The next morning, I arrived at The Cozy Nook Café half-expecting the universe to have returned to normal. It hadn't.
I had barely tied my apron when the door chimed, and there he was—Elior, standing in the doorway with that same impossible grin and his coat slightly rumpled, like he'd just teleported from another realm.
"Morning, Lila," he said cheerfully, arms crossed over his chest. "Ready for your first… guided love lesson?"
I blinked. "Guided… love lesson?"
"Yes," he said, leaning against the counter. "You've been assigned to me, remember? It's official. I'm here to teach you about the… finer points of love."
I choked on my coffee and coughed like a cartoon character. "You're—what? You're going to teach me love?"
"Precisely." He gave a dramatic bow. "And it starts today. Let's begin with… observation."
I stared at him, trying not to drop the coffee cup I was still holding. "Observation?"
"Yes. You watch people. Learn their habits. Notice little things that tell you who they really are. For example…" He pointed subtly to a couple sitting in the corner. The girl's eyes darted nervously to the boy's hands as he reached for her coffee. "See that? Nervousness. Nervousness tells you something important about their heart."
I gave him the strangest look. "And you think this is going to help me… how?"
"Trust me," Elior said, winking. "Soon, you'll see. Or not. Either way, it'll be… educational."
And that's when Pippin appeared.
A tiny, glowing blur darted across the café, leaving sparkles in its wake. I yelped.
"What—"
"Ah, yes," Elior said, following the sprite with an amused grin. "Meet Pippin. My… well, my assistant. Or chaos agent, depending on the day."
The tiny creature zipped around, knocking over a sugar jar, swiping a napkin, and squeaking something that sounded suspiciously like a giggle.
"I—uh—this is real?" I asked, pointing shakily.
"Oh, very real," Elior said, leaning against the counter like a man at ease in chaos. "And highly unpredictable."
Pippin zipped toward me, hovered, and zipped away again, leaving a faint trail of glitter in my hair. I sneezed. "Okay, I officially hate magical assistants."
Elior chuckled. "You'll get used to them. Maybe."
That day was a blur of strange lessons. Elior insisted on walking me through the subtle arts of observation—how to notice subtle glances, slight smiles, and the way hands fidgeted when someone liked someone else. It was like a crash course in human emotions, with a sprinkle of supernatural flair.
Pippin, of course, made everything ten times more complicated.
By mid-afternoon, the café was in mild chaos. A couple had accidentally swapped drinks because Pippin had nudged their cups while they weren't looking. A regular customer had tripped slightly over a floating sugar packet. And somehow, by the end of it, the café's bell rang continuously for five minutes straight, thanks to Pippin's gleeful meddling.
"You call this education?" I asked, exasperated, brushing sparkles from my hair.
"Partly education," Elior admitted. "Mostly… practice." He smirked. "Chaos is a great teacher."
I groaned. "I think I'm going to fail your course."
He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Not if you pay attention. Trust me, Lila, there's more to love than meets the eye. And sometimes, learning to read people can save you from… accidents."
I raised an eyebrow. "Accidents?"
Elior grinned mysteriously. "Oh, just little things. Like hearts being misfired."
By the end of the day, I was completely drained—but oddly exhilarated. Watching Elior in action was… mesmerizing. The way he moved, the way he spoke, the way he seemed to notice everything… I didn't understand it, and I wasn't sure I wanted to.
But there was a part of me that ached with curiosity. Who was this impossible boy? And why did my chest tighten every time he smiled?
That evening, I tried to return to normal life. I fed Marble, scrubbed the coffee stains from my apron, and tried to convince myself that maybe this Cupid business was a one-day thing.
Then the phone rang.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Lila," a smooth, confident voice said. My pulse skipped a beat, not because I recognized it, but because it carried a strange weight. "We haven't met properly yet."
I frowned. "Who is this?"
"I'm Adrian Vale. You could say I'm… involved."
I dropped my spoon. "Involved how?"
"You'll see." The line went dead.
The next day at the café, Adrian appeared in person. I froze the moment I saw him—tall, dark-haired, perfectly dressed, and smiling like he owned the world. He greeted everyone warmly, and I noticed immediately how easy it was to like him. Even Elior, who had been leaning casually against the counter, stiffened slightly.
"I didn't know the café had VIPs today," I muttered under my breath.
Elior's eyes narrowed, though he tried to hide it behind a charming grin. "Just… someone from… the universe. Long story."
Adrian walked over to my counter. "Hello, Lila. It's a pleasure to meet you properly. I hear you have a knack for noticing people's little details. That's impressive."
I felt my cheeks heat. "Uh… thanks."
Elior coughed, drawing my attention. Pippin zipped between them, invisible to Adrian, knocking over a tiny stack of napkins at Elior's feet. Elior muttered something under his breath, but Adrian just smiled politely, oblivious to the magical chaos surrounding him.
I wanted to scream, "This is unfair!" But instead, I just… watched.
That night, I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about Elior, Adrian, and the tiny, impossible Pippin.
"Why can't love be simple?" I muttered.
Marble purred lazily on my chest, as if judging me for doubting the obvious.
And somewhere, far above or maybe just around the corner, I sensed a quiver of golden-tipped arrows.
Tomorrow would bring more chaos. More lessons. More misfires of hearts.
And maybe… just maybe… more of Elior.
To Be Continued…