Love Always Has a Starting Point

Finding true love is a hard thing to come by. You gotta be truly lucky to find someone you get along with perfectly... is something people would've said years ago. But nowadays, its a gimme and a walk in the park.

I opened my eyes and checked the date on the calendar. "April 14th, the day that ends my lonely single days is here!" I quickly rolled out of bed, grabbed a pair of clothes, and headed to the bathroom. "After a year on this island, I can finally find the woman destined to be my partner for life! Today is the day I can finally take my soulmate test!"

After an individual lives on the island of Eden for a year and they are over the age of 18, they are given the chance to take the "soulmate test." A majority of the people living on the island are single and are looking for love. As science has advanced, scientists have developed a test that helps determine who is considered a good partner for the person in question. The test asks personal questions along with more vague questions that help figure out the most about a person. It asks about preferences or anything someone would consider important when considering a relationship. Once everyone has taken the test, the answers are run through an AI program that will match people up instantly. The AI program has a 99% match rate as there are some extremely rare cases where a person can and may be matched up with two people. When a person is matched with two potential partners, they are given a year to go on dates and do anything they want to try and sway the one who has to pick. After that year, the one has to pick one of the two potential partners.

After cleaning myself up, I walked to my kitchen and grabbed a Pop Tart from the pantry. I pulled out my phone and saw a text from a classmate of mine who was also taking the test today.

"Good morning Kousei, I hope you got up on time and are ready for the test today! Don't go praying to your favorite Pop Tart in hopes of finding the best woman. Anyways, I'll see you at the testing center!"

The message came from my best friend Jay. I met him when I first moved here. He and I were put next to each other in class and we just hit it off from there. We aren't really fans of crowds or big groups, so it's just been the two of us for the past year along with some occasional classmates hanging out with us here and there.

I smirked and looked back at the Pop Tart in hand. "How dare he mock the best breakfast dish!" I finished eating it quickly and checked my phone for the time. "Alright, guess its time to get moving." I walk out of my apartment and head down to the bus stop.

As I walked down the street, I saw crowds of people walking to either a bus stop or one of the testing centers. I sometimes forget how many people lived here despite it being an artificial island. It really tells you how far people are willing to trust technology.

The island of Eden was developed by Japan and the United States of America in the year 20XX. As overpopulation became an issue, scientists figured it was about time to try and expand the land we can live on. The Pacific Ocean covers around 30% of the Earth's surface, so why not make some land in all that open space? And so, Eden was created. I'm assuming they named it after the Garden of Eden cause it was the first of its kind and marks the start of a new beginning to technology... but what do I know? I'm just a normal college student looking for love!

Eden is about the size of all the Hawaiian islands put together. The one major part of the island that's mechanical is the base. Other than that, everything above ground is real and full of nature. I still don't know how they managed to make this island float above the ocean, but the best invention that came out of the production of Eden were Sprites. Named after spirit sprites, they are transparent orbs that float up from the ground and fly into the sky. They help regulate temperatures and can help form clouds to create snow and rain. Fear not though, they do not have any aftereffects that harm the atmosphere.

As the bus pulled up and people started boarding, I heard a girl screaming down the road. I turn my head and see a shorter girl sprinting, "Wait! Tell the bus to wait! Please wait!" Luckily I didn't have to say anything since the bus driver saw her in the side mirror.

I went ahead and took an empty seat in the middle section of the bus because we all know the loud people sit in the back and impatient people sit in the front. Just as I was getting comfortable, I noticed a girl standing in the aisle looking at me. She didn't say anything which only made things more awkward. "Uhh, do you want to sit here?" I asked.

She nodded and sat next to me. "Thank you... very much..." She sounded like she was out of breath, enough to make her look like she had just run a marathon.

It took me a second to put the pieces together. "Wait, were you the girl yelling for the bus to wait?"

She stiffened up and her cheeks flushed red. "And what if I am?" she whispered while keeping her head down.

"O-oh I didn't mean to embarrass you or anything. It just came to me when I saw how out of breath you were." I panicked and looked out the window. "From what I could tell though, you were running pretty quick. Are you a runner for your middle school?"

Immediately, the sense of fury and anger surrounded me. I could feel it coming from my right, but that couldn't be because the person next to me is-

"Middle school? Are you saying I don't look like an adult to you?" There's an aura surrounding her that I didn't need to turn to see. The flames from her rage were burning me just from her glare. "Is it because I'm short? Or maybe because my chest isn't as big as normal girls my age?!"

"N-no! You just looked a little younger..." As I spoke, the flames were growing bigger and bigger and I could feel her eyes stabbing into the back of my head. "I mean you are a little short, but it was just the impression I got-" I slowly turned around and I froze on the spot. Despite her shorter stature, the aura she had around her made me feel like a water flea compared to her.

"Short... you are still set on calling me short huh?" She forced her way into my personal bubble and backed me up to the window. "I don't mind being called a lot of things, but being called a middle schooler is not one of them." She drilled her index finger into my forehead.

"Yes ma'am." There's sweat dripping down my forehead as she continued to impale me with her eyes.

"Just to correct you, I am a first year in college, and I'm happy to say I'm on my way to a testing site to find my soulmate," she slowly backed off and flipped her ponytail behind her.

Oh, so she's just like me. But wait, she's in college?! After scoping her out once more, she definitely doesn't look the part, however after that exchange, she does seem to give off a college girl kind of vibe.

"You're looking for your soulmate too, huh? Looks like you and I are in the same boat there." I sat back upright but stayed close to the window in case of another attack.

She looked down and reset her hair. "I've been here for a year and have tried to get some kind of experience in dating, but nothing worked. Despite my efforts, no guy ever approached me, so I have to go into this blind."

Looking out the window, I quietly muttered, "Seriously? You seem plenty cute enough to me." Or I thought I was quiet because when I turned to look at her, her expression made it painfully aware she heard me. Her angry glare had immediately dissipated and instead transformed into a soft expression. "W-w-wait! You weren't supposed to hear that, though I wasn't exactly trying to hide it either..." I admitted in panic.

However, it was as if those words were going in one ear and out the other. "I'm... cute?"

She's seriously stuck on me calling her cute?! Was she somehow not called cute at her old school? I mean, her lighter brown hair that she has in a ponytail is extremely cute. Plus, her smaller size makes her that much more adorable, but she's not like extremely small, maybe in the five-foot-four range? Wait, how long have I been looking at her to know this? I guess I was looking at her more than I originally thought.

I put my arm behind my head and looked away to hide the embarrassment. "I mean yeah, I'd say you're pretty cute in my standards..."

That seemed to snap her back to reality because she shook her head and pulled out her phone. She didn't say anything to me, but from what I could tell, there was a slight smile that she was trying to hide from me. "I'm cute..."

After our exchange, we didn't say a word to each other for the rest of the ride.

We soon arrived at a testing center in which everyone exited the bus. "I guess everyone is here for the soulmate test," I commented quietly. As there was a crowd of people engulfing the entrance to the test center, I lost track of the girl who I had been talking to. "Well, I kinda wish I got her name, but its not like I'm gonna see her again."

There's a row of numbers on the walls that tell you which room you'll be testing in. The testing company texted everyone a number the night before to avoid any confusion. I checked the number on my phone and found it on the wall. "Room 3E..."

I heard a set of footsteps come up from behind me. "You're in room 3E too, huh?" a guy asked as he put his hands on my shoulders. "I'm happy to see you got here in one piece and on time for once."

I recognized the voice so I don't even bother turning around. "Yup, how come we always get put together Jay?"

He gave me a good shake before releasing me. "I don't know, but I ain't one to argue," he chuckled. "Did you pray to your Pop Tart before you left?"

I turned around with a smirk. "Of course I did. No morning prayer ritual is complete without it."

"That is such a weird habit of yours. I get that you got an A on the one test you did that the morning of, but come on, that was pure coincidence."

He may call it a coincidence, but I call it a prayer being answered. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say," I laughed in response.

Jay started walking down the hall. "Well let's go ahead and get to our testing room. Our own destined partners could be testing in that very same room." Jay has always been an optimist, it's one of his best personality traits. After a little walking, he asked, "If you could pick out any girl you know, who would it be?"

When it comes to picking a specific woman, it's a pretty tough question. You got to take into account a lot of things like personality, looks, and interests. Plus, you may like them a lot, but she may not mesh well with you.

"I'm not quite sure to be honest. There's not really a specific person who comes to mind," I responded, looking around at all the people we walked by. "You got someone in mind yourself?"

Jay let out a sigh. "Not really, though there is one professor on campus who I wouldn't mind knowing more abo-"

"And just who is that professor I wonder Jay," a voice whispered between the two of our heads, causing me and Jay to jump. "Oh, and hello Kousei."

We both turn around and see a slightly older woman smiling at us. "Ahh, I don't know what you mean Ms. Yunasa..." Jay stammered.

Yunasa is a professor at the university Jay and I attend. She taught English and is a counselor for students. Her green hair and curvaceous figure make her stand out among others. As far as students are concerned, she is one of the most liked professors on the campus for not only her looks, but her motherly charm and personality. I've heard rumors of some students, boys AND girls, confessing their feelings for her.

She looked at both of us and smirked. "You guys nervous about this soulmate test? I hardly see you guys talking to women so, I can only imagine how awkward your first dates will be."

Jay nervously scratched the back of his head while looking at the ground. "Well, I just hope to get matched up with someone nice. Looks are one thing, but I'm more interested in a girl's personality."

"Oh, so you are the gentleman type," she nodded. Being satisfied with Jay's answer, she quickly turned her attention to me. I looked down in a panic to hide my embarrassment. "Why are you looking away Kousei? I'm not going to bite. I was just teasing you guys a little bit," she laughed.

I slowly raised my head up and found her face only inches from mine. I don't know what she was doing before, but she's so close that I can feel her breath on my face. Her eyes are looking directly into mine, and I can't seem to look away. Her golden yellow eyes give off this mysterious, yet welcoming, aura that pulls me in.

"Hmmm..." She didn't pull her face back for a few moments, but eventually stepped back. "For some reason, I don't feel like I need to worry about you, Kousei. My intuition is telling me that you're gonna be fine," she expresses with a motherly smile.

Taken aback, I froze on the spot. 

What? What was that? I thought to myself as I tried to wrap my brain around what just happened.

"Anyways, I got to get ready to proctor one of these tests. Good luck to you two, and I hope you guys end up finding eternal happiness!" she proclaimed as she walked down the hallway.

I looked over at Jay, and he's just frozen on the spot. I walked over to him and hit on the head a few times. "Hey, you still alive over there?"

After a few hits, he shook his head which then signaled his return to reality. "Huh? What happened? I kind of zoned out for a little bit."

"Yeah, you really zoned out there," I joked. "Let's just get to our testing room and get this test over with." I walked down the hallway with my head down. My face is still burning from embarrassment from the exchange with Yunasa.

"Hey, don't leave me here!" Jay shouted as he ran to catch up with me.

We arrived at the room and sat in two of the few empty seats available. The room was filled with people from all ages, but mostly younger adults. As I sat down, I could feel someone's gaze directed at me, but it isn't hostile like the one I felt on the bus ride here. I looked in the direction of where I think the gaze is coming from, and I saw a girl timidly put her head in a book she had open in front of her.

I feel like I've seen her before.

I thought back to people I've seen in class, and she did look pretty similar to one of them. I glanced back over at her, but her head was still buried in the book. However, the purple bow she had tied to her hair behind her head was clearly visible. "I've definitely seen that bow before."

Not many girls wore bows or ribbons nowadays, especially if they are older than six. Others might see it as childish, but I found it kind of cute. I found myself staring at the bow and didn't realize she had taken her head out of the book. My attention immediately shifted to the face of the bow's owner and it was about as red as strawberry. I'm assuming her face was hot because I could see the steam rising from the top of her head. In an attempt to hide her embarrassment, she smashed her head on the desk and covered her head in her arms.

I don't think she is aware of exactly how cute that was...

I thought to myself as my brain engraved the few moments I saw of her face. I don't know her name, but I felt like I should talk to her the next time I saw her.

Our proctor arrived shortly after and began writing on the whiteboard. I put my head down to avoid awkward eye contact, but when she spoke, her voice sounded very familiar.

"Alright everyone, this is the soulmate test and I'm sure you are all aware of what this test is for. It is 200 questions that give us a good base and idea of who you are and what kind of partner you would be interested in. You have two hours to finish the test, but if you need more time, just let me know and I will give it to you," Ms. Yunasa announced.

She began handing the test out, and people immediately started upon receiving it. She handed me mine, but I didn't look up because I was way too conscious of her at the moment. Noticing I wasn't looking at her, she quietly tapped on my desk to get my attention. I looked up nervously and was greeted with a very soothing expression and smile. She didn't say anything but she mouthed the words "Good luck," and winked as she walked past me.

I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, so I felt like there was something going on and I was too dense to notice it. She seemed oddly fixated on me, but that could also just be my sand grain-sized ego talking. But now wasn't the time to worry about that. I got the test that's gonna fix all my love issues right in front of me and it deserved my full attention. I hunkered down and started filling out the questions.

It took a few days for the results to get processed, so I sat in my apartment and awaited the fateful text message. After a couple of days, my anxiety hit its peak as I finally got the text message. In this message, it would include my partner's name, a date time, and location to meet her. I nervously opened the message and read it:

"Hello Kousei Shimazaki, after going through your answers for the test, we have found the soulmate you've been searching for! Her name is Yume Miko, and you will meet her at your nearby park in two days at 7 P.M."

Yume Miko... that had a nice sound to it. I wondered what kind of girl she was. As I rolled around in my bed, anxiety finally released, my phone went off again.

"Oh, that must be Jay messaging me about his partner and seeing if I recogniz-" I cut my sentence short because that wasn't the message I got. "What? This can't be."

I received another message from the soulmate test company:

"Hello Kousei Shimazaki, after going through your answers for the test, we have found the soulmate you've been searching for! Her name is Ai Kudou and you will meet her in your classroom after school in two days at 3 P.M."

I stared at my phone, flabbergasted and utterly confused. "Wait, I have two potential partners?!" The feeling of both happiness and anxiousness immediately flooded my body. "Well, there were extremely rare cases of this happening, but I never thought I would be a part of it." I could feel sweat building up on my forehead because my gut is telling me that this isn't it. "No, my gut is wrong because there has never been, and will never be a case of more than two people. That just seems extremely stressful and I'm not even remotely lucky enough for it to happen to-"

Just as my gut predicted, I received another text from the soulmate test company. As I stated before, there had never been a case of being matched with more than two people. However, on this fateful day, a tally mark could be added to that extremely rare 3 match case.

I tossed my phone on my bed and just stared at it, completely stunned by what it said:

"Hello Kousei Shimazaki, after going through your answers for the test, we have found the soulmate you've been searching for! Her name is Mia Yunasa and you will meet her at your house in three days at 5 P.M."

There was not a single moment in my life that I thought a day like this would happen. Because it's not that I now have one partner, not two, but three! I don't know what God decided to twist my fate in this way, but I can only imagine what this is going to bring.

After those three messages, I got another message from the soulmate test company. "No! I am not having a fourth potential partner! I will not accept it!" Luckily, the message wasn't anything about a new partner. "Oh, is this going to tell me what happens now?" I skimmed through the long message and my eyes opened at the last few statements:

"Just like the case of two potential partners, after a year, you will choose the woman that you like the least. After being chosen, they will be forced to leave the island so they cannot get in the way or effect your feelings for the other remaining women. Upon leaving, they will no longer be able to contact you. Exactly one year from today, April 18th, 20XX, you will be forced to make a choice between these three women. Then after another year, you will have to make another choice between the two remaining women. Make sure not to have any regrets."

My life had been a slow and relaxing one up to this point. After this fate twisting day, everything got turned upside down and nothing could prepare me for the happiness and heartbreak I would go through in the following two years of this roller coaster of a life.