Author's note:
There are a few references to certain historical events but most of them are my headcanons, so these chapters are not meant to be entirely (historically) accurate. Also, I'd be more than happy if anyone uses my headcanons.
Since I use human names and alternative names for nations and organizations in my fiction, here are a few notes on the characters and organizations that show up in this chapter
-Leo Tan --- SG : Serious, Responsible, Complex Protagonist
-Edmund Wong --- HKSAR(Because why not, he's also a workaholic that is the last to leave offices and meetings)
In my setting he is close business friends with Leo, and there is a rather competitive relationship between them.
-Marina binte Abdul --- Malaysia (I apologize if the name sounds weird according to Malaysian culture)
-Padi.Co --- ASEAN
Historical events portrayed , in order of appearance
-Occupation of Singapore by the Japanese
-Temasek being a regional trading port
-A period in Singapore's ancient history when Malacca (including the city of Singapura) was occupied by the Portuguese, there were no clear records about what exactly happened to Singapore until Raffles came
-Merger of the federation of Malaya with the former colonies of North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore
-Separation of Singapore from Malaysia
-Singapore's economic development from gaining independence to present
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'Hey, Leo. Aren't you going to go back home early and meet your family for some gatherings? It's new years' eve, after all.' Edmund is about to switch off the lights in the meeting room when he sees Leo sitting at the front row, alone, staring at his computer.
'My family is at overseas. I can pretty much have a chat with them over the telephone later. Don't mind me, I hope you have a nice time with your family.' Leo briefly replied, as if he was in a hurry.
' I'm sorry to hear that. Anyways I hope the same for you.' Edmund pauses for a while and responds politely.
'How ironic is it for a family guy to not have one that closely supports him.' Edmund mutters to himself as he leaves.
Leo overhears what Edmund said, glares at him, continues with the last bits of his work, shut the computer, and stares at the empty rows of chairs. ' Typical Edmund, snarky as always lah, even if he is shielded from loss every time it comes near him, or shortly after he recovers from it.' He sighed and took out his wallet, scrutinizes some photographs stuffed in a plastic pocket that appears to be slightly tattered after years of use.
These photographs are not new to him. A picture of his father and him during the Japanese occupation, a picture of him with his divorced wife and a large group of her relatives, a picture of himself taken as a spare photo for pasting on application documents. Every time when he looked at these photographs, it reminds him about a part of his history that he should be concerned about.
He knows very well, that he should not take his current position for granted.
Worried as he is, he promises to himself that nothing can go wrong in the next few decades. 'What's going to come up next? What should I do about it? ' Leo asks himself constantly.
Being hyper- focused on the future serves as a coping mechanism for Leo's discomfort , and that feeling of discomfort is shaped through generations.
Throughout the years, his family had smaller job titles and even little inherited property, and they were rather alert about it. His grandfather found his purpose through being a regional merchant, his father was under obscurity until the British found out his potential, then died after being shot by an Imperial soldier in the war against the Alliance of Steel. Leo remembers the family motto very well-- 'Work towards stability and inclusion, for own safety'. He worked hard in transport and trade, Marina and him tried to defend themselves through their marriage, then he was later forced to put his misery aside after separation , became savvy at technology and environmental science, and seeked support through his accomplishments. He is one of the founding members of Padi.Co , yet he is the youngest and has few close relatives whom he can depend on in case he stumbles upon anything.
Due to his hard work, Leo has his life under control, although he is not sure how long this could last. Whenever he thinks of his past, plans for the coming years popped up in his mind. He does his research, plans and equips himself for the future, builds peaceful relationships with almost everyone especially the 'Giants' in the council, and possesses valuable skill sets that made him mostly irreplaceable so far. Despite this, he understands that one day, he could be replaced and lose a lot of what he owns.
If chaos is a beginning storm, the world is engulfed in it and a few states like him stay in the storm's eye. The epidemics, power struggles and financial crises are all over the place, who knows, what will happen next?
As a result, his questions about what lays ahead and proposed ways to deal with them are almost endless.
YOU ARE READING
Back to Where It Began (countryhumans SG/ SG personified)
General Fiction'I have to be well prepared. The world is at stake and I hate to make any major errors.' Leo Tan (SG) reminds himself, especially during the 3 years of the pandemic where things could fall apart. What will Leo make of himself? Facing years of challe...
