A difficult Summer

Summer vacation had only been underway for two weeks when Luna Ashwood's peaceful routine began to fall apart.

Most students had left Crescent Moon University.

The dormitories were quieter.

The campus gardens were nearly empty.

Even the library, Luna's favorite place in the world, felt different.

Still, she continued her daily routine.

Every morning she arrived shortly before opening hours.

She organized returned books, helped visitors locate research materials, cleaned study areas, and updated inventory records.

The work wasn't glamorous.

But Luna loved it.

Books had always been her refuge.

The library felt like home.

Mrs. Hart, the elderly librarian who supervised the building, often joked that Luna knew the shelves better than the staff.

"You work too hard," Mrs. Hart said one morning.

Luna smiled.

"I'm fine."

"That's what people say when they aren't fine."

Luna laughed softly.

She had heard that response before.

By midday, the library remained unusually empty.

The summer season meant fewer visitors and less funding from the university.

Unfortunately, Luna didn't know that administrators had been discussing budget cuts for weeks.

The university needed to reduce expenses.

Temporary student positions would be affected first.

And Luna's job was classified as temporary.

Three days later, Mrs. Hart called her into the office.

The moment Luna entered, she sensed something was wrong.

The older woman's expression looked troubled.

"Luna, sit down."

Her heart immediately sank.

Slowly, she sat.

Mrs. Hart sighed.

"The university administration has reduced our budget."

Luna remained silent.

She already knew where this conversation was going.

"We've been instructed to eliminate several student positions."

For a moment the room became unbearably quiet.

Luna's ears lowered.

Mrs. Hart looked genuinely upset.

"If I had any choice, I wouldn't let you go."

Luna stared at the floor.

The words hit harder than she expected.

The job wasn't just income.

It was stability.

Safety.

A place where she felt valued.

"When?" Luna finally asked.

Mrs. Hart looked away.

"At the end of the month."

Luna nodded slowly.

No tears came.

Years of hardship had taught her how to remain calm during bad news.

Still, the pain lingered.

"I understand."

Mrs. Hart reached across the desk.

"You've been one of the best assistants I've ever had."

"Thank you."

"I'll write recommendation letters."

Luna forced a smile.

"Thank you."

But recommendation letters wouldn't pay rent.

That evening, Luna sat alone beside the campus lake.

The sunset reflected across the water.

Normally she loved this view.

Today she barely noticed it.

Her mind raced with calculations.

Dormitory expenses.

Food.

Textbooks.

Future tuition.

Without her job, everything became uncertain.

Again.

Just when life seemed stable, something else had gone wrong.

A familiar frustration settled inside her chest.

She was tired.

Tired of constantly worrying.

Tired of struggling.

Tired of wondering whether she would have enough money next month.

For once, she wished life could be easy.

Just once.

"Luna?"

She looked up.

Sophia stood nearby.

Maya and Ethan were with her.

The three friends immediately noticed her expression.

"What happened?" Maya asked.

Luna hesitated.

Then quietly explained everything.

The budget cuts.

The layoffs.

The end of her job.

Silence followed.

Sophia's ears flattened.

"That's ridiculous."

Ethan frowned.

"They can't seriously let you go."

"They can," Luna replied.

"They already did."

Maya crossed her arms.

"They're making a mistake."

Luna appreciated the support.

But the situation remained unchanged.

For several minutes nobody spoke.

Then Sophia suddenly stood.

"No."

Everyone looked at her.

"What?" Ethan asked.

"We're not accepting this."

"Sophia—"

"No."

She pointed dramatically.

"You've spent years helping everyone."

Her voice grew louder.

"You help students."

"You help professors."

"You help the library."

"You help us."

Luna blinked.

Sophia rarely sounded this serious.

"And now you're struggling because some administrator looked at a spreadsheet?"

Maya nodded.

"For once, I agree with her."

"That's concerning," Ethan muttered.

Nobody laughed.

The mood remained heavy.

Over the next week, Luna continued working despite knowing her days there were numbered.

She organized shelves.

Processed returns.

Helped visitors.

Smiled politely.

Nobody would have guessed she was losing her job.

Inside, however, she worried constantly.

Every night she searched online for work opportunities.

Most required experience she didn't possess.

Others paid almost nothing.

The options seemed endless.

Yet none felt promising.

One afternoon, while shelving books, she overheard two staff members speaking quietly.

"It's unfortunate."

"About Luna?"

"Yes."

"Everyone likes her."

"Budget cuts don't care."

Their words followed her for the rest of the day.

Budget cuts don't care.

Maybe that was true.

Life rarely cared either.

Hard work didn't always guarantee rewards.

Good people still struggled.

Dreams still faced obstacles.

Luna understood that better than most.

Yet despite everything, she refused to give up.

She never had before.

Why start now?

On her walk back to the dormitory, the evening breeze brushed through her long hair.

Her fluffy tail swayed behind her.

The campus looked beautiful beneath the setting sun.

For a moment she stopped and watched students laughing nearby.

Life continued.

As difficult as things seemed, tomorrow would still arrive.

And somehow she would find a way forward.

She always did.

What Luna didn't realize was that her search for a new job was about to change her life completely.

Because across the city, Raymond Global Holdings had recently opened applications for a special summer internship program.

A program personally reviewed by its young CEO.

A CEO named Damian Raymond.

And within a few weeks, fate would finally bring their paths together.

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