Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It’s been an awfully sunny week when he was sent to the mission that he was assigned to.

Kim Soleum wipes the sweat that was starting to form by his brow, fanning himself with his right hand. It’s been a while since he walked around amongst humans on land, considering the fact that he was locked away for a few centuries just because of something the gods didn’t like. He squints his eyes at the sleeve that was wrapped around his arm, feeling strange with the clothes he was wearing.

Back before he got punished, he was pretty sure clothes were less stuffy than this.

Well, there was no reason to complain. In the end, the world develops while he wasn’t looking, and this was just one of those developments.

…Not to mention…

Kim Soleum, who was sitting on a bench placed just off the main road, looked around the place. Towering buildings dared to reach up to the skies, challenging the domain of the gods. It lacks the artistry that he remembers people being so obsessed with back then, instead being replaced by a faint feeling of arrogance that he couldn’t quite place.

So many things have happened over the years. He feels a little out of his depth.

The good thing was that because of the kind of existence he was, he didn't need thorough explanations to understand what was happening. Centuries worth of information had flowed easily to his head as soon as he was free. He could roughly tell what was going on.

Ehem! Anyway, back to the task at hand…

“Thank you for waiting!”

A person jogged up to him, wearing an easy-going grin. He hands a purple can to the other man who’d been sitting patiently the entire time.

He turns it around in his hand to check the flavor. Then, he paused and frowned.

“This is…Fanta?”

“Grapes flavored Fanta!” the brunette declares while squeezing himself next to him. “I don’t know which one you’d like, so I went with my instincts.”

“I’ve never actually tried this one.”

Or any kind of soft drinks, for that matter, Kim Soleum completes in his head. But he didn’t quite say it out loud, lest he blow his cover.

“Is that so? Then we’ll find out, won’t we?”

He takes his time to inspect the can, taking in every detail of this thing that he was having for the first time in his many years of living. The brunette seemed quite oblivious of what he was doing this for, which was good for him.

Finally, he pops it open, listening to the hissing sound and the bubbling that soon came down. Kim Soleum takes an experimental sip, savoring the cold drink that saved him from the heat.

He feels eyes watching his actions.

“Is it good?”

Ah—

Although he was startled by the sudden question, he composed himself quickly, keeping a mildly embarrassed expression.

“It’s refreshing, especially for a hot day like today,” he says, like he was hesitant to admit so.

“That’s a good thing, right? Haha…” His current companion chuckles to himself for a short while. “So, what brings you to the city?”

…That, well…

Kim Soleum’s cover, as of the current, was that he was from the countryside who traveled all the way to the city, which will be convenient if he acts like he hasn’t properly seen some things that he comes across at some point. However, the truth was so far from it that it was a little absurd to hear the two reasons side by side.

The real reason was the very same person in front of him.

He was acting like a completely normal person who is nice even to strangers at the present, but Kim Soleum knew that this person was someone who had once done something that earned him the ire of the gods. While he doesn’t know exactly what the details were, it was enough to make him feel a little wary.

So there it was. Some person who was apparently clever enough to trick the gods. And on the other side, a sort-of errand runner who made a mistake in the past and had to be punished for several centuries because of said mistake.

Looking at it from that way, it was clear that this mission was a set up for him to fail. There was no doubt that they still disliked him after the incident back then. The gods are capricious beings anyway.

Still, he wasn’t the kind of person who would just calmly take the bullying like so. He was confident enough in his ability to stay in one spot no matter how many times they tried to kick him away.

…Just enough so.

“I’ve seen nothing but the countryside my entire life,” Kim Soleum, who had long prepared this answer beforehand, answered. His tone was carefully set to make it seem like the story he was telling was truly his own. “It’s a little shameful to admit, but…I wanted to see what’s out there.”

“Ah, I understand,” the other person nods. “There’s a lot of things happening in the city, so you might’ve been feeling a little left behind.”

“Just a little,” he admits. “By the way, I haven’t heard your name yet…?”

He sees the hand, which was slowly moving to drink the contents of his can, stop midway. Eyes turned back to him, glinting in a way that made him feel uneasy. As if this person was dissecting his character, trying to pry into the things he’d purposely left unsaid.

It was pretty chilling, he’d admit to that, at least.

“Choi.”

Kim Soleum waited for a long time, wanting to hear the other half of the name, but it never came.

He blinked in confusion. Then, trying to prompt it, repeats while dragging out the final sound.

“....Choi….?”

Seeing his attempt, Choi laughed again, finding the situation amusing.

“Just call me Choi, no need to think about anything else.”

“Okay, Choi-ssi.”

“Drop the formalities too. It’s really fine.”

“...Then, Choi.”

What’s with this person? He seems to be very friendly. Kim Soleum’s initial impression of him wasn’t very bad. In fact, it almost felt as if he wasn’t the kind of person who would come to steal something that belongs to the gods.

Maybe this was a test, too?

Since those people don’t have good opinions of him, then could it be that they were doing this, not to set him up for failure, but to force him to make a blunder by ruining an innocent person’s life.

What a dilemma, seriously! No, maybe he was just overthinking it. After all, this person did something wrong to the gods! There was no way they’d wish him a good life!

He chats with Choi for some time, and together, they go around the city. This was because Choi was insisting to help him adjust to the place, saying that he could be the tour guide for the day. Before they knew it, the sun was already starting to set, and the person who volunteered to show him around was standing in front of him with a regretful smile.

“It’s getting late, so I will have to go now.”

“I understand,” Kim Soleum responds with a nod. So they bid their farewells and separated ways.

He didn’t even notice just how quickly the time passed by. Choi was a pleasant person to talk to, and he genuinely enjoyed their conversation. He seemed to know a lot of things about what happens in the city. It was only unfortunate that mortal time goes by so rapidly that it almost felt like a moment.

Kim Soleum looks for him again the next day. This time, rather than appearing in the form of a human, he was instead cloaked in the natural invisibility that comes with being a cupid. His large white wings were draped and folded languidly on his back. He was just sitting on an empty couch, chin resting on his palm with his elbow propped on his knee.

Choi was talking to who might be his co-worker. He seemed so at his element, just interacting with others with a smile. However, there was something different about how he was with these people compared to when he was with Kim Soleum just the day before.

Kim Soleum adjusts the tie on his neck. Again, the clothes of modern people these days felt more constricting compared to back before his time out.

Choi continues living his usual day at work. Meanwhile, the person who was supposed to match him with an unpleasant person, watches on with impassive eyes.

He moves as well when Choi has to leave the room. When he leaves the building, Kim Soleum follows along, flying idly behind him and observing everyone that this person crosses paths with. When his wings got tired, he would perch himself on top of a street light and move only when his target was moving out of his line of sight.

When the day ended, Kim Soleum watched until there was no more chances of Choi meeting anyone else. Then, he returns up to the skies and waits for the next one to come.

He finds out quickly that this was truly a difficult job.

It was difficult to find anyone who seemed to dislike him enough. Choi matches his personality well depending on the person he was talking to. It was even more difficult when he was working, but he is very casual with them, like everyone in that place are good friends. There are times when Kim Soleum would just slump helplessly over the couch, unable to figure out just who he should match with this person.

He takes a break from his reconnaissance at some point. He returns to the same spot where he first met Choi, popping open yet another soda can to handle the heat that he could now feel due to returning back to a human body.

He rearranges the information he has inside his head so far.

First of all, it will be difficult to find anyone that would not get along with Choi. He was the kind of person who knew how people would like him best, and he has a wide range of connections as well.

Secondly, it was strangely difficult for him to notch an arrow and point it at that person. Choi was nice to him when they’d first met, and he was also nice to everyone else. He seems to be a genuinely good person. Even if he managed to annoy the gods, then it might as well be justified because he knew just how much of a pain those beings are.

It was surprisingly difficult to give him a terrible love story. If he wanted to make a bad matchup, Kim Soleum could’ve just pointed the other arrow at some criminal. Or he could just shoot a stranger and leave it up to fate if it works out well or not between Choi and that person.

But in the end…Kim Soleum was the kind of person who wouldn’t do that. Especially since he'd already seen the kind of person that Choi is.

Many years ago, he’d been tasked to do the same thing by one of the gods. The situation was that apparently, he got into a bad argument with another god that he was close with. He poured all his annoyance towards an unlucky mortal, who just so happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Kim Soleum was the one who was ordered to make that woman fall in love with a cow.

However, having met and talked to the woman before he commits to the plan, he finds that she is a genuinely good person with bright aspirations, not much different to the situation with Choi at the present. Someone like him simply couldn’t find it in him to ruin it for her.

So he matched her with the childhood friend she’s been in love with for years.

Gods are petty. Even when he made excuses for what he did, they weren’t happy with him for disobeying their orders. That was the reason why he was punished for so many years, a forceful way to teach him a ‘lesson’.

“You look troubled again.”

!!

Kim Soleum looks up abruptly. The familiar face of Choi chuckles at the surprised expression that he made. Speak of the devil and he shall arrive, huh?

“Hello, podo-yah.”

“...?” The cupid’s face turned blank. “Podo-yah…?”

“That’s right! I realized too late that I never did ask for your name, and I needed something to call you. Weren’t you having a grape-flavored drink when we met?”

“...I guess so?” he responds unsurely. “But I have a name, too. It’s Kim Soleum.”

“Oh, it’s great to properly meet you, podo-yah.”

Hey…

Is he seriously going to stick with that nickname? Who gives that kind of name to someone they’re not even very close with…?

“How come you’re here?” he gives up and asks instead.

“I was just passing by. I remembered meeting here before, so I made a small detour to see if you’ve come back. Turns out you did!”

Oh, that’s right.

He’s almost forgotten how this person visits this place at least once every day during the time he’s been watching. But frankly, for Kim Soleum, that detail didn’t particularly matter as much. He’s been to so many places that one area doesn’t hold much significance at all.

Choi sits at the armrest of the bench, looking at him.

“Did you see what you were looking for in the city?”

Kim Soleum was silent for a moment, taking a sip from his drink.

When he lowered it, his answer was slow.

“I’m not sure.”

“I see. Well, I hope you do soon.”

The thing is that, as long as he couldn’t figure out what to do with the very same person wishing him luck, there was no way he would be able to accomplish the task.

He sighs heavily. But then, he came up with something that just appeared in his mind, like a daring suggestion.

What if he just…asks…?

Kim Soleum watches the other person from the corner of his eyes. He wasn’t looking anymore, instead having turned his eyes to the street where countless people and vehicles pass by every minute.

Would it be okay if he asked? He wasn’t sure, since there’s a chance that this person might realize who he was. Choi is not an ordinary person. He was someone he was aware that the presence of the gods are very much alive and present in the modern age.

“Choi.”

His call draws the other man’s attention easily enough.

“Yes?”

“Have you ever fallen in love?”

“...Huh?”

Well, if he can’t ask in a straightforward way, he just has to be roundabout with it!

Choi seemed a little embarrassed by the question. He rubbed the back of his neck while thinking about what to reply.

“This is an unexpected question, and from podo-yah, no less! Uh—could it be that you’ve fallen for someone and don’t know how to respond?”

Hey, why did it suddenly become about him? What kind of deflective tactic is this?

“No, I was just a little curious…”

“Really? Well, it’s okay if you don’t want to tell.”

Kim Soleum couldn’t refute much. The truth was that, when becoming a cupid of the gods, it will be impossible for him to fall in love. One of the things that gets stripped off from him upon taking up the title is the ability to feel romantic attraction to anyone, making sure that there is strict impartiality when pairing couples up with each other.

Actually, there was only one instance when this fact was made wrong, but it was from all the way back in ancient times. Most cupids thought that it was likely to be make-believe. From what he knew, many before had tried to figure out how to break free from the constrictions, both out of curiosity and personal reasons.

But it wasn’t like he could explain this to Choi. So he just settles for letting him believe what he wants.

“To answer your question, I haven’t.”

“Really?”

“Well, there might’ve been one. But it was only for a short while. We’re just good friends now.”

Huh. Considering the kind of person that Choi was, he thought he might’ve gotten into more relationships before. After all, there are a lot of people who find sociable men appealing, even more so when he has good looks.

“By the way, podo-yah…”

“Hm?”

Kim Soleum snaps out of his thoughts to look questioningly upon the other person.

“I’ve been wondering about this for a while now, but where have you been staying since you moved to the city?”

“...Me?”

“Yes.”

Wow, this is, uh…unexpected.

The usual case when he was matching someone was that they didn't really think much about him after they’d met. That was why he didn’t have to come up with an excuse upon getting these kinds of questions before.

Too flustered and caught off-guard, he didn’t have the time to think before blurting out an answer.

“Just…around…?”

“Huh? What do you mean, around?” Choi stares at him in shock. “Don’t tell me…have you been sleeping on the streets?”

Of course not! Kim Soleum’s place in the skies was actually far more comfortable that anything that the mortal lands could offer to him! He composes himself quickly this time, and comes up with a proper response that is more convincing compared to what he just said.

“No, I checked in a hotel for now.”

Yes, thank you for the immediate knowledge that comes with ending up in this time! Although he never experienced checking in on a hotel before, this time it will be fine to lie about it since there was no reason to demonstrate or show proof.

“Ah, I see. But it would be hard to keep paying for it as long as you don’t have a job. Do you have one?”

Well, yes? His job is being a cupid…

But he can’t say that.

“Not…particularly…?”

“Then, would you like to stay over my place for the time being?”

Huh?

Wait, what was that again? Why did that offer come out of nowhere?

Kim Soleum already knew that Choi was a good person. However, he didn’t think he would be the kind of person who would offer his home to someone he doesn’t even know so well.

And then he remembered that this man is supposedly a tricky one.

…Was he up to something?

Kim Soleum, having fallen into his suspicions, was about to reject the offer, when a sudden realization comes to mind.

Wait, if I accept…doesn’t that mean it will be easier to learn more about Choi?

The more he knew about Choi, the more he could figure out the best way to matchmake him, right?!

His mouth spoke before he could consider fighting against his own thoughts.

“N—I mean, if you don’t mind…?”

Choi’s hand reaches out, patting his shoulder with a satisfied smile. Kim Soleum stares blankly as he realized what he just said. Did he just dig an even bigger mess for himself, or was it a shortcut? It was a little difficult to tell, so it was honestly a little dizzying...

“Good choice, seriously! Okay. Let’s go, I’ll show you the way there.”

…Hey.

Will this really be okay?

Chapter Text

This is crazy!

Kim Soleum smiles even with the sweat dripping down from his nape. Just in front of him, the person he was tasked to deal with was waving goodbye to him with a bright expression.

“I’ll see you later, podo-yah!”

I told you I have a name…

As soon as the door closes behind him, Kim Soleum allows the smile to drop, practically collapsing into the chair while clutching onto his chest.

This is seriously crazy! Although it has only been two days, he was forced to walk around on eggshells all the time while he was in this house! He doesn’t really understand the reason why someone as cautious as Choi would willingly invite him in when he was clearly a stranger, and this lack of information led him to constantly having his guards up.

This was just too exhausting! Even the slightest remark made him overthink.

Huh? Podo-yah, are you really not going to look for a job while you’re here?

- Well, I was looking into it, but I haven’t really found anything with conditions that’s good for me personally…

Or maybe you don’t need a job at all? Haha…Maybe you already have one!

Seriously, what’s with those terrifying comments?!

The first time that he heard it, Kim Soleum almost dropped the mug that he was holding. However, he managed to save himself from scalding his skin at the last moment, staring at the other person while trying his best to convince his head to stop panicking and to not be too obvious.

He asked what the comment meant, but Choi laughed it off and said it was nothing. That he had a theory that Kim Soleum might be someone undercover, like some professional going through various restaurants in the city looking for a place worthy of a Michelin star. Not a very funny joke, in all honestly, because Kim Soleum seriously almost had a heart attack before he got the explanation.

Not to mention, there was something strange about his landlord.

He can’t really put a finger on what it was, but there are just times when he’d feel strange when the two of them are in the same room. Most of the time, this only happens because Kim Soleum would be spending his time in the other person’s living room, watching some cartoons that were on-air because he hasn’t had any chance to do so before, both during the time he was put on time out and before that time period.

During those instances, Choi would be sitting on the side of the sofa that was opposite from his. However, he would randomly feel goosebumps rise from the back of his neck, as if someone was watching him.

Maybe it was a mistake to come here…? It might be a good decision when it comes to closely observing the kind of person that Choi was, but having to put up with all this trouble, it really doesn’t seem like it was worth it.

Kim Soleum defeatedly eats the cup noodles that were still steaming hot in front of him. See, even the food he gets from this place is a little sad, even though it’s not anything that his body urgently needs.

Just what kind of meals has Choi been having for so long? Why is most things in his fridge just noodles and one or two pieces of potatoes? Even the poorest families back in the old times didn’t have to deal with this…

Ack!

He stares at the broth that just dropped into his free hand when he lifted the noodles with chopsticks.

He resists the urge to tear up. That was way too hot!

After the meal, he continues on his duties of observing Choi to figure out who to match him with. It was a routine he’s been getting into since he started. In the mornings and nights, he would be back at the other person’s place and chat with him, and then he would be following him during the time when he was out of the house. His wings twitched behind him when it was stuck in one position for too long, too.

It was like Choi knew that he was being followed, and therefore was remaining vigilant. He never gave any openings, remaining amicable with everyone he comes across with. And at home, he would also be fairly friendly with Kim Soleum.

Is he really going to fail this job as well…?

Aigoo! Although he’d already thought this previously and expected something like this from the petty gods, it was still a little annoying.

He was already back at the house before Choi came back from work. At that moment, he was squinting at the stove, where he was boiling hot water to cook yet another dinner of ramen. Kim Soleum looked up when the door opened just at the usual average time when the owner of the house returns.

“Hello,” he greets politely.

“Hello, podo-yah.” The other man’s eyes flickered over to what he was staring at. “You know, I’ve been wondering but, aren’t you getting sick of having noodles all the time?”

“Huh?” he blinks. “No, it’s fine. I was only staying over for now and imposing anyway.”

“Really? You don’t want to get other types of food? Kimchi? Pork belly? Manju?”

Perplexed, Kim Soleum stares at him for a while. “No, there’s no need for that.”

It’s not like he would die if he didn’t eat a healthy balance of food. He was a cupid! Choi, on the other hand, should be more concerned about himself and what he was eating rather than getting on his case about this.

“But this is your house. Shouldn’t you be more concerned about your meals?”

“Me?” Choi points to himself. Then, as if realizing he was still standing by the entrance, he takes off his shoes and moves further inside the house. “I've been eating well in the company during the daytime. I don’t mind what I have for my meals, but I don’t really have much time to prepare it in the mornings. Oh, but if I have free time, I should definitely visit the store so that we could cook something good for dinner.”

“...I see…?”

Right. You could just answer straightforwardly, but why did you have to explain why as well…? And what's with the sudden sharing of plan?

“Oh, it's perfect! I have no work tomorrow. Would you want to come to the mart with me to get some groceries? I don't really know what food you'd like, so...”

Uh? Hey, that offer sounds awfully domestic for two people who don’t even know each other for more than a week.

Wait! Could…could this finally be another one of Choi’s discreet tricks?!

He stares blankly at the other person, not registering him continuing to speak.

“Oh, and while we’re at it, maybe we should also get clothes for you, haha. Man, I don’t think I’ve seen you wear anything other than that.”

T—That—!

Kim Soleum instinctively looks down to his clothes. It was just a plain white shirt and a comfortable pair of joggers, loose enough to not cling too much to his skin. It was the most that he could get that was a little similar to the outfit he used to wear in terms of mobility.

“...What’s wrong with my clothes?”

“Nothing! I’m just saying you don’t seem like you have spare ones.”

Well…that’s because gods and cupids don’t bother with these kinds of things. Kim Soleum could change his clothes at will when he switched to his cupid form anyway, so what’s this guy getting in his case for?

Ah, right. He didn’t really know he was living with a non-human being.

Haaaaa….seriously…

Living in this house is such a pain!

Choi vanished into his bedroom for a while, saying he was going to get out of his work clothes. For the meantime, Kim Soleum transfers some of the noodles into a bowl and adds the seasoning to give some flavor to his meal. He casts a look at what was left in the pot, trying to decide if that much was enough for the other person.

Just as he set down his newly-cooked food, there was a loud buzzing sound at the end of the table.

Huh?

Taking a quick look, he realized that Choi must’ve left his phone there. It was left unlocked too, fully displaying something that he can’t immediately make out of due to how high the brightness is.

There was another buzz too, like someone just sent him a text.

Wait, this…

Who could it be? Kim Soleum sensed an opportunity that might be useful for his task of matchmaking Choi. He gave a quick glance to the direction where the bedroom was, falling silent in order to try and hear whether or not the other person was about to come out from where he went any time soon.

No, it doesn’t seem like it.

I have to act quickly!

Kim Soleum moves towards the phone, squinting at the bright screen that assaulted his eyes. He bends down slightly and takes a peek—

Ah?

…What’s this…?

He blinks once to make sure that he wasn’t seeing things. When the scene didn’t change at all, he rubbed his eyes before shifting his gaze back into the screen. Still, there was the same sight where there are multiple pictures of people he doesn’t recognize from the time he spends watching Choi.

“This is…” he gaped for a while. “Is this a dating app?”

Really?

He leans a little closer to make sure he really wasn’t seeing things. In the back of his mind, he felt some amusement about this discovery.

What’s the use of having a dating app when you have a cupid living under your roof? Oops, right. Again, Choi doesn’t really know that, does he?

Hm…Maybe if that person ends up picking someone with a bad personality, the gods will be satisfied enough with his work and leave him be at last. Still, it’s going to be a little difficult to manipulate the results when the other person can only be seen on the other side of the screen somewhere in the world. Briefly, he wondered what specific profiles had Choi looked into already. Would it be too risky to poke around?

At that moment, he hears footsteps coming towards the kitchen once more.

He backs away quickly. However, Kim Soleum wasn’t fast enough to do so. By the time that he was looking up, Choi was already standing a meter away from him, eyes shifting from the phone to the person himself.

“...”

“...”

They stared at each other for a while, not sure of what to say.

Kim Soleum coughs awkwardly. He should say something first, right? After all, he was the one who was caught snooping.

“This...I heard notifications so I went to check. I just didn’t think—”

“...It’s not like that, really.”

His mouth opened and closed, watching the other person, who quickly snatched his phone as if he was embarrassed with the situation.

“I don’t really mind. There’s nothing wrong with finding someone to date in an online app, right?”

“No, that’s really not the case, believe me…” Choi says as he shuts his phone. “I was looking for someone to set up a friend with!”

“You didn’t have to explain. I understand.”

“You don’t believe me…”

They maintained awkward eye contact for a while. Honestly, Kim Soleum doesn’t see what was so bad about it since he was very involved in the field of romance anyway. Even if he tries to say that it wasn’t anything, it seemed like Choi still felt like it was worth making a deal out of.

In the end, it was said person who ended up coughing to break the silence.

“Anyway, you still don’t mind going to the store tomorrow, right?”

“Yes.”

So the conversation ended after that. It's not like it mattered enough to him to ask for more details. What was he going to do? Say, "By the way, since you're looking for a partner through dating apps, fancy telling me what type you're looking for? Haha, you know, so I can somehow screw up your love life, which also just happened to be the reason why I'm here!"

Haha, no.

Choi takes the noodles that he left in the pot, sighing as he runs a hand over his hair. “By the way, I swear this wasn’t always how I eat, okay? I really just ran out of stock a few days ago. I mentioned this earlier, but I really usually cook dinner for myself and I would get food at work.”

“Okay.”

"Yeah. Just...just making sure it's clear."

But why?

What’s with this guy constantly feeling obliged to explain himself? It wasn’t like Kim Soleum asked, right?

By the time the next day comes, he was roused awake by Choi, who was awfully cheerful so early in the morning. Kim Soleum groaned out of pain when the curtains were forcibly drawn back, allowing the sun to filter inside the guest room.

“Rise and shine! It’s always better to buy groceries early in the morning!”

He buries his face into the pillow. 

“Why,” he asks, just for the sake of humoring his landlord.

“You’re asking that? It’s because everything is still fresh and good quality! ”

Ugh…He’s way too loud on a Saturday morning. What’s with that?

Even if Kim Soleum didn’t need sleep, he was currently using a mortal body. Therefore, it was natural that it is difficult for him to get up from a soft bed after being awoken out of his own will.

If it wasn’t for my job… He thinks mournfully. Maybe I should explode the gods. And then myself, for being employed in this work.

He still ends up coming with Choi to the supermarket, though. The first place they ended up visiting was a shop that sells pretty cheap clothes despite its good quality. Kim Soleum stood in the middle of the place for a while, questioning his life decisions to have ended up in this strange situation.

What’s a cupid doing shopping for clothes? This wasn’t in the job description.

Despite his lack of enthusiasm, he still ends up paying for a few sets with his money that he got from his, well, the fact that he was a non-human. He glanced at Choi who was leaning against a nearby wall, staring at his phone with a serious expression on his face.

He really can’t understand this guy, even during the brief time they knew each other.

He can’t tell if Choi was a genuinely good person who would willingly give a hand even to people he just met, as long as they’d hit it off. Or if there was an ulterior motive behind this kindness. Regardless of what happens, the fact remains that he was someone who got on the bad side of the gods. He might sound like a broken record constantly repeating this, but he had to constantly remind himself lest he falls for a trap.

By the time they were buying groceries, Choi looked at him and asked if there were specific things he wanted the fridge to be filled with. The moment the question came, Kim Soleum stared at him blankly.

“Not particularly.”

“Really? Don’t you have anything you want to cook?”

“...I don’t cook.”

“...What?”

He averts his eyes awkwardly. Instant ramen is quite easy to make, because he just had to submerge the noodles in hot water and season it with everything that was in the package. Back then, whenever he felt like having a snack, it’s pretty easy to just pluck a fruit from any random tree that was in the vicinity. To cook with a certain dish in mind? He doesn’t really do that.

Choi was in a bit of a disbelief for a while when he admitted this. “How did you survive this long, then? Isn’t knowing how to cook a basic survival skill?”

“...I got food…from home?”

He was probably giving the impression of a pampered kid who just left home for a whim right now. But what can he do? He can’t just pretend that he was capable, only to be exposed as a fraud later on. He was already hiding too many things, and adding another one would just make him too suspicious!

Because of this, Choi sighs and ends up being the one to pick everything that they’d be filling the fridge with.

He gets summoned back above.

Kim Soleum got a little nervous at first when he received the message. He already prepared himself for the nagging they’d give him for taking too long with his task, and already memorized a script in his mind on how to appease them. However, when he reached the place where everyone else was, he realized he wasn’t the only one summoned back.

“Did something happen?” someone nearby asked, wings fluttering anxiously.

“I think it was an emergency summon. What went on while I was down in the mortal world?”

“Ah, who knows. They’d probably explain things soon anyway.”

Kim Soleum stands among the chattering, exhaling out of relief that he wasn’t singled out. Still, he kept his ears peeled for any useful information that some of the cupids might be talking about.

“Hey. Noruyah.”

Ah!

That was a familiar voice.

He turns his head quickly, immediately catching sight of raven black wings. A senior that looked after him when he was a rookie waved him over, so he quickly made his way to her direction. When he arrived, it was then that he realized everyone else from their little group was there as well.

His sunbae, Eun Haje, grins and ruffles his hair when he’d come.

“I heard you got freed lately and were made to work quickly,” she says. “It’s been a while.”

“Yes,” he confirms.

“How is it?”

“It’s…” he pauses to think of a word. Difficult? It was definitely proving to be a challenge to find someone to matchmake Choi with. Not as bad as usual? After all, he gets free lodging. “It’s manageable, I guess.”

“Huh? You’re having trouble? Should I go up to those damn gods and hit them around?”

“Aigoo, what are you saying?” Park Minseong, who was just another one of the seniors he liked fairly well, speaks up with a wave of his hand. “Look at Noruyah, he clearly doesn’t mind the situation. So there’s no need to make a big fuss, right?”

“They locked him up recently! This is just workplace bullying! Right?”

In an instant, the three of them ended up looking at the same spot without anyone pointing to him. Eun Haje’s words naturally directed their eyes to the fourth person in their group, an albino man who looked impassive as he watched them catch up with each other.

Lee Jaheon quietly observes him for a while.

“Kim Soleum.”

“Yes.”

“Is it difficult?”

“No.”

“Okay.”

“...”

Anyway, that was a normal conversation between them too. He knew that was the other person’s way of asking if he was okay, so he didn’t think too much about it.

A heavy sigh comes from the dark-haired woman next to him. Eun Haje crosses her arms, having given up on the issue of pushing whatever was going on in Kim Soleum’s current job. “But things are pretty crazy lately.”

“Right.”

Oh! Someone who knew the situation! From what he remembered, his seniors weren’t assigned to anything lately, so they must know what was going on. If it was them, they'd not find it too much of a hassle to explain what was happening to him.

He looked at them for a short while, before asking, “Is there something wrong?”

“Wrong is a little bit of an understatement,” Park Minseong laughs to himself. “It’s bad. It’s really bad.”

“Huh?”

The three people in front of his exchanged glances, then looked around. Everyone else seemed to be clueless on the situation anyway, so they ended up lowering their voice as they explained the situation to the person who had just joined them after a long time.

“I heard a cupid went missing.”

What?

Kim Soleum frowns. “Is that possible?”

“I don’t really know how it happened. He just went off the radar, for some reason. Those guys will probably make an announcement about it soon, when everyone is here. Everyone's pretty strung-up about it right now, though.”

They nod towards the distance, where the lofty and overly grandiose place of the gods is located. They seemed to be busy mulling about the situation and what it meant, but Kim Soleum was left in deep thought after what he was just told.

Is that really something that happened? Wasn’t everything about the cupids who followed the gods’ whims completely tracked? Besides, what kind of situation would it be for someone to just vanish from nowhere?

This was a rather sudden unexpected situation.

Chapter Text

Just as his seniors had told him about, the minor god who was assigned to telling the rest of the cupids what had happened eventually explained the situation. Based on what he understood, it seems like the cupid had vanished in the middle of accomplishing a mission that was assigned to him.

Because of the suddenness of the situation, everyone was alarmed and didn’t know what to do. For the meantime, everyone seemed to have just agreed that it would be better to send a group of cupids who didn’t have a job to do at the moment to look for their missing co-worker.

Kim Soleum, who had remained behind his seniors, stayed completely out of sight despite knowing that he wouldn't be called at all. After all, didn’t he already have a mission, and one almost as important as this one as well. He was sure that the gods’ grudges are more important to them than finding someone that left out of the more than a hundred other cupids that were left behind.

Not all of the members of their little group were spared, though.

“Oh, come on!” Eun Haje complains when her name was spoken along with the other members who will be investigating. “Out of all the people?”

“You haven’t had many missions anyway, have you?” Park Minseong asked lightly. “What’s wrong with a little exercise?”

“Are you kidding? You want me to track down someone?”

Then, she paused.

“Actually, tracking down someone might be easier than pairing a weirdo with another person…”

Hearing her mumbling, Kim Soleum sighed. He recalls quite clearly how she would always talk about how difficult it was to pair a couple properly. Comparing that job with this, where she didn’t have to do anything of that sort, it might actually be better for her.

“Congrats, sunbae,” he idly says. “I think you might like this job better.”

“Huh? You think so, too?”

She takes her time to think about what the experience might be like. After a brief while, she nods her head.

“You’re probably right.”

The announcement continues on even with her trying to find faults in her new assignment. This time, the god snapped his fingers, allowing an image of the missing cupid to burn its image into their minds. Kim Soleum blinked in surprise when he saw who it was.

“This…”

He recognized this man.

He hasn’t actually gotten into a proper conversation with him apart from exchanging a few nods with each other, but it was undeniable. It was someone who has been working on this job longer than even him and his seniors—A true veteran in all sense!

Lee Kangheon, wasn’t it?

Other cupids have been asking why he still wasn’t retiring yet despite the long time he was working. Retiring, for cupids, simply meant that they could rest up in this kingdom of the gods for the rest of their days, but their wings and their arrows would be stripped away from them. They could still watch what was happening down the mortal world, but only from where they are. This was a dream that many cupids usually realize when they’ve worked long enough and has become tired of the job of a matchmaker.

Lee Kangheon was there when Kim Soleum was just a fledgling, and he was still there after his isolation. But to think that he was the one who vanished so suddenly? When he was so reluctant to retire with his job?

There were many questions, but it seemed like there was no way to have it answered at the moment.

The emergency meeting ended not too long after that. Eun Haje, next to him, stretches out her arms and yawns slightly. Her wings also spread out slightly behind her as she did this, before folding back again when she straightened up.

“That took a while,” she says, before turning to Kim Soleum. “Yah, since it has been a while, should we get a drink down in the mortal world before I run this errand of looking for our missing dog?”

“Oh!” Park Minseong turns to look at her, nodding easily. “That sounds like a good idea, actually.”

The two of them turned their heads to look at the other two in their group. Kim Soleum gulps slightly at the sudden attention, before slightly glancing at Lee Jaheon to see how he would respond. However, his lizard face was as impassive as ever, not even looking like he was thinking about the request.

“Uh, chief?” he asked, using the familiar nickname that the group has taken to calling the older man. “Do you want to go?”

The other’s eyes turned to look at him.

“Yes.”

As expected, he was as straightforward as ever.

Kim Soleum sighs in resignation, but there was a tiny smile playing by the corner of his lips. “Okay. I guess I’ll go too.”

The two who originally suggested this seemed to have become more cheerful upon hearing the response. They hi-fived for a while, before urging the rest to quickly fly down out of this stuffy and stiff place.

Not that there was anything wrong with their words, though. The land definitely felt more comfortable than walking on the clouds, regardless of how soft it feels on bare feet. They made sure to land on a spot that an average person typically won’t be staring at, before shedding away their cupid forms.

The group seemed to know where they were going, even without Kim Soleum, who was currently assigned in the area, having to guide them around. But this is something that made complete sense to him, because it was likely that they've also had previous missions in this area and therefore probably knew more than him.

They ended up in a rather familiar Western-style cafe. Kim Soleum blinks in surprise for just a moment, having recognized it. It was a place that Choi would come to whenever he was on break.

It must be good, then, to have cupids coming by to get something. Since he personally hasn't tried it yet, he was a little curious.

His seniors gave him a window seat and Park Minseong took on the duty of buying their orders. Frankly, it really didn't matter to him where he sat, but he took it without much fuss.

The female of their group stared at him for a while.

“You know, you were being vague earlier,” she started, propping her elbow on the table and resting her chin on her hand. “But really, is your mission particularly troublesome?”

Oh? She was still thinking about that?

“It's alright, really,” he says truthfully. “The only difficult part was because I can't pick who to match him with.”

“Why not?”

“I can't just involve a random person after all…”

She shakes her head with a sigh. “Oh, right. You're picky and very meticulous. See, this is why those gods refused to let you go.”

“...”

“You're way too competent. They're probably trying to hammer you down right now by giving you this task while knowing the exact kind of person you are, too.”

So it really was an attempt to force him to fail? Did they expect him to give a good partner to Choi, therefore going against what he was originally told to do? Well, they were wrong about that, clearly, because he was really working hard to find the worst partner for his target.

“Chief, don't you think so as well?”

Lee Jaheon’s face, which no longer looked like a lizard while in the mortal world, looked back at the two who were waiting for a response. His eyes shift again to Kim Soleum, like he was trying to assess the other man with his eyes.

“Yes.”

“Hear that, Noruyah?”

Well, it's important to listen to his seniors too. When he was a new cupid, they were the ones who taught him the ropes, forming their own group that was more tight knit compared to the others. From what they told him before, it seems that Park Minseong, too, was picked up by Eun Haje, and said person was originally guided by the chief lizard.

Their personal waiter comes back with their drinks not too long after, with an entire plate full of fish and chips balanced on a single tray. It was cleanly arranged on their table, handing the drinks to whoever ordered it, before he also sat down among them again.

“Oh, you got food, too,” Eun Haje comments, immediately grabbing a pair of chopsticks and picking up a piece of fried potato. “Mhm—it’s still a little crunchy. Nice.”

“It's good, isn't it?”

“Yes, yes.”

The food was eaten rather quickly. Chief Lizard seemed to have found it delicious, since he took most of the portion of the fish. Kim Soleum thought it was a little funny, knowing that this person actually looked like a lizard when he's not in the mortal world. It's been so long since they are together like this that he almost forgot this was how it went.

They chatted together for some time, catching up on things that Kim Soleum missed while he was on lockdown. This casual interaction was something he admittedly missed, because being separated from others meant that these situations also didn't happen at all.

Come to think of it, it was amazing that he even managed to survive that isolation well. Sure, there was the advantage that he wasn't really a complete human, but still…

The only reason why they ended up having their conversation cut so suddenly, however, was because an unexpected person suddenly joined them.

“Ah! As I thought, it was a familiar face.”

“!”

Kim Soleum almost stood up in shock. His housemate, Choi, was waving at them, holding a plastic bag filled with drinks that were probably the orders of some co-workers. He knew this because Choi usually makes time to grab other’s requests whenever he has the time to do  so.

“Hello, podo-yah! I didn't expect to see you here.”

It took a while for him to recover from the surprise.

“...Hello Choi.”

The brunette man walks over to their table, still smiling in a friendly way.

“Hello, nice to meet everyone,” Choi starts waving when a new pair of eyes turn to him. “Don't mind me too much, I was just passing by and wanted to say hi to podo-yah. In fact, I'll be going again now.”

“Okay, please be careful, Choi,” Kim Soleum says out of courtesy.

“Yes, I always am!”

And, just as quickly as he appeared, Choi left through the door and probably headed back to the company. That's, at least, what his usual routine was, and because he still had a job to attend to.

There was some silence at the table for a while after said person left. Eun Haje took a sip of his drink, looking at Kim Soleum, before asking, “Who the hell was that?”

“Oh,” Kim Soleum coughs awkwardly, not meeting her eyes. “That was the guy I was tasked to.”

“...Are you serious?”

“What?” Park Minseong asked at the same time. “Wow, I didn’t expect you two to be…buddy-buddies.”

“Well, it just happened.”

More like he somehow ended up living in the same house as Choi. However, he hesitated to say this, because if they were already a little shocked about him being close enough with Choi to exchange greetings in the cafe, they would be dumbfounded when they found out they stay under the same roof.

Actually, it was the first time that Kim Soleum had this much interaction with a target. Previously, he would only talk to them once and not appear as a human again, just choosing to watch from afar in his cupid form.

There was something he was more concerned about, though. It was the fact that Lee Jaheon was suspiciously still quiet.

Actually, it’s not like he’s a very talkative person to begin with. But the usual thing would be him sending quips here and there. None of that sort came for a while. So the moment he turned to look at Kim Soleum again, said man cannot help but take a gulp nervously.

What is it? Is there something wrong?

“Kim Soleum.”

The other two in their group also fell silent for a while. There were curious expressions on their faces, no doubt wondering about the sudden seriousness of the conversation.

“Yes?”

“You are tasked to that man?”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

He tentatively looked at his other seniors, who discreetly nodded as a way of encouraging him to ask further about the situation.

“Can I ask why?”

“You may.”

“Please elaborate on it.”

“Okay.”

Lee Jaheon pushes his drink away a little further from the edge of the table. There was a thoughtful look on his face this time.

“You must be careful with that man,” he says with an even tone. “It is strangely suspicious just how friendly he was while interacting with you, considering his reputation.”

“His reputation?” Kim Soleum asked. It was clear that he and his other seniors were also a little confused. He already knew that Choi did something against the gods, but was he really famous even among cupids? How come there’s those who don’t know about it?

“Yes. The incident was kept quiet as soon as it happened, because the gods didn’t want many people knowing about it. However, wasn’t he the person who tricked the gods?”

“Wait, that was him?!” Eun Haje’s voice raised slightly in surprise. “Oh, I’m gonna kill those gods who send Noruyah to this stupid mission.”

“Yes, that was him.” Kim Soleum already knew this much when he took the mission. Still, there was a nagging feeling with him… “But how, exactly, did he trick the gods?”

“I heard about this story, but I never actually saw his face until today,” Park Minseong speaks up with a raised hand. “From what I heard, there was someone who was assigned to him, but he somehow managed to sweet talk his way into getting that cupid to help him steal something that belonged to the gods.”

“He stole from the gods?”

“Back then,” Lee Jaheon continues to talk about the context. “He was a close acquaintance of a previous target of another cupid.”

What’s this…? Kim Soleum, who was receiving a sudden influx of information on Choi’s backstory, felt a little guilty. But not that there was a reason to, because cupids have the right to run a background check on those they were assigned with anyway. He just didn’t dig further into his because he had been eager to prove that he wasn’t going to mess up the situation this time.

“This person was set to pair with another man who had a terrible personality. This led to an incident that brought forth a sequence of events. From what I heard, she is now stuck in a coma.”

…Oh.

Kim Soleum stares at his glass, which he had already drained. There was some sort of feeling in his chest, which he didn’t want to think too much about.

So Choi already had an indirect but bad experience with cupids.

Honestly, Kim Soleum didn’t like it. Ever since he picked up this job, love, to him, has become something that should be sweet and nice, like a breath of fresh air from the constant stress of daily life. That’s why he always tries his best to pair his targets with those that he thinks would be good for them.

Kim Soleum doesn’t remember his life before becoming a cupid, but whatever it was, it must’ve played a role in molding his own values while doing this job, too.

He let out a sigh that almost felt like it came from the bottom of his heart.

“I understand. Thank you for telling me.”

They went back to finishing their order afterwards, but Kim Soleum was stuck thinking about the situation that he had found himself into. Even when they bid farewell to each other and went their separate ways, he was still stuck inside his own thoughts.

On one side, he was stuck with a man who could not be fully trusted, because he was someone who…what? Tricked a cupid into stealing something for him? There was something off about that statement that he couldn’t put a finger on.

Being tricked meant that the cupid must’ve interacted frequently with Choi, enough that his words had been trusted. But why would a cupid spend longer time than necessary when meeting the target? He didn’t think that anyone else would—

Wait, he did the same thing, didn’t he?

Could it be that Choi also made the same offer to the first cupid that was sent to him? There was the possibility that Kim Soleum had the same thought process as his predecessor, thinking that it would be helpful to observe in a more immersive environment by being in the same place as Choi. But could it be that he was actually being played along with the entire time and this was some sort of elaborate plan?

Now he understood why Lee Jaheon told him to be careful.

Kim Soleum realized that he must’ve only known a small part of Choi. While he keeps living with the person who would drag him along to do groceries with him, he hasn’t really met the side that annoyed the gods so much. 

Wasn’t he wary not too long ago? Why did he suddenly realize he was looking at Choi in a nicer light? What, just because they hung out together for a while? Ack, Kim Soleum, that was a stupid move!

Eugh! How frustrating!

He goes back to the place he was staying in, feeling a little glum and conflicted. It’s not that he was disappointed, but maybe spending some time with Choi outside for a while made him want to believe that there was some genuineness in how he was being nice. See, he even bought clothes for Kim Soleum!

What a mess…

Okay, he needs to think about this in a more objective point of view.

Kim Soleum went back to the guest room, where he’d been staying for a while. He needed to organize his thoughts while he was still alone in this place, because there was no way he could think properly when half of his attention was divided into playing along with Choi.

He should be wary. Like, really wary. If he lets his guard down even by the slightest, then he might end up making the same choices that the first cupid did, and probably what those that came after did as well, since they all apparently failed their task.

There was something else bothering him, though. What was it that was stolen from the gods? Why was it specifically stolen? He wondered if there was some significance in it that could affect the outcome…

Sighs.

All this thinking is so exhausting. He was just dropped with the bombshell that there was a missing cupid, too.

For now, he thinks in a resigned tone. Let’s just focus. Be alert, cautious, and focused.

Well, that’s easier said than done.