Artem "Day and Night"/Rewards

Story Summary

Artem and the MC pays a visit to a retired judge, Elice White. When Artem was a graduate attorney, Elice White helped him to appear in court independently. Artem asks for Elice White’s help to submit “Partner Withdrawal Request” to the relevant department as he is planning to leave Themis along with the MC and to start his own firm. Elice White agrees to help, but only if Artem helps him on a legal dispute in return. It is later revealed that seeking Elice White’s help is just a ruse to lure him out and expose his involvement in illegal activities. Artem and the MC agreed to join the investigation of Stellis Police and become “informants”.

After the visit and as part of the plan, the MC starts living with Artem. Artem becomes very busy and he often leaves home early and comes home very late as he takes over legal cases for Elice White. The MC worries about Artem and becomes uneasy. One night when Artem comes home late, she asks how he is. He asks her "What type of person am I?" Artem proceeds to tell the story about an incident when he was a graduate attorney. When Artem was an intern, he took over a legal mentor after the latter collapsed on a court day due to poor health and the pressure of the controversial case. After winning this case, it was Elice White that conducted interviews for him. "If he maintains his current momentum and follows his heart, he will one day reach heights that no one before him has ever attained." Elice White’s words stuck with Artem and he found those words inspiring. But now, this same man is asking him to do something illegal to protect his own interests. Meanwhile, Captain Morgan calls Artem and tells them that there is progress in the investigation.

On the morning that Artem and the MC are supposed to meet-up with Captain Morgan, Elice White calls Artem again. Changing the plan, the MC disguises herself and went to go to the rendezvous point Captain Morgan gave them. She meets a policeman who is part of their investigation team. But a group of men captures them. In the hotel room, the men tells them that someone will come to negotiate. After a while, Artem arrives in the room. Artem appears cold and indifferent as he acts and improvises a "fake negotiation". A scuffle then ensue and Artem protects the MC.

Police arrests the men. Artem checks on the MC if she’s okay. But she remarks that it is Artem who is more shaken. He again repeats the question "... in your eyes... what type of person was I just now?". Elice White tried to escape Stellis, but the police was able to apprehend him before he flew abroad. After that incident, Artem works from home for a while. While working from home, Artem and the MC discusses about a picture of him as a kid wearing a made-up Stellis Justice Badge. Artem says that as a kid, he found the badge more attractive than any toy. Now as an adult, he has a real one. This badge is awarded by the Stellis government to outstanding attorneys, and Artem got it when he won the case as a graduate attorney. He thinks about the people who congratulated him and said they would never change, yet was not able to resist temptation and abandoned their virtues. Artem has an extremely high sense of morality that the mere act of playing the villain was enough to make him suffer. Their conversation was cut short as Artem has to fetch the fake documents they used from Captain Morgan. She tells Artem that she will wait for him and they will talk.

As the MC waits for Artem to come home by the pool, the police sends her a video of Artem when he won the case as a graduate attorney. In the video, he’s bombarded by questions from journalists asking about being famous overnight and other ridiculous questions, and Artem tries to fend them off. Artem arrives and is surprised to see her watching the video. He tells her that it’s like everything is starting to change since Professor Hume went missing and that he can’t help but be afraid. Elice White said that Artem is pitiful for his unchanging virtue; and that he knows Artem’s life will be inevitably affected by change, chaos and betrayal. The MC understands that Artem experiencing disappointment and loss made him sensitive to the changes in himself and others. She starts to reassure him.

The MC says that changes are inevitable but it is not necessarily a bad thing. "Chaos" and "uncertainty" can bring people closer together. She reassures Artem that he now has her. As Artem continues to worry, she grabs the fake documents Artem has and throws them to the pool. Artem went to fetch them but she joins him in the pool and grabbed him back. In his confusion, she tells Artem that "uncertainty", like the current situation he is in with her in the pool, can shrink the distance between them and can keep them interested of the other’s next move. She asks Artem what their future holds - is it full of unpredictable dangers or is there more hope than danger?

Illustrations

Under the MaskIt is a look of all-consuming indifference... An aura of icy coldness, like an indestructible shell.

Video Call

Video Call		Artem: Day and Night (After Story 6)

Video Call script

Artem: It's me. Are you busy?

Artem: I have a problem and want to see if you have any ideas.

Artem: I've been cleaning the house the past few days. When I was tidying up the home theater, I couldn't find one of my old movie DVDs.

Artem: It's the one that we watched together when you were staying at my place. I remember putting it back on the shelf after that...

Artem: Wait! I remember...

Artem: It's fine. I know where it is. I may have left it in the living room...

Artem: I actually watched that movie several times again after I sent you home.

Artem: When the movie was playing, it reminded me of the nights we spent in the home theater together, and it made me feel like...

Artem: You were still in the room lying next to me and secretly yawning under the blanket.

Artem: Do you think it is... immature of me to think that way?

Artem: Yeah, I've read an article about this. It said that this is a projection of your inner desires. Ever since you moved away... I've missed you so much.

Artem: Do you still want to come by this weekend? We were busy with the investigation before and didn't really relax.

Artem: We could watch movies, swim... or do nothing and just lie on the terrace, enjoying the breeze.

Artem: It's amazing. When I imagine doing things with you, even lying around sounds appealing.

Artem: Okay. Let's go home together after work this Friday.

Story Locations

Suburban Villa

Stellis' Police City Department

Artem's Residence

Artem's Residence

Artem's Residence

Alleyway

Hotel Suite

Artem's Residence

Artem's Residence
Roof's Garden

Story Characters

Artem Wing

Artem Wing

Artem Wing

Elice White

Darius Morgan

Plainclothesman

Dago