Luke "Inner Sanctum"/Rewards

Story Summary

This story takes place in Year 1. Luke is not yet in a relationship with the MC.

On a weekend afternoon, Luke invites the Main Character out to help him with an easy case in which he must retrieve a cassette tape from an overseas client's home in Stellis' suburbs. After a drive and a long walk, the two arrive.

Luke reveals that the client doesn't know what's on the cassette tape and only hopes it will help her husband. who has had retrograde amnesia since an accident, recover his memory. Luke suggests the tape may be in an unknown safe that they need to watch for as they search.

After splitting up to search the villa, Luke and the MC converge on the study. As they search the room, the MC finds a custom-made Sudoku puzzle, which the client's husband had used to confess his love to her, and Luke finds the safe. Hoping the Sudoku puzzle will reveal the safe combination, the two discuss solving it.

The safe's lock opens with the clues from the Sudoku puzzle, and Luke climbs a ladder to retrieve the contents. Although an envelope is retrieved, the dust makes the two sneeze, and Luke falls off the ladder onto the MC.

Luke cushions the MC as they fall, preventing any serious injury. They open the envelope to find the client's cassette tape, then they clean the disarray left by their search and head home.

Back at his antique shop, Luke listens to the client's cassette tape in order to convert it to a media file he can send electronically, finding an old recording of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" that the client once made for her husband as a love confession. The two are both moved by the song's message.

Illustrations

Confession by SudokuA puzzle to solve, a heart to reveal.

Text Messages

Text Message		Luke: Test of Patience (After Story 3)

Text Message script

Luke: Have you left yet? It's raining pretty hard outside.

Not yet

You: No, not yet. I'll be leaving in a second.

You: Don't worry. I'll be there.

Luke: Why don't you stay home and rest today?

Luke: I'm just going through the files we found. I can do it on my own.

I've already left

You: ... I've already left. I'm standing outside the subway wondering what to do about the rain.

You: It's pouring... I'm not sure if my umbrella's gonna hold up...

Luke: Alright... I was gonna tell you to stay home since it's raining so hard.

Luke: I can go through the files on my own.

Luke: Send me your location. I'll come pick you up.

Luke: It's raining really hard and I'm worried about you.

Don't worry

You: Don't worry, I'll take the subway. I won't get wet in there.

You: The exit isn't too far from the antique shop... It'll be fine.

Luke: No. I'm picking you up. It's raining too hard.

Luke: Stay there and wait for me.

Can you bring me a raincoat?

You: Yeah... Can you come fetch me at the subway exit? And bring me a raincoat?

You: Make sure you put on something too. Don't get yourself wet or you'll catch a cold.

Luke: Alright.

Luke: Oh, and lunch is ready. We can have it as soon as you get here.

It's not instant noodles, is it?

You: Let's not have instant noodles in this kind of weather...

Luke: We're not having instant noodles! We're having takeout!

Luke: I even ordered extra crayfish!

Did you learn a new dish?

You: Did you learn to make something new?

Luke: Ermm... I'm tempted to say yes, but I just bought takeout.

Luke: I'll personally make you lunch next time, I promise.

Luke: To make up for it, I've ordered your favorite, crayfish!

The crayfish won't be good by the time I get there

You: Yeah, but the crayfish won't be as nice by the time I get there. Ugh, this weather!

You: Why don't you eat first? Don't wait up.

Luke: Don't worry. I'll make sure the crayfish taste as good as it comes!

The rain won't be a problem at all

You: Did you say crayfish? A little bit of rain is not gonna stop me then!

You: Wait up! I'll be right there!

Luke: No rush. Take your time.

Luke: Plus... you know I'll always wait for you

Text Message		Luke: Mountain Hike (After Story 6)

Text Message script

Luke: You wanna fulfill that promise you made before?

Mountain climbing?

You: You mean... going mountain climbing?

Luke: Yea, I've been wanting to ask you to go with me ever since we talked about it last time.

What promise?

You: What promise?

Luke: We talked about this before, remember? I wanted to ask you to go mountain climbing.

Luke: I just didn't know if you were free.

I'm free!

You: I'm free! I just finished a case and need to relax a bit.

Luke: That's what I was thinking. I can use some time off too.

Luke: Where would you like to go?

I don't have time recently

You: Ah, I'm not sure if I have time. We got a couple new cases...

Luke: That's ok. We can plan the trip first.

Luke: Where would you like to go mountain climbing?

Outside the city

You: Let's find somewhere close. We can make a day trip.

Luke: Sure. I remember there is a small planetarium just outside the city.

Luke: We can go take a look there as well.

Somewhere further

You: Why don't we go during vacation? We can go somewhere further from here.

Luke: Sure, let's make plans for a long vacation then. So that we can really enjoy ourselves!

Luke: I'll go make the plans then. Talk to you later.

You're so thorough

You: I'll leave it to you then!

Luke: It's a habit now. I've planned every trip that we went on since we were little.

This needs planning?

You: Wait... we need to plan for this?

Luke: This is the only way to be prepared for anything and everything.

Luke: All you need to do is show up and have a great time.

Story Locations

Main Character's Residence
Your Residence

Misc
Taxi

Stellis Suburbs
Outside the Suburban Mansion

Stellis Suburbs
Western Mansion

Time's Antiquities
Antique Shop

Main Character's Residence
Your Residence

Story Characters

Luke Pearce

Young Woman