Cupid In Love!

❤Chapter One❤

After her meeting with her boss, Cupid stepped outside. She had the rest of the day free to prepare for tomorrow’s flight to Japan. But she knew better than to spend her time packing and doing mundane tasks like stuffing clothes into a suitcase. Instead, she texted Gabe to meet her at the park.

Gabe, short for Gabriel (though you'd better be ready to run if you use his full name), is another matchmaker at Soul-Link. He and Cupid are longtime friends. Cupid was the first to join Soul-Link, and when Gabe came on board a year later, the two instantly clicked. They even worked as a pair for a while.

Now, you’re probably wondering... What is Soul-Link?

Soul-Link is the company behind the popular dating app of the same name, but the app is merely a front for something much bigger. Soul-Link isn't just any ordinary company. Only its members can access the building, because if an outsider stumbled in, it could be a huge threat to Soul-Link's future once they discovered what's really going on inside.

Soul-Link was founded many years ago by the God of Love, Eros. It might sound strange, but the truth is what it is. Only those with Eros’s bloodline can enter the building. People like Cupid and Gabe, who are born with the purpose of bringing soulmates together, are sent to Soul-Link at age 18 to train and grow into powerful demigods of love.

Every demigod of Eros shares the same magical ability: empathy. Empathy allows them to feel the emotions, moods, and temperaments of others, which helps the matchmakers understand their targets' feelings in various situations.

As they say, emotions can reveal many hidden truths.

Another important tool for matchmakers is the Soulmates Book, a magical book bound to the house of Eros. The names of people unlucky in love, those without a soulmate, appear in this book. It doesn’t just provide names but also gives crucial information to help matchmakers guide their targets toward love.

Sometimes matchmakers have to travel if their target is in another city or country. Their job is to blend in, acting like regular people. Most matchmakers remain unseen, working behind the scenes to guide their targets without them knowing. Some, however, prefer to play a more active role, becoming part of their target's life and subtly steering them toward their soulmate.

To find a soulmate, matchmakers use a second power known as the "love sensor." This ability allows them to sense when a soulmate is nearby. Every matchmaker experiences the sensor differently—some feel a tingling up their spine, while others may feel a sudden cold breeze. It’s unique to each individual.

But where were we?

Cupid stands on a sidewalk in the park. It's full of children playing and people strolling by. The trees glow with the vibrant hues of sunset, and the first signs of autumn are here, with leaves slowly drifting to the ground, creating a golden carpet.

She checks her phone. A message from Gabe says he’ll be there in a minute.

Sighing, Cupid stuffs her hands into her jacket pockets, her eyes wandering until they land on an older woman walking by with a golden retriever. The dog, looking as old as the lady, stops suddenly, its body tense as it turns to look at Cupid.

Ah, it can sense the magic around her.

The elderly woman pauses, calling for her dog, but its gaze remains fixed on Cupid. Confused, the woman approaches, giving Cupid an apologetic smile.

“I’m so sorry, she’s not usually like this...”

Cupid smiles in return. It’s not the first-time animals behave weirdly next to her. Magic alarms animals, because of the unknown feeling they feel sensing it. Like every other animal, they just become alarmed sensing an unknown source.

“That’s not a problem at all, I’m easy on the eyes after all” Cupid chuckles and kneels down, holding her hand to the dog who slowly walks closer sniffing it until leaning into the touch. Cupid smiles when the dog's emotions wave through her.

Happiness.

“Who's a good girl?” Cupid coos, and the dog starts licking her, making Cupid laughs pushing the dog softly away. The lady watching it all, smiles at the show.

“Look at that, Isy seems to like you” she says, Cupid stands up, brushing some strands away from her eyes as the wind starts getting stronger, making her already messy hair much messier.

“Oh, so her name is Isy” Cupid waves at the dog “Heya there Isy”

Isy barks back.

“I won’t hold you back more, young lady” The older lady says taking the leash of her dog as Isy walks up to her owner “Have a great day” she sends Cupid one last smile.

“You too, miss!” Cupid waves.

“Making friends without me I see. Or should I say you finally getting rid of me making new friends?” A deep voice says behind her and she turns around coming face to face with Gabe.

Gabe is a tall man with honey-brown skin and dark brown curly hair that reaches his ears and falls in soft curls into his shining and charming brown eyes. There are light freckles on his face and a mole next to his eye. Gabe always succeeded to steal glances not just from women but men too. His posture and the way he holds himself looks charming and confident. He wears some brown trousers with a dark brown leather jacket over his black t-shirt, slightly opened even when it’s windy outside. He is tall and athletic; you can see the muscle definition from up close.

He is known to work more with his tactical way of dealing with people, even if his charm would do a way better way, Gabe can’t forcefully charm people. It’s like watching a teenage boy trying to ask out his crush. Gabe always gets confused of why people call him charming. It’s his way of talking and holding himself that makes him seem like that, but Gabe himself, doesn’t see that.

“Please, getting rid of you is harder than eating spicy ramen,” Cupid teases, rolling her eyes.

Gabe scoffs. “Should I remind you about the time you cried over a cup of spicy ramen, begging me to finish it because you couldn’t?”

Cupid holds his gaze in silence for an uncomfortably long moment before finally speaking.

“That happened?”

“Don’t act like you forgot—”

“By the way, did you know I’m taking a vacation to Japan?”

The banter evaporates instantly as Gabe frowns. “What do you mean by that?”

As they stroll through the park, Cupid stuffs her hands into her jacket pockets. “Boss assigned me a new target. It’s in Tokyo, actually. He said the other matchmakers couldn’t find a soulmate for her, so he handed it to me, thinking I could pull it off.”

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“She?” Gabe raises an eyebrow. “You’ve never had a female target before.” He slides one hand into his pants pocket while absentmindedly playing with leaves on a tree branch with the other.

Cupid shrugs. “I didn’t even know I could have a female target.”

Gabe gives her an incredulous look. “Seriously? Cupid, most of my clients are men.”

She rolls her eyes. “You never said they were men. You just talk about how your cases are going and all—”

“I literally say their names!” he cuts in. “How could you not notice? Remember last week?”

Cupid hums and looks straight ahead. “Oh yeah! Josh, wasn’t it? You said he had some kind of addiction to—”

“Cupid,” Gabe groans, exasperated. “Josh.”

She waves her hands dismissively. “How was I supposed to know? Women can be called Josh too!”

“Name one woman named Josh.”

…

“Exactly,” Gabe says smugly.

“Whatever,” Cupid grumbles, waving a hand to brush the hair from her eyes.

“It’s fascinating, though…” Gabe continues. “No one’s succeeded in finding her soulmate?”

Cupid nods. “As the boss said, no one could. Not even a little. I talked to the matchmakers who had her as a target, and every one of them said they didn’t feel even the faintest spark from their soulmate sensors.” She gives Gabe a confused look. “And you always get a spark—always—when the soulmate exists. Even if they’re not nearby, the sensor reacts at the start of the first connection with your target.” Her gaze drifts to the side, landing on a couple walking hand in hand, smiling blissfully.

“Could that maybe…” Gabe hesitates. “Could that maybe mean she doesn’t have a soulmate?”

Cupid’s eyes snap back to him, slightly widened.

“But… isn’t that impossible?” she mumbles.

Gabe shrugs. “I don’t know, but it’s the most logical explanation I can think of. I mean…” He locks eyes with her. “Do you really believe everyone has a soulmate?”

Cupid looks away, her expression uncertain. “We’ve never had a case like this before. You know that.”

Gabe nods. “Which is what makes it so interesting—a soul searching for real love.”

He hums thoughtfully. Cupid casts him a sidelong glance before her gaze returns to the path ahead.

A soul seeking real love, not knowing there’s none meant for her…

“When’s your flight?” Gabe asks after a stretch of silence as they near a small café—a familiar spot where they often spend time after work.

“8 a.m.,” Cupid replies. “I’ve never had a target so far away. Honestly, I’m kind of curious to see what Japan’s like.”

“Do you even speak Japanese?” Gabe looks at her, his worry evident. “If you go there without even the slightest—”

“Holy love, Gabe,” Cupid interrupts, stopping abruptly. Gabe turns to her, raising an eyebrow at her serious tone.

“Are you a dub or a sub?” she asks, her expression unusually solemn.

“A… what?” He frowns in confusion.

Cupid covers her mouth with one hand, staring at him in mock disbelief. “For that question alone, you don’t even deserve to know.” She brushes past him, heading toward the now-visible café.

“Cupid? But—but what did I do?” he sputters, chasing after her.

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At Soul-Link

Malcolm sits in his office, immersed in paperwork, when the door swings open. A matchmaker strides in briskly—a young woman with long, wavy auburn hair, flawless pale skin, and striking hazel eyes. Kiara. She’s dressed in jeans and a stylish red leather jacket, her wrists adorned with bracelets, her eyes accentuated with makeup, and earrings completing the ensemble.

Kiara is one of the best matchmakers at Soul-Link.

Well, second best. According to the rankings, Cupid holds the title of number one.

That’s why she’s called Cupid. It isn’t her real name; it’s a title. The person ranked at the top earns the nickname Cupid, a designation that symbolizes excellence in matchmaking. Achieving the rank of Cupid is no small feat, yet she’s managed to maintain it for two years now.

Over time, nearly everyone started calling her Cupid—it felt natural, almost like it was truly her name.

As for Kiara, she could be described as Cupid’s most loyal rival.

Malcolm glances up from his papers, raising an eyebrow as Kiara stops in front of his desk. Her arms are crossed, and one of her fashionable boots taps out a rhythm against the wooden floor.

“Kiara? Did you finish your job? If you’re here looking for another, there aren’t any targets available at the moment,” Malcolm says.

“No—I mean, yes, I finished my task, but that’s not why I’m here,” she replies, her cheeks flushing as her voice rises with irritation.

Malcolm raises an eyebrow again. “Oh?”

“I heard about the task Cupid got,” she says, her tone sharp. “Why wasn’t I informed? I could’ve handled it too!”

Malcolm sighs. “Cupid was available at the time, and as one of my best matchmakers, I gave her the assignment to ensure it was completed quickly.”

“But I’m one of the best too!” Kiara protests, scoffing. “I’m a second-rank matchmaker!”

“Kiara, I didn’t know you were free. When did you finish your task?”

Kiara hesitates; her embarrassment evident as she glances to the side. “Today.”

“You see? If I’d known sooner, there might have been a chance you’d be chosen. But as it stands, Cupid has the assignment now, and there’s no point in dragging this out,” Malcolm says firmly.

Kiara sighs, frustration clear in her voice. “If you’d just give me a chance to take on a more difficult target, maybe I could finally become the new Cupid.”

“I can’t always wait for you, Kiara,” Malcolm says, his tone sharp but fair. “Our job is to complete assignments as quickly as possible.” He gives her a pointed look, signaling that the discussion is over.

Here’s an improved version with better grammar and flow:

Kiara stands there for a moment, holding back her anger. Then, with a sharp turn, she strides out of the office, the door slamming shut behind her.

Malcolm sighs.

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“I’m coming, Japan!”

Cupid’s voice echoes across the airport, drawing the attention of several bystanders. They glare at her with a mix of disgust and annoyance, as if she’s some kind of junkie. A mother hurriedly grabs her child’s hand, pulling them away from Cupid.

“That’s why I always say never talk to strangers,” the mother mutters under her breath.

Cupid, seemingly oblivious, continues to look around, her suitcase clutched tightly in her hand.

Her flight is set to depart in ten minutes. She starts making her way toward the gate, but something catches her eye. Out of the corner of her vision, she spots a familiar head of auburn hair. She quickly turns to get a better look, but there’s no one there.

“God, I’m getting paranoid. As if she could be here,” Cupid mutters, chuckling softly to herself before continuing toward her gate.

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“Everyone, please take your seats. The flight will be departing soon!”

Already seated by the window, Cupid lets out a contented sigh, a pleasant smile tugging at her lips. Working for Soul-Link has its perks—it pays well enough to afford VIP class. Fewer passengers, no screaming kids, and plenty of room to stretch out.

But her tranquility is short-lived as someone takes the seat next to hers.

Cupid doesn’t acknowledge them at first, finding it odd that they’d choose the seat beside her when there are so many other open spots. She pulls out her phone, deliberately ignoring their presence.

'I should probably look up the café', she thinks.

After a quick Google search, she finds it: Sunflower Café. Its English name suggests the owner might speak English or even be English themselves.

'Or maybe it’s just a name', Cupid, she scolds herself, rolling her eyes.

She doesn’t know much about her target—just a name and surname. But if the woman still works as a maid in the café, it shouldn’t be too hard to find her. The plan is simple: befriend the target, gain her trust, and then find her soulmate to create the connection.

Scrolling through the search results, she notices the café’s popularity.

The reviews are glowing:

"A very cozy and charming place! The maids are so cute!"

"Am I the only one who goes there just to admire the maids?"

Cupid grimaces at the comments. 'Well, whatever the appeal, the café is definitely well-known.'

Her thoughts are interrupted when the person beside her starts...powdering their face? Cupid tries to ignore it but eventually sneezes.

“Bless you,” the person says.

“Thank you,” Cupid replies, turning to look out the window.

Wait.

She freezes, then turns sharply to face the person sitting next to her. Her eyes meet a pair of hazel ones she knows all too well.

“KIARA!?”

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End of Chapter One.