Prologue: The Cynic and The Curse

Rain hammered against the window panes of the dimly lit bedroom, a steady beat that matched the rhythmic tapping of fingers on a keyboard. In the corner of the room, lit only by the pale blue glow of a computer monitor, Kaito Sugiura hunched forward, eyes narrowed with critical intensity. 

"Yet another pathetic excuse for a 'love confession'," he muttered, voice low and unimpressed. His fingers danced across the keys. CupidKiller's Corner: Episode 47 - When will Romance Writers Learn? 

His blog had amassed a cult following online - a blend of bitter takedowns and razor-sharp analysis. Kaito didn't just hate poorly written romance; he dissected it with surgical precision. To his readers he was a dark messiah of truth. To most authors, he was an obnoxious Cynic with a god complex. 

And to himself? He was just honest.

"Love doesn't work like that, " he grumbled as he clicked post and leaned back. "it's not about destiny or sparkles or tripping into someone's arms. It's a series of delusions with a ticking expiration date."

The rain intensified, as the sky was conspiring to argue with him. Thunder rolled in the distance. 

Kaito stood and stretched, black T-shirt wrinkled above his plain sweats. He shuffled toward the bookshelf crammed with manga volumes. Romance Romance Romance. All of them read, dissected, and critiqued. All of them failures, in his eyes. His gaze lingered on one cover: Cherry Hearts and Spring Promises. He scoffed. "Another transfer student fantasy. Childhood friend as a losing heroine. Again. How original." 

Just as he reached out to pull it from the shelf, a bolt of lightning split the sky and the power cut.

The room went dark.

"Seriously," Kaito muttered. He turned to grab his phone when a soft, melodious voice echoed through the air. 

"Ah~! What a dreary little cave you live in. So fitting for a heart like yours."

Kaito froze.

A faint shimmer danced in the air above his desk, coalescing into a figure of impossible beauty. Long hair of cascading starlight, eyes like a molten rose quartz, and a smirk that could freeze fire. She was radiant. And also floating. 

"What... the hell?"

The figure twirled mid-air, striking a theatrical pose. "Goddess of Love. Aphireia, at your disservice."

Kaito blinked. Once. Twice. Then pinched himself. 

"Nope," Aphireia said cheerfully, "You're not dreaming. Though frankly, this is closer to a nightmare, for both of us."

"I'm hallucinating, " Kaito said flatly. "This is what happens when you read too much garbage and drink nothing but energy drinks."

"You've been cursing my name for 127 blog entries," Aphireia said, checking her nails. "You mock every love story, tear down every confession, and basically act like Cupid ran over your dog. I figured it was time we met." 

Kaito stared at her deadpan, and without much hesitation he took his phone and brought it up to his ear. "Hello, yes a strange woman has broken into my home and, I believe she's a stalk-"

Before Kaito could finish Aphireia snatched the phone from his grip as she now stared down upon him fierce eyes that now glow a harsh pink. "Kaito Sugiura I'm no stalker," Aphireia said fiercely, "I'm the Goddess of Love I would advise you to show some respect and not compare me to some lowly stalker." 

"Not only does she know my name she is also insane," Kaito said flatly. 

Aphireia just stared at Kaito as if he just insulted her entire bloodline. Her beauty is now hidden behind the face of pure anger as her fist shook, and her hair which was once cascading is now nothing but a spiraling mess. 

 "Hey look I don't care who you are or why you're here, but you should leave before I force you," Kaito said harshly. "And when I say force I mean I'll be shouting out the window like a scared little girl that there's a pervert in my home." 

The room was in silence besides the constant raining outside that kept intensifying by the second. "I see it now....I guess I'll have to resort to that to force you to respect me," said Aphireia in a monotone voice. 

Kaito frowned. "What are you-" 

A sudden gust of warm, pink wind started to swirl around the room sending papers flying across the room. The sensation wasn't painful, but it jolted him like a splash of cold water. Symbols-hearts, arrows, shimmering runes-danced in his vision, then vanished.

Kaito stumbled back. "What did you-"

"Curse," she said brightly. "This serves  you right. From now on, you'll be dealing with the girls you mock so gleefully. The losing heroines who were cast aside like narrative clutter? You're going to help them. Give them closure. Help them fall in love."

Kaito stood still shocked not because he was processing what Aphireia just said, but because his mind swirled with thoughts still more focused on the pink wind from earlier. Where did that wind come from it had to be some sort of special effect right, but then where would the equipment be and how is it in my room without me noticing? Actually lets be serious about this a strange woman shows up in my room after the lights shut off and claims to be the Goddess of Love. ....A woman in my room. ...Yep this is clearly a dream. His face returns back into a deadpan state as he just continues to look at her convinced he's dreaming. 

"Welcome to your punishment." She winked. "CupidKIller is now Cupid's assistant. You're going to live these stories, Kaito Sugiura. And maybe, just maybe, you'll learn what love actually means."

The room exploded in a blinding light. 

And just like that- The cynic's story began.