Before the story begins, the author will describe what happened before the first part of the main character's story.
The story begins in the Philippine province of Laguna. There was a family enjoying life, with no flashy businesses or employment, minimal money, and a genuine provincial lifestyle. That's what the Malabanans do for a living.
Meet the family members, Kriss Malabanan, the main character's mother, a diligent and supportive mother who is prepared to fight for what she believes is right and would boast about her family's achievements toward others. The main character's father, Juaquin Malabanan, is a working man having a job that does not require formal schooling but yet provides for his family. The explanation for this is that the father was the City's reigning cockfighting champion. This is the occupation that would earn him the nickname "Luckiest Undefeated."
Winning the bet is simple for the main character's father, who uses the killer rooster he nurtured as a child to reap the rewards of his hard work. That would almost certainly make the family's life apparent.
Cockfighting is a violent sport in which roosters compete against one another in a spectacular clash of two bloodthirsty fowl. When one of the two chickens is unable to fight, the last rooster standing will be triumphant. This is how the father of the main character makes money for the family.
Despite the fact that winning money entails putting your own money at risk, Kriss' winnings will go directly to her husband's chicken farm. Surprisingly, Juaquin's returned money is greater than the money Kriss handed him.
.....
"Papa! I need this toy!" exclaimed the main character.
Juaquin spoiled him a lot, and it became a habit for him. Toys, school supplies, traveling, and shopping are all possibilities. These are the privileges that the main character experiences as a result of Juaquin's winning.
the time when the main character was a child, he would always name Juaquin's chicks as Kevin, John, Lance, and Mark. And doing so would always result in a match loss. It was current when Eren, a rooster, died after being beheaded by an opposing rooster.
To prevent losing, Juaquin would advise his kid not to name his roosters again.
"WHAT! So unfair!" thinks the main character.
...
*the present time*
"Renejay! Faster! We're heading to a special spot where your father will compete in nationals," Kriss exclaimed, her face beaming.
"I'm coming, mama," the main character remarked while combing his hair and looking in the cabinet's mirror.
A few hours later.
The audience is yelling passionately.
"Woooaaah!!!"
"WOW, THE LUCKIEST DEFEATED IS MOVING UP THE LEADERBOARD, WILL HE RETURN HIS NAME AS THE LUCKIEST UNDEFEATED?" the host asked into the microphone.
*The crowd is mumbling that Juaquin would never beat the current reigning champion.
The main character is unconcerned with what the audience thinks; all he knows is that his father is crushing the matchups.
.....
Juaquin's second gamefowl tournament culminated in him winning the entire thing and gaining the nickname "Luckiest Defeated Undefeat." This has been going on for over a year. It made his elementary school life more fruitful. Flexing all of his new toys while eavesdropping in on his father's compliments, Juaquin.
It makes the protagonist stand out and make a lot of friends.
*Going home after school*
"You know that kid is the son of the legendary Sabungero," said Marites
"Oh yeah, you know what? my husband bet on him and won, look! look at me" also said another Marites while showing off her necklace.
"Wow, Sanaol," said another Marites
{NARRATOR} Marites is a Tagalog slang counterpart of the international slang "Karen". the term has been used by Internet users to refer to the gossipy aunt/mother next door who spends a huge chunk of her days spreading interesting (and sometimes, malicious) gossip to her neighbors. This is common among Filipino cultures.
Just hearing that praise is enough for the main character. just hearing that made him think about his path in the future.
...
"Papa, can I be a Sabungero like you?" the main character inquired of Juaquin.
"Son, you adopted too many of my credits, well I can't blame you, but my chicken is just lucky, which is why you would immediately see that there is no greater career than cockfighting," Juaquin commented.
"Does that mean you agree with my being Sabongero?" the main character asked.
Juaquin exclaimed...
"Look at this son," Juaquin stated as they strolled outside the property.
Juaquin showed him all of his chicken breeds, which numbered over 50 in all, including hens and chicks.
"I'm going to tell you something complicated, son," Juaquin declared.
"Before your mom and dad met, your dad was a loser in the world of cockfighting."
"I used to get yelled at and slapped a lot by my mom for gambling our hard-earned money; I grew obsessed with gambling to the point that I dropped out of Senior High School; my mom despises me; she even went so far as to tell me that "she shouldn't have given birth to me," and then she disowned me."
"At the age of 18, I lived on the streets begging for a coin from people passing by, I experienced eating foods from the trash, I was at the lowest point of my life. I always think that I won't be able to see the day, and if that day comes, I always think about it on another day, the cycle of me expecting my death is observable at that time."
"Ugh, yeah... so dad, when are you going to teach me how to become Sa-" The main character paid no attention to him.
"Wait, Wait, Wait. I'm not done yet. What I'm trying to say is that cockfighting should be seen as an amusement, not a career. Listen, you can be a doctor, engineer, attorney, and IT. It's so much better than being like me," father added.
"So may I?" the main character insistently requested
He was trying to irritate his father so that he would let him do it. But he was flatly denied.
"Aaah... Never!"
*The next tournament*
the crowd mumbles on how this certain nobody just constantly dominating the matchup just like how Juaquin did before.
"WHAT IS THIS WE HAVE A NEW FINALIST, MR. ROSARYOOO! WILL HE GET SLAUGHTERED BY THE CURRENT REIGNING CHAMPION? OR WILL HE GET THE TITLE FOR THE NEW CHAMPION!!!" stated the host
the fight started off as Juaquin's rooster landed the first hit but after getting hit the enemy rooster stand back and wait for the attack.
"OOOH! THIS FIGHT IS GOING TO BE INTENSE, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT. BOTH FIGHTERS ARE GIVING OFF A MURDEROUS ENERGY, ONLY TIME AND MOTIVATION WILL TELL WHO IS THE WINNER"
"There is something wrong here," Juaquin thinks.
He hasn't seen a rooster that is stepping back and does not swing around violently.
After roughly 25 seconds, Juaquin's rooster decided to charge and perform a series of claw attacks.
"Ohh no!"
The rival rooster takes a posture and charges at Juaquin's rooster at full speed.
"NO, DODGE IT!!!" said Juaquin, frightened.
Juaquin's rooster leaped and flopped his wing back as he swung his talons forward as the two got closer. The competition rooster, on the other hand, did a cartwheel flip midair barely below Juaquin's rooster's jump height.
He has been outwitted by the competition rooster, and his swing is only hitting the air. The competition rooster finished it with a slash to Juaquin rooster's buttocks, and midair bleeding began.
Everyone was flabbergasted.
Juaquin rooster landed with a standing claw, while, because of the speed, the competition rooster executed a barrel roll and smacked into the side mirror.
The competing rooster took a while to stand his claw, but the minute he does, Juaquin Rooster is already knocked out on the ground fluttering his wings weakly while blood drips on the floor.
Unfortunately, the Juaquin was ruthlessly defeated.
"OH, MY GAAAAD!!! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION IN THE DOME. "THE ROSARY" MR. ROSARYOOO!" exclaimed the host as he announced the new champion.
Those who wagered on his father's chicken were enraged. Kriss, on the other hand, is furious over Juaquin's loss.
...
"What was that all about? How did you screw it up?" Kriss was furious.
"Babe, let me explain; it's not what you think; I only gambled 30% of our savings," Juaquin said.
Despite this, Kriss asserted that all of their remaining savings were invested in the fight. Juaquin's blood boils as he hears it and yells at Kriss, "WHY THE F*** DID YOU DO THAT!!!"
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!?"
"THIS HAPPENED ONLY BECAUSE YOU WERE TOO CARELESS!!!"
"I KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOOD AT MAKING DECISIONS WHEN MONEY IS INVOLVED!!!"
"WHY ARE YOU SO STUPID, KRISS!!!"
Kriss opted to leave due to Juaquin's yelling and did not return.
.....
The event has been over for two days.
My father was about to apologize for what he said later that day, but Kriss had still not returned the day before.
Juaquin later discovered she had been cheating on him for some time. Because divorce was illegal in the nation, she simply left my father and never returned. It was expected for a married couple to fight like this, but Juaquin never expected the trust between them to be so thin and readily broken.
Juaquin truly loved his wife, but the shouting was enough to break their bond.
*later that night*
The main character was drinking water in the kitchen when he heard sobbing. His father was in the bedroom. Juaquin was meant to be a cheerful man, unmoved by emotions. But at that moment, all of the feelings he keeps hidden from him are bursting forth.
He entered the room where his mother and father had slept.
"Papa, don't cry pa, I'm here and I will not abandon you," the main character murmured as he sat in the bedroom and embraced Juaquin tightly.
"I'm sorry Rene, I'm very sorry son, I messed up, it's all my fault your Mama left us," my father said, letting out all of his emotions, including pain.
"Don't cry, Papa; I don't want to cry."
We both cried our eyes out, but my father's words stayed with me.
"I'm sorry Rene, I'm very sorry son; I screwed up, and it's all my fault your Mama deserted us."
"My mother despises me to the point of telling me that "she shouldn't have given birth to me."
.....
I know.
My father had previously planned to teach me about life outside of the cockfighting scene if he ever lost. He is willing to give up his gambling habit in order to alter my perception. Not only does it impact me, but it also impacts my mother and father's relationship.
Now that Kriss has abandoned us and moved on with her other man, the only thing left in his life is me and debt, which Kriss also took away while we were sleeping.
What if I had never attempted to follow in my father's footsteps and pursue a more stable job? Will my life ever be the same?
- End Chapter