Atharva didn't have a saviour complex. He just...wanted his family to be happy. Before this, he didn't have capacity to support them in anyway other than not making demands on those overburdened shoulders. Now, the situation was different. He had credits in his bank account. A job which paied very well, with lots of rewards promised for excellence in work. He could share the burden now.
Reggie was easy. He already had a dream. Atharva just had to orop him up and hold him steady till he realised that dream. No biggie.
Yajo! He was working where he wanted. He was really living his dream. So why was he talking about shifting to a new direction and job change and all that? Something must have happened. Something big that made him to choose an unknown road rather than a well worn path.
"How did you f*ck up?" Atharva asked directly as soon as he got Yajo alone. "Don't hedge. Don't pretend you don't know. What happened that you are talking about a job change?"
That sweet little boy while laughed even when he got bashed in the brawl at the school grounds had grown up so much that he started to cry. He hadn't cried when he hid Atharva behind him and got kicked while trying to protect his younger brother. He hadn't cried when his father punished him. He didn't cry when his high school sweetheart broke his heart and went away. But the life had worn down this man's optimistic nature. He cried. He cried so much that his shirt was getting all wet.
Yajo had been holding back for so long. Job searching was not an option for him. It was a necessity.
He was just minding his job when his manager's girlfriend showed up. As a service person, he had seen lots of these. No problem there. Problem started when her tantrum and her wishes were against company policy. He had to stop her. What's the maximum that could happen? He was dismissed. That's what Yajo had thought at that time.
"Just because I stopped that manger's little honey bunny...." he cried, " she threw even bigger tantrum online. She's an influencer. So not only was I fired, it all became a rage online too. Her fans are pretty strong. So whenever I tried to find the job, they keep saying they can't hire me and take the heat. On top of it, that manager even said that he would not give me good review if anyone asks for my experience there. Years of working but nothing to show. No, no, I got a big black mark on my character for working my *ss in that company for years, slaving away, working for pittance."
Atharva didn't know the matter was so serious. Just a dismissal was hard enough. On top of it, he was harassed by the fans. No job prospects. Who would hire someone with obvious black mark and brings extra complications?
"So, where do you want to try?"
"Away. Far away. Even across the country is okay." Yajo had no idea how wide spread the influencer 's fans were. Better to stay far away.
"Crummiest thing is I can't use my work experience to start at better place. I have to start from bottom ladder and slowly climb up and hope that no mess will come to pull me down."
Yajo had stopped crying. He hated crying. "Don't let others know." He warned his younger brother.
Atharva tried to cheer him up. "You know I really wish I could say that I am a rich businessman, I can destroy that company for not valuing you and your work ethics. Or maybe, just fire that manager. I really wish I could say I have enough money to buy that influencer. Alas, what I have earned is nowhere enough to do all those things."
Yajo had to laugh at his lame joke and give him a pass for the efforts.
If Atharva had warned that much, he, Yajo would work directly under him and have a salary highly disproportionate to his job.
Atharva started talking. "So, do you have any dreams?"
"What's with you and dreams today? You asked that stupid brother of mine and now you are asking me."
"Well...it had been my dream to study in Saint Augustine. You all helped me to realise it. So I thought I should help others to realise their dream too."
"What if I have a weird dream?"
"How weird? Want to have a bot as a girl friend weird? Want to own a country weird?"
"What did you read to get such ideas?"
" If it's too weird, all I can do is to find higher authority. I'll tell mom."
Yajo's eyes widened. Normally, dad was the strict parent. But if mom got angry, he was nothing in front of her. This threat was highly effective.
"No special dreams. Happy life. Safe life. Healthy life. What else would I dream?"
"In that case, this becomes easy," Atharva started. "Look, I have a job opportunity for you. It pays less in the beginning but if you are lucky, you can make a lot of credits."
"Okay, what's the catch?" What sort of job would a just passed student offer?
"Work for me inside the game."
"I don't want pity money!" Yajo was angry. He hated, absolutely hated being pitied. Why should he be pitied? For becoming jobless? For uncertain future? He was healthy. He could take contract jobs, high risk jobs. He had various ways to earn money.
"Did Sama tell you all that I made some money before?" Atharva asked. His brother would not believe if he said the offer was not due to pity. And unlike Atharva who didn't talk much, Sama loved to share on dits with everyone. She was like a... mayonnaise in a sandwich. Something that held all pieces together and had yummy taste too.
Yajo just nodded. Talking to well read people was a huge headache. They never said what they meant directly.
"I made nearly a million credits in that deal."
"A million?" Yajo was so surprised that he cried it out loud.
"Ssh! Ssh!" They both looked around. Few people in the park were looking at them. The brothers could only grin embarrassingly at them.
Reggie eyed at the joking brothers. Was there a need to create such a drama? There were some unclear information online regarding admission process to Animalia. He was tried to reach his supervisor to get more details when these jokers startled him. After warning they through eyes, he turned around and tried again. He didn't want others to realise that he was with these jokers.
"Seriously? A million credits?" Yajo asked excitedly. Atharva nodded hurriedly.
"No wonder. No wonder you are ready to sponsor Reggie. Hey! Can you buy our home with that money? Our parents can relax and not worry about having no roof on the head."
Atharva nodded again. He indeed did have enough credits in his bank account to buy even nicer place if his parents agreed. The main problem was - would they agree? So he was waiting for biggest cannon to face them - Sama.
After suddenly happiness, Yajo sobered and said "Good for you brother. But that doesn't mean I can earn money within the game too. That entirely depends upon luck."
"I know. Unlike you people, I started playing only after my exams. So I know exactly how many people have made money and how many have lost their shirts. I am not asking you to become a livestreamer or something like that. What I want is you to work for me inside the game. Help me to gather goods. Sell items in stalls within the game. Because I don't have time for that. If possible, I want you to learn some lifestyle job. These things are important. They will be daily wage earning methods when we leave the village.
I won't say much. Just think it through. And it's not like you can't search for new jobs or can't have new jobs. We play the game at nights anyway. It won't affect our daily lives."
After that, they didn't have much to talk. They sat there reminiscing about old school mates, neighbours till Reggie trotted back grinning like a fool.
"Talked to few people. Including my supervisor. So, he said there is a chance for me to go to Animalia. I have to give some entrance test and if I pass I will join as second year student. But, he also reminded me that passing from Animalia was very difficult."
"If I can pass from Saint Augustine, you can definitely pass in flying colours from this Animalia" Atharva quipped.
"Come off it."
Yajo interjected. "No, no. He is right, for the first time. This joker joined here without having a deep impression on the subject. You love animals. You have experience. You will definitely pass in flying colours. So, don't worry about anything. Just get ready for the entrance exams."
Atharva had to nod again. Yajo might use harsh words but he was being truthful. Atharva had chosen Saint Augustine just because the graduates earned more with having that institute's name in CV.