With lunch finished, James quietly tallied up his calories—around 800. That left enough room for a light snack later and a full dinner.
After clearing the table, he gathered the used plates and brought them to the sink, putting on an apron to begin washing.
Paul and Saul had conveniently slipped away, using their big brother's sudden responsible streak to dump dish duty on him.
"Brats…"
James muttered under his breath, but a small smirk tugged at his lips.
As he scrubbed a plate, his phone buzzed from the counter. He dried his hands and checked the screen.
---
[NOTIFICATION ×2]
(0XX-XXX-XXXX)
James, this is Summer hehe. My aunt said you can start working a day from now. Excited to work with you!
(1XX-XXX-XXXX)
Creep, this is Valentina. Save my number—we might need your help sooner or later.
---
James stared at the screen for a moment, stunned.
'In just one day… I have the numbers of beautiful girls. What… a… change.'
He looked up at the ceiling and whispered, dramatic.
"Thank you, Gods!"
"What was that?" his mother called out from the living room.
"Nothing, Mom! Hehe…"
He returned to the sink with a grin stretching across his face.
'I'll reply after this,'
he thought, as the water ran and his thoughts drifted between soap bubbles and the strange, sudden turn his life was taking.
__
After finishing the dishes, James passed by the living room, where his mother was watching her usual K-Drama.
"Mom, the person I talked to said I can start working a day from now."
Vanessa turned to him, her face lighting up with pride..
"Wonderful! We'll go buy you some essentials tomorrow."
She smiled brightly.
"It's okay, Mom… you don't have to," James said, rubbing the back of his neck. He didn't want his parents to spend more money than they had to—not on him.
But Vanessa waved him off.
"Nonsense, James. My son got his first job this is a momentous occasion."
Her voice was firm. And once Vanessa made up her mind, there was no changing it.
James chuckled softly.
"If you say so, Mom."
As he walked upstairs, a small smile lingered. No matter what happened, his mom was always in his corner.
Back in his room, he sat down and pulled out his phone.
'Time to reply to the messages.'
To Summer, he typed:
(Great! See you soon, future workmate! Btw, is it okay if I work half days? I have some things to take care of in the afternoons.)
To Valentina:
(I'm always free in the afternoon. And yes, I've already saved your contact info in my phone.)
He had just leaned back on his bed when his phone buzzed again.
[New Message – Summer]
(Yeah sure! Part-timers like me—and soon, you—only work half days anyway!)
James blushed, pressing the phone to his chest like it was something precious.
"Wow, that was fast… hehe."
Just seeing her reply made his heart skip.
Buzz.
Another message popped up.
[New Message – Valentina]
(Good.)
James laughed under his breath.
"Classic Valentina."
He set the phone aside, still smiling.
James headed downstairs and stepped into the twins' room.
"Saul, Paul...do you guys have any homework?"
He asked, watching them play with a pile of colorful building bricks on the floor.
Saul turned to his brother.
"Paul, we have homework, right?"
Paul nodded without looking up.
"Yes, Saul. We do."
James sighed and sat cross-legged on the floor beside them.
"Alright, let's get it done before you two forget what school even is."
Saul pouted. "But we're building the tallest tower in the world."
"Yeah," Paul added seriously, "It already survived two earthquakes and one monster attack."
James raised an eyebrow, glancing at the leaning stack of bricks.
"Impressive. But if you don't finish your homework, the Homework Monster's going to eat your tower and your grades."
The twins gasped in unison.
"The Homework Monster?" Saul whispered.
"That's not real, Saul," Paul said, but he shuffled a little closer to his schoolbag anyway.
James smirked. "It comes out when kids skip their assignments. Big eyes. Sharp teeth. Smells like unwashed socks."
"Ew!" both twins shouted, scrambling for their notebooks.
Moments later, they were sitting at their small desk, pencils in hand. James helped them open their books and looked over the assignment.
"Math and spelling, huh? Easy stuff. Alright, Saul—start with the first question, and Paul, you handle spelling. We'll switch after."
The twins nodded and got to work, glancing up every now and then for James's approval. For once, they were quiet, focused.
James watched them with a soft smile, amazed at how fast things were changing. Just a few days ago, he wouldn't have imagined himself doing any of this—let alone enjoying it.
'Helping with homework… getting a job… maybe I really am changing.'
"Big brother...James?"
Paul looked up.
"Can you spell 'adventure'?"
James leaned over, ruffling his hair.
"Sure. But only if you promise I get to join you on the next one."
Paul grinned. "Deal."
___
The soft clink of dishes from the kitchen had faded into the background, replaced by the quiet scratch of pencils on paper and the occasional whisper from the twins.
James sat between them, glancing over Saul's math worksheet while Paul worked through his spelling list. The Homework Monster scare had proven effective. It was the calmest their room had been in weeks.
Just then, a gentle knock came at the open door, followed by the creak of floorboards.
"Boys?"
Vanessa peeked in. Her brows lifted slightly when she saw all three of them at the desk.
"Oh?" she said, smiling. "Now this is a rare sight. James helping with homework? Should I take a picture for evidence?"
James looked over his shoulder. "Haha, very funny."
"It's true though," she chuckled, stepping fully into the room. "What's next? You cooking dinner?"
"Careful, Mom. I make legendary cup noodles."
"And soup that tastes like boiling sadness," Saul muttered under his breath.
James gave him a playful nudge. "Hey! That sadness kept you full during times when you whine to me for food."
Vanessa walked over and rested a hand on James's shoulder, her smile softening.
"Really, though… thank you. I know I've said it already, but it's nice seeing you like this. Engaged. Helping."
James looked down, embarrassed but quietly pleased.
"It's nothing. They're not bad students. Just easily distracted by bricks and imaginary earthquakes."
"Those were real, James," Paul said gravely, not looking up from his paper.
Vanessa chuckled again and leaned down to kiss the top of Saul's head, then Paul's.
"Finish up soon, okay? I'll put you to sleep after this." She turned to James.
"And thank you, sweetheart. Really."
"No problem, Mom....just doing the responsibilities of an older brother."
___
After helping the twins with their homework, a familiar sound chimed in James's ears.
DING.
[✔] Help your siblings with their homework
---
"Whew… that's one more down. Time for a run."
He glanced at the clock. 3:00 p.m. It was a good time to go out. The sun wasn't as intense, and the streets were still relatively quiet before the late afternoon rush.
James had decided this would be his usual running hour moving forward. Calm. Consistent. Focused.
He stepped into the hallway, lacing up his shoes. He could already feel it, the invisible stares, the silent judgment from neighbors or passersby. An overweight man jogging wasn't something people ignored. But James had made peace with that after his last jog yesterday.
'Let them stare.'
If a little shame meant protecting his father's job… his family… their future—then shame it is.
He grabbed a towel from the rack and called out toward the kitchen.
"Mom! I'm heading out for my run. I'll be back around five. Can you let Dad know I'll help him clean when I return?"
"Got it!" Vanessa called back. "Be careful out there!"
With that, James stepped outside, the door closing gently behind him. He took a deep breath, letting the afternoon breeze cool his skin.
Then he started jogging—slow, steady strides, carrying with him the weight of his body, his determination, and the promise he'd made to himself.