Union Babysitters

when life doesn't give you lemons but shitty people instead

"Why do good people die so early?"

"Well, in a field of flowers, what do you pick first?"

"The most beautiful one."

"And there's your answer."

——————

 

Bullies.

 
They always existed everywhere. No matter the age or in any type of form, they were always there.


Intent to sow despair, helplessness, and sorrow.


Gray was aware of them, but he didn't care much about them because they never bothered him.


He got through grade, middle, and high school without ever being entangled with one.


College was a little different, but they were more disagreements than outright bullying.


It helped that he had good grades, always maintaining straight A's and whenever there were academic competitions out there, he always won them which gave his chosen school praises for birthing such a diligent student.


He was the favourite, role-model student a teacher could ask for so even if there were bullies who wanted to make him their victim, they always deemed him not worthy to involve.


Gray Yeon thought his venture into his life as an adult would be the same as well, blissfully free of bullies.


He thought wrong.
 
 

——————
 
 

The Prospects Project, it had been running for years now under the educational organisation known as Byeoksan Foundation.
 
 
Its main purpose was to undertake freshly graduated college students and offer them a chance to undergo a fruitful internship which would then guarantee them immediate employment once they completed it.
 
 
Said project had a reputable standing within the country because almost every student who came out of that project always ended up successful in their chosen careers.
 
 
It was that successful.
 
 
So Gray Yeon, the pride and joy of many teachers, was definitely a shoo-in to be in it.
 
 
He thought being a part of that project, a reputable one, and spending his internship there would be a peaceful endeavour.
 
 
Again, he thought wrong.
 
 
Someone bulldozed their way into his life and made it better.
 
 

——————
 
 

Stephen Ahn was a weird guy.
 
 
But he wasn't only that. He was smart when he wanted to be, he was diligent in all the right things, he was kind-hearted even to those who didn't deserve it, and he was a compassionate person who strived to make everyone happy because seeing others smile was enough to make him happy.
 
 
Stephen Ahn was weird, smart, and kind but he was also special.
 
 
If there was a person who could embody a star, Stephen Ahn would be it.
 
 
And that was what Stephen Ahn's entirety was to Gray Yeon, all of Stephen's traits and quirks, his way of thinking, his approach in life— they were all these clusters of stars that brightened up Gray's life.
 
 
Ever since he was young, he had always felt empty, he hadn't seen much point in life. It just seemed so useless, a bore, a chore.
 
 
It was exhausting, continuing to live while he felt absolutely nothing inside.
 
 
His only solace had been studying, but even then, he grew tired of that as well. He only kept it up because it was the only thing he knew how to do.
 
 
He had thought he would spend his remaining life in nothing and then die with nothing as well.
 
 
Once again, he thought wrong.
 
 
Stephen Ahn became the sole reason he could anticipate and look forward to countless tomorrows.