Loveless in The Leo Republic

by GlennLeung

Three years ago (Jacob)

"The government has no right to make us love!"

My voice off the megaphone didn't seem to have the effect I'd wanted. I suppose that's what you get when you're trying to scream your lungs out in the open. Being banned from the mall meant the late morning heat of The Leo Republic sapped away the energy of my words. The only ones listening to me were teenagers heckling their hearts out.

"Surrender to the SDU, you nerd! You know, 'cos you're single, desperate, and ugly!"

"Get bent! Ya loveless freak!"

That first insult was getting far too old, and the second one hit a little too close to home. Sure, it's my mother's maiden name, but unfortunate coincidences have no sympathy for family heritage. I did my best to ignore them, like how everyone else was ignoring me. My thoughts and feelings weren't going to shout themselves.

"We have more than enough love in Leo! It is completely unnecessary and cruel to mandate love! We do not deserve to be bound to another person for the rest of our lives. We deserve to be free to explore the limits of our individuality! Tell the government to repeal the Passion Act!"

A few young couples had gathered nearby. A big man and a smaller woman began making out while two skinny men cuddled each other. With public displays of affection the norm, many have turned to these ironic acts of mocking. I was thinking of saying something to them when two uniformed policemen appeared around the corner, walking briskly towards my makeshift podium.

"Mr Tan, you don't have the permission to speak here," said the shorter one. The taller, heavier-set one began reaching for his baton. I wouldn't have stood a chance.

***

In the land-scarce Leo Republic, living in a tight-knit eight-storey building was a luxury. What's more, we lived on the eighth floor, meaning no tap-dancing neighbours or brontosauruses to deal with. Even so, my Dad, Tan Yew Hock, always seemed ill and cranky. Sure, his wife had passed away, but that was two years ago; even I had gotten over it. I was losing count of the times he called me by my full name, so when he said it again the instant I got home, my mind nearly tuned it out.

"Jacob Loveless Tan!" he said, holding an envelope lined with glaring cyan borders. "You got letter from SDU. I fink' they say 'happy birthday' and get a wife. You wan' or not?"

Dad still spoke the creole of yesteryear, the one that the government has been trying so hard to discourage. Like me, my father is a rebel in his own way, believing that the creole was something central to our national identity. The government, however, thinks that it makes us sound crass. 'Who we trying to impress?' he would say. 'After alien attack, we are already wurl's most powerful country. We need sound good for wat?'. Given all this, you would think that he'd be a little more supportive of my campaigns, but no; he wanted blood grandkids and he wanted them soon. With my sister marrying a woman from work, I was the only one he could pin his hopes on.

"I got tell you many times! Just because you are Loveless, doesn't mean you have to be loveless!"

"Aiyah, Pa!" I replied in the creole with the hopes of appeasing him quickly. "Just because government say doesn't mean they are correct, right? You also know, wat?"

I took the letter and stormed off to my room while he returned to the sofa for more television. I was now faced with another knotty decision: what should I read first? The letter? Or comments on the internet?

The government made the Passion Act because of a dire need for love energy. We, as citizens of The Leo Republic, have a duty to find a faithful partner and make regular love. I think this petition only reflects the selfishness of its initiator.

Several studies have shown that polygamy and masturbation do not produce the required energy needed for our society. I recommend the initiator do his research before brazenly making such claims on the internet.

It is such selfishness and denial that had left humanity unprepared for the invasion. Our government made some hard choices and that's why we survived while the rest of the world fell. We must put our trust in the Passion Act and carry out our duties as good citizens. I'm going to have sex with my wife right now.

I had decided to save the letter for later because I'd thought the contents would be more palatable to read. I wasn't wrong, but I hadn't expected the internet to actually care about the quality of their writing. No doubt another sign of the government's successful social engineering efforts. Still, there were 10 signatures on my petition, twice the number from a week ago. Only 9,990 more to go before someone has to say something!

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

Dear Jacob Loveless Tan,

Congratulations on turning 21! We are delighted to inform you that you have reached the legal age of marriage. If you already have a faithful partner, you may marry them at your earliest convenience. After your marriage, you and your partner are required to produce a minimum of 4 vials of primed Phero-Dopaxine a month. This is to help ensure our nation gets the love energy it needs.

If you do not have a faithful partner, please be reminded that you are required to begin making efforts to find one. As per the Passion Act, it is illegal to remain unmarried by the age of 26. If you require assistance, you may make use of the SDU's love-finding programmes available to all citizens aged 21 years and above.

Yours Sincerely,

Shirley Lim

Associate Dean, Social Development Unit

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

It was pretty much what I'd expected from the SDU's authoritative fantasies. I knew most people who found 'love' through them only did so to get out of their tedious hijinks. Many eventually ended up with a different partner from the one they had been paired with. Even so, I couldn't help but feel a little panicky. I had already gotten a few letters from the police, and with the SDU joining in, there were more eyes on my back. I thought about accessing the remote desktop at the University to check on my experiment, but I decided that I had had enough for the day. I laid down on my bed to think about the next steps. No way in hell am I going to give in to the government!

Present Day

Everyone's attention was half-tuned to the woman on the stage as she reached into the large grey metal container. From the back row, it looked like she was fumbling, lips contorted as if struggling to get an animal to behave. Then, with an audible breath and a quick jerk, she pulled out the cylinder of bright blue liquid and held it up for all to see.

"This is an unprimed vial of Phero-Dopaxine," she said, still panting from the earlier effort. "When it comes into contact with the chemicals your body releases during romance, it becomes primed..."

She placed the vial on the centre table and forced out another one from the container, this time filled with a clear red liquid.

"... and turns a hot, passionate red. When water is added, this primed state undergoes a massive exothermic reaction which can then be used to generate energy. By the time you all graduate, you should be producing a minimum of 3 vials a month... "

Jacob decided it was time to tune out. He estimated that there would be a good three minutes before Dr Silvia would say anything useful. There was going to be the usual story; the aliens known as the Tau Cetians came to Earth seeking our water for use in their own energy generation. The tiny Leo Republic then stepped up and reverse-engineered their technology to beat them back. Unfortunately, the invasion had already decimated the world's resources so it was up to the city-state to find new avenues of energy. Lo and behold, they figured out how to use their magic chemicals and the Passion Act was passed.

Jacob turned to steal a glance at Suzi Nishihara, who was sitting beside him. She appeared to be listening to Dr Silvia's speech, but he sensed in her eyes a look of distance. Apprehension and anxiety, he realised. They had been paired together based on their responses to a questionnaire, but he had found the questions too inane to give a serious response. How was someone's favourite animal supposed to determine the type of lover they are? He began to regret not thinking a little harder. His partner did not appear easy to work with.

"You're here at the SDU because you have decided that you need help finding love," continued Dr Silvia. "By the end of our programme, you and your partner should be consistently producing the Phero-Dopaxine we need. Once you've produced at least 3 vials a month for 2 months, you will graduate. For now, please turn to your partner and get to know each other better. I'll give you ten minutes."

The lecture theatre erupted into lively chatter as the participants began sharing their lives. Jacob turned to Suzi, though she was slower on the uptake. He studied the smooth skin on her face, the carefully applied lipstick and the disciplined tone of eyeshadow. He studied her trimmed blouse and her dark blue jeans. It was all good save for the look that she was giving him. It was the look that said she would rather be anywhere else. It was not a great sign for their prospects ahead. Still, they're already here, might as well try.

"Hello," he said, "I'm Jacob Loveless Tan."

"Hi," Suzi said after an awkward pause. "I'm Suzi Nishihara."

Jacob felt silly. They had already introduced themselves the moment they sat down. Suzi began to stir in her seat, clearly feeling the same way.

"Erm... So what do you do, Suzi?"

She turned away.

"I... I work for the Library Board. I collect user data to... better manage the library."

Jacob felt that this was probably his fault. His reputation preceded him, and this poor woman had to learn to get intimate with someone the government calls 'delusional'. He thought about his next words, a feat all too daunting for a simple conversation.

"That's awesome! I love reading books! I'm actually an inventor and I tinker with stuff. You know how we only need to produce 3 vials a month now? It used to be 4, but I helped make the technology more efficient."

"Really? I... I thought it was... your sister-in-law..."

"She stole the technology," he said brusquely, instantly regretting the jarring outburst. Suzi shrank into her seat, clamming up into a tight little shell. Around them, the conversations only got more animated. The couple in front was throwing their hands up in wild gestures. Dr Silvia was walking around the theatre, observing the variety of antics. Jacob realised he had to think fast, or things would get very uncomfortable.

"Hey, Suzi. I'm sorry," he said. "Look. Yes, I know I'm not the soulmate you'd hoped to meet, and yes, I'm not exactly a very popular person. But I'm here because I want to change. I want to grow up and try to think about the country. Also, I think you're pretty and I hope you'll give me a chance."

Suzi turned to look at Jacob. She forced a smile, though her hands were quivering.

"I'm... sorry, Jacob," she said. "The thing is... I'm afraid of men. My brother... his friends..."

Dr Silvia stopped beside them. Jacob realised that this was going to be a very long day.

3 years ago (Jacob)

"Eh, Jacob ah! Your sister's here!" Dad shouted from the living room. I always look forward to Tamara's visits. The house had felt so empty ever since Mom died and she moved out to live with Jane. As I ran to greet her, I saw Dad's beaming face, the face of a man who missed his daughter.

"Hello, Dad!" she said cheerily, embracing him in a massive hug. "How's the birthday boy?"

"You know him one, lah. Girl, boy, trans, all don't want. Haiyah, what to do?"

"You're still speaking like that?" she replied, still smiling. "Are you not afraid that the government will pay you a visit?"

"Eh, eh! I fight against aliens you know!" he retorted smugly, "The government better not play punk with me siah! You ah! At least your brother try to humour me."

"Hello, Tamara," I butted in, eager to prevent another debate on the necessity of 'proper English'. Tamara took more after our Mom; fairer skin, semi-blonde hair, so she felt more in touch with the British side of our family. Dad, to his credit, has tried his best to understand, though I've definitely noticed the scowl when she refused to speak the creole he loved and held dear.

"Hey, you un-horny dog!" she teased as she held up a giant shopping bag. "I've got something to show you. Are you done masturbating in your room?"

"Oh, come on!" I protested. "I've not masturbated since I... never mind. My room's clean."

"Awesome! And Dad, there's no need to worry about food tonight. Jane's coming over and we're making dinner. Jacob's birthday treat."

Dad didn't say anything else, he just looked at the two of us and smiled, the happiest I've seen him in a very long while. I didn't pay much attention to it then, but there seemed to be an air of finality in that smile, one that was spring-bright yet laden with unspeakable sorrow.

***

"Aight, lay it out for me, sis," I said, slapping a hand on my table. Tamara reached into the shopping bag and pulled out a large black box, dotted with arcane circuits and switches too small for human fingers. She plopped it down on my table with a loud, metallic thud.

"This is the prototype extractor?" I asked, taken aback by its simplicity. Then again, it was transportable in a shopping bag.

"Shush!" she placed a finger to her lips and whispered. "You know I'm not supposed to be showing you this. The fewer people know, the better. Especially not Jane, she'll actually know what this is."

"Oh, good luck taking it home with her next to you then."

"That won't be necessary, I'll come over tomorrow to take it back to the lab. That should give you more than enough time to study it."

"You sure?" I looked back at her in surprise.

"Yeah, it's the weekend! No one's gonna miss it."

"Gee... thanks!"

I began opening the table drawers to find my trusty set of screwdrivers. Despite her initial enthusiasm, Tamara's breath was loud and clear as I did this, large gaps between inhales and exhales. When I brought out Ol' Giganto, her gasp could not be ignored.

"Ok, what's the deal?" I asked, placing down my tools to assuage her nerves. "Why are you doing this? Why the risk? This is more than just a birthday present, isn't it?"

She was silent for a good moment, preparing an answer she wasn't so comfortable with.

"There's a rumour going around," she said while rubbing her knuckles. "I heard a colleague at work say so. They think the government's considering forced heterosexuality."

"What!" I was genuinely surprised. The government may be ultra-technocratic, but I'd thought that they'd be more progressive than this!

"Yeah. There are some bigots who're using all manners of false data to lie to our leaders. They say that homosexual couples don't produce the same amount of love energy as heterosexual ones."

"You think that's true?"

"That there are bigots? Sure! That homosexual couples don't produce the same amount of love energy? Absolutely not! Jane and I produce the required minimum every month. Ok, maybe we're not the best example, but plenty of homosexual couples produce 6 to 7 on average!"

"No, no, I believe that. Calvin from work likes to boast about how he and his partner produced 10 last April. I still don't get why you're doing this though."

Tamara sighed, dropping her elbows to her lap.

"If you're able to make it efficient enough for masturbation, the government might not worry about the productivity of homosexuals. It's a stretch but... we need something to make them listen."

"Wow..." I said, feeling somewhat dumbstruck by the sudden vulnerability expressed by my sister. "Ok, I will see if I can learn anything from this then."

"Thanks. You think your latest experiment might help?"

"Well," I said as I turned back to the task at hand, "based on the tech you showed me last time, I might be able to reduce our existing requirement by 15 percent. I'm surprised the folks at your lab weren't able to figure it out though. They've already managed to bring it down 5 percent, the last step was just a matter of connecting some logical dots."

"Not many people are as smart as you, little brother," she said while trying not to hold her breath.

"Yeah! Too bad I wasn't around for the Tau Cetian invasion. I could have been a hero and then people would get off my... Oh!" I had just opened up the inner chamber of the extractor and seen the mesh of wires and printed circuit boards.

"You got it?" Tamara asked excitedly.

"Hmm... incremental at best. It's an interesting design and I should be able to combine this with the last one to make it 25 percent, but that's it."

"Oh..." she sighed, disappointment evident. "Well, it's still quite a lot, I guess. You can put it back together though, right?"

"Yes, dear sister, I can," I replied without holding back my irritation. "But I think our technology's getting saturated. I'm not sure what more can be done."

Tamara sat silently beside me for the next hour or so, occasionally texting Jane to coordinate dinner plans. I have to hand it to her; she did not ask me to join her at National Labs this time. I guess she must have finally gotten it in her skull that I would never work where the government could hold me by a leash. It made that all the more blissful, a far cry from the fiasco of that morning.

Little did I know that that evening was going to be much, much worse.

Present Day

Jacob was thinking about his very dragged-out and very exhausting day when the low yet sharp tone of the buzzer jolted him back to the present. The door to the visiting room swung open to reveal Tamara, dressed in the white shirt and blue shorts of a Republic prisoner. She was accompanied by a uniformed guard armed with the largest baton Jacob had ever seen. And he had seen a lot of batons. His sister was smiling, but the smile was a tired one. He realised she must have had another drawn-out session of chores.

"Ten minutes," said the emotionless guard before leaving the room. As the door closed and the latch fell shut, the two siblings ran to each other for an embrace.

"Why have you not visited me in so long?" Tamara scolded, tears forming in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, sis," Jacob was also on the verge of tears. "I've had my own legal issues to deal with. I nearly ended up in prison myself!"

"I've heard! I'm so glad you're ok. Oh, and happy birthday by the way!"

Jacob shot a glance at the camera on the ceiling and motioned for Tamara to follow him back to the visiting table. They took their seats on opposite ends, ready to catch up on their rather strange lives.

"So," began Tamara. "How was your first day at the SDU?"

"Oh God," laughed Jacob sardonically. "Just awful. I was paired up with this woman who's afraid of men! We've been put in the SDU's version of Special Ed."

"Oh no!" Tamara returned the laughter. "Well, I suppose you get all sorts of characters there. Was she at least cute though?"

"She is, though I think Eva's cuter."

"Oh look at you ranking women, you chauvinistic jerkface," Tamara's laughter was even louder now. "Wait, is Eva that woman who kept stalking you all those years ago?"

"Yeah, but she's moved on; found another partner. Good for her! I hope she's happy."

The room fell silent after a few more laughs. The two siblings glanced away from each other, studying the dusty microcurrents in the room.

"Three years, huh... Can't believe it's been that long," said Jacob eventually. His face was sullen, dropping the mirth from mere seconds ago.

"I still can't forgive Jane," said Tamara, her face just as sour. "She broke up our family; killed Dad and put me in jail... "

"Hey, Sis," Jacob cut in. "No one knew of Dad's health problems; he kept it hidden from us. Jane didn't know either. When she exposed us, I don't think she had intended to aggravate his condition. If anything, it's my fault. I stayed with him so I should have noticed something."

"You're defending her?" Tamara raised her voice. "That bitch spied on us! I was her wife! She had the audacity to use our family dinner, yourbirthday dinner, to accuse us of stealing government tech! Dad knew that he may not have that many chances left to eat with us! She broke his heart! What's more, she took your designs and claimed the credit for herself!"

"She then used her new-found acclaim to defend homosexuality!" replied Jacob, trying to sound sure. "Thanks to her petitioning, heterosexuals and homosexuals still have equal rights to love!"

Tamara shook her head, staring at her brother in eyes filled with disbelief and slight disgust.

"What a different tune you're singing. I still remember helping out that little brat who didn't think the government should mandate love. Now you're jamming with the SDU? The people who're trying to hook you up with some damaged chick?"

"Hey, come on. Don't call her that, she's had a rough childhood."

"This isn't about her! Brother! This is about me putting my ass in the line of fire for you. Even though you were a confused, childish, misguided soul, you are still my brother. And yes, our goals did align, but I didn't have to go to jail alone! I could have thrown you under the bus, but I took all the shit Jane threw at us. I did it so you could continue fighting your fight!"

Jacob wanted to shout back, but found that he couldn't. He placed his elbows on the table, brought interlaced fingers to his face, and blew sharply through the gaps between his digits.

"I'm sorry..." he gave a muffled reply.

"And now you're... whatever. I'm just glad you're ok..."

Tamara tried to smile, but her smile was the same tired one she had earlier. Jacob remained in his contemplative stance, a mental nest for his weary soul.

"Do you remember what Dad said on his deathbed?" asked Tamara, her new words stirring the unclean air that had weighed down on them.

"To always remember who you are? To be yourself and believe in yourself?" replied Jacob, pacing his words gently.

"Yeah, exactly that. He said it in proper English too!" tears began to roll down her cheeks, tears which she wiped away on her sleeve. "Why did you want to rebel against the Passion Act anyway?"

"You know why... " Jacob heaved a breath. "I wanted to explore new technologies, new alien technologies from the Tau Cetians. There is so much to study and getting a partner was a commitment I didn't think I could handle."

"Yeah, which was ironic. With all the time you spent campaigning and writing pointless petitions, you could have studied and gotten yourself a partner."

There were more smiles and chuckles from both sides of the table. The air seemed to get a little cleaner, a load off both their chests.

"We were all kids back then, huh?" said Jacob. "All confused, lost kids who didn't think of anything beyond ourselves."

"We were also us, Jacob," said Tamara, her face serious again. "I'm happy that you're doing your civic duty now, but are you still you?"

"I..."

Jacob was interrupted by another buzzer. The time they had together was up. Tamara got up from her seat just as the guard re-entered the room, her large baton clearly in view.

"I hope to see you again soon, little brother," she said, before turning to acknowledge the guard. The two walked out together, leaving Jacob still in the chair, staring at the heavy grey door.

3 years ago (Jacob)

The rain had ended, and the air was sparkling with crystal mildew and the positivity of a refreshing wash. I'd wanted to appreciate the new breath of life, but all I could feel were shadowy knives grating my innards. The store at the void deck was my stop for elixirs of sorrow-drowning, and I had wanted to move from the lift to its doors uninterrupted. The only person I wanted to see was the kindly old lady who would say nice things to me before taking my money. I certainly did not want to hear the voice of Eva Ramirez.

"Jacob! Jacob, wait!"

There may have been something about the post-rain air that carried her voice harder. I did not bother to hide my displeasure when I turned to face her. She was running toward me in hot-pink flip flops, their tap-tap-tapping pounding on my inner ear. She was dressed in a yellow sleeveless top and black floral skirt, her date dress. I didn't like where this was going.

"What do you want, Ramirez?" I've made it a point to call her by her last name, though it hasn't proved to be a very effective deterrent.

"I want to invite you to dinner," she said after catching her breath. "I know things have been rough for you lately and I wanted to buy you something nice."

"Rough for me?" I glowered while resisting the urge to charge at her. "My sister-in-law betrayed my family, my sister's awaiting trial, and my Dad's in the ICU. Forgive me if I find that to be a massive understatement."

"Come on, Jacob!" she was now pleading. "Everybody needs company when they're down! And frankly, you don't have anyone else willing to stand by you!"

I stopped in my tracks and turned to face her. It was only then that I realised her hair was rather wet, having run through parts of the rain.

"Why are you doing this, Ramirez? You know that I don't want to waste time with love. My sister's marriage has blown to smithereens, so all the more I will not consider taking a partner."

"It doesn't make me any less attracted to you though!" she protested. "I've known you since high school and I've always found that bad-boy attitude of yours very endearing."

In a different world, I would have laughed at that statement. Dad used to tell me of a time when bad boys were the ones surrounded by girls. The Passion Act had snuffed the appeal of excessive machismo.

"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go destroy my liver," I said before turning my back to her.

"You know what!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "You're not a bad boy, you're just a scared, selfish kid who's arrogant enough to think he can bend the rest of the world to his will! Look what's happened! Your family's paying for your sins you dumbshit!"

I felt something crack inside me. The shadowy knives in my innards began slicing instead of grating. The comforting wash had turned dense with uncharacteristic desolation. I turned back and marched toward her, squeezing my fists. She began to back away, her face flushed with regret and fear.

"Run away..." I said, yelling a whisper. "Run away before you get hurt, you slimy little bitch!"

With tears flooding her eyes, she turned and ran off into the cold, heavy air, never once looking back. I was not about to self-debate on the ethics and social conventions of making a woman cry. That's for people who have their lives together.

Present Day

Before the Passion Act, the SDU was a small organisation that few people took seriously. They had an office locked away in a building dead smack in the middle of a grassy field. After the Passion Act, the SDU received almost religious status. Money poured in from the government and sponsors from all corners of the Leo Republic. This allowed them to build headquarters that rival the largest megachurches. It held an immense array of classrooms, activity centres, and canteens to manage the flow of the 'single, desperate, and ugly'.

It was in one of these canteens that Jacob ran into a familiar face. He had decided to sit away from Suzi during the initial phase of the programme and felt it best to eat in the canteen on the second floor. Most of the people there were couples who have been unable to produce at least 3 vials a month for the past 3 months. While stuffing his face with wings, he heard a familiar voice call out to him from behind.

"Jacob? Jacob Loveless Tan?"

Jacob couldn't believe his ears. He turned around with his lips still flooded with grease. Eva Ramirez was standing there, holding a tray with a bowl of piping hot noodles, looking dumbfounded.

"Eva Ramirez?! What are you doing here?" he exclaimed.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?" Eva retorted.

"I thought you've found another partner?"

"It's a long story, can I sit with you?"

After nodding his agreement, Jacob motioned for Eva to take the seat opposite him. He noticed that she was treading gingerly, slowly placing her tray down by the side before sliding it in front of his own. She then placed a knee over the long chair while shifting her weight over, tucking in her skirt as she did so. Jacob imagined that she was stepping around a sleeping beast, one that had hurt her before.

"It's been a while, huh?" she said after finally sitting down, face cautiously blank. They both remembered how their last meeting went.

"Yeah, 3 years," replied Jacob, unsure of what else to say. He noticed Eva's hair was tied into a bun, a significant distinction from the dripping sadness he had seen back then.

"I erm... I'm married now, a year ago. His name is Steve. Great guy but we've been having some problems. He met some old friends on the first floor and kinda left me here."

"I see..." replied Jacob, still unsure of how to proceed.

"Yeah, he's nice. Just a little too nice. He keeps agreeing with everything I say. He thinks it helps our love but our vial count begs to differ."

"Hmm... You do like the bad boys," nodded Jacob in response, content to let her keep talking.

"Yeah... Yeah, I do... I guess," she said. This was followed by an awkward silence as she began to dig into her meal. Jacob couldn't help but realise that this was the theme of his life recently, a clear reverberation from his past. He knew that unlike Tamara, Eva wouldn't steer the conversation. It was up to him.

"Hey..." he said, summoning whatever lunchtime courage he had. "I'm sorry for all those things I said to you back then. It was shitty of me."

"Please don't use that word while I'm eating," she laughed. "And it's fine, we were younger then and you were going through a rough... You were going through hell."

"No, no it's not fine," Jacob began gesturing over his wings. "I called you the 'b' word. I've never called any woman that and I never have since then. I feel terrible about it."

"Oh!" said Eva, eyes lighting up. "So I am special after all!"

The two shared a small chuckle before returning to their meals. Jacob was about to bite off a particularly juicy chunk when he realised he hadn't shared his side of the story.

"A few months ago, I ran into some legal trouble," he said, the chunk still in his hand. "Without much of a purpose, I spiralled into something more drastic. That riled up the government enough to threaten me with jail time and exile."

"Oh sheesh," Eva replied between bites of wanton. "That's as good as a death sentence, isn't it?"

"Well, if you're used to the high-end and secure lifestyle in this city, then sure. I guess... I am. That's why I capitulated, figured it's time to grow up."

"Yeah! You'd have to be pretty good at hunting lions to live out there. With all the radiation, there might even be mutant lions!"

The laughter was a little louder this time around, prompting some people to look over. Jacob suspected they were wondering why this couple needed to be here, but decided to pay them no mind.

"You do know there are no lions in this part of the world right?" he returned Eva a large oily grin.

"Really? Then why are we called 'The Leo Republic'?" she couldn't help but smile back at Jacob's glistening lips.

"Because the guy who found this place saw a tiger and thought it was a lion! If anything, I'd have to hunt mutant tigers!"

"What?! How does one mistake a tiger for a lion?"

"Hey, they're both big cats! And they're both found in Africa!" Jacob finally took the bite off that chunk, gleefully imitating the predators that had made this conversation easier.

"There are no tigers in Africa!" Eva laughed. "Gosh! I thought you were supposed to be the smart one!"

The conversation carried on amicably, much to the relief of all parties involved. The bell signalling the end of lunch was about to ring, but both found that they still had quite a bit of food left on their trays. Jacob didn't mind, Eva's company was nourishment enough for him.

"I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance back then," he said, just as they were getting ready to leave for afternoon sessions. "I think you and I could have made many vials together."

"Maybe try talking to Suzi about lions and tigers," replied Eva with a wink. "That seemed to work with us."

"Yeah..." nodded Jacob, feeling re-energized. "Yeah, I think I'll try that."

3 months ago (Jacob)

Republic interrogation rooms were not what one might expect of the technologically-advanced city-state. They were archaic by design; old creaky floorboards, ceilings with tiles that don't fit, and the drip-dripping of water that no one could ever find. If this was intended to intimidate, it was working. Such dilapidation has an effect on a city boy's mind. I did wonder if this psychological play was necessary; I'd been caught red-handed after all.

The rickety door swung open with one creak too many. The light from the hallway flooded into the darker, colder room, impeded by the silhouette of the detective. It wasn't a big silhouette, in fact, he was rather short. But I think it was that small frame that scared me, as I imagined him throwing swift, precise pricks of verbiage. He placed a finger on a slider by the switch and the extra light revealed his face. It had been a while, coming close to 3 years, but I would never forget the police officer who chased me off that podium. It seems he had been promoted. Well, good for him.

"Mr Tan!" he said, smiling a little too happily. Now that I was in the chair and he was out of the uniform, professionalism had become something of a guideline.

"Hello, Detective..."

"Lee," he said. "By the way, what's your race?"

I stared at him blankly.

"Excuse me?"

"I need to fill in this interrogation sheet and it asks for your race. I'm not quite sure what it is."

"I'm half-Chinese, half-Caucasian," I said firmly and sternly. Was he doing this to rile me up? If so, it was working.

"Other it is," he said, making a brazen show of ticking a box. "Well, let's get started shall we?" He pulled a chair over to the table and fell on it with abandon, throwing the folder he was holding onto the shoddily-shaved wood. He reached in and pulled out an unnecessarily large photograph of me by the magazine stand, so stupidly wielding a pen-knife.

"We both know at this point that there's no use denying it," he said. "I just want to know why you did it."

"Why did I slice up pornographic magazines and those horoscopes of lies? Detective Lee, do you not know me?" I asked with dying shreds of defiance.

"Oh, I know you," he replied, still smiling. "I know you can be a wild card at times, but this was pretty out there even for you. I mean, you can't have not seen the camera."

I let out a long breath, letting the air purse below my upper lip. I'm a little ashamed to admit it, but somehow, I felt relief, like I could finally stop running.

"I was angry," I said. "With my sister in jail, I can't get access to government tech, I can't carry on my research that would have made the Passion Act unnecessary. I've been fired from my work, I have no other family left, and somehow, the world keeps turning on and on!"

"Yeah," said Lee. "I've figured out as much. You see, Jacob. You're a thorn on society's side, one that wants to see the last remnants of civilization crumble. You're a kid that can't grow up, and the family that has worked so hard for you has paid for it."

I was shocked by his overt aggression and the familiarity of his accusations. Was I his punching bag now that he has me under his toes?

"I hate people like you," he said, his voice beginning to rise. "I've had a brother growing up, so afraid of commitment he could never keep a faithful partner. He was always sitting around the house scratching his buttcrack with snack-flakes on his fingers. When our parents accused us of slacking on the chores, he would say that I had asked him to play together and so he couldn't do it. He would also spread rumours about me to women I was seeing. When he wasn't married by 26, I sent him to jail myself."

So that's how he got the promotion? I wanted to say something, but I felt pushed back against the chair by the pressure of his words.

"Yeah, that's right, you remind me of my brother. Except my brother didn't go berserk and fight our government as you did. He especially didn't destroy random magazines that reminded him of love. You're a loose cannon, Jacob Loveless Tan, and I'd like to send you into the wilderness myself."

I hung my head, no longer able to look him in the eye. I was tired, just so tired.

"I'm... sorry," I said, barely above a whisper.

"What's that?" he asked, leaning across the table.

"I'm sorry," I repeated. "I'm done doing this. I'll take my punishment."

"Ha!" he laughed. "That's what I'd thought. Unfortunately for both you and me, you don't get off so easily. You're not yet 26, and the government knows you're a smart guy, a potential asset to this country if you weren't so delusional. They've asked me to give you a choice. Join an SDU programme, or face jail time and possible exile."

The twitching of his nose and contortion of his eyelids stirred the nerves in my arm, budding a punch for a final hoorah. That soon vanished into the grey fuzziness of turbid lucidity. It was time for me to become a good citizen, it was time for Jacob to find a wife.

Present Day

"And a one, and a two, and a..."

A waltz without music felt like military drills to Jacob. He was almost certain Suzi felt that way as well. Actually, there were probably more things going through her mind than he would dare imagine. Their hands were hovering over each other, a respectable yet disconcerting effort.

"Jacob, Suzi, come on, you can do it!" the instructor called as the rest of the studio continued their tessellated strafing. It prompted Suzi to move her hands a little closer, but it also made her forehead shine even brighter with beads of perspiration. Jacob wanted out, but it wasn't just the dance instructor watching his every move. Remembering his conversation with Eva, he decided to try humouring Suzi with some big cat shenanigans.

"Hey Suzi," he whispered. "Your family's from Japan, right?" Suzi looked at him and nodded, the beads of sweat now gathering at her brows.

"You know how the Leo Republic got its name?"

She shook her head.

"Some guy saw a tiger and thought it was a lion."

That prompted a chuckle. Jacob felt his heart lift up as he watched Suzi try to maintain her composure and a steady waltz beat. This caused them to miss a move and careen into another couple, prompting squeals and yelps.

"Jacob! Suzi!" scolded the instructor. "Couple dances are supposed to gear you up for more advanced romantics! You've been assigned to my sessions because of your peculiarities and it is my job to make sure you turn out normal! I implore you two to take this seriously!"

"I'm sorry, Sir," said Jacob. "I was just trying to loosen us up."

"You'd better watch it, buddy," said the instructor, pointing accusingly at the pair. "It's enough I have this crazy chick here, I don't need you stirring up trouble too."

"Excuse me?" Jacob shot a look at Suzi, who had put her head down, then a fiercer look back at the instructor, beaming every angry thought he could compile.

"Don't you dare, Loveless," he said, keeping the finger up. "Don't you dare cause your mess here."

The tension in the room began to thicken as the other pairs watched the escalating conflict. Jacob could hear their bated breaths, the instructor's bull-like venting, Suzi's staccato exhales.

"Suzi," said Jacob. "I'm leaving. You can come along if you like."

He then did a swift turn towards the door and stormed out, the pitter-patter of Suzi's footsteps followed soon after.

Present Day (Jacob)

Even as a child, I had never been called into the Principal's office. I had always imagined it to be a cold room lined with plain blue tiles, or tiles of some other humdrum colour. I had never expected bold red lines slanted at strange angles, supported by fierce lighting that serves not to illuminate but to show. Show that the person sitting across the giant table is better than you. They had allowed us the dignity of reporting to the dean on our own, but that dignity was washed away the moment we stepped into the garish lights. It was meant to break us before the leader of the most powerful agency in The Leo Republic.

"Jacob Loveless Tan, Suzi Nishihara. Welcome! Please... take a seat."

Dean Shirley Lim had stepped into this role just half a year ago, but she was not letting her youthful idyll show. Her black blazer was an immaculate match with the plain buttoned shirt and her hair converged to a trimmed ponytail. Her invitation was a command, the pause after 'please' a silence that hits you like an iron grapple. Suzi and I sat in the brown leather seats almost synchronously, guided by some invisible spell.

"So I've heard reports from Instructor Koh about your insubordination," she said with words soft yet unyielding. "Especially from you, Mr Tan. What do you have to say for yourself?"

I had decided that I was no longer going to hang my head, but Suzi had not concurred. I wished that I could pass some courage to her. Perhaps it was a matter of leading by example.

"Instructor Koh was being disrespectful to Suzi, Dean Lim," I replied, keeping my voice steady. "He called her a 'crazy chick'."

Dean Lim placed both hands on the desk in front of her, a controlled smile on her face.

"I know, there were lots of witnesses," she said. "Instructor Koh's comments are regrettable, but I assure you that they come from a place of compassion."

"Really?!" I couldn't help but snort in response. "It sounded like it came from a place of frustration!"

"Instructors only want to spur our students to do better," she continued, robot-like. "I'm sure Instructor Koh only wanted to bring Suzi back to attention and to get her to take the class seriously."

I couldn't believe it. I thought my ears were going to start bleeding from all that had just been spouted by that high and mighty woman. It's really frightening how people at the top have shaped themselves to this new world. Suzi had not stirred.

"Dean Lim, the reason Instructor Koh got mad at us in the first place was that I had told Suzi a joke to lighten the mood. I think you know that Suzi's afraid of men?"

This was the first time I noticed Dean Lim's face change. It stopped my breath short; there was a lot to unpack in the next few minutes.

"I was not aware of this," she said. "The instructors usually update me on special cases."

Her attention was shifting between the two of us, a significant contrast from the dead-on stare she had in the beginning. I saw an opening and had to take the shot. I wasn't going to keep letting the government have their callous ways.

"Yes, special situations, such as autism, physical disabilities, asexuals. I saw those on the questionnaire. I also saw the 'Other' bit which doesn't mean jack," I said.

Dean Lim was beginning to slow her breathing. It was evident, to me at least, that her scaffolds were beginning to come apart. The power dynamics were clear, but I might still be able to win something.

"I would advise you, Mr Tan, not to be so contemptuous. You're not exactly a favourite in our eyes."

"Why? Because I don't fit into one of your boxes?" I replied, keeping as straight a face as I could.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her smile fading.

"You're so adamant about putting people into boxes; different races, different 'problems' like we're big cats on the Savannah. All for running this country like a massive love-making factory. If someone doesn't fit into one of your boxes, you stuff them in anyway and when you can't, you call them defective."

The pause that followed was more for self-reflection of my own words, but the movement in Dean Lim's eyes showed that she was processing it too.

"Mr Tan, I'm sure you have learned in social studies class that our government makes pragmatic decisions. It helped us..."

"Yes, yes. It helped us survive an alien invasion and it helped us prosper in this post-apocalyptic world," I interrupted, "I've heard all that before. But don't you think we've done well enough to allow some room for dignity? For seeing people as people?"

Dean Lim's hands were flat on her table now, her mouth agape as she chose her next words.

"That's a slippery slope, Mr Tan," she said, quiet but steadfast.

"Sure, you've got protocols and frameworks, the factory line for your boxes. But look at how much light there is in this room! Do you even need half these bulbs?"

"Mr Tan, we must maintain order!"

Her twitching eyebrows told me all I needed to know. That was it, I'd won. It was time to see how much of the spoils I could carry. I was tempted to smile, but Suzi's trembling frame reminded me that it wasn't over till we walked out of this room.

"I'll make you a deal. Let me get Suzi some help. This is something beyond the national agenda and the SDU's clearly not equipped to work with her situation. Give us 2 months leave from the programme, let us try something out. If it doesn't work, we'll do it your way."