Episode 1

"Today, you're fired from my company because of you; I've lost customers!" his boss at his workplace exclaimed angrily.

"What! Please forgive me, sir, but it wasn't my fault—at all. The order I delivered was correct; perhaps the customer forgot they ordered incorrectly or had some other issue so they weren't focused," Charzo responded, explaining.

"There are no excuses whatsoever! Fired means fired! And it was out of kindness that I ever hired you in the first place—turns out it's true, the uneducated really are useless!" his boss stated, wounding him deeply.

Indeed, Charzo only had a primary school education, while his colleagues were high school or college graduates, but the insult was too much.

"Sir, even though I only graduated from primary school, I work hard. If you want to fire me, go ahead, but please, not with insults like this," Charzo said, feeling disheartened.

"Whatever! I don't want to see you again, get out of this company now!" the boss scorned him again.

"What about my salary? I've been working for a month," Charzo asked.

"No salary for you! This was a serious mistake you made! Get out, just go!" the boss pushed Charzo forcefully out of the company, causing him to fall, then slammed the door shut.

Charzo stood silently, gazing at the door of his workplace for the last time. He had been fired, belittled, and was leaving without pay. Feeling utterly dejected, Charzo was forced to return home empty-handed.

Charzo was a poor man who had been orphaned since childhood, living on his own, working odd jobs. He met Clara when he saved her from a mugger, and they fell in love and married without her parent's approval. Yet they loved each other despite not having been blessed with children.

Charzo returned to the rental they usually stayed in.

"Why do you look so sad? Did something happen?" Clara asked upon seeing Charzo's downcast face.

Charzo hugged Clara, looking forlorn. "I'm sorry my love, I've failed to make you happy. And today, I was also fired without pay. Forgive your husband for not giving you the life you deserve," Charzo apologized, sorrowfully.

"What! Fired! Why were you fired? How are we going to eat if you're not working!" Clara exclaimed, her facial expression changing. She took a deep breath. Even though she was angry, she had to accept the reality.

"Well, let's hope you find new work soon," Clara resignedly said. Even though his wife could be irrationally angry at times, she was still obedient.

Suddenly, the landlady came to them as they were sitting on the porch.

"Charzo, didn't you say you were going to pay the rent today? Where is it?" the landlady demanded, eyes bulging.

"I'm so sorry, ma'am. I can't pay just yet; I was just fired from my job and didn't get my last check. Please give us another chance. Once I find a new job, I'll settle the debt," Charzo pled.

"What! You think I can wait until you get a job? If that's the case, I might as well rent this place to someone else! You're two months behind on rent and still you dare to ask for more time! Get out of this house and take your worthless stuff with you! If you can't afford rent, don't rent in the first place, causing trouble for others!" the landlady shouted in anger.

Reluctantly, the couple packed their belongings and left their home, to wander the streets like vagrants.

"Why don't we go to my parents' house? We can stay there while you're looking for permanent work," Clara suggested.

"But... is it really okay to stay there? What about you? They surely won't accept us," Charzo hesitated.

"It's fine, I'll make sure they welcome us and convince them to let us stay temporarily," Clara said confidently.

They walked to Clara's parents' home. They weren't exceptionally wealthy, but they were well-off. Clara's father worked at a prominent local company, and so did her siblings and their spouses—all well-educated, white-collar workers.

Arriving, they entered Clara's family courtyard and knocked on the door.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Mom, mom, I've come!" Clara called.

Hearing the noise outside, Clara's mother opened the door and saw her daughter arrive with the son-in-law she despised.

"Oh, so you remember the way home? What brings you here?" Lena looked disapprovingly at Charzo.

"Mom, I would like to talk to you for a moment," Clara said, approaching her mother.

"Wait here for a moment," Clara requested as she pulled her mother's hand and went into the kitchen.

"What is it?" her mother asked again. Charzo reached out to shake hands with his in-law, but she had no intention of reciprocating.

"Mom, I am asking you to let me and my husband stay here for a while until he finds work. He was just fired from his job, and we were evicted from our rental. So, I'm begging you, please let us stay here," Clara implored her mother.

"I warned you from the start! Don't marry a poor man like him, and now he ends up being a burden to us all, someone who has nothing and still you stick by him! Just divorce him!" her mother exclaimed angrily.

"Mom, please don't separate me from my husband. I love him so much. Please," Clara pleaded.

Whatever Clara and her mother continued to discuss, Clara emerged from the kitchen with red eyes from crying, but she smiled in front of Charzo.

"You can stay in the storage room if you want to live here!" Clara's mother declared, leaving without wanting to see Charzo.

"This is all because of you, getting fired now we have to sleep in a storage room," Clara grumbled.

"I'm sorry, my dear. Next time, after I get a new job, we will definitely stay in a more convenient place," Charzo reassured her.

"Do as you like," Clara said. They moved to the storage room and started cleaning it up. Despite their situation, they managed to stay cheerful, laughing together.

"Well, well, little sister, who would've thought that after coming all this way, you'd end up in a storage room. You're not welcome here, that's certain. Poor thing," Clara's second eldest sister, Carry, said mockingly.

They paused their cleaning. "It's okay, sis. Despite this, I'm still happy," Clara replied smiling.

"Oh really? Then this place is perfect for you. Besides, who told you to marry a man of no worth? Look how tragically your life has ended up," Carry arrogantly remarked as she admired her own beautiful nails.

"Sister, don't say that," Clara replied, her demeanor changing.

"Ugh, it's so revolting! You indeed deserve to live in a storage room with rats and cockroaches. Disgusting!" Carry sneered as she left, showing her distaste.

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