Hatred - 2Min/Minmin

26

A few days later, Seungmin's father received a letter from Prof. Jung about Seungmin's behavior in college. Prof. Jung used the choices to of words to pull down Seungmin and to highlight his waywardness in college. If his words were not enough, he had slyly attached with the letter the singing sheet of the hostel of the day Seungmin had returned late in the night.

His father called Seungmin when he was done reading.

The letter lay in tatters on their dining table. Seungmin's mother was in tears. The brother had shrugged and only said that they could not expect anything better from a boy like Seungmin.

"Where were you that night?" Seungmin's father asked in menacing tone.

"T. . . . the mid-semesters had e. . . . . ended. The entire college was out," he mumbled.

"Did I ask you about the rest of the college? I asked about you, Seungmin! You're not like them. Don't you know that? And what is this letter? What on earth are you doing in the college? Did we send you for this? Nights outs? And breaking college property? Summons to come meet the dean? Why? Explain to me. Seungmin, answer me."

". . . . ."

"What happened that night? I want to know why weren't you studying!" his father barked.

"All of us were there. . . . us friends."

"Friends? Wow! Even you have friends? Even someone like you have friends? Who would be friends with the likes of you," his father shouted. "I hope you remember what you did the last time you had a friend. What did I tell you before going? You're not supposed to talk to anyone. And what are you doing? You're partying! You're staying out nights with your friends. you're destroying college property! Wow. I'm so proud of you, son. Why don't you just kill us? Huh? We are tired of you. We do everything to hide you from outside world and you leave us no stone unturned to embarrass us. Why? What wrong had we done that you were born to us? Why would you do this to us?"

In background he heard his mother sobbing loudly, cursing her wretched luck. "God knows what I had done to deserve such a son. I wish he were dead."

Seungmin sat in a corner, hands wrapped around his knees, the phone stuck to his ear, crying, wondering what he had done to his family, as if jis disease was by his own volition.

"I'm coming to your college tomorrow to set you straight," said the father and cut the call. Seungmin spent the night curled in a little ball on the floor shaking with fear.

The next morning, his father landed in the college, veins bursting out of his temple, fists clenched. He marched right to his dorm room and slapped Seungmin in front of the hostel staff. Luckily it was Sunday and most of the students were sleeping.

Seungmin was paraded for next two hours, taken from one professor to another. His father had begged and pleaded in front of the professors, apologizing for Seungmin's shortcoming, his professors had nodded, appraising Seungmin in the newfound knowledge.

"I'm extremes soory for his behavior, Sir. He will never do it again. He got into some wrong company I'm sure. He's not usually like that," His father begged, hands folded

"I understand." Prof. Park shook his head. "I will make sure I'm stricter with him. Also, prof. Jung would want to see you as well."

"Thank you so much, Sir. And Seungmin, say sorry to prof. Park again."

They met all his professors. Numbers were exchanged between his professors and his father and promises were made to keep Seungmin in check. Like he was a teenager gone tattoos on his shoulder, a didlo in bag and cocaine in his bloodstream. However, despite his father's pleas, none of the professors took Seungmin in their projects.

"Who would want a research assistant like you?" bellowed his father. They were made to wait for three hours for Prof. Jung to get free from his meetings. He finally called for them. His father shook Prof. Jung's hand and immediately started to apologise for his son's digressions.

"Sir I apologise for my son's behaviour. his mother is still in shock. he has always have been a perfect student. God's knows what got inside his head. He must have fallen into bad company. I have talked to him. He wont create any trouble.'

"I would like to believe you, Mr. Kim. We all thought Seungmin was a sincere student . His indiscipline has shocked us too. the economic loss, the hit to the research , the spoilt machine notwithstanding its its saddening for a professor to se a good student waste his or life by mixing to wrong people. I believe he has been spending a lot of time with that professor-"

"Which professor?"

"Professor Wonpil. The professor was expelled after a disciplinary meeting. But also ask him not to associate with that boy from his class. He was caught cheating in the mid-semester examinations. And yet-"

"Boy?" His father looked at Seungmin.

"Who was that boy that boy from mid-semester?" Prof. Jung asked the peon. "Oh yes, Minho, that's the boy's name."

The father's eyes still on Seungmin. "Sir, I assure you he will stop talking to him right away."

"Mr. Kim, since you are here and you seem like a nice man, I should also mention that the day your son returned to the college late, he was drunk. It was captured on the CCTV cameras. We have strict rules against that kind of behaviour in the college . We have been very lenient with him till now .We never expected this out of him."

Seungmin's hands reflexively went to save his face as his father swung wildly and smacked his face . He cut his lips and tasted iron.

"What have you started now? You were drunk Seungmin? What is your professor talking about?" The father stood up and asked Seungmin to remove his hands from his face and slapped him again.

"Listen Mr. Kim. Take it easy. I'm sure it was a mistake and he will not do it again. Take it easy."

The father slapped Seungmin two more times. He was crying now. Seungmin's father held his head and slumped in his chair. He stared Seungmin down and raised his hand again. Seungmin cowered.

"Sir, I'm very sorry in his behalf. I will make sure he never gives you a chance to complain again." said the father.

"Thank you, Mr. Kim. You can go now," said Prof. Jung.

"Sir, I have one more request if you allow me. I know my son disgraced had disgraced your institution but if you can give him some projects it will be great. We come from a humble background and he needs to keep his marks up."

"I see what I can do. Now I have few meetings to attend. Thank you for coming, Mr. Kim. The peon will show you out."

Seungmin and his father left Prof. Jung's cabin. Seungmin's upper lip was bleeding.

"Call you mother and tell him what you did," His father said. He dialled the number and gave the phone to Seungmin.

"TELL HER EVERYTHING," He held the phone and broke down. His father snatched the phone from him and narrated to his mother the details of what the professors had said about Seungmin, embellishing it with more details.

Seungmin sat with his hed hung low, his lips bleeding.

"Take me to the boy," his father told him.

"Dad, I'm sorry. Nothing will ever happen again."

"TAKE ME TO THE BOY."

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