ᴀᴅᴅɪᴄᴛᴇᴅ

【26】

mingi's hands shook as he poured himself a glass of water, the sound of the faucet running a sharp contrast to the heavy silence in the house. it was late—well past dinner— around eight o'clock and the house was still, except for the occasional creak of the floorboards as his father stumbled through the dark.

don't say anything. just don't say anything, mingi told himself.

but the quiet never lasted long with his father.

"mingi," a slurred voice echoed from the hallway, followed by the sound of footsteps dragging across the floor.

mingi's stomach sank, his body tensing instinctively. he didn't turn around. "what?" he muttered, keeping his voice as calm as he could manage.

his father entered the kitchen, swaying on his feet, his breath reeking of alcohol. his eyes were bloodshot, and the anger in them was all too familiar.

"don't you dare ignore me," his father growled, voice low and menacing.

mingi gripped the edge of the counter, trying to keep his breathing steady. "i'm not ignoring you."

his father let out a bitter laugh, his voice growing louder. "you think you're better than me, huh? think you can just hide away in here and pretend you're not the problem?"

mingi kept his eyes on the counter, refusing to meet his father's gaze. "i'm not the problem."

his father took a step forward, swaying as he leaned against the counter. "you think you're so smart, huh? you're nothing. you're a failure."

mingi's chest tightened, and he felt the sting of tears threatening to rise, but he held them back. he couldn't let his dad see him break. not tonight.

"i'm not a failure," he said, his voice shaking but firm.

his father's face twisted in rage. "you are. you'll always be one. just like your mother."

the words hit like a slap, and mingi flinched, his heart pounding in his chest. it was always this way. his father would get drunk, then take out his frustration on him, bringing up his mother—someone he could never escape, even in his father's cruel words.

"shut up," mingi whispered, his voice barely audible.

but his father didn't stop. "what's the matter? can't take the truth? you'll end up just like her. useless."

no.

that was the last straw. mingi turned, his eyes meeting his father's with a fire he hadn't felt in years. "stop it."

his father smirked, staggering closer, eyes narrowing. "oh? now you're gonna talk back to me? what're you gonna do, huh? hit me?"

mingi took a step back, trying to keep his distance, but his father was relentless, cornering him. "i'm not like you," he said, his voice trembling with anger, but steadied by the truth he had never said out loud. "you're the one who's weak. you're the one who can't keep it together."

his father's face darkened, and in the blink of an eye, he shoved mingi hard against the wall. the impact left mingi breathless, pain shooting through his back, but he refused to let himself fall.