After leaving the Academy, I got home later than I should have. My father didn't say nothing, he just took me to the large indoor Dojo.
Now, I stood across from him, barehanded. He was dressed in an all black martial arts uniform, hands behind his back, his expression unreadable.
The rules were simple: if I could force him to defend against me, he'd forgive me.
The word "begin" hadn't fully left his mouth, before I moved. I jumped upwards, driving a punch toward his face. If I gave him time to think, I'd already lost.
He jerked to the side.
I went past him, clenching my teeth. I couldn't waste a second thinking about it, so I tried again. And again. And again.
I thrust my fist upwards, aiming for the chin.
He stepped back.
My eyes widened, I missed him by an inch.
Before I could reset once more, he drove his knee toward my gut, and made merciless impact.
I dropped on my knees, covering my mouth as I coughed uncontrollably.
When I stopped, I looked up to catch a glare which must have been his way of saying, "Give up."
Then, surprisingly, he hesitantly opened his mouth to speak. I stopped to listen.
"Your mother asked me to talk about your tardiness."
My father was the type of person who preferred fighting it out until the conflict was resolved. It good to know that my mother intervened. But, I wasn't going to trust him that easily, it's obvious that he wants to put both parenting techniques to use.
I tried to knock him off balance, with a spinning sweep kick.
He jumped up.
I thought I could try it again as soon as he landed, but he stepped on my leg, immobilising it.
"Why were you late?"
He frowned on communication with opponents. I thought it would be a good idea to use that against him.
"Dad." I said. "Do you think the education system is fair?"
He looked puzzled. "Hmm?"
"I'm talking about how students attend classes without having knowledge of their career prospects. Because of our nation's failure to provide clear context, we are pressured to follow the conventional paths or navigate uncertain futures. I want to know why it's so unfair?"
I meant everything I said. It was also a ploy to get his guard down.
His expression changed suddenly, and he fell quiet, as though he were thinking.
I thought it would have been the perfect opportunity to strike but I was also tempted to find out what he had been hiding.
"You know something don't you?"
"Yes... but I can't tell you that."
"Why?"
"You'll gradually find the answer after graduation."
"But I have the right to know what I'm about to get into."
He released my foot and began walking away. I couldn't let him leave, so I pushed myself up and went for his back. He was so frustrating.
Before I could reach him, a hand appeared out of nowhere, and caught my wrist.
I froze, in shock.
I looked up at the wrist to see a boy with messy black hair. Wearing a gray untucked long-sleeved shirt, over some black jeans. It was Tony Scotts, my eighteen-year-old cousin. His expression was ice cold and unreadable.
"Tony." My father said. "How are you?"
So he'd known Tony was here.
Tony ignored him and looked at me.
"Can I take over, sir?"
"Don't call me sir."
"Uncle?"
"...Do as you see fit."
I didn't understand. Tony barely spoke to me. What could he have wanted?
"Amelia."
"Huh?"
He let go my wrist.
I was bit shook, he exhibited a strong, dangerous aura.
"Get ready."
Before I could react he shoved me back. He must've been getting ready for a fight.
I stumbled, then moved.
In front me, he vanished into thin air.
"What?" I said, confused. "...How?"
My father was gone too.
Then, I heard the sound of something being caught behind me.
I turned. My father stood there, gripping Tony's wrist. A small knife grasped in his hand.
I dropped to the floor, in fear. He was aiming to kill me.
"That's enough." My father said.
Tony didn't struggle.
"You were there to stop me, weren't you?"
His voice voice was flat, almost emotionless. That was the thing that scared me the most.
He looked my way once more.
"Was your question answered?"
"I... I don't know what you mean."
"You asked about the fairness of the education system, didn't you?"
My body shook.
He heard that. How?
"Is this nation fair?"
I froze up as he walked away.
My father followed behind him.
"That's the question you should be asking."
Was he possibly hinting at something bigger I'm missing?
Is this nation fair?