Because of Cupid (2026)

[bunniefuu]

Throughout time,

the mere mention of love

evokes a warmth, a yearning.

And when true love is found,

there is a spark, a fire.

But then again,

the course of true love

never did run...

Smooth.

Marcus.

I... I know.

Do I need to ban bottle tosses?

I am trying to sell the place.

Try not to trash it before

potential buyers see it, yeah?

I'm sorry, Lisa.

Only with his right hand.

He never misses with his left.

Well, Naomi's my right-hand man,

so my right arm's

a little underdeveloped.

Oh, this implies a world

where you're in charge

and I'm the sidekick.

Oh, don't worry,

we all know who's in charge.

Uh-huh.

- Lisa, duh.

- Lisa, of course.

Thank you.

Lisa, are you really sure

that you wanna sell?

I mean, look how much

business has boomed

since I started using

ingredients from my greenhouse.

And added small plates

to the menu.

With an actual oven, I could

really get things fired up.

- Again with the puns.

- I'm sorry.

It's a beautiful plan.

But it's not enough.

Okay.

Forget the oven.

The real move?

Mocktails.

You got my email.

Mocktails are expected

to be a $30 billion

industry this year,

and alcohol consumption

is down 20%.

Look, I wish I could stay,

but even with you

as an amazing manager,

I'm so overwhelmed.

I love my work,

but the brake pedal

is also slammed,

and it's like, you know,

screechy noises in my head.

Ugh.

Remind me to never

let you borrow my car?

Well, surely the potential buyer

will share some kind of vision

or plan for the space.

Nobody does anything

without a plan.

I don't know. I usually don't

have a plan for most things.

Whatever happens is meant to be.

Well, what else do they own?

Parking garages.

Sorry.

Oh, no.

Oh, no, we can't

let this happen.

The Agora is too special.

We've gotta do

something about this.

What, were you an Olympic darts

player in your youth?

Uh, something like that.

Hey guys, what can I get ya?

Please shower my new friend

here in charcuterie

and cheese platters.

Thank you

for at least 45 minutes,

my attention was off work.

It's my first time out

of the writing cave in months.

What kinda writing do you do?

Uh, do you know the book series

A Game of Silks and Steel?

So, no?

I have to get Lisa.

You mean those

fantasy romance books?

They're big fans.

Oh.

Lisa.

I know you're furious with me,

and you have every right to be.

I can tell you're feeling

unprecedented levels of guilt,

but there's no time

for any of that

because E.J. Cortland is here.

Where?

This is gonna sound weird,

but I thought you'd be a woman.

Uh, yeah, I... I get that a lot.

You mean to tell me

that the writer

of my favorite romance novels...

Fantasy romance novels.

I wanted to write

a fantasy series.

My editor suggested

a romance B-plot,

and it just kind of took off.

So come meet him.

What? No!

No, that's weird.

He probably gets

swarmed all the time.

Yeah, probably not.

If we all assumed

he was a she with the initials.

Were confusing.

And when the fandom

assumed I was a woman,

the publisher asked

that I just not correct them.

Made the book series huge

and made my personal life

kind of a...

Hi, I'm...

E.J. Cortland.

Yeah.

I hope this isn't weird.

I am a fan.

I mean, sorry,

I should introduce myself.

Uh, Lisa.

Hi.

Lisa.

Hi.

I am so looking forward

to the final installment,

but I also don't want it to end.

It must be hard,

knowing that it's the last book,

to leave the world

that you created behind.

Uh, yeah.

Can I be totally

honest with you?

Please.

I looked up one day

and I realized

that I had this thing

that I loved, you know,

but I... I didn't have a life.

Sorry, that's, um...

No.

I know exactly what you mean.

Can I buy you a drink, or...

Oh.

Uh, well,

I can't let you do that.

Oh. Yeah.

I own the place.

Oh, sorry. I, I...

Oh, no, no, it's fine.

I just didn't want

you to think...

Not at all.

I, uh, I should probably

stop takin' up all your time.

Oh, right. Yeah.

Uh, well, um, enjoy your evening

and... and thanks

for the, uh, writing.

Sh... sh... sure.

What was that?

It was a spark.

So close.

They could've been soulmates.

- No.

- Yeah.

Was that attraction?

Without question.

But soulmates?

Soulmates are

the shiny gift wrap

on the flimsy cardboard box

of love.

Oh, boy,

I've heard this tune before

and it's a real downer.

You're gonna want

a drink, snack,

something to tide you over,

Mr., um...

Hal.

Pleasure.

Pleasure.

Naomi. And that's Marcus.

- Hey.

- Do you have any mocktails?

We should, shouldn't we?

I think I can come up

with something.

Great.

E.J. over there,

writing books about Lysander

trying to burn the world down

for his true love,

that is what true love gets you.

I'm sorry, I thought

you didn't read those books.

Whatever.

You left one behind

the register.

Okay, he's just cynical because

his parents are divorced,

and his favorite uncle

lost the love of his life

at a very formative age

for Marcus.

That is private, and accurate.

Well, from the outside,

love looks painful,

but it's different living it.

Love looks not with the eyes,

but with the mind.

And therefore

is winged Cupid painted blind.

Cupid, what a guy.

Oh, the statistical evidence

suggests that humans

are meant for partnership,

for connection.

Oh, so you believe in soulmates?

Oh, definitely not.

The premise of soulmates

rests in a belief in magic,

and magic does not exist.

Here we go again.

Love is a ruse,

but magic, magic exists.

- No, it doesn't.

- It does.

- No.

- Trust me.

It doesn't.

Lord, what fools

these mortals be.

- Hey.

- Hi.

Um, can I get a re-do?

Of course.

All right, let's see if I can

turn this spark into a flame.

Good luck.

Ooh, thank you.

So, how long have you

been in love with her?

Since the moment I met her.

Yeah.

What? I mean, uh, no, I'm... I'm

not.

I'm not.

Why would I tell you that?

Just friends.

Best friends.

Work husband

and work wife at best.

Mm, there's something there.

You know, Hal maybe

on to something.

Those two might be

a great match.

Mm-hmm.

Mm!

Oh, wow, you simply must tell me

what's in this mocktail.

- You like it?

- Yes.

It's a matcha yuzu sour.

I wanna try it with this

Taiwanese mountain tea,

but I can't find it.

Alishan?

Yes.

I have some.

I'd be happy to share.

You have Taiwanese mountain tea?

Sorry.

I should explain.

Uh, I'm the owner

of Eros Tea Cafe,

and we specialize

in, um, rare blends.

How have I not heard of this?

Yes, please.

I would love to try some.

Great.

What are you guys

doing tomorrow?

We could do a tasting.

It's actually

a wonderful date spot.

Noms, would you

please explain to this man

that you already

have a boyfriend?

Um, Chris and I broke up.

Anyway, we would love to,

but we've got...

Oh, whoa, you broke up?

What? How? Why?

Well, that's all the questions.

It's fine.

It's not a big deal.

Anyway, we would love

to come by,

but we got a big singles mixer

here tomorrow,

so we gotta work.

Oh, that's a shame.

But we could come by

before work.

What's the address?

Great. It's a date.

Whoa, it's not a date.

Not a date.

They just broke up

and we're friends.

It's an errand.

- It's, um...

- It's a figure of speech.

- Right.

- Thank you.

Tomorrow.

Come in, Marcus.

Morning.

Morning.

Ooh, coffee.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Are we singing to them now?

My usual song choice

doesn't seem to be working.

Hmm, maybe you should

try something

a little more avant-garden?

Ugh.

So, um, you and Chris broke up?

Yeah, truly.

I'm okay,

we can skip the pep talk.

It should've ended a while ago.

Besides, there's not time

for romance

with our jobs on the line.

Yeah.

Well, that's the other thing.

I was hoping you might

have a plan to save our jobs,

The Agora, the world?

I do.

The plan is

we're gonna buy the Agora.

Mm-hmm.

Oh, that... that's it?

Yeah, that's not a plan,

that's a pipe dream.

I love working with you, Marcus,

but I really need

a true partner.

Where do we start?

Okay, we are gonna

make a plan to buy the Agora

by talking to

the second smartest person

that you know.

No.

No, not my uncle.

Please, I'm not in the mood

for a lecture.

He's experienced and reasonable,

and I am the one

making the plan.

Your plans don't usually make

me this queasy.

You ready for this?

Just, uh, let me do the talkin'.

Naomi.

Marcus.

Uncle Richard.

You finally acquiesced

to taking some advice.

Well, come in,

I'll put some coffee on.

Oh, we actually

already had some.

Not for you.

This is who

my uncle wants me to be,

a desk guy, a take charge guy,

just like him.

Ooh, very official.

I'd run a business

with that guy.

- Thank you.

- Mm-hmm.

If you did what I told you,

you could take over

one of my restaurants.

You wouldn't need the Agora.

We talked about that,

Uncle Rich.

I need to do something for me.

So how old were you

when you bought your restaurant?

29!

He did that

with a VA business loan

40 years ago in a much less

competitive market. No offense.

Facts can never offend me.

Permission to speak candidly?

Your problem isn't

your age or the market.

Your problem is

he's two Golden Retrievers

in a trench coat.

You cannot

compete with the offer

that Lisa is gonna get

from the parking lot people

that you told me about.

So, you have to convince her

that you two

can run that restaurant

and let her be a silent partner.

To do that, you're gonna have

to prove yourselves,

to Lisa, to the investors,

and frankly, to each other.

Well, I have spreadsheets, a

deck,

I've got a five-year growth

plan...

No, no, none of that.

It's gotta be

something inspiring,

a story that people

can get behind, a...

Please don't say a...

- Competition.

- Competition.

What competition?

Starts tomorrow,

but I can pull some strings.

Now, for the last time,

I'm not entering

your annual c*ck competition

with those annoying

podcast bros.

With all due respect,

how does a competition prove

we can run a business?

Well, for one thing, it comes

with a substantial cash prize,

enough for you to buy your oven

for the Agora.

And this year,

in order to appeal

to a younger generation,

they're going to make it

a mocktail competition.

Which I, for one,

find a real travesty

as a six-time champion

of a real drink competition.

And is anyone surprised

that he's afraid to step out

of his comfort zone?

Lucy.

Hi.

I have to appear live

and in person

because someone

doesn't check their voicemail,

and still hasn't RSVP'd

to my invitation.

For the last time,

I do not need a singles mixer.

You tell him

that it would be cruel

to abandon his close friend

of 50 years in her search

for true love,

and that if he doesn't

come with me,

he's gonna be alone forever.

Oh, I'm not gonna tell him that.

I'm gonna unpack groceries.

Naomi, can we talk for a minute?

Mm-hmm.

Are you seriously

asking me to do this?

Are you seriously

asking me to do this?

What, do you have a better plan?

Because I'm open to suggestions.

I'm open to trying

to be open to suggestions.

My dearly departed

best friend made me promise

that you wouldn't turn

into a hermit.

I won't let you sit

at home and sulk.

Would you hold this?

Hold this?

I have to go to yoga,

but I will see you

at Hal's tea shop later tonight.

And don't wear

that green plaid shirt.

It needs tailoring.

Good, it's settled.

And move into warrior one.

Okay, just think about it.

You let Marcus and I take over.

You stay on as a silent partner,

and then you can still travel

or read or make pottery

or whatever it is

you're planning on doing.

Reverse your warrior,

press into your foundations,

and ground yourself.

Truth time.

I would love to sell to you two,

but I think you doubt

yourself and Marcus,

and that is

a recipe for disaster.

Uh, you think

I don't trust Marcus?

Well, you're so afraid

of failure,

you step in for Marcus,

and Marcus trusts you

so much he doesn't step up.

Cartwheel the arms forward,

bring both feet together.

And let's repeat the sequence

on the second side.

But this time, Marcus really

wants to put in the work.

He's fully on board.

Marcus is always on board.

He has his Naomi.

But running a business

requires improvisation,

and improvisation

requires trust.

Breathe.

Give us a chance

to prove it to you.

Just don't sign yet.

Give us two weeks

to change your mind.

Oh, awful lot

can happen in two weeks.

I'm counting on it.

All right. Fine.

Uh, okay.

This is it. Hal's place.

Weird.

I could've sworn

this used to be a nail salon.

What?

Mm. That's incredible.

Is... is this

the higher altitude one?

Remarkable!

She's cheating a little bit.

She has a degree

in biochemistry.

That is not cheating.

Ooh.

I got a job at the Agora

over the summers

to pay for my grad school,

and then I just fell

in love with mixology,

and a little bit less

with biochemistry.

Which is where we met.

And have been inseparable since?

Yeah, pretty much.

Although, this is

not biochemistry.

My grandparents raised me,

and we would do

a lot of cooking,

and always using

ingredients from my grandma...

- Your garden.

- Yeah.

- Your grandma's garden.

- Hmm.

And now, Naomi has this

beautiful greenhouse of her own.

Nice.

Well, then, please accept

my tea to-go bag.

You know, something to help you

jumpstart your mocktail menu.

Is this...

butterfly pea tea

as a simple syrup?

I made it myself, yes.

Oh, it's aromatic.

It's vegetal.

It's...

It's your Uncle Richard.

Oh, yeah.

Do you have any news?

So, you haven't

told her, I gather?

After years of me

raggin' on love,

she'd think it was a joke.

And I can't be a punchline.

I don't think I could take it,

not from her.

You know, the word courage

comes from

the Old French corage,

meaning the heart.

And this

is a little elixir de corage,

an old apothecary love potion.

Love potion?

Whoa.

Hmm.

You know what? On second

thought, I'm not so sure

that's a good idea.

Well, sure, you don't

believe in everlasting love.

But magic?

I already told you

I believe in magic, but...

Good.

I don't wanna make

anyone fall in love with me.

No, no, no, no, no,

it's nothing like that.

No, no, no. Just...

Just like ginger

soothes the stomach

and green tea

clarifies the mind,

this just gives

the heart confidence.

Hmm.

Ooh, what's that?

Uh...

Another simple syrup

for our classic mixologist.

But it has melon in it,

and Naomi's allergic,

so probably

shouldn't even risk it.

Okay, well, Marcus can try it.

Thank you.

Actually, one can

never be too cautious.

You'll just use it

one night when I'm not working.

Honestly, Marcus.

Thank you so much

for these parting gifts, Hal,

and I hope that you will come

visit us again very soon.

- Of course.

- Gotta go.

Hmm.

- Uh, Nomes?

- Yeah?

Maybe let me hold onto that bag?

I got it.

Mix it up as our

Valentine's Day celebration

enters its second hour.

No one caught your eye, Jane?

Oh, no.

I'm not looking to fall in love.

I'm looking to be

surrounded by love,

suspended in

the quantum field of it.

I think I saw a greeting card

to that effect once.

Marcus, Naomi, this is Steven.

He's the host

of the Social Time podcast

and the annual c*ck...

- Sorry, mocktail competition.

- Yeah.

Mocktails this year

to highlight our sponsor's brand

of non-alcoholic

sparking beverages.

As you know,

applications are closed,

but your uncle begged me

to give you a chance.

I did not and have never begged.

So here I am.

Unfair, but I do

require excellence.

- Hey.

- Hey!

Wow me.

Don't worry, guys.

He thinks pressure

makes people perform better.

Just relax,

do your best, you'll be great.

Thanks.

As I live and deep breathe.

Jane Serrano.

Hmm.

They told me

you went all live, laugh, love.

I did.

I prefer life without ulcers.

Hmm. Right.

Well, pressure does

make diamonds, as they say.

I actually have

a regular segment about that

on the podcast.

Well, I'm sure that'll make

for a great sound bite.

You are so right.

Don't forget, Jane,

I learned marketing from you.

Before you were a yoga teacher,

you were teaching

the power of brand.

Thank you again

for the opportunity.

Just wanna make sure we bring

you over a sample of our...

And he's walking away.

Yeah, he's gone.

We used to work

in finance together.

How do you think

I perfected my warrior pose?

Okay, what should we do?

I have 20 different recipes

to choose from

listed in order of...

Gotta have a twist,

something to impress the guy.

Right. I have a spiritless

whiskey sour,

but it's missing a twist.

That's the one.

You start building and I will...

Excuse me.

Go clean up whatever that was.

It's pretty, uh,

cold out there, yeah?

Uh, yeah.

Pretty, uh, cold.

Name one time

that you've taken my advice.

For the last time,

I do not need a wing woman.

Oh.

Kinda awkward out there.

Here, try this.

- Mm.

- Yeah?

It needs something

to round it out,

something sweet, aromatic.

- Okay, okay.

- Excuse me, sir.

Hang on. I gotta get that.

You need to improve a little

bit.

No. I don't improv, you improv.

Just think,

"What would Marcus do?"

Okay.

What would Marcus do?

What would Marcus do?

Okay, not enough of that.

Melon would pair well.

Hey, Lisa.

Would you try this for me?

Yeah.

I took a swing at this mocktail,

but the infused syrup

I use has melon in it.

Melon? But you're allergic.

I know, but Marcus said

something sweet and aromatic.

Try it for me. You too, E.J.

Naomi, it's...

Wow!

I've got goosebumps all over.

Oh, may I try it, too?

Yeah, of course.

That is the best thing

I've ever tasted.

I don't usually like sours.

Ooh, that is sublime.

Nomes.

- Yeah?

- That is incredible.

Delicioso.

- Mm.

- Seriously, what's in this?

So, is that a winner?

There's only one way

to find out.

I'll see you guys

at competition tomorrow.

Yes!

Thank you.

Oh, you did it.

We're in.

We did it.

You told me

what would Marcus do,

and then I remembered

that melon syrup

that Hal gave you.

- And?

- And I used it.

I couldn't taste it,

but it smelled amazing.

You used the vial Hal gave me?

Uh-huh.

This night is amazing.

Everything is amazing.

You know what?

I think you're amazing.

I think you're amazing, too.

Should we dance?

We should totally dance.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- Oh...

- Cute.

No, no, no, no, no,

no, no, no, no, no.

It's not a simple syrup.

It's a love potion.

Marcus, there are no such things

as love potions.

Then how do you explain that?

Or that?

Have you ever seen them

act like the last 10 minutes

of a Nora Ephron movie before?

Hey, probably just

pre-Valentine's Day jitters,

right?

Let me just see what was

in that mixture.

Maybe wild p*nsy

or mandrake maybe.

Hmm. That's odd.

Well, you drank it

and you're not feeling

any adverse effects, right?

Marcus?

Fire it up, boys.

Let me call you sweetheart

I'm in love with you

Let me hear you whisper

that you love me, too

Keep the love light glowing

Richard, Lucy, are you okay?

No.

My heart,

it stops every time

I look at her.

Okay.

With you

Steven, Jane, do you feel okay?

I thought I couldn't stand you,

but actually I can't

stand the thought

of being without you.

Same.

Let me call you sweetheart

I'm in love

I'm so in love

I'm in love with you

Nomes, I love you.

I have loved you

since the first moment we met.

So you are feeling

some adverse effects.

Oh, it just feels

so good to finally say it.

Yeah?

- I love you, Naomi.

- Okay.

And I don't care who knows it.

You don't care who knows it

because you don't even

know it, because it's...

It's a chemical reaction.

I know. I feel it, too.

No. Like, literally,

your brain chemistry

has been altered.

Yes, of course.

Stop agreeing with me.

All right, let's just

look at the evidence.

Everyone who drank

that mocktail was acting weird.

I mean, Lisa was practically

shouting her feelings.

And Uncle Richard

was trying so hard

to tango with Lucy,

and refused to tango home.

Snap out of it.

You hate my puns.

I don't.

I love everything you say.

Please stop.

Listen to me.

Hal told me the vial is magic.

There is no such thing as magic.

He told me it was a love potion.

- Those don't exist.

- They do.

Okay, let me get this straight.

You think you've always

been in love with me.

I know I have.

Even though you were

never attracted to me

before one hour ago.

That's not true, Nomes.

I've always loved you.

That's why I needed the courage.

You probably needed courage

about, like, our work situation.

No.

Okay, your senses

cannot be trusted.

I think that you should

just stay at my place tonight.

You can sleep on the couch.

I can't send you home.

You're gonna invest

all your money

in some meme coin or something.

But I would do that anyway.

See, I'm fine.

Love the way

you take care of me.

I even love the way

you close the door!

Nomes, you awake?

I hope you're asleep.

I just wanna say I'm sorry.

I know it's a lot.

I know you think

I didn't love you before today,

but it's not true.

I didn't say anything

'cause you were with Chris.

I respected that

because I want you to be happy.

Felt like, I don't know,

selfish to tell you how I feel.

And it hurt, a lot.

But not being around you

would have hurt a lot more.

I also know

I'm not really the kinda guy

most people take seriously.

Maybe that's my fault.

But I always wished

for some magical moment

where you'd see me differently.

And now there's this potion,

and what do you know?

It's the reason

you can't take me seriously.

Anyway, good night, Nomes.

Good morning.

Morning.

You don't believe me.

Fair enough.

The burden of proof is on me.

So, let's gather the evidence,

find Hal, track down

the other couples,

compare behaviors.

Ooh, gonna run some more tests.

Maybe one of your friends

might have access to a lab.

Uh, yeah, maybe Marie?

Marcus, what is this?

Omelet, mesclun salad,

blueberry muffin...

You're outperforming.

We have a major problem,

and you did not

ask me for a plan.

You, in fact, have a plan,

a really solid plan.

You made eggs.

Eggs is a really sad low bar.

You have put me

in an impossible situation.

If Potion Marcus comes

with brunch and plans,

I... I feel much less

compelled to cure you.

It's a real moral dilemma.

Mm.

Muffin?

Is this zucchini in there?

Yes, but that's how

you get the texture.

- That's what you put in there?

- Yeah.

No.

No. No, no.

Hal? Hal?

Hal, I know you're in there!

What happened to the tea cafe?

I think you mean

the magic tea cafe.

Mm-mm, this is not magic.

Nope.

But you didn't take the potion

and the tea shop

still disappeared.

Well, maybe the potion's

delusion is contagious.

Does that mean

you're catching feelings?

It's a crime.

This could be like a very

elaborate fraud to rob us.

Come on. If we had any money to

steal, we'd just buy the Agora.

Okay, I'm not loving that you're

the voice of reason right now.

I am.

And I'm really not loving

that the voice of reason's

reasoning is magic.

Kinda told you so.

We have to check on everyone

who took this thing.

Okay, that was me,

E.J. and Lisa,

Steven and Jane...

- Yes.

- And Richard and Lucy.

Ooh, try calling Richard.

- Now?

- Yes.

You have reached

the voicemail box.

Straight to voicemail.

Should we just head over there?

Mm, the competition kickoff

starts in a few hours,

and we're gonna see him

and Steven there.

Should we just start with Lisa,

see if she knows

how to track down E.J.?

- Lisa.

- Yes.

Teamwork.

No sign of Lisa.

This is very bad, Marcus.

She's not at home,

not at the Agora.

If Lisa went

on a romantic binge,

what would she do?

Hmm.

She would reenact

her favorite movie scene.

Let's go.

Oh, hey, guys. What's up?

Don't "what's up" me, Swayze.

Where have you been?

Went down to the park,

stopped for some stargazing,

and came to my craft studio.

- Don't!

- You're on a love potion.

That mocktail I made last night

had some kind of

chemical compound in it

that makes you think

that you're in love.

No, we are not on a love potion.

We already liked each other.

You were a matchmaker.

Yeah, I came to the Agora

to get a personal life,

remember?

You did say that, yeah.

I've been working so hard,

pushing off

really living for so long.

Right?

You've been living to work

instead of working to live.

Yeah.

And we need to live.

That's really beautiful.

Wow, I'm so relieved.

Which is why we talked

to our accountants this morning,

we're selling everything we own,

and we are...

Moving to Costa Rica.

- No, no, no, no, no, no, no!

- Congratulations!

- I know.

- Oh.

Marcus, we need

to find everyone.

Oh, there's Lucy and Richard.

Thank you.

They seem okay.

All right, what is up, everyone?

Oh, he's starting.

Welcome to the Social Time

Annual c*ck,

or should I say, this year,

drum roll please,

Mocktail Competition.

I'm Brent, co-host

of the Social Time podcast,

and my co-host Steven...

I was thinking,

"Why am I doing that?"

Uh, Steven...

- Um.

- Is coming to the stage.

Do your thing.

You good?

- Oh, yeah.

- All right.

This year, you asked

and we answered,

we are going all in

on mocktails.

Special thanks

to our sponsor Bujo Estigio

for supplying us

with their new line

of non-alcoholic beverages,

as well as...

Steven, tell them

what they might win.

Thanks, bro.

Uh, this cycle of

winning and losing,

it's an illusion,

it's a metaphysical trap

designed to convince us

of our separateness.

The real prize is consciousness.

Oh, woo, yes, babe!

Woo!

Also, $30,000 from our sponsor.

How about that?

Brent] Right?

- Um, nice.

- How about that?

There will be

three rounds this week.

The first round

will be on Tuesday,

and it's called Love is Blind.

We're gonna be testing

our competitors' instincts

by giving them a blind taste,

and then asking them

to reconstruct the mocktail.

Maybe I'll deconstruct,

you reconstruct?

And, uh, the theme

for the next round

is gonna be The Perfect Match.

We're gonna be asking everyone

to make an appetizer

to pair with their mocktails,

and that can be a perfect match,

or it can be

a delicious contrast,

or like my amazing

girlfriend Jane and I,

a little bit of both.

- I love you.

- I love you.

- You're doing amazing.

- I love you.

Oh, no, I...

For round one and two,

you, the audience,

will vote using

these valentines here

for the best mocktail.

And then, for the final round

on Valentine's Day,

it's Love Conquers All.

Make us a mocktail

with a custom garnish

that wows us.

And we'll see you right back

here on Tuesday for round one.

Wooh!

Okay.

We need to find Richard.

Yes.

Where'd he go?

Lisa selling the Agora

and meeting E.J.,

Steven and Jane.

I mean, maybe this potion's

the jumpstart everyone needed.

Will you marry me?

What were you saying?

Not even magic can explain that.

What do you think?

Yes! Yes!

Ow.

We need to find an antidote.

Agreed.

And we need to tell

everyone the truth.

Hey, here come Steven and Jane.

Just play it cool.

Absolutely.

Hey, guys

You're both on a love potion.

- What?

- Smooth.

Oh, I love that.

That doesn't make you worried?

I am not worried

about anything anymore.

Neither am I. Come on.

See?

We need to talk to Richard.

Just play it cool.

Totally.

You can't get married.

You guys are on a love potion.

I'm on a love potion,

I'm not proposing.

Well, that's just

your problem, nephew.

You need to be a man of action.

Uncle Richard,

I have, shall we say,

opted into the snorkel tour

of love

because you told me deep dives

and deep connections

both come with the bends.

I said that?

What do I know?

Really hope you

know some things,

because I've risked

my entire career

and a very close relationship

on your advice.

Why can't you just

be happy for us?

It was love at first sight.

You guys have been friends

for 50 years.

Yesterday you were bickering

like those guys

from The Muppets.

Statler and Waldorf.

What?

I know some things, too.

And we've lost again.

Antidote?

Antidote.

We'll go see Marie tomorrow.

Ooh, thank you so much, Marie.

I know this is a little outside

your real house.

- Marcus, Marie.

- Hi.

Honestly, it's nice to

have a break from the nanobots.

How are those

nanobots treating you?

Oh, you know...

Terrible.

Yeah.

Dating too, actually.

Would you ever set me up

with your cute bartender friend?

Wouldn't know who you mean?

Your friend from work?

The one you said was super cute.

Really? Super cute.

I didn't say super cute.

Well, I believe the words

"total hunk" were used.

What?

Why are you making that face?

Why can't scientists

read social cues?

Total hunk.

Let the record permanently show.

He's the bartender?

- Hi.

- Huh.

But he's in love with you.

He's not in love with me.

- Yes, I am.

- Yes, he is.

Great.

As much as I'd love to, uh, stay

and just debate this all day,

could we just

have those results?

The test revealed nothing.

I mean, maybe some things

that could lead

to a racing heart

or oxytocin boost,

but nothing

that could cause delusions.

Sorry.

- Thanks.

- Good luck.

Just say it.

I am willing to consider

the cosmological constant,

dark matter.

Magic.

So we can't use science.

We will turn to history.

Ah, how about this one?

Shall I compare thee

to a summer's...

Nay, less love poems,

more research.

Okay, look at this.

The ancient Greeks

used a specific orchid

in love potions.

Ah, but it's extinct.

Hmm, maybe someone

Jurassic Parked it back to life?

It's possible, but unlikely.

Ah, I got it.

An antidote?

No.

I think I should have

loved you presently.

And given in earnest words

I flung in jest.

Cherish no less

the certain stakes I gained,

and walk your memory's halls,

austere, supreme.

A ghost in marble

of a girl you knew,

who would have loved you

in a day or two.

Wait, Hal?

Hmm?

Oh, mighty Aphrodite, that hurt.

Whoa, whoa! Easy now!

Please, do not invoke Aphrodite.

What was in that vial?

We know it's magic.

If you say so.

Do you say so, Naomi?

You have caused

unspeakable levels of chaos,

and we're willing

to not press charges

if you just tell us

what was in it.

Well, I am willing

to share some insight

if you would just admit

that magic exists.

Yes.

No. Nope. No way.

I will not have my last strand

of sanity snipped

by a man who is clearly

the host of some

hidden camera prank show.

I do not consent to be recorded.

Okay.

Uh, wait, wait, wait,

wait, wait, wait.

Hold on a second,

hold on a second.

We can't just give up.

We love-bombed

six unsuspecting people.

Seven, and that's not

what love b*mb means.

Sorry, not to eavesdrop,

but seven?

Yes, I used it in a mocktail,

and so now three couples,

plus Marcus,

are in some kind of

collective woo-hoo.

But you didn't drink it?

Did not.

- That's disappointing.

- Okay.

Has a magical love potion

not gone as expected?

Shocker.

Ah, so you admit it's magic!

I will tell you that

it is distilled leprechaun tears

if you just tell me

what was in it.

I cannot tell you

what was in it.

What is it,

mystical trade secrets?

But I can give you

the ingredients to the antidote.

Very old magic.

Risky, but I will warn you,

this erases anything

that isn't true.

And I beg you to remember,

love doesn't need

a perfect start

to have a happy ending.

Thank you.

Fleece? What is this?

Do these ingredients c...

Did he really just disappear?

Sorry, I thought we were done.

Bye, lovebirds.

What?

Here you go.

An option for the competition

I've been thinkin' about.

Mm. What is in this?

I added a little twist

to Naomi's gInger sn*p recipe.

Twist? No twist.

No, what did you do?

It's magnificent.

It's transcendent!

- Thank you.

- Mythical.

Really?

Oh, uh, not that.

Your antidote recipe,

it's mythical.

It occurred to me

that these ingredients

aren't exactly edible,

but they are all items

from Greek mythology.

Golden Fleece,

Stygian water, poppy seeds.

Hmm.

And this last ingredient's

too smudged,

but I'll bet

the right Greek myth

has your answer.

All right.

So, tonight,

we finalize the mocktails

for the competition.

Tomorrow, more research.

I got some ideas.

Potion Marcus

comes up with a plan.

Man, you two

are right for each other.

I thought we were

meeting at the library

to do antidote things.

If we're gonna be combing

through ancient mythology

for clues,

might as well immerse

ourselves in it, you know?

Hmm.

Kind of feels like a date.

Not a date.

An antedate.

Antedate for antidote.

Huh.

Okay, so Psyche and Eros.

As the story goes,

Psyche fell in love with Eros,

Cupid,

but when her lack of faith

caused him to disappear,

she begged Aphrodite

for a second chance.

- Ah.

- Mm-hmm.

Whoa!

These are Psyche's trials.

Yep.

Ooh, paintings.

What's goin' on in this one?

Hmm, she had to sort grains.

So barley, wheat,

beans, poppy seeds.

Wait, poppy seeds.

Okay, I wonder if something here

has to do with Golden Fleece.

Some kinda water is here.

- Hmm.

- A river, maybe?

The River Styx.

Stygian waters.

Stygian waters.

Okay. Okay.

And here, she has

a porcelain flask

from Persephone

from the Underworld.

This might be the key

to our smudged ingredient.

Am I crazy,

or is there something here?

Hal?

Welcome to round one,

Love is Blind.

We will start as soon

as I find my co-host.

Steven?

Steven, are you out there?

Come on, bro.

Well, contestants,

you can begin.

Hmm.

Something pink, you know?

Hey, write down the...

- I got it.

- What?

- Cherry.

- Cherry.

Whoa, hey. Sorry.

Where is it, where is it,

where is it?

There. Yes.

Uncle Rich, come on.

More speed, less haze.

Oh, I'll take one of these

just for safety.

Five teams

got the heart for accuracy,

and the audience votes are in.

And in second place,

two hearts go to Richard Kelly.

And in first place

for round one,

three hearts go to

Naomi Thomas and Marcus Kelly.

Congratulations.

I can't believe it.

What do you mean?

I told you we were a great team.

No,

I... I can't believe it.

It's Hal.

What are you doing here, Hal?

I came to check in

on the antidote,

but I'm delighted to see

you have yet to follow through.

That antidote is a jumble of

inedible storybook ingredients.

I'm not surprised you took

my instructions literally,

but I really thought Marcus here

would think outside the box.

I feel like the answer

is in his grasp,

if he would just open his eyes

and see what's in front of him.

Seriously,

I'm all but giving you

the answer right now.

No more tricks.

Who are you?

I think you already know.

I...

Am Cupid.

I knew it!

Okay.

You know,

you remind me of Psyche.

Yeah, always searching

for proof before you're allowed

to feel what you feel.

And you, Naomi Thomas,

you're surrounded

by lovesick fools, yeah,

but do not let love blind you

to their wisdom.

Marcus, take a picture

of Lucy and me together.

Si por favor.

Cheese.

It's great.

Lucy, what's the meaning

of Bujo Estigio?

It means Stygian owl,

native of Mexico.

Stygian refers

to the River Styx.

That...

That's Stygian waters.

Yes.

Yes.

Stygian waters.

Okay, okay,

we gotta think outside the box.

Golden Fleece

could be, like, a cereal brand,

or, or, or what about something

like that weird orchid

you read about?

Oh, that's it!

That's it!

Yes, yes, it's a plant.

Yes.

Okay, Golden Fleece

is a rare Mediterranean plant,

but where can we

source it locally, unless...

Y... you don't mean...

No.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Th... th... th... there's gotta be

another way.

He's a botanist. He has access.

I'd rather all of us

spend the rest of our lives

under this magical spell

than ask your ex-boyfriend

for help.

Good.

It's settled.

We'll go see Chris tomorrow.

Okay?

Oh, so beautiful in here.

It's not that beautiful, but...

Hey, Chris.

Hey, Mimi.

So, I have

what you called about.

Let me go get 'em.

Marcus.

Mimi? He calls you Mimi?

It's a nickname, like Nomes.

It is not like Nomes.

Okay, this is gonna be fun.

Here they are.

Oh, thank you.

sh**t.

We need one per dose

and this is only six,

but we need seven.

Any chance

you'd have access to more?

Yeah, I could put in

a rush order

for old time's sake.

No, no.

Nobody needs

to go back to old times.

Oh, I see.

Suppose it was to be expected.

You two have always been close.

Uh, we're not together.

The antidote we're trying

to make is for Marcus.

He's on some kind of...

- Love potion.

- Yeah.

That's not real.

It is.

Vasodilator, uh, psilocybin.

No, that's what I thought,

but the chemistry tests

were inconclusive.

Because it's magic.

It's magic.

But potion aside,

if she ever gave me a chance,

I definitely wouldn't

screw it up...

Marcus.

- Sorry.

- Okay.

I'll put in the rush order,

but I urge you

to consider Occam's razor.

Magic.

Marcus.

Thank you, Chris.

Magic.

I don't get what you saw in him.

He hangs out

with his plants all day.

I also love botany.

Even his name is boring.

I mean, what kinda name

is Chris?

Chris?

Okay, every famous actor

is named Chris.

I am doing my very best

to save you from embarrassment

while you're

under this influence,

but you embarrassed me.

Chris broke up with me,

and now I look petty,

and you're ragging on him,

but he and I are the same.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Hey, wait, wait, wait a second.

Okay.

I went a little overboard,

but you are not Chris.

You know, you think you're

all straight laces and plans,

but you've always

been magical to me.

Yes, I said magical.

Or whimsical,

or whatever you wanna call it.

You are connected to that

thing, that spark,

that makes the world

an interesting place to be.

With Chris, I saw two lives

being fueled by one fire,

and I think you deserve someone

who has their own spark,

who matches you,

whether that's me or not.

That was nice.

Thank you.

Okay, let's go.

So much to do, so little time.

I have never seen

this side of Marcus before.

He's making plans,

he's being bold,

he's just wonderful.

And I think I'm...

Uh, but on the other hand,

he may not be like this

without the potion.

You keep blaming the potion.

This is us responding

to a feeling.

We're still ourselves

inside of whatever this is,

and it's a bit dismissive of you

to keep discounting that.

I'm sorry.

It's just been, you know...

Okay.

I called my editor and told her,

"Forget the final book.

I'm on an indefinite hiatus."

Tickets are booked.

We fly out Friday.

Whoa, whoa.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

- Wait.

Mm, what about the Agora?

What about your book?

You guys are making

really big decisions based on...

Hello, my beautiful yogis.

Before we start class today,

I just wanted to highlight

that we have branded yoga mats,

branded yoga gear,

and also

all new membership options.

Studio Jane

is your one-stop shop

for fashion and fitness.

So let's get our stretch on.

Everyone rise and grind.

Make your way

to the front of your mat.

Let's bring our feet

hip distance apart, parallel,

or you can just take a savasana.

Do you wanna talk about it?

Namaste on the floor.

Look, I know

you're worried about me,

but ever since me

and Steven have gotten together,

I realize that I was using

my spirituality

to cut off parts

of myself that I didn't like.

That corporate part

is not all that bad.

I mean, that girl has guts.

Yeah.

And, you know, E.J. and I needed

to make a change

for a long time.

It may feel rushed,

but it's overdue.

I want you all to be happy,

but a lot of people

depend on your work.

Marcus, me.

And E.J., your fans

are gonna grab pitchforks

if you don't finish that book.

Fans will be fine.

I'll just sell it as a TV show

and let those writers

figure out the ending.

That has historically

never gone wrong.

Okay, fine.

I will stop saying

that your feelings aren't real

if you all agree

to take the antidote

before acting

on any big decisions.

Deal?

Deal.

- Oh, uh, deal.

- Yes. Deal.

- Sorry.

- Deal.

Yeah.

Careful.

Last time we tried

what would Marcus do,

we all collectively

lost our minds.

Well, Lisa's accelerated

timeline has me

a little desperate.

Well, we already got

two out of the four ingredients.

Actually, three.

- Three?

- Mm-hmm.

Turns out I had

Greek poppy seeds

in my collection,

so we only have one more

ingredient to track down.

Nice.

Yeah.

But first, we gotta eat.

Okay.

Sticks.

Thank you.

And, oh, yes,

I also got us fortune cookies.

Maybe you'll like magic

that comes from a cookie.

Perhaps.

Mm.

The love of your life

will appear in front of you

unexpectedly.

I didn't do that, I swear.

- Really?

- I swear.

I don't...

Although, who am I

to argue with your fortune?

What?

I was thinking about what you

said earlier about spark.

Being raised

by my grandparents, I just...

They were way past

the heart eyes

and honeymoon phase.

They just chose

each other every day.

They looked out for each other

in these little ways

that no one but me noticed.

And it might not be

very exciting,

but that's love to me.

And this week,

solving all this with you

has been chaotic,

but really fun.

And I think that that's your...

I don't want to call it magic,

but it's a thing

that I don't know

how to do that feels mysterious

and it's just easy for you.

Thank you.

So, uh, what does

your fortune cookie say?

Good question.

Let's find out.

The woman in the gray sweater

will pay for dinner.

No, it doesn't.

Get out of here.

It's good to see you.

Should we wake her?

I'm not sleeping.

I'm just defeated.

She snores when she's defeated.

Well, you've been juggling work,

the competition,

weird mythological

treasure hunts.

Who knew you two

could multitask like this?

It's this last ingredient.

I... I can't crack it

and it's smudged,

but I know it has something

to do with Psyche's last trial

where she brought Aphrodite

a box of Persephone's beauty.

So far we have shadow box,

Pandora's box, K-beauty,

and face cream.

Well, in the myth,

Psyche uses the box

and gets covered in shadows,

so something to do

with darkness or, uh,

pomegranate is famously

Persephone's symbol.

Pomegranate.

Pomegranate!

Can you...

- Nomes?

- Yeah.

You think this has

cooled down enough?

Mm-hmm.

I think so.

- Okay, who's gonna go first?

- Me.

I think if anybody's

gonna be taking

this mysterious elixir,

it should be the guy

who got us into this mess.

Okay, um, we only have

enough for six doses,

so we should probably focus

on the innocent people

that we mixed up in this first.

I think that you

have to go last.

Sure, but is that

the only reason why?

I am just saying that...

that they are making

major life decisions,

and you have me

to keep you in check.

- Right.

- Right.

We'll take it.

Seriously?

You guys are down to go first?

Worst-case scenario is what?

Well, you'll realize

your relationship

is the product of magic,

you've risked

your retirement funds,

and you break up.

Okay.

Everything okay?

Absolutely.

All good.

But, um, I think I should, uh,

call my accountant

and... and just move

some things around.

Yeah, I'm just gonna

call my editor, too,

- Just a quick...

- Yeah.

Okay.

Whoa!

Whoa!

Welcome to the second round

of the Social Time

Mocktail Competition.

Today's theme is

the perfect match.

Pair the perfect appetizer

with the perfect mocktail.

Pay close attention

as you sample

the various offerings

because you gotta remember,

you only get one vote

for your favorite mocktail.

Let the competition begin.

Salud!

Hola!

Hola, Luce.

Mind if I'm your first taster?

By all means.

Yes, this is a... a spin

on a dish that I created

at the Agora.

Delicious.

Spicy.

Oh, so refreshing.

It's called Fire and Ice.

Mm.

So, Lucy, could we persuade you

to wash it down

with the potion antidote?

Your uncle and I told you,

we're not interested

in the antidote.

Please.

Worst-case scenario, you take it

and nothing happens.

Oh, Richard.

- Okay, let's go.

- Yeah, okay.

All right.

What have we got here?

Hey.

Okay.

All right, here you go.

- Mm.

- Thank you.

Hmm. Mm.

Oh, spicy. Mm.

Oh.

- Technique I taught you.

- Uh-huh.

- Okay, it's not that spicy.

- It's really not.

- I'm so proud of you.

- Oh.

You handled that so well.

- Did I?

- Yes.

- Did I do it right?

- You did it right.

I was trying to breathe in.

Hey, uh, hey guys,

while we have you...

I guess we should try it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Let's try.

Hmm.

Hmm.

What?

I mean, look at...

Oh, my goodness.

So, are...

are we, uh, in love?

We're definitely not in loathe,

which is where we were

a week ago.

It's... it's not enemies

to lovers here,

But... but I do love you,

friend of friend.

Honestly, more shocking

than being in love

is wanting to be your friend.

I was so stressed out and you...

You taught me so much

about how to care for myself.

No, no, thank you.

I was running away

from parts of myself,

and even though

this wasn't real, but...

Hey, every part of you is real,

and I admire

and respect you so much.

I want you to know

that you're perfect

for my friend Diana.

- Really?

- Mm-hmm.

Set it up.

- Yes!

- Let's do it.

Yes, oh.

So that... that's it.

Just, um, poof, done.

Yeah.

Just like that.

Wow.

- Take care.

- You, too.

Awesome, okay.

So...

You wanna talk about it?

And it feels like

we should talk about it.

It's just infuriating.

You know, we put together

some random ingredients,

and poof.

Poof.

Just poof.

Hal said

anything that wasn't real

would go poof, and it did.

After all this,

doesn't that scare you?

Doesn't that make you

feel wildly out of control?

No.

Oh, come on.

That is so annoying.

Not even a little bit?

Look, I felt wildly

out of control

when loving you was a secret.

I was scared I'd blurt it out

and ruin our lives.

This is nothing

compared to that.

If you've always

loved me like you say,

and there's some big poofning,

what if all of it,

our friendship,

our work dynamic,

gets all mixed up together?

Nomes, no matter what happens,

I'm not goin' anywhere.

I promise.

Marcus?

Oh.

No, nothing like that.

Um, we're, uh, out of napkins.

With his yerba mate mocktails

and empanadas,

which he described

as a love letter to his fianc,

first place

for this round goes to

Richard Kelly.

Congrats, Uncle Rich.

Mm-hmm. Hmm

Also, we gotta get them

to take that antidote.

Those were two separate

and legitimate thoughts.

Sure, yeah.

Please, I'm begging you.

Before you shell out for

this engagement party tomorrow,

take the antidote.

Do it before you do something

that will be painful

and hard to undo.

Let's say

it's not really true love,

and it is just the potion,

would it really be so bad

to marry my best friend?

Okay, if you can't

do it for yourselves,

then please do it for me.

Fine.

Tell Naomi to bring

the antidote tomorrow night.

Thank you.

Goodnight.

Lucy has, uh, suggested

that perhaps in the many years

since I lost your aunt,

that I have shut down

a lot of emotions

to avoid feeling pain,

and that I have

pushed people away,

including you.

Oh.

I know how hard

I've been on you.

I thought that by pushing you

to take some initiative

that I'd help you avoid

some of the problems I had,

but I see now I might have

just undermined your confidence,

made it hard for you to believe

that you could succeed

in life, or love.

I don't blame you

for not wanting

to work with me

at the restaurant.

I just always wanted

to make you proud, Uncle Rich,

but you had such high standards

that I felt like

I could never reach them.

Guess after a while,

it just became easier

to not try so hard

and tell myself

whatever happened

was meant to be.

Well, for what it's worth,

I've seen the effort

you put in this week,

how you've stepped up at work

and for the contest, for her.

Yeah, well, remains to be seen

if my foolishness will pay off.

It already has.

You've put yourself

out there, courageously.

I couldn't be more proud of you.

Thank you.

Nah.

Naomi doesn't take risks,

even when she should.

She ain't gonna say it

if you don't ask.

One more act of courage, then.

Hi.

You look beautiful.

Oh, thank you.

Okay, don't look.

E.J., 3 o'clock. Hide.

A drink as promised,

and hopefully

I can get a dance later.

Well, you don't have

to ask me twice.

Wait, are you guys...

Oh, we're not tryin'

to rush things

or rush

to another continent, but yeah.

After the antidote,

we kinda crashed,

but then we had a long talk.

It might not be love, yet...

But there's definitely

something exciting here

worth exploring.

Okay, so it all worked out.

No harm, no foul.

Oh, my editor yelled

at me for an hour.

Right.

Marcus is looking for you.

You're late.

Hi.

Hi.

So, do you have the antidote?

It's Richard.

Let's put you two

out of your misery

and settle the question.

Do you have it?

Are you sure

you wanna take it tonight?

It's such a beautiful party.

Well?

Well,

we should probably go

talk to our guests.

Beloved guests,

we must apologize.

You believe that you're here

for an engagement party,

but that isn't quite true.

For the last week,

it may have seemed

that we are madly in love,

but the truth is

we've spent decades

driving each other mad.

It's difficult to admit

when something isn't working.

Especially

for stubborn people like us.

And this version of us

just isn't working,

because every second

that this brilliant,

beautiful woman isn't my wife

feels like a waste of time.

Which is why

we're excited to announce

we're getting married on Sunday.

And you're all invited!

Well, I guess we're celebrating.

To hell.

To a failed experiment.

What?

Three couples, one elixir,

three drastically

different results.

That's faulty science.

The antidote worked as promised.

Only what's honest remains.

To honesty.

In the spirit of honesty,

why didn't you want me

to take the antidote earlier?

Because it was our fault.

And, you know, they were making

rash, life-altering decisions,

and the worst thing

you did was...

Excuse me,

I am a fantastic singer.

You should feel honored

that I serenaded you.

Hmm.

Well, we'll see about that

in a few days.

Right now,

you're powered by potion.

Well, then...

Let's not waste another drop.

Nomes, I think

there's another reason

why you delayed me

taking the antidote.

Oh yeah, the chaos,

the impromptu serenades.

The threat to our jobs.

Me being in love with you.

If you take that antidote,

and we're like Steven and Jane,

and we kiss,

I don't know if it's real

Marcus or potion Marcus,

and it's not fair

to either of us.

I don't think we're

Steven and Jane.

I know deep down

that I'm Richard

and I just needed a push.

You told me

who you're afraid we are,

but you haven't told me

who you hoped we are.

What do you want, Naomi?

You don't have to answer that.

All right.

Don't answer that.

Just you've been

too busy protecting me

to stop and think about

whether there's something here.

Oh, here's the pomegranate.

I think we need

a different aromatic

for the final round.

I took some of the flowers

you planted for me

and I froze 'em into ice cubes.

They would be perfect for this.

Eh, it would never work though.

Pomegranate juice is so dark.

Marcus, that's it!

You're a genius.

Feel like

we're breezing right past

the it'll never work part?

No.

Pomegranate juice,

if you clarify it,

it'll be light pink.

But it would take

hours to clarify, no?

Yeah, unless you have a friend

with a centrifuge and a lab.

Brilliant.

Absolutely brilliant.

You've been holding out on me.

I didn't know

you were experimenting

with ice garnishes like that.

Eh.

Okay, I will go

get the centrifuge from Marie.

You pick up the extra fleece

from Chris.

Somehow I knew you'd say that.

Hey.

Thanks again for the rush order.

Yeah, I know you're

on a time crunch.

Yeah, and uh,

I'm sorry about how

I acted the other day.

That, uh, wasn't cool.

Same.

Yeah, it's clear Naomi

and I aren't compatible.

After some time, I guess,

just didn't feel right

that she wasn't sure about us.

Right.

Anyway,

thank you again for the...

Good luck with your placebo.

Yeah.

Welcome to the final round

of the Social Time

Mocktail Competition!

Happy Valentine's Day

to everyone.

We'd like to thank

our competitors

for their amazing work

this week.

Also, our sponsor Bujo Estigio

who made this event possible.

They're also gonna be

our special guest judges

tonight.

This does not get

any more exciting,

does it, Brent?

You know what?

It does not.

As we enter the final round,

we have a tie for first place

between Richard,

and Naomi and Marcus.

But trust me,

it is still anyone's game.

Remember,

our final round is all about

making a custom garnish

that wows us.

Competitors, when you are ready,

please bring your final

mocktail up to the judges table.

Good luck.

Let's get started.

You're kind of quiet.

That's not like you.

No, I don't think I've ever

been this nervous before.

It's awful.

Zero stars.

Oh, I have a really good

feeling about this.

Honestly, I think we came up

with something really good.

I'm not nervous

about the competition.

Look, I know I told you

to think about it, us,

but the more I tossed

and turned last night,

the more I realized

it's not so much

a thinking thing as a feeling.

You either feel something

or you don't.

And I just don't know

how much longer I can take

not knowing the answer.

There's a lot to consider.

We're... we're best friends,

we're coworkers,

we might be starting

a business together.

It's not as simple as...

I think it is.

Because if you felt like I did,

that yes would be so resounding

it would drown out any doubt.

Well, that's...

that's easy for you to say

because that's how you are.

You like to improvise

and go with your gut, and I'm...

You left biochemistry

to follow your passion.

You took a huge risk

trying to make

this event happen.

I don't know, Nomes.

You've got this story

about yourself,

but I think if you really

love something...

Whoa, whoa.

Can we just take a beat?

I...

What if...

Let's just have you

take the antidote,

and finish the competition,

and then we can...

We'll talk about it after.

You can get back to normal.

Right, normal.

And the winner

of the Social Time

Mocktail Competition is...

Naomi Thomas and Marcus Kelly!

All right.

Well done.

Congratulations.

Congrats, everyone.

I had to lose eventually.

Like...

Hey, thank you.

Every good thing

comes to an end.

Hey ladies, well done.

Come on, man.

Just... just open up.

I know you can hear me.

Okay. What... what do you want me

to say here?

Hmm?

Want me to call you, uh,

Hal or Eros?

Fine.

Okay.

Oh, Cupid?

Welcome.

Hmm-hmm.

So, now the tea shop is visible.

Mm-hmm.

I thought love was blind.

Well, lots of

conflicting accounts.

Love is patient.

Love is a many-splendored thing.

Love is a b*ttlefield.

Okay. Love likes to vacation in

Cambridge.

Okay, enough banter.

To what do I owe this summoning?

Information.

Data analysis.

Ah, yes.

The very heartbeat of romance.

Numbers.

To what end?

Okay. As Cupid, you have been

doing this for centuries.

You've probably put like

thousands of couples

in motion.

Thousands?

You wound me.

There has gotta be something

that you've gleaned

from all of this.

Some secret for success,

or some reason, or logic

that I can use

to understand all of this.

Yeah, but Marcus isn't asking

what you understand.

He's asking what you feel.

And feelings aren't all logic

or numbers that you can analyze.

You have to leave

a little room...

For magic.

Okay, but real love is steady.

You know, my grandparents

had something steady.

They had something

built on trust.

Well, you saw the product

of 30 years of leaps.

Real trust comes after

a lot of wild takeoffs

and safe landings.

Mm.

I guess I just wanted

to look before I leapt.

Is that so wrong?

I mean, we plan so that

we don't have to make mistakes.

Isn't it wise to gather

the evidence and then choose?

In Ancient Greece, we had

a very popular kind of story

where the hero

was given the ending

at the very beginning

so that they could

plan accordingly.

See?

This is my kinda story.

They were called tragedies.

Right.

I think the scientist in me

is just having a hard time

admitting it out loud.

Hmm.

Thanks.

Are you kidding me?

I had to try.

Toodles.

But are you in love with him?

Uh...

Yes.

I...

Yeah.

But I... I can't tell him that.

Why not?

Because for years,

I have listened to that man say

how much

he does not believe in love,

that it's a soggy cardboard box.

And if I tell him,

and he takes that antidote,

and all his feelings go away,

I will have risked everything

and he'll reject me.

And there's not an antidote

that I can drink

to take that back.

Naomi, the antidote

didn't take back

anything we did either.

God, the things I said

and did under the potion.

It was mortifying.

Just a little bit.

Mm.

But you know what made

it a little more bearable?

Knowing that E.J.

and I were in it together,

that I wasn't alone.

Well, Marcus wasn't alone.

I was with him the whole time.

Uh, but you weren't

in it with him.

You didn't sing in public,

or offer your heart up

on a platter.

He did all those things alone.

If you really love him,

the least you can do is

put some skin in the game

while there's still

some risk involved.

He deserves your courage

and your honesty.

You're right.

I have to tell him how I feel

before he takes that antidote.

Hey, can I get

a bourbon on the...

Whoa, no.

What are you doing here?

Cover your drink.

Easy there.

I'm just here

to admire my handiwork.

Admire the last of it right now.

Finally ready to take it.

So, here goes nothing.

Feel better?

I don't feel any different.

Yeah. That's 'cause the potion

only works

if both people take it.

I was hoping

you'd switch the vials,

most likely when you

two were practicing

mocktail recipes,

but I could not have anticipated

the delicious chaos

that followed.

But yeah, it's not designed

to work for one person.

It requires two.

It's a placebo?

It's... it's a... it's a fake?

It's, what, just

a beautiful mocktail

made by the woman I love?

That's it? No potion?

Yeah, that was all you.

Seems like thinking

you were on the potion

allowed you to finally do

and say the things

you've always wanted to.

Wow!

That's powerful stuff.

Well, we can keep that

between you and I though, right?

Because if people knew

that I chose to make brunch,

or loudly declare my love

in the street, or sing.

Oh, the singing.

Oh.

Let me call you

sweetheart

I'm in love with you

Let me hear you whisper

that you love me, too

Keep the love light glowin'

in those eyes so true

Let me call you sweetheart,

I'm in love with you

Thank you.

I love you,

and it's not just

because of this past week.

I... I think that there's

always been this question

that I was too scared

to ask myself

about you and I,

because losing you,

even as a friend,

was the one thing

that I just couldn't risk.

And what do you know?

I did anyway.

So, I don't know if you've

taken the antidote or not,

or how you feel.

And don't tell me yet.

Just first I have to say

without any plan

or motive except honesty that...

I just love you, Marcus.

It took me years

to finally tell you how I felt,

and a placebo love potion

to finally get it off my chest.

I get it.

As long as it's the last thing

we keep from each other.

Deal.

Did you just say placebo?

Yeah, so apparently

if both people don't take it...

Oh, wow.

Yeah.

Ladies and gentlemen,

please welcome

Richard and Luciana Kelly.

Folks,

we're so grateful to have you,

our family,

and friends join us tonight.

Please, everybody,

join us on the dance floor.

So have you told them yet?

Told us what?

I realized maybe

I was making hasty decisions

before the potion.

I knew something was missing,

and was ready to rip up my life.

But maybe that isn't necessary.

So you're not selling the Agora?

I am still selling it.

Oh.

To you two, in two years.

Gives me a chance to train you

and teach you the ropes.

And you

to raise money, find investors.

Two of which

are standing right here.

Are you sure?

I'm sure.

You two have proved yourself

as the right team

to take over the place,

and I... I couldn't be happier

than to see it in your hands.

A toast to timing.

And putting pride aside.

Salud.

I think we should dance.

- Yes.

- Yeah!

Shall we?

Nomes, I love you.

I've always loved you.

To magic.

To love.