Juan Ramon Sereno: The Wise Slave

Prologue: I Am Juan Ramon Sereno

I have no idea how I would begin my story, so I ask for your forgiveness if the first thing I would tell you would be stuff about me.

My name is Juan Ramon Fontanilla Sereno. I am absolutely sure that none of you would remember my very long name so could just call me Ramon, or JR if you prefer it. But if I were you, just call me by the name Ramon because this is what most people address me. And take note, if you guys are not my parents or my older brother, never ever call me Jay, since it's only my family whom I gave the privilege of doing so. I hope you guys would understand. At this, I'm already indebted to you.

I was born on the 13th of October in the year 1992. Every year, during my birthday, we always have a small party for me, even if you can say that we are somewhat rich. But I would want this, nevertheless. I don't really fancy conversing with too many people in a very short amount of time, and it's not really my thing to socialize too much; this Mom and Dad already know very well.

If you would take a very good look at me, you could actually say that I'm a bit short for my age. I have fair skin, coffee-colored hair, mahogany-colored eyes, a small nose, and thin lips. My body also got a bit thinner than normal since I was sickly when I was still a small child, but there was nothing I could do back then. At first glance, you could probably say that I look like a little lamb. Well, maybe you're right, I do look like a meek, newborn lamb, but let me assure you that I could be anything but meek.

Last year before summer vacation has started, I have finally finished my studies as a Psychology student in a prestigious university. Because of this, you would presumably say that I am an intellectual monster. That is where you go wrong. Just like a normal guy, laziness often hits me when it's already time for me to study my lessons and I'm already contented with my passing grades just enough for me not to repeat my subjects. The only thing that gives me the inspiration and motivation for me to come to my senses and stop procrastinating is my dream since I was very young: to become a doctor.

When I was still a small child, I would easily get sick. Mom and Dad always brought me to the doctor back then. Even my big brother became very worried about me because he could rarely ask me out to play basketball with his clique. Because of the countless numbers of times I was brought to the doctor by Mom and Dad, I actually reached the point when I got scared of doctors. So one time, after another session with the pediatrician, while I was bawling my eyes out, I told this to my big brother:

"Hgk! When I grow up, I will become a doctor so I won't need to go to them the next time I get sick! Waaaah!"

I never really thought that I would actually study in a prestigious university in order to make this dream of mine come true. Talk about being back with a vengeance. That is why sometimes during this summer vacation, I often had to go back to the university to make the necessary arrangements, payments, and other processes for my admission to the Department of Medicine after resting for a year when I finished my Degree in Psychology. It wasn't exactly a walk in the park, and it hit me that things would get even more difficult once I get admitted.

Let us talk about something else, this time. Maybe you guys would start thinking that I am really studious and all that just because I was able to enter Medicine school. Again, this is where I tell you that you've got that wrong. If I'm not doing anything inside the apartment complex we live in, I often shut myself in our room, or what my big brother affectionately call 'my den,' reading a few books, like Lemony Snicket's and The Hunger Games. I also watch some movies and anime or play video games like The Legend of Zelda.

If I would tell you something about me that I could be proud of, that would be my talent in writing. I started writing when I was in the fourth grade in elementary school when my teacher made me join a writing contest. A lot of people were extremely surprised when I actually won first place at the said competition. Because of this, when I already entered high school, I almost immediately became the editor-in-chief of the school newspaper even though I was still merely a sophomore. I got famous all around our region because I actually emerged victorious in a national schools press conference that was held at Lapu-lapu City, Cebu. It is for this reason that I never lost my passion for writing, even though I have my plans to become a doctor straightened out. This, however, didn't help to improve my physical health because I rarely get the necessary exercise.