Chapter 8: Emptiness and Change

I went back to school. My dad was in the office, slapped me as soon as he saw me. “You brat, said I was sick and went to see a doctor, I sneezed all afternoon! Where did you go! Were you out messing around!”

The slap stung, but what hurt more was the look on his face—like I’d let him down in a way I couldn’t fix.

I asked my dad sadly: “Do you think there are really parents who are so biased they treat their own kids like enemies?”

My dad smacked me again: “What kind of question is that? Talking about your ancestors won’t help, what did you do?”

I said I went to get my money back. My dad got nervous, asked if someone bullied me, looked at the homeroom teacher, then asked if I got the money back. I said no, but I would. Told him not to worry.