Meanwhile, far from the city, there lived a young and handsome man named Brando. He stayed in the countryside with his family—his father, Felix, a hardworking farmer; his mother, Dalia, a devoted housewife; and his two younger siblings—a little brother and sister. Brando, the eldest, often felt the weight of responsibility pressing on his shoulders.
"Mom, I'm hungry!" his little sister whined, clutching her stomach.
"Me too!" his younger brother chimed in.
"We have to wait for your father, okay? He went to buy food for our dinner," Dalia said gently, though her voice carried a hint of worry.
Brando sat quietly beside his mother, frustration gnawing at him. He hated seeing his family struggle like this.
A few minutes later, the front door creaked open.
"Dad's here!" Brando said quickly. His siblings rushed to greet Felix, who stepped inside carrying a plastic bag.
"I'm so sorry I'm late," Felix said with a weary smile. "I had a lot to do at the farm. Here's our dinner."
"Thank you, dear. What did you get?" Dalia asked as she took the bag from him.
Felix set it down on the worn wooden table. Dalia peeked inside—there was a small packet of rice and a few pieces of dried fish. The children's faces fell, but they stayed silent.
"I'm sorry," Felix said quietly. "That's all I could get."
"That's okay," Dalia reassured him. "The important thing is you were able to pay Brando's tuition fee."
Felix sighed. "Yes… but I had to borrow the money. I'll need to pay it back, and that's why we're short this week."
Brando looked at them both, his decision already forming in his mind.
"Mom, Dad… I think I should stop school for now," he said firmly. "I'll find a job and help out."
Dalia shook her head immediately. "No, son. You need to finish college."
"I don't want to see you eating dried fish every night just because of me," Brando argued.
Felix placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "We have no choice, Brando. If you finish your studies, you'll have a bright future—and you can help your siblings finish theirs, too."
Brando's voice softened. "But Dad… are you sure you can pay my next tuition fee?"
Felix hesitated, his silence heavy. "I'm not sure," he admitted at last. "But I'll do everything I can."
Brando nodded, but inside, worry gnawed at him. He could feel the uncertainty creeping in—maybe his education was about to end.