Mr Love: Dream Date Chapter 25 Never Say Goodbye

The next arc for MLDD aptly titled ‘Homecoming’ was released on 26 September 2021 exactly 4 months since Infinite Future was released in May this year. Over the last four months, there really wasn’t any interesting event to occupy the space so I was grateful for the launch of Tears of Themis to fill the gap. However much as I enjoy ToT’s gameplay, when this new arc became available, I immediately took to expending the thousands of stamina that I have accumulated to speed through Chapter 25 and 26. It was beautifully written, heart-wrenching and it made me fall in love with MLDD all over again. Thereafter it took me about 2 weeks to finally get enough Roadside Flower in order to unlock all the scenes and complete this arc before I feel satisfied enough to pen the summary. Happy to also announce that the voice actor issues on the global server has been resolved with new casts for all the characters in time for the new season. I am surprised that PaperGames is able to find voice actors that sound almost like the originals.

Spoilers ahead!

After the events in the alternate world created by Cyril where you managed to prevent the destruction of that world by unifying all the worlds into one through the use of the Black Cabin, you find yourself awake in your original world, six months later. You awake in the orphanage which you and Lucien frequent to the giggles of the children. Slightly disoriented, you are not sure if you have returned back to your original world but you are soon relieved when the director and children recognise you and complained about how you had not visited in such a long time.

As you relish the joy of being back on familiar grounds again, your phone started ringing non-stop with notifications, as if trying to fill you in with all that had happened while you were away. You were particularly surprised to receive an SMS from Kiro welcoming you back. At this point, I felt that the game developers made good use of the phone features to alert you to some voice mails, SMS and news features to bring you up to speed on how Loveland City had changed. Apparently, STF had published the names of all the known Evolvers in Loveland City to ensure the safety of the residents following the massacre in the quarantine zone where you had died. What ensued was outright discrimination against Evolvers as normal citizens feared their power and blamed them for all the terrorist related attacks on the city.

You also listened to the voice mails from Gavin, Victor and Lucien – each expressing their grief over your death. It was especially heart-wrenching to hear Lucien’s voice message… he sounded so broken, depressed and lost.

Your last memories of this world flooded back to you as you recall that the city was on the verge of collapse with the virus outbreak, the presence of the Black Queen and how Victor made the ultimate sacrifice to kill you before you were possessed by her. You felt your chest and realised that the wound was no longer there. You also asked the director about the pandemic and he replied you quizzically that it had been resolved with the help of Lucien’s vaccine.

Before you could speak further, the door to the room was violently kicked open and a group of uniformed men entered. You recognised them as STF agents. After doing a quick scan of the room, the squad leader picked out two of the children and commanded his team to arrest them. You learnt that STF is now responsible for gathering and supervising underaged Evolvers to ensure that their powers do not go out of control.

Fearing for the safety of these children, you decided to declare that you are an Evolver too. The leader was surprised, however after scanning you with their equipment, the results showed that you had no Evol in you! Where had your Evol gone especially since all the problem with these worlds was because you had the Queen’s Evol. The STF agents then left with the two young children as you came to grips with this new reality. You closed your eyes trying to put your precognition powers to use but came up empty.

Just then you heard Cyril’s voice. Opening your eyes, you see that same graceful figure before you. You bombarded him with a series of questions, accusing him of being the perpetrator behind the current state of this world. Cyril calmly replies you that this isn’t a dream world, it is exactly the first world you had started from. He repeated his warning to you that no matter which world it is, it doesn’t make much of a difference. He also revealed that he is now just a normal person, having given up his Evol. When you asked him about your Evol, he simply brushed it away citing that isn’t it better that you are now back to being a normal person, without the burdens of the world? You told him that you will everything possible to get back your powers and make this world right again. With an icy nonchalance, Cyril tells you to go do whatever you need to and left.

In that moment, you recall what Lucien had said to you in the alternate world, that he was the only person who could bring out the true powers of the Queen in you. With that, you decided to make a beeline for the research institute. On the way to the research center, you heard the news announcing that the culprit behind the flu pandemic was Hades, a member of the B organisation. It added that the STF has managed to identify the key leaders of the organisation and are zeroing on their location. You are gripped with worry over Lucien’s safety.

When you finally arrived at your destination, you were surprised to find yourself at the Ultima Bioresearch Center which conjured up many unhappy memories, especially that of Ares and how he had attacked you. When you corrected the taxi driver that this wasn’t the right location, he told you that Lucien has since moved his research here after saving the world from the virus with a vaccine he created. Apparently the whole of Loveland City now holds him in positive regard and he has earned himself a whole fanbase. As you watched a video of his recent speech online, you are triggered when you heard him say ‘sacrifice’, reminding you of his other side.

While you were fretting over this turn of events, a young man in a white uniform opened the doors to the research center and froze upon seeing you. He quickly addressed you warmly as Ms Mary and ushered you into the building, sharing that Professor’s Lucien’s demonstration had already started. You tried to explain yourself but decided to just go along when he seemed too distracted to listen to you. He brought you to a group of researchers which had formed an orderly circle, jotting down notes as Lucien’s voice wafted from across a transparent screen. You edged yourself closer both afraid and also excited to finally see him face to face.

Lucien took a timely break from his lecture and scanned the room looking for volunteers to give an opinion on his experiment. As he did so, he locked eyes with you for a moment. His eyes narrowed slightly but the tenderness remained. You kept your gaze on him, your heart skipped a beat and for that moment, it felt like it just belonged to both of you. There was no hint of surprise on Lucien’s face, his face calm and composed, perhaps Lucien knew that you would return? Before you could speak up, he asked the student next to you to give his comment.

Over the course of the symposium, Lucien continued to deliver his discourse on the latest scientific research and patiently answering questions from the audience. His eyes occasionally drifted over to where you were standing and you were sure he had seen you. Yet his expression betrayed nothing as if he might have forgotten you in this world too. All the anticipation you had built up coming to meet him after all these months slowly dissipated and was replaced with a silliness. You retreated to the back of the group and checked your phone. Scrolling through the entire history of missed calls and texts, you realised Lucien had never once called you. Your heart grew heavier.

Yet sensing your impatience, Lucien finally wrapped up his lecture. Before he closed the session, he added that the reason for the existence of Ultima Bioresearch is different from other organisations. This created some murmur among the students as they believe Lucien was alluding to the STF. His center had refused to bow to the demands of STF to protect the Evolvers under his watch. The only other place that had maintained its neutrality is LFG.

Your thoughts were broken by a journalist posing as a research assistant seeking greater clarity on Lucien’s earlier statement. Lucien took this opportunity to caution the journalist to think about what the media should be reporting and the principles they should uphold under current circumstances. You recognised those words as yours, that you had once said to Lucien himself. True enough, his eyes were already on you when you turned to look at him, your heart racing with this recognition. His eyes though still devoid of warmth as before, you could tell that he was seething within and feared that he could be plotting something nefarious.

Leaving his students with an assignment, he left the laboratory and returned to his office. You ducked out of sight of everyone and followed after him. As you stood outside of his office, thinking of what to say to him, you hear the sound of an elevator bell dinging. You quickly hid in a corner and was shocked to see the Black Queen herself walking down the corridor and entering Lucien’s room.

Wondering why the Black Queen was here in person and if it had anything to do with your loss of Evol. You heard a loud crash from Lucien’s room and rushed over to see what is happening through the crack in the door. The room was dark the only light spilling in through the blind. Lucien is holding a scalpel in his hand with murderous intent on his face. He told the queen she was not welcomed here though she jested about his ability to kill her wearing your face. A phone call dispelled the tension so she left with the parting words for Lucien to reconsider her offer.

After she left, you quickly entered his room only to see him sitting near the window with reports, pens and little pills strewn over everywhere. His clothes were ruffled and his tie hung loose, a completely different person from the one giving the lecture earlier. Your heart stung in sorrow at the sight. Lucien looked up at you, a look of nostalgia on his face but he quickly looked away and said nothing. You called out to him several times but he didn’t respond, nonchalantly picking up the things on the floor. You called him again…

“Yes I hear you. I just wanted to hear you call my name a few more times. I didn’t think you’d get angry… But I suppose you’ve always been this way. Tonight we’ll go to that restaurant from yesterday, shall we?”

His words threw you off course as Lucien continued to speak as if you have never left. He seemed to be talking to himself and he didn’t seem to be quite himself. Was there another you in this world? When you asked him if he had seen you recently…

“I see you all the time, don’t I?” He went on to talk about how boring his lecture was and you used this opportunity to ask him about the deal with STF and Black Swan and they could expose him as Ares. Your question threw him off course as if he didn’t expect you to ask such a question. He allayed your concerns that whatever the STF had been doing were all part of Black Swan’s plans except the incident where you had died. This caused his expression to be clouded as his brows furrowed deeply. You can’t help reaching out to smoothen it. Lucien froze for a moment and quickly pulled away.

“So, it’s already come to this, has it?” Lucien looked at the pills on his table as you expressed concern over his health. When he asked why you were asking these questions as if they were any of your business, you told him that you wanted to confirm that he had actually seen you, and understood that you have returned after all this time.

“You don’t seem to be like your normal self today. You’re more like your were before. Only that silly girl would ask these questions. I just haven’t heard them in so long. And I’ll never hear them again.” As Lucien said those words, he was looking at you and also as if he wasn’t. A strange emotion welled up within you, there was something really wrong with Lucien. He turned to look at the calendar on his desk. You noticed that starting from a Saturday two months back, there was a different symbol marked on every day of the calendar. He took up a pen and marked on today’s date.

“I should not see you. But I also can’t control my urge to see you… and as long as I want to, you will appear. This must be mankind’s greatest limitation. If we really are able to evolve into our final form, emotion should be the final feature to be eliminated. Meanwhile every time you appear, it’s a reminder of my inability.”

It dawned on you at that moment that there was never a second you. The one that Lucien had been seeing was his hallucinations. Instinctively you brought your hands up and gave Lucien a tight embrace from behind. His broad shoulders shook noticeably as you told him that you were really back in person. Lucien really loved you despite everything he had said and done to hurt you. This is apparent by how much your ‘death’ had affected him to the point that he was willing you into existence, and possibly going mad from the experience.

Lucien didn’t react or say anything for a long time. As you began to worry and withdraw your arms, he held them in place. His fingertips wandered over your skin to confirm that you were really back. When he finally turned back, his eyes narrowed with too many emotions. He finally asked you when you came back and you proceeded to tell him about everything that had happened and why you had come to find him.

Before you can say anything else, Lucien embraced you tightly. In that moment, all your doubts created by your exchanges with Lucien, his calculated moves to keep his distance and intention to use you as a pawn melted away as you finally realised what he truly felt for you. You gave your heartfelt thanks to Lucien for wanting you back and for everything he said to you in the Black Cabin, which apparently he had some recollection of.

You asked Lucien to help you get back your Evol. He told you that he is aware and that this issue would be resolved in due time. In the meantime, he suggested that you return back to your apartment since you’ve been away for so long. With that he held your hand and guided you through his laboratory to the curious look of his students. You tried to shy away but he refused to let your hand go.

When you finally returned to the familiar corridor of your apartment, you are reminded of the incident of how Lucien had moved in as your neighbour and how he had also rescued you from the surly occupant of your apartment in the other world. As you attempted to open the door to your apartment, Lucien chuckled and teased you for forgetting where you lived. He was more than happy for you to go to his place. Feeling awkward at this exchange, you hurriedly unlocked the door to the next apartment, thinking that you must have forgotten where you used to live. Lucien smiled as you entered your apartment with much nostalgia.

You were so happy to be finally be back home as you took in the familiarity of your room and how it was entirely laid out. However upon closer examination, you realised that every corner of the room had traces of Lucien – the fresh grassy scent, the black umbrella still drying out and the thriving plants on the balcony. It seemed like someone had been staying here. Your heart constricted at the thought and you wondered if you should ask Lucien about it, perhaps this was the only way he could live on.

You sat down on the sofa near him casting glances towards his way until he put down the book he was reading and came over to you. He told you to take a nap as you must be tired. Though you tried to fight it off, he insisted that you go to sleep. You agreed but only if you could sleep on the sofa so that you can see him the moment you open your eyes. Lucien’s eyes shifted several times but in the end he agreed. He tucked you in with a blanket and you soon dozed off under his watchful gaze.

When you woke up after a sound sleep, it was already all dark out. You called out to Lucien but no one answered. Feeling hungry you checked the fridge. At this point, you were sure that this was Lucien’s apartment, yet his fridge was empty as if no one lived here. Thinking that you could pop outside to buy some food while waiting for Lucien, you found to your surprise that the room was locked from the outside. As you frantically tried to open the door, it suddenly opened with Lucien standing outside.

He asked you where you were going and explained that he had gone to buy dinner. When you grumbled that he didn’t need to lock the door, Lucien offered no explanation, simply entering the house to set up dinner. You felt conflicted between speaking your thoughts and giving him more time to adjust to your return. It seemed that he had been hurting so much all this time. You decided it wasn’t time to keep things from each other so you told him your suspicion that this was actually his apartment. Lucien didn’t try to skirt around the issue and apologised. You added that there was no need to hide the truth from you and you wouldn’t have refused him.

With this out of the way, both of you settled down to have dinner. It was midnight by the time you finished and Lucien went to take a shower. With so much emotions swirling with your return, lost Evol, the STF and Lucien behaving so peculiarly, you needed to pen down your thoughts in your notebook. You thought to return to your apartment to retrieve some of your important documents. Searching through Lucien’s coat, you found the key to your apartment. Before you could even take it, you saw that Lucien had hurried out of the shower, his hair still wet. Not giving you an opportunity to say anything, he rushed towards you, his arms gripping your wrist tightly as he pressed you against the wall.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t leave.”

In that moment, your memories of Lucien/Ares from the other world where he had almost strangled you to death replayed in your mind as you shivered uncontrollably in fear. Lucien seemed to have registered that same memory and his grip on you loosened. He muttered that he must have hurt you in another time and place and apologised. He knew he would have wanted to say that. He asked you for your forgiveness and you replied ‘no’.

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This chapter was my absolute favourite and I am glad that MC chose to find Lucien immediately upon her return despite the danger he posed to her. She knew that he was most capable of helping her, and I hope it is also because she had feelings for him. Well I certainly do! I love this chapter because she finally understood what she meant to Lucien after all the back and forth. However it appears that this isn’t happily ever after because the world she has returned to is fraught with danger for Evolvers. Also, Lucien seemed to be edging perilously close to manic depression over the loss of his love. The way he rushed towards her, afraid that she would leave again frightens me a bit. I hope he doesn’t turn into a yandere character after all this.

It took me a long time to finally complete this summary because I didn’t want the moment to end. But I finally resolved to do so because the next arc Echoes of Fate will be launching on MLDD’s 3rd anniversary on 10th February. I better complete the summary of this arc before that!