Chapter 3

"Hello, Maya. Any updates?" Haru asked, her fingers restless on the TV remote buttons.

Maya sat on the floor of her apartment, sorting through a basket of unwashed laundry.

"Ah, yes, ma'am. I called the contact center earlier. They said they’ll do a reset on their end and it should be fine."

Haru rolled her eyes and flopped back onto her bed.

"Seriously? How many times have they said this? And stop calling me 'ma'am' outside work."

"Sure ma'am," Maya hummed. “I think four times?”

“Great. Now give me the damn hotline. Let's make that five.”

"Hey, calm down.”

Haru scoffed. "Calm? Where was that calm when 'Maya the Merciful' unleashed the end of the world on the previous agent?"

"That's in the past. People change." Maya shrugged, tying a pile of white clothing into a bundle.

Haru shook her head and sat up on the edge of the mattress.

"And what changed, exactly?” She snickered. “Come on, talk."

Maya pulled a can of soda from her mini-fridge. The beverage hissed as she popped the tab.

"Not much. I asked for a manager."

Haru's lashes flicked.

"And?"

"I talked to that manager."

"Mhm?"

"He told me he appreciated my patience and that it was a really beautiful thing."

Haru’s face went blank.

"That’s it? 'Okay, sir, bye, take care.’?"

"Oh, stop right there.” Maya cleared her throat. "Don’t judge me."

“Okay? And what about your failed negotiation?”

Maya abandoned her laundry and slumped on her couch.

“I didn’t fail! That bedroom voice would have killed you instantly.” She snickered, dragging a finger across her throat.

Haru paused.

“Really? You folded over a random guy’s bedroom voice?”

“Don’t get me started, Madam.” She shot back with a grin. “I know your middle-aged ass swooned over Kyon Jin’s army voice in ‘Coup de Coeur’.”

Haru flinched. How the hell did she know that?

“You left the call on the last time. I could hear you rolling on your bed with a pillow for forty minutes.”

Haru quietly clenched her jaw and reached for the remote. Her fingers fiddled with the keys, but in her head, she was crushing the plastic in her grip.

Middle-aged. I’m just 32. I'll kill this witch.

Suddenly, a flash of light interrupted her internal vendetta. Haru lifted her head.

"Oh, wait. It's on."

"NetMax?" Maya replied after a sip.

"Yeah."

"Told you."

Consigned to Maya’s blackmail, Haru sighed. "Alright, ma'am, you win. Thank you for the help."

"You're welcome, peasant," Maya replied cheekily. "And stop calling me 'ma'am' outside work."

"Yes, yes, sorry. I'll go watch my stuff."

"Okay." Maya nodded. "By the way, the event’s in two days. I already booked the performer."

"Sure. I trust you." Haru replied flatly, eyes already glued to the TV.

"Okay, bye."

"Bye."

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

Haru's phone screen went dark. With dimmed lights and a moist can of beer on the bedside table, she scrolled through the streaming menu.

“Coup de Coeur. Tch.” She muttered. “Where’s season 2, damn it?”

---

THE DAY OF THE EVENT ARRIVED.

Confetti and piñatas hung from makeshift stakes. Balloons adorned the pillars and snack booths. The corners of the hall flared with neon lights, while the entire venue rumbled with music from gigantic speakers.

Haru felt her chest vibrate from the booming bass, strong enough to make her nauseous.

"What do you think?" Maya asked proudly in her cat headband. "Look at those balloons. I made sure they match the company colors."

"Yeah. I can see that," Haru answered flatly. “It’s nice. Good job.”

A door opened, and a long line of guests flooded in.

Parents and their children in costumes. One was a pumpkin witch. Another tiny kaiju. A third looked like a cartoon kitten in pink overalls.

"I didn't know it would be a children's party,"

"What do you mean?” Maya frowned. “It's Family Day! We do this every year."

Haru nodded. As the noise from the crowd grew louder, she felt her space shrink.

Too much energy.

"Thank you for helping out with this. I'll go out for a smoke."

“Don’t you want to watch the performer we hired?”

Haru waved a hand. “Let them have all the fun.”

As her boss slipped out the back door, Maya's lips curled into a knowing smile.

"Take your time."

---

When Haru returned, Maya was nowhere to be found. She tried to call out but stopped, realizing the hall had quieted a little.

She stretched her neck, trying to spot her friend’s signature orange hair—one that earned Maya the moniker "Maverick" from their colleagues.

Haru pulled out her phone. It should be easier to call.

Signal failed. A common auditorium problem.

In the middle of the hall, children sat on small chairs, holding their breath as they waited for the next act. Haru leaned on a pillar to stretch her legs, her gaze drifting to the stage.

The emcee tapped the mic and announced the next guest.

Who is it now?

Generic circus fanfare played. Haru shook her head with a mix of nostalgia and amusement.
The hired performer walked onto the stage, jumping around in what Haru deemed as oversized pajamas. His frilly yellow and red wig bounced like a dry mop as he mimed near the edge of the stage.

White face paint with red streaks. Comically big shoes. A round red nose that the children could honk on demand.

Now it's a children's party. A tiny laugh escaped Haru’s lips. He looked like a restaurant mascot working a side job.

The clown waved his hands. As expected, the children were hooked immediately, his grand expressions keeping their attention off the tricks.

Haru crossed her arms, watching.

The clown pulled out three cards—white on one side, red, blue, and yellow on the other.

He asked for three volunteers. Three kindergartners went up, and the performer greeted them with high-fives. He gave one card to each, holding his hands up to signal them not to show the colors.

Haru's eyes narrowed.

The clown took three white handkerchiefs, showed them to the crowd, and rolled them into a ball.
He looked at the audience, nodding. Then, slowly, he shoved the ball into his mouth and chewed. Haru scoffed and winced, keeping one eye open. The clown swallowed and burped. He shrugged, and the audience burst into laughter.

He froze. He grabbed his throat, cheeks bulging, gesturing for water. Anxiety rippled through the audience. Then, as part of the act, he beat his chest comically and blew something out of his mouth.

A red rose.

The clown walked over to one of the kids and handed her the rose. He gestured for her to show her hand.

The red card.

The audience gasped, and loud applause erupted. He blew out two more roses—a blue one and a yellow one—and gave them to the other kids, who showed their matching cards.

Haru's eyes widened as if she had just seen a ghost.

She reached for the pack of cigarettes in her pocket, her heart thrumming frantically. She quickly stood up and walked out the back door, leaving the party behind.

Maya could wait. She couldn't.