Name

Reinhardt

It is a name that means strong counsel, strong advice. It was given by his father, he never thought much of it. He thought it was cool and sounds nice within the ears. On his baptismal, he was officially named as Reinhardt...oftentimes he was fondly called as Rein as well

Date of Birth

May 20th, 1946

Occupation

Retired Educator

Description

Reinhardt is a polo shirt and high waisted khaki pants wearing old man. Presumably in his late 70s, weak and frail looking. He is unassuming with hair that has been bleached by time to turn grey with empty patches indicating that he has gone balding. His posture is weak, showing a back that has been aching for ages, his hand often holding his hip to himself whenever he stands. His eyes are dimmed, having a hard time distinguishing people and the lights around him and the noises that he used to hear were no longer as loud as they used to be. .

Height

He used to stand at around in height 6'0 in height, as he aged, his posture worsened and his height decreases, now due to his bad posture, he's barely 5'8.

Backstory

The post-war world is an era of recovery. The war torn theater of the world has been decimated, yet; in the destruction lies new hope of revival. The turbulent years of war were followed by a boom of marriage, with lovers who were separated by the conflict reunited, marriage became frequent...and a lot. Upon marriage, creating a family came after and what followed was a huge population boom throughout the post war...a new generation born after the conflict. These children will be later known as baby bloomers and Reinhardt was one of them.

On the 20th of May, 1946; he breathed. His parents were a young couple who married a year before. His father was a veteran,stationed in the country of the Philippines. He was part of the armed forces that fought against the Japanese during the initial years of the war in the Pacific between 1941-1942. In 1942, he was captured by the Imperial Army and was subjugated to the brutal Bataan death march and was later imprisoned within the infamous fort Santiago. His time as a prisoner of war broke him. The scars from the bayonets and the beatings have haunted his father throughout his life. The screams and the stench of death clogged his ears and nose, and the deprivation of sustenance ruined his appetite. He was a lean man at the start of the conflict, not too muscular, but certainly not thin;yet by the end of the conflict, his father was like a hollow husk.

There were images of his father in such a state hanging within the walls, a grim reminder of his own hell. There within the black and white framed picture is a man, sunken eyes with irises made of void...with an unsettling stare. He wore tattered pants, shirtless his ribs prominently showing throughout his skin... As if they would pop out at any moment.

He shortly met his mother, his sunshine. She was a volunteer nurse that took care of the wounded and the ill during the war and after it. She was also a victim of the conflict, in the last years of the conflict became hell to those who reside in Manila. The Japanese became desperate and brutal, blinded by violence, venting their anger to the civilians while the Americans bombed the city and raised it to the ground. Her family was not spared, weeks later after the liberation, she found their corpses decaying along with the rest.

The broken two bonded in their demons, they were their source of comfort and that resulted in an engagement, shortly they got married. They complimented each other, His father acquired a person that made living bearable while his mother gain what she had lost...a family. Together, the two healed in their scars, their love resulted in the birth of Reinhardt which they affectionately called Rein.

He was a loud child, crying so loudly in the dark cold nights as if he was announcing his presence and cursing his parents that brought him to this world. He cried and cried until he was calmed.

A year later, he was followed by another one...a baby boy or what would have been a boy, unfortunately the child didn't make it. He ed on a day after entering this world. The poor boy didn't even receive his name, in the backyard of their house, his body was buried and became one with the earth...after this, His mother never wanted another child.

Growing up, he experienced a modest life. They were not rich, but they were able to pull through.His parents, were never expressive of their affection. His father is a quiet, but firm man. He was a product of his time, a strict broken man.Growing up, Rein feared his father, because of his outbursts whenever a loud sudden noise would be heard, his scars and his blank expressions, he feared them all. As a child, He would receive beatings from misbehaving, which his mother would justify later on and sometimes blame Rein as he nurses him from the bruises that he received. His father never apologized...he thought he didn't need to.

That's what his childhood was, a disciplining father and a caring, but cold mother. His relationship with his mother was complicated, he was cold to him, distant, but caring. He always looked at him with sadness, she provided him their food and would take care of her when he got beaten by his father... nothing more than that.

He didn't know what he was deprived of, but he grew up being cautious of his actions. Always looking at his wrongs and rights...being careful not to upset his father and relying only to himself as his comfort as his mother never really gave him the proper warmth that he doesn't even know. He became non expressive as them, with complications to his own emotions and not being able to speak up in fear of punishment.

He became quiet, and reserved which his peers find him creepy making him unpopular and also a victim of bullying. The bullying was relentless, yet he never fought back now mentioned to anyone in fear of being punished for misbehaving, he was meek and this became an invitation for people to trample him. Yet as time went on, his indifferent approach never changed, he became numb through the violent beatings of his father that the hits of the children didn't hurt him. He looked at them, as if waiting for them to be finished...that scared them...later on he left him alone. His family was able to afford his schooling, in his town there was only one school which is tied by the church, often named after a saint that died centuries before him. There, he was enrolled by his father it was 1953, He had already turned 7.

He was enrolled in a small catholic private school, all students were boys and were separated from the girls. There they were required to attend the Sunday masses and give donations to the school. There were only 6 classrooms in the school, with one classroom corresponding one grade level. Each grade level contains roughly 30-40 students and is being managed by one faculty which were all nuns. Due to the being short staffed, the teacher who managed a grade level section usually teaches more than two subjects to the students.

Their curriculum comprises of the Americanized style of education, the emphasis of the principles of Reading, Writing and Arithmetic with each grade level being a more complex version of the other. A religious studies program was also a mandatory class and within the 3rd until the 6th grade level, History class was added.

He didn't excel much in his primary education, he was modest, he only had to his subjects which he did, only doing the minimum. He never interacted too much with his peers. School was boring to him, he had to study a religion about a God he never worshipped and study how to write and read. He would often drop for a while before being reinstated again due to his parents not running out of money to continue and saving up only a year later. By the time that he got to 6th grade, he was already 17. At this time, his father... having aged drastically...he was only in his around his late 30s yet appears older, his past injuries gave caught up to his body and are beginning to eat him. Because of this, his outbursts were more frequent, he is more frustrated and sensitive, but he is weakening. He became a bickering man, a pathetic person that lashes out insults to his wife and child.

His mother was the same, taking care of him, despite being battered. He couldn't leave him...the two being non-expressive to begin with have become neglectful parents after Rein reached 15. Because of this, he had to do odd jobs more often to earn money for himself and to fund his education. He doesn't necessarily like school, but he became fond of going to the library and also being away from his house...he wanted to escape from his home. He began doing masonry work, lifting things to earn a living.

He was much older than his peers with only one child being close... Harold, he was 16. They were never really close. Harold was popular, and brilliant. However, he had to stop his education due to the same circumstances as him. But because they were the oldest person within the school, they were appointed as the classroom representative. Harold was the President and he was the gloomy Vice-President.

Because of this, they were often alone and together. Unlike, Rein; Harold is a very communicative child, he had his way of speaking which made him a very good leader and he was skilled and efficient as well. While Rein on the other hand was introverted, unpopular and non-caring. Along with that, Harold was kind, always helping him and assisting in any way that he could, he was also sensitive to Rein, which is why he doesn't talk too much....Rein finds him bearable, but deep inside he is jealous of him. Harold wanted to befriend him like others, however Rein's jealousy got in the way, his jealousy was only expressed in a way that he only knew how, through anger and outbursts. He returned Harold's kindness with cruelty and pushed him away like the rest who came up to him. He was having complicated feelings that he couldn't understand and reacted violently to him.

However, to his surprise, Harold remained undeterred, still kind and unmoving as ever... He never knew someone like him. He was unrelenting to his rejection, to his outbursts, to his cruelty. His responses were met by more kindness...Harold was beyond his parents, beyond anyone that he had met, he was expressive to his cruelty, he didn't hide his discomfort to what Reinhardt is doing, yet he wanted to help him regardless. Slowly, his anger dissipates, he feels more ashamed whenever he outbursts like his father did... because he would hurt him...he was experiencing emotions he never learned before. Their path to friendship was long brutal, but Harold was never dismayed and was kind. There were times that he would retort back at Rein, but he remained tolerant of his behaviour. Months of back and forth happened.

By early 1964, The two graduated. They remained in touch despite having made separate ways. In the early 50s, just before Rein entered primary school. A public school for high school students opened. It was next to their town, it was an hour or two away if travelled by foot.

He thought Harold would also enroll, however he was dismayed to know that he would be leaving the rural town to go to the capital to pursue higher education. As Harold went and boarded the one way bus that connects their town to the capital, they were together; the two bid their goodbyes. Their conversations were dry and short. Before boarding the bus, Harold looked back at him, he leaned in close. Rein was confused, their eyes met. It was fast...he was kissed. His first kiss was from a man. Before Rein could react, Harold hurriedly boarded the bus. He watched it get smaller and smaller...until it disappeared from his sight. He was dumbfounded, confused; he was kissed by a guy...he didn't find it bad, he didn't push him away. He was confused, his heart was pounding, and he watched his friend leave... suddenly drops of water fell within his eyes, it was not raining. After 18 years since his birth, he cried loudly as he did when he was born.

As he reached adulthood, his family became more estranged to him. His presence was no longer acknowledged by his parents, his father was becoming worse. He became bed ridden, growing weaker. He was barely 41, his mother only 40; both looked tired of this world. Watching such a sight in front of him...he thought they were pathetic, something ignited within him. He took his bags and a few belongings, got out of his home, left and never returned again. The pathetic sight of his non loving parents was the last time that he saw his parents. The next time was at a funeral years later, while studying for college, he was called by a parent friend that he never met and never knew, his parents were found dead by their house...cause of death, suicide.No foul play involved, the couple committed suicide. Comforted each other until death. He would regret not seeing his parents later.

Entering high school, what Harold did linger upon him. He was the same as what he was in elementary, wary of people, but more short tempered. His school was larger compared to what he was enrolled in before, it has a large building which comprises 20-30 classrooms which are divided into four year levels from 1-4th year. Their curriculum does not have religious studies, but still revolves around the colonial western Americanized system that they have inherited which focuses on Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. Each section contains almost 60 students with some even reaching 70.

Since it was a public school though, it was government funded, hence the tuition is considerably cheaper compared to before. Being 18 as a highschool student, he was not an outcast, most students were also in the same situation as him and around the same as him as well. However, he remained isolated more often. This was that he began to realize that he was different from other males of his class, as they were often looked at by women, often talking amongst themselves who were the prettiest and all, he found it non- appealing to him. He began to think that he was attracted to men, after what Harold did, he began to see men differently. However, it was frowned upon by society to act in such a despicable play, being raised to such a strict environment, he denied it. He suppressed his feelings, and he was successful...but deep inside, he acknowledged his...he liked Harold and Harold like him as well and began to realize that he was more attentive to him than to others, more lenient, patient and kinder. He begun to dream of their kiss, their time together...he began to long for him. His wellbeing, he began to explore his body, as he gasp for his name.

He was kind to everyone, but the kindest to Rein, Rein thought that was because he was more difficult to him. Rein settled with his feelings, quietly as years went on, he began to accept them and waited for the news for Harold to return to him and continue their unfinished chapter. He waited, until he received a letter. He finally reached out to him, it has been three years since then. Rein was 21, in his third year in highschool...what he holds is a letter from his Harold ...the content was a wedding invitation...he is getting married.

He couldn't much of the marriage, he watched it quietly in the corner, he was under the guise of an old friend looking at the distance. The father asked for those who dared to reject the marriage, he wanted to raise his hand, he wanted to make a scene but he suppressed himself, almost shaking in doing so... In 1967, he lost a person he liked. He got married to a beautiful woman, they looked good together. They were happy, he was not. Harold glanced at him , their eyes met, he looked at him as if he was shouting "please understand" he nodded, Harold lifted the veil and kissed his bride, tears fell upon his eyes as he watched it all unfold. For the third time, he cried.

They met after the wedding, wearing older faces since he boarded the bus. Both were silent, not daring to look at one another. Harold quietly went up to him, hugged him tightly, crying in doing so. He quietly said " I'm sorry... please understand. I was young" his quiet plea was met by silence. With that, he lost his first love. He graduated high school in 1968, Harold sent him a letter, congratulating him.

He wanted to pursue a different path in his life, both of his parents never went to college, and so he did. He worked as a tutor while studying for college. The local college was within the urban province, he needed a bus to get there, he boarded one. At the age of 22, he left his place of birth. He stayed in a small boarding house with three more people to split the rent fee. Richard who was a liberal arts major, Darwin who studies law and Manuel who studies medicine.All four barely see each other because of their classes not being able to aligned with each other, but they often greet each other from time to time.

In the morning he was a student studying while at night he was attending and tutoring students. He took an education program, majoring in Social Science. He never had a dream, it was the least prioritized, hence it was not the most competitive to get in. He was not the best student, he was mediocre, barely ing most of his subjects with some getting a slightly above average mark. In college, he was the same in high school. However he had learned to control his temper, be more expressive. It was not instant, it took years to do so, he wanted to change for himself. He slowly tried to speak more softly. He used the kind Harold as his role model. By his second year, he was already able to talk to people normally, he still has no friends, but he is becoming better.

Along with that, within the curriculum of the community college was the newly installed mandatory courses about psychology for child development which they are required to take which tackles children's school setting scenarios which are integrated for a future teacher to be evaluated on how they will take care of a child...he almost failed this subject. His answers were all too extreme to his professor, and he was given low scores in every approach. He had to further develop himself, in order to . He was given a remedial, a last chance to the course.

He began to look at his way of tutoring, becoming more sensitive to his criticisms and comments. He slowly became more attentive to how his students reacted to his remarks, without realising, he was being more considerate. He is smiling more whenever his students are doing well, gone where the days of a young man violently lashing out. He had grown, he had changed. He took his remedial...a week later, he received his remarks, it was already the end of the semester by then and if he failed, he would have to retake the course again and might probably be delayed from graduating. He looked with anticipations, his roommates were there. He read it properly, he left a sigh of relief, he ed. They cheered loudly and got shouted at by the landlord.

In 1970 , as a third year student, they were assigned now to do on the job training. Because of that,he has to lessened his tutoring work, as a student teacher;he was assigned to teach highschool students of social studies, a newly formed discipline subject created from social science.

He was tasked with teaching the 2 3rd year students of economics and 1 4th year students Contemporary Issues, each sections containing 45 students. Being already a tutor, he was adapted to teaching students, however the chaos of the a real classroom setting threw him off guard. The concerns and everything were directed at him, he had to deal with different people every day and it was tiring. By a week,he was haggard. His students barely pay attention to much of his lesson , and there were troublemakers who fight each other. Yet interestingly, he realised, that he was not getting angry...he had long forgotten what it feels like to be violent.

He began putting more effort to his lessons, practicing material on his boarding school, privately talking to those who have personal concerns and even staying late to those who are falling behind. He was well liked by his student... Especially by one boy, a boy named Markus.

Markus ...he was a slow learner, so Rein has to put more hours in teaching him. He noticed his eyes glancing at him, he knows those eyes too well. He had seen it before, upon realising, he kept more distance to Markus. Being more professional and putting a wall upon himself, he haven't moved on about what his friend have done a long time ago. And also, he's now an adult and Markus is a child...he must not let him get affected by such things. It will cause trouble for the two of them. He immediately reported it to his advising teacher and actions were done, they separated him and he was switched to a different section. They never saw each other again and he finished his training. He got an excellent grade, the highest grade he got ever...he felt an exhilarating joy. His efforts were not in vain. As he bid farewell, he watched his students crying. "Ohh..to be loved" he thought.

He saw Markus on his way out, he greets him he did so. He didn't looked back and went walking, he could feel his gaze looking at him, but Markus didn't pursue him, he was happy that he didn't.

In his last year, he was obligated to do a thesis. His thesis was about more proper approach in teaching social sciences in Highschool department. It was not groundbreaking, it was a rehashed thesis, an updated of the curriculum that they used, it was recommended by his advisor in order to save trouble. To defend it, he spent two weeks talking to a mirror, taking notes of his mistakes and asking his boardmates to play his . By the time of the defense, he defended it, he was commended oh his details. There were some minor revisions, but overall he ed. He submitted his thesis. After a few months. In 1971, he earned his degree.

At his graduation, he was alone. He had no parents, so he asked his advisor who let him take his remedial test to be his advisor, upon hearing this. The faculty department of social sciences all stood up, they accompanied him...he never forgotten that day. In that moment he had five guardians at that time. After graduating, he went to the graves of his parents, he showed them his diploma. Look at them, bowed and thanked them before leaving quietly... tearing all throughout the day. He got his teaching certificate after studying intensively for the exam and for the interview. He became a teacher later on.

After five years, Harold and his family met him at one coincidence. He is with his two kids and his wife, Harold smiled at him, he smiled back. He saw him, happily living his life with his family. They caught up, he was working at a new private company that was founded by his friends from college...he was happy, Rein was happy for him as well.

Years went by and he continued to teach, after ten years. In 1981, he met Markus again. He was a newly hired teacher at the district board meeting. Their eyes met, he smiled at him and greeted him. Rein slowly ed who he was, Markus thanked him , he told him how he became his inspiration. He invited him to eat out, Rein said yes. The 1980s was a different time than when he was young, they were now both adults, he is 35 and him in his late 20s, the slow learner that he thought before has become a good orator, he told him of his adventures, of his shenanigans in college. They were two people, who have matured over time.

By this time, Rein has saved up enough money after working for the past ten years to take out a loan and added his save up money to buy a house for his own. The four of them in the boarding house have separated in their own way after graduating, but they still keep in touch from time to time. He...felt a strange feeling, a feeling he was very familiar with , he hadn't felt it in decades. The heart which was founded was so fast,   and him becoming more aware of Markus. Both of their gazes are meeting at each other, he invited him to sleep over his house. Under the moonlight glow, they went and spent the night touching each other in such a way that they will only know. He embraced him before falling asleep, the next morning, he was gone.

They had a casual relationship in which they would hangout from time to time and sleep in his house. He was young, and very energetic that sometimes he had trouble catching up. They were in love, but were scared of public scrutiny, they hid it well. He still feels guilty that he had a relationship with his former student.

Years went by, they were together for decades. Times change and society became more open in the secret relationship that they used to hide to co-workers and people. Especially during the 80s when a disease puts them into prejudice. They became more open as time went on, slowly. They started with walking in the same lane, then putting each other's arms to one another, then holding one's hands. From time to time they will get weird looks and discriminations from where they went, but they didn't pay it any mind at all. They were happy, they withstood the test time together. When Rein broke out the news to his friends, they expected it already; they knew them well, they weren't surprised but were happy.

Markus was a kind person, understanding, but flawed. He is flawed, but tries to be better. He was born at an orphanage and lacks the proper warmth of parents. He used to be a troublemaker like Rein, but slowly calmed down in time, he had his ways of loving him. Markus learned ways to love Rein, he learned patterns of his life , dislikes and likes, how to make up in fights. Both were happy. In 2001, they celebrated their 20 years together. They were only later allowed to get married, but they don't care; what they had is real. Their love is theirs and it would not be taken away from them.

Their love lasted for 15 more years, in 2016...Markus ed, they both aged. The man that he had loved for 35 years was reduced to a tombstone, he has ed after battling an illness. Rein was at his side until the end , he fought bitterly. At the age of 63, he breathed his last holding the hand of Rein. They kissed for the last time. After years with his side, he went back to his house alone,there; he sobbed til he could sleep.

The funeral was quiet, only close friends were invited. Harold was there, he has aged as well. He went up to him, surrounded by his grandkids, both of them stood side by side as they watched the coffin be engulfed by dirt. He tapped his shoulder, his own way of comforting his old friend.

Present day, it has been almost a decade since he left, he placed flowers within his grave, they would've been together for more the 4 decades if he was still here. Rein has aged, at his 70s, he walked slower than before. Yet his heart pounds at the same pace. He was now alone, he had aged from the boy being beaten by his broken father, to the angry child , now he is quiet old man. Patiently ing by his time, when he will met his beloved once more again.