Mystic Messenger: Jumin Route, days 1-7
Jun. 6th, 2019 03:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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I was feeling so unmotivated that I decided to go for a bad end, but it turned out I'd screwed it up so now I'm working towards the NEXT bad end. The plot is the same as the good end so far, I just haven't seen the full chats.
Jumin's angsty, repressed feelings for MC are cute, but the rest...eh...
So I'm still not sure I want to actually play Jumin's route in it's entirety: based on a plot summary, and previous experience with Cheritz's controlling yandere LIs, it could be anywhere from "A little triggering but overall a positive experience" to TRIGGER CENTRAL, and being unable to control the timing of scenes would make it much harder to be gentle with my mental state. Also it looks like it has a Slutty Mean Girl villain like the Zen path, bluh.
But if I start playing it from the start and then stop if it gets upsetting, I will (a) gain a bunch of hourglasses and (b) find out if it is in fact possible to get onto his route without being an asshole to Jaehee. I've already played the first 5 days, so nothing in them will be a surprise, and while the "Is Jumin Gay?" stuff was unpleasant I think it'll be easier to bear now I know it's coming.
The only remaining game content I have left to play right now are After Story scenes, which afaict can be played from the main menu without interrupting any route in progress.
And oh look, writing up a the start of some other posts got me to midnight! Time for ROUND FIVE of getting through day 1, yawn.
I am starting with 103 hourglasses, but that'll be going up and down as I unlock endings.
Now to see if I can in fact do that without losing my (two minutes of) progress....yep! I just played Yoosung's After Ending and the main game was unaffected. Though it's always surreal getting a "new image" notification for a different route show up in game, I'm imagining the Jumin!MC all "WTF why do I suddenly have an image of Yoosung and me like THAT?"
Goddd I am so bored of dayyy oneeeee
Looks like I won't have to ever play it again, though, since day one for Another Story (Ray and V) is different, thank god. EDIT: and the odds of me ever playing those are looow.
*chooses all the I LOVE CATS options, avoids all the LOL WHO CARES ABOUT WORKER'S FEELINGS options*
End of Day 1
Downside to this route: Feeling like I have to be meant to Jaehee.
Advantage: So many chance to be mean to Zen!
(Sorry Zen, I don't actually hate you, you're just fun to be mean to)
Ohh I am having Seven feels now I know him better. It's not hard to take Jumin's side when it comes to treatment of cats but I need to stop taking the "flirt with Seven" options. HE JUST NEEDS AFFECTION SO MUCH.
How convenient, the game crashed and didn't save. *takes advantage of this message from the Universe to stop flirting with Seven*
Huh, I think the order of the choices on the screen changed!
*hangs up on Zen mid phonecall*
Oops forgot to change MC's name! Ok, she is now Eunseo and has the red haired avatar, since that looks self confident. She's an independently wealthy 30ish business woman who's worked with Jumin's dad, and thinks Jumin is adorable and needs someone to be nice to him. This route looks like it's going to be pretty M/f, so I gotta inject some F/m to even it out into something enjoyable.
MC: I'm so jealous you get to work with Jumin, Jaehee
Jaehee: hahaha
End of Day 2
Woo I get to tell Seven to knock it off with the sexuality shit.
I feel bad taking any choices that are mean to Seven but am quite comfortable telling him to STOP LIVING OFF CHIPS.
Walkthrough, I realise the alternative is to gain a heart from Seven, but I am not telling Zen that I crave his pheromones.
Ha half the time when I do take "flirt with Zen instead of Seven" choices I get Jaehee hearts. She's not even in the room, SHE JUST KNOWS.
Seven is definitely into MC, even if he doesn't realise it. Sorry Seven, this MC only has eyes for Jumin, god knows why.
Ha I just realised my ACTUAL REAL LIFE romantic partner is coming over tomorrow during peak chat hours. Sorry, Jumin, you may miss out on some chats, Pia is cuter and less weird about their cats :P
There's no space to be supportive of Jumin doing weird cat projects in principle but only if he pursues them in a way which is less stress for his employees. Which he absolutely could! I'm often stuck with "What a great idea! Do it now!" or "That's silly. Poor Jaehee", so have been mixing and matching and imagining a more consistent conversation in my head.
Also, teasing Zen is all well and good but ALLERGIES ARE A THING, JUMIN.
End of day 4.
On the Jumin path!
OFF THE JUMIN PATH AND ONTO THE CHRISTMAS DLC FOR SEVERAL DAYS AFTER MY CAT GOT SICK
Aaaaaaaand back onto the Jumin path.
Seven says there's been another hacking attempt and tells everyone to keep an eye out for weird stuff.
...actually I'm not feeling it right now. But since I've loaded the save, maybe I'll take the opportunity to get a bad end by not playing for a few days. Get my money's worth from that fast forward purchase.
Also I've realised this means I can consume the plot at my own pace! Sure, it'll be a non interactive version that ends badly, but when I go back and play it properly in real time I'll know exactly what's coming. I looked it up and the relevant bad end isn't too bad.
So! It's been a couple of days, lets's get this started!
11 missed calls, 5 messages...oh man, including one from Jumin saying "I've rarely waited for anyone in the chatroom...but it's always disappointing when you're not there. I think...you'd know the answer to how to escape this torture". Ahaha, um, yeah, about that...
I said he should fix his attitude to women and he liked it and said he'd think about it! But the game probably means "reconsider not dating them" rather than "reconsider being so sexist".
Now to open the chats and see this torture...(which I know the nature of because I looked up spoilers, and I think Cheritz needs to fix their attitude to women...)
So! Yoosung freaks out about the hacker and Jumin attempts to cheer him up in his blunt, distant way.
Seven: Did you read the rumour online?
Jaehee: The one saying Mr Han and I are lovers?
Seven: No, a new one! Everyone says his dad Chief Han's getting another divorce.
We see Jumin open his door to an unfamiliar pink haired woman called Sarah, who says she's a friend of Chief Han's girlfriend Glam Choi... and Chief Han wants them to get engaged.
Sarah: I was worried because I hadn't met you, but I can see you have a nice body ;)
Jumin: I don't like people touching me. And I already have a life companion. Ask the security guard who let you in to take you home.
Yoosung wants to invite a guy who runs a fried chicken place and gave a talk at his uni class (...on...veterinary science?) I wonder if it's the guy from Dandelion. Zen rants to Jumin about how capitalistic corporations have ruined the lives of small-time fried chicken shop owners.
Jumin: Not all corporations >:P
Jumin: A woman came to my house today. She said we were engaged.
Zen: A WOMAN?? FEMALE?? Did you get drunk and bring her home?
Jumin: I'm not even going to answer that.
Zen: You must have hallucinated it.
Jumin: ...yes. Let's say I did.
Seven: LOL JUMIN HALLUCINATED
Jaehee: Maybe a woman really did visit him. Mr Chairman has been trying to organise a meeting.
Seven: Is he going to give Jumin another gift? IS THE WOMAN THE GIFT??
Jumin: I'm going to report you to a feminist organisation. Are you in elementary school?
Seven: I'm four years old ^_^
We see Jumin meeting with Chief Han and Glam Choi.
Cheif Han: I must be one ugly man to be approaching my third marriage. I wanted to make sure you are ok with it, Jumin.
Glam Choi: You're not ugly, you're the handsomest man I know!
Jumin: She's not even my biological mother. And I doubt your third marriage will be any more special. Just do as you please, I don't mind as long as it doesn't affect the company.
Cheif Han: Sometimes you don't meet the good stuff until later.
Glam Choi: Right! My first husband's business crashed and I entered the entertainment business to make a living for me and my daughter.
Jumin: This country is still conservative. I worry this will affect our stock prices.
Chief Han: I have no doubt this company will continue to soar. But there's only so far we can expand on our own. So I was thinking you should consider marrying Glam's student Sarah, then we can buy her business "Sugar Round" at a much lower price.
Jumin: Ah. The woman who came to my house.
Glam Choi: What did you think of her? Gorgeous, right?
Jumin: I didn't look properly. I wish you wouldn't send anyone to my house without warning me, especially in the morning. And I'm sorry, but I refuse.
Chief Han: If you have an ounce of gratitude for working at this company, shouldn't you at least consider the marriage partner I picked out for you?
Jumin: You're the one who told me you would treat me like any other executive if my performances damaged the company. But my department has been showing twice the revenue of others. I'm sorry but I think I'm doing enough. Several times you've become blind to the beauty of women and made business mistakes. But I think is the worst one.
Jumin comes into chat ranting about his father selling off his son and the company reputation. Even Zen sympathises, if grudgingly. Jaehee is more focussed on handling the fallout, since Jumin has run off and is clearly not in a state to do much.
End of Day 5
Yoosung, the romantic sap who DOESN'T hate Jumin, is of course VERY UPSET on Jumin's behalf. Wait did he just suggest Jumin marry MC? That's sweet. SORRY YOOSUNG, THIS MC WAS BUSY PLAYING HELIX WALTZ AND MISSED YOUR MESSAGES.
Jaehee has been looking into everything (...by not sleeping...) and discovered that the divorce story was put out by Glam Choi herself. Because she is an evil manipulative slut hoorayyyy my favourite archetype and this route has twwwoooooo
Jaehee seems less sympathetic to Jumin's feelings than she was on other routes, I guess to stop players feeling like she's even a little bit of a romantic threat.
Flashback to Jumin's youth. His mother angles to get expensive gifts from Chief Han, and expresses sadness that he's always away on business trips.
Mother: Jumin, you're so tall now...your eyes are always dead when you look at me, do you hate me that much? Let me know when you're lonely and I'll comfort you.
Woman: Stop pretending to be shy and tell me how much you like me!
*autistic Jumin headcanon intensifies*
He hates being touched, likes rules and order, is good at controlled social situations but always awkward and a bit off when trying to be sincere, is not good at reading other people, and has intense but simple emotions he hides under a mask of rationality.
Unfortunately he can also be an elitist, self centered dick, but hey, autistic people can be those things too.
Jumin wakes from the nightmare about women trying to touch him and tells Elizabeth he's glad she's not like them.
Jumin has cancelled all cat projects to focus on improving performance, and Jaehee is both glad and worried about what it implies. Is he worried his father is looking for excuses to force him into the marriage? She also worries he'll damage his health, since he already overworks more than she does.
Zen: He'll be fine. Let's stop talking about depressing things and discuss my new role!
It's clearly an expy of the obsessive Jisoo from Dandelion, and Zen says he's going to draw on Jumin's obsessiveness as inspiration. I guess that counts as a trigger warning, thanks Cheritz.
Ahh, the woman from the Romance Novel Association wrote the play adaptation, not the original game "Tenderlion". So I can still headcanon that Jisoo (the male romance writer rabbitboy) wrote the game.
Haha aw but then Zen asks Jaehee if there's any way he can help Jumin JUST THIS ONCE.
Glam pretends to be fine with Jumin rejecting the marriage but then sighs pointedly about her POOR FRIEND SARAH WHO IS JUST STRUGGLING SO HARD WITH HER BUSINESS. I don't know why they don't settle for Jumin just helping out and NOT marrying her.
Yoosung: Oh no I have a test I didn't study for D:
Seven: Just look at the question and write the right answer? That's what I do.
Yoosung: NOT EVERYONE IS A GENIUS. Have you found the hacker yet?
Seven: Patience. Gidariseyo.
Yoosung: Korean -.-
Seven: Wow, you recognised it even though I wrote the sounds in English! If only you could use that brain to get a good score on your quiz lol
Jumin is running a meeting, curtly questioning any departments that are showing a deficit.
Sarah: Hi Jumin. Is that your assistant? She looks average. Anyway don't mind me I'll just be listening.
Me: OK NOW I REALLY DON'T LIKE YOU
Jaehee: Should we...continue the meeting?
Chief Han: Proceed. She will soon be part of our family.
Jumin: DAD YOU'RE EMBARRASSING ME IN FRONT OF THE EXECUTIVES. Did she even sign a confidentiality agreement?
(a) WHAT A DOUCHE. "Good father and business man" my ass
(b) Did the artist not know how to draw older people anime style so they just traced a photo or something?
Jumin breaks up the meeting to keep company confidentiality, then says "If you want to arrange a marriage for me, send me the resumes of your candidates. If this is for the company's best interest, I'll have to choose the most qualified person. I assume you'll at least give me that right."
Chief Han: You watch your mouth. Can't you see this is for your own good? You can't live your life for yourself.
DID YOU LISTEN. TO WHAT HE JUST SAID.
You know, I wasn't sure this path could make me feel sympathy for Jumin's douchebag boss-ness. But growing up with a dad like that, with all these manipulative women, I can actually see how "cold but consistent rationality that doesn't address people's emotions" COULD seem like the best approach. And if he's used to people performatively playing up emotional distress he could easily tune out someone like Jaehee without realising she's genuinely distressed.
Jaehee and Yoosung discuss how this is All Glam Choi's Fault. Because Chief Han has no responsibility for his own actions I guess. (Ok they do criticise him a bit too)
It's kind of surreal reading all these messages that assume MC is there. I guess if she'd died or something Seven would have noticed.
Jumin: Something is wrong. What do you call this feeling? "upset"? How amusing, I'm revealing my emotions. I don't waste my feelings on things that are not important to me. There are three exceptions: Elizabeth the Third, RFA, and...my father.
As a kid, everyone was kind to him whether he was good or bad, and he stopped caring about or giving compliments and signs of happiness. The only person he believed was sincere was his father, who loved him and had so much more than Jumin that he had no reason to use him. Only his father understands what it feels to be surrounded by people yet alone. Jumin doesn't like having to go against his father, and feels very confused.
"I can't understand how men can feel less lonely by being with women. To me, women were always unnecessary. If you understand anything about what men and women feel towards each other, please explain it to me, MC, so I can understand my father. ...perhaps I've made you feel complicated by telling you this. pathetic. please don't laugh at me."
ok that gave me a feeling. Poor dude. And I blame his father way more than the game does.
Later, Seven and Zen are a little "LOL JUMIN DID AN EMOTION" but are vaguely sympathetic.
Sarah shows up...at Jaehee's house! With Glam!
Jaehee: ...hello.
They want to find out if Jumin is into any women, including Jaehee. She gives as little information as possible to get them to leave.
Sarah: He has a cat? That will go once we're married.
Jaehee: I doubt that. Duct tape is good for the fur. Good bye. *shuts the door in their face*
Seven tells Yoosung he'll get the rare Honey Buddha Chips if he comes to Seven's house tomorrow after uni. Hmm!
End of Day 6
Jumin is quietly sad that MC isn't around, and tells her he's fine and she shouldn't worry. SORRY JUMIN.
Zen dreams that he is at Mint Eye headquarters. Elizabeth approaches him and he sneezes then wonders why she looks sad. She runs off towards the building and he grumpily chases after her, wondering where Jumin is. He wakes up, and gets the feeling this is a prophetic dream.
WHOA I GOT A DIALOGUE PROMPT ALL OF A SUDDEN
WHAT DO I DO WITH ALL THIS UNEXPECTED AGENCY
Ok. Zen is saying he's tired. I am....tired too? Sure, let's pick that.
Zen: I dreamed I saw a woman crying...WAIT. WTF DID I JUST TYPE. I MEAN A CAT.
He explains the dream to warn Jumin, and feels like Glam Choi is involved somehow. Maybe she'll kidnap the cat to get Jumin to do what she wants?
There's no reference to MC ignoring all the chats, but it WAS just two days. Maybe she was busy!
HUH. The rest of the day 7 chats unlocked, but I'm pretty sure I'll never get to see them: I have to play everything in order and the next scene is the bad end, which I'm pretty sure will end the game. At least, I hope it is, I was all set to be DONE.
Jumin dismisses Zen and his dream.
Jumin: I don't like that my Elizabeth was in another man's dream.
Jaehee: I don't think this is a time to be jealous.
Jumin: OH. THIS IS JEALOUSY. Now I'm worried MC might appear in Zen's dreams too.
Jumin is worried about Zen's suggestion that Glam might kidnap Elizabeth, and suddenly tells Jaehee to cancel his appointments for the rest of the day.
We see Jumin, carrying Elizabeth in a cat carrier, telling a security guard to cancel his maid, and that noone is allowed inside his apartment, not even his father.
...and then the scene ends?
DID I NOT GET THE BAD ENDING? BECAUSE I DID ONE CHAT ON DAY 5? It's day nine irl. Surely I can't get away with a good end at this point. Am I going to get the NEXT bad end instead? Or is this one just still coming?
Anyway. Guess I'll keep going and see what happens!
We see Jumin return from the pet shop with a cage for Elizabeth. He sadly tells her he gave her all his affection because she knew she'd always be sincere, and never betray him. But he knows she'll never understand him.
Jaehee comes into chat saying Jumin hasn't come into work and is ignoring all her calls. Jaehee and Zen complain that Jumin is being disrespectful to MC given "how nice she's been to him" which feels a little weird when I...ignored him for four days...but does make it clear that I dodged the first bad end.
THE NEXT ONE ISN'T UNTIL DAY TEN. GODDAMN IT.
I mean at the rate I'm reading these, it'll be day ten by the time I get to the end. But I thought I would be freeee.
Zen: Jaehee was too concerned with Jumin to ask about my new role ;_; BUT I MUST BE STRONG.
Yeah, Zen, you're a real inspiration.
Yoosung: Is there anything we can do to distract Jumin?
Seven: From Elly? Well he likes her because he can touch, bite, nibble and see her.
Yoosung: But can't he um...touch any woman he wants?
Seven: [Jumin's brain] Elly = so cool! Woman = no! MC= GOOD ^^
*suddenly starts head canoning this MC as non binary*
Or she could be, like...catkin (is that the word?) or a furry, lol. Maybe Jumin will see Zen dressed as a catboy for his new role and fall head over heels.
...and then I just totally ran out of motivation for finishing this for like...a week. And even now it's less that I'm motivated to play it and more that I'm bored and unwell and can't think of anything else better to do.
SO LET'S DO THIS.
Jaehee goes to Jumin's penthouse and starts talking about all the extra work she's had since Jumin suddenly decided not to come into work.
Jumin: Do you think I'm being obsessive?
Jaehee: I'm certainly...worried...the cage does seem a bit much.
Jumin: The cage is a metaphor. It makes you feel as if you own the thing inside.
Jaehe: You know she's your cat even without the cage.
Jumin: No I don't. When I was little, there was a tangled ball of thread inside my mind. All the women who passed my father's side tangled it more and more. I ignored it, and nobody else could see it...but the contradiction is...I didn't want to see it, but I wanted someone else to see it. When Elizabeth the Third came to me, I imagined she could see it. But she's just a cat.
Jaehee: Mr Han :( I'll tell the company you're on sick leave. Taking care of yourself is most important.
Jaehee comes into chat and says she didn't entirely understand what Jumin was saying but feels like "a deeply rooted problem just exploded". She says she checked with Seven and it's safe for MC to come to Jumin's place, because she feels like MC will be understand Jumin in a way she can't.
We see MC arrive at Jumin's apartment. He's happily surprised, and keeps apologising for staring at her, it's cute.
Blah blah Grace Choi leaked the "news" that Jumin is dating Sarah.
Jaehee: Could things get any worse?
Seven: Did you eat at least?
Jaehee: All I had today was a glass of milk and a rice ball.
Seven: Rice balls! Fur balls!
Jaehee: I have no strength to keep up with your jokes, Luciel. They're not even funny.
Seven: OMG. WHAT.
Jaehee: Did you eat dinner yet? Hopefully not just Honey Buddha chips and Phd Pepper again.
Seven: So touched by Jaehee's kindness...Jaehee, why don't we...you know...+_+
Jaehee: I don't know what foolishness you want to create but stop.
BAD SEVEN. DON'T FLIRT WITH JAEHEE. YOU ARE NOT WORTHY.
Then he suggests MC get herself seen leaving Jumin's house in the morning so everyone's gossiping about them instead.
Zen: Send MC home! Don't be pervy and make her stay!
Jumin: What do you mean, pervy? I have no such intentions.
Zen: You will never understand the world of men. I get that you're not having weird thoughts even though you're alone with MC.
Jumin: I don't know. I want to sincerely thank her for risking coming to see me, I felt instantly better. Maybe I'll make her strawberry pancakes.
Zen: SEVEN! JUMIN'S BEING NICE! HIS BRAIN HAS BEEN HACKED!!
Zen's all "If you feel better go back to work!"
Back at his house, Jumin remembers Rika giving him "the most boring book she'd ever read" because she'd heard he read to help him sleep, and asks him to tell her how it ends.
He tells MC to take his bed, saying he doubts he'll be able to sleep. I can't resist taking one of the "Come lie with me ;)" options, he says it's flustering and that he might do that if reading her to sleep doesn't work.
It's... Nameless's backstory from Nameless o.O Geeze, Rika, if you think yandere teddy bear stalkers are boring...
Jumin: I know it's funny, but...I don't ever want to finish this book. I was supposed to tell the story to a friend...but they're no longer in this world. I haven't touched the book since then...but somehow you remind me of Rika. I'm as curious about you as I was about her. All my focus is on you, and I'm able to stop thinking about my troubles. I feel so good that you're here. I...never want to let you go. I feel as if, one day, I'll finish reading this book to you and all my threads will untangle.
I should logically be taking the bad options to see what happens, but I don't have the heart.
Yoosung finally gets through Seven's security.
Yoosung: You want me to stay the night?
Seven: Yeah just sleep anywhere. Or use one of the computers I'm not using to play LOLOL.
Yoosung: Is that screen showing...a satellite image of someone's house?! You're not spying on them, right?
Seven: Don't worry about that.
Yoosung: OOH THIS MONITOR IS HUGE PLAYING LOLOL WILL BE SO COOL
*Seven/Yoosung feels continue*
End of Day 7
Since this is already pretty long, I'll finish this post here.
I am having some feels, but I'm not sure I'm having enough to bother playing through the route for real. I'm generally just kind of sick of Mystic Messenger's real-time shtick.
And before that I gotta get through THREE MORE DAYS. Knowing it ends sadly makes it a bit off putting :(
I was feeling so unmotivated that I decided to go for a bad end, but it turned out I'd screwed it up so now I'm working towards the NEXT bad end. The plot is the same as the good end so far, I just haven't seen the full chats.
Jumin's angsty, repressed feelings for MC are cute, but the rest...eh...
So I'm still not sure I want to actually play Jumin's route in it's entirety: based on a plot summary, and previous experience with Cheritz's controlling yandere LIs, it could be anywhere from "A little triggering but overall a positive experience" to TRIGGER CENTRAL, and being unable to control the timing of scenes would make it much harder to be gentle with my mental state. Also it looks like it has a Slutty Mean Girl villain like the Zen path, bluh.
But if I start playing it from the start and then stop if it gets upsetting, I will (a) gain a bunch of hourglasses and (b) find out if it is in fact possible to get onto his route without being an asshole to Jaehee. I've already played the first 5 days, so nothing in them will be a surprise, and while the "Is Jumin Gay?" stuff was unpleasant I think it'll be easier to bear now I know it's coming.
The only remaining game content I have left to play right now are After Story scenes, which afaict can be played from the main menu without interrupting any route in progress.
And oh look, writing up a the start of some other posts got me to midnight! Time for ROUND FIVE of getting through day 1, yawn.
I am starting with 103 hourglasses, but that'll be going up and down as I unlock endings.
Now to see if I can in fact do that without losing my (two minutes of) progress....yep! I just played Yoosung's After Ending and the main game was unaffected. Though it's always surreal getting a "new image" notification for a different route show up in game, I'm imagining the Jumin!MC all "WTF why do I suddenly have an image of Yoosung and me like THAT?"
Goddd I am so bored of dayyy oneeeee
Looks like I won't have to ever play it again, though, since day one for Another Story (Ray and V) is different, thank god. EDIT: and the odds of me ever playing those are looow.
*chooses all the I LOVE CATS options, avoids all the LOL WHO CARES ABOUT WORKER'S FEELINGS options*
End of Day 1
Downside to this route: Feeling like I have to be meant to Jaehee.
Advantage: So many chance to be mean to Zen!
(Sorry Zen, I don't actually hate you, you're just fun to be mean to)
Ohh I am having Seven feels now I know him better. It's not hard to take Jumin's side when it comes to treatment of cats but I need to stop taking the "flirt with Seven" options. HE JUST NEEDS AFFECTION SO MUCH.
How convenient, the game crashed and didn't save. *takes advantage of this message from the Universe to stop flirting with Seven*
Huh, I think the order of the choices on the screen changed!
*hangs up on Zen mid phonecall*
Oops forgot to change MC's name! Ok, she is now Eunseo and has the red haired avatar, since that looks self confident. She's an independently wealthy 30ish business woman who's worked with Jumin's dad, and thinks Jumin is adorable and needs someone to be nice to him. This route looks like it's going to be pretty M/f, so I gotta inject some F/m to even it out into something enjoyable.
MC: I'm so jealous you get to work with Jumin, Jaehee
Jaehee: hahaha
End of Day 2
Woo I get to tell Seven to knock it off with the sexuality shit.
I feel bad taking any choices that are mean to Seven but am quite comfortable telling him to STOP LIVING OFF CHIPS.
Walkthrough, I realise the alternative is to gain a heart from Seven, but I am not telling Zen that I crave his pheromones.
Ha half the time when I do take "flirt with Zen instead of Seven" choices I get Jaehee hearts. She's not even in the room, SHE JUST KNOWS.
Seven is definitely into MC, even if he doesn't realise it. Sorry Seven, this MC only has eyes for Jumin, god knows why.
Ha I just realised my ACTUAL REAL LIFE romantic partner is coming over tomorrow during peak chat hours. Sorry, Jumin, you may miss out on some chats, Pia is cuter and less weird about their cats :P
There's no space to be supportive of Jumin doing weird cat projects in principle but only if he pursues them in a way which is less stress for his employees. Which he absolutely could! I'm often stuck with "What a great idea! Do it now!" or "That's silly. Poor Jaehee", so have been mixing and matching and imagining a more consistent conversation in my head.
Also, teasing Zen is all well and good but ALLERGIES ARE A THING, JUMIN.
End of day 4.
On the Jumin path!
OFF THE JUMIN PATH AND ONTO THE CHRISTMAS DLC FOR SEVERAL DAYS AFTER MY CAT GOT SICK
Aaaaaaaand back onto the Jumin path.
Seven says there's been another hacking attempt and tells everyone to keep an eye out for weird stuff.
...actually I'm not feeling it right now. But since I've loaded the save, maybe I'll take the opportunity to get a bad end by not playing for a few days. Get my money's worth from that fast forward purchase.
Also I've realised this means I can consume the plot at my own pace! Sure, it'll be a non interactive version that ends badly, but when I go back and play it properly in real time I'll know exactly what's coming. I looked it up and the relevant bad end isn't too bad.
So! It's been a couple of days, lets's get this started!
11 missed calls, 5 messages...oh man, including one from Jumin saying "I've rarely waited for anyone in the chatroom...but it's always disappointing when you're not there. I think...you'd know the answer to how to escape this torture". Ahaha, um, yeah, about that...
I said he should fix his attitude to women and he liked it and said he'd think about it! But the game probably means "reconsider not dating them" rather than "reconsider being so sexist".
Now to open the chats and see this torture...(which I know the nature of because I looked up spoilers, and I think Cheritz needs to fix their attitude to women...)
So! Yoosung freaks out about the hacker and Jumin attempts to cheer him up in his blunt, distant way.
Seven: Did you read the rumour online?
Jaehee: The one saying Mr Han and I are lovers?
Seven: No, a new one! Everyone says his dad Chief Han's getting another divorce.
We see Jumin open his door to an unfamiliar pink haired woman called Sarah, who says she's a friend of Chief Han's girlfriend Glam Choi... and Chief Han wants them to get engaged.
Sarah: I was worried because I hadn't met you, but I can see you have a nice body ;)
Jumin: I don't like people touching me. And I already have a life companion. Ask the security guard who let you in to take you home.
Yoosung wants to invite a guy who runs a fried chicken place and gave a talk at his uni class (...on...veterinary science?) I wonder if it's the guy from Dandelion. Zen rants to Jumin about how capitalistic corporations have ruined the lives of small-time fried chicken shop owners.
Jumin: Not all corporations >:P
Jumin: A woman came to my house today. She said we were engaged.
Zen: A WOMAN?? FEMALE?? Did you get drunk and bring her home?
Jumin: I'm not even going to answer that.
Zen: You must have hallucinated it.
Jumin: ...yes. Let's say I did.
Seven: LOL JUMIN HALLUCINATED
Jaehee: Maybe a woman really did visit him. Mr Chairman has been trying to organise a meeting.
Seven: Is he going to give Jumin another gift? IS THE WOMAN THE GIFT??
Jumin: I'm going to report you to a feminist organisation. Are you in elementary school?
Seven: I'm four years old ^_^
We see Jumin meeting with Chief Han and Glam Choi.
Cheif Han: I must be one ugly man to be approaching my third marriage. I wanted to make sure you are ok with it, Jumin.
Glam Choi: You're not ugly, you're the handsomest man I know!
Jumin: She's not even my biological mother. And I doubt your third marriage will be any more special. Just do as you please, I don't mind as long as it doesn't affect the company.
Cheif Han: Sometimes you don't meet the good stuff until later.
Glam Choi: Right! My first husband's business crashed and I entered the entertainment business to make a living for me and my daughter.
Jumin: This country is still conservative. I worry this will affect our stock prices.
Chief Han: I have no doubt this company will continue to soar. But there's only so far we can expand on our own. So I was thinking you should consider marrying Glam's student Sarah, then we can buy her business "Sugar Round" at a much lower price.
Jumin: Ah. The woman who came to my house.
Glam Choi: What did you think of her? Gorgeous, right?
Jumin: I didn't look properly. I wish you wouldn't send anyone to my house without warning me, especially in the morning. And I'm sorry, but I refuse.
Chief Han: If you have an ounce of gratitude for working at this company, shouldn't you at least consider the marriage partner I picked out for you?
Jumin: You're the one who told me you would treat me like any other executive if my performances damaged the company. But my department has been showing twice the revenue of others. I'm sorry but I think I'm doing enough. Several times you've become blind to the beauty of women and made business mistakes. But I think is the worst one.
Jumin comes into chat ranting about his father selling off his son and the company reputation. Even Zen sympathises, if grudgingly. Jaehee is more focussed on handling the fallout, since Jumin has run off and is clearly not in a state to do much.
End of Day 5
Yoosung, the romantic sap who DOESN'T hate Jumin, is of course VERY UPSET on Jumin's behalf. Wait did he just suggest Jumin marry MC? That's sweet. SORRY YOOSUNG, THIS MC WAS BUSY PLAYING HELIX WALTZ AND MISSED YOUR MESSAGES.
Jaehee has been looking into everything (...by not sleeping...) and discovered that the divorce story was put out by Glam Choi herself. Because she is an evil manipulative slut hoorayyyy my favourite archetype and this route has twwwoooooo
Jaehee seems less sympathetic to Jumin's feelings than she was on other routes, I guess to stop players feeling like she's even a little bit of a romantic threat.
Flashback to Jumin's youth. His mother angles to get expensive gifts from Chief Han, and expresses sadness that he's always away on business trips.
Mother: Jumin, you're so tall now...your eyes are always dead when you look at me, do you hate me that much? Let me know when you're lonely and I'll comfort you.
Woman: Stop pretending to be shy and tell me how much you like me!
*autistic Jumin headcanon intensifies*
He hates being touched, likes rules and order, is good at controlled social situations but always awkward and a bit off when trying to be sincere, is not good at reading other people, and has intense but simple emotions he hides under a mask of rationality.
Unfortunately he can also be an elitist, self centered dick, but hey, autistic people can be those things too.
Jumin wakes from the nightmare about women trying to touch him and tells Elizabeth he's glad she's not like them.
Jumin has cancelled all cat projects to focus on improving performance, and Jaehee is both glad and worried about what it implies. Is he worried his father is looking for excuses to force him into the marriage? She also worries he'll damage his health, since he already overworks more than she does.
Zen: He'll be fine. Let's stop talking about depressing things and discuss my new role!
It's clearly an expy of the obsessive Jisoo from Dandelion, and Zen says he's going to draw on Jumin's obsessiveness as inspiration. I guess that counts as a trigger warning, thanks Cheritz.
Ahh, the woman from the Romance Novel Association wrote the play adaptation, not the original game "Tenderlion". So I can still headcanon that Jisoo (the male romance writer rabbitboy) wrote the game.
Haha aw but then Zen asks Jaehee if there's any way he can help Jumin JUST THIS ONCE.
Glam pretends to be fine with Jumin rejecting the marriage but then sighs pointedly about her POOR FRIEND SARAH WHO IS JUST STRUGGLING SO HARD WITH HER BUSINESS. I don't know why they don't settle for Jumin just helping out and NOT marrying her.
Yoosung: Oh no I have a test I didn't study for D:
Seven: Just look at the question and write the right answer? That's what I do.
Yoosung: NOT EVERYONE IS A GENIUS. Have you found the hacker yet?
Seven: Patience. Gidariseyo.
Yoosung: Korean -.-
Seven: Wow, you recognised it even though I wrote the sounds in English! If only you could use that brain to get a good score on your quiz lol
Jumin is running a meeting, curtly questioning any departments that are showing a deficit.
Sarah: Hi Jumin. Is that your assistant? She looks average. Anyway don't mind me I'll just be listening.
Me: OK NOW I REALLY DON'T LIKE YOU
Jaehee: Should we...continue the meeting?
Chief Han: Proceed. She will soon be part of our family.
Jumin: DAD YOU'RE EMBARRASSING ME IN FRONT OF THE EXECUTIVES. Did she even sign a confidentiality agreement?
(a) WHAT A DOUCHE. "Good father and business man" my ass
(b) Did the artist not know how to draw older people anime style so they just traced a photo or something?
Jumin breaks up the meeting to keep company confidentiality, then says "If you want to arrange a marriage for me, send me the resumes of your candidates. If this is for the company's best interest, I'll have to choose the most qualified person. I assume you'll at least give me that right."
Chief Han: You watch your mouth. Can't you see this is for your own good? You can't live your life for yourself.
DID YOU LISTEN. TO WHAT HE JUST SAID.
You know, I wasn't sure this path could make me feel sympathy for Jumin's douchebag boss-ness. But growing up with a dad like that, with all these manipulative women, I can actually see how "cold but consistent rationality that doesn't address people's emotions" COULD seem like the best approach. And if he's used to people performatively playing up emotional distress he could easily tune out someone like Jaehee without realising she's genuinely distressed.
Jaehee and Yoosung discuss how this is All Glam Choi's Fault. Because Chief Han has no responsibility for his own actions I guess. (Ok they do criticise him a bit too)
It's kind of surreal reading all these messages that assume MC is there. I guess if she'd died or something Seven would have noticed.
Jumin: Something is wrong. What do you call this feeling? "upset"? How amusing, I'm revealing my emotions. I don't waste my feelings on things that are not important to me. There are three exceptions: Elizabeth the Third, RFA, and...my father.
As a kid, everyone was kind to him whether he was good or bad, and he stopped caring about or giving compliments and signs of happiness. The only person he believed was sincere was his father, who loved him and had so much more than Jumin that he had no reason to use him. Only his father understands what it feels to be surrounded by people yet alone. Jumin doesn't like having to go against his father, and feels very confused.
"I can't understand how men can feel less lonely by being with women. To me, women were always unnecessary. If you understand anything about what men and women feel towards each other, please explain it to me, MC, so I can understand my father. ...perhaps I've made you feel complicated by telling you this. pathetic. please don't laugh at me."
ok that gave me a feeling. Poor dude. And I blame his father way more than the game does.
Later, Seven and Zen are a little "LOL JUMIN DID AN EMOTION" but are vaguely sympathetic.
Sarah shows up...at Jaehee's house! With Glam!
Jaehee: ...hello.
They want to find out if Jumin is into any women, including Jaehee. She gives as little information as possible to get them to leave.
Sarah: He has a cat? That will go once we're married.
Jaehee: I doubt that. Duct tape is good for the fur. Good bye. *shuts the door in their face*
Seven tells Yoosung he'll get the rare Honey Buddha Chips if he comes to Seven's house tomorrow after uni. Hmm!
End of Day 6
Jumin is quietly sad that MC isn't around, and tells her he's fine and she shouldn't worry. SORRY JUMIN.
Zen dreams that he is at Mint Eye headquarters. Elizabeth approaches him and he sneezes then wonders why she looks sad. She runs off towards the building and he grumpily chases after her, wondering where Jumin is. He wakes up, and gets the feeling this is a prophetic dream.
WHOA I GOT A DIALOGUE PROMPT ALL OF A SUDDEN
WHAT DO I DO WITH ALL THIS UNEXPECTED AGENCY
Ok. Zen is saying he's tired. I am....tired too? Sure, let's pick that.
Zen: I dreamed I saw a woman crying...WAIT. WTF DID I JUST TYPE. I MEAN A CAT.
He explains the dream to warn Jumin, and feels like Glam Choi is involved somehow. Maybe she'll kidnap the cat to get Jumin to do what she wants?
There's no reference to MC ignoring all the chats, but it WAS just two days. Maybe she was busy!
HUH. The rest of the day 7 chats unlocked, but I'm pretty sure I'll never get to see them: I have to play everything in order and the next scene is the bad end, which I'm pretty sure will end the game. At least, I hope it is, I was all set to be DONE.
Jumin dismisses Zen and his dream.
Jumin: I don't like that my Elizabeth was in another man's dream.
Jaehee: I don't think this is a time to be jealous.
Jumin: OH. THIS IS JEALOUSY. Now I'm worried MC might appear in Zen's dreams too.
Jumin is worried about Zen's suggestion that Glam might kidnap Elizabeth, and suddenly tells Jaehee to cancel his appointments for the rest of the day.
We see Jumin, carrying Elizabeth in a cat carrier, telling a security guard to cancel his maid, and that noone is allowed inside his apartment, not even his father.
...and then the scene ends?
DID I NOT GET THE BAD ENDING? BECAUSE I DID ONE CHAT ON DAY 5? It's day nine irl. Surely I can't get away with a good end at this point. Am I going to get the NEXT bad end instead? Or is this one just still coming?
Anyway. Guess I'll keep going and see what happens!
We see Jumin return from the pet shop with a cage for Elizabeth. He sadly tells her he gave her all his affection because she knew she'd always be sincere, and never betray him. But he knows she'll never understand him.
Jaehee comes into chat saying Jumin hasn't come into work and is ignoring all her calls. Jaehee and Zen complain that Jumin is being disrespectful to MC given "how nice she's been to him" which feels a little weird when I...ignored him for four days...but does make it clear that I dodged the first bad end.
THE NEXT ONE ISN'T UNTIL DAY TEN. GODDAMN IT.
I mean at the rate I'm reading these, it'll be day ten by the time I get to the end. But I thought I would be freeee.
Zen: Jaehee was too concerned with Jumin to ask about my new role ;_; BUT I MUST BE STRONG.
Yeah, Zen, you're a real inspiration.
Yoosung: Is there anything we can do to distract Jumin?
Seven: From Elly? Well he likes her because he can touch, bite, nibble and see her.
Yoosung: But can't he um...touch any woman he wants?
Seven: [Jumin's brain] Elly = so cool! Woman = no! MC= GOOD ^^
*suddenly starts head canoning this MC as non binary*
Or she could be, like...catkin (is that the word?) or a furry, lol. Maybe Jumin will see Zen dressed as a catboy for his new role and fall head over heels.
...and then I just totally ran out of motivation for finishing this for like...a week. And even now it's less that I'm motivated to play it and more that I'm bored and unwell and can't think of anything else better to do.
SO LET'S DO THIS.
Jaehee goes to Jumin's penthouse and starts talking about all the extra work she's had since Jumin suddenly decided not to come into work.
Jumin: Do you think I'm being obsessive?
Jaehee: I'm certainly...worried...the cage does seem a bit much.
Jumin: The cage is a metaphor. It makes you feel as if you own the thing inside.
Jaehe: You know she's your cat even without the cage.
Jumin: No I don't. When I was little, there was a tangled ball of thread inside my mind. All the women who passed my father's side tangled it more and more. I ignored it, and nobody else could see it...but the contradiction is...I didn't want to see it, but I wanted someone else to see it. When Elizabeth the Third came to me, I imagined she could see it. But she's just a cat.
Jaehee: Mr Han :( I'll tell the company you're on sick leave. Taking care of yourself is most important.
Jaehee comes into chat and says she didn't entirely understand what Jumin was saying but feels like "a deeply rooted problem just exploded". She says she checked with Seven and it's safe for MC to come to Jumin's place, because she feels like MC will be understand Jumin in a way she can't.
We see MC arrive at Jumin's apartment. He's happily surprised, and keeps apologising for staring at her, it's cute.
Blah blah Grace Choi leaked the "news" that Jumin is dating Sarah.
Jaehee: Could things get any worse?
Seven: Did you eat at least?
Jaehee: All I had today was a glass of milk and a rice ball.
Seven: Rice balls! Fur balls!
Jaehee: I have no strength to keep up with your jokes, Luciel. They're not even funny.
Seven: OMG. WHAT.
Jaehee: Did you eat dinner yet? Hopefully not just Honey Buddha chips and Phd Pepper again.
Seven: So touched by Jaehee's kindness...Jaehee, why don't we...you know...+_+
Jaehee: I don't know what foolishness you want to create but stop.
BAD SEVEN. DON'T FLIRT WITH JAEHEE. YOU ARE NOT WORTHY.
Then he suggests MC get herself seen leaving Jumin's house in the morning so everyone's gossiping about them instead.
Zen: Send MC home! Don't be pervy and make her stay!
Jumin: What do you mean, pervy? I have no such intentions.
Zen: You will never understand the world of men. I get that you're not having weird thoughts even though you're alone with MC.
Jumin: I don't know. I want to sincerely thank her for risking coming to see me, I felt instantly better. Maybe I'll make her strawberry pancakes.
Zen: SEVEN! JUMIN'S BEING NICE! HIS BRAIN HAS BEEN HACKED!!
Zen's all "If you feel better go back to work!"
Back at his house, Jumin remembers Rika giving him "the most boring book she'd ever read" because she'd heard he read to help him sleep, and asks him to tell her how it ends.
He tells MC to take his bed, saying he doubts he'll be able to sleep. I can't resist taking one of the "Come lie with me ;)" options, he says it's flustering and that he might do that if reading her to sleep doesn't work.
It's... Nameless's backstory from Nameless o.O Geeze, Rika, if you think yandere teddy bear stalkers are boring...
Jumin: I know it's funny, but...I don't ever want to finish this book. I was supposed to tell the story to a friend...but they're no longer in this world. I haven't touched the book since then...but somehow you remind me of Rika. I'm as curious about you as I was about her. All my focus is on you, and I'm able to stop thinking about my troubles. I feel so good that you're here. I...never want to let you go. I feel as if, one day, I'll finish reading this book to you and all my threads will untangle.
I should logically be taking the bad options to see what happens, but I don't have the heart.
Yoosung finally gets through Seven's security.
Yoosung: You want me to stay the night?
Seven: Yeah just sleep anywhere. Or use one of the computers I'm not using to play LOLOL.
Yoosung: Is that screen showing...a satellite image of someone's house?! You're not spying on them, right?
Seven: Don't worry about that.
Yoosung: OOH THIS MONITOR IS HUGE PLAYING LOLOL WILL BE SO COOL
*Seven/Yoosung feels continue*
End of Day 7
Since this is already pretty long, I'll finish this post here.
I am having some feels, but I'm not sure I'm having enough to bother playing through the route for real. I'm generally just kind of sick of Mystic Messenger's real-time shtick.
And before that I gotta get through THREE MORE DAYS. Knowing it ends sadly makes it a bit off putting :(
