⚠ Trigger warning : // Tiger parenting.

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The stone fell off my hands with a loud thud which made him look towards my direction.

"Ah welcome home my son. Come inside." even though he tried to sound sweet it actually ended up being a sarcasm.

"D-dad..? B-but you didn't tell me-"

"So you mean I need to get your permission beforehand to get inside my own home now?"

"N-no dad! I-I didn't say that. It's just that I'm uh..just surprised-"

"Surprise~! Are you happy now? Now please be a sweetie and close that door, mhm?"

I nodded my head and began chewing on my lips as I turned around to lock the door.

Arson mode activated.

I began thinking of the worst he could do to me.

"Now take a seat and answer truthfully to what I'll be asking you."

I nervously sat on the velvet sofa facing his as I waited for him to speak.

"Look straight into my eyes and answer me. Where were you?"

I took a hard gulp before answering.

I should have seen it coming.

Looking up to him, I answered without stuttering, "At my classmate Junhui's house."

I don't know why I said no one but his name.

Maybe because it was easy to pronounce.

"What for?"

I pursed my lips. I can neither tell him for studying purposes nor for playing games.

For he believes that helping and spending time with others distracts one from academics.

"What the hell are you thinking !? Speak up!" I flinched as his roars suddenly hit my ear canals.

"Oh uh..yeah...for uh.. for...-"

"For!? Are you retarded in speech!!?"

"For the partner project. Our teacher assigned it to us on Friday."

I swallowed my insult as I said that excuse.

"I see. Ring him up."

"W-what?" I swear I turned pale as a ghost at this point.

"Ring. him. up. I guess I am audible enough to you."

"B-but dad d-don't you think i-its a little uh...l-late? Jun said h-he dines e-early-"

"Oh really? Then he should have thought it must be late for you as well. But you arrived here exactly...15 minutes ago." he said glancing over his rolex.

A moment of silence.

"Ring him up. I do not want to repeat myself anymore."

I gingerly took my phone out and searched for his contact. My hands turned ice cold as I debated on whether to really call him or not.

"You're really handicapped. Give me your phone." he snatched away the phone from my hand and I looked at him with horror in my eyes.

He called him.

"What happened?" I was utterly confused when I heard Jeonghan's voice over Jun's phone but somehow controlled my confusion.

Right now, I just prayed that they don't switch over the voices.

"N-noth-"

"Hello this is Joshua's dad. I want to know if your partner project with my son is completed or not?"

The line was abruptly silent.

'Yoon Jeonghan fucking say something!' I mentally cursed him.

Finally, he did speak up but it was the moment he actually fucked up.

"Yes we are done but how can I be sure that you're his father and not anyone else? What if you kidnapped him?"

Yoon fucking Jeonghan, shut it now.

"Very smart, young man, I must say. But can you tell me you guys are done with exactly what?"

Another abrupt silence.

"Are you even hearing yourself uncle? Do you even realize how wrong it sounds?"

My dad couldn't comprehend his words however I was mentally begging him to stop roasting my father.

"What if you're not Joshua's but someone else's dad? I do not want to disclose what we googled for hours only to give it to you."

"Alright, I see. Can you just tell me for how many hours did you guys work together?"

"You sound like a stalker more and dad less. Anyways, I won't tell you."

"You're sure about that? I can make Joshua spill out-"

"Alright that's it. I'm calling 911-"

"DON'T! FUCKING DON'T!"

"WHY NOT! You're calling up and threatening me to answer some stupid questions when I don't even know you! I don't know why I'm having this feeling that you're Joshua's kidnapper-"

"NO I'M NOT A KIDNAPPER!! JOSHUA IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME-"

"Yeah victims are usually in front of kidnappers, you know?"

"H-hey why don't you t-talk to y-your friend?" for the first time I saw my dad panicking, a rare sight indeed.

I couldn't thank Jeonghan any more to having saved me from this nerve-wrecking viva round.

I owe him a big time.

"Tsk. I don't wanna hear his annoying voice. It sucks. But if he isn't coming to school tomorrow, I'm reporting this call mind that you creepy grandpa!"

"Hey I'm not grandpa! Your mom's a grandma!!"

"And your clan's dead! Stupid creep."

The call hung up.

My dad immediately turned to look at me giving a look of disbelief as I tried my best not to burst out in laughter.

"Is that your friend?" he was too much shaken up.

I nodded my head in approval.

He shrugged off his head as he again sat down on the sofa.

"Did you really go over to your friends house for project? In such nicely dressed clothes?"

Here we go again. Shoot.

"Dad it's a normal dress. And Jun allows people only when they're neatly dressed so.."

He seemed to buy my excuse.

"Understandable. But why do you smell like a female perfume and..." he brought out a bag, "whose bag it is?"

Crap.

My palms sweated like there's no tomorrow as I tried to convince him with my answer.

"D-dad th-that's actually uh...one of my classmates bag. They left it and the authorities a-asked me to b-bring it home because m-my house was the cl-closest."

"They?"

"Yeah dad. I don't know what pronouns that student uses so uh..."

"And how will you return it?"

"Oh dad no problem! I-I will take it to the school and hand it over to the principal. That's it."

"I see. But that still doesn't explain the female perfume."

"O-oh a-actually I-I was missing Jessica so uh...I used her perfume to go over to Jun's place."

I never thought I'd use my sister's name to cover up for my deeds.

Sorry Jessica, I'm not a good brother.

"All of a sudden you miss Jessica? Why?"

I chewed my lips. I do not want to talk about it right now.

"Speak up!"

"Dad I miss her everyday! I just... try not to show.." I prevented myself from sounding broken.

"I don't trust you. Let me check your phone."

Fuck.

But this time, it's okay. I had been prepared for this moment long back.

I had deleted all of Haeyoon's chats, photos with her and other important messages beforehand.

"I don't see anything here. I need to check your room."

I sighed as I took my phone back from him and headed upstairs.

He was done scanning my room and didn't find anything either.

Right now he was checking my bathroom.

"Dad see I told you-"

"Wait a minute. What's this?" he said tossing a laundry basket towards me.

I froze.

There was a white-chequered shirt and dark grey trousers.

They belonged to Haeyoon.

I thickly swallowed the lump in my throat and said, "Uh..I-I just forgot to wash them-"

"I've never seen you wearing that? Are they really yours?"

"Of course! Whose else could it be!" I tried to joke it away although he was still on his detective mode.

Thank goodness, for it was shirt and trousers and not anything girly.

He came out of the washroom and was about to leave when suddenly his eyes caught the attention of the sticky notes on the wall.

Holy fuck.

Why did I get so clumsy!?

"Wait what are these?"

"Uh d-dad that's nothing!" ignoring me he went to check them out.

"So you do know this Park Haeyoon, huh?" he said without turning back to me, his voice in his darkest octave.

"N-no no no no dad! I-it was Jun! W-when he came h-he wrote it down because he was c-curious about h-her!"

The very next moment I remember my face turning towards the right abruptly as his fist made a harsh contact with my cheeks.

I tasted the familiar taste of blood on my taste buds again.

"WHAT DID I SAY TO YOU ABOUT SCHOOL AND FRIENDS!? I WANT THE TOP GRADES AND HERE YOU'RE GETTING YOURSELF IN STUPID SCANDALS!?!!"

"N-no dad-"

"STOP ANSWERING ME BACK YOU BASTARD!! I WON'T HESITATE TO CHOP OFF YOUR HEAD AND FEED IT TO DOGS IF YOU DISAPPOINT ME THIS TIME!!?!!"

Another punch.

After about 10 more minutes of abusing, insulting and spitting me with grades of the children of his colleagues, dad finally left me alone.

I instantly limped up to lock the door and went to the washroom.

I loudly cursed out as I let the hot water run over my body, probably trying to wash away my frustration and shame.

If reality could be as comforting as this shower...

After a good 30 minutes of washing away my thoughts, I turned off the shower. Without even drying myself I put on my clothes and walked out to the study table.

I opened a random book to a random page. I didn't care to check what subject or page it was as it was the least option in my mind right now yet I chose to go with it because it was the only posture and gesture that would calm down my dad.

...

"Dinner is ready. Come downstairs-"

"No dinner for him today and as long as he doesn't learn his lesson." I heard dad growling as mom mentioned dinner.

I bitterly chortled out.

Opening the drawer I stared at the pen-knife for a long time.

No, Joshua no. You can't do this. You promised Jessica to never do that again.

My mind screamed it out as my hands painfully picked it up.

I can't take this anymore.

The metal was almost about to slice my skin when suddenly the scene from morning flashed before me.

She was crying.

He insulted her in front of everyone.

I put the pen-knife back down into the drawer and closed it as anger and resentment boiled my blood.

Not before I'm done with you, Yoon fucking Jeonghan.

|•|

~[JEONGHAN]

I sighed as I hung up the call.

"Woah Jeonghan, you're really a genius! I'm sure you scared his dad shitless." Jun said as he slurped on his juice and continued watching the TV.

I mildly smiled at him.

Jun was busy setting up the TV so he asked me to get the call earlier when I said the caller ID showed Joshua's name.

Not gonna lie but at first I glitched too when I heard his dad's deep masculine voice asking about the project, or let's say his son's whereabouts.

Joshua told us how strict his dad is.

Should I tell him the truth?

I do hate him but I can't let him be tortured by his parents.

He's my friend afterall.

Just like how she used to be.

I ended up taking the conversation to a whole different level, as far as threatening to call 911 even.

Unknowingly I let out a sigh as I thought of it.

Ever since the moment I saw them going out together, I can't help but feel broken.

I mean, it's absolutely okay.

Joshua takes care of her, treats her well.

Why would she even befriend me again?

And since the moment I saw them, my legs sprinted off to Jun's house.

I closed my eyes as I recalled the memories of her.

"Jiyeon-ah why don't you call Haeyoon too! It would be fun."

"Okay oppa..."

"Haeyoon-ah why are you crying? And what's this scar?"

"P-papa hit me.."

"Okay, I will protect from now on. I will take you somewhere safe when we grow up. Will you come with me?"

"Of course! Will Jiyeon and Seolhyun come too?"

"Yes of course!"

"You're the best Jeonghan!"

"Park Haeyoon, out of 7 billion people why did you do it!?"

"I did not push her! Trust me Jeonghan! I had just gone to get some juices for both of us-"

"No you didn't! You fucking pushed her and watched her drown!! You're a killer! A freaking monster!"

I opened my eyes.

"I'll get going now." I said as I slowly lifted myself up from the couch.

"Huh? All of a sudden?" Jun asked.

"Nah it's been a while now. Mom's gonna worry now."

"Okay...if you say so. Bye."

"Hm bye."

I walked out of his house.

I mindlessly kept kicking a poor stone all my way home.

"Where were you?" Mom asked from the kitchen as soon as I entered my house.

"At Jun's."

"Oh okay. By the way, freshen up, dinner is almost ready."

"No mom. I'll skip dinner today. I had a lot at Jun's."

But in reality, I had lost my appetite.

"Ah I see. No problem. Freshen up and take rest."

I nodded and went to my room.

...

I was lying on my bed in pyjamas as memories of her continued to play in my mind.

For the first time I saw her being scared, because of me.

Unable to hold my guilt in, I walked up to my drawer and took out the album.

It's been 6 years since I last opened it. Ever since that day I never touched it.

But today, the emotional side took the best of me and I couldn't hold back myself from opening it.

She used to smile so brightly back then.

All four of us as children and her being the cutest among everyone.

My hands trembled as I turned the page.

29th November.

There was a group photo that was taken before her death.

Me, my sister, Haeyoon, Seolhyun, Kihyun and our parents.

Kihyun was an old friend of mine who got detached from the rest of us after that incident. Ever since he shifted to Busan we hardly have time to meet in person.

I realized both Haeyoon and Seolhyun wear an identical cherry-peach coloured dress. They even had the same haircut. I smiled.

They could be mistaken for twins if seen from back. How cute.

Wait.

They look identical from the back.

I don't know what happened inside me that caused me to hurriedly open my computer and search the exact proof of the photo.

I finally found a video that was able to capture a few seconds of the mishap.

I zoomed in to check the figure standing near the pool.

It showed the back of a person. No doubt it still looks like Haeyoon.

But she claims to be grabbing juices for both her and Jiyeon.

Can an honest person make a lie go on for 6 years by ?

I needed to clear my mind. I called up Kihyun.

"Ayy Hannie! Wassup?"

"Good enough. Listen, I called you for something urgent?"

"Oh what happened?"

I sighed.

"Can you send me the video that you took exactly at the crime scene on 29th November, 2017?"

"Why do you need that now?"

"I need to be sure of some things-"

"Things like Haeyoon didn't murder your sister?" I sensed the sarcasm in his voice that got weirdly quiet all of a sudden.

I stayed silent. I couldn't argue with him.

He has been the only one who had been trying to convince me besides her that Haeyoon isn't the killer.

"So you realized that now?"

"Do you have the video or not."

"Of course I have! But what's the point of watching it now, especially after such a long time?"

"Kihyun I swear-"

"Fine! Suit yourself!" he hung up the call.

After 5 minutes of waiting patiently, I received the video on my phone.

It was a mere 45 seconds video but those 45 seconds turned my world upside down as the phone slipped down from my hands.

"I'm sorry Haeyoon....I will make everything right now."