After searching through my bag of props, I finally find the sticker that I’ve meticulously selected.
Charlie: A tangerine? No, it’s a tangerine wearing sunglasses.
MC: Doesn’t it resemble you?
Charlie puts a hand on his chin, scrutinising the sticker in my hand in a serious manner.
Charlie: Its chubby figure doesn’t resemble mine, and the leaf on its head doesn’t resemble me either.
Charlie: But the aura it emits when wearing glasses and showcasing its biceps issomewhat similar to mine. Considering how unconventional it looks, I’ll accept what you said.
MC: I’ll stick it on for you then?
Charlie: Go on.
I’lll stick the tangerine sticker on him!
MC: Adorable!
Charlie glances at himself in the mirror before revealing a pleased expression.
Charlie: It’s pretty nice. But why did you stick a tangerine on me, Fiancée?
MC: Hehe, this is where your knowledge has a blindspot. Tangerines symbolise “luck”. I heard that pasting a sticker of a tangerine will help you to become luckier!
Charlie: Did you prepare this sticker specially for me because of my bad luck?
MC: Of course. Although you’re already perfect enough, I hope the God of Luck can take better care of you.
Charlie closes his eyes. After taking a deep breath, he opens them slowly, as though composing himself.
Charlie: Thank you, Fiancée. Actually, the God of Luck has already taken good care of me. Otherwise, how could I have met such a thoughtful and kind-hearted you?
Charlie’s Post: When I see tangerines nowadays, I feel an inexplicable sense of closeness.
MC: I suddenly feel like eating tangerines~
Charlie: No problem. I’ll have them washed and sent to your place tonight.
-
Charlie’s Post: When I see tangerines nowadays, I feel an inexplicable sense of closeness.
MC: Has your luck changed for the better?
Charlie: Of course. I won the lottery that I just bought. As a show of gratitude, I’ll take you out for a feast tonight. How does that sound?
-
Charlie’s Post: When I see tangerines nowadays, I feel an inexplicable sense of closeness.
MC: I was correct when I said that the both of you are similar~
Charlie: Nope. The reason why I feel a sense of closeness is because seeing tangerines makes me think of you.
Warm sunlight slopes across the land, and soft clouds drift in a patch of azure.
With my head plopped on the table, the tip of my pen glides across the sketch book aimlessly. When I return to my senses, a series of numbers have already climbed all over the page - 520, 520, 520…
MC: It’s going to be 20 May next week. I wonder what Charlie’s busy with… Could he have his own plans? He might not have the habit of celebrating this festival either…
The sheet of paper is full of scrawled characters, and various thoughts emerge and vanish from my mind. At this moment, a crisp bird call shatters my vexed train of thought.
MC: It’s Charlie’s exclusive ringtone.
With an upward curl of my lips, I tap on the answer button.
Charlie: Hm? You picked up this quickly? Fiancée, be honest. Were you thinking about me?
MC: No way, I just happened to be looking at my phone!
Charlie: Oh. So you happened to be thinking about me then. Sigh, admitting it isn’t a big deal. Anyway, I happened to be thinking about you too.
MC; Huh, really…?
Charlie: Of course. It’s the reason why I called to make arrangements for a sweet 520 vacation with my fiancée. Will you consider it?
MC: I’ve been busy working overtime these days…
Charlie: Do you have other plans?
MC: Of course not! Since I’ve been working overtime frequently, I’ve applied for two days of leave, and they should be around 20 May…
Charlie: So that’s what it is. I didn’t expect my fiancée to be even more thoughtful than myself. Working overtime in advance to make time for a date - why does this tactic seem somewhat familiar?
MC: Didn’t I learn it from you… Cough cough, let’s not dwell on this. Tell me more about what you’ve planned!
Charlie: For this 520, I’ve planned a trip to a tropical rainforest.
MC: We’re going on a… trip?
Charlie: That’s right. We’ll be going to the faraway “Town of Cocoa”, Di Li Xiu Si . We’ll be able to smell the fragrance of cocoa beans while finding the source of sweetness under the tranquil shade of trees. Bitterness before the sweetness. Fiancée, don’t you think this is similar to our journey of love?
Hearing his plans for the trip causes ripples to surface from the depths of my heart.
MC: You’ve been making so many plans in secret…
Charlie: After all, it must be worthy of my fiancée’s week-long anticipation.
MC: HAHAHA. Isn’t it a little late to start looking forward to such a high quality trip?
Charlie: Late? There’s no concept of “late” in our treasury of love. It’s simply a layback and cha cha. So there’s no need to feel burdened about it. I’ll pick you up punctually on the night before 520, my dear fiancée.
After hanging up, the pleasant surprise and sweetness from earlier seem to reverberate around me.
I lift up my pen, striking out today’s date on the calendar excitedly -
Sunlight streams through the large French windows, spilling into the office of Team A.
A number of pictorials are piled on the table, all of them featuring good locations for vacations.
Li Man Man: It’s almost 520. Has anyone asked you out yet?
[Trivia]“520″ is the short form of “May 20″, a date akin to Valentine’s Day in China. In Chinese, “520” sounds phonetically like “I love you” (我爱你 - “wo ai ni”) ♡
Li Man Man glides over to me on a swivel chair, speaking softly with a gossip-hungry grin.
MC: Not yet…
Hao Shuai: Me neither!
Hao Shuai leans over.
Hao Shuai: Why don’t we have a Team A bonding activity and celebrate together?
Bro Mao: You might not have plans, but I do…
Bro Mao doesn’t speak loudly, but every word strikes Hao Shuai’s sore spot. Li Man Man follows up with another strike.
Li Mao Mao: To be honest, me too.
Hao Shuai: Hey hey hey, why are you guys putting your lovers before your friends! Am I going to spend such a wonderful day decaying at home…
Hao Shuai’s sighs and groans make me feel that I shouldn’t waste the day either.
A breeze courses by, causing a corner of a pictorial to flutter upwards, showcasing swaying reeds beneath a clear sky, a stream beside a cluster of mountains, and gravel sparkling with faint light along the coast…
MC: How nice.
I support my head with my hand while muttering to myself.
Hao Shuai: It doesn’t matter whether I celebrate the festival. I just want to have fun outside even if it’s only for the weekend.
Agreed - even if it’s only for the weekend.
Consecutive days of working overtime have caused this originally peaceful afternoon to become gloomy. Although the coffee on the table has been finished, it’s difficult to dispel the drowsiness.
The scenery on the page seems to merge with the azure sky outside the window, stirring to life.
I find myself unlocking my phone. My fingertips glide across the text messaging platform, and a familiar conversation bubble appears before my eyes.
I want to spend this 520 with him…
☀️ Go on a trip to the tropical rainforest with Charlie:here
The moment my fingertips leave his body, Charlie grabs my hand.
Charlie: Aside from my culinary skills, is my fiancée interested in other areas?
MC: No, I just wanted to help you wipe away some cream. Look! I can prove my innocence.
I unfold the handkerchief in my hand, frantically proving myself.
However, there’s nothing when I unfold it. The traces of cream have long since disappeared into the white cloth, as though they never existed.
Charlie: Mmhmm, this is your “innocence”?
Charlie looks at me. There’s 20% astonishment, 30% mischievousness and 50% satisfaction in his eyes.
Charlie: It’s okay, I understand. It’s the handkerchief’s fault, not yours. Fortunately, our cake can enter the oven soon. Otherwise, it might face a vicious attack too.
MC: …you know quite a bit about personification, don’t you.
Charlie: It’s passable. I simply use what I’ve learnt.
Shortly after, Charlie continues with what he’s doing. He places the tiny cake on a baking tray, sets the timer, and turns around to remove his gloves.
Charlie: Actually, there’s another interesting thing today.
MC: What is it?
My thoughts are no longer entangled with the misunderstanding, and my attention is quickly drawn to his words.
Charlie: Come with me.
Charlie takes my hand, and we arrive at a small wooden hut at the back.
Outside the wooden hut, there’s a plantation that has yet to be used, and it’s simply surrounded by railings.
Charlie: When I was selecting a location for the chocolate workshop, I specifically asked them to set aside this piece of land.
MC: Does this mean you’re planning to plant something here?
Charlie: My fiancée knows me well. But to be more precise, I want to plant something here with you.
With a smile, he unfolds his palm to reveal a few reddish brown seeds lying on it. I lower my head and sniff them lightly. A unique fragrance enters my nostrils.
Charlie: These are Criollo cocoa seeds. Their creaminess, roundness and sweetness are extremely perfect, and they can be called the “Charlie” in the cocoa world. It’s a pity that the volume of Criollo cocoa is incredibly low, and they only form one out of ten thousand of the cocoa in the entire world.
MC: Since it’s of such a high quality, why don’t people plant them?
Charlie: It’s not that people don’t plant them. Rather, it’s very rare and fragile. It grows slowly, has a low yield, is easily damaged by sickness and insects. Being able to survive is its biggest fortune.
MC: …I see.
I touch the cocoa seed in his hand, a sense of pity surfacing in my heart.
All of a sudden, both my fingers and the seed are gripped by Charlie, and warmth drifts from his palm.
Charlie: Don’t worry, I’m confident about this. The probability of our meeting was far lower than one out of ten thousand, but now…
Charlie squeezes my hand, smiling without saying anything.
Ripples surface in the lake of my heart, as though a sweet piece of chocolate was tossed into it.
MC: Okay, I’ll believe you too.
Charlie squats down and begins digging into the soil. The hands that typically wield surgical knives scoop the soil in an unfamiliar manner, and I frantically bend down to help.
After putting in some effort, a few seeds are buried in the soil. Recalling what Charlie said earlier, those soft reddish brown seeds seem to emit a tenacious strength.
MC: Charlie, how long will these seeds take to mature?
Charlie: Four years.
After hearing his response, I make a wish for the silent seeds - You must grow up well. I’ll wait for the day you bloom and bear fruit.
Charlie is also in a rare state of silence beside me, and I feel a little curious.
MC: What are you thinking about that has got you this quiet?
Charlie: I was wondering if we’d still be the same four years later.
MC: Pfft. Why are you lacking faith in yourself?
Charlie: Mm, is that so? I actually think that I’m too confident. If you can’t wait to change your status four years later…
Charlie has a confident expression on his face, arching his brows and waiting for my response.
MC: We’ll leave that till next time!
Charlie: Mm. Anyway, time will tell us.
After the planting is done, Charlie pats soil off his hands before getting up. He finds a wooden board from somewhere, and there’s a line of small words engraved on it -
MC: “Charlie & MC”.
Charlie: This cocoa tree represents us. Let’s treat today as its first birthday.
Charlie has a confident smile on his lips as he hangs the wooden sign beside the little hut.
Hearing his formal vow, I can’t help but worry…
MC: Charlie, what if… and I’m only saying “what if”… we don’t succeed?
Charlie: Look over there.
I look in the direction of Charlie’s finger, and spot a camera watching over this plot of land from the top of the hut.
Charlie: Even though I believe in miracles with you, I’ll still use scientific methods to take care of this tree. I’ll eliminate all the possibilities of failure, and… even if we fail, it wouldn’t affect anything, would it?
Charlie turns his head to the side, his gaze deep and tender, as though making a quiet and long-lasting promise.
MC: Mm, it wouldn’t.
Charlie: So it’s a deal. Let’s watch them grow up together.
Jesse and Greek Mythology - Character Study (At a Glance)
This is a simple essay to gather my thoughts about the use of Greek mythology with Jesse, and what I think this might mean for his future development.
First, I honestly believe he’s being written as a Greek tragedy:
The usual irony in Greek tragedy is that the hero is both extraordinarily capable and highly moral (in the Greek honor-culture sense of being duty-bound to moral expectations), and it is these exact, highly-admirable qualities that lead the hero into tragic circumstances. The tragic hero is snared by his own greatness: extraordinary competence, a righteous passion for duty, and (often) the arrogance associated with greatness (hubris).
Second, in his personal route, there are two references that support this. In Chapter 1, Jesse plays Orpheus in his musical. In Chapter 2, the story of Hippolytus gets brought up between Jesse and K, his cousin from an exiled branch family.
The TL;DR about Orpheus and Eurydice is that they were lovers until Eurydice died one day. Then Orpheus went down to the underworld to bring her back but under the condition that he could not turn around to look at her shade as they traveled up to the mortal world. In the end, Orpheus turns to look and Eurydice returns to the underworld and then Orpheus dies in his grief.
The TL;DR of Hippolytus is that Hippolytus offends the goddess Aphrodite because of his worship for the goddess Artemis and so Aphrodite creates a tragedy where she makes Hippolytus’ stepmother fall in love with him. The stepmother commits suicide rather than disgrace her son, but a letter after her death accuses Hippolytus of raping her and so Hippolytus’ father prays to the god Poseidon to curse his son with death or exile. Hippolytus ends up grievously injured because of this but, on the verge of death, Artemis appears before the father and clears up this misunderstanding. Hippolytus dies after forgiving his father (in some versions, he gets revived and is then exiled to become king elsewhere).
Naturally, there’s many versions of these Greek stories but, in my opinion, the tragedy that happens in them is because the hero refuses to stop being who they are; they are trapped in their tragedies by the very traits that caused the tragedies to begin with.
For example, it can be argued that in all versions of Orpheus and Eurydice, it is because of Orpheus’ love that he can brave the underworld to get back Eurydice and it is because of love that he ends up looking back. (Eurydice trips and Orpheus turns back to help her, Orpheus cannot hear Eurydice and turns back because he fears he’s been tricked and he wants to make sure she is there, Orpheus makes it out of the underworld and turns around to hug Eurydice but forgets that they both need to be out of the underworld, Orpheus cannot tell Eurydice that he cannot look back but he does so to reassure her of his love when she anguishes over how he doesn’t love her anymore).
For Hippolytus, his worship and honor of Artemis is praiseworthy but it is precisely because his worship gets coveted by Aphrodite that a tragedy gets set in motion, and then it is because he never changes in his worship of Artemis that in the end he dies because of his father.
Now, how does this relate to Jesse? Up to now in Chapter 14 of the main story, there has been this tragic irony of Jesse being the person with the least amount of information about everything going on, and the information that he does manage to get comes from using taboo magic that corrodes his body.
There has been some criticism of the heroine for not sharing her information with Jesse; however, the fact is that both Jesse and the heroine suffer from loving each other so much that they don’t wish to drag the other person into their current affairs. They literally have no idea what the other person is going through because they are too good at protecting each other. Do you see how it’s precisely their love for each other that creates this tragic irony?
However, there is another view of these Greek tragedies. In Jesse’s personal route, Chapter 2:
Jesse: A long time ago someone asked me, if I were Hippolytus, how would I avoid the tragedy from happening? I couldn’t answer. MC: If I were him… Ah, this question is really hard. MC: But I think I wouldn’t change my faith to avoid a disaster. MC: If he dies due to faith, then he can live due to faith. MC: Maybe the next Hippolytus will be saved by Artemis.
[…]
K: What exactly is Hippolytus supposed to do to be able to live… I don’t agree with your answer. K: He was cursed to death by his father and his tragedy is because his father was king, so when his father wants him to die then he can do nothing but die.
K: So, he needs to become king.
K: You said one thing wrong, Jesse, my alias “K” does not come from my surname, it stands for “King”.
Jesse: But would the Hippolytus who wants to be king still be that original Hippolytus?
Jesse:Before you even achieved your goal, you’ve already lost your original intention.
Jesse: Those who die due to their faith, will live due to their faith. This is the best answer I’ve heard and I’ll share it with you.
K: Hahaha, this is an answer that’s extremely like Hippolytus.
K: Jesse, maybe you’re the true Hippolytus…
The heroine and Jesse (and essentially the game) believes that remaining true to yourself is not a tragic crime, and that perhaps fate may change one day because of this.
Future development of Jesse? In Jesse’s first trajectory, [SSR If I Am In Disorder], another Greek mythology gets brought up:
He didn’t understand, why did he have to have this damnable talent? If someone else wanted it, then he would give it to them.
Why couldn’t he be a normal person, why did he have to bear so much heavy things?
His father’s expectations, his family’s revival, they were all like heavy shackles crushing his shoulders.
He was like Sisyphus pushing the boulder, climbing up the steep mountain top with difficulty and repeating this futile and hopeless action every day.
Then, in the release PV, Jesse has the line “I will be the one to end the Möbius strip of fate”. In concept, the Möbius strip represents infinity and endlessness because, as you travel along the strip, you actually traverse the entire strip but end up right where you started.
We can see that story of Sisyphus and the Möbius strip thematically mirror each other, where the action taken is futile and endless.
So, putting everything together, what I’m afraid of seeing is that Jesse’s nature of protecting the heroine, but not letting her in on everything that he’s doing, will bring him very close to things that have happened in his life before, ex. the loss of people close to him (the heroine?) or nearly dying himself (his dad’s sacrifice for him).
Of course, given that this is an otome game and we can’t have a male lead die, I’m sure he’ll accomplish breaking out of this repetitive loop and change his and his heroine’s fate somehow (this includes her potential fate of needing to sacrifice herself as the goddess of creation for the supernatural world).
Happy 1st Anniversary Light & Night! The announcement of a wedding series comes with a lot of touching callbacks of everything we experienced with the men and so I thought it would be nice to point them out.
OSBORN 【Unswerving Vow】
Fun Fact: The 海誓 in the card title likely comes from 海誓山盟 which is pledging everlasting love in oaths as high as mountains and vows as deep as the sea.
There are pearls sewn into the heroine’s wedding dress and she has a pearl anklet too, which is probably a nod to his summer event. One of his nicknames now for the heroine is “Little Pearl”.
EVAN 【Meaningful Contract】
His poem is “In My Sky At Twilight” by Pablo Neruda. But did you know that he also quotes Pablo Neruda in his museum date? There he reads out “Every Day You Play…” by Pablo Neruda, which some may find familiar since it has the iconic line “You are like nobody since I love you”.
In the first version, you can see him putting on the heroine’s shoes, which should remind you of Cinderella. In his birthday date and Valentine’s date, there are branches where they joke about the heroine being Cinderella.
SARIEL 【Sealed With A Kiss】
His poem is “Unending Love” by Rabindranath Tagore. Unexpectedly, this is also consistent like Evan because in Chapter 12 of the main story, Sariel quotes a line from “Stray Birds” by Rabindranath Tagore, specifically the first line since Stray Birds is a collection of untitled poems. (By the way, I really recommend this poet, his poems are so good).
Oddly, you think Charlie would get birds in the background of his cards, but Sariel is the one who gets them. His winter card had two birds beside each other watching them and it’s probably a nod to the heroine’s nickname of “Foolish/Clumsy Bird”.
CHARLIE 【Heart of Diamond】
Fun Fact: You cannot convince me that they are not playing with the Engish phrase, “heart of gold”.
The caption that goes with his card (not the PV) says “I’ve won this round of Russian roulette” and it’s a callback to the first time Charlie and the heroine met in Chapter 7 and he invites her to play Russian roulette with two pills in his hand to test how far she’ll actually go for her freedom (naturally, both of them were safe).
Charlie always mentions their marriage so it’s not a callback, but his PV line of “The entire universe heard my confession, this time you can’t run away” is just adorable.
Fun Fact2: If you have eagle eyes, you can spot Sherry and her boyfriend on the cake topper beside the mini Charlie and heroine!
He’s brought up Cupid before in his Spain date, even calling the heroine “Miss Cupid”, and talking about being shot by her arrow of love. In addition, Cupid is the Roman god of love and his counterpart in Greek is Eros and well… Jesse has tons of Greek mythology references, so this one can pretty much count as one because the Romans copied the Greek gods.
The caption that goes with his card (not the PV) says “We are perched on the golden arrow of Cupid, chasing the early summer wind” and not only is this another nod to Cupid but also a nod to the “summer” in his Chinese name, Xia Mingxing. Summer is one of his symbols!
Summary: Even if you see through the other person’s tiny schemes, it’s only polite not to expose them because it means they’re thinking of you. (Pre-Relationship).
You had just arrived home after a busy day of work and then a night out with a friend when he unexpectedly dropped into your city for a work trip. Thankfully, it was Friday and you were ready to simply collapse onto your bed and sleep until the next afternoon.
Unfortunately, the anticipated date with your bed was interrupted by a phone call. For a second, you deliberated on ignoring the call because who would be calling you at 11:00 PM? But you still checked, just in case it was an emergency, and your diligence was rewarded when you saw that the caller was Pu Ning, who rarely called you and would only do so if something happened to Osborn.
There was no hesitation in accepting the call while you scooped up the purse you had dropped to the ground and stepped into your shoes again.
“Hello? Pu Ning? Is something wrong?”
“Sister-in-law! Please come and get Osborn! He’s drunk and won’t listen to any of us!”
“Huh?!”
It took a moment for the words to register, and you were so surprised you ignored the title Pu Ning gave you. Although you didn’t know Osborn for that long, maybe a year or so, he didn’t give the impression of someone irresponsible enough to get drunk outside and be a burden on others. There also didn’t seem to be a trigger for this. As far as you knew, the racing season was having its mid-season break and so there were no celebrations to be had.
Pu Ning didn’t give you a chance to ask for clarification though and continued speaking, “I’ll text you the location. But please come as soon as you can!”
In the noisy background of people talking and laughing, you heard a familiar but low voice ask Pu Ning what he was doing, Pu Ning stammering for Osborn to calm down, and what sounded like a short chase before the call ended with his yelp.
No way… was Osborn a belligerent drunk? Ridiculous and strange scenes flew through your mind, originating from the noises you heard through the phone earlier, as you rushed out the door, locked it, and called for a taxi. Just as the taxi pulled up to your street you also received the location and room number where Pu Ning and Osborn were, which seemed to be a normal bar in the city.
***
You arrived at the bar a short time later and, even though it was almost midnight, the nightlife in the city was as lively as ever. Groups of people walked on the streets or hung around outside, drinking and smoking, and music could be heard leaking out of the bars and clubs on both sides of the street.
When you entered the bar, loud music assaulted your ears and, as you took a moment to adjust to the dim lighting, you were impressed with their soundproofing because you barely heard their music from outside. Fortunately, most of the noise came from the dance floor and, after you got directions from the bartender and went down a hallway to where the private rooms were, the noise decreased significantly.
After finding the right room number, you knocked politely to give a warning before opening the door.
The sight that greeted you was cleaner than you expected. Everyone present were members of Osborn’s racing team and, while the thick smell of alcohol made you wrinkle your nose, you noticed that there didn’t seem to be that many beer cans on the table in front of Osborn.
Speaking of Osborn, his head snapped up the moment he heard the door open and surprise and something that seemed like joy flashed through his eyes, but it was gone before you could confirm what you saw. Then he frowned and dropped his head into his hand as if he was feeling uncomfortable.
Pu Ning stood up when he saw you at the door and ran over to receive you, greeting you with a “Sister-in-law!”.
However, this earned him a growl through gritted teeth from Osborn. “Pu Ning.”
The other man snapped his mouth shut and laughed nervously, shooting a nervous look back to Osborn, who didn’t lift his head.
Everyone else wisely read the atmosphere and greeted you with your name. You nodded and smiled back in greeting, ignoring the embarrassment you felt at the unspoken address you could hear in their words, before you quickly made your way to Osborn’s seat and reached out to tentatively pat his shoulder to soothe him. Just from that short interaction, you could tell something went down between Osborn and Pu Ning and that currently Osborn wasn’t too happy with the man.
“It’s okay, don’t be mad. I don’t mind.”
“Really?”
Osborn raised his head again to look at you and, for a second, you completely lost your train of thought and could only reflexively nod in a daze. His cheeks and ears were faintly flushed from the drinks he had, giving him a warmer and more approachable look, but the most deadly change to his appearance from being drunk was how the corners of his eyes were a deeper red, emphasizing the layer of mist in his eyes that changed those aquamarine eyes to gentle, rolling waves of blue and green, tempting you to submerge yourself in them and explore the depths of his ocean.
If Osborn’s looks were a 10/10 on a normal day then right now he was a 11/10 and you absentmindedly thanked whoever booked this private room, otherwise there was no doubt that Osborn would have girls swarming all over him right now.
Swallowing past a dry mouth and suddenly feeling a little nervous and jittery, you averted your eyes with great effort and tried to withdraw your hand but Osborn reached out and circled his fingers loosely around your wrist. He had to tighten his grip in the next second though when you unconsciously jerked away at his scorching temperature.
Osborn also felt the difference in your temperatures and he frowned with unhappiness. “Why are you so cold?”
He reached out to grab your other hand and brought both of them to his cheeks, as if to help you warm them up, but also because he found their coldness to feel nice. Meanwhile, you inhaled at how his face was even hotter. You always knew he ran warmer than ordinary people but now, and maybe it was the influence of the alcohol in his body, he seemed to veritably burn.
“How much did you drink? Are you feeling OK?” You couldn’t help but ask.
“Mn,” he responded lazily with a nasal note, which wasn’t an answer at all, and then he nuzzled his face into your hands, closed his eyes, and sighed in pleasure.
Your cheeks heated up as you imagined you could feel the occasional glance in this direction from everyone else in the room. They did their best to mind their own business, resuming their games and conversations, but the noise level had dropped considerably. You didn’t know whether that was because they were being considerate or because they wanted to hear what you and Osborn were talking about.
Coughing to hide your embarrassment, you tugged your hands ineffectively against his hold. “Okay, great. I’m here to pick you up. Did you drive?”
Osborn didn’t respond and just kept his eyes closed.
Pu Ning helpfully jumped in at this point. “He did, but I can drive his car back to his place while you two take a taxi.”
You nodded in thanks. “Osborn, where’s your car key?”
Osborn opened his eyes and looked up at you through his eyelashes. Inwardly, you clutched at your heart and screamed at this perfect lady-killer move, especially when just enough of his face was revealed in your hands to show off the beauty mark below the corner of his right eye.
“Be good, I don’t like troublesome drunks.”
Your joking words seemed to jar him into action because he released you and shot up from his seat at a speed which startled you. You instinctively raised your hands to catch him if he stumbled but fortunately there was no need.
However, after standing, Osborn didn’t do anything but lower his head and stare at you with those misty eyes, looking very much like an obedient but silly dog who didn’t really understand his owner’s words but was trying to please her as best as he could.
So, you had no choice but to brazen it out and reach into his pants pocket and keep your hand to the outer side so as not to accidentally touch… dangerous territory. You studiously ignored the heat and hard muscle of his thigh that you could feel even through the fabric of his pants, and the way his breaths brushed across the top of your head. Luckily, it didn’t take long before you touched something metallic and you pulled out the contents in his pocket.
Success! You heaved a sigh of relief under your breath at not needing to check his other pocket. Anyway, you found the key to his car and his place, which you decided to hold on to temporarily since you were going to send him home.
“We’ll be leaving first then,” you told everyone as you handed over Osborn’s car key to Pu Ning before you turned to coax Osborn. “Come on, let’s go home.”
“Mn,” he responded but still didn’t move, so you could only helplessly grab his coat for him, drape it over him, and then take his hand and pull him into following behind you.
As you retraced your steps through the bar to leave, the establishment was more crowded than when you first arrived and you had to split your attention into making your way carefully across the dim floor and into ensuring that Osborn was still with you and not drunkenly stumbling into anything. Surprisingly though, he actually acted as a barrier between you and the other customers and your path out of the bar was smoother than when you had entered the bar.
At one point, just when you were about to reach the entrance hall, your foot caught on something on the ground and you would have fallen if it wasn’t for Osborn quickly wrapping an arm around your waist and holding you up against him.
“Phew.” When you finally got outside, you took a deep breath of the cool air and then called for a taxi. Osborn stayed beside you obediently, holding onto your hand without any sign of impatience or restlessness, and you were glad that he wasn’t a fussy drunk like what you heard through the phone with Pu Ning at the start.
Once you both got into the taxi when it arrived and you gave the address to Osborn’s place, you turned to check on him again.
“Still with me?”
“Always.” There was a seriousness to his voice that made your heart stutter and, for a second, you wondered if he was really drunk.
However, Osborn didn’t do anything other than stare at you like he had since you appeared at the bar to pick him up, so you dismissed the thought. “Okay, you can stop staring at me now, I’m not going anywhere. Close your eyes and get some rest.”
He tilted his head, as if considering your words, and then leaned over to rest his head on your shoulder. You couldn’t help but laugh helplessly at how far he had to bend down to do that and reached up to pat his head. Who would have thought that Osborn would be so clingy as a drunk? Figuring it would be more trouble than it was worth to correct his posture, you left him alone.
***
After reaching Osborn’s place and using his key that you had grabbed earlier from his pocket to open his door, you settled him on the couch in the living room and went into the kitchen to prepare some lemon water for him. This wasn’t your first time at his place and so you were familiar enough with where everything was placed.
“Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?” Seeing him shake his head, you nodded in relief at how you didn’t need to dig through his medicine cabinet. “Make sure to drink this entire glass so your hangover won’t be as terrible tomorrow and go to sleep early.”
You covered your mouth when you reflexively yawned at the thought of sleep and got up to leave, but then your wrist was suddenly grabbed.
“Leaving already?” Osborn asked.
“Mhm, it’s already past midnight,” you spoke through another yawn and patted the back of his hand holding you, “I’m exhausted from running around all day.”
His eyes seemed to dim in response to your words, but when you blinked past the tears that came to your eyes from your yawns to take a second glance, he looked down and the shadows cast by his eyelashes hid his emotions from you. “I’ll send you home.”
“What? No, you’re drunk,” you immediately replied.
Osborn shook his head and let you go to stand up. “I’m not that drunk.”
The certainty in his voice caused suspicions to form in your mind and, as you stared at him, your suspicions only grew when you saw the way his eyes evasively slid to the side.
“Why did you drink so much tonight?”
Osborn was stunned for a moment, as if not expecting that you would ask this question. He shrugged. “I was a bit unhappy.”
“Don’t you go for drives when you’re unhappy?”
“I did that earlier.”
“What made you so unhappy that even going for a drive didn’t help and you had to turn to alcohol?” You asked, raising your eyebrows. Normally, at this point, you would have been concerned over what troubled him but the picture you were putting together in your head stopped that.
He looked at you and you could see him weighing the pros and cons of telling you with a clarity of mind that only strengthened your suspicions.
“I was going to ask if you wanted to have dinner together after your work. But when I reached your company, I saw that you already had plans.” His voice was low like he was reluctant to speak about this.
After work? You went through your memories and recalled that this was when your friend came to pick you up. Suddenly, the last puzzle piece clicked into place in your mind and you felt a surge of amusement, affection, and exasperation. There was also a bubbly feeling of embarrassment and giddiness at being this important to someone that spread through your body.
This was how the story went. Osborn came to pick you up, but saw you and your friend. He became upset and went to drink with his racing teammates. Somewhere during this, Pu Ning couldn’t stand Osborn’s moping anymore and called you over, using the excuse that Osborn was drunk. Osborn caught him in the act and was unhappy, but you knew that if he really wanted to stop Pu Ning then he could have, meaning he was also complicit in this scheme of letting you think he was drunk. Honestly, this man… You wouldn’t expose him but you wouldn’t let him off easily either.
“Are you stupid?” You held back your laugh at the way Osborn’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting you to suddenly call him that. “You can just ask me who he is instead of going around in circles like this.”
Osborn opened his mouth and closed it. Then, as if bracing himself, he clenched his jaw and went for it. “Who was he?”
“A friend.” You couldn’t help but tease. At his skeptical look, you elaborated, “A friend who is already in a deep, loving relationship. I recommended that couple’s bakery for him to bring a gift back to his girlfriend from his work trip and, along the way, he got something for me as thanks. That’s all.”
Osborn’s eyes brightened again. “Oh.”
“Yes,‘Oh’. In the future, you can just ask me what you want to know instead of going off to sulk by yourself.” You knew things weren’t that simple, especially when it involved feelings, but you wanted to lighten the mood.
“I wasn’t sulking.” Osborn averted his eyes sheepishly. “But I’ll go looking for you directly next time.”
“If there even is a next time. Now that you’re feeling better though, I’ll be going home.”
“Let me send you,” Osborn immediately suggested again.
“No, because you’re drunk,” you emphasized the last word heavily and saw how he subtly winced and pulled his shoulders up. “You’re punished to stay home and rest.”
If he was going to put on an act, then he had to act to the end. However, when you saw him look at you like a puppy being abandoned by his master, your heart couldn’t help but soften.
“But to make up for all the trouble you gave me tonight… you have to buy me breakfast tomorrow.” Osborn’s head shot up at your words. “Didn’t you say the place downstairs has the best breakfast? I’m definitely not going to wake up before noon tomorrow so you have to deliver it to me.”
A grin spread across his lips. “Leave it to me.”
He followed you to the door and watched you put on your shoes and grab your purse, but just as you turned and were about to head out the door he grabbed your wrist.
“Text me when you get home.”
“Okay."Your heart warmed at his concern for you.
But Osborn still didn’t let go. He lowered his head to look at his hand and it was only when you trembled at the ticklish feeling of his callused thumb stroking the thin skin of your wrist that the corners of his lips curved.
"Then… it’s a date.”
You saw his mischievous smirk and the teasing light in his eyes when he glanced up at you and felt an affectionate exasperation at how the return of his confidence also meant a return of his teasing. So, even though your cheeks heated up at his half-joking and half-serious tone, you replied in the same nonchalant manner.
“It’s a date.”
The last thing you saw before you turned around to leave and hide the deepening blush on your cheeks was how the curve to his lips became more genuine, transforming into a lopsided smile.
This was an interesting exercise to do and I think it goes to show how mobile otome heroines are made to be relatable because of how close she sticks to middle lines except for obvious “good” traits (aka. being committed in a relationship and not casual).
I’m guessing right now you must be surprised, since such a formal opening isn’t like me at all. To be honest, I feel a bit awkward too. I rarely write letters and I’m not good at waiting. If I want to say something, I’ll immediately call her. If I want to see her, I’ll immediately go to her.
But I thought it over and, first of all, this is my first birthday after we met so it’s better to be a little formal. Secondly, I’ve discovered that objects really do have a longer memory than people. So, I want to try using this letter to keep today.
For me, today was very special. Sitting in that ship, there were so many things I wanted to say. In the past, I was always leading the way, but today you were my direction. Getting lost with you wasn’t bad, putting together a model was really interesting, the catchphrase of the drone was cute, and the birthday cake was delicious too. I haven’t celebrated my birthday for many years and, even adding the times when I was young, you’re the first person to light candles for me.
Since always, I’ve only had my flames but now I have you. Don’t feel regret for me, the days in the past went by very quickly and lots of things are in the past once they’ve passed. However, after having you, I won’t be considering letting go.
Before I blew out the candles, I originally had no wishes but looking at you I suddenly had one. I want to bring you to the tallest snowy mountain, see the best scenery, and offer you my world.
Is it not cool to say these things? If I’m not cool then I’m not cool. Either way, after meeting you, although I’m always moving forward my heart remains behind me.
Belated translation because I finally received his birthday box recently, so I only got around to reading it now.
![(光与夜之恋 Light and Night) Osborn’s SMS: Building Block Town [积木小镇] Translation*Light and Night Mas](https://64.media.tumblr.com/df0e4102584fbc6b6564ed36ef299e5c/48b539a6426f39b0-f8/s1280x1920/3a344ff39ee3f803d44297067cc08c232a828182.jpg "(光与夜之恋 Light and Night) Osborn’s SMS: Building Block Town [积木小镇] Translation*Light and Night Mas")
![(光与夜之恋 Light and Night) Osborn’s SMS: Building Block Town [积木小镇] Translation*Light and Night Mas](https://64.media.tumblr.com/26d30ae8803bb0908a232125f6d1a26c/48b539a6426f39b0-b3/s1280x1920/db4974709d537fcc845f1594db53420fd9bcc07d.jpg "(光与夜之恋 Light and Night) Osborn’s SMS: Building Block Town [积木小镇] Translation*Light and Night Mas")
