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. She 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.