Whispers of change

"Not everyone has a family to rely on," she said, her voice serious and stern. "Some people have to rely on themselves."

"I'm not the right person for this assignment," Charles replied, his voice filled with uncertainty.

"Do you think there might be someone from your past who could help?" she asked, her voice gentle and encouraging.

"Are you saying I should contact someone I haven't spoken to in years?" Charles asked, a hint of desperation in his voice.

"You make it sound like all of your relationships end badly," she remarked, a note of sarcasm in her voice.

"If they don't want to continue a relationship with me, of course, I should end that person's existence," Charles stated with confidence.

"Is that a problem? Charles, in the court, you're aware that your social skills are a hot topic right? No one lives without forming relationships. You're just not admitting it or you might be overestimating it. Why don't you try approaching it lightheartedly?

"Hello?" she called out, her voice growing louder. "Are you still there?" But there was no response from the other end of the line.

Yes, yes, I was just picking up my wife's business card," he finally replied.

"You need to look at your wife's business card to find her number?" Madam Faith replied.

"Yes, I am going to hang up now," Charles replied

It was finally the end of my wife's colorful marriage life. The end! Jimi shouted it out.

For that jerk to have been my last client..." I cut in.

But that guy really is a crazy bastard," Jimi cuts me short.

"How could he ask you to be a… a m-m-mother to his kid?" Jimi sputtered, clearly struggling to get the words out.

"A kindergarten? Seriously?" I said, a look of disbelief on my face. "I don't even know the first thing about parenting, let alone dealing with a kindergarten-aged kid!"

You're pretty, but you're not a baby face, to be honest," Jimi replied without looking at me twice.

"You're saying I'm not beautiful enough to be a mother?" I asked, my voice shaking with anger. "What kind of a comment is that?"

Jimi shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I didn't mean it like that," he said, his voice trailing off. "I just meant…"

"I mean, you killed it at Max's school reunion," Jimi said, his face flushing red. "Everyone was totally captivated by your looks. I just meant it as a compliment."

Hmmmmm, that day, hmmmmm, that day...

"I went to the University of Michigan," I said, feeling a rush of pride as I remembered my alma mater.

**Recall**

"Which college did you graduate from?" Max's coursemate asked.

It's far!" I replied.

Far as in... the countryside?" another one asked.

Hmmmmm, does the school even use the region's name?" (They all laughed).

"Far as in... the countryside?" another one asked.

"Hmmmmm, does the school even use the region's name?" (They all laughed). " one shouted at the top of her voice, pointing a hand at the friend who attended Cornell University too. "So, give me the name of a classmate?"

I smiled, "I don't know. I wonder if your friend would know the people in my circle..." I replied.

"Actually, name the professor then. I know people in Cornell. DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING?" The guy that attended the school asked me with a wicked smile.

"I thought my husband was perfect in all aspects, but your impetuous friends are your only flaws," I replied to them.

They were all shocked and were about to laugh at me when I hit them with the word, "Professor Willison didn't grant me early graduation, so I could speak here. And excuse me? YOU'VE GOT TO PRACTICE YOUR ACCENT, I ALMOST DIDN'T GET IT." I replied with more confidence than his.

All shocked at the bomb I just exploded on the table, they all cleared their throats and continued eating. No one talked again or made any move until after the reunion.

**"That Cornell University and Professor Willison or whatnot, that's all true, right?"** Jimi asked.

"I don't commit fraud with things like that," I replied.

"But wait, you don't like school reunions. Why did you do it for him? I mean, for client Max." Jimi asked with a serious face.

"It turns out he was a victim of school violence. He mustered up courage after 20 years to go to that reunion," I said.

"Wow, what a hero you are," Jimi teased me. "You go tell Madam Faith to stop mugging you out of your money."

"Matter of fact, she said she no longer needs money. Thinking about it infuriates me," I said.

"Let's have a drink, Jimi."

"Of course, we should cheer," he replied, and we cheered.

(Noticed some guys were staring at them and doing some suspicious moves).

"Huh, that's JAFAR," Jimi said.

"Why? Is he someone you know?" I asked with less attention.

"You don't know JAFAR, 'You Who Came From the Start?' He got the ultimate style for Korean full dress attire," Jimi stated.

"He looks unreal in person," Jimi added.

"The story with the alien who became king of Joseon and elates a celebrity or something, right?" I asked.

"What the? You know the entire plot. You're unexpectedly good at bluffing," Jimi said.

"I'll be back," he said and left.

"Hey! Are you sure? I asked with all seriousness. The rumor about JAFAR is overflowing."

"Hey," I stammered.

"How great would it be if you could hit on men too?" Jimi whispered softly. How nice as he walked away.

**Phone ringing.... [Client Charles is calling]**

-"Yes, this is Charles," Charles said.

"Yes, what is it at this time?" I asked.

**[List of Conversations Starter Women Like]**

Mr. Charles was filling the form.

"Hello?"

-"Have you ever taken an MBTI quiz?" he asked.

-"What about

a favorite rice cake brand?" He asked again.

"Do rice cakes have brands too?" I asked back.

-"I don't know either. Do you like mint choco or not?" He asked.

"I've never tried it before," I replied.

-"You've never tried it... which cafe's Americano do you like best?" he asked.

"I only drink drip coffees," I replied.

-"Then what's your favorite flavor out of the 31 ice cream flavors?" he asked.

"What? I... Charles..." I was speechless; I didn't know what to reply.

-"What about a recent drama you watched?" he cut in.

"Squid Game," I replied.

-"Squid Game?" he asked again, as if he needed to confirm something.

"Mr. Charles, may I ask what you're doing? I mean..." I was still talking before he cut in.

Oh, this is the first time we found a topic we can converse about. I'm done now. Sorry for bothering you so late. I'll hang up now."

"What...? Wait... he hung up already. Fu**k, what was that? He's not normal." I said and dropped my phone.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, to the side, to the side, I think he's a reporter," Jafar said.

"A reporter?" Vicente asked.

"He must've heard us talk about the move; look at that, he recorded for sure," Vincent added.

"Excuse me, let me take a look at your cell phone," Vincent asked and was trying to collect Jimi's phone.

"I'm interested in Jafar, not you," Jimi replied, pushing Vincent away.

"Is Jafar your dog's name?" Vincent fired back, "if you have business with him, talk to me first and let me see your phone."

"You too... I see... Please have a good time," Jimi replied and was about to leave.

"You crazy bastard," Vincent dragged him by his shirt, "you're trying to create a rumor like this and write an article."

"What!!" I noticed and stood up from my chair, straight to the fighting scene.

You think you're the first person to try?" Vincent continued.

"You are a total bastard." I tried separating them. Vincent pushed me away and continued, "call the police, I put this pervert behind bars."

"Excuse me, let's talk it out," Jimi was confused about everything going on.

"Let go of him, move aside, I'll take care of this."

Jimi!!

"Excuse me, isn't he with you? Aren't you going to stop him?" I asked boss Jafar, who only sat and watched as if nothing was happening.

- "Who are you,? A reporter?" Vincent asked.

-"Let's go after him!!" I shouted.

"I am going down first," Jafar spoke and left.

-"Wait, wait...." I stammered as I saw Jafar stepping out.

"What??" Jimi asked in shock.

-"Just give me your cellphone." Vincent said.

-"Hey," I said.

-"Come on, please stop," I begged Vincent, who was holding Jimi's shirt as if he was a thief.

"No no...." Vincent replied.

"Stoppp!!!!!!" I shouted, and everyone paused, and I took Jimi by his hands and dragged him out of the scenes like Wonder Woman.

**[Both Walking Home]**

"You were too rash this time," I started the conversation, "I told you to look into him first, didn't I? Do you even know what his type is?"

"Wait, something's going on with you, right? Isn't there?" I asked Jimi.

"Mara, you're an absolute psycho; we lived together for too long," he replied and walked ahead.

"What is it? Huh? What is it? Tell me Jimi." I held his hand and gave him a nod of the head to sit down so we can talk about it.

Sighed..."it is my eldest sister Jimi started; her daughter is a third year in middle school, but she must've dated or something with a girl in her class. She called me and bawled her eyes out, she said it's because she takes after me (bisexual)."

"Hey, that's a stretch," I cut in. "You think that makes any sense scientifically? Your elder sis always manages to stomp on your heart!!! To someone who forced himself to marry a woman."

"Haaaaaaa I'm at my limit sister, isn't that why you retired too?" He asked me.

*Even a blade of grass has wounds, he cuts in with his favorite poem, even a flower petal has wounds. I'm the grass, and you're the flower.*

"The flower is prettier, you know?" He said at the end of his poem.

"Gosh good for you, gosh." I replied.

"If they sit on the road and start at the setting sun, the blades of grass full of wounds will wave their hands. Let's stop living like spiritless blades of grass; now let's step off the road, liquidate everything, and achieve our dreams," Jimi said.

"My dream is to meet another man who doesn't know anything about me in a new country and be in a relationship for marriage." When I told Max at one point, he said he also chose that as his dream and now believes that our dream is without a doubt. I said, and we stood up and went straight to my car.