Ever since he got fired, he knew he had to change his course.

"Buid, the hostess is looking for you." Alma informed him. Buid exhaled as he stood up from his desk chair. He kept a calm composure as he headed to her office. The door to her office was opened as she waited for him to sit.

Nat was sitting at the side as she turned her desk chair to face Buid's serene smile and put down the check for him to see. "Your check." Nat responded coldly she passed the check to Buid. His stubby fingers picked the corner of the paper as his gaze descended on the price. Ř 24,000.00

"My payment is not due until next week." Buid mentioned.

"It's your last paycheck. You're fired." Natalie said bluntly, "It wouldn't have come to this if you had informed me sooner. Nothing personal."

Buid simply smiled.

"Understandable. Omitting information that could potentially ruin your show would result in law suit. It's awfully generous of you to compensate me for my faults." Buid smirked.

"Don't mention it, just so we are clear. You are taking full responsability for this." The host reminded him referring to the scandal regarding Herring and Piros.

"Absolutely," Buid stood from his seat, then looked at the hostess. "It was a pleasure working with you." Buid gave a curt bow, bidding farewell as he exited her office.

Natalie shifted her eyes thinking, “How am I going to convince Piros to participate in tonight's match?”

Buid entered into administration to receive his payment. 240 bills of Ř100 rolled in a rubber band by Quinn.

"It was nice knowing you, Buid." Quinn said.

Buid entered the reception to say goodbye to his coworkers.

“We're gonna miss you, Buid.” Geoffrey said and Vilma wholeheartedly agreed with him in that statement.

“Sayonara, Buid-san.” Akane was the first to say goodbye, before she gave him a hug.

“Bye, Buid.” Alma replied as she put down her shot of scotch on her desk. “I'm actually gonna miss you and your herbal teas.” She hugged him while Buid slipped a packet of ginseng in her back pocket as he fully embraced her.

Geoffrey hugged Buid as they mutually embraced and patted each other on the back.

“Who's gonna keep the zen in the reception now?” Sam asked.

“That is all up to you.” Buid responded.

“It was nice meeting you.” Goung stepped forward and gave Buid a handshake. “Even though we've only known each other for a couple of days.”

“Likewise.” Buid gave his signature smile before he took some of his belongings while Goung had helped had picked up some of the thing he left behind before Eimy walked up to the reception and looked through the glass window.

“Uhm, hello?” Eimy asked, hoping someone was there, then noticed Goung from the far end of the reception. “Goung!” Eimy hollered, but Goung was busy accompanying Buid and helping him pack when Geoffrey had come to the glass to respond.

“How may I help you miss?” Geoffrey replied cheerily as he gazed at her.

“Is there a vacant position for me to work part-time?” Eimy enquired.

“We are looking for a new intern at the reception.” Geoffrey prompted, hoping to have her as a coworker.

“Sorry, we're not looking for anyone at the moment.” Vilma interjected before she shot a glare at Geoffrey.

“I've worked at maintenance in different locales.” Eimy responded before she spotted a thin layer of dust on one of the Computer hardware. “Looks like you've missed a spot.”

“We already have 3 caretakers, thank you very much.” Vilma replied as she gritted her teeth while her fake smile was about to fall off.

“Ignore her, you can file your resume to Mia Luna. She's on the 4th floor.” Geoffrey suggested.

“Thank you.” Eimy smiled at Geoffrey, then smiled smugly at Vilma who just furrowed her eyebrows and glared at her when Eimy walked away while Geoffrey looked at her. Vilma pinched his arm.

“Ow!”

“That's for defying me. We just lost Buid, ya dimwit!”

“He's leaving! Not dead.”

“I actually like the buddhist bastard.”

“Hmmph, you and your fixation with older men.” Geoffrey turned his desk chair away from her.

“I tolerate Buid. I don't want another blonde bimbo here.”

“Excuuuuuse me.” Geoffrey furrowed his eyebrows.

“We already have enough blondes to go around; you, Goung, Sam, and Patricia are enough.”

“Well that's racist.”

“I hate pompous blondes like Patricia, June Loser, and her.” Vilma clarified.

“Oh.” Geoffrey stood up from his seat just before they heard Faim shout Goung's name.

Buid stood outside the Alvonian stadium as held a box full of his belongings. A box of incense, packets of herbal tea, a teacup and the rolled up money of his last pay as he carried it all the way to his residence on foot.

After he had been discharged, Buid made a decision to open up his own business with the money he had been given on his last paycheck to open up a tea shop. Though the only thing that he could afford was a small kiosk and opened up his place of business.

Herring and Sardin were fishing approximately 24 kilometers off the coast. They were on their own canoes fishing when Herring caught a simple codfish, and wrapped it in his sodden tunic.

“It's almost sundown.” Sardin said.

“I know! I'll return by tomorrow.” Herring warned as he saw Sardin row away.

“Happy tidings then!” Sardin hollered, as he rowed farther away.

Herring rowed to the mainland and brought the codfish to the fish market. Basa was already closing the shack.

“Basa! Wait!” Herring shouted.

“Hurry up, lad! I'm aclosing the shack!”

“I brought cod!” Herring unwrapped the fish and Basa inspected it and weighed it.

“Ř15.00” Basa told him.

“It's not enough to buy a morsel.” Herring refuted.

“Take it or leave it.” Herring didn't have many options, he was broke, his sodden tunic reaked of fish and it was nearing nightfall.

He took the money and headed on his way to the stadium, his stomach rumbled. Herring put a hand on his empty belly, he frowned as stray strands of his danced with the breeze when the orange and purple hues of the sky darkened.

The sun was setting and he had to find a place to eat, and fast. Buid lit an oil lamp and hanged it on a hook to illuminate his shack. He returned inside to prepare his supper.

Herring had been wandering off in search for food, but the establishments and nearby houses were closed. His stomach growled even louder, he ran to find food.

There has to be an animal crawling around somewhere. Herring thought to himself as he searched, looking for anything. He was willing to take his chance with eating a bug, a roach, or a rodent. His eyes scanned as the sun went into hiding, the darkness covered the mainland like a veil. A couple of stars twinkling the night sky, a wisp of clouds covering the waning moon.

Darkness coalesced with his vision. Herring wandered, not knowing where he was going until a scent tickled his nostrils.

Buid boiled tea and a pot of soup wafted in the open air, Herring followed the trail even if he had to hit himself against the wall and fall on the ground a couple of times before he saw a dot of light half a block away.

Herring loomed over the window and found Buid stir the soup with a ladle.

Herring sneaked into the window.

“What brings you here?” Buid asked, not bothering to turn around.

“I smell food and I'm hungry.” Herring said lowly and his stomach growled for a meaty morsel.

“That'll be Ř50.00.” Buid offered as he stirred the soup.

“I don't have that much money.” Herring admitted.

“Too bad, and I just added sea salt to the soup.” Buid sprinkled the ingredient then stirred the soup some more.

“How dare you deny food to the poor!” Herring groused.

“How dare you invade my home?” Buid questioned him. The uninvited guest sat on the floor cross legged.

“I wouldn't be here if I wasn't so hungry.” Herring pouted, he furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his upper lip before Buid ladled the soup and served his guest.

Herring beamed before he took a scoop of the hot soup. Buid served himself a bowl and they ate.