I stared at his journal entry, absolutely dumbfounded. [My brother has been a gigolo for years, but suddenly he can't get it up anymore...] For the sake of this young child's mental and physical well-being, I decided I needed to call his brother in for a serious talk. But somehow, the student completely misunderstood my intentions and stubbornly insisted on setting me up with his brother. I politely declined. "Honey, your teacher doesn't really like men in... that line of work." But the student didn't understand. Instead, he got anxious. "My brother doesn't have to be a gigolo! What about an escort? Do you like escorts, Ms. Chloe?" Me: ? 01 After reading my student's journal entry. I felt like the sky had literally fallen on my head. [My brother has been a gigolo for years, but suddenly he can't get it up anymore.] [Since his body isn't working right, he can close his doors and rest for a few days to recover.] [Honestly, working in the service industry is really hard. I totally understand him...] The further down I read, the colder my heart got. What on earth is this?! Amidst the shock, a thick wave of absolute fury surged into my chest. "Timmy, when your brother does... all this... does he do it right in front of you?!" I slammed the journal onto my desk. Timmy blinked his big, round eyes, his hands politely folded in front of him as he stood obediently across from my desk. "Pretty Ms. Chloe, my brother always hides when he's being a gigolo, but I can still smell it from outside his door." Smell it?! What kind of massive commotion are they making that a kid can smell it from outside the door?! My temples throbbed violently. I lowered my head, desperately trying to suppress the raging fire inside me. For the sake of this innocent child's future, it was definitely time to have a very serious chat with his brother. I gently took Timmy's hand, softening my tone. "Timmy, from now on, when your brother is doing his... gigolo business, you are absolutely not allowed to go watch, do you understand? Also, this Friday..." Timmy suddenly started twisting his shirt shyly, interrupting me with a conflicted look on his face. "But pretty Ms. Chloe, my brother said that when I grow up, he's going to pass the business down to me! He says it makes a ton of money!" I completely petrified into solid stone. He's going to inherit the business?! Is that actually his biological brother?! Are we absolutely certain he wasn't kidnapped by human traffickers?! I couldn't wait until Friday for a parent-teacher conference. "Tell your brother to come see me. Tomorrow!" 02 The next day. Timmy's brother didn't show up. "Ms. Chloe, my brother was too busy with his business today. He said he got a massive order, and he'll come apologize to you in person another day." Timmy kept his head down, his eyes darting away nervously. I was boiling with rage and about to snap, but then I noticed Timmy's shirt was on backward, and his hair looked like a bird's nest. My anger instantly vanished. My poor, sweet boy. When the oldest brother acts as the father, what kind of horrible guardian is this?! For the sake of his disgusting "business," he's actually neglecting his own little brother! "Please don't be mad, Ms. Chloe! My brother didn't mean to skip it. But Jessica from the West End specifically requested my brother to deliver his services personally to her house, so he had to..." Seeing my face turn dark, Timmy's eyes instantly welled up with tears, and he frantically tried to explain. He was always such a good boy in class. He was smart, friendly, and all the other kids loved playing with him. If it hadn't been for this journal prompt about "Family"... I never would have known his living environment was this toxic. How did he grow up with a brother like that and not turn out completely twisted? My heart instantly melted into a puddle of mush. I reached out and pulled Timmy into a hug, heartbroken as I helped him fix his backward shirt, gently pinching his chubby cheeks. "If you ever need anything, or if things get too hard, you can always come to me, understand?" Timmy, clearly confused, nodded anyway. Then his eyes crinkled into happy little crescents, and he nuzzled into my chest, acting spoiled. Oh my god, my heart is breaking for this kid. 03 That overwhelming sympathy lasted right up until the next day. Since Timmy's brother kept making excuses not to show up... I decided to do a home visit myself. "Ms. Chloe, my brother said he'll be home in about half an hour. I'm going to go to my room and do my homework first!" Timmy put down the landline phone, grabbed his little backpack, and marched straight into his bedroom. He didn't cry. He didn't throw a tantrum. He didn't turn on the TV. He didn't even need anyone to remind him—he just proactively started doing his homework. He was unbelievably well-behaved. My absolute disgust for his older brother leveled up significantly in my head. After silently cursing his brother out for thirty straight minutes, I finally heard the front door unlocking. Trying to maintain my professional courtesy, I stood up, preparing a polite greeting. "Hello, Mr. Timmy's brother, I'm..." Holy shit. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, impossibly long legs, and a perfect tan. With looks like that, actual male models would weep. No wonder he's a successful gigolo. The figure in the doorway suddenly stopped. Seeing me go completely silent, he walked over and waved a hand in front of my face. "Ms. Chloe?" From far away, I couldn't tell. But up close, not only was his physique elite, his face was unbelievably handsome. Sharp jawline, deep, dark eyes, slightly parted lips. But what really got me were his ridiculously long, curly eyelashes—it gave his razor-sharp features this unexpected, adorable contrast. I quickly turned around in a panic. I mentally scolded myself. Get it together! You look like you haven't seen an attractive man in eight centuries! "Here, Ms. Chloe. Have some water." A pair of incredibly elegant, long-fingered hands flashed in my peripheral vision, and a glass of water was gently placed on the table in front of me. "Hello, Ms. Chloe. I'm Nolan, Timmy's older brother. Did he get into trouble at school?" Nolan sat down across from me, spreading his long legs and naturally leaning back into the sofa. But three seconds later, he abruptly shot straight up, forcing a stiff, unnatural smile. "Sorry, Ms. Chloe. I just finished a session and I'm exhausted." Finished a session. My brain instantly locked onto the keywords. So what if Nolan was gorgeous? The business he ran was absolutely shameful. 04 I cleared my throat. "Nolan, I actually came here today to talk to you about your... work." Nolan straightened his posture and nodded seriously. "Okay, I'm listening." "It's about you being a..." The words refused to leave my mouth. The sheer embarrassment hit me first. If I just blurted out the word gigolo, what if Nolan had a complete mental breakdown? I slammed on the conversational brakes and swerved. "Are you experiencing severe financial difficulties? Why on earth did you decide to get into... that specific industry?" The light in Nolan's eyes instantly dimmed. "A few years ago, my parents had a really ugly divorce. In the end, neither of them wanted custody of me or Timmy. They just dumped us and vanished." He forced a smile. "Ms. Chloe, Timmy and I are doing much better now. I know my business isn't exactly high-class or respectable, and every time I finish a session my body gets completely filthy... but as long as I can provide a good life for Timmy, I'm completely satisfied." I closed my eyes tight. My brain was screaming, I AM SUCH A TERRIBLE PERSON. All the horrible assumptions and accusations I made about him in my head before knowing the truth... suddenly transformed into crushing guilt. "Nolan, I am so, so sorry. I had no idea your family went through all of that, but..." God. I couldn't even finish the sentence. To end this quickly, and for the sake of Timmy's future psychological development, I decided to lay my cards on the table. "When you do... that... please try your best to avoid doing it when Timmy is around. He's still young, so he doesn't understand what it means. But what about when he grows up? What is he going to think of you?" "Or... are you considering switching careers? I can introduce you to some legitimate jobs." Seeing the completely baffled, blank look on Nolan's face... I panicked. "You could be a security guard! You could do Uber Eats! Timmy is such an angel, and you're still so young! Why do you insist on being a..." "BIG BROTHER! YOU'RE HOME!" A tiny, chubby shadow bolted past me and launched itself directly into Nolan's arms. "Brother, I finished all my homework! My tummy is rumbling." Timmy blinked his massive eyes, looking up at Nolan pitifully. Nolan reached behind his back and produced a giant, novelty-sized lollipop. Timmy's eyes instantly lit up like fireworks. "Ms. Chloe, stay and have dinner with us! Whatever we need to talk about, we can finish discussing it over food." Nolan scooped Timmy up, placed him on the sofa, and stood up to head to the kitchen. I frantically waved my hands, hurriedly said my goodbyes, grabbed my purse from the sofa, and practically sprinted out the front door like I was fleeing a crime scene. Timmy was right there. I absolutely could not talk about his brother being a gigolo at the dinner table. I needed to figure out another plan. 05 After that day. My sympathy levels for Timmy broke through the ceiling. His brother working in that industry... was probably entirely against his will. Nolan didn't look much older than me. We were probably the same age. Because his parents abandoned them years ago, he had to carry the entire weight of his family on his shoulders alone. Acting as both an older brother and a father, raising Timmy to be so healthy, chubby, and sweet—you could see exactly how much effort and love he poured into him. But he absolutely could not keep doing this out in the open! Timmy was still little, but what happens when he hits middle school? I couldn't even fathom the psychological damage it would cause him when he realized the truth. The prejudice and judgment of society can utterly destroy a person. Thinking about this, I pulled snacks out of my desk drawer and shoved them into Timmy's arms, my eyes full of maternal pity. "Eat up, sweetie. If you need more, just come find me." Timmy nodded happily, and a second later, stuffed his cheeks full like a little hamster. He was too damn cute. After that, I requested Nolan come to school for a parent-teacher conference several more times. Until this issue was resolved, I wasn't going to have a single moment of peace. But every single time, his brother wasn't available. He was either "too busy" or "out of town on business." "Out of town?! Your brother's business requires him to travel out of town?!" I shot up from my desk. I was absolutely horrified. His clientele network is that massive?! Timmy looked up at me. "Yeah! He and a bunch of his friends went out of state this week to be gigolos over there! Our neighbor, Mrs. Smith, is watching me for a few days." He has friends?! A GROUP OPERATION?! My vision literally went black. I almost passed out. I thought I was just quietly convincing a lone sex worker to leave the life. Turns out he's part of an organized trafficking ring! This was dangerously close to crossing legal boundaries. If they got busted by a sting operation, what would happen to Timmy? An elementary school kid with no parents and his only brother in jail? And more importantly... with a felony on his record, Timmy could never get a federal job! "Timmy, the absolute second your brother gets back, tell him he needs to come see me immediately. Do you hear me?!" I pulled Timmy closer, lowering my voice, my face etched with extreme anxiety. Timmy looked at me and suddenly burst into a fit of giggles. Before I could even ask why, he covered his mouth and bolted away. Oh no. Timmy's mental state seems to be deteriorating into madness! 06 A week later. Nolan finally showed up at my office. "Ms. Chloe, I've been unbelievably swamped lately. I'm so sorry it took me this long to come see you." He rubbed his hands together and sat down in the chair across from my desk. The chair was a bit small, so he had to stretch his incredibly long legs out to the side. In an instant, he drew the attention of more than half the teachers in the office. He must have really rushed over here, because he was wearing a tight, white muscle tank. I have to admit, seeing a basic white tank top on him gave off this rugged, intense, masculine energy. No wonder he's the gold standard in his industry. "Ms. Chloe, Timmy told me you wanted to talk. I have absolutely zero intention of changing careers. I know the work is exhausting and I get filthy every day, but it pays the bills and feeds me and Timmy. Plus, I actually enjoy doing it." Nolan suddenly looked up, his eyes determined, neither arrogant nor submissive. Every single female teacher in the office shot their eyes over at us like laser beams. Chua, chua, chua. I panicked. Terrified he was going to expose himself completely, I grabbed his wrist and sprinted out the door. Nolan looked completely bewildered, just letting me drag him down the hall. It wasn't until we reached an empty, secluded corner of the campus that I stopped, panting heavily, and finally let go of his hand. Looking around like a thief, I scolded him in a harsh whisper: "Why were you talking so loud in the staff office?!" If all those teachers found out what Nolan actually did for a living, how was Timmy supposed to survive the next three years of elementary school? I was just a student teacher on a temporary practicum. I was leaving in a few months. If Timmy got bullied after I left, who would protect him?! The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I couldn't help but raise my voice a little: "Is that the kind of thing you should be announcing in public?!" Nolan looked even more confused. "Is what I said really that shameful?" Shameful?! You could literally be arrested for it! "Look at you! You're young, you have both your arms and legs, you could do literally anything else! Why do you insist on doing that?! What if you get caught? What's going to happen to Timmy? And don't you know doing that kind of work puts you at high risk for diseases?!" Nolan opened his mouth, clearly trying to explain, but a group of students started walking toward us down the hall. I quickly shoved him toward the campus exit, telling him in an exasperated tone to seriously think about what I said. Then I grabbed the students' hands and walked briskly in the opposite direction. Just as we reached the classroom door, Timmy suddenly popped out from behind me, smiling like a sneaky little gremlin. "Pretty Ms. Chloe!" He tugged on my sleeve, signaling for me to bend down. "Ms. Chloe, what do you think of my brother? He's single! And I like you so much... will you be my sister-in-law, please?" ?! All those times I asked his brother to come in for a meeting... Timmy must have completely misunderstood my intentions. I took a massive step back. Terrified of breaking Timmy's little heart, I gently pulled his hand off my sleeve and gave him a soft, polite rejection: "Honey, your teacher doesn't really like men in... that line of work." But Timmy didn't understand. Instead, he got anxious and gripped my sleeve even tighter. "My brother doesn't have to be a gigolo! What about an escort? Do you like escorts, Ms. Chloe?" 07 "What?! He says his brother is an escort too?! So he literally caters to both men and women?!" I was on the phone, trauma-dumping this utterly mind-blowing revelation onto my best friend. My best friend let out a piercing, high-pitched scream that literally shook the phone in my hand. I groaned miserably. "Yes! His little brother is in third grade and already knows these terms! It absolutely has to be because of his older brother's influence!" I originally thought Timmy just didn't know what "gigolo" meant, but then he literally dropped the word "escort"! When he said that, I was so stunned I almost collapsed straight onto the floor. If Mr. Davis from the classroom next door hadn't walked by and caught me, I probably would have ended up in the ER with a concussion. "Why don't you just stop dealing with those two brothers? You're just a student teacher anyway. You only have a few months left before you have to go back to campus for graduation." My best friend paused for a second, hesitating before suggesting it. I had definitely thought about that. This wasn't my permanent job. It was just a mandatory teaching practicum required by my university. I was only going to be here for another three or four months before I had to leave. Barring any miracles, I was never going to teach at this elementary school again. Very soon, a new teacher would take over my classroom. Whatever happened after that would have absolutely nothing to do with me. But Timmy was so young. He genuinely didn't know what he should and shouldn't be writing in his school journal. What if one day, he wrote about this again? And what if a new teacher saw it? What if she thought it was hilarious and made him read it out loud in front of the entire class as a joke? Not everyone who holds the title of "teacher" actually deserves it. That was what terrified me the most. My moral compass kept screaming at me: As long as you are the teacher in this classroom, you have to fix this. I'm the kind of person who helps an old lady cross the street even knowing I might get scammed. I'm the kind of person who gives money to the guy faking a limp on the sidewalk. I'm the kind of person who pays out of pocket for expensive vet bills when I find an injured stray cat. If the old lady scams me, that's her bad karma. If the homeless guy is faking it... well, at least he isn't actually injured, which is a good thing. If I heal the cat, it gets to live a happy, bouncy life again. When I see a problem, I physically cannot just walk away. "I have to fix this." My best friend went quiet for a second, clearly having predicted my answer, and didn't argue. But right before she hung up, she couldn't resist throwing a jab at me: "Alright then. Just be careful you don't accidentally fall in love with the gigolo while you're trying to save him." 08 Speak of the devil. I didn't even have to hunt him down. The man who worked as both a gigolo and an escort voluntarily showed up right at my desk the very next day. But this time, he was bundled up tighter than a mummy. A crisp button-down shirt, black slacks, and he was even wearing a black surgical mask and a baseball cap pulled low. The only thing visible was a pair of bright, striking, fox-like eyes. I had just walked back from teaching a class when I saw him standing there. "You're back, Ms. Chloe?" The moment he saw me, his eyes crinkled into a smile. I set my textbooks down and tilted my head, looking him up and down. "Why are you dressed like that?" Nolan sat down in the chair next to my desk, keeping his knees perfectly pressed together. "I was afraid Ms. Chloe would say I was dressed inappropriately again." ... Just because I told him his outfit the other day was inappropriate for a school setting. Now he was being incredibly passive-aggressive about it. He definitely holds a grudge. With a personality like that, how the hell does he survive in the service industry? "Ms. Chloe, I think there's been a massive misunderstanding between us. I really want to clarify what we were talking about last time..." STOP! Why is he trying to talk about his sex work in the middle of the teachers' lounge?! I lunged forward across my desk, slapping my hand directly over his masked mouth to cut him off. "Wait for me after school! We will find somewhere private to talk!" My adrenaline spiked, and I didn't control my volume. Instantly, every single teacher in the room stopped what they were doing and stared at us with intense, burning curiosity. And there I was, practically sprawled across my desk, leaning entirely over Nolan's chest. I shot backward in sheer embarrassment, grabbed his sleeve, and practically shoved him out the door to get him out of the room as fast as possible. When I scurried back to my desk and sat down. Ms. Davis, the English teacher sitting next to me, blinked her eyes rapidly, grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds, and leaned over. Her voice dripped with gossip: "Chloe, I saw you and him pulling each other outside the school gates the other day too." "Is there... something going on between you two?" "You've got a great eye, Chloe! Timmy's brother is hands-down the most gorgeous guy in this entire district." "Spill the tea. How did it happen?..." ...
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