Elowen was still wrapped in the fading warmth of Amora's embrace when the Goddess stepped back, a teasing glint in her eyes.
"Alright, enough mushy stuff," Amora chirped. "Finish your homework so you can go back to daydreaming about your boyfriend."
Elowen's face turned a violent shade of crimson. "He's not my boyfriend... yet. And seriously? Homework?"
"He will be soon," Amora said, poking Elowen's cheek. "And yes, homework. Consider the perks of being the younger one."
Sighing, Elowen pulled up her phone. Her eyes scanned the screen, then nearly fell out of her head.
Assignment: Submit via Divine Mail. Length: 5,000 pages.
Elowen blinked. "Oh, it's... only five thousand pages."
"Five thousand," Amora repeated, her voice flat.
The silence lasted exactly three seconds before the panic set in.
"FIVE THOUSAND?!" they shrieked together.
"It's a glitch! It has to be!" Amora paced the room, her silks rustling with her agitated movements.
Elowen sank to her knees, staring at the screen in horror. "It's not. Five thousand pages... that's hundreds of hours. My life is over. My social life is officially extinct."
"Get up! Don't let the paperwork win!" Amora snapped her fingers, and a shimmering, silver fountain pen appeared in her hand. "Take this. It writes ten times faster than the user's hand."
Elowen looked up, hope flickering. "Ten times?"
"Yes!" Amora chirped.
"Then I will be done in just two days!" Elowen exclaimed.
Suddenly, a golden device in Amora's pocket began to vibrate violently. She checked it, and her face went pale. "Oh, no. A couple in Paris is having a total meltdown. I have to go!"
"Wait, now?"
"Toodles! Don't get ink on your fingers!"
With a pop and a cloud of rose petals, she vanished. Elowen sighed, walking to her desk with a heavy heart. She's a total workaholic. No wonder the Goddess of Love is single. Alright, Elowen, you can do it.
A few blocks away, Ren was sitting on his couch, feeling uncharacteristically social. Elowen's influence was working; he was actually talking with his classmates, especially the new boy in school.
Kaito:Seriously, that's hilarious. Hey Ren, do you have a crush or something?
Ren started to type 'No,' then stopped. He deleted it and sent:
Ren: I have a crush.
Kaito: No way! Who? Is she cute?
Ren smiled at the screen.
Ren: She's like an angel. Kind, caring, and honestly really really cute.
Kaito: You're whipped! Is she from our school? Give me a name!
Ren: That's enough for you. No more details.
Kaito: Unfair! Just one hint?
Ren: Fine. She's prettier than anyone else in our class.
Kaito: That's not a hint, that's just you being biased! Anyway, dinner time. Later!
Ren set the phone down and stared at the ceiling. A small, rare laugh escaped him as he thought about their hands touching at the cafe. He felt a surge of warmth. She is so adorable. I just want to pinch her cheeks. He was happy, but he didn't realize how fragile that happiness was.
Three days later, the joke stopped being funny as the "Paperwork of Doom" had effectively dismantled Elowen's existence. Every time she tried to step outside, a new scroll would materialize. Gabriel wasn't using lightning to stop her; he was using a desk job.
By Friday afternoon, Ren was sitting on their usual bench in the park, looking at his watch every thirty seconds. He had brought a new book to show her, hoping to see that spark in her eyes again.
Elowen finally arrived, but she looked like she hadn't slept in a century. She was lugging a massive leather satchel that was literally bulging with glowing papers.
"Elowen! You're here!" Ren said, standing up. "I thought maybe you... well, you've been canceling our walks all week. Is everything okay?"
Elowen's eyes twitched as she looked at him. "Ren! Yes! Everything is... quantifiably within normal parameters. I just have a lot of exam pressure. So much syllabus to cover."
Ren chuckled. "So you're just like me, studying a month before the exam? Cramming a month early?"
"Typical average students," Elowen joked weakly.
She sat down, but the moment her shoulder brushed Ren's, her bag emitted a sharp ding. A new slip of paper slid out.
[NOTIFICATION: SPONTANEOUS PHYSICAL CONTACT DETECTED. PLEASE DESCRIBE THE CALORIC HEAT TRANSFER IN 500 WORDS OR MORE.]
"I have to go!" she squeaked, jumping up instantly.
"Wait, already?" Ren's face fell. "We just sat down. I wanted to ask you about the fireworks festival tomorrow night. I even got us good spots near the lake."
Elowen looked at the glowing paper, then at Ren's disappointed face. Her heart ached—not with "angelic empathy," but with raw, human sadness.
"Ren, I want to. I really do. But I have to finish this... project. If I don't, I might have to... move away."
"I get it," Ren said quietly, his voice hollow. "You're busy. Just... let me know if you're actually coming. I don't want to be the only one sitting on that hill."
"I promise I'll be there. Trust me."
She wanted to hold his hand, but she knew the system would demand a twenty-page essay on human touch. "But not today!" she yelled, already sprinting away.
As she ran, a single tear fell onto the parchment.
[NOTIFICATION: AQUEOUS SECRETION DETECTED. PROVIDE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF EMOTIONAL CATALYST.]
"SHUT UP!" she screamed at the sky.
Back at the bench, Ren watched her go, looking deeply hurt. Did she lose interest in me? Then, his expression turned serious and calculative as the flashes of the last few seconds filled his head. I forgot to ask her—why did she have dark circles under her eyes? She looked exhausted. She's an average student, so why does she need to study like a nerd? I have a feeling she is hiding something. He narrowed his eyes, replaying their past conversations. She has a good memory. She remembers things I only mention once. She shouldn't need to study this hard just to pass. What are you hiding, Elowen?
"What's up, dude?"
Ren jumped. Kaito was standing right behind him. "Kaito?"
"You looked like you were trying to solve world hunger or something," Kaito joked. "Forget that. Let's go get some chips."
"No, wait... actually..." Ren hesitated. "How did you get here? You said you moved here because of your dad, but do you live nearby?"
"That's a secret," Kaito said with a wink. "Only my loyal friends know. You can join the list if you buy me a bag of chips."
"You're an addict," Ren sighed. "I can't today, maybe some other—"
Suddenly, Kaito's expression shifted. He clutched his stomach and doubled over. "Ouch..."
"Kaito? Are you okay?"
"My stomach... it hurts," Kaito wheezed.
"Can you walk? Should I call an ambulance?" Ren was panicking now.
"No... no hospital. I'll be fine."
"You're definitely not fine," Ren said, supporting Kaito's weight. "My parents aren't home and my place is right there. Come on, I have medicine."
"I feel dizzy..."
"Then walk faster, you stubborn idiot!"
When they finally reached Ren's home, Ren immediately started rummaging through the kitchen. "Okay, medicine, um..."
"Actually, Ren... can I use the bathroom?" Kaito didn't wait for an answer and slammed the door shut.
"Eh?!"
A few minutes later, Kaito stepped out, looking perfectly fine. "Now I feel better."
"You just wanted to use the bathroom?!"
"Actually, I ate six bags of chips at 2:00 AM. Maybe it's that effect."
"SIX BAGS?!"
"It's called dedication to snacks."
"Kaito, you idiot, I was actually worried for you!"
Kaito patted Ren's back playfully. "Oh, that's because you are a very good boy." His gaze suddenly landed on a board in the corner. "Oh, a classic game! I choose green."
"Hey, I didn't say I wanted to play Ludo!"
"Chill, man."
Ren sighed in defeat and sat down to play. "You are impossible."
"Hehe."
As they began, Ren actually found himself distracted from his worries about Elowen. However, after a while, Kaito's eyes drifted toward a shelf in the room. He spotted a large, snow-white feather. Kaito's eyes widened.
"Ren?" Kaito pointed slowly.
"What?" Ren looked over. "Oh, you mean that feather."
"Where did you find that?"
"I don't know, it just spawned randomly in my room. And you know, it smells like jasmine and the air after lightning. But why is that so important?"
"N-nothing," Kaito stammered, his playful tone vanishing. "Just curious about... big snowy birds."
Kaito rolled the dice. A six. He ruthlessly captured Ren's piece.
"Curious? I... hey!"
"Too late!" Kaito laughed.
Ren was well-distracted by their match, and for a moment, he forgot the mystery of Elowen. But the question remained: for how long? Meanwhile, miles away, Elowen was hunched over her desk, using a regular, mortal pen for the inescapable paperwork instead of Amora's magic one, her jaw set in silent defiance.