ADK II: Cupid's Slave (✔️)

Chapter 1: Myth in the Modern World

If life was fair, then why was he here?

If life had a fair judgment, then why was he suffering from this cruel fate?

He lost his powers, he lost his love, he lost his everything, and he lost the reason why he wanted to live again… Why he needed to wake up... Why he wanted to breathe for air… why he would want to see the rising of the sun or how it perfectly set in the horizon. He kept on asking to himself, why he still existed when he didn’t know the very essence of life anymore.

He was living like dead.  From a cheerful one to an emotionless mortal, Ayden lived all this time in isolation, like he was living along the crowd but his heart was in miles away. No one could ever reach him, not even to the God who had his soul.

Feeling ironic, he had no emotion for these past few years yet he was working with the Roman God of Love, Cupid. 

Ayden was glad for his brother’s bliss. He earned it after what he had done for him. And now, he was paying for his debts of his wrongdoing a very long time.

But for him, every memory he had back on Earth was still fresh on his mind. Every pain he suffered was still there deep down on his heart.  Trapped by his painful memories, he wondered if he could still recollect himself. How could he move on when he was still reminiscing his dark past? How could he step forward when he caught himself stepping backward again?

He read his poem he once made for her after her death. He missed her so much. Twenty years already passed but he felt like it was just yesterday.

I wish I can be with you, I wish I can see you

I still love the girl that I used to know

Wherever you are, I’ll find your soul

I’ll find you here, hoping like a fool

He heaved a sigh, and then he stopped for a moment from reading. He put the piece of paper in his leather jacket for he had no guts in reading it anymore. Ayden started walking down the crowded street.  Cupid sent him here for something. It must be way important since Cupid chose him to do this job. “Time to finish this.”

….

“Juice," bulong ni Sunshine kay Fate habang nakatingin sa isang lalaking nakaupo sa kabilang table na hindi naman kalayuan sa pwesto nila. Nasa isang restaurant silang dalawa. Sunshine was Fate’s bestfriend since high school. Pareho silang fresh graduate at parehong natanggap sa isang company pero magkaibang department.  They were eating their dinner. Pang-gabi ang time nila since foreighners ang clients ng kanilang kompanya.

“Tumigilkanga Shine! Tubig lang ‘yan!” she rolled her eyes to her bestfriend.  Fate knew what Sunshine was up to. That was their code. Code para sa mga lalaki kung ano ang standard nila para dito. Ilang beses na din siyang pinagmukhang tanga sa tuwing nagseset-up si Shine ng blind date. Pilipilit na talagang magkaboyfriend kahit hindi naman niya trip. Palibahasa ang isang kagaya ni Sunshine, papalit-palit na ng boyfriend animo mga damit lang na kapag wala na sa uso at hindi na niya mahal, easy lang na palitan agad. But Fate loved her so much. Kahit ganyan ang bestfriend niya, loyal naman ito sa kanya. Sadyang hindi pa lang siguro nakikita pa ni Sunshine ang katapat niya.

“Oh c’mon!” protesta ni Sunshine. Kinuha muna ang baso niyang may lamang Iced tea at uminom saka muling nagsalita. “Look at him! Gwaponamansiya ah.” Nilingon pa niya ulit ang lalaki nang palihim na nasa bandang harapan nila. Nakaformal attire pa ‘to, halatang professional ang dating at nasa early twenties ang edad. Clean cut ang straight hair at elegante tingnan. Kung paano kumilos, halatang may kaya sa buhay. “Ang weirdo sigurong taste mo Fate kayawalaka pang boyfriend eh! Grabeh! Tubig lang siya sa ‘yo? Eh halos pang-softdrinks na ang standard ngisang ‘yan ah! Anobahanapmo sa isanglalaki? Tell me para mahanapan na kita," pamimilit ni Shine sabay kindat sa bestfriend niya. Heto na naman sila sa usapang ito. Minsan nagsasawa na din si Fate sa mga pinaggagawa ni Shine.