Chapter 2

Impenetrable Fondness

Chapter 2: Genevieve and Xhyro

GENEVIEVE let out a huge growl and quickly exited the game after the last round. Nakakainis. Nabasa nito ang mga galaw niya. She’s already stressed because of her work and hopes to relieve that stress from gaming, but now she’s even more stressed and annoyed!

Nakakairita talaga ang Xhyro na ‘yon. Malamang pinagtatawanan na siya ng mga fans no’n at napatay siya nang Xhyro na ‘yan! Nanalo pa ang kabilang team. She even got trash talked by some of her teammates which is annoying, mga pabuhat naman sila.

Hindi niya na muling binuksan ang laro hanggang sa matapos ang araw. Iniiwasan niya ang problema sa shop niya, pero talagang kailangan nito pagtuunan ng pansin. Ang daming nag-cancel ng order nila sa Shopee at alam niyang dahil iyon sa post.

The post was from her recent buyer. May listing kasi siya sa Shopee for customized designs and shirts, at si Helen na nakausap niya noon ay nagpa-customize ng damit para sa baby niya. Agad niya naman itong tinrabaho at natuwa siya dahil hindi pa siya nakakatanggap ng request na gano’n simula nang business niya. Since the customized one is also much pricier, her buyers prefer just getting what she’s already pre-done before.

Ang gawain niya lang ay mag-design at alamin ang tela ng mga damit bago ipagawa sa mga manufacturer. She can’t possibly sew all the clothes herself. Ganoon ang gawain niya dati nang maliit pa lamang ang business niya at talagang pinagtitiyagaan niyang tahiin iyon. Those were the days she was just starting out with her clothing business.

College niya ito sinimulan at akma naman ang course niyang Fashion Design sa business niya. Though her parents have enough money to provide for her tuition, she wanted to be able to create a name for herself. Her own brand.

That’s why she started GNV from her name. And as simple as that brand may sound, it’s easy to remember and only has three letters compared to her first planned name which is just Genevieve’s. Noong nagsisimula pa lamang siya, mga school mates niya sa ibang course ang pinagbebentahan niya nang mga damit na gawa niya. Even her own block mates supported her and bought clothing pieces, and that’s how she started creating a name for herself.

Hindi niya hahayaan na mawasak ang ilang taon niyang pinaghirapan—na ngayon ay kilala nang brand name sa online market, gagawin niya ang lahat para ipagtanggol ang sarili.

She tied her short ash grey hair to a half-up and half-down before facing her laptop, already starting to think of what she’ll reply to the post.

She sighed. Be kind. This is just one of the many challenges you’ll be facing in the future, kahit ilang taon pang maganda ang takbo ng negosyo mo.

XHYRO let out an exasperated sigh after seeing his Mom’s text. He’s getting tired of his family. Noon pa man ay pagod na siya sa pamilya niya, pero hanggang ngayon pala ay may mas ikapapagod pa ‘yon.

First, they don’t support him streaming. Bata pa lang siya ay lagi na siyang sinusundo at pinapagalitan ng nanay kapag napupunta sa computer shop para maglaro ng computer games, at nang mabilhan siya ng cellphone ay agad pinagsisihan ng mga magulang niya ang desisyon na iyon dahil puro laro lang ang ginagawa niya habang nakikipagkausap sa mga kaibigan niya.

What did they expect? He was a lonely child. He didn’t have any siblings.

Kung iisipin ng iba, ma-swerte kapag isang anak lang at walang kaagaw sa mga laruan at kagustuhan. That the parent’s attention is focused solely on their one and only child.

However, that wasn’t the case for him. Pinagsisisihan pa ng kaniyang mga magulang at nagkaroon sila ng anak na walang kwenta sa termino nila.

Second, they even chose a course for him that he didn’t like. Pero siguro tama naman iyon at sa umpisa pa lang…wala talaga siyang gusto.

He’s always wondered what it feels like to have something you’ve always liked. Para sa kan’ya kasi, paglalaro lang iyon.

And gaming isn’t considered as a career for most people. It’s just an app for entertainment, pampalipas oras lang.

Pero para sa iba, ito ang buhay nila. More importantly, this is his life. Because his parents always scolded him and never once praised him for his efforts at anything else, he’s given up on pleasing them. Kaya ngayon, hinahanap niya ang pagmamahal na hindi niya nakuha sa pags-stream niya.

Kahit dito lang sa pags-stream makuha niya ang saya na hinahanap niya, ayos na iyon sa kaniya.

Lastly, they had the fucking nerve to kick him out of the house right after graduating college!

They asked what his plan was after college, and he only replied with gaming. Before he knew it, he woke up with all his things on multiple luggage and he was found on the streets.

“Nakaka-putangina,” mura niya at humiga sa kama bago muling buksan ang cellphone. “Makapaglaro na nga lang.”

He remembered the reason why he started streaming. Money was the first factor; he badly needs money to live by himself. Pinagsabay niya ito sa pagta-trabaho sa fast food chain at iyon ang pinakamadaling trabaho na naisip niya. Not that it’s easy—but it’s manageable enough for him. Good thing Jayden let him in his condo for a couple months before he could find a place to rent in.

And here he is now. Struggling to live by himself and manage his finances, because as cruel as his parents can be, they never let him starve. But they’ve probably had enough of him to kick him out of the house like that.

From Mama: Bumalik ka rito kapag may maayos na trabaho ka na.

He sighed as he continued playing. Isn’t this already a decent job?  He doesn’t have anything he wants to do but this! What’s so hard to understand?

Watch. Nasa isip niya at hindi na nakapag-pokus sa laro dahil sa iniisip tungkol sa pamilya. When I become a successful streamer and earn loads of money or even get to complete internationally…let’s see how you treat me by then.