Olympia Academy (Stray Kids)

Chapter Nine (Iris)

Character Reminders:

Hermes: Jisung

Poseidon: Jeongin

...

A three-hour block of time had been left open on Iris' Wednesday afternoon schedule. Previously, she thought she had gotten lucky with receiving this extra free time. That was until her seminar professor pulled her aside after the lecture one day.

"Iris, can I speak with you after class?" she said after wrapping up the lesson. The other gods and goddesses gave her suspicious stares as they exited the room.

"Yes?" Iris asked timidly when she approached her professor's desk.

"I believe you have an extra block of time in your schedule after this class, yes?" she asked. Iris nodded in reply. "Your other professors and I have decided that you may begin your messenger duties."

"Oh, yes. I see," she thought aloud, recalling what she had learned about herself on the first day of classes.

"To begin, your duties will be simple. All you need to do is deliver the letters from school to school. You will stop by the main office each Wednesday. A staff member will have a bag for you with the messages. You will deliver them to the main office of Persephone Academy. Simple enough, yes?"

"Of course," Iris replied. "Although, are you sure I can go inside Persephone Academy? I thought Olympia students weren't allowed..."

"Yes, dear. You are the only Olympia student who can do this. And Hermes, the messenger god from Persephone, has access to Olympia. It's a special privilege," the professor exclaimed. "Now, run along to the office and get the messages. The staff member will tell you the path you need to take," the professor said, pushing Iris out the door.

Iris hurried to the office, anxious about her new responsibility. She swung open the wooden door to the office and approached an older woman in a black staff uniform.

"Hello," she gulped. "I'm here to deliver messages?" Iris asked with hesitation in her voice.

"Dion will assist you," she said, pointing to a curly-haired boy holding a bag filled with paper. 

Iris approached him, and Dion handed her the bag.

"I can show you which path you'll take," he said, walking out the front doors. Iris followed him outside. "You see the path to the right?" Dion pointed to a dirt road leading into the forest. "Follow it through the woods and down the mountain. You'll arrive at Persephone Academy in about an hour."

"Great, thank you," Iris replied.

"I will have the messages waiting for you each week at this time," Dion instructed. "Safe travels!" He waved as he walked back inside of the building.

Iris took a deep breath and began her trek through the woods. The path was quiet and shaded. The only noises she heard were birds chirping and wind rustling through the branches. She found the woods relaxing as she continued down the path.

Iris was about halfway through her journey when she heard an unfamiliar sound. She stopped walking and listened. It sounded like footsteps coming towards her. Iris clutched her bag of letters closer to her and stayed to the side of the path. She prayed it wasn't a burglar. Her family's carriage had been robbed more than once back home.

When she rounded the corner, she was surprised to see the mysterious boy from Persephone Academy. He was filing through a letter, not watching where he was walking.

"Watch out!" Iris yelled at the boy just before he tripped over a raised root in the road. 

He stopped reading and looked down, then at her. The same playful smile from the competition spread across his face. He laughed at his almost-misfortune.