1 1. Night Shift

"Night shift?"

Javin nodded. "Yeah. The pay is decent and as long as I can manage to sleep at least 2 or 3 hours before leaving for college, it shouldn't be a problem."

"Jav, do you really think three hours of sleep is enough?" Leon was furious. "This semester is just starting, but look at this schedule. All classes start at nine and end at four on average."

"Leon's right, Jav. You work from 7pm to 3am? Then when is your time to rest and study?" said August, nodding.

"You're going to run out of steam." Javin smiled faintly. "Come on, since first semester I've gotten used to only sleeping four hours at most, so what's the difference?"

"At least at that time our class schedule was not as tight as it is now and you only worked as a private tutor for high school students on the sidelines of the lecture schedule," Leon emphasized.

Javin sighed. How to tell Leon and August that the amount of money in his account book is getting less and less, while he has to pay the dormitory fees whose subsidies have expired since the end of last semester? Not to mention the practical tools and expensive books that he has to buy because the courses are getting more complicated this semester?

"Never mind, just calm down. I'll be fine," said Javin reassuringly.

Leon touched Javin's shoulder lightly. "Jav, is this about money?" Leon asked softly. "August and I can help you with that. Whatever you need, we'll work on it. Just tell us."

Javin looked at Leon. He found sincerity in his friend's eyes, as he had always felt. August nodded in support of Leon's words.

"You've always been helping me since we started college and I don't want that to continue. I need to be more independent anyway and I can rely on myself to survive. You guys might be able to buy me lunch once or twice, but that's not all I need, right? And there's no way I have to ask you guys for help forever," said Javin at length. "You've been pampering me all this time."

Leon and August looked at each other. August's soft-hearted eyes filled with tears. He remembered what happened three years ago, two days after they received their high school graduation announcement.

- FLASHBACK -

"W-what?" Javin's whole body trembled violently and his white face became even paler as if he wasn't bleeding at all.

Leon and August stood to the right and left of Javin, shaking equally. Mr Thanapon, their principal, grabbed Javin's shoulder and stroked his head gently. "Come on, I'll take you to the hospital and help you take care of everything."

Like a robot, Javin stepped stiffly, led by the principal and followed by Leon and August. Javin didn't cry at all when they got to the hospital and the doctor on duty in the emergency room took them to the morgue.

The bodies of both Javin's parents lay stiffly on the iron bed. August had to be led to the bathroom by Leon because he wanted to throw up.

The principal helped Javin with all the administration then drove him home and made sure he would be okay. It was August's mother and Leon's mother who later took care of Javin, because they happened to live close together and their families knew each other well since their three children--Javin, Leon, and August had been friends since they were children.

Javin just cried when the bodies of his parents were about to be cremated. One week later, his father's lawyers said that Javin's parents were heavily indebted to the bank because they had engaged in risky speculation and suffered losses.

Javin also did not cry when after that his house was confiscated by the Bank for auction. He just stroked his car, which the Bank couldn't confiscate because it was bought in Javin's personal name, his eighteenth birthday present.

-FLASHBACK END-

"August, hey, you sleeping?" Leon's rebuke and a hard pat on the shoulder brought August out of his bitter nostalgic.

August stammers. "Eh, what? You talking to me?" asked August.

"What are you thinking about?" Javin asked, laughing.

August laughed too and took the anatomy book he had just bought yesterday. The book is still wrapped in plastic. He handed it to Javin. "Here, the anatomy book we have to study for tomorrow's quiz."

"Uh, if you lend it to me, then how do you learn?" Javin asked, stroking the thick book. "It's even still in the plastic."

"Don't worry about it. I bought two yesterday. You can't borrow them in the library because it's the newest edition. The old editions in the library aren't complete. That's for you."

Javin looked at August, then smiled broadly. "Thanks, friend. I'll pay it after receiving my first salary."

August chuckled. "Treat me a good fish burger at the arts school cafeteria if you get your first paycheck."

"Sure. You can eat three or four, to grow up fast."

"Damn it!"

Javin and Leon laughed amusedly, seeing August's face, which was the smallest among them, sullen.

Leon patted August's shoulder. "Let's go to the cafeteria, have lunch."

"Jav, I can't hold you back if you've decided that the job is right for you. However, promise me you won't push yourself if you feel tired or have trouble with it. August and I are always willing to help you. You just need to tell us," Leon said that afternoon, before they parted ways after the last class was over. August nodded confirming Leon's words.

Javin patted Leon's shoulder with a smile. "Sure. I can only rely on you guys so far, right? However, I want to do my best to cope with my own life."

Javin knew that his two friends were worried about him. He waved cheerfully from inside his car as he parted from them and headed for the mini market, where he was going to work.

Mrs Dew smiled broadly when Javin entered her mini market. She was sure that the student girls at the academy behind her mini market would start arriving to shop at her mini market as soon as Javin started standing behind the counter.

Even she herself was still fascinated when she saw Javin enter through the door.

"Mrs Dew, may I bring and load my things now?" Javin asked politely. "So I can sort it out before my workday starts?"

"Of course, Javin. Take it and put it in now. Here, the key," said Mrs. Dew, handing over a string of keys. "Take the blue one, it's yours. We'll hand over the other key every shift."

Javin's face lit up. "Thank you Mrs Dew."

"Work hard. I will increase your salary after monitoring you for three months."

Javin wasted no time. He immediately took his things that he had brought from the dormitory, in the trunk. Not much, just clothes and books and a few other personal items.

He didn't tell August and Leon that one of his reasons for accepting the job at Mrs Dew's mini market was that the nice woman was willing to lend Javin the empty space behind her warehouse. He thought practically, instead of paying more for a room in a dorm just to sleep in for a few hours a day, he'd better save his money for other more important things.

Mrs Dew also felt lucky, because with Javin living behind the barn, she didn't have to hire a night watchman. After all, the room that used to be used as a place to store wet food supplies was now empty since she decided to turn this old noodle restaurant inherited from his father into a mini market.

Javin was ready in a dark blue apron behind the counter at seven o'clock, carrying the new anatomy book August had bought, a notebook, and a pencil case.

Mrs. Dew has gone home and will return tomorrow morning at eight to open the mini market.

Its eleven o'clock at night, Javin writhing while closing the book. He came out from behind the counter and was about to make cup instant noodles, when the door bell above the mini market door rang.

Javin looked at a tall and athletic man walking towards him. The man was wearing a leather jacket, boots, and mask, all black.

Suddenly an unpleasant feeling made Javin's body freeze. It was almost midnight and the man's appearance was very mysterious. Will he be robbed? Oh, my God, it's his first day on the job!

***