Chapter 2: Here We Go Again
The sound of the morning alarm woke Asher up from his uneasy slumber. He blinked, turning his gaze to the cracked ceiling above him.
’There are a lot of things to take care of.’ He thought, the heavy reality of his new life immediately crashing down on him. Sitting upright, he rubbed the exhaustion from his face, then slowly stood up, walked towards the bathroom, and closed the door behind him.
"Today starts the third week of my marriage... Hearing myself say this is kind of funny." He stopped before the mirror, staring at his expression, searching for any sign that he was ready for this.
Black hair, black eyes, thin, average looks and height—he was simply ordinary. If it hadn’t been for his wives’ tragic situation, he would actually be over the moon marrying three beautiful goddesses. But now, they felt like an immense, fragile burden, and he was the only one who will take responsibility to keep them from starving.
He poured cold water on his face to shock himself awake, then took his brush. "I should go down and prepare food before going out again."
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Asher walked down the stairs, seeing his three wives in the sitting room. The sight was a daily reminder of the broken pieces he was somehow supposed to put together.
Kelly stood at the window, staring blankly at the horizon. Asher stared at her for some seconds, not knowing what was running in her fractured mind. Was she reliving past traumas, or was she simply trapped in the void? He sighed, turning his attention to Sara.
Noticing him standing on the stairs, Sara turned towards him, and gave him a tiny, small smile. Asher stared at her for some seconds, captivated... Sara was a beauty with the well-built body of an elite athlete. Her white hair, body, curves, and boobs were just too perfect; the only downside was, Sara can’t speak or hear.
He smiled back at her with genuine warmth, and turned to his third wife—the same lady who threatened him with a knife just the night before. She was surprisingly busy, knitting, her attention fully fixed on it with an intensity that contrasted her violent outburst.
"What are you doing?" Asher asked, walking cautiously towards her.
"Um... Making a scarf." She answered, a bit flustered, and quickly focused on her needles to avoid his gaze.
’Did I see that right? Did she just blush?’ He thought to himself, bewildered by the sharp duality of her personality. He turned back to Kelly. He so wanted to move close to the big-chested wife to offer some comfort, but he was scared of agitating her or triggering something unpredictable.
"I will be back." He walked towards the kitchen, opening the cupboards to start the day.
’Huh?!’
Asher was stunned, seeing it completely empty. A spike of panic hit his chest. He frantically opened another cupboard, and saw only a meager stash: bread, eggs, and a few wilting veggies. The reality of their dwindling finances was staring him right in the face.
"It seems we will be having toasted bread, and some egg for breakfast." He said, staring at the three of them sitting at the table.
SILENCE...
Asher wasn’t bothered by the quiet void that always filled the room. One was mentally unstable, the second was deaf and dumb, and the third; he truly doesn’t know what was wrong with her volatile mind.
He simply got to work, seeking comfort in routine as the sound of cooking filled the house, providing the only warmth in the cold building.
___
The four sat on their small dining table, staring at the food before them. Asher stared at Kelly, who was practically drooling over bread and fried egg. Among the other habits he noted down, she was a massive foodie, and she has kinda fallen in love with his food, not the chef. It was a small victory.
He turned to Sara, who had already started eating, taking small, polite bites, her eyes opened, but distant. Out of the three, Sara was the one who had truly conversed with him; although she couldn’t talk, the small smiles, nods, and silent support made his day bearable.
He brought out the small notebook from his pocket, his lifeline to her. He removed the pen, and wrote:
"I will be back soon, take care of the house."
When he was done writing, he placed the notebook on the table, and pushed it to Sara, who had been staring at him from the moment he took it out.
She took the notebook, and stared at the words for a long moment, then looked up at him. Her lips tried to move, but paused. She sighed deeply, resigning herself to the silence, and gave him a small nod.
Asher saw the profound pain in her eyes. From an SSS-RANK Awakener, to such a helpless state—anyone else would have broken down, or jumped off a building, but she held on with incredible stubbornness.
He sighed, standing up, ignoring his own hunger. "You can have mine." He shifted his own plate of egg to Kelly, who happily took it from him without a second thought.
Asher smiled softly at her innocent joy, and walked towards the exit of the house to face the harsh world outside.
"Hey! Where are you going?" Juliana yelled, turning to face him, her tone instantly shifting back to defensive aggression.
"I am your husband, speak to me with respect," he said dryly, exhausted by her constant shifting, only for Juliana to roll her eyes at him.
"Okay my sweet husband, where are you off to?" She asked with a cheeky, sarcastic smile.
’Why does that sound weird.’ Asher shook his head, pushing past the strange feeling in his chest, and continued walking.
"Searching for a job." He said, and without waiting for her mocking words, he exited the building.
Inside, the cheeky smile dropped from Juliana’s face. ’He never gives up... I kind of like that.’ Juliana thought, and turned to the meager food on the table, her eyes suddenly filled with deep worries about their survival.
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Asher moved his gaze to the only car given to him, an ordinary, beat-up Chevrolet Trax. He walked towards the SUV, and opened the door.
"Here we go again." He muttered to himself, getting his mind ready for the same crushing words all over again. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but he didn’t realize how deeply the deck was stacked against him.
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[20th Company]
"Sorry, Mr. Asher, your resume and documents are good, but you don’t possess the needed degree for this job. So we can’t accept you." The manager’s smile didn’t reach his eyes.
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[26th Company]
"Mr. Asher, you are good enough to be a trainer in our gym, but I apologize, the clients don’t need a married trainer. I hope you understand." It was a flimsy excuse, and they both knew it.
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[35th Company]
"Ahem! Mr. Asher, I am sorry, but we can’t take you in, the slots are all taken."
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[40th Company]
"Mr. Asher, the Security guard post is too little for you, so we can’t take you here." The recruiter hastily shoved his papers back, avoiding eye contact.
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[47th Company]
"Sorry, there are no Janitor jobs available, maybe next time."
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[50th Company]
"Mr. Asher, you are only 20, you are still too young to be a policeman, we can’t take you... Besides, this work is filled with dangers."
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[55th Company]
"Sorry, we can’t take you. Your Awakened Rank is too low. You won’t be able to clear any dungeon and give any benefits to the guild."
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By the time the afternoon rolled around, Asher’s feet ached and his pride was in tatters. He pushed through the doors of his final prospect.
[60th Company]
"Ahem!" A lady coughed slightly, her eyes widening as she saw the Surname on the Resume.
"You are Asher Starfire?" She asked, looking up at him with a mix of pity and hesitation.
"Yes, Ma’am! I promise, if you take me in, I will be a very good bartender! No customer will complain!" Asher quickly said, leaning forward, desperately hoping this was it. He just needed one yes to feed the mouths waiting at home.
The lady placed the document flat on the table, and pushed it slowly towards him with a single finger, her expression turning somber.
"You look like a smart guy, so you should know why you don’t have a job." She said, staring straight at him, finally speaking the unspoken truth that had haunted him all week.