Marius' Sweet Chapter 03-07

Marius' Sweet Chapter 03-06

Marius' Sweet Chapter 03-07

Story Stage

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Overview

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Guide

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Script

Trade Negotiations (1)

North Stellis
Family Restaurant

Go negotiate

This restaurant on the roadside of North Stellis seems to be doing well. However, neither of you saw any customers inside it before entering.

As you walk to the back of the restaurant, you spot an old man waiting while. He is resting his eyes and his head is tilted down.

A young man is standing beside him. From his posture, he looks to be the old man's secretary.

You: (It seems like they went ahead and cleared out the restaurant.)

You and Marius remain side-by-side as you approach the old man. Marius then greets him.

Marius: Mr. Brightwood.

Joseph Brightwood responds to Marius' gentle greeting. He doesn't throw his weight around and looks up to smile at the two of you.

Joseph Brightwood: You must be Master Marius from Pax. Well, what a talented and handsome young fellow you are. And this is...?

Joseph Brightwood slowly turns toward you.

You: Hi, I'm Mr. von Hagen's legal council.

After hearing your introduction, Joseph Brightwood raises his brows as he sizes you up. He then smiles from the edge of his lips.

Joseph Brightwood: I see... legal council... also young and established. Please, sit down!

You: ...

You glance at Marius to find that he is without reaction. He remains still and continues to look at Joseph Brightwood.

Both of you can hear the meaning hidden within Joseph Brightwood's words.

Even though it's the first time meeting, he is still able to see through your plan of covering up certain details with your cover as an attorney.

Marius: Mr. Brightwood, you flatter me. I'm guessing those who have the honor of talking business with you here are all elites in their own fields.

Marius: However, we are running on a tight schedule today. Is it possible for us to get right to the main topics at hand?

The two exchange only a few words and the air begins to fill with tension.

But you are also aware that there's nothing inappropriate with what Marius is doing.

Although Pax is far bigger than the businesses that Joseph Brightwood runs, it is Pax who needs the support of Joseph Brightwood today.

On top of that, Marius is still young, and Joseph Brightwood has seniority over him when it comes to business. If you are to win in this negotiation, your presence must be made known from the very start.

You: (But Joseph Brightwood probably won't go along with it so easily, right? After all, this isn't something he can lightly surrender ground on either.)

As expected, Joseph Brightwood doesn't plan on immediately starting the discussion.

Joseph Brightwood: Young and vigorous... That's what I like about motivated young men who take quick action like you.

He turns around and calls for his secretary.

Joseph Brightwood: Bring the menu over. Let's make our order first.

Joseph Brightwood: You know, I've negotiated quite a number of deals in this restaurant over the last decade.

Joseph Brightwood: Not only is it quiet here, but their food is top-class.

The secretary brings over the menu. Marius hands the binder to you without a single glance.

Marius: Miss [Player], please review the documents first.

You: Okay, Mr. von Hagen.

Everything is going as the two of you planned. You immediately take the binder without saying anything else.

After opening it, you discover a contract as expected.

You: ...

You: (Just as expected, Joseph Brightwood is asking for 30% in profit sharing... He's seriously planning on making a fortune off of Pax!)

Even you would have to restrain yourself from laughing after seeing a contract like this - you can't imagine what Marius would think.

You close the contract and place it on the table. You then smile at Joseph Brightwood.

You: I'm sorry, but it doesn't seem like the food here suits us.

You: We still have arrangements with other acquaintances in a moment. I'm afraid we won't be able to try the cuisine here.

Joseph Brightwood narrows his eyes.

Joseph Brightwood: Are you really in such a hurry?

Marius: Mr. Brightwood, I'm sure you know about that better than we do.

Marius: But on the contrary...

Marius presses down on the menu binder and pushes it toward Joseph Brightwood.

Marius: If this menu was reviewed personally by you, Mr. Brightwood... and we are ultimately unable to find a single dish we find fitting...

Marius: Would I be right in saying that you, Mr. Brightwood, never intended on making this meal a feast for both the host and the guest?

There are no disrespect in Marius' words as he speaks with a laughing tone. However, Joseph Brightwood is unable to overlook the coldness in his words.

Regardless of how great of an actor he is, he is unable to hide the emotions in his eyes.

It's not because he is intimidated. It's most likely because he never expected Marius, the youngest of the von Hagen family, to be someone he couldn't get a handle on.

Joseph Brightwood: If the food I've selected for the two of you isn't to your taste, why don't we slow down and set it aside for a moment?

Joseph Brightwood: Mr. von Hagen, you seem well-poised for our discussion. I assume you've gathered information from all angles.

Joseph Brightwood: Well then... why don't we both be frank?

Marius: I was hoping we could do that.

Marius leans back into the chair and looks at Joseph Brightwood with a calm gaze.

Marius: To my knowledge, a few of the factories working for you would have no problems manufacturing the Xbone II.

Marius: However, will you be able to ensure the readiness of the majority of the machine tool operators... when we start mass production?

You: (It sounds like Joseph Brightwood's core technicians have also been driven away by Troy Canes.)

You: (Looks like this is something Troy Canes has been doing for some time... No wonder Joseph Brightwood came to Marius so quickly.)

Joseph Brightwood's expression changes immediately after Marius finishes speaking. He no longer looks as calm as before. His secretary off to the side begins to speak.

Secretary: Mr. von Hagen, we wouldn't worry about them. They're just workers with slightly more experience. We can hire more of them with ease.

Secretary: However, core staff of the research team would be much harder to find in comparison.

Marius: You're right about that...

And with that, Marius stands up.

Marius: But technicians who are hired on the spot would need time to familiarize themselves with the procedure and the production itself.

Marius: Pax has a very strict manufacturing standard. We don't find it necessary to work with partners like this.

He is posturing to leave. You're certain that he has more aces up his sleeves. You stand up after him without taking another glance at the "menu" on the table.

Secretary: Mr. von Hagen...!

Marius stops.

Secretary: It may take a little time to get used to the procedure, but if the second-generation product is delayed, it may be delayed indefinitely.

Secretary: Can you and Pax really afford to wait that long?

Marius: ...

Marius turns around and looks at Joseph Brightwood with a ridiculing gaze.

Marius: Of course. We can afford to wait even longer than that.

Marius: You may not know this, but unfortunately... I'm quite experienced at catching moles.

Marius: You thought you knew what cards I was holding walking into this negotiation. However, in reality, you have no idea.

Marius takes out his phone and taps the screen a few times. He then shows the trending topics page to Joseph Brightwood and his secretary.

The first on the trending topics list is a link to the pre-registration of Pax Xbone II's product press release livestream.

And the second is the police's plan for an open investigation of the Stellis Pharmaceutical Industrial Park.

Joseph Brightwood: You've already gone that far...!?

Marius: Of course. I'm not a person who sits around and waits to die.

Being prepared even when wounded and in bed, completing his tasks even when he was struggling and in pain.

Because of all of that, Marius is well-prepared and able to apply pressure on those who look down on him.

He would not sit and wait to die. Even in a situation where he's near defeat, he would reorganize and rally to fight until the end.

Marius: We will find a way to continue development after the product's press release.

Marius: And it's all thanks to you that Troy Canes has been exposed. The police can now openly investigate instead of having to make private visits.

Secretary: Then... what is the purpose of you coming here to talk to us about a partnership?

Secretary: It's just as you said - you can take care of all of your problems. Could it be that you're here to simply mock us?

Joseph Brightwood seems to have lost all of his composure in this defeat.

But it would be beneath his dignity to act hysterical due to the total defeat.

Joseph Brightwood is obviously aware of that and frowns as he orders his secretary to back down.

You stand in front of Marius and press down on the menu as his negotiation attorney.

You: We could, but we won't refuse an offer that allows us to resolve the situation in a more efficient manner. We are also willing to give you the opportunity.

You: If you provide the information that we need to resolve the issue faster, followed by a partnership, it'll be a win for both of us.

You: So...

You open the menu and push it toward Joseph Brightwood.

You: Will you please edit the profit-sharing and sales clauses to reflect a partnership rather than extortion?

And with that, both sides have fully removed their disguises.

Now that everything is in the open, Joseph Brightwood's secretary is incapable of making any more excuses. All she's able to do now is to wait for Joseph Brightwood's final decision.

However, Joseph Brightwood simply glances at the menu with a calm eye.

Joseph Brightwood: We may have made a fool of ourselves.

Joseph Brightwood closes the menu without showing any extra emotions and hands it to his secretary off to the side. He then signals the secretary with his gaze.

The secretary nods, takes out a flash drive from her pocket, and hands it to Marius.

Joseph Brightwood: With this, your problems should be swiftly resolved.

Joseph Brightwood: As for the partnership... When the new contract is ready, I will personally make the trip over to discuss its details with you, Mr. von Hagen... and you, Miss [Player].

Marius places the flash drive in his pocket and gives Joseph Brightwood a very clear response.

Marius: Of course. I will greet anyone who genuinely wishes to do business with Pax with the utmost sincerity.

Marius then looks at you.

Marius: Let's go.

You: Yes.

As you turn to exit the restaurant, you catch another glance of the expression on Joseph Brightwood's face.

He doesn't look angry or unwilling as you were expecting. Instead, there is only a peaceful expression and admiration.

You: (This is probably the real reason why Troy Canes is going to lose to Pax and Joseph Brightwood...)

Trade Negotiations (2)

North Stellis
Coffee Shop

Chat with Darius Morgan

Darius Morgan and a few police officers have been waiting in a cafe nearby.

However, they've actually been listening in on the entire conversation thanks to the wire that Marius was wearing. They quickly walk over to receive the two of you with smiles on their faces.

Darius Morgan: Well done. That was great.

Marius: I'm glad to be of help. The rest is up to you guys.

Marius: This should be the complete version of the ledger. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to call me anytime.

Marius removes the flash drive and the wire and hands it to Darius Morgan.

Still recovering from his wound, tending to this series of events has exhausted too much of Marius' energy.

After a short chat, the two of you part ways with Darius Morgan and head home.

North Stellis
North Stellis Street

Marius: *Yawn*

Marius yawns deeply the moment the two of you step outside.

You: You must be really tired. Let's go back and get a good night's sleep.

Marius: Yeah, I'm exhausted.

Seeing the fatigue on his face, you can't help but feel an ache in your heart as you grab hold of his arm.

You: Good thing it's all finally been taken care of. You can now focus on resting. You can't push yourself and work as hard as you did in the past, okay?

Marius: Okay, I'll do whatever you say. You're in charge.

He grips the hand that you have wrapped around his arm and speaks with the intimate tone you're so familiar with.

However, he remains silent as the two of you continue walking. He looks to have something on his mind.

You: (I think he looks a little depressed. Is there something else on his mind?)

After walking for another block, he almost trips over a small gravel step on the side of the road.

After frantically holding him and preventing him from falling, you can't help but raise a question.

You: Marius, is something bothering you?

Marius: No...

You: Your mind's been somewhere else the entire way. You have to tell me if there's something you can't wrap your head around or if you're having any trouble.

Marius: ...

He finally smiles helplessly after a brief pause.

Marius: I just can't hide anything from you, can I?

Marius: Actually... I still can't get over it. I believed I was right and had thought it through when I told you.

He seems to want to scratch his head, but he drops his arm as his fingers find the bandages instead.

Marius: But in reality, I seriously don't want someone like Joseph Brightwood to be anywhere near Pax, let alone Xbone.

Marius: Even though I sounded quite righteous when I said it before, once the dust has settled, I still feel...

Marius: I feel like the scale of "justice" inside me swayed gently... It's small, but it's a terrible feeling.

You: ...

...You knew it.

Marius' sense of justice will always be the part of him that attracts you the most.

He has what most ordinary people lack, but he's never proud. He sits where most will never reach, but he never discriminates.

On the contrary, he has always been thoughtful of others, and has always safeguarded the innocence of everything he treasures.

You found it extremely hard to accept that Pax would be working with those factories after hearing about it. So it would be impossible for Marius not to have strong emotions regarding the matter.

You: But... Marius... you and I are different.

You hold his hand the way he held yours when he comforted you. You press your palms against his and interlock your fingers, allowing for your warmth to pass on to one another.

You: I'm an attorney. Fairness and justice are something I must protect and hold to the same value as life.

You: I'm an attorney that works on individual cases and you're the CEO of Pax. In comparison, you have to manage a much wider range of things and be the wings and support for many more people.

You: You must have your own methods and a degree of shrewdness to be able to remove potential risks while protecting your employees and family.

You: This is just a simple partnership with Joseph Brightwood. Your goal isn't to help him earn money in unethical ways, right?

You: That's all that you're doing. It shouldn't have an influence on your sense of justice.

Marius: ...You're right.

Marius stops and quickly lowers his head. Before you can react, he has already kissed you gently on the lips.

You: We're... We're still outside!

Marius: It's just a small celebration.

Marius: It's a celebration that everything's finally over, a celebration for Troy Canes going to prison, a celebration that we made it out in one piece, and...

He looks down and presses his forehead against yours.

Marius: It's a celebration for me having you, and no one can take you away from me.

You: ...

As the two of you near the parking lot, the fear in your memories takes over once again.

However, this time around, you quickly rid yourself of it.

You: We should hurry home if we want to celebrate!

You: Hmm, can I make a request for something to eat? I want something good.

Marius: Of course. That's not a problem at all. I'll have Payton make arrangements.

Marius: You rarely ever ask for anything. It'd be more embarrassing than my guitar performance last time if I'm unable to fulfill your wishes.

Past Warmth

Von Hagen Estate
Marius' Bedroom

Go home together

A few days later, things finally return to being peaceful again.

The culprits continued to be arrested one after another. The resigned employees were invited back by Marius and returned to their research on the Xbone II.

And today, the Xbone II press release took place just as planned.

You: (Whew... everything ended on a good note. The response for the second-generation product is really positive as well.)

After washing and drying your hair, you snuggle into Marius' bed feeling exhausted.

In just a few days, you and Marius resolved another exciting and grand catastrophe together.

The news and trending topics continue to follow up on the incident's developments as well.

However, nothing is heard about the partnership between Pax and Joseph Brightwood.

You: (I just hope... they don't make any moves like Troy Canes did anymore...)

The sight of Marius being injured continues to appear in your dreams.

You feel a sudden frustration as you think about it again.

You pick up your phone in an attempt to shift your focus, but you don't find anything that interests you.

At this moment, your gaze falls on the guitar that Marius was supposed to play for his performance.

You: (Why don't I... play the guitar for a while and hopefully I'll be in a better mood?)

Barefooted, you walk over, pick up the guitar, and sit on the side of the bed.

However, you're not sure of what to play as your fingertips touch the strings.

You: What should I play...?

Marius: Why don't you try my special single, "Love That Never Breaks Up"?

You: !

Without you knowing, Marius, who has just showered and changed into loungewear, is behind you with the faint smell of shampoo sticking to him.

Before you can react, he sits down on the bed and holds you, moving your fingers to the starting positions on the guitar.

Maybe it's because he just showered, but Marius' skin is extremely warm. You can't help but lean closer into his arms.

As the pleasant fragrance of the shampoo permeates the air, you find comfort in your flustered emotions.

Marius: The tune for the song is like this... Why are you looking at me?

Unknowingly, you find yourself staring at the side of his face.

You quickly look down as you remember the last time the two of you spoke while tuning the guitar, avoiding Marius' mischievous gaze.

You: I'm not looking at you... I'm looking at the strings.

Marius: Mhm. After all, you still have to evaluate my practice performance... Yeah... You do need to take a good look at those strings.

Marius doesn't expose what you're thinking in your mind. He masterfully tunes the guitar with a smile on his face and strums the chords to make sure it's correct.

You: Seems like you really have been practicing.

Marius: Of course. We businessmen are all about honesty.

Marius: So, what do you think? Are you regretting not immediately purchasing a ticket before?

Marius: Hmm... I'd be at a loss if I didn't raise the price of the ticket at a time like this...

You: If you raise the price, I'll cancel the entire performance...

You move to get up. Seeing your reaction, Marius begins to playfully beg for you to stay while hugging you even tighter.

Marius: Hahaha, okay, okay, I'm sorry. I'll stop.

He holds your hands and guides you to the right position.

Marius: That's it! Now comes the performance!

You: ...!

It's not easy to guide someone to play a guitar, especially when it's an amateur doing the guiding.

But compared to some time ago, when the two of you first listened to a guitar performance together, Marius now looks to be the more experienced player.

Though you might not imagine it from the name, "Love That Never Breaks Up" is a song with no sadness or sorrow when Marius is the one playing it.

On the contrary, the further into the song he gets, the lighter and quicker his pace becomes. The song takes on a much brighter and more optimistic tune. Each note is filled with joyful and passionate love.

Patience, gentle movements, and fiery true emotions linger beneath your overlapping fingers.

You: That's amazing... I didn't know you could already play this song so well.

Marius: Mhm, I suppose you can say that it's months of practice for a moment of glory. After the last time, I've only been practicing this one song.

It's rare to see Marius respond so calmly when being complimented.

Marius: Now that you've seen my performance, do you have any comments for me?

You: Hmm... The performance was spectacular, but for some reason, I feel like the song shouldn't be called "Love That Never Breaks Up."

You: With such a joyful and passionate melody, the song should be called "Love That Will Never Break Up."

Marius: You're right. The tune of the original version of the song had a subtle sadness to it.

Marius: But how the performer is feeling is also part of a musical performance.

Although the performance has been over for a while, Marius still has his arms wrapped around you as he continues to pluck the guitar strings. The sound of the guitar softly resonates in your ear.

Marius: If you know about the writer's background, you'll easily be able to feel his hardship and sorrow through the music.

Marius: But when I first heard the song, I heard a blessing the writer wanted to give to the audience. Besides...

He traces your arms and grabs a hold of your hands once again as he speaks.

This time, he doesn't guide your hands toward the strings again. He is simply staying put and entwining his fingers with yours.

Marius: Instead of replicating the writer's feelings, I'd much rather respond to his blessings with my own performance.

You: You're right...

In just a few days, the two of you have experienced sadness, joy, shock, and fear.

But regardless of which of the emotions the two of you experienced, it amplified and connected your feelings, making the love between you even stronger.

When the moon is in full bloom and life is filled with love, there is no need to intentionally bring up feelings of sorrow.

You: Then... let's hope we can feel this way for all the performances yet to come.

Marius: Haha... That's right. We might be even happier than we are now. It'll be like Christmas every time we play.

He loosens his arms and takes the guitar from you.

Marius: But it seems like you're quite interested in guitars as well.

Marius: Would you consider picking up the guitar and practicing it again with me?

You: *Sigh*...Did you forget? I just recently picked up Pax's copyright infringement cases. I don't think I'm going to have the time for that now...

Marius: Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about that.

Marius: But...

Marius thinks hard for a few more seconds. He then claps his hands together in excitement.

Marius: How about this! I'll keep learning the guitar, and by the time you're done, I'll be done learning it and can teach you.

You: From the way you're behaving, that was your plan all along, wasn't it?

Marius: When it comes to things like this, I'm a firm believer in "it never hurts to come prepared."

Marius: So is there a song you'd like to learn? I can go look up the score when I get some free time these next couple of days.

You: Let me think... How about... "Lottery"?

Marius' face droops down as he realizes you're making fun of his little episode in the hospital.

Marius: Miss... You're still holding a grudge about that...?

You: I'm not holding a grudge. I'm just reminding you...

You reach out your hand and gently caress the hair on the back of his head. You feel flustered once more as you're afraid to touch his wound.

At that moment, you suddenly come to understand what the feeling you had previously was. It was fear.

It was the fear of seeing him hurt again, the fear of him being set up again, and the fear of... him being pushed into a corner one day...

You: It's fine if you need to pretend to have gone insane or be injured... even if you have to keep it from me.

Hearing this, Marius suddenly raises his head.

Feelings of surprise, pain, and regret flash through his gaze.

But in the end, the only thing that remains in his eyes is the image of you.

You: But no matter what, you really can't let yourself get injured like this again...

Even now, the image of Marius bleeding from his head and lying unconscious in your arms haunts you at night.

Your heart was hurting to the point where you felt like you were going to suffocate. You're not sure if you can survive it once more.

Marius: ...

Marius hugs you and runs his fingers through your hair, gently comforting you.

The air is filled with the fragrance of shampoo.

He holds on to your shoulder and presses his forehead against yours.

Marius: I promise. Next time, no matter how dire of a situation I find myself in, I will put my own safety before everything.

Marius: I won't keep anything from you ever again.

Marius: What happened this time will never happen again, okay?

You: Just saying it doesn't count... Let's get it in writing and make it official.

Marius: No problem. How would you like it written? I'll go get a notebook...

He gets up to leave for the study but you pull him back by his wrist.

In his split second of surprise, you move up toward him and kiss him on the lips.

Marius: ...

You: You still owe me a "ticket" from last time. That's the written proof. You're not going to forget, are you?

Marius: How could I...? You're rarely ever so proactive. I wouldn't be able to forget it even if I wanted to...

His warmth envelopes you once again. The moist, soft touch extracts all the negative emotions you've been bottling up these few days.

Your mind continues to be tugged around by him, like a plank floating on the water, tussling and swaying to the waves and ripples.

A ravaging, passionate feeling that you're unable to ignore by tightly shutting your eyes rises up inside of you. Only then does the recognition that Marius is truly okay and by your side intensify.

Marius: Why are you...?

Before he can finish his question, you sink your face into his embrace once again, ridding yourself of the last teardrop filled with worry.

You: It's fine. It's all fine now.

He doesn't say another word. All he does is hug you tightly in his arms to give you a clear and warm sensation.

You both know that due to your professions and backgrounds, neither of you leads a peaceful life. You are unable to guarantee that the same thing won't happen again.

However, you hope that after each scare and incident that awaits you in the future, the two of you can still joke and laugh, and be in the company of music and warmth as you are now.

What you hope for is not a "Love That Never Breaks Up," but a tight embrace that's filled with love like the one you are experiencing now.

Character(s)

Marius von Hagen

Joseph Brightwood

Secretary

Darius Morgan