Part 6: WinWin, The Catch
➔Pairing: WinWin x Reader (Female)
➔Other Members/ Characters: Lucas, Ten, Hendery, Xiaojun, Kun, & YangYang
➔Genre: Smut (+ angst, + fluff, + plot)
➔Warnings: angst, mentions of sex, yelling, cursing
➔Word count: 6,455
➔Summary: You don’t know what you do. You don’t even know who you are. Some would call you a whore. Some would refer to you as a sex worker. All of your clients would say you’re damn good at your job.
MASTERLIST
FOUR MONTHS LATER
Life is a whirlwind of many things: emotions, disappointment, new beginnings, and things too complicated to understand. It’s years of fuck-ups, of getting lost in the shit that hurts you, and finding out that sometimes the truth should stay buried. We’re meant to live life like it’s the last one we have, but a lot of us can’t even choose what to eat for dinner. Maybe that’s the joy in living, in just being. Maybe we should all be proud of being fuck-ups, instead of trying to be something we’re not.
“I don’t think life can get any sweeter than this.” WinWin said.
You tapped your glass against his, the frozen, pineapple liquid spilling down the sides. The taste of the drink is refreshing and so sweet it makes your teeth hurt, but you don’t care. You’re sitting on the beach in a plastic chair, the sun dipping into the ocean, and the company of a man you enjoy right next to you. Life, through its ups and downs, was finally looking up.
“I don’t want to go home.” you said. “Do you think people at work even miss me?”
WinWin laughed quietly, just a little wind through his nose. “I would miss you.”
“I bet you would.”
Since coming to the island for the past week, you and WinWin left the hotel room many times. You went snorkeling, exploring different parts of the culture, ate gourmet dinners, and got massages by professionals who avoided your sunburnt shoulders. On the days when you couldn’t seem to make it out of the door, you both fucked on the beautiful white linen bed, sometimes with the sliding door open, and every time without any inhibition.
“I miss you every day.” he said. He leaned over to kiss you, the taste of the drink on the edge of his lips.
When he brought out his phone to text his family back home, you let your eyes gape openly at his body. He was so pretty on the eyes, every muscle put to good use. You didn’t regret the order of the way things happened to fall together, just that you hadn’t met him sooner. It seemed lifetimes ago that you were hitting him up for one last bang of the century. You smiled at the memory, letting it salivate in your mind until he was done texting.
“Is everything okay?” you asked.
WinWin took your hand, which was something he did whenever he was feeling affectionate. You liked the attention, the way he put his phone down and focused on answering your question. “My family are asking what time our flight home is tomorrow. And if I’ll stop by on the way back to my house.”
“Did you tell them yes?” you asked. “I miss your mother. She’s just the face I feel I need to see.”
“You don’t know how happy that makes me feel.”
He leaned over and kissed you again. There was a cheeky look in his eyes, as if asking how easy it would be for you to straddle him on the beach chair and take his cock right there. Neither of you were sex fiends during your regular life back home, but vacation time meant making time for your relationship.
Luckily for the public, you were both interrupted by the waiter asking if you’d like a bite to eat. After declining, you both gathered up your things and practically ran back to the hotel for a night of fun and pleasure.
It wasn’t love, exactly. You would be the first to admit that love was hardly a driving force in your life. At first, though lust was an option, you ruled it out fairly early. Your entrance into WinWin’s life was less about pleasing someone sexually and more about pleasing yourself. You stayed around him because he was different. Deep down, you hoped it wasn’t because he was a culmination of all the boys in your life- Ten and his safety, Hendery and his optimism, Xiaojun and his hunger for life, Kun and his stability, and YangYang’s wholesome friendship. He even had Lucas’ taste for laughter and fun.
For a while, you wanted it to be love. You wanted love at first sight to be a real thing so badly. You saw WinWin, you knew he was the one, and you fucked him real good. You chose to let it be more. Still, months later, you chose to keep the relationship because there was always the possibility that you were both lovable. You could be normal, even get the 9-to-5 job and stop fucking people for money. It could happen for you.
The car ride home from the airport felt a little off. Being away from the ocean made you feel stale. You didn’t know how to face normalcy again, how to ease your way back into a city that held so many awful memories. But WinWin held onto you like he could solve everything, made you feel like you could be the adult you needed all your life.
“We’re here.” WinWin said as the car pulled up to his mother’s house.
She didn’t know her son paid for someone like you, or that he was the last one ever. As far as she knows, he met you out with friends, and the rest was history. She didn’t know about your past, didn’t seem interested in it either. She was the kind of woman that judged no one, that welcomed everyone through her door with a hug and a feast fit for kings. It was far removed from the family you had grown up with.
“You both look sun-kissed and beautiful.” she said, hugging you, and then tugging on the edge of WinWin’s ear. “ Welcome home. I made you a nice home cooked meal. I know it’s not as good as the 5 star food you’ve been eating for the past week.”
“Mom, I’m sure it’s delicious.” WinWin said. “And I am starving.”
“Me too.” you said. “It’s really nice for you to cook for us. I feel so thankful.”
Being with WinWin’s family made you feel safer than you’d ever felt. They truly welcomed you into the fold. It was easy to imagine the rest of your life like this: taking vacations, coming back to meals cooked by a mother who cares, and being lovingly accepted into another family like you were one of their own. Your past could easily melt away, along with any of the bad taste that got stuck in your mouth.
You felt yourself getting misty-eyed. Thankfully, WinWin’s mother didn’t notice. She walked away to tend to her meal, leaving both of you in her living room. Unfortunately for you, WinWin was also an attentive boyfriend. He noticed you were on the verge of tears right away. He wiped them away for you, his brown eyes looking concerned.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
You nodded. “Yeah, it’s fine. I think I’m just tired and overwhelmed.”
“Do you want to go home?”
“No, no.” you said quickly. “I’m happy to be here.”
The smile WinWin gave you lit up your soul. He brought you in for a hug, his excitement growing in the childish way he had. You held him tightly, too afraid to let go.
No, it wasn’t love, but it wasn’t not love, either.
That night, you made love.
In the beginning of your relationship, all the men before him would pop into your mind. There was the roughness of Lucas, the tenderness of Ten, and the intensity of Hendery. Every so often, you wished WinWin was as good as Xiaojun was at oral. You incorporated the carefree attitude YangYang taught you into your sex life, taking WinWin for a wild spin. You avoided Kun, and every feeling he brought up within you. Every so often, you would dive back into the deep end and meet WinWin, and you would merge all the men together. He would never know, and you’d never ask if he had any inclination.
Something changed a few months in. The sex got better, and you were more present. You were with him for the whole time, pressing down on his chest and riding the high that belonged to only him. You fell hard. You two were good for each other, matched up right in all the best ways. He didn’t need help in any department. He was whole and complete, and he made you feel like a goddess.
“You’re thinking.” WinWin whispered, kissing your forehead.
He pushed his cock deep inside of you, the words out of your mouth coming out breathless. “I’m not.”
“Okay.” he said, giving up before he started.
He fucked you so well that you both forgot about everything. It was only until you were dreaming that everything came rushing back. You dreamed of the men, of the paradise lost, of WinWin’s mother wishing you were her daughter-in-law.
Office jobs on a Monday never once seemed glamorous, but it was all you needed to feel ordinary. You stayed at your desk and watched the screensaver on your desktop fade in and out, like a heartbeat. Cheek resting against the palm of your hand, you sighed. You waited for lunchtime like the rest of the office girls. You didn’t gossip, didn’t show anyone your new nails. Your desk wasn’t decorated, but you were settled in for a while. The company liked you so much that you moved on from being a temp really quickly, which either made people love you or hate you.
“How was vacation?” a colleague asked.
You had become one of those people that shows vacation photos on her phone. There was WinWin laying on the beach, his toned stomach covered in sand. There was a photo of you posing by the sign of a restaurant, your arms thrown around him and your leg popped up. You hardly recognized the girl in the photos, though you’d spent 20+ years in her body.
“I wish I were in your shoes.” she said. “Your boyfriend is dreamy.”
“Thank you.” you said. It was hard to keep the amusement out of your voice. You were used to women fawning over him because he was so handsome, but when it was a married women with five kids, it made you hope you’d never be like that.
“It looked like such a nice little vacay.” she said. “So luxurious. How did you pay for all of that?”
“Savings.” you said.
Though you weren’t doing sex work anymore, the money from your secret apartment felt like it was never ending. You had sold so many things that reminded you of the men you saw over the years, choosing the money and a better life for yourself. It didn’t bother WinWin that you had more money than him, though he wouldn’t let you buy him a damn thing.
“Lucky.” she said before moving back to her desk.
Your eyelids were heavy, and the bottom of your feet sore. You dragged your feet through the doorway of your new, modest apartment, and threw your stuff down on the floor. You didn’t check your phone, just sat down on the couch and let your head fall back. You drifted off to sleep and only woke up to a knock on your front door. Picking yourself up, you walked over, swung it open, and screamed when WinWin picked you up and spun you around.
“What are you doing?” you asked.
He kissed you passionately, letting your body slide down his before he let your feet plant on the floor. You felt breathless, and could tell that your face was hot just from seeing him again. There were days you kind of wanted to share a home with him, to see him every single day. Maybe then you wouldn’t be so taken aback by him every time you saw him in the flesh.
You didn’t fully get a good look at him until he moved away from you and went over to the fridge for a drink. He was wearing a dark blue suit and his hair was slicked back from his forehead. He looked expensive, and the smell trailing behind him reminded you of the vacation you’d just left.
“What are you all dressed up for?” you asked.
“You and I are invited to a party.”
“A..party?” you asked. “On a Monday night? I’m exhausted. I just had my full day of work after a week of beauty and sunshine. Baby, the last thing I want to do is party.”
Then, as if everything suddenly made sense, you remembered that your birthday was in a few days. Your mind was whirring. You didn’t want WinWin wasting money on some nice party when he’d put up more than his share for the vacation.
“Please.” he said, pouting. He took a drink from inside the fridge and set it on the counter. “I wouldn’t go without you.”
“I don’t have anything to wear.”
“I’ve seen your closet. You have plenty of dresses.”
“I won’t know anyone there.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t tell you who was going.”
“I’m running out of excuses, aren’t I?” you asked.
WinWin smiled and came over to hold you. “Yes. I’m not a party animal either, but for some reason, I really want to go to this one. It’s at that nice hotel downtown that was just built. Imagine a night full of cocktails and dancing, coming home and collapsing in my bed. Fun, right?”
You closed your eyes. When you opened them, you said yes. After all, you didn’t want to ruin a possible surprise. WinWin picked you up and spun you again. ‘Round and ‘round in circles you went.
The dress you wore was too tight. You felt so bloated in it that, on the car ride over, you kept fidgeting. WinWin calling you beautiful didn’t help, but the sulking definitely did. Arriving at the party made you so nervous that you forgot about the ill-fitting dress. You weren’t ready to be in front of people you loved, if it was a birthday party. You were stressed about who would attend, and who would not.
“Holy fuck.” you said, looking up at the hotel it was being hosted at.
In another life, it felt like you had been there before. It was much too swanky for your new taste, but there was something so familiar about the exterior that you couldn’t help but stare at it. The cream of the building and the black marble accents were stunning to look at, even more so than your date.
“We’ll stay no longer than two hours.” he said. “Does that sound good?”
You were unsure, but you did agree. He took your hand and led you across the street, the red satin dress you were wearing flying up with the wind. You smoothed your hair down with your free hand and walked through the revolving door with him. Inside, the building was even more gorgeous. It must have cost a pretty penny, and would have taken years to import all of the textures.
“Who invited you here?” you asked. “Someone from work?”
“My cousin.” he said. “ You’ve met him before.”
You were whisked into a ballroom full of people. It was clear that, by the lack of people you knew, it was not a surprise birthday party for you. It made you a little sad, but you tried not to show it.
Being among crowds was never fun for you, but feeling his hand on the small of your back relaxed you. You were thinking you could enjoy the night anyway, but WinWin walking away to fetch drinks made the fear creep up your spine again. You sat down at an empty table and scanned the hoards of people dressed in expensive designer clothes, your eyes raking it all in. You assessed that the reason you were so uncomfortable is because the environment reminded you too much of the life you had four months ago.
“Here.” WinWin said, setting your drink down.
You took a big gulp and set it back down, watching strangely as the condensation from the glass formed a ring on the tablecloth. For a bit, WinWin sat with you and held your hand, his eyes watching people laughing and chatting along.
“I can’t find my cousin. He’s not answering his phone.” he said, not able to peel his eyes from the crowd.
“Should we go look for him?” you asked.
There was a weird tension in the pit of your belly. You pushed the drink away and vowed to not drink anymore. You joined WinWin in looking for his cousin, even though you didn’t know which one he was referring to. His family was big, and they all looked so different from each other, but they all had the same cute laugh and love of ordering things online.
“Let’s dance.” WinWin said, rising to his feet.
You looked at the hand stretched out before you. He was speaking and moving too quickly. You felt like you were being pulled in every direction. The lights of the ballroom chandeliers were too bright, the air too humid. Still, you took his hand and let him bring you to your feet.The heels were killing you, but they were the only shoe that matched the dress.
“Are you okay?” you asked. “You’re acting really weird. “
“Weird?” he asked. “How?”
“I don’t know.”
You wiped sweat from your forehead and felt nauseous as he led you both around the floor. It was the first time you wished you were anywhere but with him. Being at home and sleeping sounded much more exciting than the truth of where you were.
“Can I spin you?” he asked.
Before you could tell him that he couldn't, WinWin spun you around. You held onto his shoulders and caught your breath. He spun you one more time, your body losing slight control, and then he let you go.
All you could see were the lights in a blur before they stopped. You were too aware of the arm that had caught you. You looked down at the floor, at your feet crammed into your heels, then you closed your eyes tightly, and opened them again. You looked up and was met with a chest that didn’t belong to WinWin. Clutching the arms tightly, you used the body to bring yourself up all the way.
“Lucas.” you said, your voice shaky.
Dressed in a white button down and a light blue suit jacket, Lucas was there. His face was a little slimmer, but the same eyes were looking back at you. They were wide and hard, not a lick of concern in them. For a moment, you were transported back in time. It was where you were supposed to be, with the man you thought you were going to marry. You blinked and started looking for WinWin.
“You like him?” Lucas asked.
You removed your hands from Lucas’ arms and he dropped them to his sides the same time you did. You looked into his eyes and tried to muster something to say. The last time you saw him, you couldn’t get the right words out. Your storyline was very much unfinished.
“Does he check all the boxes?” Lucas asked. “Safe. Able to pay. Puts up with your lies and insecurities.”
“What?”
You looked over at the right time to see WinWin moving up to your side. You felt relief. You waited for him to berate Lucas for talking to you that way, a hero to save the day. Instead, he held out his hand to Lucas, as if asking him to dance.
“Four months.” WinWin said to him. “I want extra for having to sleep with her so many times.”
Lucas opened his jacket and took out a wad of bills. He peeled out so many pieces of paper that you lost count of them all. “Here is half. You get the rest of the money in a while.”
WinWin took the bills without counting them and tucked them into his own jacket. He gave you the tiniest apologetic glance before walking away. Confused, you started to walk after him but was stopped by Lucas' big arm.
“What are you doing?” you asked. “I’m following my boyfriend. Let me go.”
“Your boyfriend?” Lucas asked. “Wow, you really bought it. The con artist gets conned.”
Your brain was trying its hardest to make sense of what Lucas was saying. Any minute now, you would wake up from your nap on the couch and you wouldn’t be standing in the middle of a hotel ballroom with your ex-boyfriend. When that didn’t happen, you stormed off across the dance floor, your eyes searching for WinWin. You took out your phone and began texting, but a big paw of a hand snatched the phone from you.
“He won’t text back.” Lucas said.
“Give me that.” you said, swiping at him. “Why are you here? Did you follow us?”
Lucas laughed. “You don’t get it, do you?”
“Get what? You’re a psycho.” you said. “You broke up with me, remember? You left me. Let me live my life. I’m happy.”
Without your phone, you walked outside, through the revolving door and down the rabbit hole. You could hear Lucas’ heavy footsteps behind you. When you were out of earshot, he placed his hand on your shoulder gently and spun you around to face him.
“Give me my phone, or I will call the police.” you said, not enough bravado in your voice.
Lucas handed you the phone, but you yanked it from his hands anyway. There were no messages from WinWin, and nothing of note. You looked for the car you arrived in but it was gone. You swallowed the lump in your dry throat and closed your eyes again.
“Why did you hand him money, and where did he go? What was he talking about?” you asked. It was the question you’d wanted to ask all along but was too afraid to ask. “Please, nothing snarky. Tell me the truth.”
“The truth? Like you told me the truth?” Lucas asked.
“Lucas, please.”
“I don’t owe you anything.”
You were facing him head on, tears rolling down your face. Everything felt too chaotic, too blinding. Your thoughts were swimming in your mind, each one making no sense from the last. If what you believed to be true was true, you needed to know how it all went down.
“I set you up.” he said. “Sicheng, that’s his real name, was never interested in you. I paid him to like you, to fuck you. “
“He was my client.”
“Wrong.” Lucas said. He moved out of the way so that people could pass by. “I paid him to pursue you. It wasn’t easy, I’ll give you that. I had actually given up hope, but then you came right in at the end.”
“You’re lying to me.”
“I’m not.” Lucas chuckled darkly. “I paid him thousands of dollars. I paid for your vacation. I’m thousands in debt, but hey, who cares. I finally did it.”
“Did what?” you asked, wiping a hot tear from your cheek.
“Humiliated you the way you humiliated me.” he said. “Fucking guys for money behind my back? Why couldn’t you just cheat like normal people? Fuck, I wanted to marry you.”
It was quiet, the traffic from the sidewalk dying down. You leaned against the side of the building and felt how truly tired your body was. The fire in Lucas’ eyes calmed down a little bit, too.
“I know.” you said quietly. “I saw the ring.”
“Shit, you really fell for everything.” he said. “I planted that ring. I thought that if you believed I was going to propose, you would catch yourself in the lie. I thought you were smarter than me, but tonight proves that theory. You’re not smart at all. You should have seen your face when you saw the house key. ”
“Why would you do this to me?” you screamed, grabbing the attention of someone waiting in traffic.
“You did this to yourself, sweetheart.”
You turned around and put your arm against the wall, leaning your head down against it. “I don’t understand. WinWin and I are a real couple. I’ve been with his family and his friends. I love him.”
“The family thing wasn’t my idea.” he said. “I had nothing to do with that, but I find it funnier this way. How does it feel being so blind-sided that it’s ruined your life?”
“Fuck you.”
“No.” he said. “Fuck you. Exactly, how many people have you slept with? Did you get tested before you fucked me?”
You walked away, walking down the street to God knows where. You groaned when he kept following you, and you stopped in front of a well-lit display window. In the light, you could see how beat your reflection was. The dress was pretty, but your insides were shining out and they were ugly.
“You thought you could fool me.” Lucas said. “I followed you to some places, you know? Saw all the freaks you were with. That one guy? Hendery? I talked to him, acted like I was a stranger. He was so fucking in love with you that I was jealous. Can you believe that? I was jealous of someone who had you about as much as I did. It’s a real shame what you did to him.”
“Shut up.”
“He thought you would be together forever.” Lucas mocked.
“You don’t know a thing about Hendery.”
“Wrong again.” he said. “I know a lot about men like Hendery. The sad, rejected men that tried to love you. I was one of them.”
You checked your phone again, your last attempt at hope. All you wanted was to see WinWin’s name pop up, to text you that he was bringing the car around, and that he was going to take you away from the crazy man before you.
“If you knew....” you began, feeling dejected. “...why did you let it go on for so long?”
Lucas seemed to really think about the answer. In the light, he looked so handsome and young. You were reminded of the man he was when you first met him. You felt a little pang in your chest where your heart used to be.
“I guess I wanted to see if you would change, if you would love me.”
“I did love you.”
There was hurt and anger in Lucas’ eyes. “Loved me enough to cheat on me?”
“It was just a job.”
“Was I just a job, too?” he asked. “ I knew about the extra apartment. I really meant nothing to you.”
“This conversation is going nowhere.” you said. “I’m sorry I did that to you. I should have been upfront about who I was and what I was doing with my body. I fucked up, and I fucked your life up. And you, in return, fucked me up for the rest of my life.”
“This isn’t my fault. This is your fault.”
“I don’t care whose fault it is, Lucas.” you said. “You and I were done. We never would have lasted.”
“So, you strung me along to make yourself feel better?” he asked.
“No I-”
“-Like you did with Sicheng.” he said. “I’m not an idiot. I know the ins and outs of everything that happened in the last few months. It’s a cycle. The people you fuck keep you feeling better about yourself long enough for you to move on to a new one. I was just the unfortunate asshole getting caught in the middle.”
“I’m not talking about this right now.”
“And there it is, the denial.” he said. “Look at how you turn away from me when I tell you the truth. All those men and not one of them could ever call you out on your bullshit? Where is the love there, huh? Where are any of them now?”
You threw your hands up into the air. “I don’t know. They’re not here, Lucas. You hate me so much, but you’re the only one here. The last man standing. Congratulations, you did it.”
A car pulled up to the curb. You texted a friend for a ride, someone you didn’t know quite well. You didn’t have anyone else. While Lucas was talking, you were figuring out how best to run away from him. The knowledge hit you hardest where it hurts. You didn’t think anything could ever be the same again.
“I have to go.” you said. “I can’t be here anymore.”
“Yeah? Just like that?”
You held the car door open. “Yeah. Just like that, Lucas.”
“And you don’t have anything else to say?” he asked.
“I do, actually.” you said. “To those I’ve fucked and fucked over, I’m sorry.”
THREE YEARS LATER- LUCAS
He stood very still, so still that he could hear the tiny giggling coming from the other room. Lucas smiled to himself and tried to ignore it as best he could. If there was one thing he was good at, it was acting.
“Ready or not, here I come!” he yelled, his voice booming. He loved pulling silly voices. It was something that brought him so much joy. “You better not come out until I find you-u-u-u-u-u.”
With the heaviest of footsteps, Lucas walked across his house. It was dramatic the way he walked, and it only brought out another tinkle of laughter from the east side of the house. Lucas walked into another room and made fake footsteps like he was walking away.
There, in the corner, the top of a tiny head peeked out from behind a toy box. As if sensing him, the head poked back down. Lucas fought the urge to laugh. He played dumb and moved around the room, loudly checking behind places no human could hide behind.
“It’s very difficult to find her.” he said. “I wonder if she is in this room.”
Another giggle, another pull at his heart strings. Before he could move over to the toybox, a little girl ran out from behind it and into his arms.
“Daddy! Daddy!” she yelled, giggling as her father Lucas scooped her up into his arms. “You found me!”
Lucas swung her around and planted kisses all over her heart-shaped face. His happiness was always with her, even when it was hidden. Lucas set his daughter down and knelt down to her level.
“Now,” he said, his face serious. He tried not to laugh as his daughter put on a serious face, too. “Now, we have to find mommy.”
With her hand in his, they walked through the house to look for the missing puzzle piece of their family.
THREE YEARS LATER- TEN
“What is love to you?”
Ten sat across from his date. There was something in the question that made him cock his head to the side. His smile lit up when the person sitting across from him broke out into a similar smile, a clear embarrassment striking them unannounced.
“Don’t be embarrassed.” Ten said. “It’s a fair question. Do you have an answer for it?”
“I don’t.”
“Well, I do.” Ten said.
It was Ten’s assertiveness that got him the date in the first place. That, and the way he was so open about everything. He didn’t know if the person across from him was his soulmate, or if he even believed in that. Still, it was fun getting to know someone. In a way, it was like getting to know yourself.
“I think love is everything.” he said. “I think it’s in everything. It’s in the company you keep, in the weather you wish was different. Love is a painful reminder that not everything can stay the same. It’s the gentle way someone wishes you a good day. It’s an old blanket that smells like memories from long ago. Love is scary, but scary things are fun, too. We all want love, and we all want to be loved. It’s hope, and it’s full. I used to think love is never being left, but now I think leaving someone often means loving them so much that you do what is best for them. Love is...yeah..I love love.”
THREE YEARS LATER- XIAOJUN
He lit the candles, one on each end of the table. Getting lost in the flame was an option, but Xiaojun had many steps to take. He smoothed out the table cloth, the fine linen unwrinkling before his eyes. There was peace in watching everything come together, in the controlling things.
“Perfect.” he whispered.
Moving around the table, he fixed two of everything, even two napkins of the prettiest shade. The dishes resting on the table were cleaned so properly that not even a stray hair found its way there. The drinking glasses were sparkling. He could see his reflection in them both, his handsome face full of content.
“Whaaa, so perfect.”
Xiaojun took a seat in one of the chairs. He felt the wood of the armrest, a seat fit for a king, and he smiled to himself. The dinner jacket he was wearing was a little oversized, but it was pressed in a way that made him feel happy.
A man walked into the room and served food on both sides of the table, the tastiest feast money could buy. A bottle of wine was tipped into the glasses, not a drop wasted.
“Thank you.” Xiaojun said softly.
After the waiter disappeared, he looked at the empty chair on the other side of the table. The steam from the food rose up high, and with it, Xiaojun’s expectations. He took one savory bite of food. After, he took a bow to the seat that would remain empty for the rest of his life.
THREE YEARS LATER- KUN
“Therapy is at five p.m, don't be late.” she said.
“I don’t know why we’re going to therapy if we’re not going to work on our marriage.” Kun said. “Please help me understand.”
His ex-wife looked at him like she saw right through him. She was unbothered, not willing to waste a single emotion on the man before her. “It’s for the children.” was all she said before she got into her car and drove away.
Kun sat by himself on his front porch swing for a long time. His new house was smaller and bought with his own money. There was only enough room for him, and for his children whenever they wanted to see their dad on the weekends. With the end of his marriage, everything else seemed to go, too. He no longer had a job after getting caught having an another affair with one of the real teaching assistants. He figured it was a fair bit of karma for all the bad things he’d done, but it still didn’t make it an easy pill to swallow.
Occasionally, he would call your old phone number in hopes that you’d pick up, but you never did. It was probably for the best.
THREE YEARS LATER- YANGYANG
The massive backpack on his back made him sway a little. He found it so funny that he couldn’t read any of the signs in the foreign language. He’d met a lot of people on his travels, and each one found it charming that he was so carefree and kind. All it took was a smile from YangYang and the citizens were cured.
“Where are you going?” a traveler he had just met asked. He was an older man, way older than YangYang’s grandfather. He’d decided to travel and live a bit after his wife died. He was everything YangYang aspired to be, maybe, without all of the death.
“I don’t know.” YangYang said. “I guess, wherever the wind takes me.”
“Well, that’s a start.” the man said. “The train is here. Best go on your way, then.”
YangYang felt sad about having to say goodbye to the man. It was always like that over the last few years. He struck up conversations with so many good people, all of their stories worth telling, and then he’d have to say goodbye. Occasionally, they would exchange social media and whatever, but it never felt the same.
“This was nice.” YangYang said. “I really enjoyed hearing stories about your wife. She sounds like someone I would have liked.”
“You would have.” the old man said, his gaze on some distant memory. “Have safe travels and remember what I said, kid. Never stop. Take care.”
YangYang accepted the man's clap on his shoulder, even though it made him sway even more. The train stopped before him, windows slipping by. In the reflection as it slowed down, he thought he saw someone that looked an awful lot like you behind him, but when he turned around, no one was there.
THREE YEARS LATER- HENDERY
Since it was raining, the park was empty. Since he considered himself an idiot, he didn’t bring an umbrella.
Hendery approached the park bench like it was a bomb that could explode any minute. He looked around before taking off his jacket and stretching it across the surface to soak up some of the water. Then, he sat down and looked out over the grass. He blinked rain off his eyelashes and looked down at his lap. He did everything he could but check his phone. Over time, he looked up at the sky and let the water droplets hit his face. When he had done all the waiting he could do, he got up from the bench.
“Well.” he said, looking down at his soaked jacket.
Hendery picked it up from the bench and flung it over his shoulders. He took one last longing look at the bench for beginning to walk away. He was stopped by footsteps coming up from behind him. He turned around, placed the jacket back on the bench and sat down again. Hands on his knees, he stared straight ahead.
“You’re late.” he said.
The person sat beside him on the bench, their hands on their knees, staring straight ahead. At the same time, the person and Hendery looked at each other.
There wasn’t an apology you could say that would fit the crime. Hendery knew that. He looked straight ahead again, but he moved one hand from his knee and used it to hold yours. Your clasped hands sat between you on the bench, solid and true.
You looked at him before staring straight back ahead. Though it was pouring now, and your skin was slimy and your clothes wet all the way through, you didn’t seem to mind anymore.
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Freelancing in Japan — from Side Hustles to Full Independence
A look at the opportunities available and what is involved in establishing a side-hustle and expanding it to become an independent operator.
As a foreigner resident in Japan, there are likely three freelancing scenarios that you’ve considered.
Stepping Stone: Perhaps you want to work as a full-time employee but need some income to tide you over while you look for a new position. Or, maybe you want to use freelance work to gain skills and connections to help you change careers.
Side Hustle: If you’re currently working full-time, and you don’t have an exclusivity contract with your employer, you may be looking for something that you could do to supplement your income and grow your experience.
Full-Time Career: Perhaps you want to eventually work as a freelancer so that your income is diversified and you have more control over who you work with.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the options available and the logistics involved in getting set up.
The Benefits of Freelancing
Freelancing isn’t a fit for everyone all the time, and I’m not going to try and sell it to you if you’re not ready for it. Also, it may take a while for you to get established, so I’m not going to tell you it will be quick or easy. That said, let’s take a look at some of the benefits you may enjoy if everything comes together for you.
Mobility: You can work from home or from a cafe. If the type of work you do doesn’t require meeting your clients face-to-face, you may even be able to travel.
Income: If you find the right niche and can secure the right clients, then you can end up earning more than you could at a traditional full-time job.
Security: Since you’re not dependent on a single income source, so you have greater stability and more options.
Appreciation: When clients know that you have options and can walk away at any time, they are more likely to treat you with respect and show appreciation for your work.
Learning: Working with a variety of clients that have diverse needs will force you to learn new things and pick up new skills.
Choice: If a client doesn’t appreciate your work or is difficult, you can politely end your working relationship and move on to more appealing opportunities.
Qualifications: While some fields definitely require formal qualifications of some sort, many don’t. If you can show a portfolio of work that demonstrates your competence, then often that is enough.
Online Work
Even though you’re located in Japan, it may not always be feasible for you to attend events to find potential clients. Ditto for visiting client offices for an initial interview and subsequent meetings. In that case, one option is to do work for Japanese companies who are hiring online.
Freelance Job Marketplaces
Conyac is a freelance job marketplace based in Japan. While the site’s interface is available in English, most of its job listings are currently in Japanese, and most clients struggle to communicate in English. Thus, it is best suited to those with advanced Japanese skills.
It can be a good way to get experience working with Japanese clients, it is easy to get started, and you can get paid via PayPal — so you can continue working on the site if you leave Japan.
These are their top job categories:
Translation: Various translation tasks, proofreading, interpreting, localization
Writing: Articles, email newsletters, copywriting, and transcription
They’re working on getting more job listings in these categories:
Business: Legal, tax & accounting, HR, recruitment
Design & Creative: Web design, app design, logo & identity, art & illustration
Digital Content: Images, video, music, animation
Marketing: SEO, branding, social media, research & analysis
Tech & Programming: Web, mobile apps, infrastructure, and data analytics
Other Tasks: Data creation, voice data collection, image data collection, agency work
You can also set up a profile and offer bespoke services via Conyac. Prospective clients might hesitate to inquire to an individual’s website, blog, or social media. However, since platforms such as Conyac have various safeguards in place, clients are more likely to feel confident in trying you for the first time.
Of course, there are some things that don't change when working freelance jobs with clients you find online. Once the project begins, you'll want to communicate openly and clearly and work to create a successful outcome for all.
Work That Requires Offline Availability
Teaching
Online lessons are popular with busy people. However, unless you’re offering something that is specialized and in demand, the rates are likely to be quite low relative to the cost of living. It may not be worthwhile if you’re living in Tokyo. Check out sites such as ClassDo to see if you can find an approach that works for you.
Working Direct
Another alternative is to set up an online presence that showcases what you're offering and attempt to reach prospective clients directly. For example, if you are a graphic designer, you could set up a website showcasing your portfolio, explaining your services, and then try to contact companies that might need your services. Ditto if you’re offering editing services.
Note that unless you’re targeting international businesses in Japan, you’ll need to be able to communicate in Japanese. Perhaps there might be scope to partner with a local who will handle the client sourcing side of things while you take care of the specialized work.
As a foreigner in Japan, you’ll want to position yourself in a niche where you’re leveraging skills, experience, and knowledge that most locals are lacking. Here are some examples that I’ve encountered.
Language Teaching
Language teaching is often the first option that foreigners take and if you’ve been living here a while you’re likely familiar with the options. There are agencies that will send you out to schools and businesses to give lessons. Also, you can offer one-on-one lessons either directly or via an agency. The key is to work towards arrangements that give you more control over your time, location, and pricing.
Consider combining your language teaching skills with something else. For example, parents might like to have their kids take fun art or dancing classes in English.
Photography
Language: As a general rule, most local clients and models will not be able to communicate in English. The flipside of this is that you will stand out somewhat if you are fluent in Japanese.
Location: Most work is in Tokyo, but that shouldn’t discourage you from trying to break into the field if you’re located elsewhere.
Camera: Although the latest top-end smartphones are capable of taking great photos, most clients will still expect you to show up with a “proper camera.” However, one way around this is to impress clients with your portfolio, explain that everything was taken with a smartphone, and then ask if they mind. However, you are likely to command higher rates if you look the part by having an impressive-looking camera.
Portfolio: Decide what you want to focus on. For example, weddings, events, corporate profiles, architecture, real estate, fashion, or food. If your portfolio is lacking, then you may need to take on some free work until you have enough samples to convince clients.
Clients: Don’t expect people to discover your portfolio online and inquire about hiring you. Likely, you’ll need to do some networking at relevant industry events to secure your first gig. Perhaps carry along a tablet so that you can flick through your portfolio and show them relevant works. Have business cards ready with your URL and make sure it has your rates listed. Also, check out local photographer directories or introduction services such as Go Cameramen.
Scope: Make sure clients are clear on exactly what they’re getting for their money. Give them a detailed list of your process and what they can expect in terms of final deliverables.
Web Design & Development
There is a niche business of foreigners who offer web design and development services. A growing number of Japanese companies are open to having either an English version of their existing website or creating a separate site to cater to English-speakers. Other popular languages include Chinese and Korean.
Furthermore, some foreign companies operating in Japan prefer to work with a native speaker of their own language who can set things up the way they want it and coordinate with a Japanese counterpart for the local language sections of the site.
Since the advent of the web, it has become progressively easier for companies to set up websites. However, many still prefer to sit down with a designer or developer who will take a consulting style approach and give them what they need. Similarly, while machine translation has made it easier to offer a multilingual website, it is still preferable to have one that has been properly localized.
There are two ways foreign specialists tend to get business:
Networking at relevant events
Developing a relationship with an agency who outsources work to them
Software Development
Japan is suffering from a lack of engineers in various fields, including software development. It is common to hire freelancers who might visit their office for face-to-face meetings when required. Sometimes foreign engineers are more likely to have expertise in specific software languages. Or, it could be that they need a native speaker of a foreign language for some reason.
Scour local job boards to find work and attend relevant networking events with a business card that links to some kind of portfolio — or perhaps your GitHub profile.
I am not a lawyer or accountant, and the laws are evolving. Rather than risk giving you erroneous advice, and assuming you already have an idea of how things work in Japan, I’ll just say the following.
Visas, Tax, Health Insurance, Pension, etc.
Visas: Visit the nearest office of the Immigration Bureau of Japan.
Taxes, Health Insurance, Pension: Visit your local city office if you have any questions. In any case, always be sure to pay everything on time otherwise you’re unnecessarily making life difficult for yourself by damaging your records.
Sole Proprietor vs. Company: Unless you plan on hiring full-time staff, you’re probably best off going the route of a sole proprietor. It’s generally cheaper and more straightforward. However, having a company can give you more options.
Documents: Keep a copy of all documents, including records of any bills or payments. You’re going to get a ton. I use the Genius Scan app to “scan” them into PDFs, have it send the files to my Google Drive account, and keep everything organized in folders. I suggest you take a similar approach because you never know when you’ll need to be able to dig up and refer to some obscure document.
Consultants: There is no legal requirement for you to use any kind of consultants, such as a lawyer or accountant. However, they can be very helpful if you can afford their services. As a general rule, the ones which offer services in English cost more.
Assistant: If you are earning enough, you might find it makes sense to hire a local assistant to handle the administrative side of your solopreneur business.
Closing Words
As with anything in Japan, building a successful career as a freelancer isn’t going to be quick or easy. However, it is possible if you position yourself in the right niche, figure out how to get clients, satisfy them with excellent service, and maintain relationships.
____________________
Written by DLKR
Cover photo by Ali Yahya on Unsplash + edits
Originally published on Xtra.blog
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