To de Klerk

"FXXXYOU... racial discrimination... to Mandela..."

Song Ya found a quiet spot, took out pen and paper to transcribe the lyrics, his brain whirring so fast it felt like it might explode.

The Thrift Shop was a lucky charm, and that high-pitched, raspy curse from Milla Jovovich that sounded so much like the original singer was the key to his second epiphany. But that wasn't nearly enough; his previous thoughts on how to write a letter to Mandela had also played a huge role. The appearance of the word "racial discrimination" in the lyrics was by no means a coincidence.

Just like his experience when he got the song Thrift Shop, the "twenty dollars" in the lyrics, Old Joe's pink suit and distinctive bass, Connie's shouted "SHOPPING," that thrift shop, Little Lowry's rap music...

All of these things combined were what brought him the epiphany, and this time would be no exception.

"This song looks like it's speaking up for gay people, that won't do..."

He crossed out "GAY" in the lyrics and replaced it with equality. The Black community in this era was extremely conservative, and he didn't want to stir up trouble. Changing the entire tone of the song to support racial equality would be much "safer."

After roughly polishing the lyrics, an idea gradually took shape in his mind. He crossed out the blunt song title FXXXYOU, found a telephone in the shop, and dialed Michelle's number.

"Okay, I'll be right over..."

Michelle happened to have time, so he found Silencer. "You got time? Drive me somewhere."

Silencer nodded, and the two got into the car. "To the University of Chicago..." Song Ya directed him to drive straight to Michelle's office.

"Wait for me here."

Leaving Silencer outside, Song Ya knocked and went in. Michelle was busy, so he got straight to the point.

"So..." Michelle quickly understood Song Ya's intent. "You want to use a song that scolds the white South African authorities as your essay for this event?"

"Yeah!"

Talking to smart people was simple. "The whole world is paying tribute to Mandela. What kind of flowers could a high schooler like me write? I think changing the angle is the only way to stand out. Let's call it To... what's the name of the current white president of South Africa again?"

"De Klerk, but..." Michelle, behind her desk, replied with a wry smile. "This president is our friend. It was he who released Mandela and pushed for a series of reforms for equal rights."

"Friend..."

Song Ya hadn't expected this at all. "Didn't you say in your last speech that South Africa still has apartheid? Why would he be our friend?"

"Yes, but change is not a process that happens overnight," Michelle said.

"That doesn't matter."

Song Ya continued to push. "Even if de Klerk really is our friend, he still hasn't ended apartheid, right? Me scolding him... no, me writing a song to scold him is still based on facts, right? And it's normal for a high schooler to have naive thoughts, isn't it? Besides... you're in the moderate and friendly camp, but fighting the enemy also requires radicals, like the Black Panther Party..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..."

Michelle's eyes widened. "You're so young, where did you learn these ideas?"

Huh? Right, where did he learn these...

Song Ya suddenly felt something was off. These thoughts had indeed popped into his head suddenly, just like the songs he received via epiphany. "That's not important." He shook his head to clear his thoughts and continued to ask, "Just tell me, does it make sense or not?"

"Can you let me hear the song first?" Michelle suggested.

"Sure." Song Ya snapped his fingers to keep the beat and hummed the song.

When he sang FXXXYOU, FXXXYOU, Michelle started to laugh, and she didn't stop even after he finished. "My God, can't you use a milder word?"

"It's a curse, what kind of 'good' word do you expect..." Song Ya shrugged.

"It's actually quite catchy, hmmmm..."

Michelle calmed down and considered it for a long time. "Fine, when can this song be released?" she asked.

Song Ya thought for a moment. "That's hard to say. After all, there's a long road from writing a song to releasing a single. You know, copyright, profit distribution, all sorts of things..."

"I understand, I understand. Alright..." Michelle stood up, gave him a deadline, and reached out her hand. "If you can finish the song release before then, I'll let you be selected for the trip to South Africa."

"Okay, thank you!"

After saying goodbye to Michelle, Song Ya called Hayden and then met up with Silencer.

The plan was going very smoothly. Extra credit for social activism! Another song, extra money! And he could use this song to woo Milla... Three birds with one stone, hehehe.

He was thinking and chuckling to himself, but when he saw Silencer, he found that the other man was just like him, giggling to himself. "What's wrong with you?" he asked.

"That girl." Silencer blurted out two words and kept laughing.

"Which girl?"

Silencer gave him the middle finger.

Song Ya tried to understand for a moment. "The girl who gave Little Lowry the middle finger?"

Silencer nodded.

That was Milla Jovovich, wasn't it? "What about her?" Song Ya looked confused.

At Song Ya's strong insistence, Silencer drove straight to the video rental store.

When Silencer took a tape called Return to Two Moon Junction to the counter to pay, Song Ya saw the clerk's identical lecherous grin, then saw Milla Jovovich's name on the box, and his heart turned ice-cold...

Back home with Silencer, watching him close the door, turn the TV volume down, and shove the tape into the VCR he had gifted him...

Song Ya felt like he was waiting for a death sentence.

Silencer fast-forwarded with practiced ease...

"What the..."

"You nearly scared me to death, can't you say a few more words?" He looked at Silencer, who was staring straight at the television, and muttered to himself.

There was still a lot to get done, and having so much time wasted by Silencer for nothing, he said irritably, "Let's go! Take me to one more place. Oh, right... swing by a second-hand electronics store, I need to buy a VCR too."

He spent the afternoon busy discussing new song strategies with Hayden, and by evening, with Tony's help, he found a small motel.

His mind was filled with Mira...

Huh! Wait, how did it turn into another alluring, bewitching woman?

Sherilyn Fenn really is beautiful...