Work Text:
Cupid’s Garden is where all cupids reside, completing the commissions assigned to them by the Head Cupid, a middle aged figured who takes form in a male body. Every Cupid has their own personal work room where they can complete said commissions and the paperwork that comes with it. Currently, there are 710 Cupids in Cupid’s Garden. In the ranking system, the smaller the number, the more experience a Cupid has. Newer Cupids are constantly on the run, doing field work in the real world assigned to them by a higher ranking Cupid. They work all 24 hours of the day and have small breaks in between. Within the day, they tackle at least 10 couples. Luckily, the array of couples the new Cupids work with are easier to handle than what higher ranking Cupids do, so it is not too hard for them to move from one pair to another. Based on the rank, these Cupids are referred to as Novice Cupids.
The older Cupids receive their missions directly from the Head Cupid and spend most of their day working only on one couple, building up momentum to achieve what is called a perfect pair. A perfect pair is a couple that are considered soulmates in the human world. A high ranking Cupid holds stronger love in their arrows, allowing themselves to be able to achieve a perfect pair. Novice Cupids hold smaller amounts of love in their arrows, which is why most humans experience a first love and so on before meeting the one. The top 3 Cupids are referred to as the Original Cupids and are considered as high of a rank as the Head Cupid; the rest are ranked as either Elite or Diamond Cupids.
All Cupids blend in with one another, but there is definitely a wall casted between the Original Cupids and the rest; they are untouchable and not a single Cupid can achieve their outstanding performance rates. Especially the rates of a certain Cupid. A Cupid that excels in their field.
Cupid #3.
Ever since they became a Cupid, Cupid #3 has been under the wing of Cupid #1 and the Head Cupid. Everyone respected Cupid #3 and was inspired by their successful executions of making humans fall in love. Whenever Cupid #3 walks past a Cupid, it is guaranteed that Cupid #3 is greeted with full admiration. They are the Head Cupid’s favorite, after all.
As of now, the Head Cupid is on their way to Cupid #3’s quarter, a Love Box in their hands. They knock on Cupid #3 door, waiting until they hear a ‘come in’ from inside the room.
“I just finished reviewing your report on your last couple, Cupid #3. You did an excellent job, shooting their hearts at the exact moment the fireworks went off was perfect,” The Head Cupid says as they enter Cupid #3’s room. Cupid #3 had been cleaning up the Sphere, the magic ball-like sphere in the center of the room in which all Cupids watched over their respective couples.
“It’s all thanks to my many years of service,” Cupid #3 smiles, whiskers forming.
“Well I’ve got another couple for you to work on. It’s their first time meeting.”
“First time meeting? Are they both new souls?”
The Head Cupid shook their head, “It seems they’ve both lived a handful of lives already, but I’m sure with your guidance a love story like no other will blossom.”
Cupid #3 hums in response as the Head Cupid hands them the Love Box. Love Boxes contain the information of the two parties in the couple and an orb the size of a softball which when inserted to the Sphere, reveals the lives of the couple. Speaking to the Sphere with the orb in it allows the Cupid to choose which of the two people in the relationship to watch over.
“Take good care of them, I’ll be on my way.”
The Head Cupid leaves Cupid #3 to deal with the case. They open the Love Box to be greeted by the clear orb. Cupid #3 has seen countless of orbs in their years of being a Cupid, but for some reason, the orb in their hand seems to scintillate in their eyes. Cupid #3 puts the orb aside, deciding to place their focus on the folder that was underneath it. Setting the box on their desk to the right of the Sphere, Cupid #3 lifts the cream colored folder and opens it, meeting the couple they are to work with. On one side of the folder held the information of the human Shen Quanrui, Ricky. Born XX04 to a successful businessman and model. His birthplace is Shanghai, China. He is currently 20 years old. He attends Seoul National University and lives alone. Ricky has blonde hair in the picture provided to Cupid #3. They study his feature for a little longer before glancing to the other side of the folder. There was no picture attached to piece of paper. It must have fallen out in the process of delivery. Cupid #3 begins to examine the information printed before them. Zhang Hao.
Zhang Hao.
Cupid #3 has the urge to say the name aloud. As they do, their voice echoes in the pale room. A slow, cold wave washes over Cupid #3’s body, completely engulfing them in a shock. Their breath hitches. A slight shiver ran down their spine. Cupid #3 did not know what was going on with them. A thought occurred them, a thought that was unclear and blurry but held familiarity. Have they called that name before?
Zhang Hao.
Cupid #3 shakes their head, they need to focus. They continue to read the rest of Zhang Hao’s information. Born XX00, older than Ricky, age 24. He is from Fujian with his only family being his mother. He had taken two years off after high school before continuing his studies. He also attended SNU.
Ah, thinks Cupid #3, so this is how they will meet.
Cupid #3 wastes no time in retrieving the orb from the Love Box and inserting it into a small compartment in the Sphere. It illuminates the room in a ubiquitous amount of colors.
”How lovely,” Cupid #3 murmurs, watching the colors swirl like a hurricane in the Sphere before it came to an ultimate stop. Peering down into the Sphere, Cupid #3 immediately spots their target, Ricky. He is adorned in luxury brands, his hair lighter than the walls in Cupid #3’s room. He is with his friends, the Cupid notices; they are compressed into a small car. Ricky is the center of attention, and it is clear that he is loved by all of his friends. Cupid #3 notes this. The group of boys are speaking loudly at one another in the car, Ricky having the last say in all conversations.
Things seem to be terribly rushed, Cupid #3 furrows their eyebrows. They have yet to meet Zhang Hao and Ricky is having the time of his life without him. This couple appeared to be more like a case that a Novice Cupid would handle. But if the Head Cupid handed Cupid #3 this case, then it must be for them. Eventually, Ricky and his friends reach a house that miserably struggles to contain the music blared inside.
Here, Cupid #3 thinks, the couple will meet here.
Ricky and his friends blend with the semi-drunken crowd, but many eyes land on the target. Ricky is greeted by at least three people as he meanders through the house as if it were his own. He settles in the kitchen, his friends tailing him there. Cupid #3 can tell they are having a blast, drinking like there was no tomorrow and cracking up jokes about their lives on campus. After a few more drinks, Ricky separates from his friends, wandering around the dorm once more.
Cupid #3 felt the moment was coming. They had experienced it enough to know that fate will bring Ricky and Zhang Hao together in this party. Ricky is stopped by the line outside the bathroom as a friend calls for him.
“Ricky you won’t believe what just happened to me!” The friend is rather thrilled considering their unfortunate position in the line for the bathroom, “I met this sup’ handsome dude, y’know LeeJeong right?”
“No, I do not know of a LeeJeong,” Ricky responds as his friend sways to the music, clearly drunk.
“Hes’ some classes with us…sure y’know ‘em! But like we challenged each o’er to a drink off ‘n I—“ Ricky’s friend did not finish their sentence before they slapped their hand over their mouth, most likely feeling the barf inch up his throat. Ricky helps the friend out of the line but fails to hold them up as they reach the living room. Cupid #3 suppresses a laugh as they witness Ricky’s friend drunkly fall to the ground without Ricky’s support as they got separated on the dance floor. Cupid #3 notices Ricky’s gaze, his eyes wander the room for his friend.
Cupid #3 begins tapping away on the Sphere, activating the bow and arrow feature used to shoot the targets when they meet. Unlike all the other Cupids, Cupid #3 is forbidden from entering the real world. It is an order from the Head Cupid that Cupid #3 lived by ever since they became a Cupid, but the Sphere allowed for them to perform their Cupid duties easily.
Cupid #3 aims the arrow at Ricky, steadily keeping it at his head. They cancel out the music from the dorm being projected through the Sphere, focusing on their target.
They will meet…
“Zhang Hao!”
Cupid #3 inhales sharply. Their eyes wander to the face of the human that has just bumped into Ricky. For the split second their eyes met through the Sphere, Cupid #3 takes in their visage. The man’s face is adorned with moles. His hair is parted in the middle, revealing his eyes which sparkle with the flashing lights from the speakers set up in the corner of the room.
Cupid #3 reverts their eyes back to Ricky. Time felt like it stopped in that very moment for them. Cupid #3 watches as Ricky moves, the arrow that was once pointing at his head slowly making its way away from him.
The arrow is shot regardless. The arrow brushes Ricky’s shoulder, half of the arrow is absorbed by Ricky and the other half dissipates into thin air. Just as quickly as Cupid #3 shot Ricky, their next arrow is pointed to the man that had just made contact with Ricky, staring back at him.
Cupid #3 felt something, an unknown feeling. Cupids do not feel much emotions so what was this feeling? Cupid #3’s eyes dart from Ricky to the man being held back by him. Their eyes wander to Ricky’s hand, gripping onto the man’s arm.
Never. Letting. Go.
The arrow completely misses. It carelessly flys by Zhang Hao’s head, hitting the ground.
What did they just do?
Cupid #3 watches as Ricky’s eyes, holding only a partial amount of the uncontrollable love from the arrow, are greeted with Zhang Hao’s loveless eyes.
“Do you need anything?” Zhang Hao asks with an eyebrow raised. Ricky lets go of his arm, apologizing, “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were walking behind me.”
Cupid #3 gazes at Zhang Hao as he walks away, fading into the dancing crowd. Cupid #3 knew their targets would not meet again that day. That was the only encounter they would make that day. Maybe tomorrow they will see each other. Cupid #3 removes the orb from its place in the Sphere, having unknown mixed feeling as they do so. They rub the orb with their thumb as they place it back in the Love Box. Cupid #3 will come back to them again, but for now, they can forget about them.
About him.
About Zhang Hao.
Cupid #3 leaves their room, heading to their respective house in Cupid’s Garden. Venturing into the center of their homeland, Cupid #3 is greeted by the emptiness they are well-familiar with. All Cupids were out in the real world, working or resting. They could all live in the human world due to the Cupid-run businesses that were set up globally.
The silence sinks in and Cupid #3 stops in their tracks. The thought was gnawing at them, picking small pieces of their brain one at a time.
Cupid #3 gasps, covering their mouth before they make anymore noise. Not like anyone would hear them, but it was too shocking for Cupid #3 to believe.
“What’s wrong with me?” Cupid #3 exhales the air they did not know they were holding in. They finally realize that in their long, long career as a Cupid, they made a rookie mistake, a mistake they have never made before.
They did not shoot their targets correctly, and… they hesitated for the first time in their career as a Cupid.
But that was not what made them freeze up the way they are doing now. No, it was not their terrible aim or the fact that they hesitated that made Cupid #3 feel an emotion unknown to them.
It was the fact that Cupid #3 purposefully ruined their shot. They could not push the thought away any longer.
Cupid #3 did not want Zhang Hao to fall in love with Ricky.