V. Sanctuary: Part 1

“You must realize what kind of pinch we are in right now.”

“I know, I know. Recently I’ve been in this kind of slump haven’t I told you guys?”

“Really bad, really bad. Fred, we’re in a pinch, it’s really bad.”

I was awoken by the sound of an argument. It was a very nice day to sleep and yet…

First of all, let me explain the situation so far:

After the six months of Fred’s freeloading at my house, I’ve loaned him a few months more of stay at unit six. He was eventually hired as a cashier at a convenience store few blocks from my apartment complex. It was not much of an income but was enough to keep him paying his rent and have decent meals a day. He’s not much of a hobby or luxury person so he didn't spend much too.

I questioned myself: did his salary really payed off the worth he stayed freeloading?

I questioned myself again: Will it be alright to let him off his debt? We never really talked about it.

A few more months and he told me he decided to become a manga author.

This could be it. –is what I thought of that time. He was trying to make his break on this world.

I really think I’ve had a huge influence on him for this decision. During the time of his stay at unit6, I casually lent him some of my manga volumes, which I’ve had since my high school days. He then submerged himself to deep reading and only came out of the unit when it’s time for him to go to work.

He showed me his sketches. Damn this could be work of an artist. But it was really different from how mangas should be drawn. It will be a long road for him... Or not.

I gave him a few tutorial content and he quickly picked up in a span of a few days. What did he even do on his free time? Do some people with talent really just pop out every hundred years or so?

I hope I’ve made the right decision. I was not thinking about whether he could finally pay his debt—no actually it had been a part of it. This also had me concerned for this guy that I met that night of our fated encounter.

A lot happened. I haven’t counted how much time has passed since then.

Almost two years or more, huh? I internalized.

I can’t believe you also caught the fates of my two tenants without me even knowing.

During the span of time from when he won the ‘Fresh Aspirants’ award up to this moment he also managed to get along with Ara ang Kyrie and have them apply as his assistant. I thought Old Man had a huge bearing on this too.

I should put my bet on you as well, I think.

“Hey, hey, want me to help you write a story Fred?”

“Landlady?”

“Miss Landlady!”

“Ingrid?!”

My family of only myself, became four.