Pandora's Box

Chapter 16

notes: pictured above: the primordial goddess Nyx. also, the article/info i reference in this chapter is from here: https://www.theoi.com/Protogenos/Nyx.html 

"How in the actual fuck do we still have homework? We go to a school for magical creatures for Christ's sake!"

Beomgyu collapsed over his notebook after the statement, his friends laughing at his torture. He glared at them, noticing Jisung's frown.

"For what's sake? Seriously, Beomgyu, your people have the weirdest language."

Yeonjun flicked his forehead. "It's not his people, stupid. He's always been one of us, just not raised the right way."

Beomgyu rolled his eyes. "Whatever. If I had known I'd still have to answer essay questions, I would've politely declined my deity status."

They laughed, not sensing his sincerity in the statement. He almost commented on it, when he spotted a familiar face approaching the table.

Yeonjun brightened. "Oh! Hey guys, I hope you all don't mind, I invited Taehyun and Kai for lunch. I figured it was time we...mingled more. Stopped being fed by assumptions."

He looked pointedly at Beomgyu, who returned his smile instantly.

"Hey, congrats on the new gig!" Hyunjin said to Kai, who now sighed. "Yeah. Thanks, I guess."

"What gig?" Felix asked. Beomgyu was grateful that he finally wasn't the only one confused.

Kai smiled and sat down next to Jisung. "I'm now the new psychocomp. Dad got tired of it, I guess. So I get the new responsibility." He tried to smile after saying it, but Beomgyu noticed the emptiness in the expression. "Anyway, Taehyun's running late too. Sorry. What'd I miss?"  

Hyunjin gestured at the piles of papers scattered around the table. "Beomgyu was just noticing how much homework they give here. Poor, naive little soul."

Kai's face twisted sympathetically. "Yikes. I'd love to say you get used to it, but..."

"You don't." Jeongin agreed, and Beomgyu groaned as his head hit the table once again.

He lifted it when movement occurred next to him, and almost jumped at the sight of Taehyun there.

There was a spot at the end, on the opposite side of Beomgyu. But the latter pulled a chair from a different table and sat on his side. He tried not to squeal like a child.

"What class is it for, Beomgyu?" Seungmin asked, bringing him out of his trance. He failed not to notice the eyes burning into his skull at his side as he answered.

"Godly and mortal relations. You'd think I'd be an expert on that shit."

Taehyun laughed beside him, surprising everyone. He coughed awkwardly. "Instructors San and Wooyoung, right? Usually they're too busy flirting to help with work," he said.

Chan, who was spending more and more lunches with them, laughed as well. "Oh my Titan, so true."

Beomgyu tried, for the millionth time, not to point out how weird the phrase was, considering their judgment of his own.

Taehyun shrugged beside him. "If you want I can help you."

Beomgyu tried not to let his cheeks flush, and nodded silently. He made the mistake of glancing at Yeonjun, who was hiding his face under his hand, snickering. Beomgyu could've killed him.

"Help is an understatement. Tae here got-" Kai coughed suddenly, staring at the table. "Taehyun got an A last term. He has freakish knowledge about that stuff."