The Unfinished Conversation

After a grueling day at work, Charlie finally sank into the couch, enjoying a rare quiet moment before bed. Meanwhile, Ming was still busy at the office, focused on completing a business proposal for an important meeting the next day. So Charlie aimlessly browsed his Instagram account to pass the time and fend off boredom until a notification caught his attention.

Hey, Charlie. Can we talk? This is important.

Who could this be? Charlie scrutinized the sender’s profile picture, which featured an irresistibly cute Yorkie terrier. He leaned in closer, his heart racing as he examined the profile again. A wave of emotion washed over him—there, staring back at him, was a picture taken by Charlie of Haiku, Alex’s furry child.

Charlie’s stomach twisted in knots. He had blocked Alex on all platforms—text, email, and social media—so this mysterious Instagram account was clearly a backup created by Alex.

Since Charlie’s own account was public, Alex had managed to piece together Charlie’s location with this new account: a photo taken outside the PR firm in Xinyi, a tagged latte at Antipodean, and a view of the skyline from the rooftop of Charlie’s office.

He’s been watching me. “Creepy,” Charlie muttered.

Another message appeared almost instantly.

“I won’t waste your time. I’ll explain everything in person.”

Charlie hovered over the block button. A final message popped up: “You deserve to know what you’re caught in.”

Charlie’s Thought: What the hell is he playing at?

Reluctantly, Charlie accepted Alex’s invitation to meet with him to discuss what had happened between them. Charlie figured it was time for this unfinished conversation and hoped he could move on from Alex. 

*The unfinished conversation between Charlie and Alex

The next day, Charlie spotted Alex sitting outside the café where Charlie agreed to meet. Alex looked like he’d been modeling for a lifestyle magazine—effortlessly smug, sunglasses pushed onto his head, latte already in hand.

“You know you’re early, right?” Charlie said flatly as he approached.

Alex grinned. “Taipei traffic’s unpredictable. Unlike you.”

Charlie rolled his eyes and slid into the seat across from him, arms crossed. “Alright, what is this about?”

Alex sipped his latte slowly. “Still direct, I see. Anyway, thank you for agreeing to meet. I know we haven’t been on good terms.”

Charlie’s patience was already thin. “If you’re here to play games, I’m leaving.”

Alex held up a hand. “Fine, fine.” He set his coffee down, eyes suddenly serious. “It’s about Ming’s father.”

Charlie blinked. “His father?”

Alex leaned in slightly. “You know much about him?”

Charlie frowned. “Only that he raised Ming after his mom passed.”

Alex nodded, tapping his fingers on the table. “And he never mentioned anything about his father’s past… before Ming’s mom?”

Charlie narrowed his eyes. “Since when did you moonlight as Sherlock Holmes?”

Alex gave a half-smile. “Because I’ve been trying to solve a mystery.”

Charlie tensed. “Cut the cryptic crap.”

Alex sighed, gaze flicking toward the street. “After my mother died, I… started digging into her past. I took a DNA test.”

Charlie’s pulse quickened. “So?”

Alex leaned in, voice dropping. “And guess who showed up as a genetic match?”

Charlie’s jaw clenched. “You’re lying.”

Alex shook his head. “Ming’s father. A near-perfect match.”

Charlie suddenly felt sick. “What are you saying?”

Alex’s tone softened but lost none of its edge. “Charlie, I think Ming’s father is my biological father,” pulling out the old photo of Ming’s father with Alex’s mother and sliding it across the table for Charlie to see.

Charlie glanced at the old photo—and instantly recognized Ming’s father.

Silence. Charlie stared at Alex, speechless. “You’re serious?”

Alex nodded. “And now I need to know—does Ming know? Or has he been living his whole life not knowing he has a half-brother?”

Charlie could barely breathe. He thought back to every quiet moment with Ming, every story about his father that now felt like it might be missing a piece.

Alex leaned back, smirking slightly. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Charlie snapped back, eyes flashing. “You think this is funny?”

Alex’s grin faded. “No. But it is the truth.”

Finally, Alex stood smoothly, tossing a few bills onto the table. “I’ll give you a head start,” he said, voice low but edged with sarcasm. “You tell him first. Or I will.”

With that, Alex disappeared into the busy street, leaving Charlie to grapple with this unexpected twist of fate. He sat there, stunned, as if the very ground beneath him had given way, sending his thoughts swirling in confusion and disbelief.