Artem's Sweet Chapter 01-09
Overview
- Stage Cost: None
- First Clear Rewards: None
Guide
- Hover to view spoiler content.
Script
Get the record and the record player from Juan Fowler's home.
Following Juan to his house yet again, you find that, unsurprisingly... no one's home.
You: (It looks exactly the same as before. It's almost as if no one's actually living here...)
Juan Fowler: Mom and Dad are both out...
Juan Fowler: Mr. Lawyer, Miss [Player], you can make yourself at home. I'll go fetch the record and the player.
You watch Juan run into one of the rooms in the back before turning your gaze to the furnishings of the living room.
The wilting bellflower atop the table fits perfectly into the coldness of the place.
After a few minutes, Juan reappears. he carefully walks back with two boxes of different sizes.
Juan Fowler: I found them!
Juan Fowler: The small box holds Dad's vinyl records and the bigger one has Mom's record player.
A thin layer of dust coats the box that had been carefully packed away. Looks like it has been a long time since anyone used it.
Artem: Let me see.
Artem opens both boxes and Juan carefully takes out the records and the player from their respective boxes.
Juan Fowler: These have a lot of dust on them too. Let's clean them up.
Juan cleans the dust off the items in a practiced manner. Maybe his parents did the same thing in front of him before.
You: (Items that used to be well taken care of are now covered in dust...)
You: (Is it due to them being busy? Or is it because they no longer want to see these items anymore?)
As you ponder the reasons, you suddenly realize that Artem, who had been cleaning the records with Juan, has suddenly stopped.
His eyes appear extraordinarily clear under the sunlight, but you can catch a trace of sadness within them.
You: (And what's Artem thinking about?)
You think back to what Artem had been about to tell you back at the office the other time.
What did he want to ask you back then?
Juan Fowler: See? Much cleaner now!
Juan's voice is full of hope as he places the now clean records before you.
Artem: Yup. You did a great job, Juan.
Artem smiles softly, and those emotions that slipped out every so slightly are hidden once more.
Artem: The vinyl records are well-maintained and the record player's almost new. They should all work as intended.
You: Great!
You: So... what do we do next?
Artem: Let's go to Southeast Stellis Street to purchase some lantern lights and bellflowers. It'll take us some time to purchase everything, so we should get it done with early.
You: Okay. We'll go with that then!
Buy some colored lights and grandiflora flowers in the shop on East South Stellis Street.
Upon reaching Southeast Stellis Street, all of you head straight to the mall.
You purchased the lantern lights without much issues.
When you reached the store and explained the reasons behind your purchase, the staff was more than happy to comply and provide everything you needed.
However, you run into an issue once you reach the flower store to purchase some bellflowers.
Floral Clerk: We are terribly sorry, but you're asking for more bellflowers than this store has to offer...
Artem: Do you know if we can order it from anywhere else?
Floral Clerk: It's not in season right now. I think it'll be hard for you to find that many bellflowers in Stellis right now.
Juan Fowler: Is there really... no other way...?
Juan hangs his head in sadness, still unwilling to give up.
Floral Clerk: Sorry, kiddo.
Floral Clerk: Different flowers have different flowering periods. It's impossible to find good blooms if it's not in season...
Floral Clerk: There are still many other beautiful flowers this season has to offer. Why don't you have a look at them?
Juan Fowler: But... we just need bellflowers.
You: We need it for a special purpose, so...
Floral Clerk: I see. I really do apologize.
The staff slightly bows her head in apology, offering a polite smile as you all leave the shop.
Juan Fowler: What do we do now...?
Juan hangs his head with sadness written all over his face.
You: ...
Looking at him like this makes your heart feel heavy. Loss weighs down the air for a while.
Artem's voice is what breaks the silence that lapses.
Artem: I have an idea, but...
Artem: I'll need your help, [Player].
You: What is it?
Juan Fowler: You've got an idea?
Artem's words pique both of your curiosities.
Artem: This.
Artem points to the stationery store located further down the street.
The shop window is decorated with paper origami flowers. From a distance, they look no different from their actual counterparts.
Artem: If we can't buy them, then why not make them?
You: Good idea! I can help!
Artem: Right... although my handicraft skills might not...
Juan Fowler: I'll teach you!
Juan Fowler: I learnt how to fold paper bellflowers in class!
Juan Fowler: We'll definitely make some beautiful ones!
Artem: All right. Then, let's go and purchase the materials and find a place to make them.
Make handicrafts while having some fresh taro milk in the drinks shop!
After buying all the necessary materials, all of you go straight to the drink shop in the CBD.
Juan Fowler: Okay, let's start!
Juan rolls up his sleeves, holding both scissors and colored paper. He looks just like a tiny teacher.
Juan Fowler: First, cut the paper to this size.
You and Artem follow the steps one-by-one.
Juan Fowler: Cut it, fold it in half, then trim off this small corner...
Juan Fowler: Uh oh, that's cutting off a little too much, Mr. Lawyer.
Artem: ...
Juan Fowler: Make the angle smaller, like this... Then, open it and stick the unfolded part onto the bamboo skewer.
You: I did it! How does it look?
The first paper bellflower takes shape in your hand, and you can't help but lift it in the air and show it off.
Artem: It's stunning.
Juan Fowler: It's beautiful, Miss [Player]!
Employee: Excuse me, these are the three fresh taro milk you ordered...
Employee: Oh? Are you all making paper bellflowers?
After serving the drinks, the staff member lingers by your table.
You: Ah, yes...
Employee: You have so many materials... How many are you planning on making?
You are just about to reply when Juan opens his mouth and replies with great enthusiasm.
Juan Fowler: We're making lots of them! They're going to be decorating the scene of the marriage proposal!
Employee: The scene of the marriage proposal?
Juan's voice rings clear, and the word "proposal" caught the attention of many...
Instantly, the other customers in the store turn their eyes to your little group.
Boy: Huh? Someone's going to propose here!?
Girl: Wow! You're putting so much effort to fold all those paper bellflowers yourself!
Juan Fowler: Yeah. I want to recreate the scene of Mom and Dad's marriage proposal...
Juan Fowler: It's a very, very, important ceremony. So, I got them to help out as well.
Boy: You want to make so many flowers with just three people? Sounds like no easy feat.
Girl: Hey, kiddo. How about we help you too?
Juan Fowler: Really? Thank you, nice lady!
Juan beams sweetly, and soon, more people have gathered around.
Middle-Aged Man: Let me help too. Otherwise, when are all of you going to finish making that many?
Granny: I used to make lots of paper crafts when I was younger too. This will be great as a refresher.
Middle-Aged Woman: I say we should all help them! The more hands the merrier, right?
Under Juan's influence, more of the drink shop's customers join in.
The making of paper bellflowers, which would have originally taken a long time, is completed with everyone's help.
You: (Brilliant! We even managed to finish them much earlier than we expected!)
Juan Fowler: Thank you! Thank you, everyone!
Employee: Glad to be of assistance.
Granny: I've not made any paper crafts in years. It's good to exercise my bones once in a while.
Girl: Good luck, little guy! I'm sure your parents will be surprised and happy to see these.
Juan Fowler: Yup! I'm sure they will!
Artem: Let's go to the central plaza and do up the decorations first.
You: Okay! One more step left!
Take the prepared stuff to the Central Plaza.
Juan Fowler: We've worked hard for so long, this is the final spurt.
You: Sometimes, I really doubt your age when I hear you talk...
Juan Fowler: Hehe!
Juan is prepared to move some things when Artem reaches out to stop him.
Artem: These items are heavy. Let me.
You: Okay. Then leave the decorating to us.
You: Juan, you'll be in charge of bringing your Mom and Dad here then.
Juan Fowler: Okay! I'll be on my way!
Central Plaza
Together with Artem, recreate the proposal site on the Central Plaza as best as you can.
You: First, set up the hooks. Then, hang the lantern lights... Like this?
Artem: I had a look earlier. There are hooks on the central plaza's banister, so we don't have to install them ourselves.
You: That makes it much more convenient for us!
You: No wonder the central plaza's such a popular place to hold wedding ceremonies. They even have places where you can put up lights!
Artem: I'll put them up. [Player], can you pass me the lantern lights?
You: Of course.
You: Artem, it's a little crooked! Move it a little more to the right...
Artem: Like this?
You: Yup. Looks good.
Artem makes swift work of it, and soon, all the lights have been hung in their respective positions according to the photo provided.
You: It looks very promising! I'm sure they'll look breathtaking when lit!
Artem: Yeah... I bet it will be a sight to behold.
Artem: How should we display these paper bellflowers?
You didn't manage to get actual bellflowers, so there's no way you can recreate the flower archway that had been there during the actual marriage proposal.
But... it'll feel like something's missing if you don't hang them up somewhere.
You stare at the twinkling lights that have been strung up. An idea flashes through your mind.
You: Why don't we thread some flowers on a string and hang them on the lights?
You: It'll look like a curtain of flowers hanging down... I think it'll look pretty good.
Artem: All right. I'll try hanging them up.
Artem: Done. Is this what you had in mind?
A slight breeze blows past, making the curtain of paper flowers sway gently in the wind.
You: It looks great! It turned out well!
Artem: Let's try turning the device on just in case.
You: All right.
You carefully take out the vinyl record and place it into the record player. Artem then connects the player to the stereo speakers the clerk back at the dessert store had lent you all.
After a few moments of white noise, a smooth melody flows from the speakers.
You: Okay, everything's working!
Character(s)
Evidence
"I Want to Spend My Life With You"
A song adapted from the poem with the same name. But the band who played the song had already broken up. This album symbolizes an end.
