Minty: "Now, if that moral compass wasn't driven by theological dogma, we know it was humanistic. But specifically, what core humanistic values—such as empathy, justice, or personal responsibility—did you rely on most heavily to guide the actions of your protagonists in Love Yourself: Wonder, Runaway With Me, and the girl in Boy in Denim Jacket?"
[The audience is leaning in, some resting their chins on their hands, fully engaged in this deeper psychological dive. The studio is quiet, save for the soft, ambient hum of the lights.]
Iboni: "Well, even though the protagonists in those three novels have different personalities and ways of coping for different situations... it is obvious that the girl in Boy in Denim Jacket is the main source of it, yes? I wrote them as someone who acts as someone who they need."
[A soft, knowing murmur of "Yes" and a few nods come from the crowd. People are starting to see the threads connecting the stories.]
Iboni: "Like for example, the female lead in Runaway With Me is poorly treated by her own family except her grandmother. Despite the fact that she is treated that way, she never passed the pain she's going through to someone."
[A few audible sighs of sympathy ripple through the crowd. You can see a couple of people in the audience looking at each other with sad, understanding smiles.]
Iboni: "Like her family be kicking her or mocking her or degrades her and yet she never do those things to others. She does the opposite of it. The want—the NEED to never pass the pain you're going through is their moral compass because that's how the girl in Boy in Denim Jacket lived."
[There is a brief, heavy silence in the room—the kind that happens when a truth hits home for a lot of people. It's a pin-drop moment. Then, a few people start to clap softly, which grows into a warm, supportive wave of applause.]
Minty: "Wow, that is a powerful, specific, and deeply relatable moral anchor, Iboni. The 'need to never pass the pain you're going through' is not just a moral code; it's a commitment to healing. It shows incredible resilience."
[Minty looks out to the audience, and many are nodding along with her, clearly moved by the sentiment.]
Minty: "It makes perfect sense that the most personal of your novels, the memoir, would establish that philosophy for all your protagonists. The kindness they show isn't passive—it's an active refusal to perpetuate trauma. It's morality as an act of will."
[One audience member calls out a soft "That's beautiful," and a few others respond with "Mhm" and snaps of agreement.]
Minty: "Thank you for explaining the root of their compassion. Now, let's pivot that deep look inwards toward your own personal journey, which you hinted at so openly at the beginning."
[The energy in the room shifts again—the audience sits up a bit straighter, sensing that the conversation is about to get even more personal.]