LIAM
"Oh my God! Y'all are really here! What the fuck?!" I exclaimed while crying because I still couldn't believe that my squad is here in human land, the last place I'm expecting to see them. "But why are you here? How did you get here?"
"W-we escaped!" Jonas answered between His tears.
"W-what?" I asked while still sobbing hard and pulled away from the hug to look at his face.
"The p-place is in the chaos a-after the Deity's daughter's disappearance and w-we took that as an o-opportunity to escape." Tom said, he's also crying and using Sean's chiton to wipe his tears.
"But h-how'd you know where I lived?" I asked again.
"That doesn't matter." Rujin said and pulled me again for a hug. "Liam, I r-really missed you!"
"W-what happened to you, Liam? I couldn't even fathom how hard it was for you, to s-suffer from the sin that y-you didn't do.." Sean said and hugged my head. "I'm s-sorry for being a useless friend Liam."
"N-no, please don't apologize, it's n-not your fault."
"Why are you guys talking while crying? Aren't y'all supposed just to cry only? You look like fools, no wonder you're Liam's friends." Jiroo said behind us and we all turned to him while wiping our tears and sobbing. He picks up the towel and grip both of the ends of it and rolled it up before flicking it on my exposed thigh.
"Ouch fuck!" I hissed as I rubbed the spot where he hit me and he quickly threw the towel on my face before running away.
"Cover your dick, schmuck!" Jiroo shouted and that's when I realized that I was still naked.
"Shit! S-sorry." I said embarrassingly and covered my lower body with the towel. "That— that's J-jiroo."
"Your boyfriend?" Sean asked and I grimaced while shaking my head vigorously.
"You think I'm gay? He's my friend, dumbass. He's nice but a whole ass crackhead." I said and shrugged my shoulders.
"So he's your fuck buddy?" Jonas said while laughing.
"You know what? For people living in heaven, y'all much deserve to live in hell." I said and slapped his arm causing them all to laugh. "I'll just go and get dressed, wait me here, we need to catch up!"
I ran upstairs to my room but I was startled when I saw Jiroo standing behind the door with his arms crossed and a serious face.
"Liam, we need to talk." He said and padded towards my bed.
"Ok." I cooly replied but when he turned his back against me, I immediately wrapped my arm on his neck and choked him. "You fucking shit! You embarrassed me in front of my friends!"
"Aack! L-liam I c-can't breathe!" He struggles while slapping my arm. "F-fuck, Liam!" He groans and bends over to throw me onto my bed.
"Ah s-shit!" I groaned but I immediately jumped off when Jiroo tried to grab my head. "Yah! I was just taking my revenge for hitting me with the towel!"
"Damn you!" He scowled while rubbing his neck and glaring at me. "Be serious because whatever I'm going to say is important!"
"Exactly, Roo. I can't be serious because it's yo—."
"Don't tell them about your job, don't tell them about your next target and don't ever tell them that you are an assassin!" Jiroo said to cut me off. "I know that they are your friends, but you are living in a different world now, you're a demon assassin and they are goddesses."
"But–."
"Liam, I know it'll be hard for you to hide secrets from them but this is for your own safety." He said with his eyes pleading, he pad back towards my bed and sat down at the edge. "I'm not saying this because I don't trust them, but as an assassin myself, I know that it's dangerous if someone knows what my job is, even if they are my trusted friend."
"So you're practically telling me to lie about myself?"
"If that's the only choice to keep you safe, then be it. I'm not going to risk your safety just for the sake of your friendship." He said and shot me a doleful look.
I suddenly felt desolate at the thought that I need to lie to my friends just because of my job, but on the other hand, I could understand Jiroo because we are really living in a different world since the moment I worked for the Demon Lords.
I released a lungful sigh and nodded slowly. "I understand." I said defeatedly.
"I'm sorry, Liam but I have no choice but to protect you from getting hurt, buddy." He said before heaving up from the bed and walking to the door. "But nevertheless, you are still their friend."
I smiled at him weakly but genuinely, because that's the only thing that will never change. We may be living in different worlds, but our friendship will never change just because of my job as an assassin.
—
After putting some clothes on, I released the deepest sigh I've ever done today before opening my door. I stared at Jiroo's door before letting out another sigh and ran downstairs and jumped between Sean and Jonas as my hands wrapped on their shoulders.
"So tell me, how did you guys escape?" I asked enthusiastically while smiling.
"So just like what I've said, the heaven is in chaos after the Deity's daughter disappeared two days ago, then we decided to pretend as hoplites."
"So you're telling me that all of you lied to the Deity just to escape?!" I asked in disbelief but they shook their heads furiously.
"We do not! We just pretended to be hoplites and then lied to the guards that we were the ones Deity sent to find his daughter!" Sean explained and I laughed loudly.
"Bitch, it's still the same, you all lied! You do know that if the Deity finds out about your escapades, you can never go back to heaven!" I exclaimed while still laughing but I didn't get any response from them as they just exchanged glances. I stopped from laughing and looked at Sean. "Don't tell me–."
"Yes, Liam. We don't have plans to go back as long as you're not with us." Tom said firmly.
"What the fuck? No! You can't do that!" I said raggedly and rose up from the couch then started pacing back and forth while biting my nail. "Guys! You can't do that, you don't belong here!"
"But Liam, we've all agreed to it!" Rujin said to stop walking and snapped my head at her.
"Exactly Rujin! Why did you agree to it?! You are the daughter of one the Deities! They are already in chaos because of the wench—."
"Margaret."
"What?!" I scowled at Jonas when he cut me off.
"Margaret is her name, not wench! And what the fuck is wrong with staying with you?!" Jonas yelled back at me.
"He's right! We made a mistake when we didn't do anything that day and we just watched how they threw you out!" Sean then began to vociferate pretty loudly.
"But–."
"Sean is right! Do you even know how much it pains us that one of our friends got accused and thrown out?! Fuck being the daughter of Deity! I'll stay here whether you like it or not!" Rujin said in the bellow of rage to cut me off.
These bitches don't really deserve living in heaven because of their nasty foul mouths.
I shifted my gaze to Tom, as if I'm silently asking him if he had something to say but he just shrugged his shoulders.
"What else am I supposed to say? They've already told you everything."
I took a deep breath until my lungs filled up with air before exhaling it while my eyes closed and when I shot my eyes open, there's another lone tear escaping from my eye.
"T-thank you." I mumbled softly and that's their cue to jump on me and engulf me for another tight hug. "Thank you." I repeat while crying my heart's out.
"We're really s-sorry Liam." Jonas said while they're squeezing my body but I couldn't care less as I'm busy bawling my eyes out.
I looked up to catch the air and saw Jiroo looking down at us with a contented smile plastered on his lips, he nodded at me before going back inside his room and I know that he probably heard everything.
—
After minutes of crying and hugging, the five of us finally calmed down and all seated in the living room, though still sobbing but not really loud unlike earlier.
"Here, have some water." Jiroo said and handed me a glass of water that I immediately drank.
I could feel the teasing gazes of my friends while looking at me and suppressing their smiles to break out. I can't blame tho, if Jiroo didn't have that dick under his pants, I will do the same way Jonas and Sean stare at him with admiration.
"Guys, Jiroo is a guy, stop eye raping him." I rebuked them and threw the leftover water on my glass at the two perverts.
Jonas's widened eyes shifted at me and then to Jisoo's crotch and he frowned after seeing the bulge. "The fuck?! All this time I was thinking he's your fuck buddy!"
"Eew no!" Jiroo and I exclaimed in unison.
"That's disgusting." I shrieked and crossed my arms and leaned my back on the couch while eyeing Jiroo disgustingly.
"Dude, if I didn't have this dick, you would probably lock me inside your room and drain the hell out of me!" Jiroo said and smacked my head before sitting on another single couch.
"Yeah, I would do the same." Sean said while still staring at Jiroo intensely even if I already told him that Jiroo ain't the one he can put in bed.
"Uh Liam? I'm scared of that Chinese looking guy." Jiroo said while pointing at Sean.
"Stop it Sean!" I slapped his arm and covered his face with his own shoulder length hair.
"Sorry, he's so beautiful and really looks like a woman that I couldn't stop admiring him."
"It's ok, but can you like, stop staring at me with full of lust in your eyes?" Jiroo said disgustingly.
"Ok, let's stop being horny here, because we need to talk about what we are going to do next after escaping to.." Rujin trailed off and stole a glance at Jiroo.
"Don't worry, he's all good." I assured her and she nodded at me before continuing her words.
"So yeah, now what? We are here and we're not familiar with how ordinary humans live."
I looked at them one by one and cleared my throat and uncrossed my arms to lean my elbows on my lap while still looking at my friends then released a short sigh.
"Ok, so first, I will explain to you how ordinary humans live in this land, me and Jiroo will teach all of you how to act as an ordinary human."
"Why do you sound like they're aliens, Liam?" Jiroo chimes in while chuckling and he stands up and pad in front of my friends. "Ok, listen to me. The first thing you need to know is how to dress up like ordinary people, you know? Chitons nowadays ain't cool and if they saw you wearing those, they might've thought you are doing cosplay shit."
"What's wrong with chiton? This is how we dressed up in mt.Olympus!" Tom said.
"But y'all are not in Mt.Olympus no more, you guys are in the city, where people usually wear Chanel, Celine, YsL and Dior!"
"What are those?" Jonas asked curiously while looking up to Jiroo naively.
"This shirt is from Dior, Liam's shirt is from Celine. They are brands and this is what people usually are wearing." Jiroo explained and they all nod at him, as if they just learned the most amusing things in their life. "Next, ordinary humans don't have powers, do any of you have powers?"
"Rujin is the daughter of Neptune." I answered.
"Oh great, that explains the three pointed trident on your arm." Jiroo pointed out and released a sigh. "Don't use your power for unnecessary events, like making horses in sea foam because ordinary humans will surely freak out if they see that."
"Noted." Rujin said while nodding her head.
"Third, we have these things called appliances, cars, buildings, gadgets and we are buying things with money not Drachmas."
"But we brought a lot of them." Jonas said and pulled out the bag of Drachmas on his waist and put it on the table.
"Honey, we can sell it to antique shops and exchange it into real money but I'm not going to do that because that's dangerous and I will surely get investigated if I do that." Jiroo said as he picked up the bag and threw it to me. "And one last thing, this is the most important so you need to be aware because as you can see, all of you are from up there." Jiroo said while pointing at the ceiling.
"Roo.." I called softly meaningfully but he held up his hand to stop me.
"You all need to be careful because there are demon assassins in this place, one head each of you is worth a lot of money." Jiroo said sternly, he was staring at them, gauging for reactions but they were just exchanging meaningful glances.
"Actually, we know—."
"Right, note that!" Sean said in a little high-pitched voice to cut off Jonas. "But where are we going to stay?"
"Here." I chimed in and Jiroo whipped his head at me hastily, looking at me questioningly. "Y'all are going to stay here until I can find a new bigger place for us." I said smiling at Jiroo widely.
A soft chuckle escaped from him and shakes his head. "I guess, I need to look for a job to help you."
"Can we look for jobs too? We also want to help." Tom said. I looked at Jiroo and he curt a nod at me and I nodded back before shifting my gaze to Tom.
"Ok, I'll help you all to find–." I stopped talking when I accidentally saw the painting behind them and suddenly an idea popped up in my mind. "Wait. I have a better idea!" I said and snapped my fingers. "Roo, can you look at them for me? I just need to go somewhere for a while." I said as I stood up and ran upstairs to get my phone and grab a hoodie.
"Wait, Liam, where are you going?" Jiroo asked after I came out from my room in a rush.
"Just watch over them, I'll be back!" I said before slamming the door of my apartment and hailed the first cab I saw.
After twenty minutes, I arrived at the forest park and paid the driver before getting out of the car. I waited for his car to vanish from my sight before I turned around and started walking in the dark area of the forest and entered the secret portal that leads to the underworld.
As soon as I stepped out the portal, I saw Demian sitting on his throne while talking to Taeyang. I walked in front of them and bent on my one knee and bowled over to greet them.
"Greetings to Demon Lords."
"Oh wow, what a surprise visit from one of the prominent assassins." Demian said teasingly as he rose up from his throne and walked in front of me, he then grabbed my collar to pull me up and hug me. "Ahh, seeing you here never ceases to make me feel happy." He said, chuckling and tapping my back.
"Stop it, your brother is looking."
"Oh, Azazel? Psh! Don't mind him, he's not like Ruthven and Seth." He said and waved at his brother.
"I really envy the bond between the two of you, how I wish I got to know Liam first, before you, Demian." Azazel said and I bowed my head slightly at him when he stood up and walked away.
"He likes you." Demian whispered. "But not like what you think, but as the best assassin, you know? He knows that you're a guy–."
"Can you shut up for a moment? I understand what you mean and I didn't go here just to talk about how Azazel likes me." I said irritably, making Demian laugh and punched my shoulder playfully.
"So what are you doing here? Have you already found the daughter?" He asked, whispering near my ear.
"I haven't, but I'm already working on it."
"Good good, I know you're not going to disappoint me." He said and wrapped his arm on my shoulder. "So tell me your real reason why you came here." I chuckled softly upon hearing him because he knew very well that I would not be accustomed to coming here unless he called me for my next mission.
"Do you still remember the coffee shop along Square? The one that you closed?"
"Yeah, what about that?" He asked.
"Can I buy that shop?"
He untangled his arm on my shoulder abruptly and stared at me,squinting his eyes. "Don't tell me you're planning to quit being an assassin and just decided to run a coffee shop?"
"No."
"Then why all of a sudden you want to buy that shop? Were you planning to get married and have a family?"
"No." I replied again.
"Then why? Why all of a sudden, Liam?" He asked frustratingly, hands spread out and narrowed forehead.
"I can't tell you, but I swear, I'm not quitting!"
Demian stares at me straight into my eyes unblinking, as if he was deciphering what's inside my head but then he releases a long sigh in defeat before playing his hand in the air and a folder comes out from the black smoke and he gives it to me.
"That's the paper of that store, you don't have to pay for it, I'm giving it to you."
"W-wait, no. I'm going to buy—."
"Shut up, Liam. Just take it and leave." He said before he ruffled my hair and turned his heels but I stopped him and grabbed his shoulder.
"Thank you, but I'm still going to pay it and promise, I will kill the girl for you." I said and tapped his shoulder. He didn't look back but the sound of his lips stretching out was enough for me to know that he was smiling right now. "I gotta go." I bid and ran straight to the portal, I was halfway through when I heard him speak again.
"Will visit the shop one day."
I shrugged off what I heard from him because I know that he will never do that, he doesn't want to go out especially if it's not related to any of our jobs, so I don't have to worry about him, seeing my friends.
—
I was on my way home when I saw a group of people standing in the corner. I don't know if it's just me, but I can sense something strange about them, though they are all just standing while watching every person who's passing by in front of them with their observant eyes.
I continued my steps and shrugged off those strange feelings and walked in front of them with my head hung low, but when I'm about to pass by their spot, I saw in my peripheral vision the tall girl took one step and she grabbed my shoulder.
"Wait." I gulped thickly before slowly turning my head to her and my eyes went wide when I saw her face. Damn it!
"I know you." She said smirking and tilted her head slightly. "You're the sinner."
"I'm a what?" I asked innocently and my eyebrows quivered, trying my best to look innocent as much as possible from their perceiving eyes.
"Stop acting stupid, we didn't removed your memory before we threw you out." She said and her smirk grew wider and let go of my shoulder to cross her arms then she scanned me from head to toe. "You look better living here than up there."
I chuckled softly and showed her my million dollar worth smiles and shrugged off the imaginary dirt on where she held me. I guess I couldn't pretend dumb at all when she can recognize me.
"What do the high ranking hoplites doing here in human land?" I asked and I saw how she was taken aback for a moment but she blinked away her shock and smiled back at me.
"Not in any of your business." She replied.
"Ok then, enjoy your stay here." I said and continued walking away and released a shaky breath.
Damn! This is what I'm afraid of! The Deity already sent his men to find the wench!
"Guys, we have a problem!" I bawled after I pushed the door open. My friends whipped their heads at me and got startled but instead of continuing my words, I creased my eyebrows when I saw Nami. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh c'mon Liam, you didn't tell me that you have good looking friends." She said while tucking her hair behind her ear and smiling sheepishly as she stole a quick glance at Jonas.
"What are you doing here?" I repeat.
"Oh uhm, Hera asked me to go out for a while." She said, still stealing glances at my friend.
I raised my left brow and looked at Jiroo but he just shrugged his shoulders. Who would do such a thing as kicking out the first owner of the apartment just because her friends came?
"Anyway, it's great that you're already here because I need to announce something." I said as I sat down on the carpeted floor in front of the center table and laid out the folder I was holding. "I guess you already know them?" I asked Nami and she nodded her head shyly. "Ok, sit here." I said, patting the empty space beside me, she immediately obliged but she tucked her hair once again and sat slowly.
Oh my God! What's wrong with this girl?! She's really different from the Nami I know!
"There's still space here." Nami said to Jonas while still smiling like a fool.
"Thank you—."
"Not you, fucker! Go stand somewhere else!" Nami scowled at Jiroo but she smiled again when she looked back at Jonas and flipped her hair sassily. "Sit with me."
"O-ok." Jonas said reluctantly but he still sat next to Nami who looked like a worm writhing on her spot.
"The fuck is wrong with that girl?!" Jiroo whispered after sitting on my other side.
"Ignore her, she forgot to take her med." I said and we both giggled. "Ok now listen to me." I said and opened the folder. They all waited for me to start what I'm going to say and their eyes fixed on the folder. "We're going to run a coffee shop."
"A what?" They all asked in unison.
"A shop, where people can drink coffee? And rest? Or date? Or whatever shit they want inside that place." I said and roamed my eyes at them aside from doing sex. "I bought this coffee shop from my friend and all of you don't need to look for a job, we'll go to school in the morning and run the shop at night."
"School?" Tom asked and I nodded my head. "But we are already done going to school."
"You didn't go to college?" Nami asked and my friends furrowed their eyebrows in confusion.
"College?" Jonas asked. Nami looked at her and as if we were watching some romance movie when they almost kissed and stared into each other's eyes.
"Your eyes are so pretty, well Liam's eyes are prettier but yours are also pretty." I slapped my forehead and twisted Nami's head. "Who the fuc– oh, I'm sorry." Nami stopped when she saw that I'm the one holding her head.
"Stop playing, will you? We need to focus on this." I said.
"Yes baby– I mean, Liam." Nami coughs and I purses my lips to stop myself from snapping while Jiroo is laughing his ass off beside me.
"Nami, please." I said calmly and she just smiled at me widely while blinking her eyes acting cute.
"Go on, proceed."
"Ok, let's just continue this." I said while shaking my head but the smile still slowly creeps up on my lips, this girl is really something else.
I continued explaining about the shop and after an hour of debating who will take each position, we finally all agreed at the end.
I will be the boss, Jiroo is the manager, I also include Ayu being the supervisor, Jonas and Sean as the bartenders, Rujin and Tom taking the position of being the crew who will serve coffee and Nami is fine. Kidding! Nami's position will be the cashier.
After the little meeting, we decided to have some snacks that Jonas made for us. Nami volunteered to help but all she did was sit on the chair and stare at my friend with her eyes twinkling.
"Are you single?" Nami asked all of the sudden while sipping on her juice.
"Yes." All of us answered except for Rujin.
"Oh what a coincidence, I'm single too." Nami said as she put down her glass in slow motion and the smile on her lips never fades away. "Sometimes, being single is so boring, right?"
"Yes bitch! I saw you once, throwing a pillow at yourself and you be like, babe stop, I'm tired." Jiroo said, which made me spit the juice out of my mouth before bursting out into a loud laugh.
"Shut the fuck up! I was just reenacting the movie I watched that day!" Nami yelled at him and shot Jiroo with a dagger look.
"Oh please! You were acting like a mad person and seeing imaginary boyfr–." Jiroo is cut off when someone rings the doorbell. I was about to stand up to get the door but Rujin also stood up.
"Let me get it." She said and I nodded at her reluctantly because I was expecting that it is Hera, Ayu would never, as in never use the doorbell or knock on the door so I'm sure that it wasn't her but Hera, probably looking for Nami.
I followed Rujin with my gaze and waited for her to open the door and I wasn't wrong when I got a glimpse of Hera's beautiful face but my eyebrows knitted when Rujin suddenly stepped out and slammed the door behind her after seeing Hera.
I put down the glass I was holding and stood up to follow Rujin but my phone rang, I fished it out and saw Ayu's number registered on the screen.
"Hello?"
"Liam, I need h-help."
_______
