Short Summary: Rafayel enlists the protagonist's help to restore two ancient Lemurian murals he is loaning to a museum. Through their work and banter, he shares pieces of his underwater culture and history, revealing a deep, melancholic homesickness. The protagonist offers him comfort and a promise of companionship on his journey, solidifying their intimate and caring relationship.

Timeline Notes:

• After Nightly Stroll because MC makes fun of him for it like it’s a recent memory. It seems to be before Branch. They are together and MC makes a lot of questions about Lemuria, which shows it’s after Ebb and Flow.

Key Lore Information:

• Their Relationship: Early Dating. They are very comfortable and familiar with each other. They banter, tease, and are physically close (head on shoulder, lifting his face). It's heavily implied they are more than just friends but not yet officially defined. The dynamic is playful and intimate.
• MC’s dream: She dreams of the kindled scene of Sea God Myth where they watch the sunset.
• About Lemuria: The protagonist asks direct questions about Lemuria and his childhood there. Rafayel answers without denial, only deflection or joking. She clearly knows his origin, and he is openly sharing his culture with her through the murals.

Full Transcript:

CHAPTER 01

After receiving Rafayel’s text, I arrive at his place.

I push the door open to find Rafayel standing, his back to me, by his workbench. Under teh morning sun, his elongated shadow rests on the floor.

Rafayel: You’re here? Perfect. Help me find teh new art supplies I brought…

Protagonist: …You made another mess again. No wonder you fell and landed yourself in the hospital.

Rafayel: Excuse you, I’ve been running around tehse past few days. How could I find the time to clean?

Rafayel is stubbornly in the clutter of scattered toolboxes, big and small. I step over everything, navigating through the maze-like mess.

Rafayel: I promised to surprise you. Wanna take a guess?