It all began on that cursed day.
The festival lights glittered outside, lovers hand in hand, laughter filling the streets... meanwhile, I was stuck inside my suffocating office cubicle, staring at spreadsheets that no one would ever thank me for.
Why? Because my coworkers were out on their romantic escapades, whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears. And me? I was in my thirties, single, rejected more times than I could count, and about as desirable as yesterday's instant ramen.
"My name is Shin Hugo. Age: 31. Status: hopeless bachelor. Balance: broke."
Yes, I've memorized my own misfortune. Engraved it on my heart like a tragic family crest.
But don't get me wrong—I wasn't working overtime for the money. No, no. Think again. The truth was much worse. I was only here because my company had free Wi-Fi, and I was too stingy to waste my own. Pathetic, isn't it? Yeah, I know.
So there I was, scrolling aimlessly through the office computer, pretending to be productive, when suddenly—a link popped up.
"Still searching for your soulmate? Call upon the God of Love. Just press this button and pay 100 yen."
I blinked. "Wait... only 100 yen?!"
Normally these scammy 'love summoning' sites demand thousands of yen, maybe even your soul. But this? This was basically a vending machine price. A divine wingman for the cost of a canned coffee? Who wouldn't try it?
So naturally, I clicked. Payment done. Fate sealed.
All that was left... was to go home and perform the so-called ritual.
The website's instructions were simple:
"Offer any food. Clap three times. He will appear."
"...Any food, huh?" I rummaged through my bag, past crumpled receipts and empty candy wrappers, until I found a single hotdog I had picked up at the convenience store earlier. The bun was already a little squished, but hey, beggars can't be choosers.
I placed it carefully on the 'altar,' cleared my throat, and brought my hands together.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
The candle flickered. The air shifted. For a moment, I thought it was actually working. Shadows stretched strangely along the walls, and a low humming sound filled the room. My heart pounded—was this really happening?!
And then— fwump.
A man appeared.
Not with heavenly trumpets or radiant light. No, he just... sort of plopped down onto my beanbag chair like it belonged to him. His hoodie was oversized, his belly peeked out when he shifted, and he held a piece of cardboard in one hand that read in sloppy marker: "LOVE GOD – ON DUTY."
I blinked. "...Did I just summon the God of Poverty by mistake?"
The man yawned, scratched his stomach, and finally spoke in a tone that was far too casual for someone claiming divinity.
"Name's Cuppiam. God of Love. You booked me."
I stared. "...What?"
He leaned forward, patting his cardboard sign like it was an official ID.
"So, what's your desire? You want knowledge of your soulmate's future? Advice about your love troubles? A blessing for romance? Whatever it is, let's get this moving. My schedule's packed."
My jaw dropped. "No way. This is it? This is the great God of Love? I paid 100 yen for this?!"
My eyes darted to the empty soda can on the floor. "That's enough to buy ten packs of instant Maggi... or a Coke. Do you have any idea what I sacrificed here?!"
Cuppiam tilted his head, unfazed. "Refunds not available. Terms and conditions apply."
"...I've been scammed," I groaned, clutching my head"Fine," I said, folding my arms. "If you're really a god, prove it."
Cuppiam sighed like he'd heard the same line a thousand times. He lazily snapped his fingers—suddenly, a bow of pure light formed in his hands. It gleamed for exactly three seconds before he snapped again, and it vanished into thin air.
"There. Proof."
I narrowed my eyes. "Still don't believe it."
Cuppiam leaned forward, pointing at the untouched hotdog on the floor.
"Listen. Do you want to waste your 100 yen and your hotdog? No? Then shut up and listen. I'm a god, okay? A god. Now—why did you summon me?"
I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. "...Because... I wanted to know why I'm still single. Every time I propose, I get rejected. Every single time."
For the first time, Cuppiam actually looked serious. He produced a thick file out of nowhere and flipped it open. His eyes scanned the pages, his lips twitching like he was desperately trying not to laugh.
"Oh wow... rejected with a bucket of water to the face? On Valentine's? Harsh. And this one... yikes. Proposing during a fire drill? Bold, but stupid. Oh man, this one's gold—rejected with applause from the whole class—"
"Stop narrating my failures!" I shouted, face burning.
Cuppiam coughed into his fist, struggling to compose himself. Then his tone shifted. "Anyway. The reason... is simple."
He shut the file. The air grew heavier.
"Your soulmate is dead."
My body froze. "...What."
"She died in... let's just say, unfavorable circumstances. Multiple causes of death, tangled together. Complicated case. Which means..." He sighed. "...There's a very good chance you'll stay single until you die."
I deadpanned. "Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me I'm single because my soulmate died? That's your grand answer?"
Cuppiam raised a hand. "Correction: multiple unfavorable causes. It's rare. Normally, if someone dies before meeting their soulmate, fate resurrects them so they can be together. Time doesn't matter. But in your case? She hasn't resurrected. Which means... she might still be wandering around. Lost. And that's not my department."
He dusted off his hoodie and stood up. "So, yeah. Good luck with that. I'll be going—"
I grabbed him by the ear. "You're not leaving until you fix something!"
"Gah—! Okay, okay! Options!" Cuppiam flailed. "Either you find her and solve her problem... or you execute her and sever the tie. But that's your problem, not mine!"
As we argued, a faint flicker of blue light shimmered behind me, almost like a ripple in the air. Neither of us noticed.
"When did she die?" I demanded.
Cuppiam flipped through the file. "Thirteen years ago."
My heart skipped. "...Thirteen years ago. I was eighteen then. Just finished high school. The year of my five-hundred-and-fourth proposal."
Cuppiam adjusted his hoodie. "Correction: it was more like your four-hundred-and-fifty-third."
"Don't say it like that!" I barked. "I know I'm single!"
I turned away, waving him off. "Forget it. Do whatever you want. You can leave. I'll summon you later."
Dropping onto my futon, I pulled the blanket over myself and shut my eyes. Sleep was the only escape left.
"...Hmph. Fine," Cuppiam muttered, glancing toward the dusty mirror leaning against the wall. His eyes narrowed.
"Not that it matters. She's already here."
In the mirror, a faint silhouette lingered. A girl's outline. Watching.
Thanks For Reading chapter 1 of my LN or my Webnovel