lifetime,” he said quietly. “Welcome back, boomerang.”

She smiled meekly, holding back the tears to keep from crying in joy. It had been a very long journey. She was relieved to finally return to where it all started for them. This gazebo was where they had their first real kiss. It was only fitting that they put all the shadows of their past behind them and return to this very special spot.

“Thanks, boomerang. Long trip.”

He grinned, his eyes rippling with affection before he playfully added, “Yeah, took you long enough. My ass is freezing . . . and I have to pee.”

“Shut up, jerk-face,” Yoori snapped, choking back laughter. “I was making life-changing decisions, and I got lost on the way here. It didn’t help that the first time I came, I was sleeping on the ride here.”

A big, genuine laugh poured from him. Given all that had transpired in the past twenty-four hours, it was an understatement to say that Tae Hyun was thankful that they had finally reached this moment in time.

“Still a brat I see,” he murmured adoringly.

Yoori beamed up at him, knowing she made the right decision. This was it. This was the once-in-a-lifetime love she had been dreaming about all her life.

“Still a snob I see.”

Tae Hyun gently pulled her closer to him. “You’re not afraid of anything that may happen in the future?”

“I don’t care anymore,” she told him genuinely. She had never felt braver as she stood in his company—as she stood in the presence of the one person who not only made her human, but also made her the happiest person on earth. “I’d rather spend a lifetime in misery after completely giving myself to you than spend another second without you.”

Tae Hyun nodded, his eyes telling her that he’d prefer the same.

“So,” he began warmly, “what do we do now?”

She wrapped her arms around him and brought his head down so that their foreheads were touching, so she could stare into his eyes with pure hope.

“My Illusionist, will you take me into a world filled with timeless magic?”

He smiled, grazing his hand over her face. “Are you willing to disappear?”

“Will you disappear with me?”

His smile grew wider as he nodded and then pressed his soft lips against hers. With no more inhibitions, he kissed her like a man possessed—like a man who had finally found true paradise.

He, like Yoori, no longer cared about anything else.

They no longer cared about the Underworld or what was in store for them in the future.

All that mattered to them was the here and now.

All that mattered to them was their timeless distraction.

“Let’s disappear, Princess.”

“When you find Paris?”

25: Perfection

There are moments in life when you feel nothing but a sense of perfection.

The stars have aligned, time has stood still, the storms are at bay, the cruelty of the world has receded, and you have been given one of those few perfect moments in life where everything makes sense, where everything is beautiful, where everything—
even for a brief moment
—is
perfect
.

For Choi Yoori, or An Soo Jin, or whatever name you want to call her (though she’d prefer Choi Yoori as it was the only name that made her feel human—made her feel
alive
), that perfect moment in her life emerged as she walked barefoot on the grass lawn just outside of Tae Hyun’s lake house.

Several days had passed since their reunion at the gazebo, and her life had never felt more magical.

Wearing a simple white dress with a soft smile sprinkled across her lips, Yoori locked eyes with Tae Hyun. He was standing atop a white wooden boat, his outstretched hand beckoning for hers. He favored her with a smile that rivaled the illumination of the moon and stars. It was enough to intensify the beating of Yoori’s already smitten heart and enough to send all her feminine sensibilities over the edge.

Damn sexy bastard,
she thought breathlessly.

Biting her lower lip to keep her soft smile from morphing into an uncontrollable grin, Yoori took his hand. She tightened her stomach to subdue the butterflies that were beginning to frolic in her tummy and happily climbed onto the boat with him.

Before they permanently left the country—destination still unknown, as the contact Tae Hyun used was still drawing up plans to safely send them out of the country—Yoori and Tae Hyun wanted to temporarily disappear to the place where all this magic started for them: the lake house.

During the course of their stay, Tae Hyun, being the multitalented heartthrob and charmer that he was, spoiled Yoori rotten by making her breakfast in bed, lunch in bed, and dinner in bed while they disappeared into their own private world. Each delicious meal came with amorous kisses that he showered over the column of her neck and bare shoulder. With his knees propped up, he held her safe between them as he embraced her from behind. While doing so, Yoori, who would have a mouth full of scrumptious food, would lift food over her shoulder and dotingly feed him as well.

They wore matching black and blue plaid pajama pants and couldn’t have looked more like the perfect couple as the ducks and geese celebrated the first day of spring in the wide open lake adjacent to their master bedroom. It was a blissful and heavenly state. Yet, as with any situation that came with being in the company of Kwon Tae Hyun and Choi Yoori, no matter how in love, their fiery and combative personalities would never fail to make their long awaited appearances during their stay at the lake house.

“You dumb Snob!” Yoori yelled several days prior, holding up a DVD box. She was in disbelief of Tae Hyun’s idiocy when it came to pop culture. “How the hell did you mistake a Nemo DVD with
Jaws
?”

“You little Brat!” Tae Hyun would scream the day after, his face marred with annoyance. “Are you trying to kill me? Why do we have to watch Twilight every second of every goddamn day?”

“Oh my God!” Yoori would cry out in hysteria, walking into the living room a few hours later only to find him crouching in front of the fireplace. He was holding what suspiciously looked like her most favorite set of books in the world over the raging fire. “Are you burning my romance books?!”

Finally, there was the dramatic instance where Tae Hyun and Yoori were playing with a boomerang in the park beside the lake house.

“What the hell is wrong with you? How can you throw a boomerang, of
all
things,
wrong
?”

Standing beside one another on the grass lawn, Yoori couldn’t help but scrunch up her face in bitterness at the fact that, even after twenty-one consecutive attempts, she still couldn’t get that stupid flying object to come flying back to her.

While at the store, Yoori had spotted some cool boomerangs. She was eager to buy one so they could actually play with the one object they had been using to define their love story. Both Yoori and Tae Hyun were initially excited. Lo and behold, after the lameness Yoori displayed, both were getting pretty damn impatient with her consistent failure.

Yoori felt embarrassed, not only because Tae Hyun was getting annoyed with her and her lack of skills, but also because she had a small crowd of viewers who were watching her every move.

In addition to the opinionated spectator that was Tae Hyun, six little kids—three young girls and three young boys—were sitting on the space of grass behind them. They were watching her and Tae Hyun with unwavering fascination. Whatever their purpose for observing her and Tae Hyun so keenly, Yoori didn’t care, nor did she deign to think much of it. The only thing she cared about was to impress them—or in this particular case,
failing
to impress them.

The heat of mortification crept up Yoori’s cheeks. She resented that she could not show off in front of the little kiddies. What kind of role model was she if she couldn’t even successfully throw a boomerang and get it to come back to her? Although she was being hard on herself, her self-criticism could never match that of Tae Hyun’s.

She already knew the hot jerk-face was a straight shooter, but she didn’t think the guy would be
that
blunt until he carelessly added,
“How much can you fail at life?”

Yoori was close to exploding at Tae Hyun for the digs he was giving to her. She demonstrated impressive control by curbing her anger. Under normal circumstances, she would have handed Tae Hyun’s ass to him. Given that they had a susceptible young audience behind them, Yoori did well to censor her temper by staying calm, composed, and demure. There was no way in hell she was going to be a bad influence on the cute, chubby little kiddies.

“Life isn’t measured by the success rate of throwing boomerangs,” she diplomatically stated, trying to save face in front of the children, “it is measured by the moments that take your breath away.”

Tae Hyun furrowed his brows at the irrelevancy of what she just said. He gaped at her with a blank face while glancing at the children behind them.

“You just made no sense and now you’ve made yourself look like a fool in front of the cute, chubby kiddies behind us. Good example that you’re setting for future generations, smart one.”

Yoori scoffed defensively. Though she agreed with him in terms of the idiocy of what was just said (it sounded much better in her mind), the jerk didn’t have to continue to provoke her.

She folded her arms to keep from punching him and sourly said, “What’s the big deal anyway? Why are you getting offended? Why does it matter to you if I successfully throw a boomerang or not?

Heated offense touched Tae Hyun’s eyes. He stared at her like she just did the unthinkable and cursed in church.

“Are you serious?”

Yoori shrugged again, not knowing what answer to give him. Of course she was serious. What was he getting all butt-hurt for?

Taking one step closer to her, his tall and powerful body overshadowing hers with seriousness, Tae Hyun did well to enlighten Yoori as to
why
he was offended. He also did well to enunciate with extreme fervor exactly why
she
should feel guilty for offending him.

“You’re the one who started this weird boomerang
s
hit with all the talk about ‘you will always come back to me.’ Now our love story is defined by it. Hell, even I got into it. I made a heartfelt speech relating our love to it and this is what you do? You can’t even effectively get the instrument our big speech is based upon to come back to you?” An accusing frown morphed on his handsome face. “
Really,
Brat? Are you
really
going to butcher our love story like that?”

Leave it to Kwon Tae Hyun to be the only one who could successfully guilt trip Choi Yoori into embarrassment.

“You’re so overdramatic,” Yoori grumbled under her breath.

She outwardly feigned nonchalance to his words. Internally, she was embarrassed because what he said was true. That big, monumental speech they used as their way of “making up” was forever engraved in their love story. How much could she fail at life if she couldn’t even get the damn instrument itself to come flying back to her?

“Here!” she prompted heatedly, snatching the boomerang out of his grasp. She was determined to get this right. She was the Queen of the Underworld for Christ’s sake. She could shoot bullets with accuracy, she could wield swords with ease, and she could kick ass without breaking a sweat. Hell would freeze over before she allowed this innocuous flying object to bury her. “Let me try again.”

“Don’t put too much pressure on it,” Tae Hyun instructed, proud that she was giving it another shot. He looked determined to help her get this right. “Just let it glide out of your hand, and it will do everything by itself.”

Yoori vehemently nodded at Tae Hyun’s instructions. She sucked in a hopeful breath and angled the boomerang with her hand. Then, with pure anticipation, she tossed it . . . only to find herself groaning dejectedly when the supposed “flying object” crashed to the ground in yet another display of failure.

Tae Hyun shook his head, his face blank.

He was out of words.

“You can kick ducks and send them flying like soccer balls, yet you can’t even toss a boomerang,” he murmured critically, breathing in disbelief. “Wow. You really suck at life.”

This was when an already hotheaded Yoori lost it.

“Then you do it! You do it!” she snarled, picking the fallen boomerang off the grass and shoving it into Tae Hyun’s hand, wishing with all of her heart that he’d fail at throwing it as well.

He released a dramatic sigh and spared a glance at the kids. He tilted his head as if to say,
“I'll be a good example to you, little ones,”
and with the ease of a warrior tossing a knife, Tae Hyun raised the boomerang up and hurled it into the air. Then, magic happened.

Astonishment stole the expressions of Yoori and the children as they watched the flying instrument defy gravity. It glided through the air, twirling beautifully in the sky. It nearly disappeared into the sunny horizon before it obediently came flying back towards Tae Hyun, landing submissively in his hand like it knew where it belonged . . . and to whom it belonged to.

“
This can’t be happening,”
Yoori whispered miserably, taking a moment to eye the little kiddies.

The little girls were staring at Tae Hyun with stars in their big brown eyes, sighing as if they had never seen a man as perfect as he. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the little boys were scrunching their faces in bitterness, not believing that anyone could be impressed with a show-off like Tae Hyun. Needless to say, in this particular instance, Yoori related to the little boys more than she did the little girls.

“You think you’re hot stuff just because you can toss a boomerang, huh, Kwon?” she prompted jealously. “You think you can do no wrong and that you’re super perfect?”

He gave her one of those perfect, charming smiles. Though Yoori did well to not sigh dreamily at the sight, the future of her fellow female species did not show the same strength. Giggling while the stars in their eyes shined brighter for Tae Hyun, the little girls fanned themselves while the boys irritably rolled their eyes.

Undeterred by her hostility, Tae Hyun laughed, doing well to strategically use his charms on Yoori to counteract her anger—
something he always did to drive her crazy
. Wrapping one arm around her hip, he pulled her closer to him. After making sure that she was tucked safely beside his body, he tilted his head down to her ears and allowed his tempting breath to tickle her skin. His actions spoke of adoration for her. His words, however, throbbed with competitive playfulness.

“I’d rather be super perfect than suck at life by failing to get a boomerang to come back to me.”

A vein in Yoori’s body twitched.

“You know what?” she incited impatiently, pushing herself away from him.

Tae Hyun slanted his head, the attractive yet annoying smile still embellished across his kissable lips. “What?”

Then, Yoori did the unthinkable.

Abandoning all the bull
s
hit about being a good example for the cute kids, she relinquished all self-control and snatched the boomerang from Tae Hyun’s grasp. She slammed it brutally against his chest. The impact stunned Tae Hyun, leaving him to unexpectedly gasp for air just as the boomerang-turned-weapon fell back into her hands.

“What was that for?” Tae Hyun breathed out, outraged by her violent outburst. The reaction on his face mirrored that of an innocent kid who didn’t understand why he was being punished.