+TYPED OUT-

+ALL IS FAIR-

Things went as Charles predicted and now Monday sat with her freshly pressed hair at the table next to dagmar at the Berliner Buchemesse.

A year had passed since the BookInc. Monday went through the motions. From a hardcore believer in true love, she became one of those people that deception condemned to solitude and shrugged off anything that came close to romance.

Ironically Kenneth, who belittled the power of love, considered its existence. 

"I'm so scared."

"Oh, come on Monday. It's not your first book fair."

Monday exhaled, "I know; thank you, Dagmar, for supporting me during all these months."

"Stop thanking me. I'm glad to help a friend."

Friend.

Ben, Dagmar, and even the quiet poetess Mina, we're the few with whom she developed a friendship. Whereas before, they only crossed each other as they came and went for appointments or meetings, they now hung out for drinks and buddied up to write.

Of all of them, Dagmar surprised Monday the most. Her standoffish behavior made her appear cold. Of course, she wasn't one to harbor a smile or to give out free hugs. However, she was accommodating, loyal, and humble. Not once did she show animosity towards Monday, who literally stepped on her genre turf. Instead, Dagmar helped Monday build an accurate setting of police investigations. Her motto, "stick to reality," helped Monday imagine plausible situations. Monday learned the importance of the five Ws principal: Who, What, Where, When, and Why, but also the use of how. One could only consider their book a thriller if it answered the five Ws.

The women's booth was huge and gathered other writers from the publishing house with whom theirs merged.

Monday's stress wasn't only due to her book launch; she knew Kenneth would be there. Ben startled her by sending a link with the caption watch this a few weeks before. Monday clicked on the link that took her to YouTube. The woman gasped at the sight of very hairy Kenneth. He didn't seem to have cut his hair or beard since the last time she saw him. The woman was annoyed to find him cute with his castaway appearance.

Monday directly sent a message to Ben: Why did you send this? You know I don't want to look back on him.

Watch it, please, do it for me, Ben replied.

Monday sighed in front of the pop-up message. She pressed play and watched. The woman didn't know what to think. Even though she wasn't there, Monday imagined listening to Kenneth while standing in the middle aisle.

"I fell in love for the first time."

The woman's heart and mind thumped to two different rhythms. It was crazy to think a grown man like Kenneth had never fallen in love. Again Monday didn't know the man's passive.

"Your worst fears will manifest themselves in the middle part."

Monday watched the whole video. She gasped with relief when it ended. It wasn't an apology, and the talk wasn't directed to her still; it soothed a part of her silently aching heart. She was comforted to know Kenneth had similar feelings and the same fears back then. The reason why he ignored her that day remained a mystery. Luce hung on to the cigarette theory, and Monday nevertheless found it extreme.

"Ready, Monday?"

Monday turned, and Dagmar stretched out her hand under the table. Monday took it and saw Dagmar smile for the first time. The craft of writing was a lonely process where one battled alone with a plot, grammar, and deadlines. Perhaps like her, Dagmar appreciated having people around who related to her.

While working with Dagmar, Monday discovered how DPG tortured herself. A perfectionist, the writer could edit a chapter up to thirty times and still not be satisfied. One would think Dagmar was possessed when she typed as though she played the piano, sometimes without eating or drinking.

Her behavior reminded Monday of the rigor she had when she started. Things changed with time; a form of laxity installed itself, but she regained the drive thanks to Dagmar.

Monday nodded, and the fair opened its doors. Visitors flooded the aisles within a few minutes.

On the other side of the hall, Kenneth had a unique layout. The middle of his booth had a living room decor with two mini sofas, a coffee table, and huge plant pots. Each day his writers relayed themselves to present their works. The strategy covered the fact the man didn't have anything new out.

Kenneth wasn't bothered. The last recording of his Middle Part talk had the highest number of views of all his videos. Many viewers were relieved to discover that even he, with all his wisdom, messed up. The haters also contributed to his success with counter-attack videos explaining Kenneth was a charlatan and total coach counterfeit. These reaction videos pushed more people to watch his to either discover what the discord was about or to see if he was the person others portrayed.

Kenneths' sincerity won; many preferred hearing he tried his method and failed. It didn't dismantle his theory. For his followers, it just showed there were more variables which meant more probabilities and different outcomes.

Mathilda advised Kenneth to put the limelight on two new authors, Zhang Xia, who wrote Do You Talk Plant? And Rachel Cross, a nonfiction writer who wrote a story about how she left her job on Wall Street to become a shepherd in Patagonia.

The public was excited to discover Life Editions' newness.

Kenneth asked Bradley to stack as many talks and podcasts as possible on the first day to allow him to have some free time.

On her side, Monday didn't have time to think of him. She was busy explaining why she decided to venture into the unknown with Goldless. Many visitors bought both Dagmars' and Mondays' books when they saw Dagmar credited on hers. The thriller writer refused to have any recognition for her contribution, but Monday insisted. Charles reminded Monday that by doing so, people would implicitly believe Dagmar was behind the story. Still, Monday preferred to have her friend credited for her hard work. There would always be some legend created, and Monday thought she could live with that one.

"How are things going?"

Amongst the changes, there were the transfers. Colin Wilson was part of their offices' new furniture. The editor chaperoned the ensemble of their booth and gave out the official statements.

"We're good," Dagmar replied, and Monday nodded.

"Well, if you need anything," Colin smiled and left.

"He's cute, don't you think," Dagmar said and undid her ponytail to redo a tighter one.

"You have a fiancee, Dagmar."

"I wasn't saying that for me. I was thinking of you."

"Oh no, I'mㅡI can't."

All knew Mondays' thoughts still ran to Kenneth, speaking of which, the aisles emptied themselves.

"I guess it's Kenneth time," Dagmar said and leaned back on her chair.

"Aren't you going to listen?"

Dagmar sat up to sign a book. She gave it back and replied, "nope, let's ignore him together." Yes, dagmar was loyal.

At the other side of the hall, for the first time, Kenneth felt the pressure mount. He couldn't help thinking Monday might be among the attendees. Though he prepared for the eventuality, he stressed.

"Kenneth, are you ok?" Bradley asked.

"Yes," the man replied and went up the steps to the stage. This time Kenneth talked about optimizing one's thoughts to target necessary tasks and reach success. Everyone had their notebook out as Kenneth went through ten steps one could use.

He had planned to redo the Middle Part speech but chickened out at the last minute. To Kenneth's relief, no one seemed to mind. It was one thing to confess one's feelings to a random audience and another to say it in the presence of who the confession concerned.