Skills future

[Zendude82]

Originally Posted by ilikeoldchangke

“yes, yes, I’m too busy… once I’m less busy, I will try and find someone who wants to have sex with me, clear up my shit and take care of me for the rest of my life.”

rinse and repeat CNY reply for years of old

love your writing bro, keep them coming

[pamarsalam]

Excellent story TS, camping here for more updates

[iluvbreast]

I can't wait for Jerry to fuck the policewoman in her uniform...

[chenzong]

Originally Posted by ilikeoldchangke

“I tell you… the exact day you will die.” She said with a warm smile. “ That is the price I’m asking for.”

………………………

A Sword of Damocles. No joke.

[katong]

What's the link to ilock's blog again? Awesome writer, would love to revisit and purchase some of his/her work.

[lostcuntrol]

Very nice story, any updates soon?

[HBUs]

Fantastic story TS, support for more updates to this awesome thread!

[driedlemon3]

the price to pay is chilling

[brice]

So very nice story, 3 rounds of applause for TS!

[ilikeoldchangke]

I stared at her without a word as I deliberated with the decision. Knowing exactly when I will die can be a boon or curse. I realised my heart was beating really fast and I could feel I’m afraid.
I’ve seen first-hand what it could do to a man. I’ve seen it happen to Chua. Imagine spending the rest of your life knowing the exact day, but not the exact moment you will go. It will drive you insane. Even if it doesn’t, it might drive you to do things that you don’t want to do. It’s going to kill you mentally.
We live each day not knowing what is going to happen the next, how can we possibly live with the knowledge of the exact day I’m going to depart ?

“ I fail to see exactly how that would benefit you “ I said.

“Do you think I do this for benefits? “ She laughed. “ so Jerry… deal or no deal ? “

“don’t you already know the answer to that ? “ I said and she chuckled even harder.

“well…. It’s complicated.…” She said, uncrossing her legs as she stepped off the bed.

I asked her how does this work?
Why can she tell the future ? What sort of mad science or alien technology is she employing? Perhaps this whole thing is a scam, designed to drive you nuts.

“Is this a cult ? Devil worship ? Alien technology from the future ? “ I asked.

“first thing first…do you accept the deal ? “ she asked.

“If I do, I can ask anything I want ? “

“yes.”

I hesitated for a moment. The phrase curiosity kills the cat suddenly appeared in my head. She did not rush me, she just waited patiently for me to say the answer I suspect she already knew. I’ve come too far along to stop now. I’ve seen the future before, I’ve seen it happen and yet, there is still this nub of discomfort bothering me.
There is still a part in me that refuse to believe something like the future can be cast in stone.

“yes, I accept the deal.” I said. “how is it that you can tell the future? Do you know everything in this world ? ”

“I don’t know everything….i only know the future of people whose fate are intertwined with mine….if you believe in fate that is….. and….everyone can tell the future, it’s just the degree of accuracy and to what extent it differs.” She said and held up a pen.
Holding it horizontally in front of her, she asked me what will happen if she let go of the pen.

“The pen will drop onto the ground.” I answered.

“Has it happened yet ? “

“No”

“But you know, if I let go, it will drop.. why ? “

“gravity.”

“There, you can tell the future already.”

“it’s not the same.” I argued. “I don’t know if you will drop it in the first place.”

“Exactly, but you know…. If I do drop it… it will fall to the ground at 9.807m/s… as per the gravity on earth…. Yes ? ”

“yes…”

Nodding and shaking her index finger at me at the same time, she went on to give me another example.

“what happens…. When you take a knife and cut yourself? “ she asked. “describe it to me.”

“I bleed, I feel pain…my skin splits apart, blood vessels are ruptured… but why would I cut myself ? “ I asked.

“why would someone drink and drive ? why would someone steal an underwear and sniff it ? why would someone peep at someone in the shower? Why would anyone kill themselves? Why does the chicken cross the road “ She said with a smile.

“So you don’t know everything, is that what you are trying to tell me?”

“Just like you, I know a pen will fall when dropped…..just like I know Chua will die…..and I know Spencer will die….. and even Tan, & Choo, they too will die…”the fortune teller said. “but… i don’t know exactly how they will die…..Anything could have happen in between, that changes how they die….. ”

She dropped the pen without warning and kicked it with her foot, sending it across the ward. The pen fell, chipped off a section of it’s plastic body before rolling to a stop at the bottom of a bed.

“my kick, the chipping of the plastic, the rolling and changing of position, none of these changes the fact that the pen has fallen to the ground…. especially it has been my intention to drop it in the first place.”

I walked over to pick up the pen and handed it to back to the fortune teller.

“do that again.” I said. “drop the pen again.”

She repeated her action but this time, I caught the pen before she dropped it.

“What now? I caught the pen before you dropped it.” I said.

“Good. Good point.” She said with a nod.” Give me the pen.”

I returned the pen to her and she threw it across her shoulder behind her. The pen bounced off a bed and landed on the floor again.

“what is this supposed to mean ? “ I asked.

“You did not change the fact that the pen will be on the ground, you merely delayed it….there’s no way you can stop me from putting the pen on the ground indefinitely.“

“so every life I saved, I merely delayed their death ? “ I asked, absolutely flabbergasted.

“Of course Jerry, all man must die…don’t you know that?” She chuckled.
“you can delay the inevitable, but you cannot stop it.”

“what if I keep holding on to the pen, I refuse to let go, everyone you drop, I will hold it.” I asked.” What happens then ? “

“I just answered this earlier didn’t i? “ She replied calmly. “You delay the inevitable…..life expectancy in Singapore is 83.15 years….when your body stops working, you die…… have you tried using a pen you left on the shelf for a really long time…. ? does it still work ? has the ink dried up yet ? ”

Looking at the fortune teller, I walked behind her and picked up the pen. I put it into my pocket.

“There, I won’t hold it…the pen will not be on the ground and I’m not giving it back.” I challenged

“ahhhhh… good…” She replied. “ you can keep it in your pocket. Go ahead. But for how long ? “
“can you hold that pen, and make sure it never touches the ground, until the day you die ? “ She asked, a smile slowly breaking on her face. “what happens then when you die ? “

“or maybe I’ll repharse the question… how many pens can you hold ? “ She said in the manner of a teacher trying to educate a stubborn student.

I sighed and sat down on the bed opposite hers. Looking at the ground for a few seconds, I made eye contact with her.
“The people I saved so far…. I only bought them more time ? …is that it ? “

“yes…but….for how long ? A day ? a week ? a month? A decade ? Nobody knows.” She replied.

“don’t you know ? “ I asked.

“ahhhh……let’s put it this way….. if you are not here to catch the pen today, I know it will fall immediately to the ground…however… with you here to catch and hold the pen, I don’t know how long you are going to hold on to it.” She said. “ Does that make sense to you ? “

“but..”

She held up a finger, indicating that she is not done yet.

“I may not know how long you are going to hold on to it, how many pens you can hold in both hands, but eventually we will get to a point when I can see …..this…”

Opening a drawer, she pulled out a cylinder pen holder stuffed full of pens in different colours. The base layers are tightly packed in while more pens are stuffed at the top, those looked like they are going to fall out anytime.

Shaking the container gently, I could see the few pens on top moving out of place slowly.

“The container is full, and a gentle shake is all it takes to make the pens drop. At this point, even you can see which ones are going to drop isn’t it ? “ She asked.

Within a couple of seconds, the 2 pens right at the top separated from the pack and fell to the ground, while another 2 hung precariously, balanced against the body of other pens.

From her pocket, she magically produced another 4 pen of different colours.

Holding it up in front of me, she threw all 4 of them at the same time.

I immediately reacted, catching 2 of the 4 as the sound of pen hitting the ground reached my ears.

“you caught 2 “ She said. “ Gesturing to the green and purple pen I caught, she pointed to the piece of paper she wrote when I first walked in.
The same one that was folded and put on the table.

I opened it and saw the words.

“Green and purple.”

“I know I will drop 4 pens today at this moment, I know you will catch green and purple.” She said. “And unfortunately for red and blue, they are now on the ground.”

[ilikeoldchangke]

“Having said that, I do not know which hand you will use to catch the pen, the manner in which you catch it, how far from the ground you catch it and at what speed”

“But you do know, that on this day, I will be here in this room, at this time, watching you drop these pen”

She nodded.
“that’s good enough.” I said.

“Though I must say, I do not know I will be meeting you until recently…” She continued.

“Why is that ? “

“Just like a game of chess, until moves are made and pieces taken off the board, the possibilities of how the game will turn out is limitless….. the more moves are made, the lesser pieces there are on the board….the clearer you can see what is going to happen….. as the day gets closer to the point when something is about to happen, the more accurate I can be…”

“So Chua and Spencer are down to their last pieces on the chess board ? “ I commented.

“Something like that…”

“How is Spencer connected to you ? “

“He stole from me… many years ago… that was when the connection was made…”

I kept quiet and looked at the pens on the ward floor.

Raising the 2 pens I’m holding, I asked the fortune teller if she knows when those will be dropped again. In essence, I want to know if Tan and Choo will die soon.

“It’s going to be a while before those will be dropped again.” She said and laughed. “ we all have better things to do than to keep dropping pens don’t you know ? Besides, I’m not the one who decides whose pen should be dropping. There are greater powers at work here.”

I just stared at her, trying to digest everything she just told me.

“When you mentioned fate… and having your lives intertwined… what do you mean ? “ I asked.

“When you meet someone, you make a connection. Webs of infinite possibilities are formed instantly like hairline cracks appearing on the surface of a glass. What you do, what you say, how you behave, all these will spark off different actions and reactions.” She explained. “the more connection you make, the more complex or rather, the more interesting the webs of possibilities become. Your actions will also affect the lives of the people you have a connection with.”

You won’t bat an eyelid if you read about an accident halfway across the world on the paper, because you don’t know that person, his or her death, it doesn’t affect you. However if someone close met with an unfortunate accident, say a friend, it affects you, because you know each other.

“So you are saying you can read the cracks on the glass of people who you have a connection with ? “ I asked, trying to simply what is happening.

“Something like that.”

“Is this why you stay here… to stop meeting people…. So your glass won’t shatter ?”

“That’s a good way to put it.” She laughed.

Pointing to her friends who left the room earlier.

“They help me block off unnecessary connections.”

“Oh… I thought they were being punished to face the wall or something. What about that giant out there ? Arturo..he’s crazy isn’t he. ”

“He’s not….when you made your connection with Arturo, he holds you back on purpose. It gives him time to…. How should I put it ? hmmm…. Evaluate you… and the possibilities that comes from that connection…..he gets to the point he see something positive among all the cracks on the glass that he thinks I should take a look….. if not… you will not get pass him..”

“wow… this is one hell of a mindfuck…” I said. “ So you had your look, what do you think ?..why am I here ? “

“Well…. I’m not impressed… but I’m intrigued. “ She replied.

“And, I have no fucking idea what you mean by that.”

Seeing me go quiet, the fortune teller sighed and observed me quietly from head to toe. She started talking after taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly.

“you’re special Jerry.”

“why ? Because I can catch pens? “ I tried not to roll my eyes.

“yes.”

“Why is that so?” I asked, taking a seat on one of the bed. My head still feeling the mindfuck that in a moment, I am going to know exactly when I will die.

“Some people just want to know the lottery, some wants to know if the one they love will love them back, whereas for you…. You go to great length to affect lives of people totally not related to you….. even before the connection is made.”

“I want to save Hock Chuan.” I said, going straight to the point.

“then catch his pen.” She said with a simple wave of her hand.

“I need help… tell me how to save him… then me exactly where I should be, what time, what place, where should I position myself to catch it ? “

Without breaking a beat, she replied me.

“30th December, Block 11a, multi-storey carpark, level 3B. 2.15pm”

Referencing back to the time stated in the article, it sounds about right.
12 hours give and take before Hock Chuan’s body is discovered.

“How is he going to die ? “

“I don’t know.”

“Can I save him ? “

The fortune teller went quiet. She said nothing and just looked at me for a long time.

“If I say no, will it make you give up on saving Hock Chuan ? “

“I will still try. Because if I don’t try, I would have already failed.”

“If I say yes, would it make you put in less effort to save Hock Chuan, especially when you know you can save him even before you did?”

“I don’t know.”

“then what is the point of this question?” she said.

I was left dumbstruck and I didn’t know what else to say. Now I know the exact time, the location where Hock Chuan will be killed. There’s no way I am going to let it happen.


“Anything else? “ The fortune teller asked me.

“Why me ? Why am I the one doing all these? Why is it not someone else ? “

“Hock Chuan believes we can all be saved from what is coming. He has sent many my way…so far, I am still not convinced we stand a chance.”

“This is starting to sound like a cult.” I said, lying down on the bed and looking up at the ceiling. “what is coming ? Winter is coming ? Zombie is coming ? Apocalypse is coming? “

I did not receive a reply and I sat back up to see the fortune teller tapping the 2nd piece of paper she had prepared on the table.
She slid it across that table, gesturing to it with her open palm for me to take it.

“what is that ? “

“The day you die.” She replied so casually as if she was directing someone to the bathroom or something.

I took the piece of paper and she waited for me to open it.

Holding it up in front of me, I asked her what she saw me do with that piece of paper. In her vision of the near future.

“You opened it, tore it up, crushed it, sat back down on the bed and start crying.”

Fuck. Her words immediately affected me and I could feel fear creeping in.
My heart was racing so fast by then I thought I’m about to suffer a heart attack. Mere words alone sending my usual calm self into a frenzy.

Why would I start crying ? Is it because I’m going to die soon ?

What is going to happen to my parents when I die ? Who is going to take care of them ?

What is going to happen to all the projects I am doing halfway ?

I need to clear my internet browser history and reformat my hard disk filled with Japanese adult videos before I die.

I need to give my parents my bank account password. My wake, I want it to be simple, throw my ashes into the sea. Make a list of who comes to my wake and burn the list to me so I can haunt my friends who didn’t turn up just for the kick.

Are my insurance policies up to date ? Is my coverage enough for my parents to live till 85 at least without worrying about going back to work ?

My place, rent it out only to pretty hot babes, there’s a stash of cash in various currencies worth about $4000 under a drawer in my bedside table. I need to tell my parents about it.

A thousand questions filled my head as I looked at the fortune teller in her eyes as she waited patiently to see what I will do.

[ilikeoldchangke]

Everything that has happened to me so far tells me I have to believe her. She knows what is going to happen. She knows.
However, a part of me refused to acknowledge that my life, my fate, is cast in stone. I refused to believe in something like this cannot be changed.
It can be changed if I put my heart to it. I refuse to submit my life to a string of numbers written on a piece of paper.

I closed my eyes and took a moment to calm myself down. I waited for my heart rate to go back to normal. Blocking out all other stray thoughts, I concentrated my mind at that very moment.

The lady did not rush me, I took my time. When I opened my eyes, she was sitting cross-legged on the bed in front of me, her palms resting on her knees.

I shook that piece of paper a couple of times in front of me, my eyes looking at the folded paper before I looked at the fortune teller.

Fighting back a smirk, I closed my eyes, I opened that piece of paper. 2 seconds later, I tore it, then I crushed it. Then I sat back down on the bed and I started to cry.

“arhhhhh… boo hoo hoo… boo hooo hoo…!” I cried twice before standing back up to look at the fortune teller defiantly.

She did not look alarmed; she did not look angry nor surprised. Her expression remained unusually calm as I literally took a piss at her prediction.

“There, your prediction came true.” I said as I held up the crushed ball of paper before throwing it at her.
She smiled and said nothing.

I’ve heard enough and I turned and made my way to the exit.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll shout out the date ? “ She taunted

Turning to look at her, I replied;

“You wouldn’t”

“what made you so sure ? “

“you have already told me and revealed the date when I will die, but I choose not to know it… telling me the date again changes nothing…”

A smile broke on her expression and she nodded slowly.

“This changes everything….”

I gave her a mock 3 finger salute as a farewell and I saw Arturo appear in front of me.
Right as he put his body in between me and the entrance into the private ward, I heard the fortune teller say something which made me stop walking.
“Send my regards to my father.”

Turning around, I came face to face with Arturo’s large frame. He gestured towards the exit with an open palm and I knew my visit is over.
Nothing more needs to be said. The 4 mysterious man and woman who were in the room earlier made their way into the room behind Arturo and resumed their standing position by the corners, facing the walls.

So the fortune teller is Suwen, Hock Chuan’s daughter. There is some serious family issue going on here it seems.

Making my way out to the corridor, I saw Alvin fiddling on his phone.
“Ok boss, sorry, I’m done.”

“sure ? You find out who your grandfather is sleeping with ? A fortune teller ? “ He joked.

“it’s complicated.”

“don’t worry Jerry, I won’t probe too deep into your personal stuff, but I want you to let me know if these issues is going to start affecting your work.”

I reassured Alvin I’m ok.

“I take the personal well-being of my staff seriously…. I’m heading back to office, give you a lift?” he offered.

En route back to Botanic garden, Alvin and I talked a little about work. It’s coming to the end of the financial work year and there’s some left over budget allocated to infrastructure works that need to be spent.
Alvin has spoke with a few colleagues about it and he wants to know what are my thoughts and where to spend them on.
I do have a couple of initiatives and proposals I put up for consideration but those are really low on the priority list.
“ You can give them to Tricia, she’s been wanting to work on the toilets for a long time.”
“the toilets are still pretty new.” Alvin said as he filtered onto the right lane without signalling. “ you have a few idea back then right.”

“ideas you shot down because it’s a waste of money.” I added.

“Well we have money to spend now. Do you want it or not ? “ He said, grumbling as a truck cut into his lane without signalling.

“We can do Project greenfield, or the Daisy initiatives.” I suggested.

Alvin nodded with an audible ‘hmmmm’

“Project deepwater too if we really have the budget.”
“Nah, nah, nah, that one cost too much. The lagoon inside the garden is nice as it is, there’s no need to enlarge it further.” Alvin said.

“How about Project Iron Haven?” I suggested. “It’s been sitting there for years.”

“Hmm, ok, i think greenfield, daisy and iron haven sound doable base on the leftover budget. I’ll see what the rest have on hand first. Can you send me the proposals again.” Alvin said.

“Of course.” I replied, reminding him that the budgetary quote in those proposals is a couple of years old and likely outdated. He should only use the figures as a reference.

“I quite like the daisy initiatives though.” He mumbled, dropping me an obvious hint to where his preference lies.

Alvin dropped me off at my place and I immediately got to work after making a fresh cup of coffee.

I’ve established the relationship between the 2 mysterious figures. One publishes papers, the other throws pen. A family with serious daddy issues.

Family drama aside, Hock Chuan will die on the 30th afternoon at the carpark.
30th is also my date with Sulyani.

It’s been fucking years since I get to ask a girl out, and a pretty hot one at that. However, I can’t possibly let Hock Chuan die either.

The best course of action will be to involve Sulyani in my plan. Perhaps plan a date at the spot where Hock Chuan will be killed.
Suwen did not reveal whether I will succeed.
I groaned out loudly in my living room as I thought about asking Sulyani to a multi storey carpark for the 1st date.
It’s unthinkable.


29th December 2018
Saturday
6am

Hock Chuan goes to the market every morning for breakfast. It’s not a big place to look for a man. I arrived at the market at 6am and it’s already bustling with activity.

Hawkers selling raw food and vegetables are busy attending to the early risers. Mostly the seniors with their helpers in tow.

Configured in a ‘n’ shape layout, the hawker centre faces the main road with plenty of seating in the middle. There are a few more seats scattered on the outdoor patio closer to the road with it’s own umbrella shelter. The aluminium cans filled with cigarette butts is a dead giveaway who those seats are reserved for.

I took a seat in the centre of the market facing outwards. It gives me a clear 180 degree view of everyone coming and leaving. I paid particular attention to the drinks stall because coming to the market in the morning, most people will get a drink. Likely a coffee or tea.

I quietly observed the stalls within the market. At 6 plus in the morning, almost every stall has a queue. Early risers waiting to be served their piping hot breakfast. From Kueh stalls to economic bee hoon to wanton noodles and even Roti Prata, the small market has everything you could possibly want for a hearty breakfast.

I did not have to wait long. Hock Chuan shuffled in slowly from my right near a stall selling traditional kuehs. He bought something from the stall before moving a few steps down to the next one. He gestured what he wanted to the stall owner with the same hand holding the kuehs and moments later, a piping hot plate of fried noodles with luncheon meat, fried fish fillet & sunny side up egg appeared on his hand.

He has not seen me yet.
Turning around to look for a seat, Hock Chuan took two steps before he stopped. With the plate of food on his hand, he broke into a smile without looking at me directly. It’s my turn to pop up on him instead of the other way around.

Hock Chuan took a deep breath before turning towards me. Without a word, he made his way towards my table. Setting his food down, he gestures to the nearest drinks stall, asking if I would like another coffee.

“Of course. Black. No sugar.” I said.

“you must be a bitter man…” he teased before going ahead to place the order.

Hock Chuan sat the drinks in front of me before taking his time to lower his body down into the seat.

I did not speak, I wanted to give him the chance to talk first.

He took a mouthful of the fried noodles before chomping down on a bite of the fried fillet. The crunch and the grease on his lips and the manner in which he is eating is making me hungry.
“You found me, which means you met the fortune teller.” He said in between mouthful of food.

“Yes. I found Suwen.” I said, bringing up his daughter’s name on purpose.

Hock Chuan nodded and continued eating, slurping up the noodles as I felt my stomach rumble.
“This stall has the best fried noodles do you know that? “ He said before gesturing to a vegetarian stall and says that one has the best bee hoon.

[ilikeoldchangke]

Turning to point at a drinks stall, he likes the coffee at that stall, and he eats the fishball noodles at least once a week.

“You have a good appetite for someone about to die.” I said.

“so what ? Everyone dies Jerry.”

“don’t worry. I won’t let that happen. I’ll save you.”

Hock Chuan started laughing as he sweeps the noodles into the centre of the plate to make them easier to handle. He broke the yolk of the sunny side up egg and I swallowed a mouthful of saliva as the yolk cascaded down into the tangle of black noodles.

“what if I don’t want to be save?” He asked.

“Nonsense. Then you wouldn’t have sold me the paper.”

“you think I sold you the paper because I want you to save me? “

“why else would you sell me the paper then ? “

“What have you learnt so far from this bizarre adventure of yours Jerry ? “

“I learned that if I try, I stand a chance, if I don’t, then I don’t stand a chance.”

Hock Chuan nodded as he slurped down another mouthful of noodles.

“Did the fortune teller reveal if I could be save?”

“No”

Hock Chuan smiled but said nothing.

“I know the exact date, the time and the location when you will die. I’ll be there to stop whoever that is going to kill you. You must have offended many people.”

He agreed, telling me that some of the people he sells the papers to threatened to kill him if he doesn’t keep selling them.
“the lottery page can be really attractive to some individuals.”

“Are you not the least bit worried? “ I asked.

“No. All men die.”

“There is no nobility in a senseless death.” I said.

“Neither is there in a meaningless life.” He replied without missing a beat.

I sighed and looked at the man in front of me enjoying his breakfast. He did not seem at all bothered that he is about to die.
He sold me the paper, he pointed me to the fortune teller which turns out to be his daughter.
I took a sip of the coffee as I watched Hock Chuan polished up the rest of the noodles as I put two and two together in my head.

“You wanted me to meet your daughter.” I said, figuring out what Hock Chuan has up his sleeve.

“You are half right.” He said as he sat his chopsticks down. “I wanted her to meet you.”

“Why?”

“you’re a special man Jerry. Destined for great things.”

I rolled my eyes and gave him the finger.

“Fuck off. So what, I’m Neo in the matrix ? You going to offer me the blue pill and the red pill ? can I dodge bullets ?”

“Nothing so dramatic.” Hock Chuan wiped his mouth with a handkerchief before pulling the coffee nearer to himself.

Hock Chuan took a sip of his coffee, closed his eyes as he enjoyed the feeling of the devil’s brew going down his throat.

“Tell me what happened when you met the fortune teller ? “ He asked.

I told him about the throwing of pens.

“That’s interesting. She has never bothered to do that for anyone before.” Hock Chuan said. “I’m guessing you paid the price ? “

“I did. She revealed when I will die.”

Hock Chuan laughed.

“and ? when are you dying ? ”

“She revealed, but I did not look.”

Shaking his finger at me, he told me I merely delayed the inevitable.

“You will… know the day of your death Jerry. There’s no way around it.”

“I’ll worry about it when that day comes.

Hock Chuan revealed that the fortune teller has never bothered to go into the technical details of how things work. This means I’m the 1st person to ever have that conversation with her.

“what does that mean ? “

He shook his head, unwilling to reveal further other than he made the right choice choosing me.

“What else ? what else did she say ? “

“Send my regards to my father.” I said, telling Hock Chuan the last words she left me with.

The coffee cup froze in mid air and I could feel a change in Hock Chuan’s demeanour. It’s like he wasn’t expecting something like that.
He looked at his coffee and I could see him thinking. Then he slowly broke into a smile before he took another sip. Something changed in that moment. He looked relax, almost happy.
He gave me off the vibe of someone ready to go which worries me further.

“enjoy your date with Sulyani.” Hock Chuan said. “don’t worry about me.”

“No. I’m going to save you.” I said, standing up from the seat. “and no one can stop me.”

Hock Chuan just smiled as I walked away.

With the information I have on hand, there’s no way I will let Hock Chuan die on my watch.

I just stepped into my place when my phone rang. It was Sulyani.

“Hey. Just want to check with you what are we doing this weekend. I mean.. we going anywhere that has dress code or something ? “ She asked.

Looking at the blown up map of the estate where the market is at, I asked Sulyani what is the most interesting date she has ever been on.

“Hmmm… definitely not lingerie shopping. Haha.. well, I would say ermm.. it’s rock climbing… a date brought me to a wall once.” She laughed. “what do you have in mind ? You don’t strike me as the outdoor adventure type.”

“How would you like to save a man from dying ? “ I asked.

“wow… are you volunteering at some shelter or anything? “ she asked.

“not exactly.” I replied as I printed out another image of the carpark where Hock Chuan is killed.

“well, if he is suicidal, it’s best you leave it to the professionals.” Sulyani said.

I almost dropped my phone as I connected what she just said with the blissful expression on Hock Chuan’s face earlier.

No one killed him.

He’s going to take his own life.

………………………………………..

[sommeliersed]

Fabulous updates TS, thanks!

[Spermster]

Outstanding updates!