Oh wow, this was so long, and both well-written and well thought out! I’m amazed! It was just perfect; I love how Lily and Will’s relationship grew and developed over time, from mere acquaintances to much, much more. They’re both so polite and formal, yet they’re so different at the same time, which I guess is why I like them together. And I hate when people make Lily out to be a gold-digger after Will’s wealth; you made their relationship much deeper and more personal than that, which I appreciate.

And I also love how you used these Chinese proverbs to organize the story into different interwoven sections, each part pertaining to a specific proverb as its theme; it was unusual but very effective, I thought, even though I hadn’t heard of any of them prior to reading this.

Beautiful job on this story, I loved reading it! And that last line was great. :)

-CCM

Now that I have managed to post my gift, I finally have the chance to review this properly.

Oh wow. There are no words to describe how I perfectly I find this story. There's just too many things to love about this. Will and Lily's portrayals were just spot-on and you even pushed the boundaries by developing them further, making them three-dimensional and easy to relate to. Reading your take on their relationship was like playing the game again with a different set of eyes.

And the Asian proverbs you added in! I was only familiar with the first one, though. Haha. The theme you chose suited them very well and it really showcased the over-all atmosphere of this story. And I really love how you were able to weave them in without making the story feel bloated. I never got tired of reading from one segment to another, like I was just watching a movie in my mind.

My most favorite part of it all would have to be the way you interpreted the relationship between these two: how it grew from mere acquaintances to partners who they'll entrust their feelings with. I even appreciated how you tied it with the games, as well. I mean, the last line had me practically squealing like a little girl!

Oh and that little quote from Ai-chan was just the icing on the cake!

Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Out of all the gifts I have received last Christmas, this would have to be my favorite! (And I believe that's saying something since I got Pokemon ORAS last year. ;D )

Much love. - Tia

Amazing job! I'm sure your recipient will be thrilled. I love both Lily and Will, but was always a bit skeptical about their relationship. However, you really solidified the ship for me. I enjoyed the inclusion of the Asian proverbs, especially in contrast to the Shakespeare. A very good job at blending the two worlds. Overall, great story!

This was so, so wonderful. To be honest, I've never played IoH/SI but this fic was so great that it didn't even matter. I loved your Lily; you did a great job developing her character throughout the story, as well as her relationship with Will. I particularly liked the part where she was jealous of Chelsea and he quoted Shakespeare to her (swoon). Although the characters/romance was wonderful, my favourite thing about this story was your use of fables/tales, both in breaking up the segments and in giving meaning to Lily & Will's interactions. It was brilliantly executed and I adored it so much - did you make up the stories or are they legit? (I'm only asking because I'd love to read more).