Kael had spent most of the previous evening looking at numbers.
Rent was no longer a problem because the apartment was already paid for, and the money he had received from the system gave him more breathing room than he had ever enjoyed before. Even so, he didn’t want to start spending carelessly just because his bank balance looked better than it used to.
He had a child to raise, a job to return to, and a future he couldn’t predict. If he wanted to give Noah and Sera a stable life, he needed to make sure the money he had now wouldn’t disappear before he had a reliable source of income again.
That was why he was sitting at the dining table with a notebook, a pen, and his phone when Sera walked into the room.
"What are you doing?" Sera asked.
"Planning our finances," Kael replied.
Sera pulled out a chair and sat across from him. "Again?"
"I prefer to call it improving the plan," Kael said.
"You’ve been improving it for three days," Sera pointed out.
"And look how much progress I’ve made," Kael replied.
Sera glanced at the notebook. Most of the page was covered in figures, with several crossed-out totals and arrows connecting different expenses.
"You’ve certainly made a lot of marks," she remarked.
Kael turned the notebook toward her.
"I want to open a savings account today. I’ll put some money aside every month, and whatever remains after our regular expenses can go into the account," he explained.
"That sounds sensible," Sera replied. "How much are you planning to save?"
Kael told her the amount he had been considering. Sera studied the figures for a few seconds before looking up at him.
"Where did you get this number?" she asked.
"I estimated my monthly income, subtracted the expenses I knew about, and worked out how much I could save," Kael explained.
"And what about the expenses you don’t know about?" Sera asked.
Kael paused before responding.
"Such as?" he asked.
"Medical costs. Unexpected trips to the hospital. Baby supplies that run out earlier than expected. Things we might need to replace around the apartment." Sera tapped the notebook. "You can’t calculate your savings as if nothing unexpected will ever happen."
Kael leaned back in his chair. He had considered emergencies in a general sense, but he hadn’t given them a proper place in his calculations.
"That’s why I’m asking you to check the plan," he admitted.
"Good, because I have more questions," Sera replied.
Kael looked at her suspiciously. "How many?"
"Enough," Sera answered.
She pulled the notebook closer and turned to a clean page.
"First, we need to separate the money we’ll use for regular expenses from the money we won’t touch unless there’s an emergency. We also need to account for expenses that don’t happen every month," Sera explained.
"Like medical bills?" Kael asked.
"Exactly. Noah might need a checkup, medicine, or something else we haven’t planned for. We shouldn’t assume those costs will always fit into the money left over at the end of the month," Sera replied.
Kael nodded and wrote down her suggestions.
"Second," Sera continued, "we need to include expenses for both of us. You’ve listed Noah’s clothes, feeding supplies, and other things he needs, but what about your own clothes? Your transportation to work? What happens if I need something for myself?"
"I included some personal expenses," Kael replied.
"How much?" Sera asked.
Kael showed her the figure.
Sera stared at the amount before looking directly at him.
"Kael, this is barely enough for anything," she said.
"I don’t spend much on myself," Kael explained.
"That doesn’t mean you should plan as if you never will," Sera replied.
Kael looked down at the page. She wasn’t asking him to spend money carelessly. She was reminding him that he and Sera were people with needs of their own, not just parents who existed to provide for Noah.
He had fallen into the habit of putting himself last whenever he thought about their future. It seemed responsible at first, but it could easily become another problem if he left no room for his own needs.
"All right," Kael said. "We’ll give both of us a reasonable allowance. Nothing excessive, but enough that we don’t have to feel guilty every time we buy something for ourselves."
"That would be better," Sera agreed.
She continued reviewing the figures. She pointed out that groceries could cost more in some weeks, that baby supplies needed regular replacement, and that Kael shouldn’t count on earning exactly the same amount every month if his work schedule changed.
By the time they finished, the original savings target had been reduced.
Kael stared at the new number before looking at Sera.
"This is much lower than what I wanted," he said.
"It’s also more realistic," Sera replied.
"I wanted to build our savings quickly," Kael explained.
"And you still can. But saving a large amount for one month means nothing if you have to withdraw it all the next month because you forgot about another expense," Sera pointed out.
Kael couldn’t argue with that. He crossed out the original target and wrote down the revised amount.
"We’ll start here," Kael said. "After a month, we’ll see how much we actually spend. If we have money left over, we can increase the target."
Sera nodded approvingly.
"That’s a better plan," she said.
Kael closed the notebook and stood up.
"I should head to the bank before it gets too late," he said.
"Do you have everything you need?" Sera asked.
"I have my identification, my phone, and enough patience to deal with paperwork," Kael replied.
"Then you should be fine," Sera said.
He picked up his wallet and checked that his documents were inside. Before leaving, he glanced at Noah, who was resting nearby under Sera’s watch.
"I shouldn’t be gone long," Kael told her.
"Don’t worry. We’ll be here when you return," Sera assured him.
Kael smiled and headed for the door.
The bank was busier than Kael had expected.
Several customers were waiting near the service desks, and the sound of conversations mixed with the steady tapping of keyboards. He collected a queue number and found a seat while checking the documents on his phone.
He had never given much thought to savings accounts before. When he had been living alone and working at the convenience store, his main concern had been making enough money to cover rent, food, and other necessities. Saving had usually meant keeping whatever remained after paying his bills.
Now, he wanted something more organized.
When his number appeared, he approached the desk and explained that he wanted to open a savings account. The bank employee asked for his identification and the usual details, then explained the available account options.
Kael listened carefully, asking questions about account fees, minimum balances, transfers, and the conditions attached to the account. He didn’t want to choose something simply because it sounded good, especially when he was trying to make his money last.
After comparing the options, he selected an account that suited his needs and completed the required paperwork.
The process took longer than he had expected. One form needed a correction, and he had to confirm some of his information before the application could be completed. Still, he remained patient and checked each document before submitting it.
By the time he left the desk, his application had been processed, and he had the information he needed to access the account. He checked the details once more before putting his documents away.
It wasn’t a dramatic achievement. He hadn’t earned a fortune or discovered some secret investment that would make him rich overnight, but he had taken a practical step toward managing his money properly.
On his way home, he stopped at a small shop to buy a few household items they needed. He checked the prices, compared the options, and bought only what was necessary.
He was beginning to understand that financial stability wasn’t just about having a large balance in the bank. It was also about knowing where his money went and making decisions he could maintain over time.
When Kael returned to the apartment, Sera was sitting on the sofa with Noah beside her.
"How did it go?" Sera asked.
"Successfully, after a reasonable amount of paperwork," Kael replied.
"Did you choose an account?" she asked.
"Yes. The application is processed, and I’ve got the details. I’ll set up the transfers once I’ve confirmed everything," Kael explained.
Sera smiled. "Good. Did you stick to the plan?"
"I did," Kael replied.
"And did you buy anything unnecessary?" Sera asked.
Kael placed the small shopping bag on the table.
"Define unnecessary," he said.
Sera looked inside and found the household items he had bought.
"These seem fine," she said.
"Excellent. I pass the inspection," Kael joked.
"Don’t celebrate yet. We still have to see whether your budget works," Sera reminded him.
Kael sat down beside her and opened his notebook.
"I was thinking about that. We should review our spending at the end of the month and compare it with the estimates. If the numbers are wrong, we’ll adjust them," he suggested.
"Agreed," Sera replied.
Kael wrote down the date they would review the budget, then added the revised savings target. Sera watched him finish before speaking again.
"One more thing," she said.
Kael lowered his pen. "What now?"
"We should keep some money available for emergencies instead of putting every spare amount into the savings account," Sera explained.
"I thought the savings account was for emergencies," Kael replied.
"It can be, but we need to decide what money we can access immediately and what money we’re trying to leave untouched. If something happens and we need cash right away, I don’t want us scrambling to work out which account to use," Sera said.
Kael considered her suggestion before nodding.
"Then we’ll divide the money into two parts. One for emergencies and another for longer-term savings," he suggested.
"That would make it easier to track," Sera agreed.
Kael added another note to the page.
The plan was becoming more detailed than he had expected, but it was also becoming more useful. Every time Sera asked a question, she forced him to think about something he had overlooked. Instead of treating her suggestions as interruptions, he was beginning to see how much better their decisions became when they worked on them together.
"Thank you," Kael said.
Sera looked at him. "For what?"
"For helping me catch the things I missed," Kael replied.
"You’re welcome. But don’t thank me too much. I’ll expect you to listen when I have ideas about other things too," Sera warned him.
Kael smiled. "I already do."
"Not always," Sera replied.
"Most of the time," Kael argued.
"We’ll work on that," Sera said.
Noah began making small noises, and Sera turned toward him. She checked his position and adjusted the blanket beside him while Kael watched them for a moment before returning to his notebook.
He wanted to provide a good life for his family, but that didn’t mean he had to make every decision by himself. Sera had her own judgment, her own priorities, and a better understanding of some things than he did. Ignoring that would only make their lives harder.
Kael finished writing down the final figures and closed the notebook.
A notification appeared in front of him.
[Family Task Completed.]
[Task: Establish a Practical Financial Plan.]
[Evaluation: You opened a savings account and developed a more realistic budget with consideration for regular expenses, personal needs, and emergencies.]
[Reward: Financial Management Proficiency +1%.]
Kael read the notification quietly.
The reward was modest, just as he had expected. It wouldn’t suddenly turn him into a financial expert, and it didn’t remove the need to make careful decisions. Still, the small increase was welcome.
He dismissed the message and looked toward Sera, who was now talking softly to Noah.
For once, his financial plan included more than the money he hoped to save. It included the people he was saving for, their needs, and the possibility that their plans might change.
Kael picked up his phone and made a note to check the account details again before setting up his transfers. There was still a long way to go before he could consider his family financially secure, but he had made a start, and this time, he hadn’t tried to do it alone.