The sun blazed down on the entire construction site. The repeated hammering blended with the rhythmic sound of saws cutting through wood, meanwhile the sharp screech of bending metal echoed across the whole site.
The whole place gives off busy energy. Some men are lifting, cutting, and digging. And among the men working tirelessly was Kian.
Kian who squinted his eyes against the blinding light, ignored the increasing pain in his muscles, as he wiped his hands on his worn pants.
I'm tired.
He thought, panting, as the feeling of his fatigue became increasingly unbearable.
With each sluggish, hesitant blink, his eyes drooped, heavy with the weight of restless nights.
His body felt like it's begging for a moment of rest, and the surroundings appeared to blur at the edges. But it seems like he doesn't want to stop right now.
"Hey, Kian!"
Kian snapped his head up, as he turned his focus on the man who called him.
The man who just called him happened to be his supervisor, Mr. Wang, who was standing just a few feet away.
Mr. Wang was a man in his forties, with a stern expression that often made newcomers nervous, but Kian had figured out long ago that beneath his tough exterior, this man hid his soft and gentle side.
Mr. Wang's eyes were staring at him with a mix of pity and concern. A typical sympathetic gentle giant.
"You alright, kid?" Mr. Wang asked, his voice almost echoing over the construction site.
Kian stood up straight and used the back of his habd to wipe his forehead. "Yeah, just tired. But I'm fine."
Mr. Wang looked at him side ways, not buying it. "Ah yah, don't push yourself too hard. You've been working nonstop to the point that you almost look like a zombie."
"I'm really fine. Just—" Kian felt like he's overexaggerating, with a sigh, he continued speaking. "I just need to finish all of these today."
Wang raised an eyebrow before stepping forward. "Just? This is not 'just' because there's still a lot to do. Are you sure you can keep up?"
"Yeah, stop nagging."
"I'm not nagging, I'm just worried." Mr. Wang replied.
Yeah, right.
"You're so hard headed...Go on then, but if you're having trouble, I'll just send you home early and cover for you."
Kian hesitated before shaking his head. "It's okay, I don't wanna be a bother."
Kian swore he saw a glimmer of understanding in the older man's eyes as Mr. Wang's stare softened. Maybe it's because Mr. Wang had been in the business long enough to know when someone was pushing their limits.
"You're not a bother right now." Mr. Wang whispered. "But I'm pretty sure you'll bother everyone if you collapse overworking yourself like that."
Kian nodded but didn't say anything. Mr. Wang patted him on his head and left to see how the other employees were doing, no longer pressing him. Kian inhaled deeply, trying to release the tension.
With his focus sharpened, he picked up the tools again and returned to the task at hand.
---
He spent the rest of the afternoon, working. He felt physically and mentally drained, but it really wasn't the aching muscles or the heat that bothered him. Instead, it was his younger sister. Archelle.
He's thinking about her because it's her birthday today and he wants to make sure that he's got something to give her.
He even impulsively decided to take on overtime work this whole week without consulting with his contractor first just because he wants to give her a surprise.
Though nervous about the possible consequences of not talking it out first, he knows that the contractor will somehow understand.
Before, he can't even imagine working this much.
As a matter of fact, in the past, Kian and Archelle used to be free of financial concerns. However, in a twist of fate, everything changed.
And it all started when their parents died in a car accident during his third year of high school. Back then, Archelle was just in sixth grade. Too young to really understand the consequences of losing their parents.
So, with no other relatives to turn to, they were left with only one option—to move in with their remaining relative. Their maternal uncle, Ben.
At that time, Uncle Ben was the one they could count on. His smile was a quiet reassurance, and his presence brought them comfort. But as the financial difficulties piled up, something in him changed.
His once-gentle tone became sharper, his patience wore thin, and the warmth he once offered became harder to find, replaced by a gap that neither Kian nor Archelle could reach.
Because of this, Kian decided to drop out of high school to take care of their financial issues. He's basically the one to take care of his uncle and younger sister.
Even though he knows that it wasn't his fault their lives had unraveled this way, he couldn't shake the feeling that it's his responsibility to make things right for them.
This is why he's so determined to shield his younger sister from the weight of their problems.
He even did multiple jobs, he also did everything he could to meet their basic needs. In short, he became a parental figure to his younger sister. But despite his efforts, budgeting their money was a huge problem.
Because with all of his best efforts to budget each peso, they still struggled with their financial issues. Resulting in him and Archelle having to sometimes eat once or twice a day.
They consulted with taking advantage of discounts in stores and shops. They also stopped celebrating their birthday in order to save more money even if they didn't want to.
They became frugal with money.
It was painful to struggle with poverty but what pained Kian to see was seeing Archelle lose out on her birthday experiences. And the fact that she'll never get to experience a normal childhood, hurt him even more.
But since his younger sister is kind and understanding, she did not complain. She never did. But obviously, he knows she's hurt inside.
He knows that she wants to have things that other kids with parents could easily achieve. Like a normal birthday.
Which is why today, he will give her the best birthday. At that thought, Kian smiled softly to himself determined to make her smile.
---
After some time has passed, Kian headed to his contractor's office and stood outside of his contractor's office.
The whole building was clean and tidy without a speck of dust.
Feeling out of place because of his dirty and disheveled appearance, he patted his uniform causing some dust to fall on the floor. Then he took a deep breath to calm himself before knocking on the door.
He was never the type to ask for favors, but his desperation to give his younger sister a fulfilling birthday outweighed his pride.
"Come in." A voice so calm came from inside the room, snapping him out of his thoughts. Kian opened the door and stepped inside, closing it quietly behind him.
His contractor, Mr. Rodriguez, was seated behind his massive desk. The room was neat, though stacks of paperwork filled the desk with a sleek laptop beside it. This showed just much of a workaholic he was.
"You wanted to talk?" The man asked.
"Sir, I would like to ask for an advance on my pay... If it's possible."
Mr. Rodriguez immediately glanced up at those words. "An advance? for why?"
The words seemed to be stucked in his throat. Seemingly anxious about what his reaction would be, his gaze shifted towards the floor and his hands fumbled with the hem of his dusty sleeve.
After a beat of silence, he gathered the courage to continue. But this time, his voice quieter than before.
"Today is my younger sister's 17th birthday and...uh, I-I just want to get her something special before going home.."
Mr. Rodriguez paused his actions as if thinking.
On second thought, he's now unsure if he'll agree.