#dad must have provided their single brain cell that they share | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

pl-panda · 4 years

Text

The vines that bind us - Chapter 2

Chapter 1 || Next

-----

Until a trip to Gotham came knocking on the front doors

“I can’t believe Lie-la of all people managed to somehow get us the trip to Gotham!” Mari moaned with a mixed expression on her face.

Adrien, who was walking next to them, showed absolute disgust. “Technically, It was my father and I that did the heavy lifting. She really wanted to go to the Wayne Gala and…”

“What Lie-la wants, Lie-la gets.” The three finished in unison before laughing a bit.

“Don’t worry Mari-bear. I can promise you that this no good liar won’t get to ruin your return home.” Chloe pulled her best friend closer. Best friend. Much better than a servant. Who would’ve thought? “And we can even try to find your mom on free Saturday.”

“Yeah…” The girl with black-blue hair didn’t seem particularly cheerful at that.

“Now I refuse to have you making sad faces throughout the whole flight. You cheer up right this moment and that’s an order!” The blonde commanded.

“Yes, Maman-bear.” Mari giggled.

The three of them finally arrived at the rest of the class, who were already gathered around madame Bustier. Of course, Lila was bragging about a million different things, but the three paid her no mind. Adrien did his best to hide behind the girls, cherishing the last moments of freedom. Finally, Mari and Chloe had to step forward for their tickets. The blonde got hers without any problem, but for Mari there turned out to be none.

“I’m so so sorry Marinette!” Lila said with fake regret. “I must have accidentally miscounted the number of students… It must’ve been when I was helping those poor orphans. You know, at…”

“Sure…” Mari didn’t even try to act as if she believed her for a moment. When Lila scowled, realizing that it didn’t affect the girl, she smiled. “I guess Chlo, Adrien and I will have to go with the contingency plan number 1.”

“What?!” The sausage-hair shouted.

“Of course my Daddy would not send us to travel like peasants. We have tickets for the first class.” Chloe supplied, looking smugly. “We did plan to maybe sit with the rest of the class. What a shame…”

“Yeah, My dad also didn’t want me to travel anything less, but I convinced him to let me stay with my friends. Guess he will get what he wanted in the end.” For his part, Adrien at least tried to look apologetic. He didn’t try hard at all, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

“But… But…” Lila tried to come up with something, likely a lie, to counter it. She didn’t have time as the trio handed their teacher the filled forms from their parents/guardians/Nathalie and proceeded to the plane. The tickets were personal, so she couldn’t do anything. The Italian girl came up with a lie to tell to the class, but it would do no good until they landed.

--------

“Did you see her face?” Plagg was rolling in the air while holding a giant roll of camembert.

“You were amazing my queen.” Pollen complimented.

“I still can’t believe your dad just… bought out the whole first class!” Marinette sighed.

“Phi! Daddy always gives me only the best. You should know it by now, Mari-bear.”

“Okay. Mari. You are the Gotham expert here. Any advice?” Adrien asked a bit more seriously.

“Gotham survival guide is probably unlike any other city.” She started. “The first rule is, believe it or not, run away if a person laughs too much or smiles too widely. The downside of living in the same city as the Joker is that most people don’t laugh in public. Secondly, never show that you are lost. Wherever you are, it’s exactly where you wanted to be. Finally, the third is to never flaunt your wealth.” She looked critically at Chloe before taking away her purse and lipstick in a golden case. “This,” She then pulled a mobile phone in a ridiculously sparkly case and popped it out of the cover, “this,” finally, she detached the golden chain on which the purse was supposed to be suspended and replaced it with a pre-prepared white one with copper clips, “and this must all go away.”

“Ridiculous! Utterly Ridiculous! Now it will totally clash with my comb!” Chloe complained.

“Oh no! How will you ever survive that?” Mari deadpanned. All three of them had another burst of laughter. After they calmed, Adrien started.

“Do you think it’s wrong that I want to bet which rule will Lila break first?”

“Ten macaroons she will say out-loud about money.” Mari threw.

“I raise, four tea parties she will start by asking for direction.” Chloe had a grin on her face

“Are you sure?” Adrien asked. When the blonde nodded, he shrugged. “Movie night and double popcorn bowl refill that she will do both in one conversation.”

“Hi, could you be so kind to point me to my exclusive hotel? You know, I’m staying at the penthouse of this luxurious new one.” Mari gave a quite good parody of Lilia.

“So to sum up, the pool is now ten Macaroons, Four Tea parties, and movie night with triple popcorn?” Chloe asked. When they nodded, she quickly noted it on her phone.

“Now, who wants a movie? I think they have the newest Thomas Astruck one.” Adrien pulled a disc from the container next to his seat.

“Good for me!/Go!” The girls said. Chloe, who was in the middle loaded it and the other two leaned onto her to watch together. The three were happy. Faintly in the background, there was knocking on the doors to their part, but nobody paid attention to very angry Liela and some classmates. For some reason, the doors were stuck and the blinder rolled down. Later if someone asked, Pollen would deny everything.

------------

When the plane landed, the class was practically kicked out. The team walked calmly down the stairs, all of them having smug expressions. Lila wanted to comment, but a glare from Mme. Bustier shut her up quickly. Mari and co. would later try to guess, what got the crew so pissed at their classmates.

Once everyone was accounted for, the class made its way to the customs to retrieve their luggage. There was a small problem with Mari’s travel bag as it was apparently misplaced to the flight to Timbuktu, but luckily her true suitcase, which had her things inside, arrived safely. She giggled at the thought of custom office in Timbuktu receiving a bag full of Adrien’s old socks that smelled camembert.

Overall, the airport went mostly unproblematic. At least until they found themselves cleared and gathered in one place while Mme Bustier left to check on their bus. One of the men, wearing a dark blue suit started to laugh almost maniacally. Everybody immediately cleared away from him, out of sheer self-preservation. Lila must’ve decided that a show of kindness was a good way to regain class’ good grace. She was confidently approaching the man before suddenly Mari grabbed her and pulled her away. The designer might’ve despised the liar, but Joker… you don’t mess with Joker.

Of course, Lila used the chance. She faked falling on the ground and started crying crocodile tears. “Marinette?! How can you be so heartless? I wanted *sniff* to check on the man and you trip me?” Lila sniffled, eyes watering with crocodile tears.

“I might have saved your life genius!” Mari snapped. Joker was a really touchy subject with her. “Does the world Killer Clown mean something?”

“Don’t invent things, you bully!” Alya shouted. That seemed to break the dam and at once the class started to say awful things to Mari. A year ago, it would hurt her. Half a year ago, she would be sad. Now? Now she pitied them. Chloe didn’t, and she was ready to jump to protect her best friend.

“Ridiculous! Do you like… share a single brain cell? What if that man was…” she didn’t get to finish because Mme. Bustier returned. The commotion immediately calmed. By now the man stopped laughing and returned to talking with his friends.

“The bus is waiting. Come on children. Follow me.”

----------------

Arriving at the hotel, the class was split into different rooms. Of course, Lila tried to lie her way into some privilege, but Mari was too dead inside to care. The Jet Lag was killing her. At least she got some sleep on the plane. From the rumors she heard from the class, they didn’t because of Lila’s drama with the staff.

“Now I want you all to be ready here at eight a.m. sharp. A Wayne Enterprises representative will come here to explain the details of internships.” Mme. Bustier instructed them. This, for some reason, caused outrage in students.

“What do you mean internships?!”

“Wayne Enterprises?”

“Shouldn’t we be preparing to go to Gotham Academy or something?”

The terrible trio in the back had trouble holding back laugher. Adrien warned the girls about what his father planned, so they could all prepare. Gabriel Agreste, devious as he is, decided to punish Lila and teach Adrien something about running a company at the same time and using his connections to put the class up for an internship at WE. He did send the liar all the details, but she must have skimmed over the corporate jargon because the class was fed overexaggerated stories about what they would and wouldn’t do during two months trip.

Most parents were more than happy to send their children away from Paris for two months, especially since the Internship was free and the employment rate after it was quite high. WE kept quite a lot of the interns, if only out of habit. But perhaps it was mostly because the class has become a go-to place for the Akuma. Only Mr. Pidgeon and perhaps Gigantitan were akumatized more often. Mari actually picked up to cleansing their class weekly through a ritual she learned, otherwise there would be enough residual dark energy to power a demon portal. Not something one would want in the middle of a classroom.

“I was told you’ve all read the brochure provided and Lila summarised it for you.”

“I did!” The sausage hair defended. “Marinette must have told them some imaginary story about the trip!”

Immediately, several other people started to nod and confirm this. Chloe actually started to walk toward the liar almost red, but Mari grabbed the back of her blazer and held her in place. All the while she had a completely deadpan expression like it was normal for her (it was).

Mme. Bustier sighed. “Well, In that case, I will…”

“Excuse me, but shouldn’t we be going to sleep today already? We don’t want to be late tomorrow.” Adrien asked with an innocent expression, but there was some satisfaction hidden there too.

“Well… um… I…”

“We will be going then.” Chloe grabbed the key and led Mari to their room. Calline didn’t even question it. She wanted a pay raise after this.

-----------

The next morning, Mari was woken by a frantic Chloe

“Mari-bear! It’s already late! You don’t want to be late for your first day of Internship girl! It would be utterly Ridiculous!”

At first, the girl mumbled something, but once she finally processed everything she leaped out of her bed and started getting ready in record time. She was brushing her teeth, packing her purse, and tossing clothes at her best friend all at once. Once she had everything, she turned to see Chloe on the ground tied with a gray blazer. Mari just burst out laughing.

“How…”

“Ridiculous!” Chloe shook her head. “I demand you untie me this instant! We don’t have time for this!”

Once they dressed and did their hair, both girls were ready. Chloe now had a black button-down shirt, deep red blazer, and a matching pencil skirt. Mari also made her wear smart black stilettos (instead of her usual that were slightly more extravagant). The look was completed by a tablet in leather flip-over cover. Mari had a similar outfit, except her shirt was white and the suit was in dark blue. She opted for flat shoes to spare the embarrassment that was Marigold on heels.

“Ready to rock Gotham City?”

“Like you have to ask.” Mari smiled. There was something about the city of crime that made her feel safe and open up more. Maybe being on home turf gave her the much-needed confidence boost.

When Chloe tried to open the doors, she found them stuck. She was about to go on a rant about poor quality when Mari casually grabbed the doorknob and twisted it. There was a faint creaking sound as the mechanism gave.

“Um…”

“It must’ve been old,” Chloe said with a devious grin. “Nothing happened. Don’t you worry! I will deal with it.”

---------------

When the doors to the elevator opened and two girls strode into the lobby, their class was already pushing toward the exit. Adrien looked very much uncomfortable with Lila hanging off his arm, literally sinking her claws into him. He mouthed them a muted ‘later’. Alya stared at the girls with loathing.

“Ah, you are here.” Mme. Bustier spoke. “Lila said…”

“Whatever.” Chloe dismissed their teacher. “Aren’t we in rush?” The blonde practically seethed the last word.

“Yes, good to see that someone is responsible.” The teacher gave Mari a pointed look. Apparently, she still didn’t get over the fact that she resigned from the class rep position.

“But…”

“Drop it. She is not worth it.” Chloe whispered. “Daddy will take care of that once we are done.”

Mari just nodded. She knew Chloe was preparing a lawsuit against the school, but their hands were tied until they graduated or Damocles could try and undermine it. Both girls knew that no adult would help them with the lawsuit beyond Chloe’s father signing whatever dotted line she asked him to. That man was more whipped than a fresh can of whipped cream.

The ride to the WE was short and uneventful. Girls took up to gossiping in English, effectively limiting any eavesdropping. Mari spent most of the time tearing down the outfits of all the villains. She started with Riddler, more as a joke than actual rant, but then she somehow got onto this new guy Anarky. From there, she just kept on, smoothly sailing from one to the next. Even her mom got some shots. Mari still couldn’t stand how skimpy it was. Her rant carried over when they exited the bus and entered the WE. Security led them to a conference room, where they were told to take seats.

Mari guessed that it wouldn’t be Lila if she didn’t immediately start sputtering lies about how well she knew the building already because of her Damiboo giving her private tours (All while clutching Adrien like a leech). She didn’t have enough ducks left to give to try to expose Lila about several facts. Such as that Damian Wayne definitely wasn’t living with Bruce when he was five. Any Gothamite could tell her that. Bored, she returned to her rant.

She was nearing the end of the list and was very much engaged in complimenting Harley Queen for her recent change in wardrobe. She still considered it a disaster, but at least it was somehow human.

“Ekhm…” A voice broke her out of the rant. “Good morning. My name is Richard Grayson. You are the french class chosen for the internship program, correct?” When people nodded, he continued. Idly, Mari noted that Alya and Lila stiffened and suddenly stopped talking at all. “We reviewed the individual profiles and appointed each of you a mentor that will help you settle into your roles. As I read the names, please come forward so I can update your badges. Do carry them on your person all the time or we will have to take you to our human cloning facility.”

People stared at him.

“Okaaay… That’s that about jokes…” He sighed. “The rules will be explained by individual departments. Now, who’s up for a tour?”

People started to cheer at that and Dick smiled. Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad?

-----------------

It was that bad. Even worse. He knew from the background check that the class was both insanely talented… and borderline criminal. It was like someone de-aged the Rogues and put them in one class. The report called them Akuma class, which (if google is to be believed) meant demons. He questioned how they got accepted into the internship.

They only toured two floors when Dick wanted to tear half of them to shreds. He noted immediately that they were bullying the girl with black (slightly blue? Maybe it was dyed?) hair. What surprised him was that the teacher didn’t react. If he was to be honest, the girl and her friend slightly irritated him too. They kept talking and seemed to ignore him. It was not because they kept tearing down each and every bats’ fashion choices. Definitely not that. When they brought up Discowing he had enough.

“Ekhm. Excuse me, girls,” he stared at them. Both immediately stopped talking and looked at him. “Could you pay attention? I wouldn’t want any of you to waste your internship lost on our maze-testing floor.”

“There is no maze-testing floor in this building.” The blonde pointed out.

“And besides, we memorized all you’ve said.”

“Care to recall?” He heard several people groan at his pun.

“The first floor is most representative, where guests are welcome and low-level meetings happen. There is a separate kitchen for employers there that is always fresh on fruits. Don’t use the coffee machine there as it was only patched up and there is a high chance it will set itself on fire again. The…”

“Fine. You’re good. Still, I don’t appreciate the chatter.”

“They are always trouble!” A girl in bright pink colors shouted.

“Yeah! Why do you have to ruin this trip for Lila!?”

“You’re just jealous of her boyfriend!”

More voices like this came from the crowd of kids. Dick started to feel bad that he singled the girls out. It definitely gave the class a reason to gang up on them. And the teacher still did nothing! He sighed. What did HR think when they accepted them. He would have to look into it later.

--------------

Mari decided that she didn’t like Dick. Everyone in their class kept talking, but for some reason, he singled them out. For the rest of the trip, she made sure to pay as much attention as she could. There was this silent determination on her face. Chloe wisely also kept silent.

After the trip class was led back to the conference room where another employer handed out the identificators and folders containing their assignments.

“Keep the IDs on you at all times. As opposed to the ones you received, this won’t expire and are synched with your jobs, so you will have access to anything you might need. They are also mandatory to receive lunch in our canteen. When you get acquainted with your tasks, you can go to the level specified at the end of sheet one. Your mentor will meet you there.” With that, he left. Dick really needed to do some in-depth research on this class. Something kept icking his detective sense.

“Well, I’m going to the law department. Apparently whoever made the assignments knew my well.” Chloe bragged to her friend after opening the folder.

Timidly, Mari also opened her folder. She skimmed over what was inside and groaned. “Apparently, I’m interning as personal assistant to one Tim Drake.”

“They actually assigned you to the sleep-deprived coffee addict?” Chloe asked in disbelief.

“You know him?” She asked in surprise

“He and his brother ruined my daddy’s parties two years ago. They got into an argument that ended up with them wrestling over a cake. It took me weeks to get the cake out of my hair! Weeks!” The blonde summarized.

“oh…” Mari tried to hold back the giggles.

“Don’t laugh! It’s a serious matter! Do you have any idea how much work it takes to have such a perfect hair?!”

“Of course… cakehead.” The girl couldn’t stop herself.

“Ugh, you… you… plant leg.” Chloe said.

“Really?” Mari raised an eyebrow. “That’s the best you can come with?”

“Well, I usually have better things to do than thinking about good insults.” Still, Chloe hugged her best friend. “Be careful. I wouldn’t put it past The Liar to try and sabotage you somehow.”

“I’ll be careful. Wish me luck.”

-----

The elevator took Mari all the way to the highest floor. When the doors opened, she stepped int a large room with one desk. As soon as the doors closed, the woman who was standing there rushed toward her. The girl tensed for a moment but she reminded herself that there is no real threat.

“Oh finally! I was asking them to hire someone else for months!” She had a messed bun of red hair on her head and looked like she didn’t sleep in a week.

“But… I’m just an intern madame!” Mari tried to explain.

“An intern?” The woman paused her packing and stared at the girl with wide eyes.

“Um… Madame Sarah Jackson?”

“Yes. An intern…” She said in a disappointed voice to herself. “Ah! That’s no problem at all!” She started to tap on her Waynetech Tablet and after a moment she smiled. “There! You’re hired!”

“Wha…?!” Mari shouted, but was interrupted when Sarah pushed the tablet into her hand, followed by a large box full of documents and a small mug with a coffee bean pointing a gun at the reader and words ‘Your Coffee or your life!’.

“They are your problem now! Everything you need is in the box. I left detail about ongoing stuff and whatever you might need. Don’t call. I’m outta here!” She shouted before grabbing her personal belonging and leaping into the elevator.

“But…! But…!?” Mari shouted after the closing doors. She could hear a cheerful shout as the elevator left the level.

--------------------------------------

#maribat #miraculous ladybug #maribat au #miraculous lb #batman #dc #mlb x dc #Marigold AU #Mother!Ivy

203 notes · View notes

mysmefanfic1 · 3 years

Text

Responsible Chapter 2

Jiho woke up slightly stiff but without any pain. The muscle relaxers he’d taken as well as the pain meds allowed him to sleep comfortably, but he knew by experience that he needed to ease up on the sitting for at least a day after overdoing it like this.

He took deep breaths as he sat up, focusing on keeping his muscles relaxed. If he felt a twinge he took another deep breath and eased into the movement more slowly. This meditative and repetitive motion synchronized with a hot shower first thing in the morning. Gradually, his offended muscles loosened further.

Shrugging back into his school uniform, he checked his phone and was surprised to find a dozen messages from Yoosung stretching from 9 pm to 3 am in the morning.

“Hey, Jiho! I talked to my friend and he’s interested in getting you hired!”

“Oh… you must be asleep. Can you message me when you get this?”

“Uh… never mind, I was doing LOLOL I just checked if you were online, you’re still asleep.”

“You’re a pretty heavy sleeper. Jaehee says that she’ll call you in the morning.”

“Ah… I just raelizde that u dont kno who Jaeeesi”

“Sorry typos. I cn barley keep my eys open.”

“I forgot to tell you who Jaehee is again! Jaehee Kang! She’s my friends assistnnt”

“Are you awake?”

Much to his shock, Yoosung was still showing as online. Did this kid never sleep?

“Hey, I just got your messages, Yoosung. I hope your LOLOL was fruitful but don't message me late at night. I don’t tend to sleep well and turn my phone on silent. Are you saying I have an interview? With who?”

The response was immediate. “Good morning!” A happy sun emoji was tacked on to the end. “Jaehee Kang. She works with C&R.”

Jiho’s breath caught in his throat. He knew C&R like most people in the city did: By the massive gleaming glass and steel tower of the C&R building, one of the tallest buildings in the city. It glowed in the dark with lights displaying its name, with a flashing red beacon to warn low flying planes of its immense height.

C&R’s property spanned outward to a plaza with fountains and eating areas. It had Valet parking in expansive underground parking garages. It was a centerpiece of downtown where only the finest of the city and even the finest of the country could work.

Jiho’s skepticism immediately brought him back down to earth. This poor gamer who couldn’t even afford tutoring and skipped classes and played LOLOL all night had an ‘in’ at C&R?

He typed a single word. “Bullshit.” and tossed his phone on the bed.

His mood sank. He heard his mother call him down to breakfast so he started to prepare for the day. So much for a new friend. Maybe he was a scammer. No way that was true.

“It’s true!”

Jiho eyed his phone as he slowly wrapped his school uniform tie around his neck.

“Look, my cousin was engaged to Han Jumin’s childhood friend. That’s how I know him. We talked about you last night and he’s interested in you so you have to be ready to answer the phone when she calls!”

Jiho could feel his temperature rise. He picked up the phone again. “I don’t know why you feel the need to joke around like this. But it’s not funny.”

“No, wait, look, I’ll get you a photo.”

He rolled his eyes. Photos used to be proof now they’re easily spoofed and altered. Did Yoosung scam people like this all the time?

A picture came up. It was a photo of Yoosung, but he had brown hair. Several people were standing around.

“This is my graduation ceremony. Jumin Han is the farthest to the left.”

Jiho blinked at the photo. He was seeing something with his own eyes, yet his brain found it hard to accept. He wasn’t someone who followed celebrities, but he knew the Han name and he’d seen photos of Jumin Han before. Still, he found himself googling Jumin Han and comparing the pictures online. This couldn’t be, that had to be a look-alike…

“Jiho! Come down to breakfast!”

“In a minute!” He shouted down to his mother. He turned back to his phone.

He typed. “This seems too good to be true.”

“I understand. But please believe me.”

The screen suddenly went black and the phone was buzzing with his ring tone. On the caller ID was Jaehee Kang.

Jiho felt himself starting to sweat. He held the phone to his ear and cleared his throat. “This is Lee Jiho.”

“Good morning, this is Kang Jaehee. I’m chief assistant to Han Jumin of C&R and we are interested in offering you a position here.”

Jiho’s mouth opened and shut. “Yes… thank you for considering me.”

“Yoosung shared his math assignment with us last night and I looked over it. All the answers are correct. Your public records are also exemplary. Do you have time for an interview this morning?”

“This morning…?”

“JI-HO!”

Jiho heard his mom coming up the stairs and quickly locked the door bedroom. “Can you give me just a moment.”

“Sure.”

He muted the phone. “Mom. I … I need some more time to get ready, I’m sorry.”

“What’s wrong?” The doorknob rattled. “Why is your door locked!”

“I’ll be right down I promise. By the way, where’s my suit? The one I wore to Dad’s memorial.”

“Your suit? It should be in the storage closet…”

“Can you get it out for me? I need it…”

“What is going on?”

“Please mom, just do it. I”ll be right out.”

Much to his relief his mother shuffled away, muttering to herself.

He hurried back to the phone. “I apologize, please continue.”

“Not a problem at all.” Her voice was clipped and professional. Her words were formal. Just listening to her made him sit up straight. “The job will involve auditing archived files kept in storage. These files don’t work with any of our current software and must be audited by hand. Once these files are thoroughly checked, they must be imported into a new system and the records will be destroyed. Therefore, we need someone with a meticulous attention to detail as once the records are destroyed they cannot be retrieved.”

“I can do that, no problem.” He said. “What time do you need to meet me?”

“I have an opening two hours from now. Meet me in the C&R lobby at 9:30 am.”

“I can make it. Thank you for this opportunity.”

After bidding each other farewell. Jiho had to sit down. He held one hand to his head staring into space. “Oh… oh my god. This is it. This is it! This is my chance! I…”

He hurried back down the hall to the bathroom and brushed his hair and his teeth again, one more time. He was afraid to eat. What if she smelled something on his breath or he got something in his teeth?

His resume! He quickly hurried for his backpack and opened it up. He smiled. Still there, perfect condition.

He hurried to the kitchen where his mom had her arms crossed and her foot tapping. He would have to take the subway to get to C&R. “Mom, can I borrow a few extra dollars. I’m meeting someone for a special project and I”ll have to take the subway.”

“No.”

His mother’s words stopped him cold. “What?”

“No. The school told me you’ve been skipping classes!”

“I told you I wasn’t feeling well yesterday!” He laughed nervously.

“What about the day before? And the day before that?” She glared at him. “You’ve been lying to me! Where have you been going?”

“I’ve been applying for jobs!” Jiho blurted. “I need the suit for an interview!”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I knew you wouldn’t like it!”

“And you would be right! You are on scholarship! This is your one chance to go to a prestigious university!” His mother leaned on the table.

“And it’s not going to do any good if you have to work!” Jiho couldn’t believe she was being stubborn.

“What are you talking about? The whole point of university is to get a good job!”

“I’m about to get a really good job mom, really good.”

Her lips pressed together and her brow knitted. For a moment, mother and one glared at each other in a standoff.

Jiho looked away first, contrite. “I’m sorry I lied to you…” He ran his hand through his hair. “Look… I”ll cut you a deal. I’ll get this job. If I don’t, I’ll give up my job search and go to class. Okay?”

“You promise…” She asked dubiously.

“I promise. Super promise.” He crossed his fingers.

His mother hesitated for a few more seconds before reaching for her purse and handing him enough money for the fare.

Jiho took the suit from her arms and bowed deeply. “Thank you for this chance.”

“How good is this job anyway?” She glanced at him as he sat and devoured his breakfast.

He didn’t answer right away. “I kinda don’t want to tell you. I”m afraid it might not be real.”

“That good huh?” She asked. She quirked a single eyebrow.

“Yeah.”

“Well… you better hurry then. This is your last chance.”

Jiho rose from the table, walked over and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. “You won’t regret it.” He then ran off to get changed.

Soon, Jiho was one of a river of suited individuals making their way through a labyrinth of shining skyscrapers in the business district of the city. All around him, people spoke on cell phones, the clicks of women’s heels provided staccato rhythms and the steady hum of expensive cars added a backdrop of sound.

He glanced up at the C&R complex as if it were a castle he was planning to storm. He steeled himself with determination. This was the place that would change his life.

He walked through the automatic revolving doors into a brilliantly lit marble floor. Immediately his bravado left him when he saw a floor to ceiling saltwater fish tank complete with coral reef decorating a central column.

This confrontation with extravagance told him he didn’t have any business being here.

A woman in a brown dress suit met him. “Lee Jiho?” She bowed slightly. “I am Jaehee Kang. Let me help you get checked in.”

He fought the urge to respond like a school kid and nodded and followed her in silence. Inside, he was a raging mix of excitement, panic, and disbelief. Was he dreaming?

He looked down at the receptionist seated behind an ornate desk carved with snarling Siberian tigers.

She was young, bespectacled and dressed smartly. She looked at him, met his eyes and suddenly exclaimed. “Ah. What beautiful eyes!”

“Uh… Thanks” Jiho stammered.

Her cheeks turned red as she caught Jaehee’s deadpan stare. “I’m sorry. I… forgot myself. Here’s your security tag. Keep this on you at all times.”

He accepted the tag and put it around his neck.

Jaehee turned on her heel and walked towards an elevator. The doors were bright gold. Were they made of gold? They had the logo of C&R on them so that the two letters would part when the doors opened. “Have you ever worked in an office before?” Jaehee asked as she scanned her card and then looked at him.

“I’ve never worked in an office before, no…”

“C&R is a very prestigious company and we value our employees highly but we have very high expectations of them as well. I’m happy you’ve decided to at least dress the part, but exclamations like you just heard could actually be grounds for discipline.”

“I understand.”

The golden doors opened and they stepped inside. Jaehee pressed a button and the doors slid shut. She then turned and smiled at him, her eyes warm and friendly. “Don’t be so nervous.”

Her sudden shift in attitude was jarring; he wasn’t sure how to react.

“Yoosung had a lot of good things to say about you. To be honest, you’ve already made a good impression. This interview is just a formality.”

Jiho gaped wordlessly for a few seconds. “Wow. I … I didn’t believe him when he was telling me.”

“I can sympathize. I got into C&R on the word of Jumin’s friend as well. Jumin values his friends’ opinions highly. This job is yours to lose.”

“Ms. Kang, I…”

“You can call me Jaehee.”

“But aren’t you my supervisor?”

“Not directly. You’ll be with our accounting division. All the usual formalities will be there.”

The doors opened onto an elaborately woven carpet. There was another receptionist who only glanced at them as they passed by. “This is our archive. Should you accept the position, this is where you’ll be working.”

She scanned her card again at the double doors and they opened to a large windowless server room. Three huge center silos occupied most of the space along with industrial printing machines.

“Every day, you’ll examine a set of financial records. You’ll have your own desk and will be expected to work alone, but don’t be a stranger. The accounting division is a close knit group. It's in your interest to get to know them well.”

“They’re not here?”

“They work on a different floor. They’ll be in meetings right around this time.” Jaehee checked her watch briefly. “Do you have any questions for me?”

“Uh… when do I start?” He laughed, and hated the high pitch of it. He cleared his throat.

“Immediately. The reason we’re so eager to have you is... “

Her phone suddenly rang and she picked up. “Mr. Han. Yes, I’m with him now. Yes. I know. Now? Yessir. I’ll be right there.”

She hung up the phone. “Something’s come up. I’m afraid…” She suddenly sighed and looked incredibly tired. “I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to sign the employment forms right away. I am very sorry.”

“I do have one question. Did you… seriously grade my homework?” Jiho’s eyebrows rose.

“Hahaha!” Jaehee’s laugh held a quiet bit of madness. “Yes. I did.”

Jiho bowed. “Thank you.”

She smiled at him. “Here.” She handed him a stack of forms. “Just sign here… and here… and here….”

This was real. He was going to work at C&R. C and freaking R! Every signature was like the unlocking of a massive door to a shining opportunity. His dad must be throwing a fit up in heaven. His boy did it! He probably couldn’t believe it. He said an opportunity would come knocked, but no way he expected something this amazing!

“Here’s our welcome packet, look over and sign everything you like. It includes our retirement, savings, and investment plans, alternate insurance, et cetera… I … am sorry I’ll have to escort you out. Security will provide you your badge you’ll need to enter when you start tomorrow.”

Jiho put a cap on his excitement but a glance at Jaehee’s smile told him he didn’t fool her at all. He was ecstatic. “Thank you ma’am. I mean… Jaehee.”

He followed her outside. “Take your time looking through those things. Be at your desk a little before 8 am to meet your new friends. Eat lunch in the common cafeteria to get to know your new coworkers.”

She suddenly removed her glasses. “You know… looking at you, reminds me a lot of when I started here. Working at C&R is indeed a great opportunity. Don’t lose appreciation for it. Now. If you’ll excuse me.”

Jaehee placed the glasses back on her nose and walked back into the building, leaving Jiho to stand in his own disbelief and joy.

Jiho made his way down the city walk to the central park. The green was cut through with shady walking trails around a large lake. Jiho settled down on a bench and sighed. He then opened the package and began to read it over.

After about half an hour, his phone rang. It was his mother. He answered.

“Did you get the job?”

“Yes.”

“I thought you would. I wish I had good news for you.” Her voice was gloomy and sullen.

“What happened?” He gripped the phone.

“Your school called. They’re going to list you as delinquent, in line for expulsion. This will go on your permanent record.”

Jiho’s expression set. “Call them back. I’m withdrawing from SKY.”

“What?” His mother was voiceless with shock.

“The job I got? It’s with C&R… one of the biggest companies in South Korea.”

“C&R…?”

“That’s right. I have no need to attend classes any longer.”

“But Jiho… you’re on scholarship. They’ll require the tuition paid back right away if you drop out!”

“I don’t care. I’ll be getting paid enough to make it up.”

“They’ll want it immediately, not in payments.”

“Mom.” He shifted his eyes to make sure he was alone. “You said that we had enough to last us a while? Not according to my calculations. We should be out of money in the next month or two. You have savings besides those from selling the food truck business, right?”

His mother was silent on the other end. Then she said. “Those were for something else…”

“Mom. Please, just pay off the scholarship loan. I’ll pay you back. I’ll pay you back and then some! They’re going to match my retirement contributions. I’ll get shares in the company. This optional insurance will make sure you have the best medical care!”

“Jiho…”

“Mom! Listen to me!” His voice rose in urgency. “I know this is too fast and this is too hard to accept. But I’m not going to let you work okay? I need you to trust me. I’ll handle it. All the money, all the finances. I’ll save up. Put down money on a house! This is it! This is what I”ve been waiting for! Just… just pay the tuition. I’ll pay you back. I promise. I super promise…”

The silence on the other end just grew. “Your father… saved this money… penny by penny… for you. For your wedding… I…”

“Mom.” Pain assailed his heart and he closed his eyes and chewed his lip. “I know you’re not used to having money. My dad. He… never wanted it. To him it wasn’t important.” Jiho’s voice cracked and began to shake. “So long as we were together. But we’re not together anymore! He’s gone! We’re not together!” He wiped his tears angrily. “So please. Just. Just do this!”

His mother’s voice came through, small and quiet. “Okay… I’ll call the school. I’ll sign the withdrawal.”

Jiho sighed, trying to get control of his breathing. His face was burning hot and his blood was racing through him. He hated this feeling of desperation after elation. It exhausted him. “Thank you. I love you, mom.”

“I love you too… I’ll see you when you get home.”

He pressed the end call button and lowered his phone to his lap, staring out over the lake. Emotion rattled about inside him but he couldn’t let it out. It crawled up his neck, twisting his muscles and tightening them. He stood up to walk it off.

By the time he got home, he was in agony and had to lay down. A therapy pillow with electronic massage balls provided some relief. His phone vibrated.

“Grats on the job!” Yoosung had texted with a celebratory emoji.

Jiho smiled weakly. “Dude… you’re amazing.”

“Nah you’re amazing. You can finally relax!”

“No way.” Jiho texted. “My work has just begun. But… I guess I can celebrate.”

“Do you still have your LOLOL account? Wanna come play with me?”

“I’m sorry. I can’t. My neck is killing me and I can’t sit up.”

“Seriously? Have you seen a doctor?”

“Yeah. Hey. Maybe I can listen to you play?”

“That’ll work!”

Jiho sat up painfully and got his laptop and signed into LOLOL.

“Add me to friends! I’m Super Yoosung!”

“Gotcha. I’m Mighty Taco.”

“Wat. lol”

“Don’t knock it.” Jiho logged in and then activated his bluetooth headset. “Here, invite me to your voice chat.”

Soon, Yoosung’s voice filled his ears. “Hey, can you hear me?”

“I hear you just fine.” Just that small effort was tiring. He lay back down and got comfortable.

“You sound kinda sick.”

“I’m fine. What’s the dungeon?”

“Elynor’s Keep Insane.”

“Ohh… is that from the latest expansion?”

“Yep. It’s progression so… we’re going to die. A lot.”

“I look forward to it.” He smiled and closed his eyes, already feeling the knots work out of his neck.

#Mystic Messenger #Jaehee Kang #Yoosung Kim #Fanfiction #Mysme

0 notes

yasunope-blog · 6 years

Text

Infant Care - How to Pick a Pediatrician

Pediatrie Praha 4 As dad and mom, we only want to have the ideal medical doctor for our little ones. In deciding on the finest overall health treatment provider for our toddlers, there are a couple of essential aspects to retain in thoughts. Normally, we need to bear in mind that toddlers, toddlers and even adolescents have precise behavioral and wellness requirements and if you're looking for a single who has the most extensive coaching to answer to these needs, a pediatrician will have to be the best alternative. In this post, we will share with you tips on how to pick a pediatrician, when to choose pediatrician and the numerous components to maintain in brain in buy to uncover the greatest physician. Who are pediatricians? How are pediatricians trained? Pediatricians are health-related providers who have done a diploma in school followed by four years in health care faculty and another a few yrs of residency education. It is throughout residency education when pediatricians are fully trained to meet the wants of kids in areas like nutrition, habits, improvement and usual advancement. Pediatricians are also educated to identify and at the exact same time deal with both common and uncommon illnesses that young children may possibly practical experience. When to opt for pediatrician? Most moms and dads do not know when the ideal time to choose a pediatrician is. Ideally, dad and mom must be able to select a physician months ahead of the infant is thanks. This assists ensure that another person will be constantly readily available to examine on the baby's wellness as soon as she is born. How to select a pediatrician? Quite a few moms and dads inquire this problem. How specifically do we choose the greatest medical doctor in our spot. Prior to settling with one particular, it is extremely crucial that we meet up with with several pediatricians before lastly selecting a single. Give by yourself plenty of time. 1st, compile a checklist of candidates to take a look at. There are a lot of ways to get their names. -Referrals - Check with some reliable men and women - neighbors, good friends, loved ones, co-workers.

-Check out with your insurance coverage system for a record of suitable pediatricians. Most options have follow web sites on the net which has a total listing of pediatrician listing. -You may also question your obstetrician for referrals. Immediately after producing your listing, it really is time to established up an job interview. Most pediatricians are ready to supply cost-free interviews. Some nonetheless, demand a small volume for this visits. Be sure to simply call the clinic prior to paying a go to. Pediatric clinics who do not supply preliminary interviews must be scrapped out of your alternatives. The screening method starts with a uncomplicated phone simply call. Consider the adhering to queries: -What are the business office hrs? Are they open on vacations, weekend or for the duration of soon after-work several hours? This is important specifically for working moms and dads. -Is the pediatrician protected by your insurance policies? If not, are you prepared to shell out additional expenses? -Do they supply laboratory facilities in their clinic? If not, wherever will your baby be sent for these kind of expert services? On your first get in touch with, notice how uncomplicated it is to get by on the cell phone. Pediatricians do not only retain our toddlers in good wellness. Much more than just that, they preserve us - the dad and mom - at peace all the time. Choose only the greatest medical professional for your infants!

0 notes

akira-seijuro · 4 years

Text

THE WAY THE MAN LOVED HER AND THE WAY HE DIDN’T - An Eulogy to my Dad

Okay, fine Don’t make fun of my Instagram handle now, because Akira Seijuro means the one who shines the light on the empire when it’s in absolute darkness. I had to choose this because I wanted to re-invent myself without being names by the chromosomes of my parents when I have decided to detach myself from everything that defines me when I didn’t choose it.

This is a eulogy for my dad. I have been meaning to write it, say it for months, but I couldn’t get myself to do it. I thought it would be something that describes the relationship between my dad and me and how perfect it was at times when it was backward a bit. But it wasn’t, it isn’t. I was sometimes people wished ‘the daughter he never had.’ I still am I guess. The only person who could account for it, well, he is not coming back any time soon, let’s face it, there is no afterlife. A few days ago, I have realized this, when the person is about to take his/her last breath, whether or not he gave up on life or whether it was a life that had given up on himself/herself, what would they say? Whom would they think about? My father, unfortunately, has a very unexisting parents and sisters, in terms of parenthood and support, so when he was in pain, where people would normally say ‘amma,’ ‘ma,’ ‘abba’ because that’s the first love any language ever teaches you or shows you and is irrespective of the place, my father chose to say ‘bhavya.’ So he chanted my name thinking it would give him the strength to bear and to not give up. The emergency ward as I say was filled with him screaming my name in love as my mother told me. My mother and I did all that we could to survive ourselves, trying to equip ourselves with an invisible pain that was frowned upon. We loved him, we did. We still do. Most of the times, we keep talking about our dad, my mom used to call him bhavya’s pithaji, haha, very funny for a girl who doesn’t get herself to speak Hindi; so our dad, he is still spoken of the things in the present tense. Happens you know, oh no you may not, sometime you will. I was so possessive about my dad’s love, that I came first all the time just like he showed me from the day I was born. I wasn’t willing to believe and accept that there was someone my dad loved beyond his love for me. How could I not see it all these days? My mother. I thought he gave up all his cryptologist’s side, programming degrees to provide a stable living for us both, for me, all from scratch. But then he actually gave everything up the moment he decided to love my mother forever, the moment he saw her. Yup, love at first site boss. Very hard. I must say, dad, you did it where I failed. Not just the fucking computer science which I hate and which you apparently ‘enigmated’ easily (fun fact: he was qualified enough to teach processing systems and cryptology meaning he studied the function of enigma machine and intel systems back in 1980s.). So that and first love, both where I not literally and literally failed respectively. My mom also loved him, ahem, she still does in that conservative, traditional sorts of silent ways i.e. in an unexpressive responsible way. I remember taking up a wooden scale and trying to beat up my dad when he was trying to kiss her when she was trying to relax after teaching me alphabets and playing with me. Fun a 2 ft girl was controlling her 5ft 8in Dad. I was the apple of his eye, but my mom, dude she was his circulatory system. So, when he saw me as the last person to ever see him alive, he became all ‘dadly’ and said ‘don’t worry 500ml water’s been out from lungs, get the nurse to take my mask off to talk to you’ and there were all male nurses and I didn’t know what to call them, my brain just and it was like, should I call them brother? Because females are sisters? I was STFU brain, STFU and no words were coming out of my mouth, I approached the male nurse to finally blurt out ‘excuse me’ in an ICU filled with children that were fated to die in the next 2,3 days. But then the nurse saw and I still couldn’t speak, I was speaking in sign language pointing towards my dad on bed no.5, which happens to be the number of my mom’s birthday, and my dad took care of himself and asked the nurse to take it off and that he is fine and wants to speak to me. Well, then my dad said, ‘come to the left side, 500, no 600ml water has been taken out from my lungs and I am now able to breathe and I am fine. Don’t cry.’ Bitch did not even say my name. I know my dad and I share a peculiar relationship when it comes to swearings, we don’t mind. Too cool for his age. Anyway, then went on saying ‘Don’t ever leave mom alone. Be with her. And call her in.’ The stupid security did not let my mom in as it was not visiting hours and they already sent me in as if they knew it would be my last hearing of his words. I told my dad they weren’t letting very slowly as if I just started speaking and he said ‘Okay, don’t cry. Take care. Draw cash out from the atm.’ Those were his last words and not once he mentioned me. It was as if he knew that I would kickass, be it funeral or work or life. I was like, okay, Damn dude, I am the dad now. Let’s see. The next morning, he was unconscious when I visited him, his eyes were almost closed, but I saw a teardrop and I asked the nurse to wipe it. ‘He should never cry, make sure of that please, no matter which state he would be in’ I said and I knew it’s coming now today or the next day. I did not cry, I came out, met my dad’s colleagues and made a plan to take his body in flight. I already spoke to the flight guy, thanks to google, told my office and his office people and then I made a plan as to how to proceed with the formalities. I did not have any expectations when it came to rituals, because I wanted my dad to be buried and to plant a tree. But I know it’s not possible for my strength to fight off almost a hundred plus people. So I gave up. And focused on getting my mom to be safe and off all these stupid things. I went home, did some shopping as I didn’t get any clothes because I refused to think that my dad was not playing a game this time. So, yup I went to my home, took my scooty off, kick-started it just how my dad taught me, went to lifestyle, shopped and bank, drew cash, then went home and packed for my mom and I for almost 10 days, got a pair for my dad and booked a cab back to hospital. Then, of course, no plan that is ever planned has gone according to the plan. It went sideways, hmph, I should say tangential ways, you all stupid math geniuses. Then he died. I called my friend, a dear one and he came in 20min, his best friend came and we were off to Kakinada in the ambulance and I was trying to protect my mom from a loafer. He was in a box dude. In a steel cold box. I could hear his body going up and down at the bounces along the road. I already felt the atrocity of the conservative traditions when the first ambulance driver refused to take his body into his van as it was Ramzan. I shouted in silence hoping my dad’s abdomen would go up and down like how I used to once watch when he was alive, just to make sure that he was alive. We reached Kakinada. Once he was taken off, I planned about how to proceed, to keep my mom under her parents and sisters care for a few months to find a house because she never lived alone and me going to the office would be not right at that point of time. Go to his office, contact HR about the provident and gratuity and then proceed to bank formalities and the LIC stuff, all his work counterparts of departure. I did not cry but I saw everyone crying and I thought, okay, people normally would think I would cry my eyes out because I am sweet and sensitive and naïve. I was like dude it was just a dead body, my dad died yesterday itself. I actually said those words that seemed cold immediately after his death. It was nothing with the thought of what we call life; it was just a body that cannot even be used to transplantation because of cancer. I’m so sorry to say this but I am obsessed with cancer and I want to know everything there is to know to be found about it. Such a tiny, not meant to be blended cell. I saw a man who became from the healthiest and strongest being, transformed into a being of the suffering, diminishing every single second as I breathed and who turned to nothing, but eyes and jaw wide opened, pupils, dilated and dead. And nothing could bring any part of his life back. I knew life was meaningless, people want to love and happiness, but they can absolutely live without love, care, happiness. But people are annihilated because of pain my friend, whether physical or torture. True, all the medals, patents, money, family, the name could make life accountable, but none of it actually makes it worthwhile. A friend of mine, I believe I can say friend now, he asked to read Leo Tolstoy’s ‘A confession’ and I did. I knew life is meaningless, no amount of power, success could define the purpose of life. It just is. There is no purpose, but there is one thing that I can say. I had everything, I felt nothing, I had nothing and I still felt nothing in terms of winning. Even now, doing marvelously at work feels nothing, not because I don’t value it enough but because it doesn’t have any in the end. But if I can support too, the share is a big word, it is worthless, so if I could support a person to be able to just be there with his/her own pain, I thought it’s livable their life. All these years, I was doing that making my life livable, and for others too. No goal can ever make you survive. Only death does. Yes I wanted to end my life and I tired but I could have succeeded at it if I took rather messy options but I didn’t because they inflict a lot of physical pain. I didn’t care about my body, but my body did feel the pain, physical and mental too, I can’t describe it, sorry. I have no words or form for it yet. So, pain is very real and very implicate and unbearable even to end in a few ways. I see humans as a bunch of tiny cells that happened to form to communicate with each other as lumps. Who knows? We think we are clever, but the millions of bacteria around us do something that we don’t know every day in their minuscule quantum systems. We’re the size of bacteria is this whole universe. Who cares about the beginning of the end? At last, it is all just is. Existing. That’s it. A medium that doesn’t have a beginning and an end and we are floating apart or alone or together creating our own theories. But pain is very real. And that’s the only reason why I respect or consider only the ones that I think knew this pain as real deals.

We’re drifting from the title now, I’m going to save it for a whole new going to be an unlistened podcast. My dad sacrificed everything he thinks he has for my mother and me and created his own everything his way. He loved her, but he never told her. He was proud of her upbringing, but he never appreciated it enough. He valued her sacrifice of a government job back then when she was earning more than him when he asked her ‘come live with me and transfer’s going to take too long, take our daughter come and live with me, let’s be together at one place, every second that there is and that is to come,’ which she did, but he never showed that gratitude. He always asked her if she had dinner whenever he went away to some parties, but never tried to enter the kitchen. He never made her feel lonely, but he didn’t make sure that their daughter did not see it that way. He lived till his last moment to fight to live with her and his daughter but he never asked how they were living. He tried not to fight with her in front of his little girl, but then he kept all of it to himself. He saw himself as a man when he didn’t need anyone, but when he did, he saw her as a mother he never had. He loved his little girl, but he never told her about the greatest love of his life, he had the fortune of sharing his life with for 24 years. He brought his daughter like a real human, to face any brink of adversity, but failed to think that she doesn’t need a man until he saw his last moments with her. My mom fulfilled her emptiness with the love between my father and I and the love and care she had towards me, but I must say, I cannot see my mother away from us, my dad, I wish he was okay with being sensitive even when there were no needles around, I wish he was okay with being pointed for wrong, when my mother was right, I wish he let her be braver and he himself be brave to tell her that he loved her. So, mom, I am telling you today, you were the best thing that ever happened to dad, not me, you were his circulatory system, a part of him that he could never live with, and now he is gone, and you are with me, I am not telling you I’ll be you perfect daughter, by marrying and settling off with a guy and 2 kids. If I am going to have it, I will have it my way, where I need not prepare myself a lot to tell my husband, Genius jerk, I love you but to get there, I must make myself sufficient first and to that to happen, sorry your daughter is very unique. She wants to be all kinds of awesome things. So it will take time, for her to be sufficient. I am going to do an M.Tech and MBA, if people want to stay, they will otherwise they won’t. But if they do, I am never going to stop telling them I love them, even though I am at the peak of my dissociative behavior now. I went straight from a person who loved many who doesn’t love any. But my dad taught me humanity, above all, that people who are not blood-related, can be your mother, can be your father (he had a father figure, Rama Rao sir who helped him a lot, for whose demise he shed tears, that I saw from my father’s eyes for the first time in my life), can be your brother (like once upon a time like Joseph Uncle), can be anything that could lift you up and all because they loved and cared, on the other hand, he also taught me that blood relations can mean to nothing like my paternal family. I love you, dad, you are the man who loved my mom the most, the man who taught me to be myself and not anyone else, you taught me, love, you gave me pain everywhere, but most of all, you let me sleep on your lap every night before going to bed and wrapped your warm arms on my winter solstice birthday, you celebrated me and I will miss being a celebrity. I am sure my mom is also missing me being a celebrity in her own palace. Love, the Akira who’d always step into the obsolete dark, lights it up and goes into the darkness. I will always remember to appreciate love, at the same time not choke it and to help ease the pain in ways we could. Don’t worry I already got my own version of absolutely stunning brother with the amazing heart and strength that is unknown to him, Akshay, 9 days elder to me and friends for a lifetime, though I am helpless now, I’d want him to be by my side when I die and I’ll die before him and don’t ask me how. Friends for a lifetime, Gowtami, Chandana and Sneha too. Also, the responsible badass brother Prateek Bokade. I even have a person to look up to, Harsha Kuntur, a climate activist and awesome entrepreneur. I wish I knew the other Harsha too, but it seems he is also a kind soul that helps others build a life in his own way so we speak, I love my maternal family, not all, just my mom’s parents, sisters and their respective sons, husbands. That’s enough blood relation and of course, the ones who show me, love, at times most needed, Bhavana and Pratishtha without any pre-requisites. I am making more acquaintances. I still do love one guy, but I sort of erm, not focused on that as loving is in my hands, but reciprocation is not. So, dad, he is a friend of mine, for now, just a bit more than a stranger, erm, I fell during my denial, so, couldn’t actually rot away like I did with the first one-sided one, and I guess that’s ok. So, let's see. You rock on and thanks for introducing me to Michael Jackson and Kraftwerk, I knew you would have Taylor swift because she is a feminist and she is strong, but dammit, I love her way too much! Let's see if my life turns out to be on lines of Keanu Reeves or Taylor Swift. But I’ll give up sometimes, quit on things and people like did, but I won’t step back when it’s dark. Thanks for all the courage in the genes' love. I don’t think this is goodbye. So I’m done, I love you, bubyeee for now. I chose the title because it showed that he never knew how, he just went with what he knew he can, but forgot what he was capable of when it comes to love. A brave step aside from the self and ego would have created an entirely different timeline and then maybe I wouldn’t be here saying this. I hope it is not too late for any generation of its kind.

0 notes

tennissurfacingspecifications · 6 years

Text

Press release: New figures show larger proportion of strokes in the middle aged

Public Health England (PHE) today launches the Act FAST stroke campaign which urges the public to call 999 if they notice even one of the signs of a stroke in themselves, or in others:

Face – has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile?

Arms – can they raise both their arms and keep them there?

Speech – is their speech slurred?

Time – to call 999

In England, one in six people will have a stroke in their lifetime, and new statistics released by PHE show that 57,000 people had their first-time stroke in 2016. It is estimated that around 30% of people who have a stroke will go on to experience another stroke.

Stroke is the third most common cause of premature death, and a leading cause of disability in the UK. There are around 32,000 stroke-related deaths in England each year. Deaths related to stroke have declined by 49% in the past 15 years. This has been accredited to a combination of better prevention, earlier treatment and more advanced treatment. Getting an NHS Health Check, for those aged 40 to 74 years, can identify early if you are at risk of a stroke.

While the majority (59%) of strokes occur in the older generation, PHE’s figures also found that over a third (38%) of first time strokes happen in middle-aged adults (between the ages of 40 to 69). More first-time strokes are now occurring at an earlier age compared to a decade ago. The average age for males having a stroke fell from 71 to 68 years and for females, 75 to 73 years between 2007 and 2016.

Awareness is crucial, so the campaign reaches out to people of all ages to highlight the risk of stroke and reiterates the signs and how vital it is that people call 999 and get to hospital as soon as possible. Around 1.9 million nerve cells in the brain are lost every minute that a stroke is left untreated, which can result in slurred speech and paralysis. If left untreated, a stroke can result in permanent disability or death.

The Stroke Association’s latest State of the Nation report reveals that in the UK almost two thirds (65%) of stroke survivors leave hospital with a disability. Around three quarters of stroke survivors have arm or leg weakness, around 60% have visual problems and around a half have difficulty swallowing and loss of bladder control. Communication is also affected in around a third of stroke survivors.

Professor Julia Verne, Public Health England Director, said:

Stroke is still one of the leading causes of death in England. While it’s often associated with older people, the latest research shows that people are having strokes at a younger age. Everyone needs to be aware of the signs.

Calling 999 as soon as you see even one of the symptoms develop – in the face, arms and speech – is essential. Speedy treatment will help prevent deaths and disability.

Tony Rudd, National Clinical Director for Stroke with NHS England and stroke physician at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, comments:

Thanks to improved NHS care, stroke survival is now at record high levels. Urgent treatment for strokes is essential, so friends and family can play a key part in making sure their loved ones receive care as quickly as possible.

Every minute counts and knowing when to call 999 - if you see any one of the signs of stroke - will make a significant difference to someone’s recovery and rehabilitation.

Steve Brine MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health and Primary Care, said:

Strokes still claim thousands of lives each year, so the message of this Act FAST campaign remains as relevant as ever. The faster you act, the greater the chance of a good recovery. That’s why I’m urging everybody, and we must remember stroke can hit at any age, to familiarise themselves with the signs of a stroke and be ready to act fast.

Martin Flaherty OBE, Managing Director of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives said:

We fully support Public Health England’s Act FAST stroke campaign. This is an important message and we urge people to call 999 immediately if they notice the signs or symptoms of a stroke in themselves or in others. Even if it is not a stroke, it is likely to be something that needs medical advice and attention, so calling the ambulance service is the right thing to do.

Juliet Bouverie, CEO of the Stroke Association, said:

As the UK’s leading stroke charity, we have said time and again that stroke devastates lives in an instant. Almost two thirds of stroke survivors leave hospital with a disability, but it doesn’t have to be this way. The faster you seek and receive emergency specialist treatment for stroke, the better your chances of making a good recovery. Knowing the signs of stroke and being able to Act FAST could save a life – your life.

The FAST (face, arms, speech, time) acronym has featured in the advertising for a number of years and is a simple test to help people identify the most common signs of a stroke.

Background

The Act FAST campaign videos and pictures can be found on Dropbox.

Interview opportunities with PHE, healthcare professionals and case studies are available upon request

The Act FAST campaign will run nationally from 1 February. The campaign includes advertising on TV, press, radio, bus interior posters and digital, supporting PR and a social media drive. Some activity will specifically target black and minority ethnic audiences because African, African-Caribbean and South Asian communities have a higher incidence of stroke. Twitter: @ActFAST999, Facebook: www.facebook.com/ActFAST999

A stroke is a brain attack that happens when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, caused by a clot or bleeding in the brain. A mini stroke is also known as a transient ischaemic attack (TIA). It is caused by a temporary disruption in the blood supply to part of the brain.

The Stroke Association is a charity that believes in life after stroke and together we can conquer stroke. It works directly with stroke survivors and their families and carers, with health and social care professionals and with scientists and researchers. They campaign to improve stroke care and support people to make the best recovery they can. They fund research to develop new treatments and ways of preventing stroke. The Stroke Helpline (0303 303 3100) provides information and support on stroke.

The One You campaign is a nationwide programme that supports adults in making simple changes that can have a huge influence on their health. Changes that could help prevent diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease and reduce risk of suffering a stroke or living with dementia, disability and frailty in later life

People aged over-30 are being encouraged to take Public Health England’s online ‘Heart Age Test’ to find out their ‘heart age’ which will show their potential risk of having a heart attack or stroke and gives them the opportunity to take action. To calculate someone’s heart age, they will need to share some lifestyle information, including weight, height and smoking habits. They will then be able to see how their real age compares to their heart age and find out how many years they can expect to live without developing cardiovascular disease

Adults aged 40 to 74 are eligible for a free NHS Health Check which is designed to spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia. As we get older, we have a higher risk of developing one of these conditions. An NHS Health Check helps find ways to lower this risk. Those in the age group can expect to receive a letter from your GP or local authority inviting you for a free NHS Health Check every 5 years.

Additional symptoms of stroke and mini stroke can include sudden:

loss of vision or blurred vision in one or both eyes

weakness or numbness on one side of the body

memory loss or confusion

dizziness, unsteadiness or a sudden fall, especially with any of the other symptoms

Celebrity campaign supporters

Celebrity supporters of this campaign include Shelley King, Gloria Hunniford, Marcus Birdman and Alastair Stewart. Quotes from the celebrities are included below and interviews are available upon request.

Shelley King, actress who plays Yazmeen Nazir on Coronation Street and supporter of the Stroke Association, said:

Both my mother and grandmother have been affected by a stroke so it’s something incredibly close to my heart and I want to do anything I can to encourage people to be aware of the signs of a stroke and to act quickly if you notice them, either in yourself or in other people around you. Back in the 90s when my mother had a stroke, there was very little awareness – many people wouldn’t have spotted the signs or known what to do, delaying action that could have saved lives. But today, with campaigns like Act FAST, we can be empowered to do more. A stroke can strike at any time – it might be someone just walking down the street who needs your help – so it’s crucial that all of us take notice of the FAST acronym and know to call 999 immediately if we see any single one of the signs.

Gloria Hunniford, television and radio presenter and supporter of the Stroke Association, said:

I know first-hand the importance of recognising signs of stroke and acting fast, having had to do so for my husband, Stephen. I was about to head out of our home to work, when Stephen stumbled into the house from the garden saying his left arm felt like cotton wool. My dad had suffered a series of strokes, so recognising the warning bells, I knew I had to act fast. Not many of us realise how quickly the clock is ticking for someone who is suffering stroke – thankfully Stephen got to the hospital in time to receive clot-busting treatment within the crucial 3-hour time window. Whether it’s just one symptom or more, and no matter how subtle, it’s absolutely essential to call 999 at the first signs of a stroke. I dread to think what could have happened if Stephen was too late – his outlook could have been much worse. Fortunately, he fully recovered.

Alastair Stewart OBE, journalist and newscaster and supporter of the Stroke Association, said:

My father had a stroke and it was devastating for my family. He was my hero and to see him struggling with disabilities afterwards was heart-breaking. I’d encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with the Act FAST acronym so they can act quickly when they see a stroke happening and hopefully avoid someone experiencing the same difficulties as my father.

Markus Birdman, stand-up comedian and supporter of the Stroke Association, said:

I considered myself to be fit and healthy, so when I was 40 and had a stroke it was a shock. I woke up one morning and found it really hard to see; I had absolutely no idea what was going on. You never think it’s going to happen to you, especially not when you’re young, but strokes can happen at any age so it’s important that people know the signs to look out of so they can act quickly. The faster you act, the less damage that is done and the better the person’s chance of a good recovery.”

Public Health England exists to protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities. It does this through world-class science, knowledge and intelligence, advocacy, partnerships and the delivery of specialist public health services. PHE is an operationally autonomous executive agency of the Department of Health. Twitter: @PHE_uk, Facebook: www.facebook.com/PublicHealthEngland.

freuds

Email [email protected]

Telephone 020 3003 6527

Mobile 07912 515997

Mobile 07701 395471

Public Health England Press Office

Email [email protected]

Telephone 0207 654 8038

Out of hours 020 8200 4400

from Public Health England - Activity on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-figures-show-larger-proportion-of-strokes-in-the-middle-aged via IFTTT

#sports surfacing specialists #sports court designs #court designers #tennis surface experts #tennis

0 notes