October 10, 2020. Zeekyu's 6TH BIRTHDAY
(THURSDAY 6:30 PM)

ZQ, or ZeeKyu, smiled as he hit the 'broadcast' button on his Lifebook webpage.

Instantly his internet abode came alive with webcams of relatives and friends across the globe. Everyone wishing ZQ "happy birthday" in their own style using colorful fonts, tunes and tones.

ZQ clicked away a wink to daddy dearest: Zeeshan.

Zeeshan, or Zee,lovingly admiring the boyish charm his son radiated, even just on a 3d webcam. Just about then, his mom Kyunsin Ki pinged him with a kiss. ZQ blushed and smiled shyly.
Being kissed in public embarrassed ZQ lately, but he was happy. Everyone he knew had logged on, and Zee got Paradox, ZQ's favorite band, to beam a live personalized webcast on ZQ's own webpage.

As if to outdo Zee, Kyunsin had pulled off a complex code to let everyone compete in a virtual wrestling match.

The VirtuaRoom was a big din with everyone chatting up all at once.. as real a celebration of dwindling humanity as it could get. As the noise began to settle, people split up into private chats and Paradox switched to romantic melodies of the days gone by.

ZQ let out a virtual yawn, silently muttering, "nostalgia provoking romance, oldest trick in the book"
He chuckled as the comment was instantly 'liked' by 39 people.

He followed it up with "and 80% of those who liked this are single teenagers"
To no surprise, this comment was liked by another 24 people that obviously weren't single.

Paradox lined up the birthday tunes next, nodding at Zee to activate the 3D birthday cake n firecrackers.. that were, apparently 2min47sec overdue..

PRIVATE CHAT (off record)
(THURSDAY 6:45 PM)
Zeeshan (bangalore) : hey babe, how are you doing.. sexy new watch?

Kyunsin (shanghai) : sun’s always shining in some economies;) doing good mostly.. things any better at your end?

Zee: yeah, about that.. any luck gettin a job 4 your virtual husband across the border... i think i really need a to start afresh ..

Kyunsin: zee, our love is not virtual.. so stop calling yourself that! ZQ is 6 years old today, and you still have to keep bringing this up?

Zee: sweet words of you make me tingle..:*... BUT babe.. any luck on looking for a job for me? the suspense is killing me :P

Kyunsin : business always comes first uh....
honey, i'm sorry.. but i never said i could pull THAT off.. getting a job in this economy for AN IMMIGRANT is impossible.
and what the hell is this adolescent idea of "fresh start" every time after the going gets tough..

Zee: hold it right there!
you think gettin you on board for the bangalore concept last year was a walk in the park? just when I ask for a favor you wanna be a bitch

kyunsin: do NOT abuse me. 'm not a doormat. you know how the system works! gettin work from outside isnt a big deal.. gettin INTO the system.. dont even dream about it!

Zee: come on! please? YOU gotta do something for ME this time...
actually.. theres no better way of breaking this to you.. i am broke!

kyunsin: haha. AGAIN? and why am..

Z: FFS spare me a tirade.. i'm telling its not my fault... GODDAMNED E-COMMERCE.. my Payments have NOT BEEN CREDITED FOR OVER 28 MINUTES... AND....

Q: AND 'M SURE YOUVE ALREADY SPENT THE MONEY YOU DIDNT HAVE... stretching your credit beyond limit
you amaze me but still i cant say i'm surprised.. what is wrong with you?? why cant you..

Z: why cant you grow up? stick by YOUR decisions? learn business from Q THE CHINESE GENIUS???

PLEASE. STOP. LECTURING. ME!!! its NOT always MY fault, its just how I do bussiness.. please let’s just stop arguing and enjoy the party
Transfer some money to paradox and the webgenies cake shop.. I'll have it back within the hour..

Q: an hour???? are you NUTS??

Z: its just A LOAN for chrissake.. stop makin a big deal out of it!

Q: THAT pretty much sums up what your entire life, Zee: "jus money for chrissake"... but you never have any!

Z: Thats right bitch.. dont just stab me.. turn the knife about for what its worth..
lets just stick to one thing right now: Are you gonna transfer me the money?

Q: so thats how you ask favors these days, uh? abusing the hell out of a person*sniff sniff*.
this is what i get for bailing your ass out EVERYTIME??

you know what? the answer is NO Zee! I WILL NOT LEND YOU ANY MONEY/ I WILL NOT SHARE ANY CREDIT ON YOUR BEHALF/ I WILL NOT PUT MY NECK ON THE LINE FOR GETTING YOU A JOB. FEND FOR YOURSELF YOU cheap, abusive loser of a leech!!

I am here to celebrate our son’s birthday, not to take shit from you..
I JUST DONT GET IT! WHY does EVERY conversation end this way?? *begins to cry*

Z: not my fault? you always emotionally blackmailed me when it suited you.. but if i ask for help you sell me out?

Q: i cant believe YOU are the same person that said " no man is worth your tears"??

Z:oh great! pit my own words against me!
and deny me a few thousand bucks so that you can splurge on designer labels and shoes and perfumes..

cant you see i need the money.. MORE than you do? i need it for the birthday of OUR son..

Q:are you using ZQ as leverage against me spending my own money???

Z: i didnt mean it like that!! Stop manipulating my words and stop being so selfish? for once, can you think about the world beyond you and your goals?


Q: ok. you know what Zee? this is it! i am done.
i'm done with you. your family. your stupid imagination. your romance. your abuse.
you are NOT the man i fell in love with...

Z: YOU are done? when its time to take a little heat for me.. you are DONE?

go to hell!! I AM DONE! I AM DONE TRYING TO MAKE THIS WORK WITH YOU.

Q: *CRYING*
why cant you just treat me as a friend and stop trying to use me?
I ‘ve always wanted the best for you. But somehow you keep failing on yourself everytime!

Z: you've lost the right to say that, Q.. just because i take risks you are afraid of doesnt make me naive..

Q: i'm AFRAID?
lemme make sure you REALLY regret this! Lets call it quits. FOR REAL.

AND this time, I am gonna make sure you don't get to make any comebacks. GO TO HELL!!!

Kyunsin Ki has invited Morpheus (Gyn-andro-fun.com) to join the conversation


(meanwhile, on ZQ's lifebook homepage)
THURSDAY 7:10 PM
random.guest11 : whats wrong? why did Paradox stop playing? hellooo?

Zee: hey friends...due to unforeseen problems THIS webganza's gotten botched up... REALLY sorry my bros n hoes..

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE VIRTUAROOM:
ZQ e-hospitality apologizes sincerely to our patrons. Due to unforeseen difficulties, the birthday webganza is summarily cancelled.

Paradox: a conflict with the sponsors has been detected. the webcast program will auto-disable in ten seconds. Inconvenience is regretted.

WebGenie's cake shop: due to outstanding credit, the e-cake delivery is suspended. However, patrons are welcome to sample our epastries, with delightful gustatory and olfactory stimulation, by clicking on link emailed to you. HURRY! a special 20% inconvenience discount is on the offer for the first 100 orders.


IM chat : kyunsin ki, zeeshan and Morpheus
THURSDAY 7:30 PM

morpheus: hey love birds!! hows my number one "couples without borders"?

kyunsin: easy on the sweet-talk morph.. you trying to sell another baby to us??

zee : hey morph! thanks for turning up, though our party isnt exactly going like I planned

morpheus:
@zee: no problem mate.. better luck next time...
@kyunsin: hahaha! guilty as charged! so tell me, what can i DO YOU for? ;)

Q: no mood for jokes morpheus. i just wanna get out of this 6 year hellhole!!

M: hey hold your horses, girl! my job's designing.. and thats all i do!
frankly, ZQ.. with his fathers charm, and mothers brains.. is nothin short of a poster boy!

The issues you have of your 6 year old hell hole.. Thats between you two.. take em up with the man above, not ME!!!

Z:morph.. 'm sorry mate. whats she's tryin to say is Q and I are done. we broke up. n thats that.

Morpheus: whoa seriously? damn sorry to hear that mate!
are you guys are sure? its six years worth of effort, and you are lettin ONE messed up birthday party take it all away from you?

Q: its not just about the party morph. and its none of your business. Just stop tryin to pimp your wares dude.

Morpheus: zee, honestly.. how in hell do you put up with this girl?? and does she always speak for both of you.. or she lets you decide sometimes too? ;) ;)

Z: heres the thing morph.. 'm not gonna be able to fund ZQ alone.. and to think about it, 'm not too keen either.

Morpheus: well if thats what you wish for, so be it. it was nice doing business with you guys, but damn.. it never works when techie impulsive teenagers do the hiring. so long, love birds!

oops, i mean, FREE birds!


meanwhile on ZQ'S lifebook page...
THURSDAY 7:45 PM

ZQ simply stared at the screen in disbelief, unblinking, as everyone began to log off, some even cursing.

The Paradox and WebGenie areas, the wrestling ring all were replaced by Google advertisements..

what a crazy birthday it had been!

and a single big tear welled up in ZQ's big brown eyes..
he squeezed his eyes shut tight.. wishing all this would simply go away like a bad dream..

the big pearl sized tear slowly rolled off ZQ's cheek,

and

as if magically,

just when the tear drop was about to hit the floor,

it DISSAPPEARED.


In the next fleeting second, just as ZQ's face lit up in a expression of astonishment on a 6 year old's face,

ZQ VANISHED

or as the humans would say,

Morpheus deleted ZQ.