Chapter 2 - Preincarnation(Part 2)

"You're late, kid, we told you that we'd have to dock your pay if you don't arrive on time."

I'm literally less than a minute late, I'm basically right on time...

"Sorry, sir, it won't happen again," I replied, biting my tongue.

"Oh, come on, no need to be so harsh on the kid, he does work hard for us, after all."

Remember how I mentioned that, following the economic crisis, about a year and a half ago, a group of people showed up to help those of us who live in this area?

Yeah, lately, I've been working for them to earn money. A few months after providing aid for us, some charity organization run by a rich guy took over their group, claiming that they were absorbing small groups like this so that they could help provide more help for people in need.

At the time, we all thought it was a good thing, that we'd be receiving more help than we were before...but it didn't turn out that way. The bare essentials, which includes water, bread and medicine for common ailments, are still provided for free.

But the quantity has been growing smaller and smaller, and if you require any kind of help that'd be more expensive for them to provide, you have to pay them.

When my aunt first got sick, it didn't seem like a big deal, just a common cold with a light fever...a doctor working for the group helping us treated her, and at first she seemed to be getting better.

But then she took a turn for the worse, and as luck would have it, that was around the same time when the big charity organization took over the group and are now effectively running things in this part of the city.

Admittedly, the help they provide does still make a difference, so their presence isn't exactly unwelcome, but the people who need help the most haven't been able to get the help they need.

Specifically, people who get infected with life threatening illnesses and need treatment beyond cheap medicines, they can't afford to pay for the more expensive treatment that the charity group provides, and end up dying.

Even those who do try to pay mostly just end up spending a ton of money to try and pay for the treatment, until they're completely broke.

It's hard not to think about the fact that my situation might be the same...I've managed to get regular checkups and the bare minimum amount of medicine for my aunt, but I'm afraid that by the time I've worked enough to get her the proper treatment she so desperately needs and fully cure here, it'll be too late.

And it's difficult not to lose heart over it...my aunt is the main reason why I'm able to keep at it. She always tells me to see the best in people and go through life with a smile...and considering everything she's been through, her optimism in life inspires me. So I can't lose hope and give up...it'd be an insult to her.

Anyway, I was soon put to work, tallying up receipts for them. It's a bit tough, but I'm just about good enough at math to do it. Guess letting me do this is cheaper than hiring someone properly, huh?

They also have me move boxes and clean the place as well, and I don't receive all that much money for it. They keep most of what they owe me in return for weekly check ups on my aunt and providing the bare minimum in medicine to keep her from dying.

But all it's doing is prolonging the process...so the money I do receive, I save up as much of it as I possibly can, until I have enough to get her the proper treatment she needs.

It's taken a while, but in a couple more weeks, I should have enough saved up. Originally, I would've saved enough to get her treated sometime last month, but our landlord abruptly increased the rent for the apartment, so it's taking a few weeks longer than I had hoped.

Anyway, a few hours later, I was done with my work, and after receiving my payment, began heading back home. I'm so tired...they really worked me to the bone today.

As I arrived in front of the apartment building, I headed inside and to the room I was staying in with my aunt, unlocking the door and walking in.

"Hey, welcome back, kiddo," She greeted me with a smile, as she paused the video she was watching on the laptop.

A while ago, I came across this laptop in the trash. It's kinda slow and gets stuck a lot, but it works, and is my only source of entertainment. It's full of pirated anime, movies and shows, which I know is illegal, but I can hardly afford such entertainment legally, so I try not to think about it.

"Hey, I'm home...did you eat yet?" I asked her, as I shut the door and walked in.

"Yeah, don't worry, I did. You look really exhausted," She replied with a worried look on her face.

"Just a little tired is all, nothing to worry about. I'll go to sleep a bit earlier tonight," I responded, as I took a drink of water.

"I wish you wouldn't worry about me so much and just focus on taking care of yourself, you shouldn't be completely worn out every single day like this," She frowned apprehensively.

"Seriously, don't worry about it. I mean, I'm in pretty decent shape, see?" I grinned as I flexed my arms.

Truth be told, I'm completely fucking spent. Every single day, I look forward to going to sleep and dread waking up and having to go work again. But I can't let her worry...so I'll keep it to myself, and while I'm around her, I'll smile and act carefree.

I don't want her to worry about me, she needs to be as stress-free and relaxed as possible, now more than ever.

"Always putting on a tough act, aren't you?" She sighed, before a wistful smile appeared on her face as she patted her lap, "Come here, rest up a bit."

"H-hey, come on, I'm not a kid anymore," I muttered awkwardly.

"It's fine, I insist. You don't want me to waste my energy arguing trying to convince you, do you?" She inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Oh, come on, that's so not playing fair.

"Okay, but just for a little while," I relented with a sigh, as I walked over, sitting next to her and resting my head on her lap.

"Good boy...I want you to know, I'm so grateful for all that you do for me, I consider myself truly blessed to have you, kiddo," She remarked soothingly, stroking my hair.

"That's my line...who knows where I'd be and what I'd be doing if it wasn't for you," I responded quietly, as I inadvertently let out a yawn.

This is nice, it's warm and cozy...my eyelids feel really heavy, I think I'll let them close, just for...a little...while...

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