One second of silence.
Two seconds of silence.
Three seconds of silence.
Four seconds, call ended.
Artie Vaughn redialed Summer Fairmont's number on the fifth second: "Ah Summer, why did you hang up on me!"
"Packing my bags." Summer Fairmont's words were in extreme simplicity mode, but her actions were far more capable than the usual XX chromosome species.
"Ah Summer, are you coming to help Artie with the checks? I just knew you're Artie's dearest dearest Summer! Can Artie give you a tiny kiss? A kiss where you tiptoe, a kiss that makes you go all mushy, a kiss until you can't breathe…" Artie Vaughn always becomes a bit abnormal when talking to Summer Fairmont on the phone.
Crying like a dam breaking one second, and then being adorable beyond measure the next.
"Goodbye." Based on how last time she hung up, only to be relentlessly called back, Summer Fairmont prepared for the second time with a preemptive goodbye.
The past month was the busiest in 22 years of Summer Fairmont's life.
She discovered there was just too much she needed to catch up on.
And many things, there simply was no chance to catch up.
The passing of a life, the inheritance of a skill.
The disappearance of a distillery, the opening of a family tree.
"Ah Summer, can you wait a moment? I almost cried myself unconscious, but I sold the whiskey for you! How could you do this to Artie? Artie is so cute and pitiful, how could you… hmm… right! Burn the bridge after crossing!" Artie recalled the phrase Gordon Sterling used to criticize Leo Vaughn earlier.
"Swim across."
"..."
It took Artie three seconds to process why Summer Fairmont told her to swim across.
"Ah Summer, are you trying to say that Artie's swimming skills are so world-shattering that even without the bridge, there's nothing to be afraid of? But even so, that's not right!"
The Pouting Siren always paid attention to different things compared to Summer Fairmont: "Imagine this, after your dear Artie finishes swimming, she has to change out of her wet clothes, how is that going to work under the bridge in the wilderness? Summer, how could you ruin Artie's reputation like that?"
"Hanging up." Figuring that Artie was just making trouble out of nothing, Summer Fairmont decided to focus on her main tasks.
The love and hate of The Devilish Lolita come quickly and leave just as fast.
That kind of person, who can't hide love or hate.
Emotions are expressed directly, and once expressed, are no longer bothersome.
Summer Fairmont was unsure how true Artie was, when she mentioned on the phone about liking a guy.
This best friend of hers, besides having a fondness for being coy, also had a hobby of matchmaking, constantly proclaiming herself as the reincarnation of Cupid.
She often proudly declared that as long as she introduced them, even the most unlikely couples would become soulmates.
In Artie's own words, it meant: "We can punk healthily, why can't they pair despite being mismatched?"
The Pouting Siren has always had logical issues.
She couldn't even comprehend that both the Matchmaker and Cupid were responsible for others' love connections, whereas she often mixed up friends and foes, and misjudged people.
Artie possessed something Summer Fairmont envied, which was a "seven-second memory" like a goldfish for anything bad.
She would either exact revenge immediately or turn around and forget.
The past sadness was not Artie's sadness, yet the past happiness could make her eternally happy.
Crying heart-wrenched tears one second, laughing amid blooming wildflowers the next.
How could one not be envious of such a carefree life?
Being with Artie is a very happy thing, as she keeps you living constantly within the purest emotions of the world.
"Wait a minute, when you come Summer, remember to bring a bottle of fifty-year-old whiskey, okay! You must, must remember!" Artie hurriedly mentioned the main point she made two calls for.
"Mm."
"No, no, no, just saying 'mm' isn't enough. You have to pack it nicely, you know? Make sure not to let the whiskey get contaminated, you know? This is a world-shattering, number one important thing, you know…" Artie said, starting to feel a bit guilty.
"Forgive you. Bottled forty years ago. Rest assured." Summer Fairmont, who wasn't even present at Artie and Sean Lowell's encounter, spoke as if she understood everything.
Without asking anything, she just forgave, and assured Artie to not worry, The Pouting Siren nearly burst into tears once more.