"Damian! My man!" It's Xu Shito, approaching me with a broad smile on his face, laying his arms wide as if he's about to hug me.
"Hello my brother! What brings you here?" I also responded to his smile with a broader smile as a show of respect.
Right now I'm in my newly built house. After graduating college in economics, I pursued another course which is automotive design education to help me establish my business. Since I know business and car making, I can work for Shin while establishing my very own business brand.
This man right here is a famous car dealer, his company 'Shin' is known to produce one of the world's most expensive and good quality cars, it even received excellent reviews across the globe. Working there, will definitely reap me lots of benefits. During my college intern, the owner gave me a chance to work for him for about a month and a half, and my designs pleased him to the point that he made me his brother. He contacted and kept in touch with me right away and promised that he would personally hire me for his company after I graduated.
Studying while doing business is a tough thing to do, luckily my mind can handle complex problems and solve them in an efficient manner. This house's construction started two years ago. At that time, my business was growing, and I was still studying in my second college year. Right now, Xu Shito is here to hire me in is company.
"My man! Your house looks superb! It looks like a mansion to me!" He looked around, and he flicked his thumbs up and raised it unto me.
I swayed my hand into the air. "Nah, this is nothing compared to yours," I smirked.
"You think so? When I was at your age, I could barely earn anything."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you started pretty strong, and not everyone can do that."
I smiled and somehow shook my head off.
"I guess I'm pretty lucky then?"
He grabbed both of my shoulders and shook me off. "No!" He said as he waves his pointing finger in front of me, left and right. "You're smart, luck is short-term, you did it for many years until now." He released his grasp on my shoulder, and he walked away, "Imagine being a consistent rank one in class since high school. You even got yourself accelerated from the first year to the fourth year and still able to cope up with all the lessons." He shook his head off as he smirks, "That ain't no luck brother."
I smiled and bowed since I couldn't straightly look into him with all the flattery.
"What brings you here?"
"You know the deal brother, I pick you up for your first day at work."
"You came to pick me up personally?"
"Yes, why not? Besides, we should also celebrate your graduation, especially your achievements."
I was about to take a step to follow him when I feel a familiar feeling when everything's about to change. And yes, I am right. This time, it's the scene that I hate reminiscing the most.
Right now, I am wearing a good-looking suit. I brought my Bugatti La Voiture Noire with me, and to be honest, my attire and my car don't fit this roguish place. But of course, I have to go here, because I made a promise.
As I walked out of the car, I notice many people staring at me. They must be wondering where the hell I came from and what am I doing in this place. This place hasn't changed at all for a decade. Same people but older faces, same house but uglier. Nothing changed; nothing improved. It's just them and their pathetic lives. If I didn't leave this place, my situation would be no better than theirs. As I walk past these people and old familiar houses, the more I realize that leaving this place was truly a blessing.
A young woman was running towards our old house and shouted, "Jane! Let us go to the plaza together!"
It took a while when suddenly a young woman came out of the house wearing rugged trousers and a shirt with several cuts and few stitches, and she's also carrying a small pouch with her. She shouldered the girl as she smiles to greet her. "Let's go?" Jane said as she walked up front.
"Where are you going?" She chuckled. "The plaza is this way." The girl said as the both of them faced backward.
At that very moment, Jane's eyes and mine met. But it took a while for her to recognize me. Her tears are slowly clotting from her eyes as she dropped the pouch that she was carrying.
"D-damian? B-brother? Is that you?"
I approached her and kneeled in front of her while patting her head. "Yes, it's me, little sister." I smiled.
"W-why did you come back?"
"I'm here to fulfill my promise."
"But, I thought you will never come back again?"
"Who told you that?"
"M-mother."
I took a deep breath, "Where is she?"
Jane pointed her fingers towards our house. "She's there, doing her usual job, disintegrating junks she got from yesterday to sell."
I shook my head off. I was about to get up when I heard someone shouted.
"Janeeeee!! What are you doing? Where are yo-" She didn't finish her words when she saw me.
"Who are you?" She frantically walked outside as she grabbed Jane's wrists and pulled her away from me. "I told you not to talk to strangers Jane, how many times do I have to tell you that?"
"B-but mom! She's my brother Damian, he's back, and he fulfilled his promise!"
Mom looked at me with her eyes piercing through my skin.
"Y-you have no brother whose name is Damian." She hugged Jane, "Didn't I tell you that a long time ago?"
"B-but mom, how can I forget my brother? He's always been a good brother to me."
"He's not; remember Jane? He left us! Just like your dad!"
"No mom! He left us for good! Dad never came back, but brother, he's here now already." She averted from mother's embrace and ran towards me.
"M-mother, look how Jane missed me, didn't you missed me too?" I smiled as I approach her. However, she took off her slippers and threw them at me. "You scoundrel! Don't you dare touch my daughter! You are a molester! A despicable human being!" She exclaimed to the point that her veins would almost pop out as her tears drip rapidly. "I don't have and I will never have a son like you!" Everyone was now staring at us with a questioning look etched on their face.
I nodded my head and wiped my tears with my hands. "Understood, I'm sorry for disturbing you, I just thought that maybe I pick you guys up so that you can come and live with me, I just thought that maybe I can give you a better life now."
"Better life? So you think you're living a better life just because you have the money and all that luxurious shit around you?" She smirked and shook her head off, "If you think that our life here is trash, let me tell you this straight Damian," She pointed her finger at me, "A son who abandons his family is no better than a trash. I'd rather live like this than be with a trash of a son like you!"
I bowed my head and said, "I'm sorry," I guess her mind has been corrupted by all the trash she has handled.
"Don't mind mom, she's just frustrated and depressed that she couldn't do anything to make you stay! All those words? She didn't mean that!"
"Nah, I understand, it's completely fine."
Mother somehow managed to calm herself a bit, "Damian! Please! Leave this place, the moment you walked out of the house and chose to be selfish, you're no longer a part of this family. We don't need you now, and we will never need you." She said as she finally fell on her trembling feeble knees. Looking around, I can see many people are watching us. Their murmurs are echoing inside my ear. "I can never forgive you, Damian! Remember that."
That's it. That line woke up the hell out of me. Why am I here anyway? I did this for them; I did this for their good, but hell yeah, of course, I did this for myself. I have accomplished my goal, and their opinion of me is no longer valid.
I remained standing as I nod in agreement with what my mother has said. "You're right, you're right, don't worry, I understand." I once again walked away from the people I once called my family.
But this time, for sure, I'll never come back. If they don't accept me, then so am I. "Jane, send my regards to the others. I'll head home now." I looked back and smiled at her. "Bye."
The searing anger etched itself onto my heart, but I refuse to squander my emotions on those who fail to understand the workings of life. I have already achieved my goals, and trivial matters such as family are mere obstacles that I must overcome. If there is an obstacle, it must be eliminated. These so-called 'family' are nothing more than hindrances that I must now remove from my life. The longer I cling to these unnecessary emotions and regrets, the more they will destroy me.
Once again, that all-too-familiar feeling surged through me, devouring my entire existence. But this time, there was no new memory to grasp onto. Instead, darkness consumed everything before me - a stark reminder of the price I've paid for my relentless pursuit of success.
..
..
'What now?'