Tears of Themis – Dates with Vyn

In this post, I will summarise the dates or outings with Vyn that are only available through the card stories. The focus is on uncovering new aspects of Vyn’s personality that can help us to understand him and his backstory better. The stories are listed in the order that I got them.

Background: Vyn is a renowned researcher in the field of criminal psychology and a practising psychiatrist. Vyn has a mysterious backstory. Based on the clues provided, it suggests that he had a traumatic past which leaves him wary of falling in love.

Hobbies: Vyn is a fast learner, loves to try new things, and a perfectionist who cannot tolerate failure or defects. He likes plants, to drink tea, read and bake simple desserts. Probably an occupational hazard, he is prone to analyse every situation through a psychological lens.

Feelings about MC: When it comes to you, he is determined to become someone you can rely on so he refuses to let you see his weaknesses, or let another person outshine him. When threatened, he drops his normally warm and calm demeanour and his disposition turns drastically cold. Even he is surprised at his own inability to control his emotions before you, and how he even relishes being vulnerable so that he can experience your pity and warmth. He has high expectations for you and hopes you will not disappoint him yet he continues to be surprised by your determination to uncover the truth and help others even if the effort appears futile or puts you in a disadvantage.

Feelings towards Vyn: MC has deep respect for Vyn as an intellectual and is constantly mesmerised by his golden eyes. She has been caught staring at him often as she takes in his unique beauty and Vyn obviously enjoys the attention from her.

=================================================

Spilling Light (SR)

In this private chat with Vyn, we learnt that he knows how to bake simple stuff and he puts effort into the things he’s interested in learning. Lately the things he is interested in mainly revolves around you.

While reading aloud from a book to you,

“People will use one minute to get to know someone; then use a day to fall in love with them; And an entire lifetime to forget about them…”

As he ponders over this, he opines that it is always best to just cherish the things in front of him and that would be you right here, right now.

=================================================

Mended Heart (SR)

Vyn invites you to have tea with him but he was disappointed when he found that the purple sand teapot had been damaged during the delivery.

“It has lost the value of existence with the two defects it has been damaged by.”

Thinking that it will be a waste to throw the teapot away, you suggested having it fixed at a ceramics studio. While there, both of you decided to attend a ceramics making workshop. You come across a deaf student attending class together with other children from a normal school.

Things deemed defective are relegated to a fate of neglect an abandonment. For people… this also holds true. Hatred and fear of that which is broken…This is an instinct engraved upon our genes as the result of evolution.”

“You may be able to help him now, but what happens after we leave this place? You cannot change the circumstances for him at school. His classmates will still think him a nuisance, a burden, and no one will accept him.”

Vyn ponders over your actions of wanting to help the child enjoy the ceramics lesson.

“I am just thinking about the ‘possibility’ you spoke of. And the child’s parents as well. They know that it’s all futile, but are still willing to give everything a try. All this, just to get a grasp of a sliver of ‘possibility’?”

“You can always find new possibilities in things that are broken… Your optimism has always been so contagious. Maybe…I should try believing in it.”

===================================================

Medieval Suspense (SSR)

Vyn invites you to play a medieval themed role playing detective game. Your goal is to investigate and find the murderer of the late Duke. You take on the role of Lady Viscount who has suffered from temporary amnesia and Vyn plays the young duke whose father had just been murdered.

“They refuse to investigate the truth behind a murder simply because of taboo. The foundations of their existence were shaken. In response, they harmed the scholars bringing about change. Given that, would you still feel safe leaving your faith and future with the Vatican?” His expression doesn’t look like he is acting.

“Alchemists, the Vatican… it does not matter who or what you are. All of you are controlled by ignorance and greed. You are unable to save anyone, yet you look down on science. People like that are worthy of being called gods, you say?” Vyn speaks with an extremely cold expression. You tugged at him, Vyn looks back at you with the familiar warmth in his eyes.

When you commented on Vyn’s realistic acting towards the plot, “You think I was acting well? What if I told you that I was not acting…and that I had similar experiences… Would you believe me?”

“How about we team up and make a new truth?” Vyn’s voice is soft, as if he is trying to entice you into the darkness. Even those golden eyes feel as though they’re trying to enchant you.

“Perhaps they will be faced with not so pleasant endings. But that is not important. The most important thing here is your victory. There is nothing more important that that… yes?”

“I figured that would be your choice. Good… you did not disappoint me.”

After the game was over, Vyn reveals that there was an alternate ending where both the young Duke and Lady Viscount wins and live happily ever after. However he asked if you would be willing to pay the price. “Giving up the truth and embracing darkness together with the other person… Is that the ending you wish for? Sometimes, the truth will bring misfortune. Ignorance is bliss. When faced with a choice like that, will you still be able to pursue the last bit of truth as you always have?”

==================================================

Mercury in Retrograde (SR)

On the day you were supposed to go out with Vyn, the water pipe in your apartment burst. The handyman would not be able to come in another two hours so you apologised to Vyn that your outing will need to take a rain check. Vyn proposes that he helps you with the repairs instead. Vyn seemed rather out of character throughout the repairs and you wonder if he was fretting over a difficulty at work.

“Right now, you are one that needs my help the most. Or do you not wish to depend on me a little?”

“You have been staring for a while. Continue, and I may develop a wonderful misunderstanding of the situation.”

“After all I was only recently added to your list of people to call for help, right? I do not wish to be removed from that list this soon. But right now, it seems like… “

While Vyn was trying to mop up the leak, you realised that the mop he used is already soaked with water. Instead of just the kitchen being affected, the wet mop ended up spreading the water everywhere. Vyn really doesn’t know how to do chores, does he?

“Sorry for hiding this fact from you… I just wanted to appear more reliable in your eyes.”

======================================================

Cool Summer (SR) – Summer Breeze event

Vyn invites you to go travelling with him to a hot spring tourist attraction in another province during your planned vacation leave. You agree to accompany him, stopping midway to pay a visit to one of his patients who had recently recovered from grief after he lost his son in an accident. However, before you can leave the small town, a huge storm that spanned over three days flooded the roads leaving town, causing you and Vyn to be stranded in town and in need of a miracle.

Vyn tries his hand at farming, donning a very different look as he rolls up his sleeves and pants as he tries to familiarise himself with the manual work and staining his clothes with mud. “No. I am very willing to try things I have never done before.”

“I try to learn as much as I can about plants.”

When a muddy print on Vyn’s face cannot be wiped away. “I do not mind if you do not mind.”

“You did say it after all. I do not plan on taking it as a mere joke.”

To hunt for the Yin Yang spring, a once in five years natural phenomenon, Vyn takes it upon himself to learn how to cycle and was able to properly handle a bike after a night of practice. Vyn is anxious to outdo others even if it’s something he is not good at, he will not concede easily.

“Trust me, okay? I will definitely fulfil what I promised.”

“With my by your side, there is no way I will ever allow you to be in such a dangerous situation.”

“Actively wanting to solve problems proves that you have expectations for the future. Regardless of the credibility of the legend, a good expectation deserves a proactive response. So I am just trying to respond to those wonderful expectations of yours.”

After you playfully splash the cool spring waters onto Vyn, he stares at you in confusion. You thought he might have gotten angry with your disrespectful act but he only says, “I am fine with it if this is one of your hobbies. Now you need to watch out too!”

“I want to hear you talk more about what you like to do. Maybe we will have a chance to do it together next time.”

As you take a quick nap after travelling a whole day to look for the springs, Vyn looks at you and goes on a long monologue.

“Looks like I am still unable… to hide myself from you. I did not want you to see me like this… That is what I thought when you found me last night. Did you think I was unaware? There is no way I will miss your presence when you are close to me…. It was because of you that I was able to learn so quickly. If not for you, I might never had had the chance to experience all these wonderful things… I never thought these things could me feel so happy. As long as you are with the person you want to be with, anything you do with make you happy. But there is one thing I did not tell you. There are obstacles that even I have trouble overcoming. What do I need to do… to prevent myself from becoming like that person… Giving your all to the person you fell in love with at first sight, only to be left with nothing. No matter what, I cannot afford to lose, nor do I want to lose.”

“I feel the same way as you. The value of this trip lies not in the destination, but the journey. I made everything out to be way too complicated than it really is from the start. I should not obsess over the results… but rather enjoy the process. I cannot control the results. However, I will not allow any regrets to be left behind in the process.”

Vyn looks so much younger without his glasses

======================================================

Lingering Warmth (SR)

Two weeks earlier, Vyn invites you to the opera house to watch a magic show by his good friend from overseas. You were awed by Carl’s performance and even more excitable as he explains the background to his magic show design in person thereafter. You were surprised to see Vyn (short for Vilhelm, of Scandinavian origins) lose his composure before his mischievous friend who was openly flirting with you.

“Magic is nothing profound. It just takes advantage of people’s psychological perception to make something fake look real… That’s why it is not entirely unreasonable when many people call magicians ‘tricksters’. But the way they do it, in a sense, is no different from deceit, right? Magicians only need to learn psychological guidance, change blindness, and compulsion to create a brilliant show. But from an outsider’s perspective, they appear to be good at everything… is that not a type of deceit? Many times, we see the truth behind a magic trick, but our mind does not realise it, so we end up being tricked. And the reason why it happens is because of the magician’s guidance, successfully leading us away from the truth. People will only see what they want to see. This is the key to a magician’s trick in deceiving the audience’s mind.”

“Humans go to great lengths to hide their heart. The layers must be peeled away in order to find it. Do you not think this is even more sophisticated than magic?”

“Of course, your answer is important. Or should I say… your answer is the only one I care about. Rather than understanding the hearts of a thousand people, yours is the only one I wish to know.”

Later, Vyn invites you out again to pass you a gift. You agree to meet in school and inadvertently get caught up in a magic show that a guy wants to perform as part of his proposal to his girlfriend.

“Do not worry, I am here. Trust me, okay? No matter what kind of problem it is, I will be right by you.”

“So the element of surprise is more important than the romance… Noted.”

“Oh yes, regarding what I said before about magic, I think maybe the way I said it was too arrogant. The methods are that of ‘deceit’. But the happiness and the pleasant memories it brings are real.”

“Compared to today’s proposal ceremony, what I have prepared cannot be compared to it, whether it be in meaning or surprise. I apologise. I would like to make a change to the present. Is it okay if I give it to you next time?”

“Thank you. You always seem to surprise me at times like these.”

“With you here by my side, I will not fail.”

“Whether it be understanding people, or making imaginations a reality, whatever they can do in front of you, I can too. I will not lose to anyone in front of you.”

After handing you the hairclip that Vyn made himself, he receives a call from Carl asking how his magic trick went.

“That is impossible. Failure does not exist in my dictionary. I do not think she likes the fancy but meaningless things. But, she will only choose to use my gifts. Your thing will only be seen as part of a collection, never to be used.”

As Vyn ends the call with Carl, he recollects his emotions and the words he had said to you. He recognises that the situation is getting very dangerous. “Before I can understand your heart… I can no longer understand even myself.”

=====================================================

False Tears (SR)

One weekend afternoon, you and Vyn attend a violin concert held in Stellis University. After the concert, both of you discussed the history behind two renowned violinists – Zoe and Juno who used to play together. During a competition two years old, Juno pushed Zoe off the second floor of the banquet hall, thus disqualifying them. Thereafter Juno was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has been under Vyn’s treatment since.

Vyn shared that Juno has been recovering well and would be making a comeback at an upcoming competition so that she can finally have a closure with Zoe. You asked Vyn to help you send your regards to Juno, who was your idol when you were younger. Juno was delighted to hear about you and asked Vyn to arrange a meeting.

Before meeting her, Vyn shared that Juno developed her condition due to the extreme pressure she felt when people labelled her as a genius thus nullifying her hard work. He felt that your presence as a true fan of Juno’s hard work would help validate her.

When people look at their idols, they always envision them of being perfect. So, when a new violin star suddenly appears, people will think that she must be a genius or a prodigy. But the truth is not so. After her first performance, she was labelled as a genius, her hard work, completed erased...not only is this ironic, it also brought on a ton of pressure on her.”

While speaking with Juno, Zoe also paid a visit especially after hearing about Juno’s comeback. Vyn was originally hesitant about letting them meet, but after much persuasion, he agrees. You and Vyn leave to buy some flowers at the request of Juno. When asked about whether he feels tired tending to his patients,

No. I do not feel tired. The source of trauma to the mind can always be treated. However, such cannot be said the same for physical injuries. Sometimes, I consider myself fortunate that I am a psychiatrist and and not a surgeon.”

However it wasn’t long before Vyn receives a call from his assistant informing him that Juno had jumped out of the window and requires emergency operation. When you rushed back to the hospital, Vyn hurried to the surveillance room. Going through the footage, you learnt that Zoe had triggered Juno to jump out of the window when she levelled accusations at her. After the op, though Juno’s condition had stabilised, she would never be able to walk again.

You are right. Sometimes, even I am helpless. I just wanted to fill the emotional gap that Juno had suffered. But now… this kind of trauma is one I cannot do anything about. There is nothing I can do… I cannot help her…” It was the first time you had seen Vyn so vulnerable as tears rolled down his eyes. You stayed next to Vyn in silence,

“Can you come a little closer to me?” Vyn wraps his arms around you. “Sorry… please forgive my transgressions. I just cannot control my urge of wanting to be closer to you. Being close to you makes me feel at ease.” His hug tightens. As you look into his eyes, you see a momentary look of overwhelming confidence in them.

“Did I scare you? I just do not want to hide myself in front of you. I want only you to see my own vulnerabilities. This would not make you dislike me, would it? Just let me have my way this once. Is that okay? Just for a little while…”

Back in his own house, Vyn is at his dictaphone again.

“I should not have done this. Purposely showing her that side of me just for a moment’s warmth. Even exaggerating my pain and weakness. I even enjoyed it, let myself relish in it… and asked for more. I hoped that she would feel sorry for me. But, I really did not want to suppress my emotions with logic. It was the first time I’ve ever felt so… conflicted, so confused… my yearning for her is now an addiction. One that I can no longer live without.

Later Vyn invites you to the violin competition. Though you originally refused, Vyn tells you that Zoe will receive her just desserts. You were disgusted that Zoe dedicated her violin piece to Juno winning her praises. However amidst the thundering applause for her performance, a team of police officers walk onto the stage and arrests Zoe based on evidence provided by Vyn.

“Yes. This is the best time and place to expose her deeds. Once the truth is revealed, the people that she fooled will be furious. And this rage will fuel the voices of disapproval against her.” (I don’t ever want to fall on the wrong side of Vyn’s graces.)

Later you bumped into Vyn at the hospital after passing some flowers to Juno. He tells you that there might yet be hope for Juno to walk again. To celebrate this good news, Vyn invites you out to dinner to thank you.

Everyone has a point in time where they get consumed by negative emotions… even me. It was only because you were with me, that I was able to recover so quickly.”

==================================================

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.