I look into the group to find Alisha and Randall’s faces. They give me thumbs-up signs. Bennett’s team cheers and whoops. Even Elmer, who actually is a nice guy once I got to know him, looks excited.
“We’re over the moon that, starting Monday, Lunar Love and ZodiaCupid will be sharing the same orbit,” I announce.
“Hopefully, together we can see a boost across both platforms,” Bennett adds. “Especially since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.”
“It’s a merging of tradition and modernity. It’s not all or nothing,” I say, thinking of Pó Po. “There’s room for both of us. And there’s room for adapting.”
In the group, I locate Harper and Parker, the original Lunar Love and ZodiaCupid collaboration before it was official. Their signs and ascendants weren’t compatible according to the Chinese zodiac, but based on my evaluation of their traits, we paired them up to see what would happen. Three months later and they’re still going strong.
“Sometimes traditions can be reinterpreted, but that doesn’t mean they go away completely,” I say. “We think this route could help us bring something we’re passionate about into the modern day. Lunar Love will have a more updated database, in a sense, while being able to use data to assist with our in-person matchmaking.”
Our friends and family excitedly clap and raise their drinks.
I hold my teacup up. “Thanks for coming along with us on this journey. It’s been a wild ride so far.”
After our announcement, Bennett finds me standing alone by the dessert table. He comes bearing a bowl of rice dumplings in warm water.
“I made these especially for you,” he says, handing me the bowl.
“What’d you put in it?” I ask suspiciously. I lift a rice ball to my nose with the spoon and sniff it.
He laughs. “Just my love.”
I take a bite, the warm black sesame seed filling running into my mouth. “Thisisgood.”
“Excellent. I have a one hundred percent success rate so far then,” he gloats, kissing the top of my head as I lean into him. “What’s that supposed to be?” He nods toward the cake on the table.
“It’s an Incompatibility Cake. The Ox’s horns got a bit tricky,” I explain.
“I hope it’s not red velvet,” he jokes.
“It’s made with Earl Grey and beet. Flavors you wouldn’t typically expect to work well together but actually do.” I use a knife to cut into the middle of the cake and add slices to our plates. “I made it for you.”
At the same time, we dig into the cake. I scrape the frosting off, careful not to disrupt the cake beneath it. Meanwhile, Bennett cuts in vertically, scooping up an even ratio of the cake and frosting.
Bennett gives me an odd look. “Frosting first?” he asks.
“This is me trying to see things from your perspective,” I say.
“Likewise,” he says.
We take our bites. Bennett shakes his head. “This is strangely delicious. These flavors…”
“They’re a perfect match,” I say, finishing his sentence.
Bennett smiles, and my heart tumbles and turns, even after all these months.
“I think that went well?” I ask.
“Very. This’ll be fun.”
“Or a complete disaster.”
“Maybe this is my way of infiltrating your business now,” Bennett says with a conspiratorial tone. “Or at least to stop you from poaching people off my platform.”
“We may be partnering, but the magic of Lunar Love can’t be replicated,” I inform him.
Bennett squeezes me tighter. “I think we have what it takes to make this work.”
