It was in the middle of December when my boss informed me that we will be having a visitor from Canada. He's her nephew and he'll be occupying the room next to mine. We never had a man visitor yet so I was quite worried about it. It makes me uncomfortable in some ways as I don't like socializing with others, most especially with a man I barely know.
Friday came and he arrived unexpectedly. As I opened the door, a tall, lean man with buzz-cut hair appeared at sight. And the first word I uttered in my mind was "Oppa" as he's similar to the ones in Korean Novelas. I smiled at my boss and said hello, and he was standing next to her and talking about something.
As he entered the house and I looked into his eyes, I sensed that there was something wrong with him. It seemed like he's having a feeling of melancholy or pensive sadness. He visited Hong Kong to have a vacation, but he seemed not happy to be here.
As days passed by, I learned more things about him through my loquacious boss who loves telling stories about her family's achievements and good stories.
The man is only 29 years old and graduated last 2013, but he already achieved a lot of things and became successful at a young age. He started working as a management trainee, managing different ad-hoc projects and research. Then worked as Senior Leasing Officer in K11, a famous establishment here in HK, and he became a Deputy Leasing Manager within a short period.
In 2017, with the money he saved from working in HK and some amount he got from his mother, he flew to Canada to pursue his passion and became a pastry chef. Through a mutual friend, he met a Japanese owner of dessert shop and both decided to open the shop in Canada. Then he became the co-owner and Director of Business Development and managed to expand the shop in different areas in Canada and opened some branches in China and HK.
Just imagine his achievements within 8 years and the fact that he's only 29, he has still a long way to go, and a lot of room to grow. Because of this, I opted to stalk his profile online, and indeed all the information my boss told me wasn't brag, but facts. He's quite different in photos though, and he looks better in person with buzz-cut hair and a lean body.
On his first night at home, I heard him interviewing applicants over the phone as he'll be opening a new shop in Canada. Sometimes I could hear him scolding his staff over the phone for being irresponsible. Sometimes he's sitting on the sofa with eyes glued on his phone, eyebrows meeting with each other, and hand holding his chin. Literally the same with those in Kdrama, lol.
I can just say in my mind, "poor young man, why stress yourself so hard?"
But I pity him more when I found out the main reason for his sudden vacation. It's not just to take a break from work, but to see and surprise his very ill mother, my boss' sister.
But here comes the antagonist of the story. His older brother doesn't want him to be reunited with their mother as he feared that he might inherit some parts of their mother's wealth. What an absurd man! I saw him many times but I never thought that he was a mad man. He's the youngest among the three siblings and their mother's favorite child, and he would definitely get some of their mother's wealth unless his brother will do something bad to stop it.
While my boss was narrating his story, I couldn't keep myself to be emotional. I was just holding my tears to fall as my boss didn't want to see me crying inside her house. I just feel sad about the young rich man's life. He is rich but poor. Poor with the love of his family. He is single, young, and alone, and still needs the love of his own family. Yet, his older brother seems to hold a grudge against him and hinders him to be happy and see their mother.
And the more annoying part of the story is when the young rich man only found out about his mother's real health condition through my boss as his brother kept it from him. The day he arrived here, my boss told him to ready himself as he might not be able to bear the story that would be unfolded. Upon seeing his ill mother's photo on my boss' phone, his tears gradually dropped and he cried so hard.
All I felt was a pity for the young man and hatred for his older brother. Just because of money, hatred formed in their family. And I just told my boss, "he doesn't need his mother's money, because he's already making his own money." His selfish, greedy brother can't understand it at all, as all he thinks about is money, money, money. The older brother bought a beautiful house and live a wealthy life because of their mother's money, although he's the guardian of their sick mother, it is still not a reason to stop his younger brother from being reunited with their mother.
He doesn't need his mother's wealth, all he wanted is to see and surprise his sick mother.
One night while his older brother was away, he called his sister-in-law to open the door for him as he wanted to see his mother, then the most heartbreaking reunion happened. When he went back home that night, he narrated that story to my boss and was still emotional and crying. Finally, his wish to see their mother happened. And I didn't care about the older brother's side anymore.
While I was listening to my boss' story, it was as if I was watching a Kdrama and if not because of my boss in front of me, I should have cried too.
Undeniably, some people will do absurd stuff and become selfish because of money, while some will do everything for their loved ones. A successful life isn't complete if the house is empty of love and with a shattered family. Why always think about money? Can't they just think about love? It's Christmas anyway and for the sake of their ill mother, they should be reunited again and reconciled before their mother leaves this world.
It's the month of glorying, forgiving, loving, and giving. And Christmas would be great if there's no hatred felt inside our hearts. I just wish that this young rich man's family would be reconciled again, so he could go back to Canada with no heavy feelings in his heart.
Drafted this last December but only posted it now 🤣. He was supposed to leave yesterday but his flight was moved today. So far, their family was reunited last Christmas, but he never stepped into his older brother's new house. And I guess, the two are still not on good terms. But what matters most is he got to see his mother before he went back to Canada.
Bye-bye Oppa. It's the only photo I got. 🤣 taken from the 8th floor.
Pag pera na talaga ang usaspan, walang kamag-anak mayaman man o mahirap. May mga taong sadyang pera na lang ang pinapairal sa isip, sa salita at sa gawa bow :D :D
Mayaman nga, masama naman ugali. Aanhin ng brother nya yung yaman kung wala syang pamilya masasandalan dahil sa ugali nya 🤦. Buti nlang nagkita ang mag ina ateeee. Nakaka inis yung mga ganyang tao, kayang gawin lahat para sa pera. Nako 🤦
What a Pity!! You might claim to be rich and still be poor. Nobody has it all, What an ironical life. I pray the man finds love and get over everything.
I always thought that it’s only Nigerian that call tall guys OPPA I was surprised reading this in your article. He has really made many achievements at 29 he really tried. That’s how life always treat most human beings that there will be always problems either bid or small.
The one thing I have learned about money is that it does change some. But the thing is this; the people who change mostly are not the ones who earn it themselves. It's the one who simply want it, feel that they deserve it somehow, and begrudge other's success because they themselves have not been able to figure out how wealth is actually created and obtained, and especially maintained.
In other words, when you make your own money and become successful and wealthy, you appreciate it more. And you appreciate other wealthy people knowing how much blood, sweat and tears have gone into it, rather than resent it.
Unfortunately, no matter how much we wish for it to be otherwise, there will always be people like this in the world. All we can strive to do is not be one of them.
Money has led to the breakup of a lot of families and I see a lot of cases similar to the case of your boss nephew here in my country, truly money is the root of all evil. I am glad he was finally able to see his mom before he went back to Canada, his older brother is really wicked
Isa talaga ang pera sa dahilan na nagkakasira ang relasyon sa pamilya at ano pa man. I wish na maging okay na yung young man.
Pero kaloka, medyo natamaan ako dun sa month of glorfying, frogiving and loving. 😅
Kasi may dala dala din ako sa dibdib sis. Masakit at hindi ako maka move on. Dependi din kasi sa sitwasyon. Sa totoo lang, gusto ko naman kaso kasi ayoko yung palagi ako nagpapakumbaba tapos sila hindi marunong humingi ng tawad at palagi pa rin ginagawa yung mga bagay na nakakasakit. Kaya di ko alam paano mag patawad. Sana dumating na ko sa point na makapagpatawad ako.
The title made me curious but when I read it, I understood why you wrote such title- Lol
That is life for you, thank God he worked for his money and also rich, so he doesn´t care if he shares in the wealth of his own mother which the brother is trying to take from him. It takes a stronger love of siblings to share their parents' wealth without having to fight over it.
It's really very absurd.... Akala q sa kdramas lng nangyayari, yet here it is right before your eyes unfolding... He's one hardworking young man, achieved more than he could at a very young age compared to his brother... Super selfish ng kuya niya na ipagdamot ang nanay nila sa kanya
Ay grabe, kaya pala ayaw nyang mkita ni bunso si nanay nila.mawawala din mamanahin nya pag d marunong magmanage... Kidding aside, d ka ba napansin ni oppa?😁
Ayttt kala ko naman mag romancey na magaganap sa inyo walay pala at heartbreaking pala ang kwento. Ang nagagawa talaga ng pero sa tao ano. I mean, anong malalim na dahilan ba ang ginawa ni Oppa para magalit ng ganon ung kapatid sa kanya bukod sa natatakot na mapunta sa kanya ang mana. Baka lang may mas malalim pa na dahilan you know. Hmmm.
Parang wala.. Cguro inggit yung kapatid sa achievements nya.. Isa pa..fav yun ng mama nya.. At saka ayaw lng makakuha ng mana.. Kc wala work yun. Magiging poor kung hndi mabigyan ng mana
I was almost in tears to hear the condition of his mother and his emotions to meet his mother after a long time.But I am amazed to hear the behaviour of his elder brother, how could he be so selfish just for the sake of money. But glad, at last he met with his before leaving.
Ap BHt mehnat krti hain her bat k liye mehnat krna Bhe BHt Zaror hai rich aur young hamin Bhe krna Pasand hai lekin her Kam k liye mehnat BHt Zarori hai.
Ap koshish krti rahin Hamesha ki Tarha
Bakit kaya yun mga mayayaman laging maynissue sa hatian ng inheritance noh. They have enough naman yet they still want more to the extent na kalimutan ang moral bilang tao.. Hay....
Napakagreedy naman ate nung kapatid niya. Naalala ko ate yung kapatid na sumunod sa akin, nuknukan ng inggitero though bata pa naman po yon haha. Anyway, hoping that magkaayos po sila haha
It really sound like a telenovela. How in the world did the older brother think ill of his younger brother when the younger is even more successful than him.
Money really plays a significant role in peoples' lives. It reveals our character.
Because that brother doesn't even have a job and only relies on his mother's wealth. So if the younger brother takes the inheritance, then he'll become poor.
Its very appalling how brothers suddenly turn to enemies in a tussle of weath, and the battle of supremacy might continue into the next generation... Nice read I must say☺
Hmm.. The things people do for money are sometimes unutterable. We seel our souls which is our ultimate possession for material stuff that will die as soon as we do.
I'm glad to see that he was able to visit him in the end but I wonder why his elder brother has the mindset that he's coming for an inheritance. "Humans and their guns"
That is quite sad. I remember you mentioning him sometime last month. Just sad what greed can do that it destroys a family. Glad that your oppa was able to visit his mom.
Oppa 😅. Yeah happy for him na nagkita sla ng mama nya. Bedridden na kya yun.. Panu nlng kung pumanaw any time na andun sya sa Canada. At least nagkita sla
That's a wicked act. Because of money, he caused his brother a trauma.
For me, seeing his mother isn't the final, the elder brother could be held responsible if anything goes wrong with her.
Everyone has a right to be with their mother. So, the older brother shouldn't claim that right alone.
He was rich with money but poor in love.
Hay, sometimes that the problem of being rich😂. When i heard stories like this, makapagsabi na lng ako, buti wala.kami kayaman na pag aawayan😂