Chapter 18: Independence

Although it was a little later than usual, his parents usually wake up between 6-7 AM, so he didn't have to worry about waking them up. Starting the fire and rinsing the grains of rice in the pot to clear the foggy water.

When everything is in place, he turns his attention to the dishes instead. Since he was going to make do with any dishes that go along with something light, so eggs. The usual scrambled, mixed tomatoes, boiled, and egg soup will do, along with some 'kamunggay," which the author found too tiring to search for its English name on the internet.

He opened the tray and saw that there were plenty of eggs, so he began to prepare them. One after another, when it's time for vegetables. He naturally had to go outside and take vegetables from the garden, which his mother has been taking care of.

When he came outside after opening the door, it was already another busy day. Some elderly people walked around with their brooms to sweep the roadside of leaves. Draw and Art were at the well not far away, filling their pails with underground water. Juan closed the door and left the house as he walked towards the backyard, where the garden is.

Picking up the fresh ones among them, he then left to return to the kitchen. A while later, the aroma caused by the fragrance of his cooking wafted out of the kitchen and then entered the rooms before being whiffed by his sleeping parents.

A while later, Juan stood beside the table full of fresh from the pan dishes as well as the still smoking hot rice. Juan was satisfied with his hard work; he looked at the time, and it was already 6:10 AM. It's time to wake up his parents and take on his last meal here before bidding farewell.

Standing in front of his parents room. Juan took a deep breath to calm his restlessness. Thanks to the wish back then, it was very easy for him to suppress his body's reaction with his mind above to command it.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Mother, Father, wake up. Let's have some breakfast together." Juan waited for a while before he heard the sounds of steps inside. He left, as he knew they were already awake and would soon come out of the room. Returning to the table and sitting down, Juan waited for a while. And a minute later, his father and mother came out.

His father and mother soon took their seats at the same time, and they had a look of suspicion on their faces. Juan immediately said as he took hold of the spoon on his plate. "Mother, Father, let's eat." With that said, they nodded and quietly started moving their hands around to scoop rice and dishes, despite their dazed yet suspicious expression.

Seeing that they had already started eating, Juan also started the meal for this morning. While they started eating, seeing that his parents were already suspicious of him, he called them for breakfast, which he never did. Not to mention, at this time of the day, he should already be on the road to work.

And there is something only parents can tell just by looking at their child. "Tell me what it is." And just as he wanted to tell them he was going to live an independent life, His mother beat him to it. Juan sighed in his heart, but his face never changed. It was a casual smile that he wore in every conversation.

"I'm leaving," Juan calmly said. However, unbeknownst to his parents, His heart actually trembled after saying that. And instead of feeling guilty or homesick, something anger and irritation instead surged out as they consumed those unnecessary emotions in his heart.

His mother and father stopped the movements of their hands as they looked at their son with different expressions. His mother naturally had widened eyes, shock brows, and a slightly opened small 'o' mouth. While his father was much calmer despite his raised brows and questioning gaze.

"Why do you want to leave, son?" Since his mother hadn't had the time to accept such a message. His father naturally asked the question the two would surely ask. Juan answered calmly, "I'm planning to become independent. I want to build a house far away." Learning that his son wants to be independent, he nodded.

It wasn't unacceptable; instead, it would come sooner or later. "Hmm, alright." There is no need to ask where specifically, as Juan had already said that it would be far away, which means he didn't want them to know. As a father, he didn't mind his son being secretive. He has already grown up and had a job after all.

It should have happened eventually, not to mention that he already thought it would be the time when he brought a lady over that he would start considering that. Though he did not expect his son to actually live somewhere other than in the village,

"No, why will you leave home? Son, you can just go and build a house in the backyard. Our land space still has some space for you to build your house legally. Isn't it good to just stay with us?" His mother immediately showed off her ugly strictness, which made him feel very irritated every time.

However, for today, He can endure more, as he has always done. For the sole reason that he was determined to leave today! With a determined look, he looked at his mother with unyielding will, which he seldom uses because it's too much for the brain cells to express. "Mother, I already made my decision. Just like how you became independent from grandpa and grandma, why can't I?"

Isn't it your way of raising me to be like this? I'm always afraid; I'm tired of everything; I don't have the courage to move onward in the face of problems. The me that has always been hypocritical deep down Always smiling when it comes to friends in my circle, no matter how they hurt me mentally with their words.

I want to leave this place. Nothing will change me if I stay here forever. I don't want to listen to your sermon or your controlling personality. I don't want to be affected by this family. It would be better if you adopted more children who wanted a family. All I have wanted since I was a child is a peaceful environment where you only need to be understanding and not push your ideals on me.

Juan suddenly felt angry as fire started burning his heart with fury, ready to explode at any time. However, the word mother immediately transforms a chain that binds him and makes him fully unable to be free from the constraint of family. He, Juan S. Right, can never be who he really is in this place.

"No means no. Listen, Juan, I'm not asking you to stay, but you to listen because I am your mother. You will not leave." Just looking at his angry mother's face didn't seem to have any effects on his heart; instead, it made him feel much more relaxed. But it would be different if she suddenly started saying something like killing herself or wishing that she should not have given birth to him with such self-provoking words.

He has already experienced that many times, and each time Juan would feel angry, although he was on the right track. When she started acting, he would feel constricted and have the feeling that he was the wrong one. As such, years of accumulation He grew to hate his parents.

Their love for him is in his eyes; they are nothing but the weapon they can use to control him in any way they want to feel happy. It's a restriction for him. Juan, however, didn't mind his mother's angry expression; instead, he shook his head and returned to eating. "No need, mother; you can't change my mind anymore." Naturally, he had to hide his real emotions.

His mother was about to continue lashing out with her mother's authority when her husband caught her back in the seat as he said to her. "Let Juan go; he was already grown up. He's got a job that can provide for him." And then he got his wife's sermon. "And then what? Leave us after we feed him, buy him clothes, and take care of him until he's done with college?"

Then she looked at her son angrily and asked, "Is this how you repay your parents?" Upon hearing that, Juan stood up, shocking both his parents awake. His father frowned, thinking of the disrespect in front of the table. However, Juan only took away the plate he had used and put it on the sink. "Please wait for me, mother and father."

Seeing Juan leave, his mother immediately stood up and followed him. "Juan! Where are you going?!! You're not finished here! You disrespectful child! Come back here and face me!" Her husband can only walk away from his seat and follow them. Juan, however, didn't say anything, as he just leisurely walked towards his room.

Not bothering with his mother's angry and provoking remarks. "Son, can you stop and listen to your mother first?" His father naturally started to get irritated by the loudness of their house early in the morning. Knowing that they would be the talks around the village soon, he felt embarrassed thinking about that.

However, how could Juan bother with him too? But still, this day will be his last day here. He had to endure, turning around after reaching his room. "Father, mother, come inside. Don't worry, it will be the answers to your problems. Even Mother's anger will dissipate after seeing this. Come inside, please."

His father's frown became even deeper. Then here goes his mother, whose mouth keeps on spouting past events to make him realize that he wouldn't be here were it not for her. 'Then why did you even do that? If you didn't do that, would your 'problem' have even been born? ' Juan, however, only keeps that in his heart, becoming the reserve fuel for his raging, furious heart.

Nothing more is to be said; Juan entered the already clean room with only a luggage bag at his side. Even the pillows and blankets were nowhere to be seen. The trophies, medals, and other rewards he got from all the competitions he had were all placed in the only box not far away, as he had no use for those things.

The other stuff he had was naturally stored inside his [Ideal Sling Bag's] vast storage space. Then there goes his already plain room, with nothing but the five piles of briefcases on the table. Juan motioned for them to come, and then he opened the briefcases one by one.

His father and mother were suddenly overwhelmed by unspeakable palpitations in their hearts. They couldn't help but have a huge guess in their hearts. However, they immediately thought that it was impossible. "You won't tell me this all contains money, right?" Juan gave a casual smile to his parents and then opened them one by one.

The moment they caught a glimpse of what was inside, they felt as though someone had just caught them breathing, and they immediately felt guilty that they stopped to breathe for a moment. The expression of his parents changed to that of shock and speechlessness, and then to a myriad of other emotions.

In the end, they all turned silent as they looked at the neatly arranged pile of money. "By estimated, it should be ten million on every case..." Juan's father couldn't help but murmur as he suddenly regained his senses and looked at his son. Juan immediately understood what he wanted to say through those eyes.

"Father, I can't tell you where I got the money because it's CLASSIFIED. Be at ease as it did not come from any evil hands. It's clean money I got from, um, something special." Juan clearly emphasized the word classified, making his parents think of something like some sort of hidden agent like James Bond or something.

Gulp. 

Naturally, the power of money came into play, pacifying the anger and irritation in his parents hearts. Juan didn't let this opportunity slip away and decided to strike while their faces were still hot from excitement. "There is a total of one hundred million from these five briefcases combined. It should be enough for mother and father to enjoy your life to the fullest."

"Not to mention, buying the land around the village and starting a farm? How about renovating the house and making it into a bungalow? Mother can buy the newest smartphone and dresses, as well as cosmetics. How about some maids to do the work?" Then Juan neared his father and gave him one of the briefcases.

"Imagine it, father, you can buy your own land and start raising chickens for your 'sabong'? Your friends would come with you every day envying your cocks! Then, why not add the motorcycle of your dreams? Cars that you can show off and a house that stood out in this village?" As for where he got the briefcase, he was naturally prepared and had already bought them earlier. After all, a sack would just make him like he had just returned from robbing a bank.

Juan coughed, seeing that his father was still dazed. With this cough, his father naturally regains his senses and bearing. Seeing his son hand him the briefcase. How could he refuse such gifts? With a glance, his hands immediately received it. Feeling the thing that contains riches, he naturally started smiling amidst his serious face.

As for his mother, with his cough. She was also awoken and couldn't help but walk forward as she started counting the money. "All in one thousand, and every bundle should be a hundred thousand. Oh my, a hundred million? With this money, even if you didn't return for a few years, we won't call you at all!"

As expected from the power brought by money, even this kind of problem was solved. Not even caring where the money came from. Although she surely has misgivings, however, upon hearing Juan's confirmation that it was clean money, She naturally won't ask more, no matter how much she wants to go into details.

Her son's money is hers, and her husband's money is hers. Why would she ask? To have all that money taken back? No way! "Mother and Father, well then. I'll go now." Juan then took the lone luggage bag on the bed as he walked out of the room and then to the house. His parents didn't even notice the strangeness of his bare room.

He turned around, only to see his parents walking out with him. "At least we'll see you off. Do visit for a while." His father said with a beaming face he couldn't hide no matter what he said. As for his mother, she already assumed she was a caring mother and started acting like she was very sad to see him go.

Juan, however, knew that they were only like him in the past. They were all pushing him to take on the responsibility of providing for them now that he has his job. Well, how can a salary even compare to passive income? This is where the problems lie: in poverty, raising children with problematic finances so that, in the future, they would provide for them back is a never-ending cycle of idiocy.

But what about them? Should they remain in their parents house to follow such a cycle? No! They also had their lives; how could they just decide on that when their children were just born out of lust and blind love in their youth?

The conversation goes on longer than expected. But in the end, he still convinced them. Juan sighed while looking at the house where he had been staying for twenty-three years. Then his parents stood at the door, sending their son away. Although his mother has already started crying, Juan wasn't affected much.

"Are you not going to say goodbye to your friends?" his father asked calmly. Juan shook his head as he replied. "I'll just leave them a message along the way." After saying that, Juan left with no more hiccups along the way. Naturally, he had a travel bag for his luggage, which was full of clothes and pillows to make it look full when it was very light.

Just for show on the outside, all the other stuff he had was stored inside the [Ideal Sling Bag], which has a space that is as vast as his imagination. There's no need for too much drama when leaving. It's not that he won't come again. Juan shook his head as he left the palm forest path and took a step forward on the road, where the wheat fields were all that he could see.

Opening his phone, he selected the music icon and searched for good music to go along with his mood. I found one—"Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson.

🎵I greww up in a smalltown,n and when the rain would fal,.

I'd just stare out my window.

I was dreaming of what could be and if I'd end up happy.

I would pray.

I tried hard to reach out, but when I tried to speak out,

I felt like no one could hear me.

I wanted to belong here, but something felt so wrong here.

So, I prayed I could break away.

I'll spread my wings, and I'll learn how to fly.

I'll do what it takes until I touch the sky.

And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change, and break away.

Out of the darkness and into the sun.

But I won't forget all the ones that I love.

I'll take a risk, take a chance, make a change, and break away.🎵

Now's the time to know his first destination. He looked at the passing people, either walking just like him or riding their two-wheeled vehicles with wooden planks on each side acting like wings to carry more passengers. Juan felt that it was time to make a wish. "I wish to know an authentic place that can forge an identity and any related documents. It must be a near and safe place that can be solved using money."