Chapter Text
Between taking on her own missions in private and mentoring Koharu, Kanna had been busy recently. Oh, and not to forget all the challenges and fights she's been getting into as well! Unlike the rest of her newfound busyness, that part Kanna didn't particularly like as much.
Well, that's not exactly true. Even if she wasn't a fighter and had always liked to settle things calmly, it was something new. For once, she could feel her heart speed up, not with the love wanted obviously but... the feeling was similar. She assumed it was similar at least, never having felt love and all that.
Kanna sighed as she thought about everything that's been going on recently. If she really thought about it, Koharu was the main reason for all these developments.
Koharu had really proved to make things a lot more intriguing, huh? In a way, it was refreshing.
Kanna was lazy, that's undeniable. After all these years, she still wasnt able to rack up enough good karma to return to earth and it was obvious why. If she really had the chance to, she would probably just sit there, never moving a finger.
Maybe she would just rot away...
Shaking her head, she decided to change the topic of her mental dialogue. That was... a little too dark for your average afternoon!
On the otherside to those thoughts, however, it was also undeniable how much better at controlling that laziness Kanna had gotten! She'd really have to thank Koharu, after all, it was mainly her that got her to start moving about again.
Even though, as a cupid who didnt really do things in life or afterlife, Kanna didnt feel much on a day-to-day basis, meeting Koharu and doing all these missions with her let her experience more things. For once, she really wanted to try hard!
Oh... but it wasn't only Koharu who helped her, was it? Chiyo did too in a way, Kanna realized this as her thoughts circled back to how invigorating the fights with her had been. It wasn't exactly fun but, it felt... good? It was difficult to explain.
Everytime she got a decent hit on the other cupid, or anytime she outsmarted her in their games it just felt so... right? Not like she'd ever admit any of this. That was too confrontational for a person of her nature.
Kanna was never an important person or someone who could make a big change so, there wasnt much reason for her to worry over all those things. Maybe that's why she was so lazy, maybe that's why even with a chance to start a new life where she could get the thing she was never able to, love, she couldnt even get motivated enough to try. Not until her actions impacted another person, of course.
Standing up from where she had been sitting, having just finished a mission in a park prior to sitting down on a nearby bench and getting lost in thought, Kanna shook her head one last time. It was almost like a physical attempt at getting rid of any bad thoughts and sometimes it worked.
Today was a good enough day so, luckily, it did! Now, she had to find Koharu, they would need to go on another mission to get her all those points...
With that, Kanna flew away, in the back of her head, a silent whisper hoping that she could get into a fight with Chiyo on the way.
--
"I'm so glad you're getting the hang of it, Koharu!"
"Oh well- i mean... thank you..! I don't think i'm doing too well but," Koharu humbly denied any praise Kanna gave her but it was clear it had an effect on her as, quickly, her faced flushed a little and she had a large smile grow on her face.
It was practically infectious, just like the effect the other cupid had on people. Kanna's regular, peaceful smile widened a little in return, Koharu can try not accept her praise but it was true! Everything was going super smoothly, not a single miss when shooting or even confusion with who the lover of the target should be. Plus, the bonus of good karma points!
Happily, Kanna patted Koharu's head, almost like a dog's but less demeaningly and more sweetly. , and it seemed the message was received. The day seemed to be almost over, based on the darkening sky, but honestly, it was getting hard to tell. Kanna wasn’t sure she liked that. The days slowly melted together while up in the clouds everything was the same, with the eternally white clouds and white sky and nothing else. Isn’t that crazy? Years used to feel like a long time but now, it’s hard to tell them apart from a second. What even is time now? Does it matter-
“Um… so what do we do now? Isn’t it night..? Or are there night shifts?”
Kanna blinked slowly before realizing that they did actually have more work to do. She smiled a little, more politely than genuinely and spoke with the same, sweet almost honeyed voice, “Ah.. you’ll get used to it soon but daytime and nighttime don’t matter too much… don’t worry! We can’t get sleep-deprived though! Hmm… let’s see… one more mission and we can go back, okay?”
Koharu nodded, a determined look in her eyes. Sighing, Kanna chuckled a little behind her hand ; she was genuinely really glad how well Koharu was dealing with everything. She was taking it all in so quickly! Especially all the time stuff, unlike Kanna apparently. Even after being a Cupid for so long, she still couldn’t wrap her head around everything. Wow…
I mean, she should get it by now, right? She’d have to accept it, it’s not like she’s ever going to be truly human again based on the pace she’s going with the karma. She’ll just forever be this… this weird being, who can’t feel or- or ever even do anything…
“Senpai….? Uh.. Kanna..?”
“Oh,” once again, Koharu’s voice was what allowed her to re-focus, “sorry, I’m being a bad senior, huh? I don’t know what’s gotten into me! Ahhh… okay, let’s go now!”
Koharu gave her a small look, full of a mixture of empathy and worry but Kanna simply looked away. Koharu was still so human, still had such a warm aura around her. It almost hurt to look at her but Kanna quickly shut down that thought. It was so… so jealous and Koharu was too nice of a person to be mean to! What kind of senior would be mean to their junior?
Without any more stalling, and with a bit more determination to be a better example for Koharu, Kanna began to walk towards the next location where they would meet their targets. As she explained the situation and passed her the file, a familiar thought crossed her mind that Kanna couldnt quite tell what it was.
--
Another love triangle solved, another new skill gained by Koharu and a few more good karma points! It was great and it was terrible at the same time, and Kanna wasnt quite sure why. The whole day had felt like going in and out of consciousness, weird thoughts flooding her head.
She didn't want to blame anyone, no one but herself but it was so bizarre. Why was it all like this, why did it have to be like this? She felt a pit at the bottom of her stomach that grew larger and larger, hollowing her out.
If she kept letting Koharu take all the shots then was this whole 'good mentor' act even worth anything?
it's not like shes gonna get any karma points out of it...
nothings ever gonna change
No! She can't think those things, again! Koharu never did anything wrong and it was all untrue... Kanna was also doing her own missions so she was slowly gaining her own points too!
Suddenly, her gaze fluttered to her junior and a wave of guilt washed over her. Koharu was still looking at the couple, sweetness in her eyes – a caring so... so human.
Not a numb glint in her eyes like every other cupid had; no, it was the shine of a human's eyes. One that Kanna didn't have. How could Kanna think such things about a girl who could barely do any wrong? About someone who devoted herself to others, even when she was alive. Think such things about her friend.
She swallowed down any remnants of whatever that disgusting feeling was and smiled at the other girl.
"Good job again, Koharu!" Unlike her usual smiles, Kanna kept her eyes open. Maybe it was wariness that the thoughts would come back, maybe it was simply that she couldn't smile hard enough to close them.
Koharu lit up slightly but didnt say much other than nod humbly, "They look really happy together, don't they?"
"Mhm... well, they did just find love!" Kanna moved closer to Koharu to look at the new couple.
They were a sweet pair, two teachers whose students caught on to the fact that they liked each other before they, themselves, did. The main target, the taller woman, was actually quite difficult to find a person who would fit well with her. Especially since they had caught her at night time, at a mixer in some 3-star restaurant. It was pure luck that a teacher from the same school she taught at was there and even more luck that they actually got along quite well.
It was almost sickening how 'fated' and 'cute' they were together which was... strange for Kanna. She never felt like this about her targets... What was wrong with her?
Before she could overthink that question too, her train of thought was interrupted by commotion outside. Commotion that the people in the restaurant couldn't hear. Commotion caused by another cupid.
"Kanna..? Do you hear that..?"
"Mm," she hummed, craning her neck slightly to see whats happening beforw giving up and simply standing and walking to the door. "Let's check it out?"