My Husband: The Devil

Starting Over

I marched to the balcony of my new castle, wearing my signature leather pants, jacket, and boots. I stared at the shades of the dead in the far side of the Underworld. Even though I got married to Taehyung, there were lots more changes made to the Underworld. When you die, you still were transported here by Hermes. You still had to drink from the river of Lethe, you were still greeted by Cerberus. You still had to be taken to Elysius, where you are reborn into another body, and the circle of life continues. You still saw Hades and his wife Persephone, if you were lucky. But now, you see me, Queen Kim Ree-Ha, and my husband, King Kim Taehyung.

(I changed my maiden name for him)

A lot of other things changed too. The servants have more freedom, and we can call everyone by their names and they can speak however they want. Except to us, that is.

It was a bit difficult, but I persuaded Taehyung to let me rule equally as he does. It's been nearly two months since we got married. And today, I was breaking all the rules.

I threw on a dark cloak, and walked to the exit of the castle. "You'll be back, won't you?", Taehyung said, following me. "Yes Taehyung, I promise", I tell him for the millionth time. "And remember what you promised." Taehyung nodded. "Yes, yes, I remember", he says.

"Good, I'll be back soon." I pull the doors open and left out the castle. I signaled Charon to come over. His boat rowed all the way over to me. I got in and he took me to the entrance of the Underworld. Ceberus was there, and it was the left head that noticed me first. It yapped at me, and when I got out the boat, I gave them a few steaks I had smuggled from the kitchen. I passed through them while they were gobbling up the meat.

There are many entrances to the Underworld. The main one is on the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, California. But I was only interested in the entrance going to Daegu, South Korea. I pushed some rocks aside, and before I knew it, I was in my own neighborhood. I stared in awe as the ground closed up from underneath me. This place felt so unfamiliar to me, as if I hadn't been here in years. Then I heard voices. 

"No Mr. Joo, we're supposed to go this way!"

That was Kathleen. I'd know her voice anywhere. I ran towards it, the hood of my cloak flying off, and my hair whipping in all sorts of directions. "Kathleen!", I cried out. "Ree-Ha?", I heard her say. "Yes Kathleen it's me!", I said, and I saw her, my dad, and Dohyun all together. 

"Ree-Ha!", she says, and throws her arms around me. "I thought I'd never see you again!", she says. "Daddy!", I say, holding him tight. "Oh Ree-Ha", he says, holding me back. "My darling daughter....."

He suddenly pulls away from me. "Are you alright? What has that monster of a demon done to you? If he even dares to-"

"Dad", I interrupt. "It's okay. We're okay. We're together. I love him, and he loves me." I showed him my wedding ring. "Oh, who would've thought", my father says, smiling down at my ring. "My daughter, getting married at eighteen." His smile falters, and I laugh. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to give you away", he tells me. "It's okay Dad. Now, come with me."

"Where are we going?", Kathleen asks. 

"You'll see."

I take Kathleen to  cottage of some sort. "What is this place?", she asks. "It feels like I've been here before." I take her inside, where a woman is sitting in a rocking chair. Kathleen's eyes go wide, and she covers her mouth with her hand. "Mommy?", she says, and the woman turns around, and she gets up from the chair.

"Oh my goodness, Kathleen?", she says, and opens her arms. Kathleen runs into them, crying. "Oh, Mom, I've missed you so much!", she says. "My baby", her mother says, crying as well. "I never gave up, I always hoped you'd come back to me again."