Q&A
(Questions & Answers)
Let me answer all of your possible questions about TCOTRB (*^ω^*).
1) Hey, Haru-san! How old do you think Kaira's brothers are?
Chirag (age 15-16) is actually a tenth-grade student attending the Creative Arts Institute where he is set to continue his college education there. The twins, Ejaz and Feroz (age 17-18), are both attending twelfth grade. Malik, the eldest, is twenty-one years old.
2) How was Milo able to access those confidential files about the Magrana outbreak?
It's always been implied that Milo stays up all night trying to crack the case. He is a regular on the Internet so it's possible for him to know every website out there.
I just don't feel like writing "Oh, Milo taps the keyboards and clicks the link. The website showed blahblahblah ..."
Your readers already get it so need to bore them with the details.
3) How come Leo is only portrayed as Spanish while Rina Escobar, who is also from Spain, is represented by the flag of Catalonia instead?
Based on my research, Catalonia is actually the autonomous region of Spain that has been declared independent since 2017 except it's not recognized internationally. The region has its own culture, history and language.
If some animated films usually get a Catalan dub, I suppose it's alright to have a character of Catalan ancestry like Rina (full name is Caterina "Rina" Escobar).
4) Does Kaira have a crush on Milo?
They're just friends.
Seriously, why can't a boy and girl have a wholesome relationship outside of the romantic tropes?
5) Are the events and names in the story based on real life?
As I have mentioned from the beginning, they could be coincidental and are made in the name of fiction.
Still, the story reflects real-life issues which many people living in the Philippines and other countries experience — poverty/conservative views towards mental health/national disasters.
6) If the Philippines were supposed to be a perfect place for OFWs (Overseas Foreign Workers), why are there still threats happening in the country? Shouldn't that scare foreigners away?
No country is perfect and there will always be issues popping up at some point. It's just that many immigrant families struggle to keep afloat in their own countries.
Since 2035, the Philippines has become rich and welcomed as many foreigners into the country.
Think of it as today's U.S.A. where — despite the constant racism and political issues — many people still find opportunities there.
7) If the outbreak happened in 2040, how old would Lazardo be?
At the age of fourteen, Uno Lazardo (May 26th, 2021 - October 13th, 2050) was trained to be the new leader of QSPYWARSY following the death of his father Uriel (January 16th, 1990 - June 12th, 2035).
In 2040, the nineteen-year-old successor orchestrated the destruction of the secret facility as revenge and an attempt to expose the country's involvement with biological weapons.
8) How do you think George Porter was able to expose QSPYWARSY?
As he worked in the military, he also specialized in espionage and was among the men stationed near the QSPYWARSY base in the forested outskirts of The Capital. A place far from civilization.
In 2035, they were able to secretly infiltrate the base and disclose their location. It was when they were officially recognized as a national threat.
9) Will there be more of the old characters like Tammy Juegos or George Porter?
Perhaps, they'll come back. Those two — including Tio Hector and Uncle Eric — deserve to be explored more.
10) How old were Odval and Jingmei prior to/after they left the Philippines?
Odval (born on April 13th, 2026) and Jingmei (born on February 15th, 2026) were both thirteen when they fled the country on a helicopter thanks to an old pilot named Gerard.
They finished their education in the summer of 2047 and three years later, Odval founded The Red Flower Academy as the youngest headmistress in the country.
11) How was Lazardo able to disguise himself as Mr. Williams?
It's safe to say that he went into hiding and changed his appearance overtime to blend in.
He could not afford to be in prison so the best way was to disguise himself as a teacher in Mariner Academy. The country's punishment to felons is a death sentence. Lazardo once said that his father and their men were subjected to experiments..
He managed to convince Milo and the others that he was a good guy they could trust. Heck, he even took them on a field trip as everyone was oblivious to his schemes.
12) Is Miss Odval aware about her students causing trouble? Why doesn't she do anything?
As stated in her autobiography, she thinks it's impossible to discipline all hundred thousand students at the same time (leaving that all to the parents).
The students also come from influential families who have all the authority and money to avoid any consequences.
13) Why do you think the country is working on a biological weapon?
When I wrote that into the story, I thought about how the Philippines is preparing for a massive war and the biological weapon is meant to be used on war criminals. I mean, my country is more beyond its pristine beaches and adobo.
YOU ARE READING
TCOTRB: The Case of The Red Bubble
Science FictionYear 2050. After the Philippines finally became a progressive nation, fourteen-year-old Milo Sidaris and his parents moved into the country where the remaining islands are built into these colorful domes. You would think life is gonna be normal for...
