David sighed as he dusted off the dirt accumulated off his shirt while Tanaka and his goons kicked his butt off the ground. Angrily kicking the trash can to release some pent-up stress, he decided to skip school instead. Managing to sneak off the campus was relatively easy as most of the chooms guarding the gate wouldn't give much of a shit about a street kid like him.

If David had his way, he would've dropped out of school and never looked back. Then again, if he does that, he'd have to handle his mom crying - talking about missing a great opportunity and such. David would rather fistfight Tanaka instead of seeing his mom cry in front of him. Which is probably the reason he'd continued studying at Arasaka Academy.

And him letting Tanaka kick his ass every time he'd got the opportunity.

Although, his mom smiles a lot more ever since quitting her former job for a new one. She's also much healthier now, so David can't complain much.

In any case, having no destination in mind, David just wandered. Thankfully, as a street kid, he's used to the shit that litters Night City: figuratively and literally.

Besides, he prefers to walk than grab a maglev. Healthier for him that way.

As he walked from Corpo Plaza to his new home in Megabuilding H10, David's mind started to wander. More specifically, his mind wandered to Builders Incorporated, the corporation quickly becoming a megacorp with how many people they had currently employed.

From David's experiences, megacorps are what made his life and his mother's life a living hell. Isolated from his friend group because he started to attend Arasaka Academy, it also didn't help that most of the people at the megacorps are snobby little asswipes who've never suffered a moment in their life or naive beavers [1] who haven't known what actual hardship is.

However, Builders Incorporated is different. Created by Tom Hiddleston, who by then was a merc first before becoming a CEO, Builders Incorporated was a blessing in disguise for everyone in Night City. He could still remember it vividly: how Tanaka and his goons talked of 'an upstart company that formed in NC's poorest-ridden district' and their disdain when they first heard of who founded the company.

Man, he couldn't help but laugh in remembrance when the CEO of said company personally rid the streets of Watson of gangoons. The look on Tanaka's face was worth being beaten up.

And he was supposedly sponsored by Builders Incorporated through their subsidiary company, Builders Learning United. However, since the company was still looking into the resources necessary to provide a good, proper education, David is still stuck at Arasaka Academy for the moment.

To summarize, Builders Incorporated is a corporation that gives back to the people they're supposed to serve. Instead of seeing the world as a place to mine resources and nothing else.

Reaching the entrance to Megabuilding H10's elevator, he looked around before finding his favorite food stall. Grinning, he slid to the chair and placed ten eddies at the holo-table.

"Hey, pops! The usual, please!" The chef looked at David before nodding and started cooking his new favorite food, Onion-glazed Steak.

As David eagerly waited for his food, he noticed someone sitting beside him.

'I must've been hungry that bad if I didn't notice this guy sitting next to me.' David wondered before sneakily looking at the man and internally whistling at what he was looking. If David hazards a guess, then the man must be a part of the Builders, the pseudo-gang that inspired the foundation of Builders Incorporated. If the symbol taped to his left shoulder is not a sign of where the man's allegiance belongs, David will eat his own shoes.

Looking at the man's clothing, it's almost as if the man time-traveled from the past with how futuristic the man's looks are.

"You had your fun looking at me like that, kid?" The man's words snapped David out of his gaze, causing David to shakingly grin at being caught in the act.

Taking a breath before nodding to himself, which caused the man to snort, David looked back at the man, "Yeah, I did. What you gonna do 'bout it?" David defiantly said, even though his legs were shaking in nervousness.

The man looked at David for a while before guffawing, slapping David's back quite hard, "Ah, I knew I'd like you the moment I sat next to you. What's your name, kid?"

"Don't call me kid, old man." David retorted, the man's slap on his back being quite hard.

"I'll stop calling you kid if you stop acting like one, kid." The man's words ignited something within David, glaring at the man.

"Heh, that's more like it. What's your name, kid?" David blinked at the man's question before answering, "David Martinez, You?" The man grinned before extending a hand to him.

"The name's Michael Jones." David hummed at the name, his mind attempting to remember where he'd heard Michael's name.

"Is that so?"

"It is so."

"Okay."

A veil of silence surrounded them, with David focusing intently on Michael. Michael, for his part, only grinned at David's intense stare.

"Why did you approach me?" David finally asked, staring once again at Michael.

"Because you reminded me of myself, funnily enough." David's eyebrow rose at his answer.

"How did I remind you of yourself?" Michael took a deep breath before answering.

"Because you look like a veteran who'd experienced some disgusting shit during the Unification Wars." David remained silent as Michael continued, "Hell, you're acting like you're experiencing PTSD."

David sighed heavily at his words, slumping in his chair. He felt a hand on his shoulder, causing David to look back at Michael.

"You're lost, aren't you." Michael inquired, with David nodding at his words. "I know the feeling. I was in the same position as you before something happened that caused me to change."

"So, you willing to divulge your story? Don't worry. I don't bite." David snorted at Michael's words before taking a deep breath and unleashing his troubles and fear on the man, silently listening to David talk.

With their meals eaten and David's ranting finished, he felt that a burden have been lifted from his shoulders. David looked at Michael, who gave David a solemn nod, "You feeling good now?"

David nodded before slipping David a card, "What's this?"

"If you're willing to take the plunge, look at the card and say my name on the receptionist. They'll know what to do. I'll be waiting for your application, recruit." Michael gave David a big smile before leaving.

Looking at the card, it reads: Join the Builders Security Service: For a Better Future.

Feeling his hands shake in excitement, he nodded to himself before taking the first leap needed to get out of his funk:

To intern at Builders Security Services and not be slapped by his mom's slippers.

[1] Beaver: a derogatory term for suburbanites from corporate-controlled neighborhoods, based on the 1950s series Leave It to Beaver.