december 18, 2019. 

Grim

december 20, 2019. 

Serena

Serena and Praya were having drinks at Blue 4U after finishing a shoot about half an hour ago for a really picky and overwhelming client with a lot of input in how they wanted their pictures to turn out like.

"Y'know, Praya, it's not my fault if that woman decides to ask for re-dos when she's the one that asked to be photographed that way." Serena stated while slowly sipping her salted watermelon margarita.

"Especially when I had to travel all the way to Lan Khao."

Praya brushed her friend's worries away.

"Don't worry, Re. I made her sign the waiver. She can't do anything about it unless she wants to involve third parties which I'm ready for, too."

"Good, because honestly she was seriously giving me several headaches throughout the whole session and I just wanted to strangle her with the mistletoe wreath."

"You and me both, girlie. You and me both."

Praya drank to that with her strawberry daiquiri before signalling the bartender for another refill.

"Then again, she was trying to make a recreation that related to her father or something since it'll be her first Christmas without him this year."

"Still doesn't give you the right to act however you like just because of that."

"If you say so."

Praya replied as she turned to thank the bartender, "Thank you," before returning her attention to her friend and speaking with Serena again.

"Anyways, you got pay pretty hefty this time around compare to last year. That's something."

"It is, but I could have given those job to the others."

"True, but compare to you, your patience is something else."

"I still think in the end I guess I just really hate people, Praya."

Serena groaned with a tired laugh.

"Can't live with them and can't live without them."

"No, you don't. If you did, then you wouldn't have made that random woman be your model for the MOLDIR S/S collection."

"I guess."

"You have a good judgment of character and people."

"If you say so."

It made Serena think of the other two lives that dealt with such decisions on a daily that she ended up downing her drink as she didn't want to slowly enjoy it as it wasn't delicious as she thought it would be.

"Anyways, I need another drink. This one isn't cutting it."

"Then try the whiskey sour or the peachy tea, Re." Praya suggested while handing the very small menu to her friend.

"I know you like trying different ones and I had these before and they're pretty decent."

"Get me both then. I'll be right back. Really gotta use the toilet."

Serena informed her friend as she scooted out of her high chair and headed towards the restroom. Just as Serena had closed the door to the stall she was instantly jerked forward and landed roughly on her feet causing her to stumble clumsily to the floor of one of the private rooms of the Cupid Station a moment later. Cupid Serena let out a groan while picking herself up and whined a bit about it noticing that she had changed outfits.

"I just wanted to pee and I ended up here. Great."

After massaging herself she looked around the room and saw that no one was in sight.

"Great. What's worst is being summoned, but the person isn't even here. Rude."

"We're old, especially ancient in the mortals' eyes. Give us some time."

Yue Lao laughed as he appeared alongside Musubi, the God of Matchmaking, Love, and Marriage, who grinned beside him.

"You're one to talk. I'm still fit as a fiddle."

"A very thin fiddle. Very thin."

Yue Lao chuckled as Musubi ignored him and focused his attention onto Cupid Serena.

"Please, Cupid V, have a seat."

Cupid Serena did as told and just quietly watched the two love gods before her not saying anything.

"Today marks your one thousandth, six hundredth, and forty-fourth day since you've been with us as a Cupid."

Yue Lao stated while reading from a floating white paper before it vanished after he was done reading it.

"Is that correct?"

Cupid Serena nodded, but didn't verbally answered as she assumed it's been that long. She hasn't really kept an exact count of her time with them and just rounded to the closes year. Musubi was reading another floating list that was of a red color and spoke next after he had pushed it aside to focus on Cupid Serena.

"And it's written here that you have solved about two hundred and sixty-eight love cases thus far."

He pushed the paper away until it disappeared from sight.

"How do you feel about that?"

"Okay, I guess." Cupid Serena answered with a shrug. "I don't really care for the numbers."

"Then what do you care about, Cupid V?" Both gods asked as Cupid Serena didn't hesitate.

"My sister."

"Ah, right. The one that's in a comatose state due to the incident that had put the both of you in your current predicaments."

Yue Lao commented as he pulled up another piece of paper that was blue

"That was a sad day for the Celestial Realm. It unfortunately involved our dear, Nick".

"Yeah." Cupid Serena agreed in a neutral tone not commenting further as she couldn't recall the full memory of that incident with Cupid Nick.

"Are you aware that past cupids are able to be revived?" Musubi asked changing the subject as Cupid Serena nodded.